Display of current trend and/or future position of vehicular traffic

摘要

Systems and methods are disclosed for displaying the current trends (i.e., turning or going straight) or the future positions of vehicles of interest on a traffic display unit. The position, orientation and geometry of the displayed symbology is a function of parametric information broadcast by the vehicles of interest and processed by a computer system that controls the traffic display unit. In particular examples disclosed herein, the traffic display unit is a navigation display on an aircraft or a traffic display unit at a traffic controller's station. However, the methods disclosed herein have application to vehicular traffic other than aircraft, such as boats or ships.

主权项

1. A method for displaying traffic information on a traffic display unit, comprising:
receiving data from a first vehicle that indicates or can be used to derive a current position, a current heading and a current trend of the first vehicle; and displaying symbology that indicates the current position, current heading and current trend of the first vehicle relative to a frame of reference, wherein said symbology comprises an icon placed and oriented to indicate the current position and current heading of the first vehicle, and a line or series of line segments extending away from the icon along a path that indicates the current trend of the first vehicle, wherein a distance from a terminus of said line or series of line segments to said icon indicates, relative to a scale of the traffic display unit, a distance that the first vehicle will travel during a future predefined time interval.