Cognitive load reduction and field of view enhancing standardized graphical user interface (GUI) overlay generating system or systems that include elements that correlate various device, event, or operation inputs with common GUI overlay generation modules and group related GUI elements across overlays along with associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9535562-B2
Application number	US-201313863051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2013
Priority date	Apr 24, 2012
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A device or computer program that takes the data and/or video from separate sensory devices and then combines this information for display in a standardized, but user configurable Graphical User Interface. Since each input device is paired with a device driver to properly parse the data for the input device, new devices may be added by writing new device drivers. The GUI has a standard set of elements that the individual user can modify to suit their personal preferences and needs. Since the Graphical User Interface is standardized, the user knows where to look for the data that they need no matter which sensory device is attached.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system that generates standardized electro-optic device (EOD) graphical user interface (GUI) overlays including GUI overlays having outputs common to different EODs in a cognitive load reducing and field of view enhancing format comprising:
one or more EODs that each outputs a first plurality of EOD outputs comprising different types of EOD device outputs common to said one or more EODs;
a processor;
a one or more storage media;
at least one display designed to display a plurality of GUIs comprising said EOD GUI overlays;
a software program stored on at least one said storage media that is read by said processor to operate one more sections of said system to receive said first plurality of EOD outputs and produce or display said plurality of GUIs displaying different GUI elements and the text associated with said first plurality of EOD outputs, wherein said program comprises;
a library of device drivers that receives said first plurality of EOD outputs and generates device driver outputs comprising a first plurality of program outputs that are stored on said one more storage media, wherein said first plurality of program outputs are each respectively associated or correlated with different types of said first plurality of EOD outputs;
a library of GUI view generators (GVG) that each displays one of a plurality of said GUI elements and text elements, wherein each of said GVG generates one type of said GUI element or said text respectively associated with each said outputs common to different EODs at a respective plurality of same sections or locations within said plurality of GUI overlays associated with different EODs and GUI overlay application format categories including equipment item targeting operations and non-targeting surveillance operations, wherein each CVG will generate at least some of said GUI elements and said text at a periphery of a field of view of each of the EODs, wherein at least some of said GUI elements and said text are grouped based on related function or operation;
a plurality of GUI element mediators, wherein each of the GUI element mediators receives mediator inputs comprising said first plurality of program outputs or mediator inputs derived from said first plurality of program outputs each respectively associated with each of said different types of EOD outputs, wherein said GUI element mediators call or execute an associated one of said GVGs associated with said different types of EOD outputs;

a video data grabber;
wherein the software program is executed by the processor and stored on the at least one storage media;
wherein said video data grabber receives video from each EOD;
wherein said video is combined with said GUI overlays and shown on the display.

2. A computer program comprising:
a plurality of processing sequences stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
a first processing sequence is adapted to detect a plurality of device types;
a second processing sequence is adapted to select a device driver from a library of device drivers that is configured for a detected device;
a third processing sequence is adapted to receive data from the detected device;
a fourth processing sequence is adapted to translate data from the detected device to produce translated data, said fourth processing sequence comprises a plurality of mediator modules that each receive a different output from each of said device drivers based on category of device outputs that said drivers translate;
a fifth processing sequence is adapted to use said translated data to create a standardized GUI overlay, wherein said fifth processing sequence comprises a plurality of view modules that each generate graphical user interface elements associated with each of said different output from each said device driver;
a sixth processing sequence is adapted to receive video from the detected device; and
a seventh processing sequence is adapted to combine the video with the standardized GUI overlay and display on a monitor;
wherein said fifth processing sequence uses said translated data to create a standardized GUI overlay which displays alphanumeric and graphical interface information using standardized GUI elements comprising symbology associated with each category of EOD output in said GUI, wherein said symbology is positioned to minimize obstruction of a center section of a field of view of a target generated from an electro-optic device, said symbology is grouped associated with similar classes of said translated data, said similar classes of said translated data comprise device information including sensor data display information, and target information, the minimization of obstruction of said field of view comprising placing at least a portion of similar classes of data on a periphery of said GUI and grouping said similar classes of device output data associated with function together into portions of said periphery comprising a lower left and lower right hand section of said GUI.

3. A system for interfacing multiple systems in a common user interface, comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium storing a plurality of machine readable processing sequences that operate a processor and the system for interfacing multiple systems in a common user interface comprising:
a sensor interface processing sequence comprising instructions that detect one or more electro-optic devices (EOD) comprising one or more sensors that generate a plurality of sensor outputs respectively associated with each EOD and select a device driver from a plurality of device drivers to interface with the one or more sensors;
a plurality of event update processing sequences comprising
a first event processing sequence is adapted to receive and update sensor azimuth information provided by a first sensor output;
wherein a second event processing sequence is adapted to receive and update sensor elevation information provided by a second sensor output;
wherein a third event processing sequence is adapted to receive and update field-of-view of the EOD information provided by a third sensor output;
wherein a fourth event processing sequence is adapted to receive and update camera or video sensor type information provided by a fourth sensor output;
wherein a fifth event processing sequence is adapted to receive and update range information provided by a fifth sensor output;
wherein a sixth event processing sequence is adapted to receive and update error messages provided by a sixth sensor output;
a plurality of mediator modules comprising Interface3Mediator, Gimble3DMediator, FOVBarMediator, GimbleUIMediator, ReticleMediator, SystemStateUIMediator, TargetUIMediator and TargetDistanceMediator, wherein each of said plurality of sensor outputs comprising said first through sixth sensor outputs are respectively associated with one of said mediator modules based on a related function or category of event;
a plurality of GUI view generator (GVG) processing sequences comprising

ArrowIndicator, Compass, FOVBar, Gimble3D, GimbleUI, Interface3, Reticle, SystemStateUI, TargetDistanceView, and TargetUI, wherein each of said GVGs are called by one of said mediator modules so that outputs of said GVGs are the same regardless of what type of EOD is generating said plurality of sensor outputs;
wherein said ArrowIndicator is adapted to define, generate, and animate an orientation element;
wherein said Compass is adapted to define, generate and animate the compass components;
wherein said FOVBarMediator is adapted to wait for an update to field-of-view of the EOD and then update the scale of a field-of-view mask in FOVBar which is adapted to define, generate and animate field-of-view components to be displayed;
wherein said Gimble3DMediator is adapted to wait for updates to azimuth and elevation information and then upda

Assignees

• Mehringer Todd
• Mehringer Bret
• Avenatti Peter
• Rondina Mark
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Mehringer Todd
• Mehringer Bret
• Avenatti Peter
• Rondina Mark

Classifications

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/0481 Primary

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• H04N23/667

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title

• H04N7/181

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title