Method and device for hydrometeor detection

• US 7,286,935 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vaisala Oyj
• Original Assignee: Vaisala Oyj
• Inventors: Kopsala, Panu, Ikonen, Jouni, Salmi, Atte, Aspola, Juhani, Korvenoja, Jaakko
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Toan M.
• Application Number:
  US10/563,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20060241875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/1, 702/50, 7317016- 18, 731/702.1
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

This publication discloses a method and apparatus for measuring hydrometeors. According to the method, the mechanical impulses of hydrometers falling on a detection surface are measured. According to the invention, part of the measuring device (1) is used to perform a continuous measurement, in order to define a threshold value for an impulse and only after the threshold value is exceeded is the final part (2) of the measuring apparatus excited for measuring operations, in order to minimize the power consumption of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A method in connection with a measuring device detecting hydrometeors, method comprising the steps of:

measuring mechanical impulses of the hydrometeors falling on a detection surface,

defining a threshold value for the impulses by using an initial part of the measuring device (1) to perform a continuous measurement,

only after the threshold value is exceeded, exciting a final part (2) of the measuring apparatus for measuring operations, in order to minimize power consumption of the apparatus,

filtering out mechanical disturbances from a signal representing one of the impulses exceeding the threshold value during processing, on the basis of one or more characteristic features of the signal,

defining a first parameter of the one impulse in a first time window (10) after defining the threshold value,

defining the same parameter from the one impulse in a second, later time window (11),

comparing the first and second time-window parameters with each other, in order to eliminate a spurious signal, and

creating a ratio between first (10) and second (11) time windows to be used as a limit value for the spurious signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising to step of:

returning the final part (2) of the measuring apparatus to an inactive state immediately after a measurement.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

recording pulse-specific measurement data (4) in the initial part (1) of the measuring apparatus, so that the final part can read it after the exciting step.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

recording pulse-specific measurement data (4) in the initial part (1) of the measuring apparatus, so that the final part can read it after the exciting step.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein first parameter is an amplitude, a rate of change, a half-band width, or a frequency of the signal exceeding the threshold value.

6. A method for measuring hydrometeors, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring mechanical impulses of the hydrometeors filling on a detection surface, and which exceed a predefined threshold value,

defining a first parameter in a first time window (10) after the definition of the threshold value,

in order to eliminate a spurious signal, defining the same parameter from the impulse in a second, later time window (11),

comparing the first and second time-window parameters with each other, and

creating a ratio between the first (10) and second (11) time windows to be used as a limit value for the spurious signal.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein first parameter is an amplitude, a rate of change, a half-band width, or a frequency of the signal exceeding the threshold value.

8. A method for measuring hydrometeors, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring mechanical impulses of the hydrometeors falling on a detection surface, and which exceed a predefined threshold value,

triggering initiation of the measuring step when one of the impulses exceeds the threshold value,

in connection with triggering, defining at least one initial parameter, from the impulse exceeding the threshold value,

after the first measurement, measuring time which elapses before the parameter has reached a predefined value relative to the initial value of the parameter,

using time which elapses as a characteristic parameter in filtering,

defining a first parameter of the one impulse in a first time window (10) after defining the threshold value,

defining the same parameter from the one impulse in a second, later time window (11),

comparing the first and second time-window parameters with each other, in order to eliminate a spurious signal, and

creating a ratio between the first (10) and second (11) time windows to be used as a limit value for the spurious signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein first parameter is an amplitude, a rate of change, a half-band width, or a frequency of the signal exceeding the threshold value.

10. A method for measuring hydrometeors, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring mechanical impulses of the hydrometeors falling on a detection surface, and which exceed a predefined threshold value,

triggering initiation of the measuring step in connection with one of the impulses exceeding the threshold value exceeding the threshold value,

in connection with triggering, defining at least one initial parameter, from the one impulse exceeding the threshold value, and

adjusting the triggering level of a hydrometeor-signal detection circuit (3) on the basis of a wind velocity, in such a way that an amplitude of spurious signals caused by wind remains below the triggering level.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein first parameter is an amplitude, a rate of change, a half-band width, or a frequency of the signal exceeding the threshold value.

12. A measuring device for detecting hydrometeors, comprising

a detector part (1), including

a detection element (6), for detecting impacts caused by the hydrometeors,

an amplifier circuit (5), for amplifying an output signal of the detection element (6),

a limit-value circuit (3), for triggering measurement of impulses exceeding a specific signal level, and

a processor part (2) for processing a triggered signal representing one of impulses exceeding the specific signal level,

wherein

the detector part (1) is arranged to perform continual measurement, in order to define a threshold value of the one impulse exceeding the specific signal level,

the processor part (2) is arranged to be excited to measurement operations only when the threshold value is exceeded, in order to minimize power consumption of the measuring apparatus, and

the device includes means for filtering out mechanical disturbances of the impulses exceeding the specific signal level during the processing, on the basis of one or more characteristic features of the one impulse exceeding the specific signal level,

wherein the device is adapted

to define a first parameter of the one impulse in a first time window (10) after defining the specific signal level,

to define the same parameter from the one impulse in a second, later time window (11),

to compare the first and second time-window parameters with each other, in order to eliminate a spurious signal, and

to create a ratio between the first (10) and second (11) time windows to be used as a limit value for the spurious signal.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the processor part (2) of the measuring apparatus is arranged to return to an inactive state immediately after measurement.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the processor part (2) of the measuring apparatus is arranged to return to an inactive state immediately after measurement.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the detector part includes memory means (4) for recording pulse-specific measurement data, which the processor part can read after excitation.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein first parameter is an amplitude, a rate of change, a half-band width, or a frequency of the signal exceeding the threshold value.