Adding weather icon to electronic flight strips

• US 8,874,288 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Siddiqui, Kaiser
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US13/922,766
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/10, 701/14, 701/36, 701/99, 701/116, 701/120, 701/29.1, 701400-412, 701/415, 701/423, 701/439, 701/456, 702/3, 700/28, 342/176, 340/945, 340/947, 340/951, 340953-956, 340/961, 340/971
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 2001/003 Clear air turbulence detection or forecasting, e.g. for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 2001/006 Main server receiving weather information from several sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/00 Traffic control systems for aircraft , e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A method is provided, for displaying dynamically updated weather information for a vehicle using a computer system comprising a processor and a memory. A table is stored in the memory, the table defining, for a predetermined plurality of different weather conditions, a corresponding predetermined plurality of sets of visually distinguishable icon settings, wherein each weather condition corresponds to a corresponding respective set of icon settings, the respective set of icon settings defining the appearance of a first weather icon configured to appear on a display in operable communication with the processor, wherein the appearance of the weather icon, by itself, is sufficient to convey at least one weather condition. The appearance of the first icon is dynamically updated, during at least a portion of the travel by the vehicle along its travel path, to correspond to changes in the first set of weather data.

Claims

1. A method operable in a computer system for displaying dynamically updated weather information for a vehicle, the computer system comprising a processor and a memory, the method comprising the unordered steps of:

(a) storing in the memory a table defining, for a predetermined plurality of different weather conditions, a corresponding predetermined plurality of sets of visually distinguishable icon settings, wherein each weather condition corresponds to a corresponding respective set of icon settings, the respective set of icon settings defining the appearance of a first weather icon configured to appear on a display in operable communication with the processor, wherein at least a portion of the display comprises an air traffic controller display and wherein the first icon is disposed at least partially within an electronic flight strip (EFS) that is displayed on the air traffic controller display, wherein the appearance of the weather icon, by itself, is sufficient to convey at least one weather condition;

(b) receiving from a first database first information relating to a first travel path of a first vehicle;

(c) parsing the first information, using the processor, to determine at least a first geographic location along the first travel path;

(d) receiving from a second database, based at least in part on the at least first geographic location, a first set of recent weather data for the first geographic location;

(e) analyzing, using the processor, the first set of weather data to determine a weather condition and corresponding respective set of icon settings in the table that best match the first set of data;

(f) presenting the first icon on the display, the first icon having an appearance defined by the corresponding respective set of icon settings, wherein the appearance of the first icon is indicative of recent weather conditions at the first geographic location;

(g) dynamically checking, using the processor, for changes in the first set of recent weather data for the first geographic location; and

(h) dynamically updating the appearance of the first icon, during at least a portion of the travel by the first vehicle along its first travel path, to correspond to changes in the first set of weather data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) repeating steps (b) though (h) when at least one of the following conditions occurs;

(i-1) the location of the first vehicle changes from a first geographic location along the first travel path to a second geographic location along the first travel path;

(i-2) a first time period elapses;

(i-3) weather-related information is received at the processor from a source other than the second database;

(i-4) a request is received at the processor to obtain updated weather data from the second database; and

(i-5) information is received at the processor indicating that at least a portion of the first travel path has changed or will change.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating steps (b) though (h) for a second vehicle traveling along a second travel path associated with a second geographic location, the second travel path being at least partially distinct from the first travel path, wherein, in steps (f) through (h), a second icon is presented on the display in a second location distinct from a first location of the first icon, wherein the second icon likewise has its appearance dynamically updated to reflect changes in weather information associated with the second vehicle;

wherein the first and second dynamically updated icons conveying weather information are presented on the display for the first and second respective vehicles traveling the first and second distinct travel paths.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) repeating steps (b) through (h) of claim 1 for at least one of;

(i-1) a second geographic location along the travel path of the first vehicle; and

(i-2) a second travel path of the first vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second geographic location comprises a location along the first travel path that the first vehicle, while traveling, has not yet reached, and wherein step (h) of dynamically updating the appearance of the first icon further comprises updating the appearance of the first icon to alert, via the first icon, of a weather condition that the first vehicle may encounter when traveling along the first travel path.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle comprises an aircraft and wherein the first travel path comprises a flight path.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system is in operable communication with an air traffic control (ATC) system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) presenting on the display, in response to a request, a first report listing at least a portion of the first set of weather data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least a portion of the first set of weather data in the first comprises information contained in at least one of a terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF), Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR), Pilot Report (PIREP), and a Significant Meteorological Advisory (SIGMET).

