US5539409A — Apparatus and method for windshear data processing

Claim 1

Independent Claim 149 words

A radar system for determining a vertical component of a total hazard factor of a microburst, comprising: means for scanning the atmosphere at an upper altitude and identifying said microburst; means for deriving spatial parameters of a non-circularly symmetric velocity model of said identified microburst; means for determining an upper horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said non-circularly symmetric velocity model; means for scanning the atmosphere at a lower altitude; means for modifying said spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model to correspond to the shape of said identified microburst at said lower altitude; means for determining a lower horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said modified non-circularly symmetric velocity model; and means for computing said vertical component of said total hazard factor from said upper horizontal outflow velocity, said lower horizontal outflow velocity, said modified spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 149 words

A radar system for determining a vertical component of a total hazard factor of a microburst, comprising: means for scanning the atmosphere at an upper altitude and identifying said microburst; means for deriving spatial parameters of a non-circularly symmetric velocity model of said identified microburst; means for determining an upper horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said non-circularly symmetric velocity model; means for scanning the atmosphere at a lower altitude; means for modifying said spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model to correspond to the shape of said identified microburst at said lower altitude; means for determining a lower horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said modified non-circularly symmetric velocity model; and means for computing said vertical component of said total hazard factor from said upper horizontal outflow velocity, said lower horizontal outflow velocity, said modified spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

The radar system recited in claim 1, wherein the non-circularly symmetric velocity model is an elliptical velocity model having an elliptical boundary.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The radar system recited in claim 2, wherein the elliptical boundary has an oval racetrack shape defined by two separated halves of a circle coupled to each other by two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 148 words

The radar system recited in claim 3, wherein said means for determining an upper horizontal outflow velocity and said means for determining a lower horizontal outflow velocity each includes: means for calculating, at a plurality of points along the elliptical boundary, a plurality of velocity vectors, said calculating means employing a set of circular geometric compensation rules for the two separated halves of the circle and a set of linear geometric compensation rules for the two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines; means for calculating a plurality of path lengths between said plurality of points, each of said plurality of path lengths corresponding to the distance along the elliptical boundary between an adjacent pair of said plurality of points; means for accumulating said plurality of velocity vectors and for accumulating said plurality of path lengths; and means for normalizing said accumulated velocity vectors and said accumulated path lengths.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 87 words

The radar system recited in claim 4, further comprising means for generating a radar sight line and for measuring a velocity data value along said radar sight line for each of the plurality of points, wherein the means for calculating the plurality of velocity vectors comprises, for each of the plurality of points, means for determining an angle between said radar sight line and a vector normal to the elliptical boundary, and means for compensating said velocity data value by said angle to obtain the velocity vector.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 137 words

A method for determining a vertical component of a total hazard factor of a microburst, comprising: radar scanning the atmosphere at an upper altitude and identifying said microburst; deriving spatial parameters of a non-circularly symmetric velocity model of said identified microburst; determining an upper horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said non-circularly symmetric velocity model; radar scanning the atmosphere at a lower altitude; modifying said spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model to correspond to the shape of said identified microburst at said lower altitude; determining a lower horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said modified non-circularly symmetric velocity model; and computing said vertical component of said total hazard factor from said upper horizontal outflow velocity, said lower horizontal outflow velocity, and said modified spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 137 words

A method for determining a vertical component of a total hazard factor of a microburst, comprising: radar scanning the atmosphere at an upper altitude and identifying said microburst; deriving spatial parameters of a non-circularly symmetric velocity model of said identified microburst; determining an upper horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said non-circularly symmetric velocity model; radar scanning the atmosphere at a lower altitude; modifying said spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model to correspond to the shape of said identified microburst at said lower altitude; determining a lower horizontal outflow velocity of said identified microburst using said modified non-circularly symmetric velocity model; and computing said vertical component of said total hazard factor from said upper horizontal outflow velocity, said lower horizontal outflow velocity, and said modified spatial parameters of said non-circularly symmetric velocity model.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method recited in claim 6, wherein the non-circularly symmetric velocity model is an elliptical velocity model having an elliptical boundary.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method recited in claim 7, wherein the elliptical boundary has an oval racetrack shape defined by two separated halves of a circle coupled to each other by two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 140 words

The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of determining an upper horizontal outflow velocity and the step of determining a lower horizontal outflow velocity each includes the following substeps: calculating, at a plurality of points along the elliptical boundary, a plurality of velocity vectors, said calculating substep employing a set of circular geometric compensation rules for the two separated halves of the circle and a set of linear geometric compensation rules for the two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines; calculating a plurality of path lengths between said plurality of points, each of said plurality of path lengths corresponding to the distance along the elliptical boundary between an adjacent pair of said plurality of points; accumulating said plurality of velocity vectors and said plurality of path lengths; and normalizing said accumulated velocity vectors and said accumulated path lengths.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 86 words

The method recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of generating a radar sight line and measuring a velocity data value along said radar sight line for each of the plurality of points, wherein the substep of calculating the plurality of velocity vectors comprises, for each of the plurality of points, the substeps of determining an angle between said radar sight line and a vector normal to the elliptical boundary, and of compensating said velocity data value by said angle to obtain the velocity vector.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 71 words

A radar system for determining a horizontal outflow velocity of a microburst, comprising: means for identifying said microburst; means for deriving an elliptical spacial model of said identified microburst, wherein the boundary of the elliptical spacial model is defined by two separated halves of a circle coupled to each other by two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines; and means for calculating said horizontal outflow velocity from said elliptical spacial model.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 71 words

A radar system for determining a horizontal outflow velocity of a microburst, comprising: means for identifying said microburst; means for deriving an elliptical spacial model of said identified microburst, wherein the boundary of the elliptical spacial model is defined by two separated halves of a circle coupled to each other by two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines; and means for calculating said horizontal outflow velocity from said elliptical spacial model.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 24 words

The radar system recited in claim 11, wherein the calculating means includes means for calculating the horizontal outflow velocity at a plurality of altitudes.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 68 words

A method for determining a horizontal outflow velocity of a microburst, comprising: identifying said microburst using a radar system; deriving an elliptical spacial model of said identified microburst, wherein the boundary of the elliptical spacial model is defined by two separated halves of a circle coupled to each other by two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines; and calculating said horizontal outflow velocity from said elliptical spacial model.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 68 words

A method for determining a horizontal outflow velocity of a microburst, comprising: identifying said microburst using a radar system; deriving an elliptical spacial model of said identified microburst, wherein the boundary of the elliptical spacial model is defined by two separated halves of a circle coupled to each other by two substantially parallel and substantially straight lines; and calculating said horizontal outflow velocity from said elliptical spacial model.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method recited in claim 13, wherein the calculating step includes the substep of calculating the horizontal outflow velocity at a plurality of altitudes.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 142 words

A radar system for forming a microburst candidate, comprising: means for incrementally scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points; means for determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, a peak headwind and a peak tailwind, each having a range from said radar system and a velocity; means for detecting a start point of said microburst candidate; means for detecting a stop point of said microburst candidate by comparing the range and velocity of the peak headwind and peak tailwind determined at a final incremental angle report point with the range and velocity determined at a previous incremental angle report point immediately preceding said final incremental angle report point; and means for designating the width of said microburst candidate as the distance from said start point to said previous incremental angle report point.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 142 words

A radar system for forming a microburst candidate, comprising: means for incrementally scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points; means for determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, a peak headwind and a peak tailwind, each having a range from said radar system and a velocity; means for detecting a start point of said microburst candidate; means for detecting a stop point of said microburst candidate by comparing the range and velocity of the peak headwind and peak tailwind determined at a final incremental angle report point with the range and velocity determined at a previous incremental angle report point immediately preceding said final incremental angle report point; and means for designating the width of said microburst candidate as the distance from said start point to said previous incremental angle report point.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 21 words

The radar system recited in claim 15, further comprising means for restarting the incremental scanning means relative to the stop point.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 57 words

The radar system recited in claim 15, wherein the detecting means includes means for determining whether the range and velocity of the peak headwind and/or peak tailwind determined at a target one of said plurality of angle report points substantially differs from the range and velocity of the angle report point immediately preceding said target report point.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 140 words

A method for forming a microburst candidate using a radar system, comprising: incrementally radar scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points using a radar system; determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, a peak headwind and a peak tailwind, each having a range from said radar system and a velocity; detecting a start point of said microburst candidate; detecting a stop point of said microburst candidate, including comparing the range and velocity of the peak headwind and peak tailwind determined at a final incremental angle report point with the range and velocity determined at a previous incremental angle report point immediately preceding said final incremental angle report point; and designating the width of said microburst candidate as the distance from said start point to said previous incremental angle report point.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 140 words

