Method for digital transmission and display of weather imagery

• US 20080158049A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avidyne Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avidyne Corporation
• Inventors: Cannaday., Theodore H., Aucoin, Michael A., Gouin, Frederic, Bell, Lowell F., Southard, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/26R
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/951 ground based
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/119 Adaptive subdivision aspects, e.g. subdivision of a picture into rectangular or non-rectangular coding blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/186 the unit being a colour or a chrominance component
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/94 Vector quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A method for creating minimal data representing a source image is presented. The source image is divided into a grid of cells. A color is selected for each cell corner based on sampling an area defined by the cell corner. An indication of the selected color is stored in an array dependent on the co-ordinates of the cell corner in the source image.

Claims

1. A method of delivering graphical weather images through a satellite to an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining an expected position of the aircraft based on a flight plan; and

automatically transmitting an updated graphical weather image to the aircraft via the satellite, the updated graphical weather image covering the expected position of the aircraft.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting the updated graphical weather image includes automatically transmitting the updated graphical weather image upon detecting relevant weather.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting the updated graphical weather image includes automatically transmitting the updated graphical weather image based on severity of weather corresponding to the updated graphical weather image.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting the updated graphical weather image includes computing the updated graphical weather image based on the expected position of the aircraft along the flight plan at a time when the aircraft is expected to receive the updated graphical weather image.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting the updated graphical weather image includes automatically transmitting the updated graphical weather image based on a pilot configurable timer.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein determining the expected position of the aircraft includes determining the expected position of the aircraft based on position, ground track, and ground speed information sent from the aircraft to a ground station.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the updated graphical weather image indicates relevant weather and is transmitted based upon severity of the relevant weather.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the aircraft receives a different updated graphical weather image than another aircraft based on its expected position in its flight plan.

9. A system for delivering graphical weather images through a satellite to an aircraft, the system comprising:

an aircraft having a flight plan;

a satellite; and

a ground station to determine an expected position of the aircraft based on the flight plan and to automatically transmit an updated graphical weather image to the aircraft via the satellite, the updated graphical weather image covering the expected position of the aircraft.

10. A system for delivering graphical weather images through a satellite to an aircraft, the system comprising:

an aircraft having a flight plan;

a satellite; and

means for determining an expected position of the aircraft based on the flight plan and for automatically transmitting an updated graphical weather image to the aircraft via the satellite, the updated graphical weather image covering the expected position of the aircraft.