Storm top detection and prediction
First Claim
1. A radar system for an aircraft, the radar system predicting storm cell characteristics at a future time, the radar system comprising:
- an antenna adapted to receive signals reflected from a first storm cell;
a receiver coupled to the antenna, the receiver adapted to process the received signals thereby forming reflectivity data associated with a scan of the first storm cell;
a processor coupled to the receiver, the processor configured toreceive the formed reflectivity data;
determine a value relating to a characteristic of the first storm cell from the received reflectivity data;
identify a second storm cell, wherein the second storm cell is part of the same weather system as the first storm cell;
receive a plurality of values relating to the characteristic for the identified second storm cell, the plurality of values determined at a plurality of different times;
compare the determined value of the characteristic of the first storm cell with the received plurality of values of the characteristic of the identified second first storm cell;
determine a growth rate of the first storm cell;
calculate a maximum height of the first storm cell at a third time in the future based on the comparison and the determined growth rate; and
present the calculated maximum height of the first storm cell at the third time to a user, anda memory operably coupled to the processor to receive and to store the plurality of values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of predicting storm cell characteristics at a future time is provided. A value relating to a characteristic of the storm cell is determined from reflectivity data processed from signals received from a radar scan of the storm cell. A second storm cell is identified that is part of the same weather system as the storm cell. A plurality of values relating to the characteristic for the identified second storm cell is received from a memory wherein the plurality of values were determined at a plurality of different times. The determined value of the storm cell is compared with the determined plurality of values of the identified second storm cell. A growth rate of the storm cell is determined. A maximum height of the storm cell at a third time in the future is calculated based on the comparison and the determined growth rate and presented to a user.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A radar system for an aircraft, the radar system predicting storm cell characteristics at a future time, the radar system comprising:
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an antenna adapted to receive signals reflected from a first storm cell; a receiver coupled to the antenna, the receiver adapted to process the received signals thereby forming reflectivity data associated with a scan of the first storm cell; a processor coupled to the receiver, the processor configured to receive the formed reflectivity data; determine a value relating to a characteristic of the first storm cell from the received reflectivity data; identify a second storm cell, wherein the second storm cell is part of the same weather system as the first storm cell; receive a plurality of values relating to the characteristic for the identified second storm cell, the plurality of values determined at a plurality of different times; compare the determined value of the characteristic of the first storm cell with the received plurality of values of the characteristic of the identified second first storm cell; determine a growth rate of the first storm cell; calculate a maximum height of the first storm cell at a third time in the future based on the comparison and the determined growth rate; and present the calculated maximum height of the first storm cell at the third time to a user, and a memory operably coupled to the processor to receive and to store the plurality of values.
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2. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor, cause the processor to predict storm cell characteristics at a future time, the instructions comprising:
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receiving a value relating to a characteristic of a first storm cell; identifying a second storm cell, wherein the second storm cell is part of the same weather system as the first storm cell; receiving a plurality of values relating to the characteristic for the identified second storm cell, the plurality of values recorded at a plurality of different times; comparing the received value of the characteristic of the first storm cell with the received plurality of values of the charateristic of the identified second storm cell; determining a growth rate of the first storm cell; calculating a maximum height of the first storm cell at a third time in the future based on the comparison and the determined growth rate; and presenting the calculated maximum height of the first storm cell at the third time to a user.
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3. A method of predicting storm cell characteristics at a future time, the method comprising:
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receiving a value relating to a characteristic of a first storm cell; identifying a second storm cell, wherein the second storm cell is part of the same weather system as the first storm cell; receiving a plurality of values relating to the characteristic for the identified second storm cell, the plurality of values recorded at a plurality of different times; comparing the received value of the characteristics of the first storm cell with the received plurality of values of the characteristic of the identified second storm cell; determining a growth rate of the first storm cell; calculating a maximum height of the first storm cell at a third time in the future based on the comparison and the determined growth rate; and presenting the calculated maximum height of the first storm cell at the third time to a user. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A radar system for an aircraft, the radar system predicting storm cell characteristics at a future time, the radar system comprising:
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an antenna means adapted to receive signals reflected from a storm cell; a receiver means coupled to the antenna means, the receiver means adapted to process the received signals thereby forming reflectivity data associated with a scan of the storm cell; a processor means coupled to the receiver means, the processor means configured to receive the formed reflectivity data; determine a value relating to a characteristic of the storm cell from the received reflectivity data; identify a second storm cell wherein the second storm cell is part of the same weather system as the storm cell; receive a plurality of values relating to the characteristic for the identified second storm cell, the plurality of values determined at a plurality of different times; compare the determined value of the characteristic of the first storm cell with the received plurality of values of the characteristic of the identified second storm cell; determine a growth rate of the first storm cell; calculate a maximum height of the first storm cell at a third time in the future based on the comparison and the determined growth rate; and present the calculated maximum height of the first storm cell at the third time to a user; and a memory means operably coupled to the processor means to receive and to store the plurality of values.
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Specification