US6000285A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for determining wind profiles and for predicting clear air turbulence
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1998-05-22
•
Granted: 1999-12-14
•
Expires: 2018-05-22
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a system for passive measurement of atmospheric temperature using a passive direction detector for detecting the energy of a narrow wavelength band emanating from a volume of atmospheric gas. The resulting signal can be associated with an effective temperature. The effective temperature can be associated with an effective range. The system generates a temperature map which can determine, at predetermined time intervals, atmospheric temperatures in an azimuth plane associated with a predefined range from the detector. The temperature map can then be used to calculate temperature gradients that in turn can be used to compute the vertical wind vector difference and to determine the presence of clear air turbulence.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenrick Rodford Leslie
- 👤 Michael Lee Shand
- 👤 Martin Carlin Baker
- 👤 Joseph J. Barrett
- 👤 Clint Patrick Kilroy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J5/00; G01J5/0014; G01S; G01S11/00; G01S11/02; G01W; G01W1/00; G01W2001/003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for determining atmospheric conditions based on the calculation of the layered average Richardson number, Ri L , comprising: a) first temperature measurement means for measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z 1 ; b) means, responsive to the first temperature measurement means, for calculating ∇T, the vector temperature gradient, over the altitude Z 1 ; c) wind shear computational means, responsive to the means for calculating the vector temperature gradient, for determining ΔV/Δz, the vertical wind shear, where V is the horizontal wind vector; d) second temperature measurement means for determining Δθ/Δz, the vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, where θ is the potential temperature and z is the vertical direction; and e) calculation means, responsive to the wind shear computational means and the second temperature measurement means, for calculating Ri L using the equation: ##EQU5## where g is acceleration due to gravity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for determining atmospheric conditions based on the calculation of the layered average Richardson number, Ri L , comprising: a) first temperature measurement means for measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z 1 ; b) means, responsive to the first temperature measurement means, for calculating ∇T, the vector temperature gradient, over the altitude Z 1 ; c) wind shear computational means, responsive to the means for calculating the vector temperature gradient, for determining ΔV/Δz, the vertical wind shear, where V is the horizontal wind vector; d) second temperature measurement means for determining Δθ/Δz, the vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, where θ is the potential temperature and z is the vertical direction; and e) calculation means, responsive to the wind shear computational means and the second temperature measurement means, for calculating Ri L using the equation: ##EQU5## where g is acceleration due to gravity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 1 where the means for calculating the vector temperature gradient ∇T comprises means for calculating a vector isobaric temperature gradient and the wind shear computational means comprises means for determining ΔV/Δz according to the equation ##EQU6## where f is the Coriolis parameter resulting from the Earth's rotation, T is the temperature at altitude Z 1 , and k is the unit vector parallel to the local vertical.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 where the apparatus is positioned in an aircraft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 where the apparatus is fixed to the ground.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 where the first temperature measurement means comprises a passive infrared detector.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 where the first temperature measurement means comprises means for determining the temperatures in a map at an effective range R eff from the apparatus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 1 where the first temperature measurement means comprises: detector means for detecting radiation L(λ) having a wavelength λ from a predetermined direction; and computational means, responsive to the detector means, for computing a value T eff representing the temperature of the atmosphere at an effective range R eff from the detector means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 7 where the detector means comprises a passive infrared detector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 8 where the detector means comprises means for detecting the emission of atmospheric CO 2 at the wavelength λ from a portion of the atmosphere.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 8 where the wavelength λ is between 12.2 μm and 13.0 μm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 10 where the wavelength λ is 12.3 μm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 11 where the effective range R eff is approximately 120 km.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 7 where the apparatus further comprises mapping means, responsive to the computational means, for mapping the temperatures T eff along the predetermined direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 13 where the mapping means comprises means for generating the values T eff at predetermined time intervals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 13 where the mapping means comprises scanning means for varying the predetermined direction to generate a planar temperature map.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 15 where the scanning means comprises means for varying the predetermined direction vertically and the apparatus further comprises means for generating the temperature map for a plurality of altitudes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 15 where the scanning means is geographically fixed and the temperature map represents isotherms at a predetermined altitude.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 17 where the predetermined altitude is a function of R eff .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 15 where the scanning means is secured to an aircraft and comprises means for setting the predetermined direction in the azimuth plane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 19 where the scanning means comprises means for varying the predetermined direction vertically and the apparatus further comprises means for generating a plurality of the horizontal temperature maps for a plurality of altitudes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 17 where: the wavelength λ is between 12.2 μm and 13 μm; the detector means comprises an infrared radiometer and scanning means for scanning the radiometer in the vertical and horizontal directions; and the mapping means comprises means for generating horizontal and vertical temperature maps.