Weather radar enabled offshore operation system and method
First Claim
1. A weather radar system for use in a helicopter, the weather radar system comprising:
- an antenna;
a control circuit coupled with the antenna and configured to;
provide radar beams via the antenna toward external surroundings;
receive radar returns;
process data associated with the radar returns to determine an intensity associated with the radar returns and a location associated with the radar returns, the location being determined with high resolution angle and high resolution range using at least the following parameters;
a beam sharpening angle, and an antenna scan angle; and
process the radar returns with the associated intensity and location to provide radar image data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A weather radar system can be used as an airborne sensor for providing an image on an electronic display during low visibility offshore IFR operations (e.g. for a helicopter approach to an offshore platform, such as, a petroleum rig or other structure). The weather radar sensed image is representative of the external surroundings of the maritime environment associated with radar returns received by the weather radar system. Beam sharpening technology produces higher angular resolution of the sensed objects in the radar image which reduces the interpreted azimuth errors from the sensed radar image. Accordingly, beam sharpening technology advantageously allows object isolation of closely clustered offshore platforms and nearby objects. With operational credit provided to these capabilities, the minimal distance for obtaining visual reference with the target platform could be reduced, increasing the success rate of completing offshore operations in low visibility IFR conditions.
555 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A weather radar system for use in a helicopter, the weather radar system comprising:
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an antenna; a control circuit coupled with the antenna and configured to; provide radar beams via the antenna toward external surroundings; receive radar returns; process data associated with the radar returns to determine an intensity associated with the radar returns and a location associated with the radar returns, the location being determined with high resolution angle and high resolution range using at least the following parameters;
a beam sharpening angle, and an antenna scan angle; andprocess the radar returns with the associated intensity and location to provide radar image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of providing radar image data for provision of a radar image during offshore operations to avoid obstacles, the method comprising:
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determining an antenna attitude of an antenna; receiving radar returns from at least one of an X-hand and a C-band weather radar system; determining a location of each of the radar returns using the antenna attitude, a beam sharpening angle, and a range; determining an intensity associated with each of the radar returns; and providing radar image data, the radar image data being derived from the intensity and location associated with the radar returns. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for a helicopter, comprising:
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a weather radar system configured to; process the radar returns to determine an intensity and location of the radar returns to provide image data representative of an offshore environment associated with radar returns received by the weather radar system during offshore operations, the radar returns being in an X-band or a C-band, wherein the location is determined using at least an antenna position and a beam sharpening angle; and a display in communication with the weather radar system and configured to display an image associated with the image data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification