System for and method of displaying an image derived from weather radar data

• US 8,896,480 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• 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: Wilson, John G., Brown, Robert D., Do, Khai M., Kowash, Nathaniel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINDRICH, MARCUS E
• Application Number:
  US13/247,742
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 342 26 R- 26 D, 342/176, 342/191
• US Class Current: 342/26.B
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/935 for terrain-avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/24 the display being orientated or displaced in accordance with movement of object carrying the transmitting and receiving apparatus, e.g. true-motion radar
• 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

An apparatus is for use with an aircraft radar system having a radar antenna. The apparatus comprises processing electronics configured to provide image data associated with an image associated with radar return data from the radar system. The radar return data is updated at a first frequency. The processing electronics are configured to update the image data at a second frequency greater than the first frequency.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with an aircraft radar system of an aircraft having a radar antenna, the apparatus comprising:

a display and processing electronics comprising an image merge module and a data interpolation module and configured to;

(1) provide first image data associated with radar return data from the radar system, the first image data representing terrain, the radar return data being updated at a first frequency;

(2) receive second image data representing the terrain and associated with a synthetic image system at a second frequency greater than the first frequency;

(3) perform conformal interpolation of the first image data with respect to position of the aircraft at the second frequency to provide interpolated image data;

(4) merge the second data and the interpolated image data at the second frequency to provide merged image data indicative of at least one image associated with the interpolated image data and at least one image associated with the second image data; and

(5) provide the merged image data to cause the display to display a merged terrain image associated with the merged image data, the merged image data being provided at the second frequency.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to update the interpolated image data according to movements of the aircraft between a last reception of the radar data and a present time.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the movements of the aircraft include roll, pitch and location changes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the merged image data is used to provide a merged image for replacing an EVS image or a need for an EVS.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radar system is a weather radar system.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the merged terrain image associated with the merged image data is conformally provided onto a combiner of a head up display system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to:

receive a velocity parameter, and update the interpolated image data in response to the velocity parameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second image data is associated with an SVS image.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first frequency is less than 0.3 Hz and the second frequency is greater than 10 Hz.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first frequency is less than or equal to 0.2 Hz and the second frequency is greater than or equal to 20 Hz.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interpolated image data is merged with SVS data wherein the SVS data is updated at a frequency greater than or equal to 20 Hz.

12. A method of displaying a terrain image on an electronic display using radar return data from a radar system on an aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving the radar return data from the radar system at a first time;

providing first image data related to terrain in response to the radar return data at the first time;

adjusting the first image data in accordance with aircraft movement between the first time and a second time to provide first adjusted image data;

receiving first terrain data from a terrain data base associated with an aircraft position at the second time;

merging the first adjusted image data and the first terrain data to provide first merged image data for a first terrain image;

displaying the first terrain image in response to the first merged image data via the electronic display;

receiving the radar return data from the radar system at a third time;

providing second image data related to the terrain in response to the radar return data at the third time;

receiving second terrain data associated with the aircraft position at the third time;

merging the second terrain data and the second image data to provide second merged data for a second terrain image; and

displaying the second terrain image in response to the second merged data via the electronic display.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

correlating the radar return data or the first merged image data with the terrain data from a terrain data base.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using the correlation to enable a lower minimum approach.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using the correlation to indicate an error.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

merging synthetic vision data and the first adjusted image data.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic display is a head up display and the providing and adjusting steps are performed in a head up display computer, the weather radar system, a synthetic vision system, or a display computer.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic display is a head up display.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjusting steps use a non-GPS derived parameter to determine the movement.

20. An apparatus for use with a weather radar system, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a first frame from weather radar data from the weather radar system at a first frequency, the first frame being representative of terrain sensed by the weather radar system;

means for providing a second frame at a second frequency based upon the first frame in accordance with movement of the aircraft from a time of reception of the weather radar data; and

means for merging a third frame from a terrain source with the second frame at a frequency greater than or equal to the first frequency, to provide a terrain display frame for viewing on a display.