Displaying lightning strikes
First Claim
1. A method comprising displaying a lightning strike as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time, the uniformly-structured kernel having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a higher amplitude than the outer portion, the amplitudes of the inner portion and the outer portion decreasing as the uniformly-structured kernel decays.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured (e.g., gaussian) kernels that decay in size and intensity over time. The lightning strikes may be displayed as they occur, or stored for later display. Overlapping areas of the kernels are displayed in different colors than corresponding non-overlapping areas. A color (or colors) displayed in an overlapping area is a function of the number of kernels that overlap in that area.
-
Citations
42 Claims
- 1. A method comprising displaying a lightning strike as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time, the uniformly-structured kernel having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a higher amplitude than the outer portion, the amplitudes of the inner portion and the outer portion decreasing as the uniformly-structured kernel decays.
-
9. A method of displaying lightning strikes, comprising:
-
storing information relating to a lightning strike;
retrieving the information; and
displaying the lightning strike, based on the retrieved information, as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time, the uniformly-structured kernel having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a higher amplitude than the outer portion, the amplitudes of the inner portion and the outer portion decreasing as the uniformly-structured kernel decays. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 40)
further comprising controlling a rate at which the record of lightning strikes is displayed.
-
-
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
-
detecting the lightning strike; and
determining a location of the lightning strike;
wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a location of the lighting strike.
-
-
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a time that the lightning strike occurred.
-
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
-
determining a current location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike; and
displaying the current location of the aircraft relative to the lightning strike.
-
-
40. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a warning regarding current lightning strikes while the retrieved lightning strike information is being displayed.
-
14. An apparatus comprising:
-
a display screen which displays images;
a memory which stores a computer program; and
a processor which executes the computer program to display, on the display screen, a lightning strike as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time, the uniformly-structured kernel having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a higher amplitude than the outer portion, the amplitudes of the inner portion and the outer portion decreasing as the uniformly-structured kernel decays. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
detects the lightning strike; and
determines a location of the lightning strike;
wherein the lightning strike is displayed based on the location of the lightning strike.
-
-
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor executes the computer program to display a location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike.
-
18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:
-
the processor executes the computer program to display two or more lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time; and
overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels for the two or more lightning strikes are displayed in one or more different colors than corresponding non-overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels.
-
-
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a color of an overlapping area is a function of a number of uniformly-structured kernels that overlap in that area.
-
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein different colors for overlapping areas are obtained by summing pixel values in the overlapping areas;
- and
wherein different pixel values map to different colors on a color continuum.
- and
-
21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein decay of the uniformly-structured kernel is shown as a decrease in size of the uniformly-structured kernel over time.
-
22. An apparatus for displaying lightning strikes, comprising:
-
a display screen which displays images;
one or more memories which store a computer program and information relating to a lightning strike; and
a processor which executes the computer program so as (i) to retrieve the information, and (ii) to display the lightning strike on the display screen based on the information, the lightning strike being displayed as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time, the uniformly-structured kernel having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a higher amplitude than the outer portion, the amplitudes of the inner portion and the outer portion decreasing as the uniformly-structured kernel decays. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 41)
the information includes a record of lightning strikes that occurred over a period of time, each lightning strike corresponding to a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time; and
the processor executes the computer program to control a rate at which the record of lightning strikes is displayed.
-
-
24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a storm sensor which:
-
detects the lightning strike; and
determines a location of the lightning strike;
wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a location of the lighting strike.
-
-
25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a time that the lightning strike occurred.
-
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor (i) determines a current location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike, and (ii) displays the current location of the aircraft relative to the lightning strike.
-
41. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor displays a warning regarding current lightning strikes while the retrieved lightning strike information is being displayed.
- 27. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising code to display a lightning strike as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time, the uniformly-structured kernel having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a higher amplitude than the outer portion, the amplitudes of the inner portion and the outer portion decreasing as the uniformly-structured kernel decays.
-
35. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium to display lightning strikes, the computer program comprising:
-
code to store information relating to a lightning strike;
code to retrieve the information; and
code to display the lightning strike, based on the information, as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time, the uniformly-structured kernel having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion having a higher amplitude than the outer portion, the amplitudes of the inner portion and the outer portion decreasing as the uniformly-structured kernel decays. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 39, 42)
further comprising c ode to control a rate at which the record of lightning strikes is displayed.
-
-
37. The computer program of claim 35, further comprising code to receive an indication of the lightning strike and the information relating to the lightning strike;
wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a location of the lighting strike.
-
39. The computer program of claim 35, further comprising:
-
code to determine a current location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike; and
code to display the current location of the aircraft relative to the lighting strike.
-
-
42. The computer program of claim 35, further comprising code to display a warning regarding current lightning strikes while the retrieved lightning strike information is being displayed.
Specification