Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively extend the range of an aircraft's weather radar so that the crew of the aircraft has more time to respond to adverse weather conditions and/or potentially dangerous objects, such as other aircraft. SOLUTION: System and method for communicating weather radar information between aircraft communicate weather information between aircraft using low bandwidth communication transceivers 306. An exemplary embodiment receives weather information from a weather radar system 310 on board a remote aircraft 120, processes the received weather information into weather radar image information that is displayable on at least a display 322, processes the weather radar image information into a reduced size dataset, and communicates the reduced size dataset to an installation aircraft 104 over the low bandwidth communication channel, wherein the low bandwidth communication channel is generated by a low bandwidth communication transceiver 306 on board the remote aircraft. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method of storing detected weather information using airbone aircraft by detecting weather. SOLUTION: Weather information recording system and method are operable to record information detected by aircraft 104 under flight. This system generates a trigger event, corresponding to the presence of weather 108, 110 of interest, stores weather information collected by an aviation electronics system 302 in a memory in response to generating the trigger event and downloads the stored weather information to a remote memory. At least one dimension of weather is determined by generation of the trigger event, and by comparing at least one dimension of weather with the threshold value of the corresponding dimension, the weather information may be stored in response to at least one dimension of weather exceeded in weather dimension threshold. The weather information may be stored at the detected turbulence exceeded in turbulence threshold value, in response to the dimension. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of providing weather radar images to the flight crew of an aircraft for enhancing the awareness of weather threats so as to alert the flight crew as to whether the aircraft is most likely to be placed in an unsafe position. SOLUTION: An aircraft weather-radar system 40 includes a display device 44, and a processor 42 coupled to the display device. The processor 42 is configured so as to obtain volumetric radar data, corresponding to at least one signal reflected off of a weather system, based on the radar data, computationally classify the weather system as being one of a first type among a plurality of weather-system types; and after classifying the weather system, the radar data are image-processed. The image processing is configured so as to yield an image representing the weather system and corresponding to the first weather-system type, and to display the image on the display device 44. The volumetric radar data is stored inside a three-dimensional buffer. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an antenna device (18) having a system for automatic stabilization and positioning control. SOLUTION: The antenna device incorporates micro-electromechanical (MEMS)-based accelerometer and gyroscope integrated circuit (IC) sensors (26) directly into the antenna base (20) in a vehicle-mounted antenna application. The sensors enable the antenna device to automatically stabilize the antenna (22) to achieve a desired beam sweep region, independent of vehicle movement, without requiring external sensor input. The invention eliminates the need for a communication interface to externally mounted orientation sensors, reduces cable I/O, and eases the installation procedure. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for assessing weather in proximity to an airborne aircraft. SOLUTION: The dynamic weather model system and method are operable to assess weather 108, 110 in proximity to the airborne aircraft 104. An exemplary embodiment receives a radar echo signal from the weather, determines reflectivity information from the received radar echo signal, retrieves a weather model from a weather model data base 228, compares the weather with the retrieved weather model and the determined reflectivity information, predicts a characteristic of the weather based upon the comparison of the weather and the weather model, and determines if the predicted characteristic is potentially hazardous to the airborne aircraft or not. The weather model is defined by at least one weather modeling algorithm, and is defined by at least one of a parameter and a variable parameter range residing in a weather characteristic database 338. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radar return processing system and a method. SOLUTION: A radar return processing system and a method are operable to process radar information when an installation vehicle 122 operates in proximity to a surface area of interest. An exemplary embodiment reduces the energy of an output pulse emitted from a radar system 410, receives a plurality of radar echoes from a plurality of objects that reflect the reduced energy output pulses emitted from the radar system 410, determines a surface area of interest based upon at least a current location of the installation vehicle 122, and filters the radar echoes generated by objects to remove them that are located outside the surface area of interest. Optionally, some of the systems and methods may reduce a sweep range of an antenna on which the reduced energy output pulses are emitted. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT