System and method for turbulence detection

• US 7,696,921 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Conkling, John G., Woodell, Daniel L., Finley, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brainard; Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US12/116,116
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 342/26
• US Class Current: 342/26.00B
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/227 with repetitive trains of uniform pulse sequences, each sequence having a different pulse repetition frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/24 using frequency agility of carrier wave
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/288 phase modulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/062 in which different colours are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/22 Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/24 the display being orientated or displaced in accordance with movement of object carrying the transmitting and receiving apparatus, e.g. true-motion radar
• 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 system and method of displaying an indication of a hazard associated on an aircraft display in an avionics system provides first radar pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency or having a first compression signature or carrier frequency. The system and method also provides second radar pulses at a second pulse repetition frequency higher than the first pulse repetition frequency or having a second compression signature or carrier frequency. The system and method receive radar returns associated with the first radar pulses and the second radar pulses and provide a turbulence assessment in response to the radar returns.

Claims

1. An aircraft weather radar system including an antenna, the aircraft weather radar system comprising:

an input for receiving data associated with weather radar returns received by the antenna; and

a processor for determining a presence of a hazard in response to the data, wherein the processor causes the antenna to provide a first scan using a first pulse repetition frequency for a longer range and a second scan using a second pulse repetition frequency for a shorter range, whereby more sensitive turbulence detection is achieved, wherein the first scan is provided first and if data associated with the first scan indicates a presence of weather, the second scan is provided, wherein the first scan is followed by a third scan at the first pulse repetition frequency if the weather is not present.

2. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the first scan and the second scan is stored in an inertial memory.

3. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the weather radar system is for use with a display, wherein the processor causes the display to display turbulence indications.

4. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the first scan is for long range turbulence detection and the second scan is for short range turbulence detection or vice versa.

5. An aircraft weather radar system including an antenna, the aircraft weather radar system comprising:

an input for receiving data associated with weather radar returns received by the antenna; and

a processor for determining a presence of a hazard in response to the data, wherein the processor causes the antenna to provide a first scan using a first pulse repetition frequency for a longer range and changes the pulse repetition frequency to a second pulse repetition frequency for a shorter range during an azimuth interval associated with detected weather.

6. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 5, wherein the weather radar system is for use with a display, wherein the processor causes the display to display turbulence indications.

7. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 5, wherein the data for the first scan and during the azimuth interval is combined in an inertial memory.

8. An aircraft weather radar system including an antenna, the aircraft weather radar system comprising:

an input for receiving return data associated with weather radar returns received by the antenna; and

a processor for determining a presence of a hazard in response to the return data, wherein the processor causes the antenna to provide at least two scans, wherein the scans comprise a first scan at a first pulse repetition frequency for a longer range and a second scan at a second pulse repetition frequency for a shorter range, wherein the first scan is provided first and first turbulence data for the first scan is stored in a memory and if weather is present, the second scan is provided and second turbulence data for the second scan is stored in the memory, wherein the first scan is followed by a third scan at the first pulse repetition frequency if the weather is not present.

9. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 8, wherein the first scan comprises a lower pulse repetition frequency.

10. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 9, wherein the lower pulse repetition frequency is below 1840 Hz.

11. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 8, wherein the first scan comprises the first carrier frequency and the second scan comprises the second carrier frequency.

12. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 11, wherein the first carrier frequency and second carrier frequency are separable in the receiver.

13. A method of displaying an indication of a hazard associated on an aircraft display in an avionics system, the method comprising:

providing first radar pulses having a first pulse repetition frequency for a longer range;

determining a presence of detected weather using first radar returns associated with the first radar pulses;

providing second radar pulses at a second pulse repetition frequency for a shorter range during an azimuth interval associated with the detected weather;

receiving second radar returns associated with the second radar pulses; and

providing a turbulence assessment in response to the first and second radar returns.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising skipping the second providing step when the detected weather is not present.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second radar pulses are only provided in azimuth intervals associated with detected weather.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and/or second pulses are a phase coded signature, a frequency coded signature, an amplitude coded signature, or a combination thereof.

17. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 13, wherein the first pulse repetition frequency is less than the second pulse repetition frequency.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second pulse repetition frequency is above 1839 Hz.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the first pulse repetition frequency is at or below 1939 Hz.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein data associated with the radar returns is stored in inertial memory.