Granted Patent B2

US 12,196,851 · App. 17/812,348 · Granted Jan 14, 2025

Inventor: James W Joyce (Olathe, KS)

Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.

G01S13/953B64D45/00

Abstract

Claims (80)

1. A computing system configured to mount on an ownship vehicle, the computing system comprising:

a memory configured to store three-dimensional radar data indicating weather proximate to the ownship vehicle;

a touchscreen; and

processing circuitry configured to:

output, for display by the touchscreen, a two-dimensional overhead profile of the weather proximate to the ownship vehicle;

receive, from the touchscreen, an indication of a selected region of the weather proximate to the ownship vehicle;

determine, based on the three-dimensional radar data, additional information corresponding to the selected region of the weather;

output, for display by the touchscreen, the two-dimensional overhead profile of the weather overlaid with an indication of the additional information about the selected region;

receive, from the touchscreen, a selection of a proposed flight path;

determine, based on the three-dimensional radar data and the proposed flight path, a two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather along the proposed flight path; and

output an indication of the proposed flight path over the two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather for display by the touchscreen.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the additional information comprises a maximum altitude of the selected region of the weather.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the additional information comprises a maximum altitude of the selected region of the weather corresponding to an above-threshold radar reflectivity.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the proposed flight path comprises two or more overhead flight vectors, wherein the two or more overhead flight vectors form one or more overhead angles, and

wherein to determine the two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather, the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine, based on the three-dimensional radar data and the two or more overhead flight vectors, two or more vertical side profiles including a vertical side profile corresponding to each overhead flight vector of the two or more overhead flight vectors; and

combine the two or more overhead vertical side profiles to create the two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather along the proposed flight path.

5. The computing system of claim 4 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine one or more vertical flight vectors corresponding to the proposed flight path on the two-dimensional overhead profile; and

wherein to output the indication of the proposed flight path over the two-dimensional vertical side profile for display by the touchscreen, the processing circuitry is further configured to output the one or more vertical flight vectors corresponding to the proposed flight path for display over the two-dimensional vertical side profile.

6. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the touchscreen, an actuation of a manual-mode setting and a selected altitude level; and

determine, based on the three-dimensional radar data, a two-dimensional cross-sectional overhead view of the weather at the selected altitude level; and

output the two-dimensional cross-sectional overhead view for display by the touchscreen.

7. The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the touchscreen, an actuation of an automatic-mode setting; and

determine, based on the three-dimensional radar data, a two-dimensional perspective overhead view of the weather; and

output the two-dimensional perspective overhead view for display by the touchscreen.

8. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive, via radar-frequency transmission, and store, handshake data from a destination facility;

output, for display by the touchscreen, an indication of the destination facility;

receive, from the touchscreen, a selection of the indication of the destination facility; and

output, for display by the touchscreen, additional information about the destination facility from the handshake data.

9. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the touchscreen, user input dragging a view screen from a first location surrounding the ownship vehicle to a second location away from the ownship vehicle;

output, for display by the touchscreen, a two-dimensional overhead profile of the weather corresponding to the second location;

determine that the user has released the view screen; and

automatically return the view screen from the second location back to the first location surrounding the ownship vehicle.

10. A method comprising:

outputting, by processing circuitry for display by a touchscreen, a two-dimensional overhead profile of weather proximate to an ownship vehicle;

receiving, by the processing circuitry from the touchscreen, an indication of a selected region of the weather proximate to the ownship vehicle;

determining, by the processing circuitry based on three-dimensional radar data stored in a memory, additional information corresponding to the selected region of the weather, the three-dimensional radar data indicating weather proximate to the ownship vehicle;

outputting, by the processing circuitry for display by the touchscreen, the two-dimensional overhead profile of the weather overlaid with an indication of the additional information about the selected region;

receiving, from the touchscreen, a selection of a proposed flight path;

determining, based on the three-dimensional radar data and the proposed flight path, a two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather along the proposed flight path; and

outputting an indication of the proposed flight path over the two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather for display by the touchscreen.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the additional information comprises a maximum altitude of the selected region of the weather.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the proposed flight path comprises two or more overhead flight vectors, wherein the two or more overhead flight vectors form one or more overhead angles, and

wherein determining the two-dimensional vertical side profile comprises:

determining, by the processing circuitry based on the three-dimensional radar data and the two or more overhead flight vectors, two or more vertical side profiles including a vertical side profile corresponding to each overhead flight vector of the two or more overhead flight vectors; and

combining, by the processing circuitry, the two or more overhead vertical side profiles to create the two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather along the proposed flight path.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, by the processing circuitry, one or more vertical flight vectors corresponding to the proposed flight path on the two-dimensional overhead profile; and

outputting the indication of the proposed flight path over the two-dimensional vertical side profile comprises outputting, by the processing circuitry, the one or more vertical flight vectors corresponding to the proposed flight path for display over the two-dimensional vertical side profile.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processing circuitry from the touchscreen, an actuation of a manual-mode setting and a selected altitude level; and

determining, by the processing circuitry based on the three-dimensional radar data, a two-dimensional cross-sectional overhead view of the weather at the selected altitude level; and

outputting, by the processing circuitry, the two-dimensional cross-sectional overhead view for display by the touchscreen.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processing circuitry from the touchscreen, an actuation of an automatic-mode setting; and

determining, by the processing circuitry based on the three-dimensional radar data, a two-dimensional perspective overhead view of the weather; and

outputting, by the processing circuitry, the two-dimensional perspective overhead view for display by the touchscreen.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processing circuitry via radar-frequency transmission, and storing, by the processing circuitry, handshake data from a destination facility;

outputting, by the processing circuitry for display by the touchscreen, an indication of the destination facility;

receiving, by the processing circuitry from the touchscreen, a selection of the indication of the destination facility; and

outputting, by the processing circuitry for display by the touchscreen, additional information about the destination facility from the handshake data.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processing circuitry from the touchscreen, user input dragging a view screen from a first location surrounding the ownship vehicle to a second location away from the ownship vehicle;

outputting, by the processing circuitry for display by the touchscreen, a two-dimensional overhead profile of the weather corresponding to the second location;

determining, by the processing circuitry, that the user has released the view screen; and

automatically returning, by the processing circuitry, the view screen from the second location back to the first location surrounding the ownship vehicle.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing one or more processors to:

output, for display by a touchscreen, a two-dimensional overhead profile of weather proximate to an ownship vehicle;

receive, from the touchscreen, an indication of a selected region of the weather proximate to the ownship vehicle;

determine, based on three-dimensional radar data stored in a memory, additional information corresponding to the selected region of the weather, the three-dimensional radar data indicating weather proximate to the ownship vehicle;

output, for display by the touchscreen, the two-dimensional overhead profile of the weather overlaid with an indication of the additional information about the selected region;

receive, from the touchscreen, a selection of a proposed flight path;

determine, based on the three-dimensional radar data and the proposed flight path, a two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather along the proposed flight path; and

output an indication of the proposed flight path over the two-dimensional vertical side profile of the weather for display by the touchscreen.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (27)