System and method for generating weather radar information

• US 7,733,264 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• 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: Hooker, Marvin L., Woodell, Daniel L., Finley, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US11/904,543
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 342 26 R- 26 D, 342175-183, 342/195, 702 1- 4, 345418-420
• US Class Current: 342/26.00B
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/08 Adaptations of balloons, missiles, or aircraft for meteorological purposes; Radiosondes transmission of measurements G01D; transmitting circuits H04B; balloons in general B64B; aeroplanes in general B64D; missiles in general F42B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• 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 can be utilized on-board an aircraft. The weather radar system includes processing electronics for sensing weather. The processing electronics is configured to utilize sensed weather data to generate a vertical weather prediction for a given altitude in response to a range and an azimuth. The system can also include a display. The display provides visual indicia of the vertical weather prediction in response to the processing electronics.

Claims

1. A weather radar system, comprising:

processing electronics for sensing weather, the processing electronics configured to utilize sensed weather data to generate a vertical weather prediction for a given altitude in response to a range and an azimuth; and

a display, wherein the display provides visual indicia of the vertical weather prediction in response to the processing electronics.

2. The weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the system being configured to operate in a first mode where the vertical weather prediction is not shown and a second mode where the vertical weather prediction is shown.

3. The weather radar system of claim 2, further comprising computer memory configured to store the vertical weather profile function at a memory location associated with the range and the azimuth.

4. The weather radar system of claim 3, wherein the vertical weather prediction is generated by updating coefficients to a vertical weather profile function that generates predicted reflectivity or other weather information such as hazard for each given altitude and range.

5. The weather radar system of claim 4, wherein the generated vertical weather prediction is modified based on a climate model.

6. The weather radar system of claim 5, wherein the sensed weather data is further blended with weather data from at least one remote weather source to generate the vertical weather prediction.

7. The weather radar system of claim 6, wherein the vertical weather prediction is generated based on a model that is constrained based on the sensed weather data.

8. The weather radar system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a vertical profile view portion and a plan view portion and the vertical weather prediction is shown only on the vertical profile view portion.

9. A method of displaying weather on a vertical profile screen of a display associated with an aircraft weather radar system, the method comprising:

receiving radar returns;

processing the radar returns to determine a presence of weather;

determining a range and azimuth associated with the weather;

generating a vertical weather prediction using a predetermined function of the determined range and azimuth; and

providing the vertical weather prediction associated with the weather on the vertical profile screen.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising modifying the vertical weather prediction based upon received radar returns.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vertical weather prediction is further modified based on weather data from at least one remote weather source.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the vertical weather prediction is generated based on one or more typical convective cell vertical reflectivity gradients.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the vertical weather prediction is provided in response to a mode of flight.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the vertical weather prediction is provided based on a known accuracy of a sensed weather data at the range.

15. An apparatus for displaying weather for an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a presence of weather from weather radar returns;

means for generating a vertical weather prediction associated with the weather based upon a range and a horizontal location of the weather; and

means for displaying indicia of the weather using the vertical weather prediction.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for determining a presence is implemented using software.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the vertical weather prediction is generated based on at least one of a current location, a current geography, a current atmospheric state, a sensed weather feature size, a sensed weather feature area, a time and a date.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an altitude is determined by comparing power levels of returns at different tilt angles.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the indicia of the weather is displayed on a plan and vertical weather radar display.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the vertical weather prediction is provided based on a known accuracy of a sensed weather data at the range.