SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATION OF COMPREHENSIVE AIRSPACE WEATHER CONDITION DISPLAY FROM SHARED AIRCRAFT SENSOR DATA BY A TRANSMITTING AIRCRAFT

• US 20100328143A1
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kirk, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,217,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/26B
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/04 giving only separate indications of the variables measured
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/08 Adaptations of balloons, missiles, or aircraft for meteorological purposes; Radiosondes transmission of measurements G01D; transmitting circuits H04B; balloons in general B64B; aeroplanes in general B64D; missiles in general F42B15/00

Abstract

Systems and methods communicate sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft. An exemplary system has at least one sensor on a transmitting aircraft that is configured to detect weather and configured to output sensor data, and a transceiver that is configured to receive a query from a requesting aircraft for the sensor data and that is configured to transmit a signal with the sensor data for receipt by the requesting aircraft in response to receiving the query. Upon receipt by the requesting aircraft, the received sensor data of the transmitting aircraft may then be fused with sensor data of the requesting aircraft for a geographic region of interest to extend the effective sensor coverage and to resolve at least one of a location conflict and a severity conflict between the sensor data of the transmitting aircraft and the requesting aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for communicating sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving a query from a requesting aircraft;

acquiring sensor data from at least one sensor configured to sense weather data residing in a transmitting aircraft; and

in response to receiving the query, transmitting a signal comprising the sensor data from the transmitting aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is acquired from at least one sensor in response to receiving the query.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal further comprises a time identifying acquisition of the sensor data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the sensor data and a time that the sensor data was acquired;

determining an elapsed time corresponding to a difference between a current time and the time that the sensor data was acquired;

in response to the elapsed time being less than an elapsed time threshold, transmitting the signal comprising the sensor data from the transmitting aircraft.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to the elapsed time being greater than the elapsed time threshold, discarding the stored sensor data.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

currently acquiring sensor data from the at least one sensor;

retrieving the stored sensor data; and

transmitting the currently acquired sensor data and the stored sensor data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is sensor data acquired from a radar system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is sensor data acquired from an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the received query includes a requested sensor data format, and further comprising:

formatting the sensor data into the requested sensor data format; and

in response to receiving the query, transmitting the signal comprising the sensor data in the requested sensor data format.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the received query includes an aircraft identifier, and further comprising:

comparing the aircraft identifier with an identifier of the transmitting aircraft; and

in response to the aircraft identifier corresponding to the identifier of the transmitting aircraft, transmitting the signal comprising the sensor data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

formatting the sensor data into a standard sensor data format.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically transmitting the sensor data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal further comprises a location of the transmitting aircraft.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically transmitting a periodic signal, the periodic signal including a unique identifier that identifies the transmitting aircraft, and wherein transmitting the signal comprising the sensor data from the transmitting aircraft occurs only in response to the received query that includes the unique identifier of the transmitting aircraft.

15. A system for communicating sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft, comprising:

at least one sensor on a transmitting aircraft, the at least one sensor configured to detect weather and configured to output sensor data; and

a transceiver on the transmitting aircraft configured to receive a query from a requesting aircraft for the sensor data, and configured to transmit a signal with the sensor data for receipt by the requesting aircraft in response to receiving the query.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the query includes an aircraft identifier, and further comprising:

a processor system configured to compare the aircraft identifier with an identifier of the transmitting aircraft, and configured to cause the transceiver to transmit the signal comprising the sensor data in response to the aircraft identifier corresponding to the identifier of the transmitting aircraft.

18. A system for communicating sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft, the method comprising:

a means for acquiring sensor data from at least one sensor configured to sense weather data residing in a transmitting aircraft; and

a means for receiving and transmitting signals, wherein the means for receiving and transmitting signals is configured to receive a query from a requesting aircraft, and wherein the means for receiving and transmitting signals is further configured to transmit the sensor data in response to receiving the query.

17. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the sensor data and a time that the sensor data was acquired, and

wherein the processor system is configured to determine an elapsed time corresponding to a difference between a current time and the time that the sensor data was acquired, and

wherein the transmitted signal is transmitted in response to the elapsed time being less than an elapsed time threshold.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a means for storing the sensor data and a time that the sensor data was acquired;

a means for determining an elapsed time corresponding to a difference between a current time and the time that the sensor data was acquired,

wherein the means for receiving and transmitting signals transmits the signal in response to the elapsed time being less than an elapsed time threshold.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the received query includes a requested sensor data format, and further comprising:

a means for formatting the sensor data into the requested sensor data format, wherein the means for receiving and transmitting signals transmits the signal with the sensor data in the requested sensor data format.