Aircraft Lightning Area Mapping With Low-Bandwidth Text Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft lightning strike detection systems face challenges in efficiently transmitting complex data to pilots, leading to delayed inspections and repairs due to insufficient data immediacy and network limitations, particularly during critical flight phases like takeoff and landing.

Innovation Solution

An aircraft lightning probable area detection device and system that transmits simplified text data on expected lightning strike probabilities and locations, utilizing existing aircraft communication systems to reduce data capacity and enable intuitive understanding by pilots.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If complex image data or three-dimensional displayed lightning information is transmitted to the aircraft, then the information provides comprehensive lightning prediction coverage, but the data volume increases significantly and display time extends beyond acceptable limits for pilots during critical flight phases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning prediction information completenessVSAvoiddata display time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential elements from comprehensive three-dimensional lightning prediction data - specifically the two-dimensional probable lightning strike areas and their probability levels - to create simplified text data that retains critical safety information while dramatically reducing data volume and display time requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified text-based copy of the complex three-dimensional lightning prediction data, representing probable strike areas and probability levels in a condensed format that can be quickly transmitted and displayed without requiring full three-dimensional visualization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Loss of information

If comprehensive three-dimensional lightning prediction data is provided to pilots, then the information enables thorough understanding of lightning threats, but the complexity of the data makes it difficult for pilots to quickly comprehend during takeoff and landing operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning threat information detailVSAvoidpilot understanding ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the critical safety-relevant information from comprehensive three-dimensional data - specifically the horizontal probable strike areas and their probability levels - discarding unnecessary three-dimensional complexity while maintaining essential threat assessment capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the data representation from complex three-dimensional spatial visualization to simplified text parameters indicating probability levels and areas, changing the information format from visual-complex to text-simpler while preserving safety-critical content

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If detailed three-dimensional lightning prediction information is transmitted via network to the aircraft, then comprehensive lightning safety information is provided, but network transmission time and data capacity requirements become problematic in current aircraft network environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning safety information accuracyVSAvoidnetwork transmission time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts essential lightning safety information - probable strike areas and probability levels - from comprehensive three-dimensional prediction data, creating a minimal sufficient dataset that maintains safety accuracy while reducing transmission time and network bandwidth requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified text-based representation copy of the three-dimensional lightning prediction data that can be efficiently transmitted through existing aircraft network infrastructure without requiring high-bandwidth or specialized communication systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS12497191B2Aircraft lightning probable area detection device, aircraft lightning probable area transmission system, aircraft lightning probable area detection method, and aircraft lightning probable area detection program

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD

AI summary

Provided are an aircraft lightning probable area detection device, an aircraft lightning probable area transmission system, an aircraft lightning probable area detection method, and an aircraft lightning probable area detection program that suppress the data capacity and create an aircraft lightning probable area that enables intuitive understanding of aircraft lightning probable. An aircraft lightning probable area detection device includes: an information acquisition unit configured to acquire aircraft lightning probable information indicating a level of an expected lightning strike probability on a map; a data creation unit configured to create text data of an aircraft lightning probable area information on which the level of the expected lightning strike probability and a location are associated with each other by using the aircraft lightning probable information; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the text data to an aircraft.