Apparatus and method for an aircraft display exhibiting vertical speed, traffic awareness, and collision resolution advisories

Claim 2

A display apparatus in an aircraft for providing both vertical speed information and aircraft traffic advisory information, said display apparatus, charac­terized by: a) a scale (103) having a first color indicating a range of vertical speeds for said aircraft, said scale including a marker (102) indicating current vertical airspeed of said aircraft; b) first means (203) responsive to first input signals for imposing a second color region (120) proximate with a first portion of said scale in response to identification of a second aircraft on a collision course with said aircraft, said second color region (120) indicating vertical speeds for said aircraft that may result in a collision with said second aircraft; and c) second means (203) responsive to said first input signals for displaying a third color region (121) simultaneously with said second color region (120), said third color region proximate a second portion of said scale, said third color region (121) indicating vertical speeds for said aircraft that will avoid a collision with said second aircraft.

Claim 3

The display apparatus of Claim 1, character­ized by a) a first icon (105) representing said aircraft; and b) third means responsive to said first input signals for displaying a second icon (101, 109) indicating a position of said second aircraft relative to said aircraft.

Claim 4

The display apparatus of Claim 2, character­ized in that a) said third means includes color means for displaying said second icon (101, 109) having a first configuration (109, Fig. 1B) and said second color when said second aircraft is on a potential collision trajectory with said aircraft, and b) said second icon having a second configuration (109, Fig. 1A) and a fourth color when said aircraft is not on a collision trajectory.

Claim 5

The display apparatus of Claim 3, character­ized in that said second icon (101, 109) has associated alpha/numeric data associated therewith designating relative vertical displacement between said aircraft and said second aircraft and designating at least an absolute direction of vertical flight of said second aircraft.

Claim 6

The display apparatus of Claim 2, 3 or 4, charac­terized in that said third means provides said second icon (101, 109) with said second color when said collision is predicted to occur between a first preselected time and a second preselected time, said third means providing said second icon with an indicia indicating that said collision is predicted to occur in a time less than said first preselected time.

Claim 9

The method of Claim 6, characterized in that: a) said icon (109) has a first configuration (Fig. 1B) and said first color when said imminent collision is identified; b) said icon having a second configuration (Fig. 1A) and a third color when said collision is not imminent; c) said icon having a third color when said collision is predicted to occur in less than a preselected time.

Claim 10

A display apparatus for use in an aircraft, said display apparatus characterized by: a) a status means (21) for providing first signals identifying flight parameters of said aircraft; b) transponder means (22, 26) responsive to signals from a second aircraft for providing second signals identifying flight parameters of said second aircraft; c) processing means (203) responsive to said first and said second signals for determining when a collision is imminent; and d) display means (204) responsive to signals from said processing means and said first signals, said display means including a display screen (Fig. 1A, 1B) with a first portion having a vertical airspeed scale (103) and a marker (102) identifying a vertical airspeed of said aircraft, said first portion including a first region (120) having a first color proximate said vertical airspeed scale when a collision is predicted between said aircraft and said second aircraft, said first region identifying vertical speeds which will result in a collision between said aircraft and said second aircraft, said first portion including a second region (121) having a second color proximate said vertical airspeed scale when said collision is predicted, said second region identifying vertical speeds which will result in avoiding said collision between said aircraft and said second aircraft, said display screen having a second portion displaying a position (101, 105, 109) of said second aircraft relative to said aircraft.

Claim 11

A display apparatus for use in an aircraft, said display apparatus characterized by: a) a status means (21) for providing first signals identifying flight parameters of said aircraft; b) transponder means (22, 26) responsive to signals from a second aircraft for providing second signals identifying flight parameters of said second aircraft; c) processing means (203) responsive to said first and said second signals for determining when a collision is imminent; and d) display means (204) responsive to signals from said processing means and said first signals, said display means including a display screen (Fig. 1A, 1B) with a first portion having a vertical airspeed scale (103) and a marker (102) identifying a vertical airspeed of said aircraft, said first portion including a first region (120) having a first color proximate said vertical airspeed scale when a collision is predicted between said aircraft and said second aircraft, said first region identifying vertical speeds which will result in a collision between said aircraft and said second aircraft, said first portion including a second region (121) having a second color proximate said vertical airspeed scale when said collision is predicted, said second region identifying vertical speeds which will result in avoiding said collision between said aircraft and said second aircraft, said display screen having a second portion displaying a position (101, 105, 109) of said second aircraft relative to said aircraft.

Claim 12

The display apparatus of Claim 8, character­ized in that said first portion has a first icon (105) representing said aircraft and a second icon (101, 109) representing said second aircraft, wherein a relative position of said first icon (105) and said second icon (101, 109) indicates a relative position of said aircraft and said second aircraft.

Claim 13

The display apparatus of Claim 9, character­ized in that said second icon (109, Fig. 1B) has a first configuration and a first color when said collision between said aircraft and said second aircraft is identified by said processing means, said second icon having a second configuration (109, Fig. 1A) and a second color when said collision between said aircraft and said second aircraft has not been identified, said second icon having a third color when said collision is predicted to occur within a preselected time.

Claim 14

The display apparatus of Claim 10, character­ized in that said second portion displays icons representing each aircraft within a predetermined distance (104) of said aircraft.

Claim 15

The display apparatus of Claim 6, 7 or 11, char­acterized in that: a) each icon has displayed therewith an alpha/numeric data, said alpha/numeric data identifying selected flight parameters associated with said each aircraft; and b) said vertical airspeed scale (103) includes marker (102), said marker designating a current airspeed of said aircraft.