Automatic weather monitoring and adaptive transmitting system

• US 6,181,260 B1
• Filed: 03/19/1996
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1994
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Potomac Aviation Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: Potomac Aviation Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Simon, Gary B., Wartofsky, David
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US08/617,617
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/947, 340/948, 340/949, 340/952, 340/502, 340/313, 340/968, 340/963, 340/905, 731/78.T, 731/700.1, 731/700.2, 731/700.5, 731/700.6, 731/701.6, 701/200, 455/63, 455/431
• US Class Current: 340/949
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09

Abstract

A method for automatically providing weather advisories for an airport to pilots comprises monitoring weather conditions at the airport and then generating weather advisories in response to these weather conditions. The broadcast traffic on a common traffic advisory channel is also simultaneously monitored and then menus providing for selectable weather advisories and radio check options are broadcast to the pilots. The weather advisories or radio check can then be selected by the pilot by clicks of their transmit button. The time spacing between the menus is adaptively changed in response to traffic on the common traffic advisory frequency. Also, the length of the weather advisories is also changed in response to this traffic. The radio check option is provided automatically by first confirming selection of the radio check option and then allowing the broadcaster to broadcast a short message which is recorded by the system and then rebroadcast.

Claims

1. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency, assigned to voice communications of the airport, for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information by classifying broadcasts from other sources based upon a length of a carrier signal;

monitoring the radio frequency for inactivity with no voice transmissions from other sources; and

broadcasting an audio weather advisory on the radio frequency in response to detecting the inactivity after detecting the predetermined protocol, the weather advisory being derived from the determined weather conditions.

2. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising stopping the broadcast of the weather advisory after receiving the predetermined protocol in response to detecting transmissions from other sources lasting over a set time period.

3. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a level of traffic on the radio frequency; and

stopping the broadcast of the weather advisory based on the level of traffic.

4. A method as described in claim 3, further comprising scheduling the broadcast of the weather advisory in the future if the level of traffic was determined to be high.

5. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

reviewing the determined weather conditions and determining any relevant weather parameters;

including only relevant weather parameters in the broadcast weather advisory.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the radio frequency for the predetermined protocol comprises:

applying a voice recognition algorithm to the transmission on the radio frequency; and

broadcasting the weather advisory if a selected phrase was detected.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the radio frequency for the predetermined protocol comprises:

detecting clicks from a transmit button of another transceiver on the radio frequency; and

broadcasting the weather advisory if a selected number of clicks was detected.

8. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a relative importance of weather conditions and broadcasting a weather advisory including more important weather conditions.

9. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

in response to congestion on the radio frequency, reducing a length of the weather advisory by including more important weather parameters.

10. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

categorizing broadcasts from other sources based on a length of a corresponding carrier signal; and

adapting a length of the weather advisory based on a level of traffic on the radio frequency.

11. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

delaying broadcast of a weather advisory if there is a high level of traffic on the radio frequency.

12. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency, assigned to voice communications of the airport, for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information;

monitoring the radio frequency for inactivity with no voice transmissions from other sources;

broadcasting an audio weather advisory on the radio frequency in response to detecting the inactivity after detecting the predetermined protocol, the weather advisory being derived from the determined weather conditions;

determining if a weather advisory has been recently broadcast; and

stopping the broadcast of a new weather advisory if another weather advisory was broadcast.

17. A method as described in claim 12, further comprising automatically broadcasting a message announcing a presence of a system providing the weather information and instructions for its operation.

13. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency, assigned to voice communications of the airport, for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information;

monitoring the radio frequency for inactivity with no voice transmissions from other sources;

broadcasting an audio weather advisory on the radio frequency in response to detecting the inactivity after detecting the predetermined protocol, the weather advisory being derived from the determined weather conditions;

determining a level of traffic on the radio frequency; and

adaptively changing a length of the broadcast weather advisory in response to the traffic.

14. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency, assigned to voice communications of the airport, for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information;

monitoring the radio frequency for inactivity with no voice transmissions from other sources;

broadcasting an audio weather advisory on the radio frequency in response to detecting the inactivity after detecting the predetermined protocol, the weather advisory being derived from the determined weather conditions; and

automatically broadcasting a message announcing a presence of a system providing the weather information and instructions for its operation.

15. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency, assigned to voice communications of the airport, for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information;

monitoring the radio frequency for inactivity with no voice transmissions from other sources;

broadcasting an audio weather advisory on the radio frequency in response to detecting the inactivity after detecting the predetermined protocol, the weather advisory being derived from the determined weather conditions;

detecting a broadcast on the radio frequency from another source after an extended period of no broadcasts on the radio frequency; and

broadcasting the weather advisory.

16. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency assigned to the airport for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information;

monitoring the radio frequency for transmissions from other sources;

determining a level of traffic on the radio frequency;

adaptively changing a length of a weather advisory in response to the traffic; and

broadcasting the weather advisory derived from the determined weather conditions on the radio frequency in response to detecting the predetermined protocol.

18. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the step of monitoring the radio frequency for the predetermined protocol comprises:

applying a voice recognition algorithm to the transmission on the radio frequency; and

broadcasting the weather advisory if a selected phrase was detected.

19. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the step of monitoring the radio frequency for the predetermined protocol comprises:

detecting clicks from a transmit button of another transceiver on the radio frequency; and

broadcasting the weather advisory if a selected number of clicks was detected.

20. A system for broadcasting weather advisories to pilots, comprising:

an automatic weather station which generates weather data indicative of ambient weather conditions;

a transceiver which generates a carrier detect signal in response to transmissions from other sources on a radio frequency, which is assigned for voice communication, and broadcasts weather advisories over the radio frequency; and

a central processing unit which monitors the carrier detect signal for inactivity on the radio frequency and generates the voice weather advisories in response to transmission of an activating signal over the radio frequency followed by inactivity on radio frequency determined from the carrier detect signal, the central processing system classifying broadcasts from the other sources in response to lengths of the carrier detect signal.

21. A system as described in claim 20, wherein the central processing unit classifies broadcasts by other sources in response to the lengths of the carrier detect signals, and adaptively changes lengths of the weather advisories in response to the classifications.

22. A system as described in claim 20, wherein the central processing unit stops the broadcast of the weather advisory after receiving the activating signal in response to detecting transmissions from other sources lasting over a set time period.

23. A system as described in claim 20, wherein the central processing unit determines a level of traffic on the radio frequency and stops the broadcast of the weather advisory based on the level of traffic.

24. A system as described in claim 20, wherein the central processing unit reviews the determined weather conditions, identifies any relevant weather parameters, and includes only relevant weather parameters in the broadcast weather advisory.

25. A system as described in claim 20, wherein the central processing unit applies a voice recognition algorithm to detect transmission of the activating signal.

26. A system as described in claim 20, wherein the central processing unit monitors the carrier detect signal to detect transmission of the activating signal.

27. A system for broadcasting weather advisories to pilots, comprising:

an automatic weather station which generates weather data indicative of ambient weather conditions;

a transceiver which generates a carrier detect signal in response to transmissions from other sources on a radio frequency, which is assigned for voice communication, and broadcasts weather advisories over the radio frequency; and

a central processing unit which monitors the carrier detect signal for inactivity on the radio frequency and generates the voice weather advisories in response to transmission of an activating signal over the radio frequency followed by inactivity on radio frequency determined from the carrier detect signal, the central processing unit determining if a weather advisory has been broadcast and stops the broadcast of another weather advisory in response to the broadcast weather advisory.

28. A system for broadcasting weather advisories to pilots, comprising:

an automatic weather station which generates weather data indicative of ambient weather conditions;

a transceiver which generates a carrier detect signal in response to transmissions from other sources on a radio frequency, which is assigned for voice communication, and broadcasts weather advisories over the radio frequency; and

a central processing unit which monitors the carrier detect signal for inactivity on the radio frequency and generates the voice weather advisories in response to transmission of an activating signal over the radio frequency followed by inactivity on radio frequency determined from the carrier detect signal, the central processing unit determining a level of traffic on the radio frequency and adaptively changing a length of the broadcast weather advisory in response to the traffic.

29. A system for broadcasting weather advisories to pilots, comprising:

an automatic weather station which generates weather data indicative of ambient weather conditions;

a transceiver which generates a carrier detect signal in response to transmissions from other sources on a radio frequency, which is assigned for voice communication, and broadcasts weather advisories over the radio frequency; and

a central processing unit which monitors the carrier detect signal for inactivity on the radio frequency and generates the voice weather advisories in response to transmission of an activating signal over the radio frequency followed by inactivity on radio frequency determined from the carrier detect signal, the central processing generating a message announcing a presence of the system and instructions for its operation.

30. A system for broadcasting weather advisories to pilots, comprising:

an automatic weather station which generates weather data indicative of ambient weather conditions;

a transceiver which generates a carrier detect signal in response to transmissions from other sources on a radio frequency, and broadcasts weather advisories over the radio frequency; and

a central processing unit which monitors the carrier detect signal for activity on the radio frequency and generates the weather advisories in response to transmission of an activating signal over the radio frequency and changes length of the weather advisories in response to the level of the activity.

31. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency, assigned to voice communications of the airport, for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information;

monitoring the radio frequency for inactivity with no voice transmissions from other sources;

broadcasting an audio weather advisory on the radio frequency in response to detecting the inactivity after detecting the predetermined protocol, the weather advisory being derived from the determined weather conditions;

determining if a weather advisory has been broadcast; and

stopping the broadcast of a new weather advisory if another weather advisory was broadcast.

32. A method for providing weather information to pilots for an airport, comprising:

determining weather conditions for the airport;

monitoring a radio frequency, assigned to voice communications of the airport, for a predetermined protocol indicative of a pilot attempt to access the weather information;

monitoring the radio frequency for inactivity with no voice transmissions from other sources;

broadcasting an audio weather advisory on the radio frequency in response to detecting the inactivity after detecting the predetermined protocol, the weather advisory being derived from the determined weather conditions;

determining a level of traffic on the radio frequency; and

stopping the broadcast of the weather advisory in response to the level of traffic.