System and method for indicating windshear system readiness

• US 8,742,951 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• 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: Sishtla, Venkata A., Wey, Terrence P.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/174,202
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 340/968
• US Class Current: 340/968
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• 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 method for indicating readiness of a predictive windshear system on an aircraft is provided. The method includes determining whether a windshear system is in a ready state and providing a first output that causes an indication of the ready state, the ready state being responsive to the windshear system being ready to detect a windshear event. Determining whether the windshear system is in the ready state includes comparing a first time until a first parameter reaches a first value with a second time for initialization of the windshear system and determining that the windshear system is ready to detect the windshear event in response to the first time being greater than the second time.

Claims

1. A method of indicating readiness of a predictive windshear system on an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining whether the windshear system is in a ready state, comprising;

comparing a first time until a first parameter reaches a first value with a second time for initialization of the windshear system; and

determining that the windshear system is ready to detect the windshear event in response to the first time being greater than the second time; and

providing a first output that causes an indication of the ready state, the ready state being responsive to the windshear system being ready to detect a windshear event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value is a maximum aircraft speed in a takeoff at which a pilot must take a first action to stop the aircraft within an accelerate-stop distance.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at least one of the first time and the second time.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating at least one of the first time and the second time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first time is calculated by processing electronics based on at least one of aircraft type, aircraft loading, ground speed, acceleration, V speeds, throttle position, runway length, barometric pressure, location, elevation above mean sea level, and current state meteorological factors.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second time is calculated by processing electronics based on at least one of position of an antenna and rate of sweep of an antenna.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first output causes at least one of the following to occur on the aircraft:

an icon to appear on a display, a display or portion of a display to flash, a lamp to illuminate, and an audio device to produce a sound.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value is a predetermined altitude above ground level.

8. An apparatus for indicating readiness of a predictive windshear system on an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

processing electronics configured to;

compare a predicted time until a first value with a predicted time until initialization of the windshear system;

determine that the windshear system is ready to detect a windshear event in response to the predicted time until the first value being greater than the predicted time until initialization; and

cause an indication of readiness to be output in response to a determination that the windshear system is ready to detect the windshear event.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processing electronics are configured to receive at least one of the predicted time until the first value and the predicted time until initialization of the windshear system.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processing electronics are configured to calculate at least one of the predicted time until the first value and the predicted time until initialization of the windshear system.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the predicted time until the first value is calculated based on at least one of aircraft type, aircraft loading, aircraft ground speed, aircraft acceleration, aircraft V speeds, throttle position, runway length, barometric pressure, location, elevation above mean sea level, and current state meteorological factors.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the predicted time until initialization is calculated based on at least one of position of an antenna and rate of sweep of an antenna.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the indication causes at least one of an icon to appear on a display in an aircraft control center, a display to flash in an aircraft control center, a lamp to illuminate in an aircraft control center, and an audio device to produce a sound in an aircraft control center.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first value is a maximum aircraft speed during a takeoff at which a pilot must take a first action to stop the aircraft within an accelerate-stop distance.

14. A system for indicating readiness of a predictive windshear system on an aircraft, the system comprising:

means for comparing a predicted time until a first value with a predicted time until initialization of the windshear system;

means for determining that the windshear system is ready to detect the windshear event in response to the predicted time until the first value being greater than the predicted time until initialization; and

means for providing a first output that causes an indication of readiness in response to a determination that the windshear system is ready to detect the windshear event.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

means for receiving at least one of the predicted time until a first value and the predicted time until initialization of the windshear system.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

means for calculating at least one of the predicted time until a first value and the predicted time until initialization of the windshear system.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

means for calculating the predicted time until a first value based on at least one of aircraft type, aircraft loading, ground speed, acceleration, V speeds, throttle position, runway length, barometric pressure, location, elevation above mean sea level, and current state meteorological factors.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the first value is a maximum aircraft speed during a takeoff at which a pilot must take a first action to stop the aircraft within an accelerate-stop distance.