Patent ID: 11933890
Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B  Y | IPC B  G

Claim 8:
9. The system using radar reflectivity data to determine a presence of hail, comprising:
sensor inputs comprising:
a lightning detector;
a radar antenna configured to transmit radar beams and receive radar returns; and
a temperature sensor;

a receiver/transmitter circuit in communication with the radar antenna, configured to provide radar return signals derived from the radar returns;
an onboard electronic processing system in communication with the receiver/transmitter circuit and the lightning detector, and configured to receive the radar return signals including radar reflectivity data and temperature data from the temperature sensor and lightning data from the lightning detector;
the electronic processing system configured to:
determine a first altitude associated with a temperature capable of producing hail,
determine a presence of hail when the reflectivity data indicating a reflectivity at a second altitude above the first altitude is above a first threshold, and,

determine a presence of a lightning discharge and indicate a range and heading to the lightning discharge using the lightning detector;
correct the range to the lightning discharge indicated by the lightning detector by identifying regions of reflectivity along the heading to the lightning discharge using the reflectivity data;
generate a hazard estimate based on the presence of hail and the presence of lightning discharge;
display the generated hazard estimate on a radar display; and
wherein the radar reflectivity data includes or the electronic processing system determines one or more of: a target range, Doppler velocity information, a Doppler derived spectral width parameter, an area reflectivity parameter, a gradient reflectivity parameter, a vertical structure, and a magnitude reflectivity parameter.