Adjusting a target value for generating a vertical profile view in a weather radar system

• US 8,994,578 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• 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: Finley, Jeffery A., Sishtla, Venkata A., Cahoon, James D., Godfrey, Mark B., Fersdahl, Mark C., Koenigs, Gregory J., Venkata, Divya Sishtla, Sperling, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US13/246,706
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 342/26.B
• US Class Current: 342/26.B
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/062 in which different colours are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/14 Sector, off-centre, or expanded angle display
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/18 Distance-height displays; Distance-elevation displays, e.g. type RHI, type E
• 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

A system and method for adjusting a target value for generating a vertical profile view in an aircraft weather radar system is provided. Processing electronics are configured to receive a target value for generating a vertical profile view of weather detected by the radar system. The processing electronics are also configured to adjust the target value to account for the motion of the aircraft and/or the motion of the detected weather.

Claims

1. A method of displaying radar return data in a weather radar system of an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining, via processing electronics, a target direction within a first display view, wherein the target direction intersects a first representation of a detected weather cell in the first display view;

providing a vertical profile view including a second representation of the detected weather cell at a first time based on the target direction;

determining, via the processing electronics, the motion of the aircraft between a first time and a later second time;

calculating, via the processing electronics, an adjusted target direction based on the motion of the aircraft between the first time and the later second time for use in updating the vertical profile view, the adjusted target direction configured to keep at least a portion of the second representation of the detected weather cell within the vertical profile view at the later second time; and

providing an image on an electronic display based at least in part on the radar return data, the image including the first representation of the detected weather cell in the first display view.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target direction is a location or direction selected from a plan view of the detected weather cell.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the target direction is a selection of an azimuth angle received from a user interface device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusted target direction is calculated using the location of the detected weather cell, the location of the aircraft, and the heading of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusted target direction further accounts for the motion of the detected weather cell.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the motion of the detected weather cell is determined by tracking a centroid of the weather cell.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via the processing electronics, the vertical profile view to the electronic display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the processing electronics, a parameter from a user interface device; and

performing, via the processing electronics, the step of calculating the adjusted target direction based on the value of the parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, via the processing electronic, whether an auto-adjustment feature is engaged, wherein the determining, calculating, and generating steps are repeated when the auto-adjustment feature is engaged.

10. A weather radar system for an aircraft, comprising:

a user interface device; and

processing electronics configured to determine a target direction within a first display view based on input from the user interface, wherein the target direction intersects a detected weather cell in the first display view, the processing electronics being configured to generate a vertical profile view including the detected weather cell at a first time based on the target direction, the processing electronics being further configured to determine the motion of the aircraft between a first time and a later second time and to calculate an adjusted target direction based on the motion of the aircraft between the first time and the later second time for use in updating the vertical profile view, the adjusted target direction configured to keep at least a portion of the detected weather cell within the vertical profile view at the later second time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the target direction is a location or direction selected from a plan view of the detected weather cell displayed on the user interface device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the target direction is a selection of an azimuth angle relative to a heading of the aircraft.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing electronics are configured to calculate the adjusted target direction using the location of the detected weather cell, the location of the aircraft, and the heading of the aircraft.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the adjusted target direction further accounts for the motion of the detected weather cell.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to determine the motion of the detected weather cell by tracking a centroid of the weather.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface device comprises an electronic display, and the processing electronics are further configured to generate a vertical profile view of the detected weather cell based on the adjusted target direction and to provide the generated vertical profile view to the electronic display.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to utilize a parameter to determine whether or not to calculate the adjusted target direction.

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

determining a target direction within a first display view based on input from a user interface, wherein the target direction intersects a detected weather cell in the first display view;

generating a vertical profile view including the detected weather cell at a first time based on the target direction;

determining the motion of the detected weather cell relative to an aircraft between a first time and a later second time;

calculating an adjusted target based on the motion of the detected weather cell relative to the aircraft between the first time and the later second time;

generating a vertical profile view based on the adjusted target direction, the adjusted target direction configured to keep at least a portion of the detected weather cell within the vertical profile view at the later second time; and

providing the generated vertical profile view to an electronic display.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises determining the motion of the detected weather cell relative to the aircraft by tracking a centroid of the detected weather cell.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the adjusted target direction is calculated using the location of the detected weather cell, the location of the aircraft, and the heading of the aircraft.