Display system, related display method and computer program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10802276-B2
Application number	US-201816140131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2018
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates to a display system included in a device for traveling a path between at least two distinct points and for using at least one heading datum, wherein the display system comprises at least:
an image sensor configured to acquire environmental images during the path traveled by the device; an image processing module capable of determining the drift of the device in real time; a module for determining information that is representative of the route taken by the device, a module for real-time determination of the true heading followed by the device from the information that is representative of the route and the drift of the device, a module for returning to the user information that is representative of the true heading.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A display system that is included in an air navigation device, wherein the air navigation device is capable of traveling along a path between at least two distinct points and using at least one heading datum, and wherein the display system comprises at least:
an image sensor capable of acquiring environmental images along the path traveled by the air navigation device;
an image processing module configured to determine the drift caused by the air navigation device traveling through the air via a drift angle of the air navigation device in real time;
a geolocation system configured to determine information that is representative of the route taken by the air navigation device;
a real-time determination module in communication with the image processing module and the geolocation system, wherein the real-time determination module is configured to determine a true heading followed by the air navigation device from the information that is representative of the route taken by the air navigation device and the drift of the air navigation device determined by the drift angle; and
a user return module in communication with the real-time determination module, wherein the user return module is configured to return to a user of the air navigation device information that is representative of the true heading.

2. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the user return module is a display module configured to recalibrate a synthetic image and/or a conforming symbology in the line of sight of the air navigation device associated with the true heading, wherein the display module is selected from the group consisting of:
a head-up display configured to project the synthetic image to the user of the air navigation device;
a mounted head-up display configured to project the synthetic image to the user of the air navigation device on the mounted head-up display worn by the user;
a head-down display configured to project the synthetic image to the user of the air navigation device.

3. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing module comprises an image analysis tool for automatically determining the drift of the air navigation device by analyzing at least two successive acquired environmental images, wherein the drift is obtained from an angle of displacement of the pixels between one image and another image, wherein the angle of displacement of the pixels is associated with the angle between a longitudinal displacement and a lateral displacement of the air navigation device.

4. The display system according to claim 3 , wherein the image analysis tool is an optical odometer.

5. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is pointed towards the ground.

6. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensor has a field of view that is reconfigurable according to the instantaneous roll rate and/or instantaneous pitch rate of the air navigation device and/or as a function of the phase of the travel of the air navigation device.

7. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is integral with the axes of the air navigation device or is gyro-stabilized.

8. The display system according to claim 3 , wherein the image processing module further comprises (an) image correction tool(s) that is/are capable of correcting the acquired environmental images before or after their analysis.

9. A display method implemented by a display system included in an air navigation device that is able to travel a path between at least two distinct points and to use at least one heading datum, wherein the method comprises:
acquiring environment images along the path traveled by the air navigation device;
processing the acquired environmental images to determine the drift caused by the air navigation device traveling through the air via a drift angle of the air navigation device in real time;
determining information that is representative of the route taken by the air navigation device;
determining in real time a true heading followed by the air navigation device from the information that is representative of the route taken by the air navigation device and the drift of the air navigation device determined by the drift angle; and
returning to a user of the air navigation device information that is representative of the determined true heading followed by the air navigation device.

10. A computer program comprising software instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement the display method according to claim 9 .

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Dumas Pierre-Yves
• Ganille Thierry
• Aymeric Bruno

Classifications

• G06V20/588

  Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road · CPC title

• G06V20/20

  in augmented reality scenes · CPC title

• G06T2207/30252

  Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle · CPC title

• G06T2207/30241

  Trajectory · CPC title

• G02B2027/0138

  comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera · CPC title