4D volumetric weather data processing and display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9958573-B2
Application number	US-201414456471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Aug 11, 2014
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

Method, system, apparatus, and computer program product for displaying weather data on a computer display screen. Received weather data can be parsed into weather data layers, based on ranges of altitude. The weather data can be separated into different weather products. A pilot can select products and altitude ranges for weather data to be displayed. Additional products and altitude ranges can be suggested to pilots based on detected weather hazards located outside of the pilot-selected products and altitude range. Additional products and altitude ranges can be automatically displayed on the display screen for severe weather hazards. A flight plan for the aircraft can be automatically recalculated to avoid a weather hazard. Parsing of the weather data can be performed at a first rate commensurate with a rate at which the weather data is received. Further processing based on pilot selections can occur at a second faster rate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving weather data for use in a flight of an aircraft;
separating the weather data into weather data layers for a plurality of ranges of altitude, wherein each weather data layer corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of ranges of altitude;
receiving a selection of at least one of the weather data layers;
preparing for display weather data in the selected at least one of the weather data layers;
outputting, for display on a display screen in the aircraft, the weather data in the selected at least one of the weather data layers;
analyzing the weather data to identify at least one weather hazard; and
upon determining that the identified at least one weather hazard is located in a data layer not selected for display, outputting, for display on the display screen, an indication that weather data layers that are not selected for display include at least one weather hazard.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a selection for display of a different at least one of the weather data layers;
preparing for display weather data in the selected different at least one of the weather data layers; and
outputting, for display on the display screen, the weather data included in the selected different at least one of the weather data layers.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon determining that the identified at least one weather hazard is not located in a data layer selected for display, automatically selecting one or more additional weather data layers that include the identified at least one weather hazard.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a selection of at least one of the weather data layers comprises:
receiving a selection of at least one weather data layer;
calculating a trajectory of the aircraft;
identifying at least one weather data layer different from the selected at least one weather data layer that is within a predefined range of altitudes of the calculated trajectory; and
selecting the weather data layers corresponding to the received pilot selection and the weather data layers identified as being within the predefined range of altitudes of the calculated trajectory.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a selection of at least one of the weather data layers comprises automatically selecting weather data layers below a current altitude of the aircraft, based on a predefined altitude gap above which the aircraft is supposed to be vertically separated from weather.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing for display weather data included in the selected at least one of the weather data layers comprises prioritizing display of weather data in a selected weather data layer for a high altitude above display of weather data in a selected weather data layer for a lower altitude.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving weather data for use in the flight of the aircraft comprises:
detecting a position and direction of travel of the aircraft;
predicting at least one future position of the aircraft, based on the detected direction of travel;
transmitting a request over a data connection for weather data proximate to at least one of the detected position and predicted at least one future position; and
receiving over the data connection weather data proximate to at least one of the detected position and predicted at least one future position.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving weather data for use in the flight of the aircraft comprises receiving a plurality of weather data products; and
further comprising:
selecting for display at least one of the weather data products; and
outputting, for display on the computer screen, the selected weather data layers of the selected weather data products.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
analyzing the weather data to identify at least one weather hazard; and
upon determining that the identified at least one weather hazard corresponds to an unselected weather data product, outputting an indication that weather data in an unselected weather data product includes at least one weather hazard.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
analyzing the weather data to identify at least one weather hazard; and
upon determining that the identified at least one weather hazard corresponds to an unselected weather data product, automatically selecting the unselected weather data product.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the weather data to identify at least one weather hazard; and
upon determining that the at least one weather hazard lies in a flight path of a flight plan for the aircraft, automatically amending the flight plan to include a route that at least one of climbs over and goes around the at least one weather hazard.

12. A system, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive weather data for use in a flight of an aircraft;
an interface in the aircraft configured to receive selections from a pilot of the aircraft;
a memory configured to store the received weather data; and
a display screen in the aircraft configured to display weather data;
a computer processor, configured to:
separate the received weather data into weather data layers for a plurality of ranges of altitude, wherein each weather data layer corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of ranges of altitude;
select at least one of the weather data layers, based on received selections from the interface;
prepare for display weather data in the selected at least one of the weather data layers;
output, for display on the display screen, the weather data in the selected at least one of the weather data layers;
analyze the weather data to identify at least one weather hazard; and
upon determining that the identified at least one weather hazard is located in a data layer not selected, output an indication that weather data layers that are not selected for display include at least one weather hazard.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to:
select a different at least one of the weather data layers, based on different received selections from the interface;
prepare for display weather datain the selected different at least one of the weather data layers; and
output, for display on the display screen, the weather data in the selected different at least one of the weather data layers.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to:
automatically select one or more additional weather data layers that include the identified at least one weather hazard.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the computer processor selects at least one of the weather data layers by:
receiving a selection of at least one weather data layer;
calculating a trajectory of the aircraft;
identifying at least one weather data layer different from the selected at least one weather data layer that is within a predefined range of altitudes of the calculated trajectory; and
selecting for display the weather data layers corresponding to the received selection and the weather data layers identified as being within the predefined range of altitudes of the calculated trajectory.

16. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a transmitter configured to send data to at least one of a ground station and a satellite; and
avionics configured to provide a current position of the aircraft and a predicted flight path of the aircraft;
wherein the processor is configured to:
transmit a request via the transmitter for weather data

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Stulken David Eugene
• Batsakes Peter James

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

• G06Q10/047 Primary

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title

• G01W1/10 Primary

  Devices for predicting weather conditions (computers per se G06; display devices G09) · CPC title

• G08G5/0091

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G5/0052

  Physics · mapped topic