Four-dimensional weather predictor based on aircraft trajectory

An apparatus for predicting environmental influences on an aircraft comprising:

• a plurality of weather sources for providing environmental data;
• at least one input device for inputting user input parameters into at least one processor, the input parameters comprising at least one selected volume of airspace over a trajectory of the aircraft and selected weather-applicability time intervals over the trajectory, wherein the trajectory comprises at least one of a planned trajectory, a current trajectory, or an intent trajectory of the aircraft;
• the at least one processor in communication with the plurality of weather sources, the at least one processor comprising:
• a weather data element for extrapolating, fusing, and filtering the environmental data, based on location and time, from the plurality of weather sources;
• a configuration data element for storing the inputted user input parameters;
• and
• a weather selection element for performing calculations on the extrapolated, fused, and filtered environmental weather data based on user-inputted smoothing parameters or on weighted criteria comprising a type of each of the weather sources;
• wherein the weather data element, the configuration data element, and the weather selection element communicate.

A method of determining environmental data along a trajectory of an aircraft:

• at least one of collecting, deriving, or fusing environmental data from a plurality of weather sources using at least one processor;
• filtering, extrapolating, and fusing the environmental data, using the at least one processor, within at least one selected volume of airspace over a trajectory of the aircraft based on selected weather-applicability time intervals and on at least one of user-selected parameters comprising user-inputted smoothing parameters or weighted environmental data criteria comprising a type of each of the weather sources, wherein the trajectory comprises at least one of a planned trajectory, a current trajectory, or an intent trajectory of the aircraft;
• filtering, extrapolating, and fusing the environmental data, using the at least one processor, within at least one re-route volume of airspace over the trajectory based on the selected weather-applicability time intervals;
• determining an effect on the aircraft, using the at least one processor, over the trajectory and flight times of the aircraft based on the filtered, extrapolated, and fused environmental data within the at least one selected volume of airspace;
• determining an effect on the aircraft, using the at least one processor, over the trajectory based on the filtered, extrapolated, and fused environmental data within the at least one re-route volume of airspace;
• determining an updated trajectory of the aircraft, using the at least one processor, based on the determined effect on the aircraft within the at least one selected volume of airspace;
• and
• determining, using the at least one processor, whether a point within the re-route volume of airspace comprises a more optimum trajectory than the determined updated trajectory, and providing the more optimum trajectory if it exists.

A method of determining environmental data along a trajectory of an aircraft:

• at least one of collecting, deriving, or fusing environmental data from a plurality of weather sources using at least one processor;
• filtering, extrapolating, and fusing the environmental data by the at least one processor interpolating and analyzing the environmental data based on a type of each of the weather sources, and user-inputted smoothing parameters, within at least one selected volume of airspace over a trajectory of the aircraft based on selected weather-applicability time intervals and on at least one of user-selected parameters or weighted environmental data criteria, wherein the trajectory comprises at least one of a planned trajectory, a current trajectory, or an intent trajectory of the aircraft;
• and
• determining an effect of the filtered, extrapolated, and fused environmental data on the trajectory, using the at least one processor.