Adaptive weather radar detection system and method

• US 7,486,219 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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: Woodell, Daniel L., Robertson, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US11/402,434
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 342 26 R- 26 D, 342 89-103, 342165-175, 34235701-35717, 342 73- 81, 342159-164, 342176-186, 342192-197
• US Class Current: 342/26.00B
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/292 Extracting wanted echo-signals
• 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 method of detecting weather on an aircraft uses a weather radar system. The method adapts the weather radar system in accordance with a seasonal parameter, a time-of-day parameter, or a location parameter. The method includes determining the particular parameter and automatically adjusting the weather radar system to display the weather in response to the parameter. The system can be implemented in hardware or software and advantageously can more precisely predict and identify weather and/or weather hazards.

Claims

1. A method of detecting weather for an aircraft using a weather radar system, the method comprising:

determining a location of the aircraft;

determining a geographic region or region type associated with the determined location;

providing weather radar adjustment information previously associated with the geographic region or region type; and

automatically adjusting the weather radar system in response to the weather radar adjustment information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location further comprises:

receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes ground clutter information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes altitude-based information, time-of-day based information, or seasonal information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically adjusting includes:

applying a threshold control law to adjust a threshold for a weather radar display associated with the weather radar system, adjusting a weather radar signal gain, or adjusting a tilt angle of a weather radar antenna.

6. A method of detecting weather for an aircraft using a weather radar system, the method comprising:

determining a location of the aircraft;

providing weather radar adjustment information associated with the location; and

automatically adjusting the weather radar system in response to the weather radar adjustment information,

wherein the information is stored in a land mass database.

7. A method of detecting weather for an aircraft using a weather radar system, the method comprising:

determining a location of the aircraft;

providing weather radar adjustment information associated with the location; and

automatically adjusting the weather radar system in response to the weather radar adjustment information; and

generating an assessment of whether the location is one of at least three types.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the three types comprise:

maritime, continental, and transitional.

9. A method of detecting weather for an aircraft using a weather radar system, the method comprising:

determining a location of the aircraft;

providing weather radar adjustment information associated with the location; and

automatically adjusting the weather radar system in response to the weather radar adjustment information; and

generating a weighting factor based on the location, the weighting factor being representative of whether the location is primarily maritime or primarily continental.

10. A method of adapting an aircraft weather radar system to a seasonal parameter, a time-of-day parameter, or a location parameter, the method comprising:

determining the seasonal parameter, the time-of-day parameter, or the location parameter; and

automatically adjusting the weather radar system to display weather in response to at least one of the seasonal parameter, time-of-day parameter, or location parameter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the location parameter is derived from global positioning system (GPS) signals.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the location parameter for land mass information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting occurs in response to the location parameter and the seasonal parameter or the location parameter and the time-of-day parameter.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting includes changing a tilt angle, a gain, or a threshold for a display.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

applying a threshold control law to adjust the weather radar system.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating an assessment of whether a location is one of at least three types.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the three types comprise:

maritime, continental, and transitional.

18. An airborne weather radar system carried on an aircraft, comprising:

a radar antenna system; and

a processing means for adjusting performance of the weather radar system based on at least one of;

1. a location of the aircraft;

2. a time-of-day;

or

3. a time-of-year.

19. The airborne weather radar of claim 18, wherein the processing means changes a display threshold for a weather radar display.

20. The airborne weather radar of claim 18, wherein the processing means adjusts the performance in response to the location, time-of-day, and a time-of-year.

21. A weather radar system for mounting to the aircraft and for detecting weather for an aircraft, the system comprising:

means for determining a location of the aircraft;

means for determining a geographic region or region type associated with the determined location;

means for retrieving weather radar adjustment information previously associated with the geographic region or region type; and

means for automatically adjusting the weather radar system in response to the weather radar adjustment information.

22. A weather radar system for mounting to an aircraft and for detecting weather for the aircraft, the aircraft including a location circuit determining and outputting an indication of a location of the aircraft, the system comprising:

a database storing land mass information and weather radar adjustment information;

an input receiving the indication of the location of the aircraft from the location circuit;

a processor receiving the indication of the location of the aircraft from the input, the processor retrieving, from the database, weather radar adjustment information previously associated with the location, a location type corresponding with the location, or the location and the location type corresponding with the location;

wherein the processor automatically adjusts the weather radar system in response to the retrieved weather radar adjustment information.