The meteorological phenomena considered can comprise, especially, turbulence zones, icing zones, jet streams, as well as significant events such as volcanic eruptions or radioactive emissions.
According to the disclosure, the method comprises automatically:
a) in receiving meteorological phenomena determined by a plurality of meteorological information sources, each of the meteorological phenomena being defined by a defining volume and a period of validity;
b) in identifying, from among these meteorological phenomena received, the set of meteorological phenomena for which, on each occasion, a reference volume dependent on the corresponding defining volume is envisaged to be traversed by a leg of the flight plan during the corresponding period of validity, and in defining, for each of the meteorological phenomena thus identified, an associated intersection span representing the common time interval between the period of validity of the meteorological phenomenon considered and the duration associated with the leg of the flight plan traversing the reference volume of the meteorological phenomenon considered; and
c) in presenting, on at least one screen of a display device, at least one meteorological indicator, the meteorological indicator comprising at least one time line representing a time scale relating to the duration of the flight of the aircraft along the flight plan and, on this time line, at least: a set of first symbols illustrating the meteorological phenomena identified in step b) and each positioned on the time line at the level of the associated intersection span; and a second symbol indicating the current instant.
Thus, by virtue of the disclosure, an integrated display of the various meteorological phenomena which will be encountered is carried out by the aircraft during an envisaged flight along a flight plan. This integration of all the available information relating to the meteorological conditions, in a single meteorological indicator, makes it possible to reduce the workload of the crew, and all the more so as the display, such as considered, of the information on a unidimensional time line (representing a time scale relating to the duration of the flight of the aircraft along the flight plan), is easily readable and comprehensible by the crew.
Patent Information
Patent Number: US 9,126,695
Patent Title:Method and system for displaying meteorological events along a flight plan of an aircraft
Inventors: Latorre-Costa; Pau (Toulouse, FR), Jarry; Adrien (Muret, FR), Bounaix; Francois (Cugnaux, FR)
Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.) (Toulouse, FR)
Family ID: 1000001322775
Appl. No.: 14/541,723
Filed: November 14, 2014
Abstract: Method and system for displaying meteorological phenomena encountered by an aircraft flying along a flight plan. The display system includes a display device configured to present on a screen a meteorological indicator, the meteorological indicator comprising a time line representing a time scale relating to the duration of the flight of the aircraft along the flight plan and, on this time line, a set of first symbols illustrating meteorological phenomena and a second symbol indicating the current instant.
Claim 1: A method of displaying meteorological phenomena encountered by an aircraft flying along a flight plan, on at least one screen of a display device comprising at least one time line, the time line representing a time scale relating to the duration of the flight of the aircraft along the flight plan and comprising a symbol indicating the current instant, the method comprising automatically: a) receiving meteorological phenomena determined by a plurality of meteorological information sources, each of the meteorological phenomena being defined by a defining volume and a period of validity; b) identifying, from among these meteorological phenomena received, the set of meteorological phenomena for which, on each occasion, a reference volume dependent on the corresponding defining volume is envisaged to be traversed by a leg of the flight plan during the corresponding period of validity, and in defining, for each of the meteorological phenomena thus identified, an associated intersection span representing the common time interval between the period of validity of the meteorological phenomenon considered and the duration associated with the leg of the flight plan traversing the reference volume of the meteorological phenomenon considered; and c) presenting, on the screen of the display device, at least one meteorological indicator, the meteorological indicator comprising at least the time line and, on this time line, at least one set of first symbols illustrating the meteorological phenomena identified in step b) and each positioned on the time line at the level of the associated intersection span.
