# US 7,609,200 B1 · Radar derived perspective display system

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- Number: US 7,609,200 B1
- Document ID: US7609200B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 11/807,594
- Filed: 2007-05-29
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2007-05-29
- Assignees: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
- Inventors: Daniel L. Woodell; Roy E. Robertson; Nathanael A. Meyer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609200B1

## CPC

- G01S 13/953: {mounted on aircraft}
- G01S 13/935: for terrain-avoidance
- G01S 7/22: Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means
- Y02A 90/10: Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

An aircraft-based terrain display system includes a radar system configured to measure terrain data in proximity to an aircraft. The system further includes a memory coupled to the radar system and configured to store terrain data associated with the terrain data collected from the radar system. A processor is coupled to the memory and configured to use the terrain data stored in memory to generate a terrain image having a perspective view. An aircraft display coupled to the processor is configured to display the terrain image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft-based terrain display system configured to display a terrain image having a perspective view, comprising:
a radar system configured to measure terrain data in proximity to an aircraft;
a memory coupled to the radar system and configured to store terrain data associated with the terrain data collected from the radar system;
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to use the terrain data stored in memory to generate the terrain image; and
wherein the radar system is configured to share time between measuring the terrain data and weather data so that during first sweeps the radar system provides radar beams configured to return weather data and during second sweeps the radar system provides radar beams configured to return terrain data;
wherein the processor is configured to limit the downward direction of the view angle of the perspective view to a determined maximum downward angle that hides areas of radar shadow.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the terrain image is a contoured rendering of three dimensional terrain data.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes one of a three-dimensional data set, a x-y-z data set, a row-theta-range data set, a row-elevation-range data set, an angle-space data set, a distance-from-center data set, a range-elevation data set, an angle-angle data set, or a volumetric data set.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a hazard engine configured to detect terrain hazards.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to use terrain hazards or obstacles detected by the hazard engine to modify the terrain image.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to color-code the terrain image based on altitude of the terrain to be displayed relative to a determined aircraft flight path.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide one of:
an icon on the terrain image, an audio warning, or a textural warning based on altitude of the terrain to be displayed relative to a determined aircraft flight path.

### Claim 8

A method of generating a perspective terrain image, comprising:
determining terrain data using radar beams cast from an aircraft-based radar system, wherein the aircraft-based radar system is configured to share time between measuring the terrain data and measuring weather data so that during first sweeps the radar system provides radar beams configured to return weather data and during second sweeps the radar system provides radar beams configured to return terrain data;
determining weather data using radar beams cast from the aircraft-based radar system;
generating the perspective terrain image based on the determined terrain data;
determining a maximum downward view angle of the perspective terrain image that will hide areas of radar shadow;
limiting the downward direction of the view angle of the perspective terrain image to the determined maximum downward angle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising projecting three dimensional terrain data onto a two dimensional plane for immediate display as the perspective terrain image.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the projection is completed to simulate a pilot's view of terrain contour from a cockpit window.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
casting radar beams at multiple tilt angles;
receiving radar returns; and
sending the radar returns to a multi-scan multi-tilt memory.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the aircraft-based radar system is one of a volumetric radar system, a sequential lobing radar system, a monopulse radar system, a conical scanning radar system, a multiple beams-on-receive radar system, or an interferometric radar system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
forming a composite data field of three dimensional terrain data in aircraft memory; and
processing the data of the composite data field to account for aircraft movement.

### Claim 14

A radar-derived terrain display system for displaying a perspective terrain image, comprising:
means for determining terrain altitude data using an aircraft-based radar system, wherein the aircraft-based radar system is configured to share time between measuring the terrain data and weather data so that during first sweeps the radar system provides radar beams configured to return weather data and during second sweeps the radar system provides radar beams configured to return terrain data;
means for storing the determined terrain altitude data;
means for generating perspective terrain image based on the stored determined terrain altitude data;
wherein the view angle of the perspective terrain image approximates the viewing angle from a front cockpit window wherein the viewing angle is limited in the downward direction by a determined maximum downward angle that hides areas of radar shadow.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the perspective terrain image is a synthetic image of the terrain ahead and below the aircraft.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising means for identifying terrain hazard areas; and means for showing terrain hazard areas on the perspective terrain image.