Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
  • G01C23/00—Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
  • G08G5/0017—Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information
  • G08G5/0021—Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information located in the aircraft
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
  • G08G5/0047—Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft
  • G08G5/0052—Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft for cruising
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
  • G08G5/0073—Surveillance aids
  • G08G5/0091—Surveillance aids for monitoring atmospheric conditions
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
  • G08G5/04—Anti-collision systems
  • G08G5/045—Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers

Definitions

• VFR Visual Flight Rules
• flight simulators are also well known, i . e . devices that use the computational power of current computers to recreate a virtual world closer to the real one than one can imagine .
• the simulator and flight controls are then associated through actuators that measure exactly the movements of the flight controls, to the computer of the simulator that in turn synchronizes the movements of the flight controls with movements in the space of the simulator cabin that in turn are synchronized with the three- dimensional cartography that represents the virtual world in which the aircraft moves, in order to generate a feeling of maximal realism aimed at training new pilots or to maintain their professional condition.
• glasses for three-dimensional (3D) visualization wearable by the pilot in training, where said 3D glasses are generally equipped with an inertial platform applied to them, which transmits instantaneous orientation data in space of the pilot ' s head, modifying the image of the virtual world created by the simulator on the basis of such data.
• the principle of operation of the simulators of flight is the virtual representation of the reality, which in the context of the simulation can be assimilated to a cube (the virtual world) with a point in the center (the aircraft) , where it is the same cube that is moved as long as the software of the simulator calculates the new values of position and the other parameters attributed to the aircraft from the simulation.
• flight simulators are extremely useful in pilot training, they certainly do not solve the problem of actual flying in bad weather and/or low visibility conditions .
• An object of the present invention is to provide a means for the pilot to overcome adverse weather conditions or poor visibility on board any aircraft in particular an airplane, helicopter or other aircraft .
• a further purpose of the present invention is to achieve the above results in a simple and economical manner.
• the present invention achieves the above-described purposes by means of a method of generating images that can be represented by a visor that can be worn by an aircraft pilot, wherein said method provides for the use of an electronic control unit, equipped with a memory, said electronic control unit being configured to perform the phases of the method, wherein said method comprises at least the following phases :
• An advantage of this embodiment is that the pilot, when wearing the visor, sees a virtual environment displayed in the same way he would have seen the same environment in which he is flying, but without undesirable atmospheric effects (fog, darkness, rain, etc. . ) .
• the invention is also capable of ensuring that there is no delay in data processing, no connection disturbance, and that the dynamic graphic representation is always correct .
• said images are associated with visual and/or acoustic alarms in case said aircraft is in the proximity of or on a collision course with obstacles present on the territory, and wherein the position of said obstacles is stored in the memory associated with said electronic control unit on the basis of pre-made maps .
• This realization increases flight safety especially at low altitudes .
• FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the main steps of the method of the invention.
• FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a calibration step of the spatial orientation of a viewer used in the method of the invention.
• inertial platform will be understood as meaning, as is it known, a device comprising a set of sensors allowing the determination of the orientation in space of a given object to which said inertial platform is applied.
• the inertial platforms may each comprise, for example, a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope and a magnetometer, wherein all said components may be managed by an electronic control unit, provided with a microprocessor, and by an appropriate software .
• a helicopter is concerned (but the invention is applicable to any other types of aircraft such as an airplane or other) , wherein said aircraft 10 is also represented with its three axes of yaw Y, roll R and pitch P.
• the inertial platform 30 may comprise, for example, a three-axis accelerometer 32 and a three-axis gyroscope 34 as well as a magnetometer 36, wherein all said components may be managed by an electronic control unit 450, equipped with a microprocessor.
• the electronic control unit 450 is configured to perform the various steps of the method of the invention and makes use of a memory 460 that contains software and operating data.
• the electronic control unit 450 may be part of a computer or other electronic computing system and is located on board the aircraft 10, as is the memory 460 that contains the aeronautical simulation software .
• the pilot C is provided with a three-dimensional type of visor 20, which can be constituted by a helmet or simply by 3D glasses; in any case, the visor 10 is provided with screens placed in correspondence of the eyes of the pilot C, said screens being suitable to represent a virtual environment .
• the visor 20 may be affixed to the helmet of the pilot C or, alternatively, may be affixed to a system that also includes a headset for radio communications .
• the viewer 20 is also shown in figure 1 with its own yaw Y' , roll R' and pitch P' axes and geographic direction or orientation, for example with respect to North.
• the viewer 20 allows for graphical visualization of the external virtual world from the pilot ' s point of view, as further discussed below.
• An inertial platform 40 is also attached to the viewer 20, which has the task of determining instant by instant the orientation in space of the viewer 20 and its geographical orientation with respect to a fixed reference, for example North.
• the inertial platform 40 may comprise, for example, a three-axis accelerometer 42 and a three-axis gyroscope 44, as well as a magnetometer 46, wherein all said components may also be managed by the electronic control unit 450.
