System for and method of indicating predictive windshear transmitter status

• US 8,723,693 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Godfrey, Mark B., Sishtla, Venkata A., Finley, Jeffery A., Cahoon, James D., Smithe, Jason E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Application Number:
  US13/228,278
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 340/968
• US Class Current: 340/968
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• 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 for indicating a predictive windshear transmission status is provided. The method includes determining if the predictive windshear radar system is transmitting. The method also includes providing an indication of the determination to a user interface device. Additional parameters, such as the operational state of the aircraft, may be used to further define when the indication is provided.

Claims

1. A method of providing a transmission status of a predictive windshear radar system for an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining if the predictive windshear radar system is transmitting; and

providing an indication of a result of the determining step to a user interface device, wherein the indication is based on a predictive windshear status bit provided by the predictive windshear radar system to a display bus of a display, and wherein the predictive windshear status bit is logically combined with a weather radar status bit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface device comprises at least one of a display screen, a lamp, or an audio device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predictive windshear radar system is automatically activated based on one or more aircraft parameters.

2. A method of providing a transmission status of a predictive windshear radar system for an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining if the predictive windshear radar system is transmitting; and

providing a first indication of a result of the determining step to a user interface device, wherein providing the first indication of a result of the determining step comprises;

determining whether the aircraft is on the ground; and

providing the first indication when the aircraft is on the ground and the windshear radar system is transmitting.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprises providing a second indication when the aircraft is not on the ground and the predictive windshear system is transmitting.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first indication has a different color pattern than the second indication.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the aircraft is on the ground comprises determining a weight on wheels value for the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the first indication is based on a predictive windshear status bit provided by the predictive windshear radar system to the display bus of a display, and wherein the predictive windshear status bit is logically combined with a weather radar status bit.

9. A system for an aircraft comprising processing electronics configured to provide an indication of whether a predictive windshear radar system is transmitting to a user interface device, wherein the user interface device is a display screen having a display bus, wherein the indication is based on a predictive windshear status bit provided by the predictive windshear radar system to the display bus, and wherein the predictive windshear status bit is logically combined with a weather radar status bit.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the user interface device comprises at least one of a display screen, a lamp, or an audio device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the predictive windshear radar system is automatically activated based on one or more aircraft parameters.

10. A system for an aircraft comprising processing electronics configured to provide a first indication of whether a predictive windshear radar system is transmitting to a user interface device, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to determine whether the aircraft is on the ground;

and wherein the first indication indicates that the aircraft is on the ground and the predictive windshear radar system is transmitting.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to provide a second indication to the user interface device, wherein the second indication indicates that the aircraft is not on the ground and the predictive windshear system is transmitting.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing electronics are configured to determine whether the aircraft is on the ground using a weight on wheels value for the aircraft.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface device is a display screen having a display bus, wherein the indication is based on a predictive windshear status bit provided by the predictive windshear radar system to the display bus, and wherein the predictive windshear status bit is logically combined with a weather radar status bit.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing electronics are configured to not provide a second indication that indicates that the predictive windshear system is transmitting and the aircraft is not on the ground.

17. One or more computer-readable media having instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by one or more processors to execute a method comprising:

determining if a predictive windshear radar system is transmitting; and

providing an indication of a result of the determining step to a user interface device wherein the method further comprises determining if the aircraft is on the ground, and wherein the indication indicates whether the aircraft is on the ground.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the indication is based on a predictive windshear status bit provided by the predictive windshear radar system to a display bus of a display, and wherein the predictive windshear status bit is logically combined with a weather radar status bit.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the user interface device comprises at least one of a display screen, a lamp, or an audio device.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the predictive windshear radar system is automatically activated based on one or more aircraft parameters.