Abstract: A system and method for creating avionic databases is disclosed. The system may receive an avionic database of an area, surveyed coordinate points of the area, and new satellite imagery of the area. The system may georeference the new satellite imagery using the surveyed coordinate points as ground control points, generating georeferenced coordinate points of the new satellite imagery in different locations of the area. The system may create a second avionic database based on the georeferenced coordinate points.

Abstract: Present novel and non-trivial methods for electronically recording a taxi route on a display unit are disclosed. In one method, a tax route entry window (“TREW”) such as a taxi clearance entry window is used to present in smaller windows surfaces and next intersecting surfaces from which a pilot sequentially selects surfaces based upon surfaces stated in a taxi clearance. In another method, the TREW is comprised of an airport-specific keyboard or a traditional keyboard with visually-variable, interactive buttons, where an activation or deactivation of each button is dependent upon surfaces specified in the taxi clearance and potential intersecting surface. In another method, selections are made on the TREW and surfaces corresponding to the selections are highlighted in an image presenting a map of surfaces. Additionally, the image presenting a map of surfaces may be panned and zoom to the size of the highlighted surface.

Abstract: An offscreen traffic information indicator system includes signal receivers for receiving traffic messages from proximate air and ground vehicles and a traffic indicator for determining the positions of the host aircraft and the proximate vehicles based on the traffic messages. Based on the locations of the host aircraft and proximate vehicles and their proximity to airport runways, the traffic indicator may designate runways as relevant runways (or receive relevant runway designations from the flight management system of the host aircraft) and designate proximate vehicles as relevant to the host aircraft. A display unit may display, along with a dynamic map of a region near the host aircraft, relevant runway indicators for relevant runways within the mapped region and offscreen traffic indicators for relevant aircraft positioned outside the mapped region.

Abstract: Present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for inhibiting surface information to a operator are disclosed. An image generator receives navigation data; retrieves surface data; generates and modifies an image data set as a function of the navigation data and the surface data; and provides the modified image data set to a display system. The image data set could be representative of a three-dimensional, egocentric perspective of a scene outside the vehicle comprised of a current surface and corresponding markings, and at least one intersecting surface and corresponding markings; the intersecting surface may be a surface intersecting the current surface. The image data set may be modified by inhibiting the visibility of the intersecting surface markings for each intersecting surface falling within the image modification area. An intersecting surface may fall within the image modification area if the intersecting surface overlaps a boundary of the image modification area.

Abstract: Extended runway systems and methods include generating a runway centerline that extends from a start point on the runway to an endpoint located at a predefined distance from the start point. One or more distance markers are also calculated for the runway centerline. Display data is provided to an electronic display that causes the display to show the runway centerline and the one or more distance markers.

Abstract: Present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for generating surface data are disclosed. An image generator is configured to receive navigation data; retrieve first surface data representative of a plurality of elevations; retrieve second surface data representative of location and elevation information (and possibly dimensions and the locations of at least one surface feature) of at least one reference point; determine shading data as a function of the first surface data; modify the first surface data as a function of the second surface data; and generate image data as a function of the modified first surface data and the shading data, where the image data is representative of a three-dimensional perspective of a scene outside a vehicle comprised of at least one flattened surface feature area having one elevation and to which the shading represented in the shading data is applied.

Abstract: Present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for presenting taxi information to a pilot are disclosed. A processor receives aircraft taxi information; retrieves navigation reference and object data; generates an image data set as a function of the aircraft taxi information data and the navigation reference and object data; and provides the image data set to a display system. The image data set could be representative of an image in which one or more first location highlighters highlight the location(s) of one or more raised surface features that appear within an egocentric, perspective scene outside the aircraft. The one raised surface feature could be comprised of a raised surface boundary or a raised surface centerline. In an additional embodiment, the image could include one or more second location highlighters highlighting the location(s) of one or more raised surface transition features.

Abstract: Present novel and non-trivial methods for presenting taxi information to a pilot are disclosed. Each method may generate an image data set from taxi information data and navigation reference and object data. A first image data set may be representative of an image in which one or more first location highlighter(s) highlighting the location(s) of one or more raised surface feature(s) appears within an egocentric or exocentric three-dimensional representation of a scene located outside the aircraft. A second image data set may be representative of an image in which one or more unconventional surface feature(s) highlighting the location(s) of one or more raised surface feature(s) appears within an egocentric or exocentric three-dimensional representation of a scene located outside the aircraft. A third image data set may be representative of an image in which one or more unconventional surface feature(s) appears within an airport surface map.