Supplemental Weather Display Integration on Legacy Aircraft Radar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy on-board weather radar systems in aircraft cannot receive and display supplemental weather information, such as turbulence data, from external sources, requiring costly and time-consuming system replacements to integrate this information.
Innovation Solution
A supplemental weather display system that collects and processes weather data from various sources, including terrestrial instrumentation and other aircraft, to integrate it with existing on-board radar data for display on the cockpit radar, using a communication management unit to receive and process RF signals and present the information using recognizable icons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a new on-board radar system is installed to receive and display supplemental weather information, then the ability to receive and display supplemental weather information is improved, but the cost and time for system replacement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (weather information receiver and processor) that acts as a bridge between the existing radar display system and supplemental weather information sources. This intermediary receives PIREP data, processes it, and integrates it with existing radar displays without requiring replacement of the core legacy radar system, thereby maintaining compatibility while adding new capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the existing radar display system multi-functional by adding capability to process and display multiple types of weather information (both traditional radar returns and supplemental PIREP data) through a unified display interface. This allows the legacy system to serve both its original function and the new supplemental information display function simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a new on-board radar system is installed to receive and display supplemental weather information, then the ability to receive and display supplemental weather information is improved, but the cost of refitting the aircraft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (weather information receiver and processor) that acts as a bridge between the existing radar display system and supplemental weather information sources. This intermediary receives PIREP data, processes it, and integrates it with existing radar displays without requiring replacement of the core legacy radar system, thereby maintaining compatibility while adding new capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a functional copy or overlay of weather information by displaying supplemental PIREP data in the same visual format and location as traditional radar returns. This allows the legacy display system to show both types of information using the same display mechanisms, avoiding the need for expensive new display hardware.
3Reliability
If supplemental weather information is integrated with on-board radar data, then weather awareness is improved, but the complexity of the display system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different display characteristics to different types of weather information locally on the display. Supplemental PIREP data is displayed with specific visual attributes (such as different symbols or markers) distinguishable from traditional radar returns, allowing pilots to quickly identify and interpret different data types without confusion while maintaining comprehensive weather awareness.
Data Source
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AI summary
An embodiment of the supplemental weather display system presents supplemental weather information on a display (300) in a craft. An exemplary embodiment receives the supplemental weather information from a remote source, determines a location of the supplemental weather information relative to the craft, receives weather information from an on-board radar system (502), and integrates the supplemental weather information with the weather information received from the on-board radar system (502).