Displaying lightning strikes

• US 6,560,538 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avidyne Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avidyne Corporation
• Inventors: Barber, Frederic D., Schwinn, Daniel J., Bedrosian, David P., Cannaday, Theodore H.
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr., Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US10/074,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/4, 342/460, 342/26, 340/601, 731/702.4
• US Class Current: 702/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

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.

Claims

1. A method of indicating a presence of lightning, comprising:

monitoring a guard zone for lightning strikes that exceed a predetermined threshold; and

annunciating the presence of lightning when lightning strikes exceed the predetermined threshold, the annunciating occurring even if a primary lightning display is suppressed.

2. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for indicating a presence of lightning, the computer program comprising:

code to monitor a guard zone for lightning strikes that exceed a predetermined threshold; and

code to annunciate the presence of lightning when lightning strikes exceed the predetermined threshold, the annunciating occurring even if a primary lightning display is suppressed.

3. An apparatus for indicating a presence of lightning, comprising:

a memory that stores a computer program; and

a processor that executes the computer program to (i) monitor a guard zone for lightning strikes that exceed a predetermined threshold, and (ii) annunciate the presence of lightning when lightning strikes exceed the predetermined threshold, the annunciating occurring even if a primary lightning display is suppressed.