EP0058502A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Storm warning method and apparatus
Assignee: Ernco Industries Inc
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Filing: 1982-02-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-02-08
Abstract
Abstract Cross-loop magnetic field antennae 10 and 12 and electric field antenna 14 detect signals resulting from lightning strokes. The signals from the antennae passing through integrators 16, 18, 20 and wideband amplifiers 22, 24, 26 have a sharp main pulse and a number of sub-pulses. The magnetic field signals are summed (32) and if the sum exceeds a threshold value (36) and the rise time of the vertical electric field signal is less than a predetermined valve (30) integrators 40, 42 are set to integrate the magnetic and electric signals over a fixed time period. Samples of the input signals are taken by samplers 44, 46, 48 at the peaks of the pulses as determined by shape detector 30. Angle and range information on the display 62 are derived by a microprocessor 60 operating stored digital data, azimuth and elevation being calculated from sampled field data and the range from the ratio of magnetic to electric field components based on the integrated valves.
Inventors
- 👤 E.W. Coleman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:22
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01W; G01W1/00; G01W1/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
An apparatus for determining the location of lightning strokes, each lightning stroke generating electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components, said apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving separately the electric (E) and magnetic CH) field components of a lightning stroke and for generating electrical signals associated with said E and H field components, said electrical signals characterized by an initial rise time and a plurality of subsequent sub pulse risetimes; and means coupled to said receiving means for determining the distance to said lightning stroke from said apparatus in response to said electrical signals associated with said E and H field components and for determining the direction to said lightning stroke relative to said apparatus in response to said sub pulses of said electrical signals associated with said E and H field components.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
An apparatus for determining the location of lightning strokes, each lightning stroke generating electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components, said apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving separately the electric (E) and magnetic CH) field components of a lightning stroke and for generating electrical signals associated with said E and H field components, said electrical signals characterized by an initial rise time and a plurality of subsequent sub pulse risetimes; and means coupled to said receiving means for determining the distance to said lightning stroke from said apparatus in response to said electrical signals associated with said E and H field components and for determining the direction to said lightning stroke relative to said apparatus in response to said sub pulses of said electrical signals associated with said E and H field components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The means coupled to said receiving means as claimed in claim 1 comprising: sampling circuit means for sampling said electrical signals in response to said sub pulses whereby sample signals of said electrical signals are generated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The means coupled to said receiving means as claimed in claim 2 comprising: processing means coupled to said sampling means for deterw mining the direction to said lightning stroke relative to said apparatus in response to said sample signals.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for determining the location of lightning strokes, each lightning stroke generating electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components, said apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving separately the electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components of a lightning stroke and for generating electrical signals associated with said E and H field components: recognition circuitry means connected to said receiving means for indicating when said E and H field components of a lightning stroke have been received by said receiving means; control circuitry means connected to said recognition circuitry means for providing control signals to said apparatus when said recognition circuitry means indicates that said E and H field components of a lightning stroke have been received by said receiving means: integration circuitry means connected to said receiving means and said control circuitry means for integrating separately over a predetermined time interval said electrical signals associated with said E field and said electrical signals associated with said H field, said integration occurring in response to at least a selected one of said control signals and sampling circuitry means connected to said receiving means and said control circuitry means for sampling said electrical signals in response to a plurality of second ones of said control signals.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for determining the location of lightning strokes, each lightning stroke generating electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components, said apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving separately the electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components of a lightning stroke and for generating electrical signals associated with said E and H field components: recognition circuitry means connected to said receiving means for indicating when said E and H field components of a lightning stroke have been received by said receiving means; control circuitry means connected to said recognition circuitry means for providing control signals to said apparatus when said recognition circuitry means indicates that said E and H field components of a lightning stroke have been received by said receiving means: integration circuitry means connected to said receiving means and said control circuitry means for integrating separately over a predetermined time interval said electrical signals associated with said E field and said electrical signals associated with said H field, said integration occurring in response to at least a selected one of said control signals and sampling circuitry means connected to said receiving means and said control circuitry means for sampling said electrical signals in response to a plurality of second ones of said control signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including processing circuitry means disposed to receive said integrated and sampled electrical signals in response to a third one of said control signals, said processing circuitry means for determining the direction to said lightning stroke relative to said apparatus from said sampled electrical signals, and for determining the distance to said lightning stroke from said apparatus from said integrated or sampled electrical signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further comprising display means connected to said processing means for displaying the distance and direction to said lightning stroke.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