• connection between the viewer 20, the inertial platform 40 and the electronic control unit 450 may be wireless or may be made by traditional means or by cable.
• a camera 97 is attached to the viewer 20, which allows the scene outside the viewer 20 to be filmed, in particular the aircraft instrumentation 10 and the flight controls .
• the invention also provides for the use of the GPS (Global Positioning System) system placed on board the aircraft 10 in order to determine the spatial coordinates of latitude and longitude, as well as of altitude, of the aircraft 10, coordinates provided precisely by the GPS system 50.
• GPS Global Positioning System
• the input of the spatial coordinates of latitude, longitude and altitude of the aircraft 10 is an information that allows the computer system representing the virtual world, to generate a representation of the virtual world derived from the position, at that moment, consequent to the GPS - Global Positioning System - coordinates of the aircraft 10 in flight .
• the method of the invention provides a step of real- time detection of the geographical position of the aircraft that is carried out with the help of a GPS detector placed on board said aircraft .
• GPS system could be replaced or combined with other known geolocation systems, for example GLONASS, BEIDOU, GALILEO, A-GPS, QZSS or others without going beyond the scope of the invention decriminated and claimed.
• the speed of the aircraft 10 that gives rise to the realtime change in the virtual world may be inferred or determined by the change in geographic coordinates measured in real-time by the geolocation detector 50.
• the geolocation detector 50 may also detect the altitude of the aircraft 10 and its variation over time, consequently determining the current flight levels of the aircraft 10 and communicating them to the control unit 450 that manages the simulation of the environment outside the aircraft 10.
• This calibration can be done using a compass 60 or a magnetometer or using the information given by the known orientation of the runway or by other known means .
• This calibration can be performed by having a straight-headed pilot C observe a fixed reference 70 placed on the cockpit of the aircraft 10, for example with the aid of the camera 97.
• Other methods of calibration are however possible (figure 3) .
• Such a calibration may, alternatively, also be performed in flight, after having worn the visor 20, since it serves solely to calibrate the spatial orientation of the visor 20 with respect to the reference system integral with the aircraft 10, regardless of the geographical position and spatial orientation of the aircraft 10 itself .
• a calibration step which may for example be performed when the aircraft 10 is initially located and the coordinates measured by the geolocation detector 50 placed on board said aircraft 10 at said position.
• Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of the main steps of the method of the invention.
• the phase of real-time detection of roll, pitch and yaw data of the aircraft 10, as well as of geographic orientation is carried out with the aid of the inertial platform 30 placed on board said aircraft 10 and of the instruments proper to said inertial platform 30, namely the three-axis accelerometer 32, the three-axis gyroscope 34 and the magnetometer 36.
• the method also includes collecting real-time roll, pitch and yaw data, as well as geographic orientation, from the visor 20 worn by the pilot C (block 110) .
• the real time detection phase of the roll, pitch and yaw data, as well as of the geographic orientation, of the visor 20 worn by the pilot C is performed with the help of the inertial platform 40 placed on board said visor 20, and of the instruments belonging to said inertial platform 40, i . e . , the three-axis accelerometer 42, the triaxial gyroscope 44 and the magnetometer 46.
• the method further comprises detecting in real time the geographic position of the aircraft 10 using a geolocation detector 50 placed on board said aircraft 10 (block 120) .
• the detected data relating to the orientation in space of the aircraft 10 in flight is associated with the current geographical position data of the aircraft itself, determined by means of the geolocation device 50.
• This calculation step is aimed at determining exactly the orientation of the viewer 20 with respect to the external environment (block 140) .
• the method according to one aspect of the present invention coirprises representing on the visor 20 virtual images corresponding to the external environment that would be visible to the pilot C under normal visibility conditions (block 150) at the current geographical position and with the current spatial orientation of the aircraft 10.
• the roll, pitch and yaw data of the aircraft 10 and the worn visor 20 are used to generate images viewable by the visor 20, wherein said images represent the environment outside the aircraft 10 at the current geographic location, taking into account the current orientations of the aircraft 10 and the visor 20.
• the pilot will be able to "see” where he/she could' t before, he/she will be able to save that life that he/she could' t before .
• system according to the invention allows for an increase in flight safety in conditions of fog or poor visibility, allowing aircraft flying VFR and also for those equipped with IFR instrumentation to fly in conditions of absolute visibility.
• the system of the invention makes any aircraft an instrument aircraft at an absolutely affordable cost.
• VIFR - Visual Instrument Flight Rules - can be considered i .e . the condition made possible by the present invention to be able to practice visual flight with visual flight rules but with assisted or autonomous flight systems equal to instrument flight.
• the system can also have - in addition - a mapping of the obstacles present at low altitude .
• the electronic control unit 450 may receive a danger signal or a green light ("landing allowed" ) , as the case may be, signal sent, for example, by rescuers who have arrived on the scene before the helicopter and update the representation of the virtual environment provided to the pilot C accordingly, all to the advantage of flight safety.
• the transmission of data related to the safety of the aircraft from external sources to the electronic control unit 450 takes place via a data link operating with 5G technology.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Atmospheric Sciences (AREA)
• Navigation (AREA)
• Closed-Circuit Television Systems (AREA)

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Citations (7)

• 2020
  • 2020-10-12 IT IT102020000024013A patent/IT202000024013A1/it unknown
• 2021
  • 2021-10-08 WO PCT/EP2021/077903 patent/WO2022078907A1/en unknown
  • 2021-10-08 EP EP21783561.0A patent/EP4226122A1/en active Pending

Patent Citations (7)

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