Weather radar system and method for detecting a high altitude crystal condition using two or more types of radar signals

• US 9,720,082 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Dana, Roger A., Woodell, Daniel L., Kronfeld, Kevin M., West, James B., Koenigs, Gregory J., Finley, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDRICH, MARCUS E
• Application Number:
  US14/206,651
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 342 26 R- 26 D, 342188
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/20 Means for detecting icing or initiating de-icing
• 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: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/95 for meteorological use
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/062 in which different colours are used
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• 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

The hazard warning system that included processing system for detecting a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) condition. The aircraft warning system can use at least two types of radar returns to detect the HAIC condition. Warnings of high altitude ice crystal conditions can allow an aircraft to avoid threats posed by HAIC conditions including damage to aircraft equipment and engines.

Claims

1. An aircraft hazard warning system, comprising:

a processing system associated with an active radar system configured to detect a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) or high altitude ice crystal cloud (HAIC²) condition using at least two types of radar signals, wherein a first type of radar return and a second type of radar return are processed to;

1. determine a size of particles in a high altitude region for detecting at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition where a larger size indicates the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition;

or 2. determine a shape of the particles for detecting the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition where a less spherical shape indicates the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition, wherein the processing system causes a display to provide at least one of a HAIC or HAIC² warning in response to detection of the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition;

a downconverter;

a receiver;

an antenna system comprising an X band antenna having first elements for a first polarization signal in an X band and second elements for a second polarization signal in the X band and a W band antenna for a signal in the W band, the W band antenna being disposed in a face of the X band antenna;

a duplexer, wherein a first path and a second path is disposed between the downconverter and the duplexer, wherein the first path is for the first type of the return from a first type of radar signal of the two types of radar signals and the second path is for the second type of return from a second type radar signal of the two types of radar signals, wherein the first type of radar signal is the first polarization signal in the X band and the second type of radar signal is the second polarization signal in the X band or the first type of radar signal is in the X band and the second type of radar signal is the signal in the W band.

2. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the two types of radar signals comprise the first polarization signal in the X band and the second polarization signal in the X band.

3. The aircraft warning system of claim 1, wherein the two types of radar signals comprise the first type radar signal being at a first polarization and the second type radar signal being at a second polarization.

4. The aircraft warning system of claim 3, wherein the HAIC condition is detected using the at least two types of radar signals after a region of interest is identified.

5. The aircraft warning system of claim 1, wherein the processing system determines a region of interest using an inferred process.

6. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 5, wherein the inferred process uses a temperature anomaly detection.

7. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 2, wherein the first type radar signal is an X band frequency and the second type radar signal is a millimeter Ka, or W band frequency.

8. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 3, wherein the first polarization signal is an H polarization signal and the second polarization signal is a V polarization signal.

9. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 8,

wherein the antenna system is an active scanning array antenna system.

10. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 9, wherein the antenna system is electronically steerable.

11. A method of detecting a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) condition or a high altitude ice crystal cloud (HAIC²) condition on an aircraft using an electronic processor associated with an active radar system, the method comprising:

providing a first type of radar signal to an antenna system, the antenna system comprising an X band antenna having first elements for a first polarization signal in an X band and second elements for a second polarization signal in the X band and a W band antenna for a signal in the W band, the W band antenna being disposed in a face of the X band antenna;

providing a second type of radar signal to the antenna system;

receiving a first type of radar return from the first type of radar signal on a first receive path and a second type of radar return from the second radar signal on a second receive path;

processing the first type of radar return and the second type of radar return to determine at least one of HAIC or HAIC² condition, wherein the first type of radar return and the second type of radar return are processed to;

1. determine a size of particles in a high altitude region for detecting the HAIC or HAIC² condition where a larger size indicates at least one the HAIC or HAIC² condition;

or 2. determine a shape of the particles for detecting at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition where a less spherical shape indicates the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition; and

displaying at least one of a HAIC or HAIC² warning in response to detection of the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the HAIC warning of the HAIC condition is provided on a weather radar display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic processor is part of an avionic weather radar system.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first type radar return is associated with a first frequency and the second type radar return is associated with a second frequency.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first type radar return is associated with a first polarization and the second type radar return is associated with a second polarization.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the HAIC warning of the HAIC condition is provided as a speckled region on a plan view display.

17. An active aircraft weather radar system, comprising:

a display;

a radar antenna for receiving two types of radar return signals; and

means for determining a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) condition in response to at least the two types of radar return signals, wherein the two types of radar return signals are processed to;

1. determine a size of particles in a high altitude region for detecting at least one of the HAIC condition where a larger size indicates the HAIC condition;

or 2. determine a shape of the particles for detecting the HAIC condition where a less spherical shape indicates the HAIC condition, wherein the processing system causes the display to provide a HAIC warning in response to detection of the HAIC condition;

a downconverter;

a receiver;

an antenna system comprising an X band antenna having first elements for a first polarization signal in an X band and second elements for a second polarization signal in the X band and a W band antenna for a signal in the W band, the W band antenna being disposed in a face of the X band antenna;

and

a duplexer, wherein a first path and a second path is disposed between the downconverter and the duplexer, wherein the first path is for a first type of return of the two types of radar return signals and the second path is for a second type of return of the two types of radar return signals, wherein the first type of radar signal is the first polarization signal in the X band and the second type of radar signal is the second polarization signal in the X band or the first type of radar signal is in the X band and the second type of radar signal is the signal in the W band.

18. The weather radar system of claim 17 wherein the display provides weather images.

19. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 17, wherein a high altitude associated threat (HAAT) is sensed and a warning of the HAAT condition is displayed.

20. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 19, wherein the warning of the HAIC condition is provided in response to a comparison of the two types of returns.