Apparatus, engine, system and method of providing simulation of and training for the operation of heavy equipment

Abstract

A heavy equipment cockpit training apparatus, device, system, and method is disclosed. The disclosed features include at least one substantially clear, substantially seamless pane to at least partially present an approximation of physical portions of the cockpit, at least one projector capable of backprojecting a simulation of the cockpit onto the at least one substantially seamless pane, at least one tactile aspect, discrete from the at least one seamless pane, interactively provided in association with the simulation, and at least one processor having communicatively associated therewith non-transitory computing code for at least partially providing the simulation and the interaction with the at least one tactile aspect.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cockpit training system, comprising:
 a pane that is clear, seamless and comprises a rear surface and a front surface;   a mirror oriented facing the rear surface of the pane;   a projector to project a simulation of an instrument panel of the cockpit by an optical path from the mirror onto the rear surface of the pane such that the simulated instrument panel is visible from the front surface of the pane;   a tactile aspect, discrete from the pane, interactively provided in association with the simulation;   a sensor to detect movement of the tactile aspect; and   a processor having communicatively associated therewith non-transitory computing code for at least partially providing the simulation.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pane comprises a first pane, and the system further comprises a second pane with a second width that is less than a first width of the first pane. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pane comprises one of glass and an acrylic. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mirror is planar. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cockpit is that of an aircraft. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a camera. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the camera is oriented toward the rear surface of the pane. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the projector comprises an LED high definition projector. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile aspect comprises at least one of a button and a knob extending through an aperture through the pane. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the tactile aspect is movable relative to the pane. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein a back portion of the tactile aspect extends through the aperture of the pane. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the back portion of the tactile aspect includes indicia such that the sensor can detect movement of the tactile aspect by a user. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor detects one or more of an Infrared (IR) light, a near-IR light, and a visual spectrum light to optically detect movement of the tactile aspect. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the tactile aspect can communicate with the processor wirelessly using at least one of a WiFi transmission, a Bluetooth transmission, a radio frequency transmission, and an infrared transmission. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear projection film positioned on the rear surface of the pane through which light from the projector can pass. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the projector is positioned to backproject the simulation onto the rear surface of the pane. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pane is flat. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical path from the projector extends through the pane from the rear surface and out of the front surface of the pane. 
     
     
         19 . A cockpit training system, comprising:
 a pane that is seamless and comprises a rear surface and a hole;   a knob with a back portion that extends through the hole, wherein:
 the knob is movable relative to the pane; and 
 the back portion of the knob includes indicia such that movement of the knob relative to the pane can be detected; 
   a projector capable of backprojecting, by an optical path comprising an optical element, a backprojected simulation of an aspect of the cockpit onto the pane; and   a camera facing the rear surface of the pane, the camera operable to detect movement of the indicia on the back portion of the knob when the knob is moved.   
     
     
         20 . The cockpit training system of  claim 19 , wherein the camera is operable to detect one or more of an Infrared (IR) light, a near-IR light, and a visual spectrum light.