Systems and methods for displaying a pilot display for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12456381-B2
Application number	US-202418587720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2024
Priority date	Apr 28, 2022
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

In an aspect of the present disclosure a pilot display system for an aircraft includes a sensor configured to measure an aircraft position and generate a position datum based on the aircraft position, a display incorporated in the aircraft, and a computing device communicatively connected to the sensor and the display, the computing device configured to receive a flight path including a transition point, determine, from the position datum, the aircraft position relative to the transition point, and command the display to display a visual representation of the aircraft position relative to the transition point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A pilot display system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
a sensor configured to measure an aircraft position and generate a position datum based on the aircraft position; a display incorporated in the aircraft; and a computing device communicatively connected to the sensor and the display, the computing device configured to:
receive a flight path including a transition point;
determine, based at least in part on the position datum, the aircraft position relative to the transition point; and
command the display to display a visual representation of the aircraft position relative to the transition point, wherein the transition point represents a location along the flight path where the aircraft is transitioning between fixed-wing flight and vertical rotor-based flight or between vertical rotor-based and fixed-wing flight.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is a heads-up display.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the visual representation comprises:
a location of the visual representation relative to a horizon during a style in flight transition; and a corresponding degree of correction for pitch of the aircraft.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the transition point comprises a first altitude, the position datum comprises a second altitude, and determining, based at least in part on the position datum, the aircraft position relative the transition point further comprises comparing the first altitude and the second altitude.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the visual representation is configured to represent the transition in style of flight, wherein the visual representation further comprises a location of the visual representation relative to a horizon during a style in flight transition and a corresponding degree of correction for pitch of the aircraft.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a visual representation of a horizon, wherein the visual representation positioned on the horizon signifies that the aircraft is in the flight path.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft comprising at least a vertical propulsor.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the eVTOL comprises at least a forward propulsor.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the transition point comprises a first altitude, the position datum comprises a second altitude, and determining, from the position datum, the aircraft position relative the transition point further comprises comparing the first altitude and the second altitude.

10 . A method for displaying a pilot display for an aircraft, the method comprising:
receiving a flight path including a transition point; determining, based at least in part on position datum, an aircraft position relative to the transition point; and commanding a display to display a visual representation of the aircraft position relative to the transition point, wherein the transition point represents a location along the flight path where the aircraft is transitioning between fixed-wing flight and vertical rotor-based flight or between vertical rotor-based and fixed-wing flight.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the display is a heads-up display.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the visual representation is configured to represent the transition in style of flight, wherein the visual representation further comprises a location of the visual representation relative to a horizon during the style in flight transition and a corresponding degree of correction for pitch of the aircraft.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the display comprises a visual representation of a horizon, wherein the visual representation positioned on the horizon signifies that the aircraft is in the flight path.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the flight path is based on a flight plan.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the aircraft is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft comprising at least a vertical propulsor.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the display comprises a visual representation of a horizon eVTOL comprises at least a forward propulsor.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving the flight path from another computing device transition point comprises a first altitude, the position datum comprises a second altitude, and determining, from the position datum, the aircraft position relative the transition point further comprises comparing the first altitude and the second altitude.

18 . A computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receive a flight path that includes a transition point; determine, based at least in part on position datum, an aircraft position relative to the transition point; and command a display to display a visual representation of the aircraft position relative to the transition point, wherein the transition point represents a location along the flight path where the aircraft is transitioning between fixed-wing flight and vertical rotor-based flight or between vertical rotor-based and fixed-wing flight.

19 . The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the computing device is further configured to command the display to display an image of at least an arrow to indicate a corrective maneuver of an aircraft as a function of a degree of deviation of the aircraft position from the flight path.

20 . The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the flight path is based on at least a state of charge of a battery.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Moy Nicholas
• Freiheit Collin
• Auerbach Joshua E

Classifications

• G08G5/21 Primary

  located onboard the aircraft · CPC title

• B64C29/00

  Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (rotorcraft B64C27/00) · CPC title

• B64D43/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• G08G5/34 Primary

  for flight plan modification · CPC title

• B64C29/0025

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title