Smartphone that detects lightning strikes and system that determines lightning strike locations using smartphones

• US 10,156,659 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accuweather Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Accuweather Incorporated
• Inventors: Candor, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VINH P
• Application Number:
  US14/801,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20160018563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/16 Measuring atmospheric potential differences, e.g. due to electrical charges in clouds measuring potentiels in general G01R

Abstract

A portable communication device, including a location detection unit configured to determine the location of the device, a lightning detection unit configured to determine a distance between the lightning strike and the device, and a radio frequency circuit configured to output, via a communication network, data indicative of the location of the device and the distance between the lightning strike and the device. A system, including a lightning detection database and an analysis unit configured to receive, from the device via the communication network, data indicative of the location of the device and the distance between a lightning strike and the device, determine the location of the lightning strike based in part on the distance from the lightning strike to the location of the device, and store the location of the lightning strike in the lightning detection database.

Claims

1. A lightning detection system, comprising:

a lightning detection database; and

an analysis unit configured to;

receive, from a plurality of portable communication devices via a communication network, data indicative of a location of the plurality of portable communication devices and data indicative of distances between a lightning strike and the plurality of portable communication devices;

determine a location of the lightning strike based in part on the data indicative of the distances from the lightning strike to the locations of the plurality of portable communication devices; and

store the location of the lightning strike in the lightning detection database, wherein at least one of the portable communication devices is a smartphone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the smartphone comprises one or more antennas, and the smartphone is configured to:

output the data to the communication network using the one or more antennas; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on radio frequency signals received by the one or more antennas.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the smartphone is configured to determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone by detecting a radio frequency electromagnetic signal using the one or more antennas.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein one or more antennas comprises two antennas, and the smartphone is configured to determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone by detecting a phase difference between two signals received by the two antennas.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the smartphone comprises a display and a proximity sensor, and the smartphone is configured to:

deactivate the display when the proximity sensor determines that the smartphone is within a predetermined distance of an object; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on the output of the proximity sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the smartphone comprises a display and an ambient light sensor, and the smartphone is configured to:

adjust a brightness of the display based on the output of the ambient light sensor; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on the output of the ambient light sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the smartphone comprises a camera, and the smartphone is configured to:

capture still images and/or motion pictures based on the output of the camera; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on the output of the camera.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the smartphone comprises a touch pad, and the smartphone is configured to determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on changes in an electric field detected by the touch pad.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad including a plurality of conductive traces, and the smartphone is configured to:

drive two or more of the conductive traces; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on a self capacitance of two or more of the conductive traces.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad including a plurality of conductive traces, the plurality of conductive traces including a plurality of conductive rows and a plurality of conductive columns, and the smartphone is configured to:

sequentially drive the conductive columns or the conductive rows; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on a mutual capacitance between the conductive columns and conductive rows.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad including a plurality of conductive traces, the plurality of conductive traces including a plurality of conductive rows and a plurality of conductive columns, and the smartphone is configured to:

drive two or more of the conductive traces;

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on a self capacitance of the two or more conductive traces;

determine whether one or more fingers or conductive styli are proximate to the touch pad based on the self capacitance of the multiple conductive traces;

sequentially drive the conductive columns or the conductive rows in response to a determination that one or more fingers or conductive styli are proximate to the touch pad;

determine a location of the one or more fingers or conductive styli based on a mutual capacitance between the conductive columns and the conductive rows.

12. A smartphone, comprising:

a location detection unit configured to determine a location of the smartphone;

a lightning detection unit configured to detect a lightning strike and determine a distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone; and

a radio frequency circuit configured to output, via a communication network, data indicative of the location of the smartphone and data indicative of the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone,

wherein the lightning detection unit is configured to determine the data indicative of the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on;

one or more light pulses detected by a proximity sensor;

or

one or more light pulses detected by an ambient light sensor;

or

one or more light pulses detected by a camera;

or

changes in an electric field detected by a touch pad.

13. The smartphone of claim 12, wherein the smartphone is configured to deactivate the display when the proximity sensor determines that the smartphone is within a predetermined distance of an object.

14. The smartphone of claim 12, wherein the smartphone is configured to adjust a brightness of the display based on the output of the ambient light sensor.

15. The smartphone of claim 12, wherein the smartphone is configured to capture still images and/or motion pictures based on the output of the camera.

16. The smartphone of claim 12, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad including a plurality of conductive traces, and the smartphone is configured to:

drive two or more of the conductive traces; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on a self capacitance of two or more of the conductive traces.

17. The smartphone of claim 12, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad including a plurality of conductive rows and a plurality of conductive columns, and the smartphone is configured to:

sequentially drive the conductive columns or the conductive rows; and

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on a mutual capacitance between the conductive columns and conductive rows.

18. The smartphone of claim 12, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad including a plurality of conductive traces, the plurality of conductive traces including a plurality of conductive rows and a plurality of conductive columns, and the smartphone is configured to:

drive two or more of the conductive traces;

determine the distance between the lightning strike and the smartphone based on a self capacitance of the two or more conductive traces;

determine whether one or more fingers or conductive styli are proximate to the touch pad based on the self capacitance of the multiple conductive traces;

sequentially drive the conductive columns or the conductive rows in response to a determination that one or more fingers or conductive styli are proximate to the touch pad;

determine a location of the one or more fingers or conductive styli based on a mutual capacitance between the conductive columns and the conductive rows.