-7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 further comprising preprocessing circuitry means connected to said sampling circuitry means, said control circuitry means and said processing circuitry means for converting said integrated and sampled electrical signals into digital signals for transmission to said processing circuitry means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein said receiving means comprises: an electric field antenna element for receiving the electric field component of said lightning stroke; and a pair of magnetic field antenna elements for receiving orthogonal components of the magnetic field components of said lighting stroke.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein each of said electrical signals has an initial rise time and associated subsequent sub pulse rise times and wherein said recognition circuitry means further comprises: rise time circuitry means for providing a rise time signal to said control circuitry means whenever said initial rise time and said sub pulse rise times of said electrical signal associated with said E field component is less than a predetermined rise time value; and threshold detection circuitry for providing a threshold signal to said control circuitry means whenever a preselected one of said electrical signals exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said control circuitry means generates said at least a selected one of said control signals when said rise time signal and said threshold signal occur substantially simultaneously.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus, as claimed in claim 10 wherein said control circuitry means transmits said second ones of said control signals to said sampling circuitry means in response to said rise time signals only during the presence of said first control signal occurring during said integration predetermined time interval.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said predetermined rise time value is less than or equal to five microseconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said integration predetermined time interval is substantially between 100 microseconds and 200 microseconds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein said sampling circuitry means comprises: track and hold circuitry means disposed to receive said electrical signals from said receiving means and hold said electrical signals at a constant voltage level in response to said second control signals; and delay circuitry means connected between said receiving means and said track and hold circuitry means for delaying transmission of said electrical signals to said track and hold circuitry means by a predetermined delay value whereby said track and hold circuitry holds peak values of said electrical signals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
108 words
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein said integration circuitry means comprises: true root mean square circuitry means disposed to receive said electrical signals from said receiving means for providing output signals in response to said at least a selected one of said control signals, said output signals having amplitudes which are the logarithm of the root mean square of said electrical signals; and sample and hold circuitry means connected to said true root mean square circuitry means for receiving said output signals and holding said signals at a constant voltage level in response to said at least a selected one of said control signals.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said preprocessing circuitry means further includes analog to digital (A/D) converter means disposed to receive said sampled and integrated E and H field components for providing a plurality of digital signals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
The invention of claim 16 wherein said preprocessing .circuitry means further comprises: memory means and including logic means connected to said AID converter means and said processing circuitry means for determining when integrated and sampled electrical signals are available for storage in said memory means; and storage means for storing said integrated and sampled electrical signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said storage means includes a plurality of first-in first-out (FIFO) memories.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of Claim 18 which further includes a third logic means connected to said storage means and said processing circuitry means for reading out said integrated and sampled electrical signals from said storage means for processing by said processing means.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
372 words
A method of locating and tracking lightning strokes each stroke having electromagnetic radiation associated therewith comprising the steps of: receiving separately a component of said electric (E) field and first and second orthogonal components (H 1 and H 2 ) said magnetic (H) field associated with a lightning stroke; generating electrical signals associated with said E, H 1 , and H 2 field components, said electrical signals characterized by an initial -risetime less than a predetermined risetime value and having associated therewith randomly occurring sub pulses having risetimes less than said predetermined xrisetime value, and at least a selected one of said electrical signals having a signal strength in excess of a predetermined threshold value; detecting risetimes of at least a selected one of said electrical signals received by said receiving means less than said predetermined risetime value and detecting at least a selected one of said electrical signals with a signal strength greater than said predetermined thresliold value; forming and transmitting an integration control signal.of a predetermined integration interval when risetimes less than said predetermined risetime value and signal strengths greater than said predetermined threshold value are detected substantially simultaneously; transmitting a peak detect signal during said integration informal interval whenever a risetime less than said predetermined risetime value is detected; integrating said E and H field components separately for the duration of said first control signal; sampling the said electrical signals associated with said E V E and H 1 and H 2 field components fields in response to said peak detect signals; forming an absolute sum of said electrical signal strengths associated with said H I and H 2 fields and generating an electrical signal associated therewith; integrating said electrical signal associated with said E field and said electrical signal associated with said absolute sum; converting said integrated and sampled E and H field components electrical signals to digital signals representing the signal strengths of said integrated and sampled electrical signals; transmitting said digital signals to a programmable microprocessor in response to microprocessor control_ signals whereby said microprocessor determines the direction of and distance to said lightning strokes; and displaying the location of said lightning strokes in response to the determination of said microprocessor of said direction and distance.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
372 words
A method of locating and tracking lightning strokes each stroke having electromagnetic radiation associated therewith comprising the steps of: receiving separately a component of said electric (E) field and first and second orthogonal components (H 1 and H 2 ) said magnetic (H) field associated with a lightning stroke; generating electrical signals associated with said E, H 1 , and H 2 field components, said electrical signals characterized by an initial -risetime less than a predetermined risetime value and having associated therewith randomly occurring sub pulses having risetimes less than said predetermined xrisetime value, and at least a selected one of said electrical signals having a signal strength in excess of a predetermined threshold value; detecting risetimes of at least a selected one of said electrical signals received by said receiving means less than said predetermined risetime value and detecting at least a selected one of said electrical signals with a signal strength greater than said predetermined thresliold value; forming and transmitting an integration control signal.of a predetermined integration interval when risetimes less than said predetermined risetime value and signal strengths greater than said predetermined threshold value are detected substantially simultaneously; transmitting a peak detect signal during said integration informal interval whenever a risetime less than said predetermined risetime value is detected; integrating said E and H field components separately for the duration of said first control signal; sampling the said electrical signals associated with said E V E and H 1 and H 2 field components fields in response to said peak detect signals; forming an absolute sum of said electrical signal strengths associated with said H I and H 2 fields and generating an electrical signal associated therewith; integrating said electrical signal associated with said E field and said electrical signal associated with said absolute sum; converting said integrated and sampled E and H field components electrical signals to digital signals representing the signal strengths of said integrated and sampled electrical signals; transmitting said digital signals to a programmable microprocessor in response to microprocessor control_ signals whereby said microprocessor determines the direction of and distance to said lightning strokes; and displaying the location of said lightning strokes in response to the determination of said microprocessor of said direction and distance.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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