Determination of wind velocity using a non-vertical LIDAR scan
US5724125A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 22, 1994 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 22, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02A90/10
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method for determining wind velocity. The LIDAR 104 transmits a plurality of laser pulses. The paths of the laser pulses surround a center line (206) that does not coincide with a vertical axis (706) intersecting the LIDAR (104), i.e., an off-vertical scan. Each laser pulse reflects off particles in the air at a given location. This location is the intersection of the path of each LIDAR pulse and the target altitude. The target altitude is the altitude at which the wind velocity is to be determined. The reflected pulses are received by the LIDAR (104). The invention groups the received LIDAR pulses according to the altitude at which they were reflected, as opposed to the distance each pulse travels. Grouping the received pulses in this manner enables the invention to perform an off-vertical scan that accurately determines the wind velocity at a target altitude. The received laser pulses have an associated Doppler shift. The Doppler shift is a measure of the relative radial wind velocity at the target location. The invention measures the Doppler shift from a plurality of received laser pulses reflected from the target altitude. These measurements enable the invention to…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.