Systems and methods for generation of comprehensive airspace weather condition display from shared aircraft sensor data by a transmitting aircraft

• US 8,217,828 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kirk, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brainard, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US12/193,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20100328143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 340945-983, 702/3, 702/144, 342/26, 342 62- 65
• US Class Current: 342/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/04 giving only separate indications of the variables measured
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods communicate sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft. An exemplary system has at least one sensor on a transmitting aircraft that is configured to detect weather and configured to output sensor data, and a transceiver that is configured to receive a query from a requesting aircraft for the sensor data and that is configured to transmit a signal with the sensor data for receipt by the requesting aircraft in response to receiving the query. Upon receipt by the requesting aircraft, the received sensor data of the transmitting aircraft may then be fused with sensor data of the requesting aircraft for a geographic region of interest to extend the effective sensor coverage and to resolve at least one of a location conflict and a severity conflict between the sensor data of the transmitting aircraft and the requesting aircraft.

Claims

1. A method for communicating sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft, the method comprising:

storing previously acquired sensor information and a time that the previously acquired sensor information was acquired;

receiving a query from a requesting aircraft;

in response to receiving the query, determining an elapsed time corresponding to a difference between a current time and the time that the previously acquired sensor information was acquired;

in response to the elapsed time being less than an elapsed time threshold, transmitting the signal comprising the previously acquired sensor data from the transmitting aircraft;

in response to the elapsed time being equal to or greater than the elapsed time threshold, currently acquiring sensor information from at least one sensor configured to sense weather, the at least one sensor residing in a transmitting aircraft, wherein the currently acquired sensor information is output from the sensor; and

in response to receiving the query, transmitting a signal comprising the currently acquired sensor information from the transmitting aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal further comprises a time identifying acquisition of the sensor information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the elapsed time being greater than the elapsed time threshold, discarding the stored previously acquired sensor information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises sensor information acquired from a radar system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises sensor information acquired from an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the received query includes a requested sensor data format, and further comprising:

formatting the sensor information into the requested sensor data format; and

in response to receiving the query, transmitting the signal comprising the sensor data in the requested sensor data format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received query includes an aircraft identifier, and further comprising:

comparing the aircraft identifier with an identifier of the transmitting aircraft; and

in response to the aircraft identifier corresponding to the identifier of the transmitting aircraft, transmitting the signal comprising the sensor data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

formatting the sensor data into a standard sensor data format.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically transmitting the sensor data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal further comprises a location of the transmitting aircraft.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically transmitting a periodic signal, the periodic signal including a unique identifier that identifies the transmitting aircraft, and wherein transmitting the signal comprising the sensor data from the transmitting aircraft occurs only in response to the received query that includes the unique identifier of the transmitting aircraft.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the signal comprising the currently acquired sensor information from the transmitting aircraft further comprises:

transmitting raw data acquired from the at least one sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the signal comprising the currently acquired sensor information from the transmitting aircraft further comprises:

transmitting an identifier of the at least one sensor.

14. A system for communicating sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft, comprising:

at least one sensor on a transmitting aircraft, the at least one sensor configured to detect weather and configured to output sensor information;

a transceiver on the transmitting aircraft configured to receive a query from a requesting aircraft for the sensor information;

a memory configured to store previously acquired sensor information and a time that the previously acquired sensor information was acquired; and

a processor system on the transmitting aircraft, wherein the processor system is communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the memory and the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine an elapsed time corresponding to a difference between a current time that the query is received and the time that the previously acquired sensor information was acquired;

in response to the elapsed time being less than an elapsed time threshold, transmit a signal comprising the previously acquired sensor data for receipt by the requesting aircraft; and

in response to the elapsed time being equal to or greater than the elapsed time threshold, currently acquire sensor information from at least one sensor in response to receiving the query, and transmit the signal with the currently acquired sensor information for receipt by the requesting aircraft.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the query includes an aircraft identifier, and wherein the processor system is further configured to compare the aircraft identifier with an identifier of the transmitting aircraft, and configured to cause the transceiver to transmit the signal comprising the sensor information in response to the aircraft identifier corresponding to the identifier of the transmitting aircraft.

16. A system for communicating sensor data pertaining to detected weather between aircraft, the method comprising:

a means for acquiring sensor information from at least one sensor configured to sense weather data residing in a transmitting aircraft, wherein the sensor information is an output of the sensor;

a means for storing previously acquired sensor information and a time that the previously acquired sensor information was acquired;

a means for determining an elapsed time corresponding to a difference between a current time and the time that the previously acquired sensor information was acquired; and

a means for receiving and transmitting signals, wherein the means for receiving and transmitting signals is configured to receive at the current time a query from the requesting aircraft, wherein in response to receiving the query the means for receiving and transmitting signals transmits the signal with the previously acquired sensor information in response to the elapsed time being less than an elapsed time threshold, and wherein in response to receiving the query the means for receiving and transmitting signals is further configured to transmit the signal with the currently acquired sensor information in response to the elapsed time being equal to or greater than the elapsed time threshold.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the received query includes a requested sensor data format, and further comprising:

a means for formatting the currently acquired sensor information into the requested sensor data format, wherein the means for receiving and transmitting signals transmits the signal with the currently acquired sensor information in the requested sensor data format.