Hazardous and non-hazardous weather identification system and method

• US 7,307,576 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Koenigs, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/233,690
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 342/26.R, 342/26.A, 342/26.B, 342/26.C, 342/26.D
• US Class Current: 342/26.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/062 in which different colours are used
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A weather radar system or method can be utilized to determine non-hazardous weather region for an aircraft. The weather radar system can utilize processing electronics coupled to an antenna. The processing electronics can determine presence of the non-hazardous weather region in response to data related to returns received by the weather radar antenna. The data can include a spatial frequency parameter or reflectivity gradient.

Claims

1. A weather radar system, comprising electronics for receiving radar returns and detecting at least one non-hazardous weather region in a precipitation weather system, the electronics determining a spatial frequency parameter or a reflectivity gradient parameter, the spatial frequency parameter being derived from the radar returns, the reflectivity gradient parameter being derived from the returns, the electronics detecting non-hazardous weather region based upon at least one of the spatial frequency parameter and the reflectivity gradient parameter.

2. The weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the radar returns are azimuth returns.

3. The weather radar system of claim 2, wherein the azimuth returns are at a plurality of ranges.

4. The weather radar system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display coupled to the electronics, wherein the electronics reduces a color ordinarily provided on the display when the spatial frequency parameter is relatively low and the reflectivity gradient parameter is relatively small.

5. The weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the electronics receives weather radar vectors and compensate for the weather radar vectors when the reflectivity gradient parameter and spatial frequency parameter indicate non-hazardous weather.

6. The weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the electronics detects stratiform weather.

7. The weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the electronics omits regions having a reflectivity parameter over a threshold from the non-hazardous weather region.

8. The weather radar system of claim 7, wherein the threshold is greater than 39 dBz.

9. The weather radar system of claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein the non-hazardous weather is indicated on the display by a color, by an outline, or by a symbol.

10. A method of detecting a non-hazardous weather region for an aircraft, the method comprising steps of:

receiving radar returns;

determining a plurality of parameters related to the radar returns, the parameters being related to spatial frequency and reflectivity gradient; and

determining the non-hazardous weather region from the parameters.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a peak velocity.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second determining step compares the spatial frequency to a threshold.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the second determining step compares the reflectivity gradient to a threshold.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-hazardous weather region is a decaying convective cell or a stratiform weather system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the method is performed during an approach or take-off.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

means for determining a spatial frequency parameter from weather radar returns;

means for determining a reflectivity gradient parameter from the weather radar returns; and

means for determining a presence of a decaying convective cell or a stratiform weather region in response to the spatial frequency parameter and the reflectivity gradient parameter.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus determines a non-hazardous region.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus utilizes short range turbulence detection and long range lightning correlation to identify the non-hazardous region.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the non-hazardous region is displayed on a terminal area hazard screen of a weather radar display.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the non-hazardous region is displayed in response to the spatial frequency parameter and the reflectivity gradient parameter.