Patent US2384627A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5648782A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5648782A
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Microburst detection system
Assignee: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
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Filing: 1995-10-03
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Granted: 1997-07-15
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Expires: 2015-10-03
Abstract
Abstract A radar station utilizes fuzzy logic processing to detect atmospheric microburst events. The detection process accesses radar velocity measurements to calculate wind shear and produce a wind shear likelihood image. Reflectivity measurements are used to create a reflectivity likelihood image as an indicator of storm activity. A clutter image of stationary objects close to the radar is used to create a clutter likelihood image as an indicator of false alarms. A weighting factor is applied to each set of wind shear, reflectivity, and clutter likelihood data, and the values are combined to produce a combined likelihood image. The combined likelihood image is subjected to averaging over a fixed area to eliminate spurious readings, and positions having a sufficient size in combination with a likelihood value exceeding a minimum threshold amount are selected as microburst events.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene David Albo
- 👤 Robert Kent Goodrich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:56
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/88; G01S13/95; G01S13/951; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A90/00; Y02A90/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for identifying a presence and locus of wind shear in a predefined area, said method comprising the steps of: generating data indicative of said wind shear using a weather radar system; and converting said data from said weather radar system into a quantified likelihood of said presence and locus of said wind shear.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for identifying a presence and locus of wind shear in a predefined area, said method comprising the steps of: generating data indicative of said wind shear using a weather radar system; and converting said data from said weather radar system into a quantified likelihood of said presence and locus of said wind shear.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of generating includes: transmitting a radio signal from a radar antenna; receiving an echo of said transmitted radio signal off meteorologically significant structure; and translating said echo into at least one of the group of data consisting of: radial velocity of a point in a wind field, clutter, and reflectivity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of converting includes: generating at least one likelihood image each having a set of likelihood values corresponding thereto, wherein each likelihood value in each said set of likelihood values are selected according to a threshold delimiter that is characteristic of said wind shear; applying a weighting factor to each said likelihood value in each said set of likelihood values; and generating a combined likelihood image based on said at least one likelihood image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein each of said at least one likelihood image is selected from the group consisting of: a wind field shear likelihood image, a clutter likelihood image, and a reflectivity likelihood image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said step of applying includes: selecting said weighting factor of about a 9:4:2 ratio as between a wind field shear likelihood image, a clutter likelihood image, and a reflectivity likelihood image respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said step of generating at least one likelihood image includes: calculating a wind field shear likelihood image from a two-dimensional least squares calculation that includes azimuthal and angular components of a radial wind velocity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said step of generating a combined likelihood image includes: averaging spatial and temporal components of a plurality of said likelihood values across a plurality of said wind field shear likelihood images to reject any of said likelihood values that fail to satisfy said threshold delimiters.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said step of generating a combined likelihood image includes: dumping connected regions of a plurality of likelihood images where at least one said likelihood value in each of said connected regions satisfies said threshold delimiter; identifying a dumped set of said plurality of likelihood images having connected regions therebetween as an indicator of said presence and locus of said wind shear.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
56 words
An apparatus for identifying a presence and locus of wind shear in a predefined area, said apparatus comprising: means for generating data indicative of said wind shear using a weather radar system; and means for converting said data from said weather radar system into a quantified likelihood of said presence and locus of said wind shear.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
56 words
An apparatus for identifying a presence and locus of wind shear in a predefined area, said apparatus comprising: means for generating data indicative of said wind shear using a weather radar system; and means for converting said data from said weather radar system into a quantified likelihood of said presence and locus of said wind shear.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means for generating includes: means for transmitting a radio signal from a radar antenna; means for receding an echo of said transmitted radio signal off meteorologically significant structure; and means for translating said echo into at least one of the group of data consisting of: radial velocity of wind, clutter, and reflectivity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means for converting includes: means for generating at least one likelihood image each having a set of likelihood values corresponding thereto, wherein each likelihood value in each said set of likelihood values are selected according to a threshold delimiter that is characteristic of said wind shear; means for applying a weighting factor to each said likelihood value in each said set of likelihood values; and means for generating a combined likelihood image based on said at least one likelihood image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein each of said at least one likelihood image is selected from the group consisting of: a wind field shear likelihood image, a clutter likelihood image, and a reflectivity likelihood image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means for applying includes: selecting said weighting factor of about a 9:4:2 ratio as between a wind field shear likelihood image, a clutter image, and a reflectivity image respectively.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means for generating at least one wind shear likelihood image includes: means for calculating a wind field shear image from a two-dimensional least squares that includes azimuthal and angular components of a radial wind velocity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means for generating a combined likelihood image includes: means for averaging spatial and temporal components of a plurality of said likelihood values across a plurality of said likelihood images to reject any of said likelihood values that fail to satisfy said threshold delimiters.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means for generating a combined likelihood image includes: means for clumping connected regions of a plurality of likelihood images where at least one said likelihood value in each of said connected regions satisfies said threshold delimiter; and means for identifying a clumped set of said plurality of likelihood images having connected regions therebetween as an indicator of said wind shear.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
111 words
A method in a processor for identifying a presence and locus of wind shear having predefined threshold delimiters for spatial and temporal characteristics, said method comprising the steps of: generating data indicative of said wind shear using a weather radar system; and converting said data from said weather radar system into a plurality of likelihood images each having a corresponding set of likelihood values; applying a weighting factor to each likelihood value in each said set of likelihood values, wherein each said likelihood value is accepted and rejected based on said threshold delimiter; and generating a combined likelihood image indicative of said wind shear based on said plurality of likelihood images.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
111 words
A method in a processor for identifying a presence and locus of wind shear having predefined threshold delimiters for spatial and temporal characteristics, said method comprising the steps of: generating data indicative of said wind shear using a weather radar system; and converting said data from said weather radar system into a plurality of likelihood images each having a corresponding set of likelihood values; applying a weighting factor to each likelihood value in each said set of likelihood values, wherein each said likelihood value is accepted and rejected based on said threshold delimiter; and generating a combined likelihood image indicative of said wind shear based on said plurality of likelihood images.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein said step of generating includes: transmitting a radio signal from a radar antenna; receiving an echo of said transmitted radio signal off meteorologically significant structure; and translating said echo into data of at least one data type from the group consisting of: radial velocity of wind, clutter, and reflectivity.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of likelihood images is selected from the group consisting of: a wind field shear likelihood image, a clutter likelihood image, and a reflectivity likelihood image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein said predefined threshold delimiters for spatial and temporal characteristics are defined by a microburst type of wind shear.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-07-14 | 2001-01-13 | 2001-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-07-14 | 2005-01-13 | 2005-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-07-14 | 2009-01-13 | 2009-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |