Displaying lightning strikes

• US 20020075170A1
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel J. Schwinn, David P. Bedrosian, Frederic D. Barber, Theodore H. Cannaday
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Schwinn, David P. Bedrosian, Frederic D. Barber, Theodore H. Cannaday
• Inventors: Schwinn, Daniel J., Bedrosian, David P., Cannaday, Theodore H., Barber, Frederic D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,606,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

Lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured (e.g., gaussian) kernels that decay in size and intensity over time. The lightning strikes may be displayed as they occur, or stored for later display. Overlapping areas of the kernels are displayed in different colors than corresponding non-overlapping areas. A color (or colors) displayed in an overlapping area is a function of the number of kernels that overlap in that area.

Claims

1. A method comprising displaying a lightning strike as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the uniformly-structured kernel comprises a gaussian kernel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the lightning strike; and

determining a location of the lightning strike;

wherein the lightning strike is displayed based on the location of the lightning strike.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying a location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying two or more lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time;

wherein overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels for the two or more lightning strikes are displayed in one or more different colors than corresponding non-overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a color of an overlapping area is a function of a number of uniformly-structured kernels that overlap in that area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein different colors for overlapping areas are obtained by summing pixel values in the overlapping areas;

and

wherein different pixel values map to different colors on a color continuum.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein decay of the uniformly-structured kernel is shown as a decrease in size of the uniformly-structured kernel over time.

9. A method of displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

storing information relating to a lightning strike;

retrieving the information; and

displaying the lightning strike, based on the retrieved information, as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes a record of lightning strikes that occurred over a period of time, each lightning strike corresponding to a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time;

and

further comprising controlling a rate at which the record of lightning strikes is displayed.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting the lightning strike; and

determining a location of the lightning strike;

wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a location of the lighting strike.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a time that the lightning strike occurred.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a current location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike; and

displaying the current location of the aircraft relative to the lightning strike.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the uniformly-structured kernel comprises a gaussian kernel.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a storm sensor which:

detects the lightning strike; and

determines a location of the lightning strike;

wherein the lightning strike is displayed based on the location of the lightning strike.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor executes the computer program to display a location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the processor executes the computer program to display two or more lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time; and

overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels for the two or more lightning strikes are displayed in one or more different colors than corresponding non-overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a color of an overlapping area is a function of a number of uniformly-structured kernels that overlap in that area.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein different colors for overlapping areas are obtained by summing pixel values in the overlapping areas;

and

wherein different pixel values map to different colors on a color continuum.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein decay of the uniformly-structured kernel is shown as a decrease in size of the uniformly-structured kernel over time.

76. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a warning regarding current lightning strikes while the retrieved lightning strike information is being displayed.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a display screen which displays images;

a memory which stores a computer program; and

a processor which executes the computer program to display, on the display screen, a lightning strike as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time.

22. An apparatus for displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

a display screen which displays images;

one or more memories which store a computer program and information relating to a lightning strike; and

a processor which executes the computer program so as (i) to retrieve the information, and (ii) to display the lightning strike on the display screen based on the information, the lightning strike being displayed as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the information includes a record of lightning strikes that occurred over a period of time, each lightning strike corresponding to a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time; and

the processor executes the computer program to control a rate at which the record-of lightning strikes is displayed.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a storm sensor which:

detects the lightning strike; and

determines a location of the lightning strike;

wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a location of the lighting strike.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a time that the lightning strike occurred.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor (i) determines a current location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike, and (ii) displays the current location of the aircraft relative to the lightning strike.

28. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the uniformly-structured kernel comprises a gaussian kernel.

29. The computer program of claim 27, further comprising code to receive an indication of the lightning strike and a location of the lightning strike;

wherein the lightning strike is displayed based on the location of the lightning strike.

30. The computer program of claim 29, further comprising code to display a location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike.

31. The computer program of claim 27, further comprising code to display two or more lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time;

wherein overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels for the two or more lightning strikes are displayed in one or more different colors than corresponding non-overlapping areas of uniformly-structured kernels.

32. The computer program of claim 31, wherein a color of an overlapping area is a function of a number of uniformly-structured kernels that overlap in that area.

