Terrain engine and method for compiling source data to build a terrain model

#The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus associated with flight simulation and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for generating a terrain model for display during flight simulation.

#Pilots frequently wish to simulate a mission prior to actually flying the mission. By simulating the mission, a pilot can become familiar with the mission route and can either avoid or prepare in advance for any portions of the mission that may require special effort or attention. In order to simulate a mission route, a pilot initially defines the mission route, such as by means of a mission planning system (MPS) or the like. As known to those skilled in the art, a mission planning system receives input from a pilot that defines a plurality of points along the mission route. For example, the pilot typically defines the beginning and end point(s) of the mission as well as points along the route at which the aircraft will change direction. The pilot also defines points that identify the location of targets or other features of interest. In addition to merely entering the points, the pilot also indicates the significance of each point, such as by indicating that the point represents an airfield, a target, a point at which the aircraft will change direction or the like. Based upon the plurality of points defined by the pilot, the MPS constructs the mission route to include each of the plurality of points.

#Once the pilot has defined the mission route, a terrain model designer determines the area for which terrain source data will be required. In this regard, terrain source data is typically obtained, not just along the mission route, but for some distance on either side of the mission route to permit the flight simulation to continue if the aircraft deviates from the mission route. The size of the area for which terrain source data is required is typically based, in part, upon the aircraft platform including the range of the sensors onboard the aircraft, the turning radius of the aircraft and any other aircraft parameter that affects the size of the area that will be viewed by the pilot or interrogated by the aircraft and its sensors. In this regard, some aircraft platforms are capable of gathering and analyzing more remote sensor data than other aircraft platforms and therefore generally require terrain source data to be collected for larger areas surrounding the mission route in order to properly simulate the planned mission.

#Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for automatically generating a terrain model for display during a simulated flight along a predefined mission route according to one embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a graphical representation of a mission route;

#The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

#Referring now to FIG. 1, an apparatus 10 for automatically generating a terrain model for display during a simulated flight along a predefined mission route is depicted. Although the upcoming flight to be simulated will be consistently referred to as a mission, the upcoming flight need not necessarily be a military exercise, but can be a commercial flight or a flight taken for other reasons, such as pleasure. The mission route can be defined in a variety of different manners. However, the mission route is commonly provided by a mission planning system (MPS) 12.

#In order to define a mission route, a pilot initially provides the MPS 12 with a description of the general geographic region within which the mission will be flown. The MPS will then display a two-dimensional representation of a map of the geographic region. The pilot will then plot the mission route upon the map in a manner known to those skilled in the art. For example, the pilot can identify specific points along the mission route by sequentially positioning a cursor at each respective point and then providing an indication, such as by depressing the enter key or the like, that the current position of the cursor identifies a point along the mission route. Based upon the location of the points identified upon the map, the MPS can determine the latitude and longitude of each point to facilitate construction of the mission route. Instead of selecting points upon the map to be indicative of points along the mission route, however, the pilot can directly enter the latitude and longitude of points along the mission route, if known.