Jason M Sanders

US Patent:

20020035444, Mar 21, 2002

Filed:

Mar 15, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/809339

Inventors:

Thomas Wilkerson - Logan UT, US
Jason Sanders - American Fork UT, US
Ionio Andrus - Logan UT, US

Assignee:

Utah State University

International Classification:

G01B005/02
G01B005/14
G01B007/02
G01B007/14
G01B011/02
G01B011/14
G01B013/02
G06F015/00
G01B021/02
G01C022/00

US Classification:

702/159000

Abstract:

A method for determining the velocity of features such as wind. The method preferably includes producing sensor signals and projecting the sensor signals sequentially along lines lying on the surface of a cone. The sensor signals may be in the form of lidar, radar or sonar for example. As the sensor signals are transmitted, the signals contact objects and are backscattered. The backscattered sensor signals are received to determine the location of objects as they pass through the transmission path. The speed and direction the object is moving may be calculated using the backscattered data. The data may be plotted in a two dimensional array with a scan angle on one axis and a scan time on the other axis. The prominent curves that appear in the plot may be analyzed to determine the speed and direction the object is traveling.