33. The computer program of claim 32, wherein different colors for overlapping areas are obtained by summing pixel values in the overlapping areas;

and

wherein different pixel values map to different colors on a color continuum

34. The computer program of claim 27, wherein decay of the uniformly-structured kernel is shown as a decrease in size of the uniformly-structured kernel over time.

36. The computer program of claim 35, wherein the information includes a record of lightning strikes that occurred over a period of time, each lightning strike corresponding to a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time;

and

further comprising code to control a rate at which the record of lightning strikes is displayed.

37. The computer program of claim 35, further comprising code to receive an indication of the lightning strike and the information relating to the lightning strike;

wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a location of the lighting strike.

38. The computer program of claim 35, wherein the information relating to the lightning strike includes a time that the lightning strike occurred.

39. The computer program of claim 35, further comprising:

code to determine a current location of an aircraft relative to the lightning strike; and

code to display the current location of the aircraft;

relative to the lightning strike.

77. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor displays a warning regarding current lightning strikes while the retrieved lightning strike information is being displayed.

78. The computer program of claim 35, further comprising code to display a warning regarding current lightning strikes while the retrieved lightning strike information is being displayed.

27. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising code to display a lightning strike as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time.

35. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium to display lightning strikes, the computer program comprising:

code to store information relating to a lightning strike;

code to retrieve the information; and

code to display the lightning strike, based on the information, as a uniformly-structured kernel that decays over time.

40. A method of displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

assigning uniformly-structured kernels to lightning strikes, the uniformly-structured kernels comprising pixel matrices in which pixels at centers of the matrices have greater values than pixels at edges of the matrices; and

displaying an overlapping portion of two or more uniformly-structured kernels by summing pixel values in the matrices of the two or more uniformly-structured kernels at the overlapping portion.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein pixel values in the pixel matrices correspond to colors on a color continuum.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising reducing pixels values in the pixel matrices by an amount at set time periods until the pixel matrices have zero values.

43. A method of displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

displaying two or more lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels, portions of the uniformly-structured kernels overlapping in an area;

wherein a color of the area is a function of a number of uniformly-structured kernels that overlap in the area.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising displaying additional lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels, portions of one or more of the additional uniformly-structured kernels overlapping the area;

wherein the color of the area increases in amplitude based on the number of additional uniformly-structured kernels that overlap the area.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the color of the area may be one or more of a continuum of colors ranging from magenta at a high color amplitude to black at a low color amplitude.

47. The computer program of claim 46, wherein pixel values in the pixel matrices correspond to colors on a color continuum.

48. The computer program of claim 46, further comprising code to reduce pixels values in the pixel matrices by an amount at set time periods until the pixel matrices have zero values.

50. The computer program of claim 49, further comprising code to display additional lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels, portions of one or more of the additional uniformly-structured kernels overlapping the area;

wherein the color of the area increases in amplitude based on the number of additional uniformly-structured kernels that overlap the area.

51. The computer program of claim 49, wherein the color of the area may be one or more of a continuum of colors ranging from magenta at a high color amplitude to black at a low color amplitude.

46. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for displaying lightning strikes, the computer program comprising:

code to assign uniformly-structured kernels to lightning strikes, the uniformly-structured kernels comprising pixel matrices in which pixels at centers of the matrices have greater values than pixels at edges of the matrices; and

code to display an overlapping portion of two or more uniformly-structured kernels by summing pixel values in the matrices of the two or more uniformly-structured kernels at the overlapping portion.

49. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for displaying lightning strikes, the computer program comprising:

code to display two or more lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels, portions of the uniformly-structured kernels overlapping in an area;

wherein a color of the area is a function of a number of uniformly-structured kernels that overlap in the area.

52. An apparatus for displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

a memory which stores computer code; and

a processor which executes the computer code (i) to assign uniformly-structured kernels to lightning strikes, the uniformly-structured kernels comprising pixel matrices in which pixels at centers of the matrices have greater values than pixels at edges of the matrices, and (ii) to display an overlapping portion of two or more uniformly-structured kernels by summing pixel values in the matrices of the two or more uniformly-structured kernels at the overlapping portion.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein pixel values in the pixel matrices correspond to colors on a color continuum.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the processor executes computer code to reduce pixels values in the pixel matrices by an amount at set time periods until the pixel matrices have zero values.

