Turbulence detection and monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016133137-A1
Application number	US-201414535250-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 6, 2014
Priority date	Nov 6, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A turbulence detection and monitoring system may include a data processing system configured to collect and analyze motion-related sensor data from a plurality of personal electronic devices onboard an aircraft in flight. The personal electronic devices may communicate with the data processing system at least in part via an onboard wireless network.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A system for monitoring atmospheric turbulence, the system comprising:
a data processing system in operative communication with a wireless network onboard an aircraft, the data processing system being configured to receive motion data from a plurality of personal electronic devices onboard the aircraft, each device of the plurality of personal electronic devices in operative communication with the wireless network onboard the aircraft and each device of the plurality of personal electronic devices including a motion sensor configured to sense motion of the respective electronic device; wherein the motion data corresponds to sensed motion over time for each device of the plurality of personal electronic devices, and wherein the data processing system is further configured to identify an atmospheric turbulence event by analyzing the motion data received from the plurality of electronic devices.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the data processing system is further configured to correlate the motion data with location information corresponding to a location of the aircraft.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further including the plurality of personal electronic devices in operative communication with the wireless network onboard the aircraft.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the personal electronic devices is in the possession of a different passenger onboard the aircraft.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further including a wireless router onboard the aircraft, the router being configured to establish the wireless network onboard the aircraft.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further including a plurality of other wireless routers, each of the other wireless routers being onboard one of a plurality of other aircraft, the data processing system being further configured to receive motion data from personal electronic devices onboard the plurality of other aircraft.

7 . A method for monitoring air turbulence, the method comprising:
receiving motion-related data from a plurality of personal electronic devices onboard an aircraft in flight, each of the personal electronic devices including a respective motion sensor; analyzing the motion-related data to determine a motion event common to the plurality of personal electronic devices; and correlating the motion event with a location of the aircraft.

8 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining an occurrence of an atmospheric turbulence event based on the correlation.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further including mapping a plurality of the motion events to generate a visual representation of atmospheric turbulence in relation to location along the flight path of the aircraft.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further including analyzing motion-related data and mapping the motion events for a plurality of aircraft on a plurality of respective flight paths.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving motion-related data includes receiving data from at least one accelerometer disposed in one of the plurality of personal electronic devices.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving motion-related data includes receiving data communicated at least in part over a wireless network onboard the aircraft.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein analyzing the motion-related data to determine a motion event includes determining an amplitude of an acceleration encountered.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein analyzing the motion-related data includes comparing the motion-related data to expected motion of the aircraft.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein analyzing the motion-related data includes comparing the motion related data of the plurality of personal electronic devices to each other.

16 . A method for monitoring turbulence, the method comprising:
collecting accelerometer data from a plurality of smartdevices onboard an aircraft in flight; filtering the accelerometer data to identify turbulence events encountered by the aircraft; and generating a map of the turbulence events based on geographical location.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further including communicating the map of turbulence events to at least one of the smartdevices.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further including causing a visual representation of the map to be displayed on the at least one of the smartdevices.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein collecting accelerometer data includes receiving data communicated at least in part through a wireless network onboard the aircraft.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the collecting and filtering steps are performed with respect to a plurality of aircraft in flight, and the generating step includes turbulence events for the plurality of aircraft.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Rencher Robert J
• Carlson Joey
• Yager David M
• Vu Tam M

Classifications

• G01C23/00

  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 title

• G01W2001/003

  Clear air turbulence detection or forecasting, e.g. for aircrafts · CPC title

• G01W1/00

  Meteorology · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/53

  for cruising · CPC title