Patent US3953137A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3953137A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Nuclear-burst strength detecting and measuring device
Assignee: Government of France
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Filing: 1971-04-05
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Granted: 1976-04-27
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Expires: 1991-04-05
Abstract
Abstract A continuous-operation automatic device for detection and accurate measurement of the strength of a burst generating an emission from luminous or infrared sources. This device characterizes and analyzes the maxima and minima of a "thermal flux/time" curve. The device comprises a master time element and an assembly of photoelectric detectors, an electronic processing system coupled to the detectors, and a mechanical system securing the rigidity and positioning of the photoelectric detector assembly with respect to an octahedral prism based on a horizontal plane.
Inventors
- 👤 Jacques Albert Louis Georges Balut
- 👤 Pierre Eugene Gerard K. Lemaire
- 👤 Claude Michel Loisy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:38
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21J; G21J5/00; G01; G01J; G01J1/00; G01J1/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
A device for detecting and analyzing in time and form a lumino-thermal radiation signal received from a nuclear-type explosion or burst, said device comprising: a. an array of photoelectric cells; b. a polyhedral prism based on a horizontal plane and including a plurality of faces; said photoelectric cells being arranged at the faces of said polyhedral prism and providing electrical outputs dependent upon the received lumino-thermal flux values; c. electronic means connected to employ said electrical outputs to produce first and second signal pulses respectively upon the successive occurrence of a first (t 1max ) peak value and a second (t 2max ) peak value of the received flux, and to produce an intermediate signal pulse at an instant (t min ) between the respective instants of occurrence of the said first and second peak values when the received flux value rises through a predetermined threshold value or passes through a minimum while remaining above said threshold value; d. timing means connected with said electronic means; and e. digital processing means connected to receive said signal pulses and to operate in dependence thereupon and in cooperation with said timing means for establishing the relative instants of occurrence of the respective signal pulses to provide an indication of the receipt of radiation that has flux values which vary with time in accordance with a preselected kind of waveform, which is a waveform produced by a nuclear explosion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
236 words
A device for detecting and analyzing in time and form a lumino-thermal radiation signal received from a nuclear-type explosion or burst, said device comprising: a. an array of photoelectric cells; b. a polyhedral prism based on a horizontal plane and including a plurality of faces; said photoelectric cells being arranged at the faces of said polyhedral prism and providing electrical outputs dependent upon the received lumino-thermal flux values; c. electronic means connected to employ said electrical outputs to produce first and second signal pulses respectively upon the successive occurrence of a first (t 1max ) peak value and a second (t 2max ) peak value of the received flux, and to produce an intermediate signal pulse at an instant (t min ) between the respective instants of occurrence of the said first and second peak values when the received flux value rises through a predetermined threshold value or passes through a minimum while remaining above said threshold value; d. timing means connected with said electronic means; and e. digital processing means connected to receive said signal pulses and to operate in dependence thereupon and in cooperation with said timing means for establishing the relative instants of occurrence of the respective signal pulses to provide an indication of the receipt of radiation that has flux values which vary with time in accordance with a preselected kind of waveform, which is a waveform produced by a nuclear explosion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the photoelectric cells are silicon photodiodes and said polyhedral prism is a octagonal prism the whole of which provides a 360° polar coordinate range in the horizontal plane and an included angle of 20° in the vertical, said device further comprising for the protection of each cell a sun shield and selected filters peaked on the optical reception band of 6000 A. to 9000 A. or 4000 A. to 6000 A. or 7000 A. to 9000 A.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said electronic means produce said first signal pulse only if corresponding first peak value of the received flux is above a preselected threshold value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said electronic means includes a means for providing a measure of the power of a detected nuclear explosion calculated from the timing of said intermediate signal pulse, and/or of said second signal pulse.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said electronic means includes amplifier means of constant differential sensitivity for suppressing a continuous background component of said electrical outputs relative to significant signals constituted by changes superimposed on said continuous background component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device according to claim 5 wherein said electronic means includes logarithmically responsive means connected to compress the range of amplitude of said significant signals passed from said amplifier means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A device according to claim 6 wherein said electronic means includes first and second frequency-selective filters connected to pass lower frequency signals, and higher frequency signals respectively to separate channels in a further electronic circuitry.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device according to claim 7 wherein each of said frequency selective filters is connected to receive as its input the compressed signals from said logarithmically responsive means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
77 words
A device according to claim 8 wherein said electronic means includes time filtering means connected to pick out from the separately channelled higher frequency signals only any rising-value signal whose magnitude increases through a preselected threshold value and whose time of rise from that threshold value to a peak is less than a preselected limiting value, said time filtering means being arranged to generate said first signal pulse when such a rising value signal reaches its peak.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device according to claim 9 wherein said time filtering means are connected to supply each such first signal pulse to an input of a shifting register of said digital processing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device according to claim 9 wherein said preselected limiting value for the time of rise is substantially five milliseconds.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device according to claim 10 wherein said electronic means includes minima-detection means connected to receive separately channelled lower-frequency signals and to deliver said intermediate signal pulse when, but only when the magnitude of such a received lower-frequency signal either rises through a set threshold value or passes through a minimum while remaining above said set threshold value.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-04-27 | 1979-10-27 | 1980-04-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-04-27 | 1983-10-27 | 1984-04-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-04-27 | 1987-10-27 | 1988-04-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |