Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
250 words
Storm monitoring apparatus mountable with respect to a heading axis, for locating lightning occurrences evoking an electromagnetic field including a magnetic, H-field component and an electrostatic, E-field component, comprising: a first H-field antenna including a first coil structure having a first array of windings oriented at a select angle with respect to said heading axis and deriving a first current response to said H-field component; a second H-field antenna, including a second coil structure having a second array of windings orthogonally disposed with respect to said first array and deriving a second current response to said H-field component; a first test winding positioned in adjacency with said first coil structure and excitable to impose a first test magnetic field thereupon to effect generation of a first test current response therein; a second test winding positioned in adjacency with said second coil structure and excitable to impose a second test magnetic field thereupon to effect generation of a second test current response therein; control means responsive to said first and second current responses for deriving lightning occurrence, bearing and range information outputs, for intermittently exciting said first and second test windings, for comparing each said first and second test current responses with a predetermined value of current response, and for deriving an error output when said comparison represents an improper response performance; and a perceptible readout responsive to said information outputs for publishing said occurrence, bearing and range information, and responsive to said error output for providing a perceptible indication thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
250 words
Storm monitoring apparatus mountable with respect to a heading axis, for locating lightning occurrences evoking an electromagnetic field including a magnetic, H-field component and an electrostatic, E-field component, comprising: a first H-field antenna including a first coil structure having a first array of windings oriented at a select angle with respect to said heading axis and deriving a first current response to said H-field component; a second H-field antenna, including a second coil structure having a second array of windings orthogonally disposed with respect to said first array and deriving a second current response to said H-field component; a first test winding positioned in adjacency with said first coil structure and excitable to impose a first test magnetic field thereupon to effect generation of a first test current response therein; a second test winding positioned in adjacency with said second coil structure and excitable to impose a second test magnetic field thereupon to effect generation of a second test current response therein; control means responsive to said first and second current responses for deriving lightning occurrence, bearing and range information outputs, for intermittently exciting said first and second test windings, for comparing each said first and second test current responses with a predetermined value of current response, and for deriving an error output when said comparison represents an improper response performance; and a perceptible readout responsive to said information outputs for publishing said occurrence, bearing and range information, and responsive to said error output for providing a perceptible indication thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The storm monitoring apparatus of claim 1 including: a driver network responsive to a first test signal of first polarity to effect said excitation of said first test winding, and responsive to a second test signal of second polarity to effect said excitation of said second test winding; and said control means derives said first and second test signals for assertion along an electrical path to said driver network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The storm monitoring apparatus of claim 2 in which said electrical path includes a single electrical lead extending from said control means to said driver network for carrying said first and second test signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The storm monitoring apparatus of claim 1 including: a gravity-actuated switch coupled with a d.c. power source mounted with said first and second H-field antennas and conveying a predetermined d.c. signal level to said electrical path only when in a normal orientation; and said control means is responsive in the absence of said d.c. level to derive an error signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The storm monitoring apparatus of claim 1 in which: said first and second arrays of windings include printed conductive strips upon printed circuit supportive substrates; and said first and second test windings include printed conductive test strips formed upon said printed circuit supportive substrates adjacent said strips of said first and second arrays of windings.