Patent · US Active

Systems and methods for infering hail and lightning using an airborne weather radar volumetric buffer

US8111186B2 · kind B2 · utility

50Cited by
6References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 2009
Grant dateFeb 7, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 14, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02A90/10
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A weather radar system for improving output of potential lightning and hail weather conditions. An exemplary system includes a processor that receives and stores the weather radar reflectivity values into a three-dimensional buffer, receives an outside air temperature value, and determines freezing level based on the received outside air temperature value. The processor generates lightning icon(s) when a reflectivity value stored at cell(s) of the three-dimensional buffer above determined freezing level is greater than a first threshold amount. Also, the processor adds 1.6 km to the determined freezing level and generates hail icon(s) when a reflectivity value stored at cell(s) at the determined freezing level plus 1.6 km are greater than a second threshold amount. The display device displays the hail and lightning icons when an altitude value that corresponds to the cells associated with the generated lightning icons has been selected for display.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.