55. An apparatus for displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

a memory which stores computer code; and

a processor which executes the computer code to display two or more lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels, portions of the uniformly-structured kernels overlapping in an area;

wherein a color of the area is a function of a number of uniformly-structured kernels that overlap in the area.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the processor executes computer code to display additional lightning strikes as uniformly-structured kernels, portions of one or more of the additional uniformly-structured kernels overlapping the area;

and

wherein the color of the area increases in amplitude based on the number of additional uniformly-structured kernels that overlap the area.

57. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the color of the area may be one or more of a continuum of colors ranging from magenta at a high color amplitude to black at a low color amplitude.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein each of the multiple modes uses different symbols to display individual lightning strikes.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein symbols of one of the multiple modes comprise uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein, when the lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured kernels, the method further comprises displaying lightning strikes that occurred within a predetermined period of time as discrete symbols on top of the uniformly-structured kernels.

58. A method for displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

selecting one of multiple modes in which to display individual lightning strikes; and

displaying lightning strikes in accordance with the selected mode.

62. A method for displaying a bearing line for navigating around lightning strikes, comprising:

display the lightning strikes on a display screen; and

displaying a bearing line on the display screen relative to the lightning strikes.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time;

and

wherein the bearing line is movable relative to the kernels in response to a user input.

64. An apparatus for displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

a display screen;

a memory which stores a computer program; and

a processor which executes the computer program to (i) select one of multiple modes in which to display individual lightning strikes, and (ii) display lightning strikes in accordance with the selected mode.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein each of the multiple modes uses different symbols to display individual lightning strikes.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein symbols of one of the multiple modes comprise uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein, when the lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured kernels, the processor further executes computer code to display lightning strikes that occurred within a predetermined period of time as discrete symbols on top of the uniformly-structured kernels.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time;

and

wherein the bearing line is movable relative to the kernels in response to a user input.

68. An apparatus for displaying a bearing line for navigating around lightning strikes, comprising:

a display screen;

a memory which stores a computer program; and

a processor which executes the computer program (i) to display the lightning strikes on the display screen, and (ii) to display a bearing line on the display screen relative to the lightning strikes.

70. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for displaying lightning strikes, comprising:

code to select one of multiple modes in which to display individual lightning strikes; and

code to display lightning strikes in accordance with the selected mode.

71. The computer program of claim 70, wherein each of the multiple modes uses different symbols to display individual lightning strikes.

72. The computer program of claim 71, wherein symbols of one of the multiple modes comprise uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time.

73. The computer program of claim 72, further comprising code to display lightning strikes that occurred within a predetermined period of time as discrete symbols on top of the uniformly structured kernels when the lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured kernels.

74. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for displaying a bearing line for navigating around lightning strikes, comprising:

code to display the lightning strikes on a display screen; and

code to display a bearing line on the display screen relative to the lightning strikes.

75. The computer program of claim 74, wherein the lightning strikes are displayed as uniformly-structured kernels that decay over time;

and

wherein the bearing line is movable relative to the kernels in response to a user input.

79. A method of indicating a presence of lightning, comprising:

monitoring a guard zone for lightning strikes that exceed a predetermined threshold; and

annunciating the presence of lightning when lightning strikes exceed the predetermined threshold, the annunciating occurring even if a primary lightning display is suppressed.

80. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for indicating a presence of lightning, the computer program comprising:

code to monitor a guard zone for lightning strikes that exceed a predetermined threshold; and

code to annunciate the presence of lightning when lightning strikes exceed the predetermined threshold, the annunciating occurring even if a primary lightning display is suppressed.

81. An apparatus for indicating a presence of lightning, comprising:

a memory that stores a computer program; and

a processor that executes the computer program to (i) monitor a guard zone for lightning strikes that exceed a predetermined threshold, and (ii) annunciate the presence of lightning when lightning strikes exceed the predetermined threshold, the annunciating occurring even if a primary lightning display is suppressed.