Hot plate precipitation measuring system
First Claim
1. A wind speed measuring system comprising:
- a plate exposed to wind but not exposed to precipitation; and
a processing and control system configured to maintain the plate at a substantially constant temperature and determine wind speed responsive to an atmospheric temperature and maintaining the plate at the substantially constant temperature.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A precipitation measuring system comprising a top thermal plate positioned to maximize exposure to falling precipitation and includes at least one ridge circumscribing the top surface for capturing precipitation. A second thermal plate is positioned under the top thermal plate to protect it from falling precipitation while still exposing it to the same atmospheric temperature and wind conditions. At least one solar radiation sensor is connected to the precipitation measuring system to measure solar radiation contacting at least one of the top and bottom thermal plates. During a precipitation event, the top and bottom thermal plates are maintained at a constant temperature and a power consumption curve for each thermal plate is quantified. The precipitation rate is measured by the difference in the power consumption curve for the top thermal plate and the power consumption curve for the bottom thermal plate.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A wind speed measuring system comprising:
-
a plate exposed to wind but not exposed to precipitation; and
a processing and control system configured to maintain the plate at a substantially constant temperature and determine wind speed responsive to an atmospheric temperature and maintaining the plate at the substantially constant temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of measuring wind speed wherein a plate is exposed to wind but not exposed to precipitation, the method comprising:
-
maintaining the plate at a substantially constant temperature; and
determining the wind speed responsive to an atmospheric temperature and maintaining the plate at the substantially constant temperature. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
maintaining the first plate and the second plate at the substantially constant temperature; and
determining a precipitation rate responsive to maintaining the first plate and the second plate at the substantially constant temperature.
-
-
16. The method of claim 15 wherein maintaining the first plate and the second plate at the substantially constant temperature indicates a difference in power consumption between the first plate and the second plate and wherein determining the precipitation rate responsive to maintaining the first plate and the second plate at the substantially constant temperature comprises determining the precipitation rate responsive to the difference in power consumption between the first plate and the second plate.
-
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first plate is positioned to protect the second plate from the precipitation.
-
18. The method of claim 15 further comprising adjusting the substantially constant temperature responsive to the precipitation rate.
-
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising detecting radiation.
-
20. The method of claim 11 wherein maintaining the plate at the substantially constant temperature comprises maintaining the plate at the substantially constant temperature during a precipitation event and not maintaining the plate at the substantially constant temperature after the precipitation event.
-
21. A product for a wind speed measuring system comprising a processor and a plate that is exposed to wind but that is not exposed to precipitation, wherein the wind speed measuring system maintains the plate at a substantially constant temperature, the product comprising:
-
processing instructions configured to direct the processor to determine wind speed responsive to an atmospheric temperature and maintaining the plate at the substantially constant temperature; and
a storage medium configured to store the processing instructions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification