Intelligent weather agent

• US 7,129,857 B1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: USA As Represented By The Administrator Of The NASA
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Spirkovska, Liljana
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUGG, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US10/789,049
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 340/971
• US Class Current: 340/971
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology

Abstract

Method and system for automatically displaying, visually and/or audibly and/or by an audible alarm signal, relevant weather data for an identified aircraft pilot, when each of a selected subset of measured or estimated aviation situation parameters, corresponding to a given aviation situation, has a value lying in a selected range. Each range for a particular pilot may be a default range, may be entered by the pilot and/or may be automatically determined from experience and may be subsequently edited by the pilot to change a range and to add or delete parameters describing a situation for which a display should be provided. The pilot can also verbally activate an audible display or visual display of selected information by verbal entry of a first command or a second command, respectively, that specifies the information required.

Claims

1. A method for presenting weather data and related data for use in aviation, the method comprising:

providing presently measured or estimated values for each of a selected subset of a set of selected situation parameters, where the situation parameter set comprises trip length, present phase of trip, trip departure time, distance from present location to a selected aircraft destination, visibility, ceiling or cloud cover, longitudinal wind speed, cross wind speed, wind gust speed, temperature, dew point and density altitude;

providing a reference database containing a collection of N reference situations, numbered n=1 . . . , N (N≧

2), with each reference situation being characterized by an ordered set of parameter value ranges, one range for each of the selected subset of parameters;

wherein at least one of the reference situations comprises a selected set of conditions consisting of;

(1) trip phase being one of {pre-departure, takeoff, ascent and cruise}, AND at least one of;

(2A) v_w(present;

dest)−

v_w(forecast;

dest)≧

Δ

v_w(thr), where Δ

v_w(thr) is a selected positive value;

AND

(2B) at least one of the following inequalities is satisfied;

{{Δ

T(dew;

dest)≦

Δ

T(dew;

thr)} OR {VIS(dest)≦

VIS(dest;

thr)} OR {Ce(dest)≦

Ce(dest;

thr)} OR {v_w(long;

dest)≧

v_w(long;

thr)} OR {v_w(cr;

dest)≧

v_w(cr;

thr)}}, where Δ

T(dew;

thr), VIS(dest;

thr), Ce(dest;

thr, v_w(long;

thr) and v_w(cr;

thr) are selected threshold values;

AND

(2C) at least one of the following inequalities is satisfied;

{{VIS(dest)≦

VIS(dest;

thr)} OR {Ce(dest)≦

Ce(dest;

thr)} OR {v_w(long;

dest)≧

v_w(long;

thr)} OR {v_w(cr;

dest)≧

v_w(cr;

thr)}}, where VIS(dest;

thr), Ce(dest;

thr), v_w(long;

thr) and v_w(cr;

thr) are selected threshold values; and

when the measured or estimated value of each situation parameter in the selected subset lies within the corresponding value range for the parameter, displaying a selected subset of weather data, in at least one of visually perceptible format and audibly perceptible format, where the subset of weather data is drawn from a set of weather data that comprises a measured value or estimated value of at least one of aircraft present altitude, static air pressure at aircraft present altitude, longitudinal wind speed, crosswind speed, wind gust speed, wind variability, wind vector direction, temperature, dew point, temperature-dewpoint spread, density altitude, sky condition for at least one altitude range, ground visibility at a selected aircraft destination, ground precipitation at the selected destination, visibility obscurations along aircraft flight route, ceiling, distance from the selected destination, fuel required to reach the selected destination, recommended runway for the selected destination, and time of most recent measurement upon which the subset of weather data is based.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2A) are satisfied, displaying estimated fuel required to move from aircraft present location to said destination in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2B) are satisfied, displaying at least one of Δ

T(dew;

dest), VIS(dest), Ce(dest), v_w(long;

dest) and v_w(cr;

dest) in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2C) are satisfied, displaying at least one of VIS(dest), Ce(dest), v_w(long;

dest) and v_w(cr;

dest) in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a reference database modification module that implements at least one of:

(i) change of said range for at least one of said parameters in said selected subset;

(ii) deletion of a parameter in said selected subset and deletion of said corresponding value range;

(iii) addition of a parameter to said selected subset and addition of a corresponding value range for the added parameter; and

(iv) specification of at least one of said visually perceptible display and said audibly perceptible display for said display of said selected subset of weather data.

6. A method for presenting weather data and related data for use in aviation, the method comprising:

providing presently measured or estimated values for each of a selected subset of a set of selected situation parameters, where the situation parameter set comprises trip length, present phase of trip, trip departure time, distance from present location to a selected aircraft destination, visibility, ceiling or cloud cover, longitudinal wind speed, cross wind speed, wind gust speed, temperature, dew point and density altitude;

providing a reference database containing a collection of N reference situations, numbered n=1, . . . , N (N≧

2), with each reference situation being characterized by an ordered set of parameter value ranges, one range for each of the selected subset of parameters;

wherein at least one of the reference situations comprises a selected set of conditions consisting of;

(1) trip phase being one of {approach};

AND at least one of;

(2A) at least one of the following inequalities is satisfied;

{{h(dens;

dest)≧

h(dens;

dest;

thr)} OR {VIS(dest)≦

VIS(dest;

thr)} OR {Ce(dest)≦

Ce(dest;

thr)} OR {v_w(long;

dest)≧

v_w(long;

thr)} OR {v_w(cr;

dest)≧

v_w(cr;

thr)}}, where h(dens;

dest;

thr), VIS(dest;

thr), Ce(dest;

thr), v_w(long;

thr) and v_w(cr;

thr) are selected threshold values;

AND

(2B) at least one of the following inequalities is satisfied;

{{VIS(dest)≦

VIS(dest;

thr)} OR {Ce(dest)≦

Ce(dest;

thr)} OR {v_w(long;

dest)≧

v_w(long;

thr)} OR {v_w(cr;

dest)≧

v_w(cr;

thr)}}, where VIS(dest;

thr), Ce(dest;

thr), v_w(long;

thr) and v_w(cr;

thr) are selected threshold values; and

when the measured or estimated value of each situation parameter in the selected subset lies within the corresponding value range for the parameter, displaying a selected subset of weather data, in at least one of visually perceptible format and audibly perceptible format, where the subset of weather data is drawn from a set of weather data that comprises a measured value or estimated value of at least one of aircraft present altitude, static air pressure at aircraft present altitude, longitudinal wind speed, crosswind speed, wind gust speed, wind variability, wind vector direction, temperature, dew point, temperature-dewpoint spread, density altitude, sky condition for at least one altitude range, ground visibility at a selected aircraft destination, ground precipitation at the selected destination, visibility obscurations along aircraft flight route, ceiling, distance from the selected destination, fuel required to reach the selected destination, recommended runway for the selected destination, and time of most recent measurement upon which the subset of weather data is based.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2A) are satisfied, displaying at least one of h(dens(dest;

thr), VIS(dest), Ce(dest), v_w(long;

dest), v_w(cr;

dest) and recommended runway at said selected destination in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2A) are satisfied, displaying at least one of VIS(dest), Ce(dest), v_w(long;

dest), v_w(cr;

dest) and recommended runway at said selected destination in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

9. A method for presenting weather data and related data for use in aviation, the method comprising:

providing presently measured or estimated values for each of a selected subset of a set of selected situation parameters, where the situation parameter set comprises trip length, present phase of trip, trip departure time, distance from present location to a selected aircraft destination, visibility, ceiling or cloud cover, longitudinal wind speed, cross wind speed, wind gust speed, temperature, dew point and density altitude;

providing a reference database containing a collection of N reference situations, numbered n=1, . . . , N (N≧

2), with each reference situation being characterized by an ordered set of parameter value ranges, one range for each of the selected subset of parameters;

wherein at least one of the reference situations comprises a selected set of conditions consisting of;

(1) trip phase being one of {cruise, descent, approach}, AND at least one of;

(2A) at least one of the following inequalities is satisfied;

{{h(dens;

NANYFB)≧

h(dens;

NANYFB;

thr)} OR {VIS(NANYFB)≦

VIS(NANYFB;

thr)} OR {Ce(NANYFB)≦

Ce(dest;

thr)}}, where h(dens;

NANYFB;

thr), VIS(NANYFB;

thr) and Ce(NANYFB;

thr) are selected threshold values and “

NANYFB”

refers to an airport within a selected transverse distance from said flight route that has not yet been flown past by said aircraft;

AND

(2B) at least one of the following inequalities is satisfied;

{{VIS(NANYFB)≦

VIS(NANYFB;

thr)} OR {Ce(NANYFB)≦

Ce(dest;

thr)}}, where VIS(NANYFB;

thr) and Ce(NANYFB;

thr) are selected threshold values and “

NANYFB”

refers to an airport within a selected transverse distance from said flight route that has not yet been flown past by said aircraft;

AND

(2C) {Δ

s(dest)≦

Δ

s(thr)} AND (3) at least one of the following inequalities is satisfied;

{{v_w(cr;

dest)≧

v_w(cr;

thr)} OR {v_w(gust;

dest)≧

v_w(gust;

thr)}}, where v_w(cr;

thr) and v_w(gust;

thr) are selected threshold values;

when the measured or estimated value of each situation parameter in the selected subset lies within the corresponding value range for the parameter, displaying a selected subset of weather data, in at least one of visually perceptible format and audibly perceptible format, where the subset of weather data is drawn from a set of weather data that comprises a measured value or estimated value of at least one of aircraft present altitude, static air pressure at aircraft present altitude, longitudinal wind speed, crosswind speed, wind gust speed, wind variability, wind vector direction, temperature, dew point, temperature-dewpoint spread, density altitude, sky condition for at least one altitude range, ground visibility at a selected aircraft destination, ground precipitation at the selected destination, visibility obscurations along aircraft flight route, ceiling, distance from the selected destination, fuel required to reach the selected destination, recommended runway for the selected destination, and time of most recent measurement upon which the subset of weather data is based.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2A) are satisfied, displaying at least one of location of NANYFB, h(dens(NANYFB;

thr), VIS(NANYFB), Ce(NANYFB) and recommended runway at said selected destination in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2B) are satisfied, displaying at least one of location of NANYFB, VIS(NANYFB), Ce(NANYFB) and recommended runway at said selected destination in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2C) are satisfied, displaying at least one of v_w(cr;

dest), v_w(gust;

dest) and recommended runway at said selected destination in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

13. A method for presenting weather data and related data for use in aviation, the method comprising:

providing presently measured or estimated values for each of a selected subset of a set of selected situation parameters, where the situation parameter set comprises trip length, present phase of trip, trip departure time, distance from present location to a selected aircraft destination, visibility, ceiling or cloud cover, longitudinal wind speed, cross wind speed, wind gust speed, temperature, dew point and density altitude;

providing a reference database containing a collection of N reference situations, numbered n=1 . . . , N (N≧

2), with each reference situation being characterized by an ordered set of parameter value ranges, one range for each of the selected subset of parameters, wherein at least one of said reference situations comprises a selected condition consisting of at least one of the following;

{{VIS(forecast;

dest)−

VIS(present;

dest)≧

Δ

VIS(thr)}, OR {Ce(forecast;

dest)−

Ce(present;

dest)≧

Δ

Ce(thr)} OR{Δ

T(dew;

dest)≦

Δ

T(dew;

thr)} OR {v_w(long;

dest)≧

v_w(long;

thr)} OR {v_w(cr;

dest)≧

v_w(cr;

thr)}}, where Δ

VIS(thr), Δ

Ce(thr), Δ

T(dew;

thr), v_w(long;

thr) and v_w(cr;

thr) are selected positive values};

when the selected conditions is satisfied, displaying at least one of VIS(present;

dest), Ce(present;

dest), Δ

T(dew;

dest), v_w(long;

dest) and v_w(cr;

dest) in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format; and

when the measured or estimated value of each situation parameter in the selected subset lies within the corresponding value range for the parameter, displaying a selected subset of weather data, in at least one of visually perceptible format and audibly perceptible format, where the subset of weather data is drawn from a set of weather data that comprises a measured value or estimated value of at least one of aircraft present altitude, static air pressure at aircraft present altitude, longitudinal wind speed, crosswind speed, wind gust speed, wind variability, wind vector direction, temperature, dew point, temperature-dewpoint spread, density altitude, sky condition for at least one altitude range, ground visibility at a selected aircraft destination, ground precipitation at the selected destination, visibility obscurations along aircraft flight route, ceiling, distance from the selected destination, fuel required to reach the selected destination, recommended runway for the selected destination, and time of most recent measurement upon which the subset of weather data is based.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when said conditions (1) and (2B) are satisfied, displaying at least one of VIS(present;

dest), Ce(present;

dest), Δ

T(dew;

dest), v_w(long;

dest) and v_w(cr;

dest) in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

15. A method for presenting weather data and related data for use in aviation, the method comprising:

providing presently measured or estimated values for each of a selected subset of a set of selected situation parameters, where the situation parameter set comprises trip length, present phase of trip, trip departure time, distance from present location to a selected aircraft destination, visibility, ceiling or cloud cover, longitudinal wind speed, cross wind speed, wind gust speed, temperature, dew point and density altitude;

providing a reference database containing a collection of N reference situations, numbered n=1, . . . , N (N≧

