Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Radar for meteorological use
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-22
2002-05-14
Gregory, Bernarr E. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Radar for meteorological use
C342S074000, C342S075000, C342S093000, C342S192000, C342S195000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06388608
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to avionics, and more particularly relates to weather radars, and even more particularly relates to methods and systems for enhanced turbulence detection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over the years, the tasks and results expected of a commercial airline pilot have increased. The cockpit of a typical modern commercial jetliner is much more elaborate with electronic navigation, communication, and control equipment, than that of an early commercial passenger aircraft. This equipment, in general, has proven to be quite beneficial. A prime example is the weather radar, which, among other things, is extremely helpful in detecting turbulence. However, these weather radar based turbulence detectors, which often use the existence of large standard deviations of wind velocities to indicate turbulence, have been plagued with the persistent problems of alerting the pilot to high turbulence levels when, in fact, the level of turbulence is relatively low.
To address these problems, typically, a pilot might adjust the threshold for alerting turbulence upward to reduce the number of false alarms.
While this attempt at reducing false alerts of turbulence has been used extensively in the past, it does have some drawbacks.
The primary drawback is that while raising the alert threshold does reduce the overall number of false alarms, it also reduces the number of legitimate and desired alarms as well. The pilot then has reduced ability to avoid relatively light to moderate turbulence.
Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for enhancing turbulence detection and alerting by airborne weather radars.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for enhancing the turbulence detection capability while suppressing the false alarm rate.
It is a feature of the present invention to remove from consideration by turbulence detection processes, portions of the detected radar returns which relate to vertical shear components of wind velocities.
It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a plurality of different geometrically oriented antenna scans.
It is another feature of the present invention to include a comparison of airborne measured average wind velocities gradients as a function of beam geometry and orientation (i.e. elevation), with known wind velocity gradients as a function of elevation, which known gradients have associated with them known vertical shear components.
It is an advantage of the present invention to achieve improved efficacy of turbulence detection using airborne weather radars.
The present invention is an apparatus and method for improving the quality of turbulence detection and alerting in avionics weather radars, which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in a “mis-identification-less” manner in a sense that the mis-identification of vertical wind shear as turbulence has been greatly reduced. The present invention is also carried out in a “high alert threshold-less” manner in the sense that pilot alert threshold increases and their concomitant elimination of legitimate relatively low and moderate level turbulence alerts have been reduced.
Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method including multiple differently angled, weather radar scans and a computer comparison of average wind velocity elevation gradients from radar returns in relation to known average wind velocity elevation gradients having known vertical speed components.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3781878 (1973-12-01), Kirkpatrick
patent: 3885237 (1975-05-01), Kirkpatrick
patent: 6236351 (2001-05-01), Conner et al.
Co-pending patent application Docket No. 00CR092/KE entitled “Method And System For Suppressing Ground Clutter Returns On An Airborne Weather Radar” filed on an even date, inventor D. Woodell.
Co-pending patent application Docket No. 00CR093/KE entitled “Multi-Sweep Method And System For Detecting And Displaying Weather Information On A Weather Radar System” filed on an even date, inventor D. Woodell.
Co-pending patent application Docket No. 00CR218/KE entitled “Multi-Sweep Method And System For Mapping Terrain With A Weather Radar System” filed on an even date, inventor D. Woodell.
Lai Ying C.
Robertson Roy E.
Woodell Daniel L.
Eppele Kyle
Gregory Bernarr E.
Jensen Nathan O.
Rockwell Collins, Inc.
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