Method and apparatus for detecting and processing lightning
US8010289B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 19, 2006 |
| Grant date | Aug 30, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 19, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01W1/16
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A lightning detector designed for aircraft carried applications provides for improved lightning discrimination and display. The instrument employs a relatively wide band receiver so as to retain the received waveform or digital replicas thereof. This allows more precise discrimination between desired lightning signals and noise. Signals are processed to provide for effective display of the available information. The display modes that are enabled by the signals include flash and cell mode as well as a combined flash and cell mode. The cell mode provides for generating and displaying a cumulative weight of lightning activity, giving each strike a regional effect as opposed to illustrating it as a point. Color is used to improve the user's grasp of the displayed information; the color illustrating increased intensity from the blue-green to the yellow-red. Flash mode shows locations of the different flashes within the range scale; this mode too may use color for a similar effect. Finally there is a combined flash and cell mode display.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.