2), with each reference situation being characterized by an ordered set of parameter value ranges, one range for each of the selected subset of parameters;

when the measured or estimated value of each situation parameter in the selected subset lies within the corresponding value range for the parameter, displaying a selected subset of weather data, in at least one of visually perceptible format and audibly perceptible format, where the subset of weather data is drawn from a set of weather data that comprises a measured value or estimated value of at least one of aircraft present altitude, static air pressure at aircraft present altitude, longitudinal wind speed, crosswind speed, wind gust speed, wind variability, wind vector direction, temperature, dew point, temperature-dewpoint spread, density altitude, sky condition for at least one altitude range, ground visibility at a selected aircraft destination, ground precipitation at the selected destination, visibility obscurations along aircraft flight route, ceiling, distance from the selected destination, fuel required to reach the selected destination, recommended runway for the selected destination, and time of most recent measurement upon which the subset of weather data is based;

choosing at least one of said reference situations to comprise a selected set of conditions consisting of;

for a set of METAR weather parameter values WP(METAR;

m) and a set of corresponding TAF weather parameter values WP(TAF;

m) (m=1, . . . , M;

M≧

1), a weather parameter difference |WP(METAR;

m)−

WP(TAF;

m)| is at least equal to a selected threshold value Δ

WP(m;

thr) for at least one number, m=m′

; and

when the selected set of conditions is satisfied, displaying at least one of WP(METAR;

m′

) and WP(TAF;

m′

) in at least one of a visually perceptible format and an audibly perceptible format.

16. A method for presenting weather data and related data for use in aviation, the method comprising:

providing presently measured or estimated values for each of a selected subset of a set of selected situation parameters, where the situation parameter set comprises trip length, present phase of trip, trip departure time, distance from present location to a selected aircraft destination, visibility, ceiling or cloud cover, longitudinal wind speed, cross wind speed, wind gust speed, temperature, dew point and density altitude;

providing a reference database containing a collection of N reference situations, numbered n=1, . . . , N (N≧

2), with each reference situation being characterized by an ordered set of parameter value ranges, one range for each of the selected subset of parameters;

when the measured or estimated value of each situation parameter in the selected subset lies within the corresponding value range for the parameter, displaying a selected subset of weather data, in at least one of visually perceptible format and audibly perceptible format, where the subset of weather data is drawn from a set of weather data that comprises a measured value or estimated value of at least one of aircraft present altitude, static air pressure at aircraft present altitude, longitudinal wind speed, crosswind speed, wind gust speed, wind variability, wind vector direction, temperature, dew point, temperature-dewpoint spread, density altitude, sky condition for at least one altitude range, ground visibility at a selected aircraft destination, ground precipitation at the selected destination, visibility obscurations along aircraft flight route, ceiling, distance from the selected destination, fuel required to reach the selected destination, recommended runway for the selected destination, and time of most recent measurement upon which the subset of weather data is based;

providing a list of alternate weather data comprising at least one of the following data items;

METAR data, nearest IFR, nearest VFR, density altitude, wind velocity, cross wind, wind gust, visibility, ceiling, elevation, weather frequency, suggest runway at said selected destination, traffic pattern at said selected destination, airport information and highlight destination; and

verbally or visually entering at least one of a selected audible display phrase and a selected visual display phrase including specification of one of the data items in order to provide at least one of an audibly perceptible display and a visually perceptible display of information concerning the specified data item.

17. A method for presenting weather data and related data for use in aviation, the method comprising:

providing presently measured or estimated values for each of a selected subset of a set of selected situation parameters, where the situation parameter set comprises trip length, present phase of trip, trip departure time, distance from present location to a selected aircraft destination, visibility, ceiling or cloud cover, longitudinal wind speed, cross wind speed, wind gust speed, temperature, dew point and density altitude, wherein the trip length is specified to be at least one of “

short,”

“

medium,” and

“

long”

;

providing a reference database containing a collection of N reference situations, numbered n=1, . . . , N (N≧

2), with each reference situation being characterized by an ordered set of parameter value ranges, one range for each of the selected subset of parameters; and

when the measured or estimated value of each situation parameter in the selected subset lies within the corresponding value range for the parameter, displaying a selected subset of weather data, in at least one of visually perceptible format and audibly perceptible format, where the subset of weather data is drawn from a set of weather data that comprises a measured value or estimated value of at least one of aircraft present altitude, static air pressure at aircraft present altitude, longitudinal wind speed, crosswind speed, wind gust speed, wind variability, wind vector direction, temperature, dew point, temperature-dewpoint spread, density altitude, sky condition for at least one altitude range, ground visibility at a selected aircraft destination, ground precipitation at the selected destination, visibility obscurations along aircraft flight route, ceiling, distance from the selected destination, fuel required to reach the selected destination, recommended runway for the selected destination, and time of most recent measurement upon which the subset of weather data is based,

wherein the selected subset of weather data for a given trip is displayed only if the length of the given trip is included in the provided trip length preference.