Aircraft-Relative Storm Top Imaging Without Hardware Upgrades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial aircraft lack vertical situational displays for displaying graphical vertical weather information, requiring expensive software and/or hardware updates, which impedes pilots' situational awareness and safety during storm navigation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method to generate and display an aircraft relative storm top image on existing equipment, depicting storm top altitudes relative to the aircraft's altitude, without the need for hardware and software updates, using a radar computing device to compute and color-code threat levels based on altitude differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If expensive software and hardware updates are implemented to provide vertical situational displays, then graphical vertical weather information can be displayed, but the cost and complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a display computer to generate a synthetic vertical situational display that copies the functionality of dedicated VSD systems. By processing existing radar data through software algorithms on a standard display computer, the system replicates vertical weather information visualization without requiring specialized hardware, thus resolving the contradiction between information completeness and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The display computer is designed to perform multiple functions: it processes weather radar data, generates vertical situational displays, and integrates with existing aircraft systems. This multi-functional approach allows a single system to provide both traditional weather radar capabilities and advanced vertical situational awareness, eliminating the need for separate dedicated VSD hardware and reducing overall system complexity
2Reliability
If vertical situational displays are provided to improve situational awareness, then safety during storm navigation improves, but the expense of hardware and software upgrades increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes the aircraft's existing display computer and weather radar equipment to generate vertical situational displays. By making the existing system serve the additional function of vertical weather visualization, the patent eliminates the need for expensive external hardware additions while maintaining enhanced safety capabilities during storm navigation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a software intermediary layer that processes raw weather radar data and transforms it into vertical situational display information. This software mediator enables existing hardware to provide advanced safety features without requiring expensive hardware upgrades, bridging the gap between current system capabilities and enhanced safety requirements
3Ease of manufacture
If existing equipment is used to display storm top imaging, then cost is reduced, but the capability to display graphical vertical weather information is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameters of existing weather radar data by applying vertical propagation algorithms and storm top detection methods. By transforming how the data is processed and displayed rather than changing the hardware itself, the system maintains cost-effectiveness while significantly enhancing the capability to display graphical vertical weather information
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a vertical dimension to traditional two-dimensional weather radar displays by generating vertical situational displays that show storm top altitudes and vertical weather structures. This dimensional transformation is achieved through software processing of existing radar data, allowing existing equipment to display three-dimensional weather information without hardware upgrades
Data Source
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AI summary
A system may include a display (402) and a processor (404). The processor may be configured to: obtain aircraft data associated with an aircraft; obtain or generate storm top data, the storm top data including information associated with storm top altitudes and storm top locations; generate aircraft relative storm top data; generate an aircraft relative storm top image based at least on the aircraft relative storm top data, wherein the aircraft relative storm top image depicts a view of weather in front of the aircraft, wherein the aircraft relative storm top image conveys information associated with a difference between at least some of the storm top altitudes and an altitude of the aircraft; and output the aircraft relative storm top image as graphical data.