Lightning position and tracking method
First Claim
1. A method for detecting emissions from a source of electrical radiation in an atmosphere and providing an indication of the geographic position of said source, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) stationing at least three non collinear receivers at known geographic locations, each receiver being positioned in spaced relation to the other receivers;
(b) encoding a signal at each receiver representative of the time of arrival of an emission from said source in relation to a common timing source;
(c) transmitting each encoded signal from each of said three receivers to a central facility; and
thereafter(d) processing at said central facility said encoded signals for deriving the position of said source irrespective of whether said emission occurred within or outside a perimeter bounded by said spaced-apart receivers.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for detecting lightning as an electrical atmospheric disturbance and for providing an indication of the geographic position of that disturbance includes the stationing of at least three receivers at known geographic locations in spaced relationship to each other. Signals are encoded at each of the receivers representative of the time of arrival of an electrical indication of an emission from the lightning strike, in relation to a common timing source. All of the encoded signals are transmitted to a central facility and thereafter processed for deriving the position of the lightning strike irrespective of whether the position of the lightning occurred within or outside the perimeter bounded by the three receivers. The system is synchronized with the U.S. Coast Guard LORAN navigation network, and includes various features which permit a more accurate analysis of lightning position.
94 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for detecting emissions from a source of electrical radiation in an atmosphere and providing an indication of the geographic position of said source, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) stationing at least three non collinear receivers at known geographic locations, each receiver being positioned in spaced relation to the other receivers; (b) encoding a signal at each receiver representative of the time of arrival of an emission from said source in relation to a common timing source; (c) transmitting each encoded signal from each of said three receivers to a central facility; and
thereafter(d) processing at said central facility said encoded signals for deriving the position of said source irrespective of whether said emission occurred within or outside a perimeter bounded by said spaced-apart receivers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for locating the position of the emission of a source of electrical radiation into the atmosphere and providing an indication of the geographic position of said source, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing at least three non collinear receiving stations defining a perimeter, respectively situated at spaced apart geographical locations; (b) detecting said emission at each of said non collinear receiving station; (c) encoding signals at each of said receiving stations representative of the time of arrival of said emission at east receiving station in terms of a common timing source; and
thereafter(d) deriving the position of said emission from said encoded signals irrespective of whether said emission occurred within or outside the perimeter bounded by said spaced apart geographical locations. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification