Patent ID: 9429653
Filing Date: 2016-08-30
CPC Classification: F41G,G01S,Y02A

Claim Text:
1. A device for optically measuring crosswind, comprising: a laser transmitter adapted to generate a laser to illuminate a path through an atmosphere; a receiver comprising a single-pixel photodiode coupled with optics and adapted to analyze the path of the laser through the atmosphere, the single-pixel photodiode subdivided into a plurality of distinct detecting areas, each detecting area acting as a separate photodetector and spaced apart from other detecting areas at a known particular distance, each detecting area receiving a scintillation pattern created by atmospheric eddies diffracting and refracting scattered laser radiation, and, for each detecting area, converting the received scintillation pattern into a single data point measuring cumulative light intensity; and the device adapted to compare cumulative light intensities from each detecting area and to generate a crosswind profile along the path of the laser.