Patent ID: 8175332
Filing Date: 2012-05-08
Classification: G01W,G06K

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for monitoring wind direction, speed, and turbidity, the computer implemented method comprising: monitoring a portion of visible sky for contrails produced by a high-altitude aircraft, wherein monitoring the visible sky includes using a set of cameras, wherein the set of cameras is one or more cameras, and wherein at least one camera in the set of cameras is equipped with a hemispherical lens; receiving a set of images of the portion of the visible sky from the set of cameras; identifying a contrail produced by the high-altitude aircraft in at least one image of the set of images, wherein identifying the contrail comprises: responsive to identifying a contrail in a hemispherical lens image, adjusting a position of the set of cameras to track movement of the contrail across the portion of the visible sky; identifying coordinates of the high-altitude aircraft, wherein identifying coordinates of the high-altitude aircraft comprises: generating contrail data based on the set of images, wherein the contrail data describes characteristics of the contrail, wherein the characteristics of the contrail include spread of the contrail and movement of the contrail across the field of view of the set of cameras; and identifying wind conditions using results of a comparison of the contrail data and the coordinates of the high-altitude aircraft.