Weather radar system and method for high altitude crystal warning interface

• US 9,823,347 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2014
• 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: Koenigs, Gregory J., Finley, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Windrich, Marcus
• Application Number:
  US14/207,034
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 342 26 R- 26 D
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/20 Means for detecting icing or initiating de-icing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/22 Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means
• 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 hazard warning system can be utilized in an aircraft. The hazard warning system can include a processing system for determining a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) condition and causing a warning of the HAIC condition to be displayed. An avionic display can be used to display the warning of the HAIC condition.

Claims

1. An aircraft hazard warning system, comprising:

a processing system configured to detect a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) or high altitude ice crystal cloud (HAIC²) condition and cause a warning of the HAIC or HAIC² condition to be displayed, wherein the HAIC or HAIC² warning is provided on a weather radar display such that weather regions in a same location as the HAIC or HAIC² warning are viewable on the weather radar display, the HAIC or HAIC² condition being detected using weather radar returns associated with a high altitude region, the weather radar returns being processed to detect the HAIC or HAIC² condition, wherein the weather regions are provided as a solid green region for precipitation levels below a first level, a solid yellow region for precipitation levels above the first level below a second level, and a solid red region for precipitation levels above a third level, wherein the HAIC or HAIC² warning is displayed as yellow dots or cross sectional lines on a weather region depicted as a solid green region, wherein the processing system detects a high altitude associated threat (HAAT) condition and wherein the weather radar display provides visual indicia according to the following table;

2. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the warning of the HAIC or HAIC² condition is provided as a speckled region, a striped region, or a region with outlined contours.

3. The aircraft warning system of claim 1, wherein the warning of the HAIC or HAIC² condition is provided as a speckled region of a color indicating a lower level of hazard.

4. The aircraft warning system of claim 1, wherein the speckled region includes yellow dots.

5. The aircraft warning system of claim 1, wherein the HAAT condition is a lightning or hail condition.

6. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the high altitude associated threat (HAAT) condition is a lightning condition.

7. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 6, wherein the warning of the HAAT condition is displayed with a color symbolizing a higher threat level than the warning associated with the HAIC or HAIC² condition.

8. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the warning is displayed using a rectangular shaped region whereby the rectangular shaped region enhances the ability to notice the warning.

9. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 8, wherein the warning of the HAIC or HAIC² condition is provided corresponding to its size and location correlated on the weather radar display.

10. The aircraft hazard warning system of claim 9, wherein dots associated with a HAAT condition at the location overwrite dots associated with the HAIC condition at the location.

11. A method of providing a high altitude associated threat (HAAT) warning and one of at least a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) or high altitude ice crystal cloud (HAIC²) warning on an aircraft using an electronic processor, the method comprising:

receiving radar reflectivity data and determining at least one of a HAIC or HAIC² condition exists;

displaying the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² warning of the HAIC or HAIC² condition over weather regions on a weather radar display, wherein the weather regions on the weather radar display are viewable when the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² warning is displayed;

determining the HAAT condition exists; and

displaying the HAAT warning over weather regions on a weather radar display, wherein the weather regions on the weather radar display are viewable when HAAT warning is displayed, and wherein the HAIC or HAIC² warning is not viewable at locations where the HAAT warning is displayed, wherein the HAAT warning and HAIC or HAIC warnings are displayed according to the following table;

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

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the warning of the HAIC condition is provided on a plan view display.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the warning of the HAIC condition is provided as a speckled region on the plan view display and the vertical display.

17. An aircraft weather radar system, comprising:

a radar antenna for receiving radar returns; and

means for determining a high altitude associated threat (HAAT) condition and at least one of a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) or high altitude ice crystal cloud (HAIC²) condition and providing a warning of the HAAT condition and at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² condition at least partially in response to the radar returns, wherein the means for determining performs one or more of the following to detect the presence;

a dual frequency process;

a dual polarization process;

an ice crystal shape determination process;

or

a non-coherent integration and turbulence detection process; and

means for displaying the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² warning over weather images, the at least one of the HAIC or HAIC² warning being visual indicia, wherein the means for displaying provides the HAAT warning and the HAIC or HAIC² warning according to the following table;

18. The weather radar system of claim 17 wherein the display means provides the warning of the HAIC condition as a stippled area, striped area or an outline.

19. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 17, wherein the (HAAT) condition is a lightning condition.

20. The aircraft weather radar system of claim 19, wherein the warning of the HAAT condition and the warning of the HAIC condition are provided as speckled regions, wherein the speckled regions have different colors.