US4812825A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tornado warning system
Assignee: K ELECTRONIC Inc ROUTE 2 BOX 217 PIERCE CITY MO 65723 A CORP O F
•
Filing: 1987-02-10
•
Granted: 1989-03-14
•
Expires: 2007-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A tornado warning system uses a superhetrodyne receiver to detect electromagnetic energy produced by a tornado. The automatic gain control signal of the receiver is used to generate an intermediate signal having a time duration corresponding to the time when the automatic gain control is at or above a predetermined level. The intermediate signal is of constant amplitude and is integrated. Upon the integration reaching a predetermined level, an alarm initiate signal is produced which turns on an alarm drive and, in turn, sounds an alarm.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard E. Kennedy
- 👤 Earl R. Fredrich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 18:34
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/02; G08B21/10; G01; G01W; G01W1/00; G01W1/16; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A50/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A tornado warning system comprising: a receiver operable to receive an amplitude modulated electromagnetic signal produced by a tornado within a frequency range within 1 Mhz to 100 Mhz and operable to provide an activity signal dependent on said electromagnetic signal; an alarm initiate circuit operably connected to respond to said activity signal and operable to produce an alarm initiate signal only after the occurrence of said activity signal for a given time period longer than 10 seconds; an alarm operable to turn on responsive to said alarm initiate signal; and wherein said activity signal is an automatic gain control signal from said receiver.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A tornado warning system comprising: a receiver operable to receive an amplitude modulated electromagnetic signal produced by a tornado within a frequency range within 1 Mhz to 100 Mhz and operable to provide an activity signal dependent on said electromagnetic signal; an alarm initiate circuit operably connected to respond to said activity signal and operable to produce an alarm initiate signal only after the occurrence of said activity signal for a given time period longer than 10 seconds; an alarm operable to turn on responsive to said alarm initiate signal; and wherein said activity signal is an automatic gain control signal from said receiver.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The tornado warning system of claim 1 wherein said alarm initiate circuit is operable to produce an alarm initiate signal only after the occurrence of said activity signal for a given time period longer than 25 seconds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The tornado warning system of claim 1 further comprising a proximity circuit receiving said activity signal and causing a sensory output to vary with the magnitude of said activity signal such that said sensory output is indicative of the proximity of a possible tornado.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The tornado warning system of claim 3 wherein said proximity circuit includes a visual display and said sensory output is shown on said visual display.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The tornado warning system of claim 1 wherein said alarm initiate circuit includes an integrator and said alarm initiate signal corresponds to an output of said integrator reaching a predetermined level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The tornado warning system of claim 5 wherein said alarm initiate circuit produces an intermediate signal having the same duration as said activity signal and a constant amplitude, and wherein said integrator takes the integral of said intermediate signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The tornado warning system of claim 1 wherein said receiver is a superheterodyne receiver.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
85 words
A tornado warning system comprising: a receiver operable to receive an amplitude modulated electromagnetic signal produced by a tornado a frequency range within 1 Mhz to 100 Mhz and operable to provide an activity signal dependent on said electromagnetic signal, said activity signal being an automatic gain control signal from the receiver; an alarm initiate circuit operably connected to respond to said activity signal and operable to produce an alarm initiate signal; and an alarm operable to turn on responsive to said alarm initiate signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
A tornado warning system comprising: a receiver operable to receive an amplitude modulated electromagnetic signal produced by a tornado a frequency range within 1 Mhz to 100 Mhz and operable to provide an activity signal dependent on said electromagnetic signal, said activity signal being an automatic gain control signal from the receiver; an alarm initiate circuit operably connected to respond to said activity signal and operable to produce an alarm initiate signal; and an alarm operable to turn on responsive to said alarm initiate signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The tornado warning system of claim 8 wherein said receiver is a superheterodyne receiver and wherein said alarm initiate circuit is operable to produce an alarm initiate circuit only after the occurrence of said activity signal for a given time period longer than 3 seconds.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
The tornado warning system of claim 8 further comprising a proximity circuit receiving said activity signal and causing a sensory output to vary with the magnitude of said activity signal such that said sensory output is indicative of the proximity of a possible tornado, and wherein said proximity circuit includes a visual display and said sensory output is shown on said visual display.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The tornado warning system of claim 8 wherein said alarm initiate circuit includes an integrator and said alarm initiate signal corresponds to an output of said integrator reaching a predetermined level.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The tornado warning system of claim 11 wherein said alarm initiate circuit produces an intermediate signal having the same duration as said activity signal and a constant amplitude, and wherein said integrator takes the integral of said intermediate signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The tornado warning system of claim 12 wherein said alarm initiate circuit is operable to produce an alarm initiate signal only after the occurrence of said activity signal for a given time period longer than 3 seconds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
123 words
A tornado warning system comprising: a receiver operable to receive an amplitude modulated electromagnetic signal produced by a tornado within a frequency range within 1 Mhz to 100 Mhz and operable to provide an activity signal dependent on said electromagnetic signal; an alarm initiate circuit operably connected to respond to said activity signal by producing an alarm initiate signal, said alarm initiate circuit also producing an intermediate signal having the same duration as said activity signal and a constant amplitude, said alarm initiate circuit taking an integral of said intermediate signal and producing said alarm initiate signal only after said integral of said intermediate signal has reached a predetermined level; and an alarm operable to turn on responsive to said alarm initiate signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
123 words
A tornado warning system comprising: a receiver operable to receive an amplitude modulated electromagnetic signal produced by a tornado within a frequency range within 1 Mhz to 100 Mhz and operable to provide an activity signal dependent on said electromagnetic signal; an alarm initiate circuit operably connected to respond to said activity signal by producing an alarm initiate signal, said alarm initiate circuit also producing an intermediate signal having the same duration as said activity signal and a constant amplitude, said alarm initiate circuit taking an integral of said intermediate signal and producing said alarm initiate signal only after said integral of said intermediate signal has reached a predetermined level; and an alarm operable to turn on responsive to said alarm initiate signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The tornado warning system of claim 14 further comprising a proximity circuit receiving said activity signal and causing a sensory output to vary with the magnitude of said activity signal such that said sensory output is indicative of the proximity of a possible tornado.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The tornado warning system of claim 15 wherein said alarm initiate circuit is operable to produce an alarm initiate signal only after the occurrence of said activity signal for a given time period longer than 3 seconds.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The tornado warning system of claim 16 wherein said activity signal is an automatic gain control signal from said receiver.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The tornado warning system of claim 17 wherein said proximity circuit includes a visual display and said sensory output is shown on said visual display.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
69 words
The tornado warning system of claim 1 wherein said receiver includes a detector having a detector output, an automatic gain control circuit connected to said detector output and operable to generate said activity signal, and at least one amplifier, and wherein said automatic gain control circuit is connected to supply said activity signal to said at least one amplifier for controlling the gain of said at least one amplifier.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
The tornado warning system of claim 8 wherein said receiver includes a detector having a detector output, an automatic gain control circuit connected to said detector output and operable to generate said activity signal, and at least one amplifier, and wherein said automatic gain control circuit is connected to supply said activity signal to said at least one amplifier for controlling the gain of said at least one amplifier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4219804A
Cited
US3646540A
Cited
US3717861A
Cited
US3753117A
Cited
US3790884A
Cited
US3810137A
Cited
US4175254A
Cited
US4115732A
Cited
US4115732B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-03-13 | 1992-09-12 | 1993-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-03-13 | 1996-09-12 | 1997-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-03-13 | 2000-09-12 | 2001-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |