The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 01, 2007
Devon G. Crowe, Tucson, AZ (US);
Devon G. Crowe, Tucson, AZ (US);
Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for measuring crosswinds includes using a laser to send a signal on a signal path, and receiving response signals backscattered off of aerosols or other materials in the atmosphere along the signal path. Wavefronts of the received responses are perturbated by thermal cell turbulence in the atmosphere that perturbs optical wavefront propagation. Signals backscattered by airborne aerosols at different distances from the laser in the wavefront imager arrive at different times at the wavefront imager. Thus the wavefront perturbations vary with range, and data on the perturbed wavefront may be collected by the wavefront imager. Crosswinds cause movements in the optical perturbations over time, as the thermal cell turbulence moves. By comparing wavefronts of signals sent at different times an amount of thermal cell displacement may be determined at a series of ranges away from the laser and the wavefront imager.