Radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation alert

• US 7,872,594 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2008
• 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: Vesel, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/156,652
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 340/961, 340/945, 340/968, 340/970, 701/9, 701/10, 701/14, 342/26.B, 342 51- 52, 342/65
• US Class Current: 340/970
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/935 for terrain-avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• 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

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for providing attenuation alerts for a radar-based terrain warning.

A method for providing radar-based terrain warning attenuation alerts may comprise: (a) receiving a radar return; (b) detecting a region of atmospheric disturbance limiting the range of the radar return; and (c) providing a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in the region of atmospheric disturbance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a radar return;

detecting a region of atmospheric disturbance based on the radar return with a computing device;

presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance further comprises:

presenting a visual notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance further comprises:

presenting an audio notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a stored terrain representation of a geographic location associated with the region of atmospheric disturbance.

5. A system comprising:

means for receiving a radar return;

means for detecting a region of atmospheric disturbance based on the radar return;

means for presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance further comprises:

means for presenting a visual notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance further comprises:

means for presenting an audio notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for presenting a stored terrain representation of a geographic location associated with the region of atmospheric disturbance.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a radar return;

detecting a region of atmospheric disturbance based on the radar return;

presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the means for presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance further comprises:

presenting a visual notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the means for presenting a notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance further comprises:

presenting an audio notification of radar-based terrain awareness warning system attenuation in response to a detection of an atmospheric disturbance.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

presenting a stored terrain representation of a geographic location associated with the region of atmospheric disturbance.