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Apparatus and method for measuring visibility and present weather

  • US 5,880,836 A
  • Filed: 10/24/1996
  • Issued: 03/09/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring visibility and present weather, said apparatus comprising:

  • a light source for transmitting a light ray toward a space to be measured;

    a first light detector for measurement of light of the light ray which is forward scattered from elements in said space;

    first computing means, connected to said first light detector, for generating a signal representing the detected forward scattered light;

    a second light detector for detecting a portion of the light ray retro-reflected directly backward toward said light source due to atmospheric elements, and for generating a signal representing the detected retro-reflected portion of the light ray; and

    second computing means for receiving the signal from said second light detector and computing the propagation delay between the transmitted light ray and the retro-reflected portion of the light ray in order to determine a distance to the atmospheric elements, said apparatus measuring the present weather based upon said signal generated by said first computing means and the propagation delay computed by said second computing means.

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