A method for forming a microburst candidate using a radar system, comprising: incrementally radar scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points using a radar system; determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, a peak headwind and a peak tailwind, each having a range from said radar system and a velocity; detecting a start point of said microburst candidate; detecting a stop point of said microburst candidate, including comparing the range and velocity of the peak headwind and peak tailwind determined at a final incremental angle report point with the range and velocity determined at a previous incremental angle report point immediately preceding said final incremental angle report point; and designating the width of said microburst candidate as the distance from said start point to said previous incremental angle report point.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method recited in claim 18, further comprising restarting the incremental radar scanning step relative to the stop point.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method recited in claim 18, wherein the detecting step includes the substep of determining whether the range and velocity of the peak headwind and/or peak tailwind determined at a target one of said plurality of angle report points substantially differs from the range and velocity of the angle report point immediately preceding said target report point.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 133 words

A radar system for forming a data string record representing a plurality of microburst candidates in range and determining whether each of said plurality of microburst candidates is a valid candidate, comprising: antenna scanning means for incrementally scanning the atmosphere in a plurality of angle slices; means for identifying a plurality of headwinds or tailwinds or headwinds and tailwinds in one of said plurality of angle slices; means for writing in said data string record a reference range and a reference velocity for each of said headwind and/or tailwind; means for updating said data string record for each of said plurality of angle slices; means for terminating said data string record; and means for determining whether any of said plurality of microburst candidates represented by said data string record is a valid candidate.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 133 words

A radar system for forming a data string record representing a plurality of microburst candidates in range and determining whether each of said plurality of microburst candidates is a valid candidate, comprising: antenna scanning means for incrementally scanning the atmosphere in a plurality of angle slices; means for identifying a plurality of headwinds or tailwinds or headwinds and tailwinds in one of said plurality of angle slices; means for writing in said data string record a reference range and a reference velocity for each of said headwind and/or tailwind; means for updating said data string record for each of said plurality of angle slices; means for terminating said data string record; and means for determining whether any of said plurality of microburst candidates represented by said data string record is a valid candidate.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 101 words

The radar system recited in claim 21, wherein the scanning means starts at an initial angle slice and the terminating means stops at a terminating angle slice, said system further comprising: means for restarting the scanning means at an angle slice immediately following said initial angle slice if none of the plurality of microburst candidates is determined to be a valid candidate; and means for restarting the scanning means at a final angle slice, said final angle slice immediately following said terminating angle slice, if at least one of the plurality of microburst candidates is determined to be a valid candidate.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 70 words

The radar system recited in claim 22, wherein the updating means is activated if the range and velocity of each of the plurality of headwinds and/or tailwinds determined at an incremented angle slice substantially match a corresponding one of the reference range and the reference velocity; and wherein the terminating angle slice represents the last angle slice of said plurality of angle slices at which the updating means is activated.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 39 words

The radar system recited in claim 21, wherein the scanning means scans over a predetermined scanning range; and wherein the identifying means includes means for determining a plurality of local maximum headwinds and/or tailwinds within said predetermined scanning range.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 79 words

The radar system recited in claim 24, wherein the means for determining a plurality of local maximum headwinds and/or tailwinds includes means for establishing a plurality of range domains, each of said plurality of range domains encompassing one of the plurality of headwinds and/or tailwinds and being defined by at least one of a plurality of range gates, each of said plurality of range gates being defined by an incremental distance along a radar line-of-sight from the scanning means.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 84 words

The radar system recited in claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of headwinds and/or tailwinds has either a commencing headwind and a terminating tailwind if a divergent windshear is present, or a commencing tailwind and a terminating headwind if a convergent windshear is present; and wherein each of the plurality of range domains begins at a commencing range gate and ends at a terminating range gate, said terminating range gate indicating the location along the radar line-of-sight of said terminating headwind or tailwind.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 35 words

The radar system recited in claim 26, wherein, for each succeeding range domain, the commencing range gate has an offset distance along the radar line-of-sight from the terminating range gate of the preceding range domain.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 36 words

The radar system recited in claim 27, wherein the offset distance is dependent on the incremental distance defining the plurality of range gates and on a determination of the minimum possible range between two microburst candidates.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 118 words

A method for forming a data string record representing a plurality of microburst candidates in range and determining whether each of said plurality of microburst candidates is a valid candidate, comprising: incrementally scanning the atmosphere in a plurality of angle slices; identifying a plurality of headwinds or tailwinds or headwinds and tailwinds in one of said plurality of angle slices; writing in said data string record a reference range and a reference velocity for each of said headwind and/or tailwind; updating said data string record for each of said plurality of angle slices; terminating said data string record; and determining whether any of said plurality of microburst candidates represented by said data string record is a valid candidate.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 118 words

