Weather information display system and method

• US 9,057,773 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• 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: Fersdahl, Mark C., Sishtla, Venkata A., St. John, Edward A., Finley, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Application Number:
  US13/707,438
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 342/26.B, 342/176, 342179-183, 340/583
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/18 Distance-height displays; Distance-elevation displays, e.g. type RHI, type E
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/22 Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means
• 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

Systems and methods for displaying weather data relating to weather near an aircraft are provided. A method includes generating a three-dimensional weather profile of the weather near the aircraft based on reflectivity data from radar returns of a weather radar system of the aircraft. Generating the three-dimensional weather profile includes estimating weather data above a freezing layer height using a function that is based on a rate of reduction in reflectivity above the freezing layer. The method further includes transmitting weather display data to a display device, the weather display data being configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile.

Claims

1. A method of displaying weather data relating to weather near an aircraft, the method comprising:

generating a three-dimensional weather profile of the weather near the aircraft based on reflectivity data from radar returns of a weather radar system of the aircraft, wherein generating the three-dimensional weather profile comprises estimating weather data above a freezing layer height using a function that is based on a rate of reduction in reflectivity above the freezing layer; and

transmitting weather display data to a display device, the weather display data being configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input from a user input device; and

rotating the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile based on the user input,

wherein the user input device is configured to allow a user to rotate the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile in three dimensions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the display device is a touch-sensitive display device and the user input device is a touch-sensitive display surface of the touch-sensitive display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather display data is further configured to cause the display device to display range marks and bearing marks within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile, the range marks and bearing marks providing a visual indication of a range and bearing to the weather near the aircraft based on a current position and bearing of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather display data is further configured to cause the display device to display visual indicia of the relative severity of different portions of the weather near the aircraft within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the function is based on a current geographic location of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting a plane that intersects one or more weather cells displayed within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile;

generating a two-dimensional profile view of the weather data relating to the one or more intersected weather cells along the selected plane; and

transmitting display data to the display device that is configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the weather data relating to the one or more intersected weather cells along the selected plane.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user input comprises at least one of a selection of two points or a selection of a line in the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather display data is further configured to cause the display device to display visual indicia representing whether weather cells displayed within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile are growing or decaying.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather display data is further configured to cause the display device to display visual indicia of threats to the aircraft presented by the weather near the aircraft based on the three-dimensional weather profile and a current flight path of the aircraft.

11. A system, comprising:

an electronic processor configured to;

generate a three-dimensional weather profile of weather near an aircraft based on reflectivity data from radar returns of a weather radar system of the aircraft;

estimate weather data of the three-dimensional weather profile above a freezing layer height using a function that is based on a rate of reduction in reflectivity above the freezing layer; and

transmit weather display data to a display device, the weather display data being configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive user input from a user input device; and

transmit data to the display device that causes the display device to rotate the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile based on the user input, wherein the processor is configured to allow a user to rotate the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile in three dimensions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the display device is a touch-sensitive display device and the user input device is a touch-sensitive display surface of the touch-sensitive display device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the weather display data is further configured to cause the display device to display range marks and bearing marks within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile, the range marks and bearing marks providing a visual indication of a range and bearing to the weather near the aircraft based on a current position and bearing of the aircraft.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the weather display data is further configured to cause the display device to display visual indicia of the relative severity of different portions of the weather near the aircraft within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the function is based on a current geographic location of the aircraft.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive user input selecting a plane that intersects one or more weather cells displayed within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile;

generate a two-dimensional profile of weather data relating to the one or more intersected weather cells along the selected plane; and

transmit display data to the display device that is configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the weather data relating to the one or more intersected weather cells along the selected plane.

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

generating a three-dimensional weather profile of weather near an aircraft based on reflectivity data from radar returns of a weather radar system of the aircraft, wherein generating the three-dimensional weather profile comprises estimating weather data above a freezing layer height using a function that is based on a rate of reduction in reflectivity above the freezing layer; and

transmitting weather display data to a display device, the weather display data being configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input from a user input device; and

rotating the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile based on the user input,

wherein the user input device is configured to allow a user to rotate the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile in three dimensions.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the weather display data is further configured to cause the display device to display range marks and bearing marks within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile, the range marks and bearing marks providing a visual indication of a range and bearing to the weather near the aircraft based on a current position and bearing of the aircraft.

21. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the function is based on a current geographic location of the aircraft.

22. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input selecting a plane that intersects one or more weather cells displayed within the visual representation of the three-dimensional weather profile;

generating a two-dimensional profile view of weather data relating to the one or more intersected weather cells along the selected plane; and

transmitting display data to the display device that is configured to cause the display device to display a visual representation of the weather data relating to the one or more intersected weather cells along the selected plane.