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) maintaining the first icon'"'"'s appearance in accordance with a first respective set of icon settings, if the first respective set of icon settings corresponds to a first weather condition requiring attention from a user, wherein the first icon'"'"'s appearance is maintained until the user has provided an input to request further information relating to the first weather condition;

(j) presenting on the display, in response to an input from the user, a first report listing at least a portion of the first set of weather data associated with the first weather condition; and

(k) visually distinguishing, in the first report, at least one data point corresponding at least partially to the first weather condition requiring attention.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each corresponding respective set of icon settings comprises at least one of highlighting the icon, changing the color of the icon, and causing the icon to flash between one or more colors.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the weather conditions associated with a respective set of icon settings comprises a change in weather from a previous weather condition.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the weather conditions associated with a respective set of icon settings comprises the first set of weather data being outside of a first predetermined acceptable range of values.

14. A system for displaying dynamically updated weather information for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a display, at least a portion of the display comprising an air traffic controller display;

a computer-readable storage device containing program code; and

a processor in operable communication with the display and the computer-readable storage device, the processor configured to execute the program code to;

(a) store in the computer-readable storage device a table defining, for a predetermined plurality of different weather conditions, a corresponding predetermined plurality of sets of visually distinguishable icon settings, wherein each weather condition corresponds to a corresponding respective set of icon settings, the respective set of icon settings defining the appearance of a first icon configured to appear on the air traffic controller display, wherein the appearance of the first icon, by itself, is sufficient to convey at least one weather condition and wherein the first icon is disposed at least partially within an electronic flight strip (EFS) that is displayed on the air traffic controller display;

(b) receive from a first database first information relating to a first travel path of a first vehicle;

(c) parse the first information to determine at least a first geographic location along the first travel path;

(d) receive from a second database, based at least in part on the at least first geographic location, a first set of recent weather data for the first geographic location;

(e) analyze the first set of weather data to determine a weather condition and corresponding respective set of icon settings in the table that best match the first set of data;

(f) present the first icon on the display, the first icon having an appearance defined by the corresponding respective set of icon settings, wherein the appearance of the first icon is indicative of recent weather conditions at the first geographic location;

(g) dynamically check for changes in the first set of recent weather data for the first geographic location; and

(h) dynamically update the appearance of the first icon, during at least a portion of the travel by the first vehicle along its first travel path, to correspond to changes in the first set of weather data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the program code to:

(i) present on the display, in response to a request, a first report listing at least a portion of the first set of weather data.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the is program code to:

(i) maintain the first icon'"'"'s appearance in accordance with a first respective set of icon settings, if the first respective set of icon settings corresponds to a first weather condition requiring attention from a user, wherein the first icon'"'"'s appearance is maintained until the user has provided an input to request further information relating to the first weather condition;

(j) present on the display, in response to an input from the user, a first report listing at least a portion of the first set of weather data associated with the first weather condition; and

(k) visually distinguish, in the first report, at least one data point corresponding at least partially to the first weather condition requiring attention.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the program code to:

(i) repeat steps (b) through (h) for at least one of;

(i-1) a second geographic location along the travel path of the first vehicle; and

(i-2) a second travel path of the first vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second geographic location comprises a location along the first travel path that the first vehicle, while traveling, has not yet reached, and wherein step (h) of dynamically updating the appearance of the first icon further comprises updating the appearance of the first icon to alert, via the first icon, of a weather condition that the first vehicle may encounter when traveling along the first travel path.

17. A computer program product for displaying weather information associated with an aircraft, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for storing a table defining, for a predetermined plurality of different weather conditions, a corresponding predetermined plurality of sets of visually distinguishable icon settings, wherein each weather condition corresponds to a corresponding respective set of icon settings, the respective set of icon settings defining the appearance of a first icon configured to be disposed at least partially within an electronic flight strip (EFS) displayed on a display, wherein the appearance of the first icon, by itself, is sufficient to convey at least one weather condition;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for receiving from a first database first information relating to a first flight path of a first aircraft;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for parsing the first information to determine at least a first geographic location along the first flight path;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for receiving from a second database, based at least in part on the at least first geographic location, a first set of recent weather data for the first geographic location;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for analyzing the first set of weather data to determine a weather condition and corresponding respective set of icon settings in the table that best match the first set of data;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for presenting the first icon to be disposed at least partially within the EFS on the display, the first icon having an appearance defined by the corresponding respective set of icon settings, wherein the appearance of the first icon is indicative of recent weather conditions at the first geographic location;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for dynamically checking for changes in the first set of recent weather data for the first geographic location; and

program code, stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, for dynamically updating the appearance of the first icon, during at least a portion of the travel by the flight along its first flight path, to correspond to changes in the first set of weather data.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

program code, stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, for maintaining the first icon'"'"'s appearance in accordance with a first respective set of icon settings, if the first respective set of icon settings corresponds to a first weather condition requiring attention from a user, wherein the first icon'"'"'s appearance is maintained until the user has provided an input to request further information relating to the first weather condition;

program code, stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, for presenting on the display, in response to an input from the user, a first report listing at least a portion of the first set of weather data associated with the first weather condition; and

program code, stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, for visually distinguishing, in the first report, at least one data point corresponding at least partially to the first weather condition requiring attention.