Apparatus and method for detecting tornadoes

• US 6,097,296 A
• Filed: 08/24/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Davox Corporation (Aspect Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Davox Corporation (Aspect Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cleavelin, Cloves Rinn, Garza, Santos
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/138,937
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 340/600, 340/601, 340/522, 340/690, 73/170.16, 73/170.24
• US Class Current: 340/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/00 in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather

Abstract

A tornado detector comprising a sensor (30) for sensing the presence of sound having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto, a filter (50) to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz, and an alarm (101) for generating an alarm signal in response to said filtered sound sense signal.

Claims

1. A method of detecting tornadoes, comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and providing a sound sense signal in response thereto; and

generating an alarm signal in response to said sound sense signal.

2. A method of detecting tornadoes, comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

bandpass filtering to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz; and

generating an alarm signal in response to said filtered sound sense signal.

3. A method of detecting tornadoes, comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

bandpass filtering to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz;

timing said filtered sound sense signal; and

generating an alarm signal in response to said timed sound sense signal.

4. A method of detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 3, wherein said step of timing the filtered sound sense signal comprises the step of:

counting responsive to said filtered sound sense signal for providing a timed sound sense signal when a predetermined count is reached.

5. A method of detecting tornadoes, comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

amplifying said sound sense signal;

bandpass filtering to attenuate said amplified sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said amplified sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz;

producing a squared version of said filtered sound sense signal;

counting responsive to said squared sound sense signal for providing a timed sound sense signal when a predetermined count is reached;

latching in response to said timed sound sense signal; and

generating an audible alarm signal in response to said latch signal.

6. A method of detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the tuned presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency of about 550 kilohertz and generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said step of latching is additionally responsive to the simultaneous presence of said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal.

7. A method of detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the tuned presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency of about 53.25 megahertz and generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said step of latching is additionally responsive to the simultaneous presence of said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal.

8. A method of detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the tuned presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having frequencies of about 550 kilohertz and about 53.25 megahertz and generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said step of latching is additionally responsive to the simultaneous presence of said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal.

9. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto; and

an alarm for generating an alarm signal in response to said sound sense signal.

10. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto; and

means for generating an alarm signal in response to said sound sense signal.

11. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

a bandpass filter to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz; and

an alarm for generating an alarm signal in response to said filtered sound sense signal.

12. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

means for bandpass filtering to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz; and

means for generating an alarm signal in response to said filtered sound sense signal.

13. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

a bandpass filter to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz;

a timer for timing said filtered sound sense signal; and

an alarm for generating an alarm signal in response to said timed sound sense signal.

14. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 13, wherein said timer comprises:

a counter for counting responsive to said filtered sound sense signal and providing a timed sound sense signal when a predetermined count is reached.

15. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

means for bandpass filtering to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz;

means for timing said filtered sound sense signal; and

means for generating an alarm signal in response to said timed sound sense signal.

16. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 15, wherein said means for timing the filtered sound sense signal comprises;

means for counting responsive to said filtered sound sense signal for providing a timed sound sense signal when a predetermined count is reached.

17. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

means for amplifying said sound sense signal;

means for bandpass filtering to attenuate said amplified sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said amplified sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz;

means for producing a squared version of said filtered sound sense signal;

means for counting responsive to said squared sound sense signal for providing a timed sound sense signal when a predetermined count is reached;

means for latching in response to said timed sound sense signal; and

means for generating an audible alarm signal in response to said latch signal.

18. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

means for detecting the tuned presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency of about 550 kilohertz and for generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

means for analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said latching means is responsive to;

AND gate means responsive to said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal; and

OR gate means responsive to the output of said AND gate means and said timed sound sense signal.

19. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

means for detecting the tuned presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency of about 53.25 megahertz and for generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

means for analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said latching means is responsive to;

AND gate means responsive to said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal; and

OR gate means responsive to the output of said AND gate means and said timed sound sense signal.

20. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

means for detecting the tuned presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency of about 550 kilohertz and about 53.25 megahertz and for generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

means for analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said latching means is responsive to;

AND gate means responsive to said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal; and

OR gate means responsive to the output of said AND gate means and said timed sound sense signal.

21. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 17 further comprising:

means for generating a visual alarm signal responsive to said latch signal.

22. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

means for resetting the tornado detector wherein said means for generating an alarm signal is deactivated for a specified time interval.

23. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

an energy source connected to said tornado detector for supplying power to said tornado detector in the event of interruption of external alternating current power.

24. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

self-test means connected to said tornado detector for electronically simulating the sensor electrical output signals indicative of a tornado.

25. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the presence of sound in air having a frequency of about one hertz and for providing a sound sense signal in response thereto;

an amplifier for amplifying said sound sense signal;

a bandpass filter to attenuate said amplified sound sense signal wave components having frequencies greater than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz and to attenuate said amplified sound sense signal wave components having frequencies less than those which correspond to sound having a frequency of about one hertz;

a clipper for producing a squared version of said filtered sound sense signal;

a counter for counting responsive to said squared sound sense signal for providing a timed sound sense signal when a predetermined count is reached;

a latch for latching in response to said timed sound sense signal; and

an alarm for generating an audible alarm signal in response to said latch signal.

26. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

a radio frequency detector tuned for detecting the presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency of about 550 kilohertz;

an analyzer for analyzing the radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said latch is additionally responsive to the simultaneous presence of the filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal.

27. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

a radio frequency detector tuned for detecting the presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequency of about 53.25 megahertz and for generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

an analyzer for analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves; and

wherein said latch is additionally responsive to the simultaneous presence of said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal.

28. Apparatus for detecting tornadoes as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

a radio frequency detector tuned for detecting the presence of radio frequency electromagnetic waves having a frequencies of about 550 kilohertz and about 53.25 megahertz and for generating a radio frequency detection signal in response thereto;

an analyzer for analyzing said radio frequency detection signal to determine the presence of continuous radio frequency electromagnetic waves;

wherein said latch is additionally responsive to the simultaneous presence of said filtered sound sense signal and said analyzed radio frequency signal.