Title: All-sky photoelectric lightning detector apparatus

Abstract: A pair of position sensing photodiodes of a conventional quadrature or duaxis type are deployed face-upwardly at a predetermined distance one from the other. A vertically pointing fisheye lens covers each of the position sensing diodes so that the diodes view a full 360.degree. in azimuth and about 180.degree. in zenith angle. Each of the diodes produces four current outputs whose fractional distribution provides the location of the optical center of a luminous source, such as a lightning discharge. The outputs, in turn, are applied to a data acquisition system, such as a simple analog computer, which provides the location data for the lightning discharge as well as its total intensity. The circuit applying the outputs to the data acquisition system includes filtering means for eliminating background noises and passing to the system only the optical transients of the discharge.

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Inventors: Krider, Edmund Philip (Tucson, AZ, US)

Application Number: 530643
Filing Date: 1974-12-09
Publication_date: 1976-02-10
Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy (Washington, DC)
Primary Class(es): 250/206.2 250/214.1, 250/216, 356/3.14, 356/141.5
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

3147380	Sep, 1964	Buckingham et al.	250/214.
3226557	Dec, 1965	Goodman	250/216.
3515879	Jun, 1970	Weischendel et al.	250/208.
3801821	Apr, 1974	Sharpe et al.	250/209.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Smith, Alfred E.
Assistant Examiner: LaRoche, E. R.
Attorney: Sciascia; Richard S., Critchlow; Paul N.