Virtual reality flight control display with six-degree-of-freedom controller and spherical orientation overlay

U.S. Patent Number: 5388990

Abstract: A virtual reality flight control system displays to the pilot the image of a scene surrounding a vehicle or pod having six degrees of freedom of acceleration or velocity control by the pilot and traveling through inertial space, the image itself including a superimposed figure providing the pilot an instant reference of orientation consisting of superimposed sets of geometric figures whose relative orientations provide the pilot an instantaneous feel or sense of orientation changes with respect to some fixed coordinate system. They include a first set of geometric figures whose orientations are fixed to the pilot's vehicle and a second set of geometric figures whose orientations are fixed with respect to a fixed or interstellar coordinate system. The first set of figures is a first set of orthogonal great circles about the three orthogonal axes of the flight vehicle or pod and centered at and surrounding the pilot's head, while the second set of figures is a second set of orthogonal great circles about the three orthogonal axes of a fixed or interstellar coordinate system, also centered at and surrounding the pilot's head.

Inventors: Beckman; Brian C. (Renton, WA)

Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the (Washington, DC)

Application Number: 08/056,503

Issued: 1995-02-14

Expired: 2007-02-14

Classes: 434/38 ; 345/419; 345/619; 345/649; 345/8; 345/953; 434/307R; 434/372; 434/43; 703/8

Field of search: 434/38,40,43,44,307,308,372,37R 395/127,135,152,154,155,161 340/686 358/93,105,213.11,229,248 455/89 364/573,578 381/190,205 73/379.01,299,323 273/85G,433,434,DIG.28,438 345/8,9,121,161

Click the image above to view patent images at uspto.gov within a frame.

Click here for the fulltext page on uspto.gov within a frame.