Aircraft weather information system

Claim 1

A weather information display system comprising: a weather information assembling ground station including: reception equipment for receiving weather parameters downlinked from a plurality of aircraft based weather information systems, processing equipment for generating refined weather information, based on received weather parameters, using algorithms and modeling, and transmission equipment for uplinking refined weather information to designated aircraft; and an aircraft based weather information reception and display system situated on a first aircraft including: standard weather information gathering equipment for detecting weather parameters characterizing weather conditions in the vicinity of the first aircraft; transmission equipment for downlinking weather parameter to said ground station; reception equipment for receiving refined weather information uplinked by said ground station; storage equipment for storing received refined weather information; picture generating equipment for generating symbolic pictorial information based on the received refined weather information; and standard on-board weather information display equipment, coupled to the picture generating equipment, for displaying pictorial polygons indicating the location of dangerous weather conditions.

Claim 6

A method for detecting and reporting weather conditions, said method performed by a plurality of aircraft and a ground station, said method comprising the steps of: at each aircraft: utilizing existing on-board equipment to detect weather parameters characterizing weather conditions in the vicinity of the second aircraft; and downlinking weather data, with downloaded weather data including weather parameters detected at each aircraft; at the ground station: receiving weather data from said plurality of aircraft; generating refined weather information, based on received weather data, using algorithms and modeling; and uplinking refined weather information to said aircraft; and at each aircraft: receiving refined weather information uplinked by said ground station; storing received weather information; generating symbolic pictorial information based on the received weather information utilizing standard picture generating equipment already installed on the aircraft; and displaying pictorial symbols indicating the location of dangerous weather conditions using EFIS or weather radar display equipment already installed on the aircraft.

Claim 7

A method for detecting and reporting weather conditions, said method performed by a plurality of aircraft and a ground station, said method comprising the steps of: at each aircraft: utilizing existing on-board equipment to detect weather parameters characterizing weather conditions in the vicinity of the second aircraft; and downlinking weather data, with downloaded weather data including weather parameters detected at each aircraft; at the ground station: receiving weather data from said plurality of aircraft; generating refined weather information, based on received weather data, using algorithms and modeling; and uplinking refined weather information to said aircraft; and at each aircraft: receiving refined weather information uplinked by said ground station; storing received weather information; generating symbolic pictorial information based on the received weather information utilizing standard picture generating equipment already installed on the aircraft; and displaying pictorial symbols indicating the location of dangerous weather conditions using EFIS or weather radar display equipment already installed on the aircraft.