Systems and methods for location-based discrimination of turbulence

• US 7,724,177 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kuttler, Ken, Bunch, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US12/179,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 342/26.R, 342/26.B, 342/179, 342/182, 340/945, 340/961, 340/968
• US Class Current: 342/26.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• 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

Systems and methods differentiate weather, such as storm cells and/or turbulence regions, based on location relative to a planned flight path of an aircraft. An exemplary embodiment compares a location of the weather with a location of a region of space corresponding to the planned flight path of the aircraft. In response to the location of the weather region being outside of the region of space, an icon is presented on a display corresponding to the weather using a first icon format. In response to location of the weather being within the region of space, the icon corresponding to the weather is presented on the display using a second icon format, the second icon format different from the first icon format.

Claims

1. A method for discrimination of weather based on location, the method comprising:

automatically comparing a location of the weather with a location of a region of space corresponding to a planned flight path of an aircraft;

in response to the location of the weather being outside of the region of space, automatically presenting an icon corresponding to the weather using a first icon format; and

in response to the location of the weather being within the region of space, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using a second icon format, the second icon format different from the first icon format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically comparing the location of the weather with the location of the region of space further comprises:

automatically comparing the location of the weather with an altitude threshold defining the region of space corresponding to the planned flight path, and

wherein automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather further comprises;

in response to an altitude of the weather being above the altitude threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format;

in response to the altitude of the weather being below the altitude threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format; and

in response to the altitude of the weather being within the altitude threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using the second icon format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically comparing the location of the weather with the location of the region of space further comprises:

automatically comparing the location of the weather with an altitude threshold defining the region of space corresponding to the planned flight path, and

wherein automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the turbulence region further comprises;

in response to an altitude of the weather being above the altitude threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format;

in response to the altitude of the weather being below the altitude threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using a third icon format; and

in response to altitude of the weather being within the altitude threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using the second icon format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically comparing the location of the weather with the location of the region of space further comprises:

automatically comparing the location of the weather with a lateral threshold defining the region of space corresponding to the planned flight path, and

wherein automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather further comprises;

in response to the location of the weather being to the outside of the lateral threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format; and

in response to location of the weather being within the lateral threshold, automatically presenting the icon corresponding to the weather using the second icon format.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the weather is a region of turbulence.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the weather is a storm cell.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the location of the weather from radar information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the location of the weather from an optional light detection and ranging (LIDAR) information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises:

determining the location of the weather from information received from a remote source.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting comprises:

presenting the icon on a plan view display.

11. A system for discrimination of weather based on location, comprising:

a radar system configured to detect the weather and configured to generate information pertaining to the detected weather;

a processor system communicatively coupled to the radar system and configured to;

determine a location of the weather from the information received from the radar system;

compare the location of the weather with a location of a region of space corresponding to a planned flight path of an aircraft;

in response to the determined location of the weather being outside of the region of space, generate an icon corresponding to the weather using a first icon format; and

in response to determined location of the weather being within the region of space, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using a second icon format, the second icon format different from the first icon format; and

a display system communicatively coupled to the processor system, configured to receive the generated icon from the processor system, and configured to present the received icon on a display screen.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the weather is a region of turbulence.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the weather is a storm cell.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor system is configured to:

determine an altitude of the weather from the information received from the radar system;

compare the altitude of the weather with an altitude threshold defining the region of space corresponding to the planned flight path;

in response to an altitude of the weather being above the altitude threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format;

in response to the altitude of the weather being below the altitude threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format; and

in response to determined location of the weather being within the altitude threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using the second icon format.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor system is configured to:

determine an altitude of the weather from the information received from the radar system;

compare the altitude of the weather with an altitude threshold defining the region of space corresponding to the planned flight path;

in response to an altitude of the weather being above the altitude threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format;

in response to the altitude of the weather being below the altitude threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using a third icon format; and

in response to determined location of the weather being within the altitude threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using the second icon format.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor system is configured to:

compare the determined location of the weather with a lateral threshold for the region of space corresponding to the planned flight path;

in response to the location of the weather being to the outside of the lateral threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using the first icon format; and

in response to determined location of the weather being within the lateral threshold, generate the icon corresponding to the weather using the second icon format.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the radar system, the processor system, and the display system are components of an aircraft weather display system.

18. A system for discrimination of turbulence based on location, comprising:

a means for detecting weather;

a means for receiving information from the means for detecting weather, the received information corresponding to the detected weather;

a means for determining a location of the weather from the information received from the means for detecting weather;

a means for comparing the location of the weather with a location of a region of space corresponding to a planned flight path of an aircraft;

a means for generating an icon, wherein in response to the determined location of the weather being outside of the region of space, the icon is generated with a first icon format, and in response to determined location of the turbulence region being within the region of space, the icon is generated with a second icon format, the second icon format different from the first icon format; and

a means for displaying the generated icon.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the weather is a region of turbulence.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the weather is a storm cell.