A method for forming a data string record representing a plurality of microburst candidates in range and determining whether each of said plurality of microburst candidates is a valid candidate, comprising: incrementally scanning the atmosphere in a plurality of angle slices; identifying a plurality of headwinds or tailwinds or headwinds and tailwinds in one of said plurality of angle slices; writing in said data string record a reference range and a reference velocity for each of said headwind and/or tailwind; updating said data string record for each of said plurality of angle slices; terminating said data string record; and determining whether any of said plurality of microburst candidates represented by said data string record is a valid candidate.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 96 words

The method recited in claim 29, wherein the scanning step starts at an initial angle slice and the terminating step stops at a terminating angle slice, the method further comprising: reperforming the scanning step at an angle slice immediately following said initial angle slice if none of the plurality of microburst candidates is determined to be a valid candidate; and reperforming the scanning step at a final angle slice, said final angle slice immediately following said terminating angle slice, if at least one of the plurality of microburst candidates is determined to be a valid candidate.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 68 words

The method recited in claim 30, wherein the updating step is performed if the range and velocity of each of the plurality of headwinds and/or tailwinds determined at an incremented angle slice substantially match a corresponding one of the reference range and the reference velocity; and wherein the terminating angle slice represents the last angle slice of said plurality of angle slices at which the updating step occurs.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method recited in claim 29, wherein the scanning step scans over a predetermined scanning range; and wherein the identifying step includes the substep of determining a plurality of local maximum headwinds and tailwinds within said predetermined scanning range.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 75 words

The method recited in claim 32, wherein the step of determining a plurality of local maximum headwinds and tailwinds includes the substep of establishing a plurality of range domains, each of said plurality of range domains encompassing one of the plurality of headwinds and/or tailwinds and being defined by at least one of a plurality of range gates, each of said plurality of range gates being defined by an incremental distance along a radar line-of-sight.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 83 words

The method recited in claim 33, wherein each of the plurality of headwinds and/or tailwinds has either a commencing headwind and a terminating tailwind if a divergent windshear is present, or a commencing tailwind and a terminating headwind if a convergent windshear is present; and wherein each of the plurality of range domains begins at a commencing range gate and ends at a terminating range gate, said terminating range gate indicating the location along the radar line-of-sight of said terminating headwind or tailwind.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method recited in claim 34, wherein, for each succeeding range domain, the commencing range gate has an offset distance along the radar line-of-sight from the terminating range gate of the preceding range domain.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method recited in claim 35, wherein the offset distance is dependent on the incremental distance defining the plurality of range gates and on a determination of the minimum possible range between two microburst candidates.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method recited in claim 32, wherein the step of determining a plurality of local maximum headwinds and tailwinds functions independently of the plurality of range domains determined in a preceding one of the plurality of angle slices.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 103 words

A radar system for detecting small outflow radii microbursts, comprising: means for incrementally scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points; means for determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, the radar radial gradient of wind velocity; means for determining a horizontal hazard factor map of wind velocities; means for estimating bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; means for correcting bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; and means for identifying small radii microbursts based upon a horizontal hazard factor as provided in the corrected horizontal hazard factor map.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 103 words

A radar system for detecting small outflow radii microbursts, comprising: means for incrementally scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points; means for determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, the radar radial gradient of wind velocity; means for determining a horizontal hazard factor map of wind velocities; means for estimating bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; means for correcting bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; and means for identifying small radii microbursts based upon a horizontal hazard factor as provided in the corrected horizontal hazard factor map.

Claim 48

Independent Claim 90 words

A method of detecting small outflow radii microbursts, comprising: incrementally scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points; determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, the radar radial gradient of wind velocity; determining a horizontal hazard factor map of wind velocities; estimating bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; correcting bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; and identifying small radii microbursts based upon a horizontal hazard factor as provided in the corrected horizontal hazard factor map.

Claim 49

Independent Claim 90 words

A method of detecting small outflow radii microbursts, comprising: incrementally scanning the atmosphere in an angular swath having a plurality of angle report points; determining, at each of said plurality of angle report points, the radar radial gradient of wind velocity; determining a horizontal hazard factor map of wind velocities; estimating bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; correcting bias errors in the determined horizontal hazard factor map; and identifying small radii microbursts based upon a horizontal hazard factor as provided in the corrected horizontal hazard factor map.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-07-23	2000-01-22	2000-07-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-07-23	2004-01-22	2004-07-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-07-23	2008-01-22	2008-07-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method for windshear data processing

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