Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Patent
1995-07-18
1997-09-02
Swarthout, Brent A.
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
340602, 340905, 340583, 2503381, 2503385, 2503418, G01W 100
Patent
active
056637101
ABSTRACT:
An improved visibility detector and method emit infrared radiation away from an infrared emitter; detect an amount of infrared radiation backscattered by an airborne visibility impeding agent; and generate a backscatter signal in response to the amount detected. In one embodiment, the detector detects an amount of the infrared radiation that is not backscattered; generates a reference signal in response thereto; determines an actual amount of the infrared radiation backscattered; determines whether the actual amount exceeds a prescribed threshold; and generates an alarm signal in event the actual amount is determined to exceed the prescribed threshold. In other embodiments, the device employs a meniscus barrier between the emitter and the detector; another, lower, threshold in determining when to terminate the alarm signal; a second alarm signal to indicate that backscatter has increased above another, higher, threshold; a calibration scheme for calibrating the detector and/or a running average to avoid anomalous indications of low/high visibility.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3704461 (1972-11-01), Rose et al.
patent: 3901812 (1975-08-01), Hallengren
patent: 4282527 (1981-08-01), Windermann et al.
patent: 4628301 (1986-12-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4636643 (1987-01-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 4737629 (1988-04-01), Inama
patent: 4754149 (1988-06-01), Wang
patent: 4867561 (1989-09-01), Fujii et al.
patent: 4874242 (1989-10-01), Bezard et al.
patent: 4925310 (1990-05-01), Feppon et al.
patent: 4931767 (1990-06-01), Albrecht et al.
patent: 5349267 (1994-09-01), Brassier et al.
"Report No. 512; Project 792104/001-003; Fog Detectors for Unmanned Aids to Navigation", U.S. Coast Guard Office of Research and Development, Washington D.C. (Jul. 17, 1970).
Lifsitz, et al., "Fog Bank Detector Field Tests: A Technical Summary", Transportation Systems Center, Cambridge Mass., pp. 1-32, (Dec. 1971).
"Automatic Fog Alert System Protects Busy Highway", Rural and Urban Roads, p. 36 (May 1973).
"Airport Lights Shine on Fog-Bound Highway", American City & County, pp. 35-36 (Jan. 1980).
"Fog Detectors Warn Drivers of Low Visibility", excerpt from Machine Design, p. 30 (Feb. 8, 1990).
"Infrared Lasers Prevent Crashes: The Anti-Collision Fog System Makes for Safer Driving", New-Tech News, pp. 30-32 (Jan. 1992).
Coakley Peter G.
Denson Raymond
Fasig Harold A.
Fasig James R.
Flanagan Terry M.
Jaycor
Swarthout Brent A.
Trieu Van T.
LandOfFree
Backscatter-type visibility detection does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Backscatter-type visibility detection, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Backscatter-type visibility detection will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-312392