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for determining atmospheric conditions based on the calculation of the layered average Richardson number, Ri L , comprising the steps of: a) measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z 1 ; b) in response to the measurement of a plurality of temperatures, calculating ∇T, the vector temperature gradient, over the altitude Z 1 ; c) in response to the vector temperature gradient, determining ΔV/Δz, the vertical wind shear, where V is the horizontal wind vector; and d) determining Δθ/Δz, the vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, where θ is the potential temperature and z is the vertical direction; e) in response to the determination of vertical wind shear and vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, calculating Ri L using the equation: ##EQU7## where g is acceleration due to gravity.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for determining atmospheric conditions based on the calculation of the layered average Richardson number, Ri L , comprising the steps of: a) measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z 1 ; b) in response to the measurement of a plurality of temperatures, calculating ∇T, the vector temperature gradient, over the altitude Z 1 ; c) in response to the vector temperature gradient, determining ΔV/Δz, the vertical wind shear, where V is the horizontal wind vector; and d) determining Δθ/Δz, the vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, where θ is the potential temperature and z is the vertical direction; e) in response to the determination of vertical wind shear and vertical lapse rate of the potential temperature, calculating Ri L using the equation: ##EQU7## where g is acceleration due to gravity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 22 where the step of calculating ∇T comprises the step of calculating a vector isobaric temperature gradient and the step of determining wind shear comprises the step of generating the ΔV/Δz signal according to the equation ##EQU8## where f is the Coriolis parameter resulting from the Earth's rotation, T is the temperature at altitude Z 1 , and k is the unit vector parallel to the local vertical.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 22 where the steps are performed in an aircraft.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 22 where the steps are performed on the ground.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 22 where the step of measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z 1 comprises the step of measuring the temperature with a passive infrared detector.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 22 where the step of measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z 1 comprises the step of determining the temperatures in a map at an effective range R eff from the point of measurement.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 22 where the step of measuring a plurality of temperatures at an altitude Z 1 comprises the steps of: detecting radiation L(λ) having a wavelength λ from a predetermined direction; and in response to the step of detecting radiation, computing a value T eff representing the temperature of the atmosphere at an effective range R eff from the point of detecting.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 28 where the step of detecting comprises the step of detecting the radiation L(λ) with a passive infrared detector.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 29 where step of detecting the radiation L(λ) comprises the step of detecting the emission of atmospheric CO 2 at the wavelength λ from a portion of the atmosphere.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 29 where the step of detecting radiation L(λ) comprises the step of detecting radiation at wavelengths between 12.2 μm and 13.0 μm.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 29 where the step of detecting radiation L(λ) comprises the step of detecting radiation at a wavelength λ of 12.3 μm.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 32 where the step of computing a value T eff comprises the step of computing T eff at an effective range R eff of approximately 120 km.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 28 further comprising, in response to the step of computing the value T eff , the step of mapping the temperatures T eff along the predetermined direction.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 34 where the step of mapping comprises the step of generating the values T eff at predetermined time intervals.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 34 where the step of mapping comprises the step of scanning for varying the predetermined direction to generate a planar temperature map.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 36 where the step of scanning comprises steps of varying the predetermined direction vertically; and the method further comprises the step of generating the temperature map for a plurality of altitudes.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 36 where the step of scanning comprises the step of scanning from a geographically fixed point and the temperature map represents isotherms at a predetermined altitude.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 38 where the predetermined altitude is a function of R eff .
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 37 where the step of scanning comprises the steps of: scanning from an aircraft; and setting the predetermined direction in the azimuth plane.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 40 where the step of scanning comprises the step of varying the predetermined direction vertically; and the method further comprises the step of generating a plurality of the horizontal temperature maps for a plurality of altitudes.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 36 where: the wavelength λ is between 12.2 μm and 13 μm and where the step of detecting comprises the step of scanning with an infrared radiometer in the vertical and horizontal directions; and further comprising the step of generating horizontal and vertical temperature maps.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3427581A
Cited
US3465339A
Cited
US3359557A
Cited
US3448613A
Cited
US3404396A
Cited
US3491358A
Cited
US3540829A
Cited
US3641345A
Cited
US3646555A
Cited
US3567915A
Cited
GB1288103A
Cited
US3665467A
Cited
US3599488A
Cited
US3696670A
Cited
US3722272A
Cited
US3715748A
Cited
US3780293A
Cited
US3803910A
Cited
US3803601A
Cited
US3856402A
Cited
US3935460A
Cited
US4195931A
Cited
US4286462A
Cited
US4266130A
Cited
US4303862A
Cited
US4359640A
Cited
US4342912A
Cited
US4346595A
Cited
US4474062A
Cited
US4427305A
Cited
US4624796A
Cited
US4944891A
Cited
US4947165A
Cited
US4965572A
Cited
US4965573A
Cited
US4937447A
Cited
US5105191A
Cited
US5602543A
Cited
US5654700A
Cited
US5117689A
Cited
EP0488004A2
Cited
US5276326A
Cited
US5173704A
Cited
US5534868A
Cited
US5285070A
Cited
US5568151A
Cited
US5592171A
Cited
US5615118A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-12-13 | 2003-06-14 | 2003-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-12-13 | 2007-06-14 | 2007-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-12-13 | 2011-06-14 | 2011-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |