Leon Geddis Byerley

US Patent:

7109698, Sep 19, 2006

Filed:

Mar 25, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/808648

Inventors:

Jody A. Swenson - Hyde Park UT, US
William H. Beasley - Norman OK, US
Leon G. Byerley - Tuscon AZ, US
Ivan G. Bogoev - Hyde Park UT, US

Assignee:

The Board of Regents, University of Oklahoma - Norman OK

International Classification:

G01R 29/12

US Classification:

324 72, 324458

Abstract:

An electric-field meter provided with a housing, an electrode assembly, a shield assembly, a movement assembly, a position detection assembly, a charge measurement circuit, and a leakage current compensation circuit. The electric-field meter can be characterized as a field mill, an induction voltmeter, an electrostatic fluxmeter or an agrimeter. The electrode assembly is selectively exposed to the electric field. The shield assembly alternately covers and exposes the electrode assembly to the electric field. The movement assembly has a source of motive force and a linkage operably connected to one of the shield assembly and the electrode assembly for alternately covering and exposing the electrode assembly to the electric field. The charge measurement circuit receives charge on the electrode assembly. The charge measurement circuit provides a charge detection signal indicative of the charge induced on the electrode assembly as the electrode assembly is selectively exposed to the electric field.

US Patent:

7256572, Aug 14, 2007

Filed:

Aug 10, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/502138

Inventors:

Jody A. Swenson - Hyde Park UT, US
William H. Beasley - Norman OK, US
Leon G. Byerley - Tuscon AZ, US
Ivan G. Bogoev - Hyde Park UT, US

Assignee:

Board of Regent of the University of Oklahoma - Norman OK

International Classification:

G01R 29/12

US Classification:

324 72, 324458

Abstract:

An electric-field meter provided with a housing, an electrode assembly, a shield assembly, a movement assembly, a position detection assembly, a charge measurement circuit, and a leakage current compensation circuit. The electric-field meter can be characterized as a field mill, an induction voltmeter, an electrostatic fluxmeter or an agrimeter. The electrode assembly is selectively exposed to the electric field. The shield assembly alternately covers and exposes the electrode assembly to the electric field. The movement assembly has a source of motive force and a linkage operably connected to one of the shield assembly and the electrode assembly for alternately covering and exposing the electrode assembly to the electric field. The charge measurement circuit receives charge on the electrode assembly. The charge measurement circuit provides a charge detection signal indicative of the charge induced on the electrode assembly as the electrode assembly is selectively exposed to the electric field.

US Patent:

54481619, Sep 5, 1995

Filed:

Jul 24, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/920181

Inventors:

Leon G. Byerley - Tucson AZ
Alburt E. Pifer - Tucson AZ

Assignee:

Lightning Protection Technology - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

G01R 3100

US Classification:

324 72

Abstract:

An efficient optical radiation detector for lightning or other light signals such as pulses, bursts, flashes, and steady fluctuations. A silicon photodiode (or similar light-sensitive silicon device) is arranged to receive light signals (infrared, visible, ultraviolet, broadband, etc. ) of interest. The photodiode is connected across the primary winding of a properly-designed transformer. The transformer-coupled photodiode circuit gives AC coupling, photodiode bias, voltage gain, and several other desirable detector characteristics. Light fluctuations on the photodiode produce variations of photocurrent in the transformer primary circuit which, in turn, induce current in the secondary winding and circuit of the transformer. The current induced in the secondary circuit of the transformer is used to do useful work (such as energize an audible alarm, increment a counter, latch a relay, etc. ) or it is further amplified and processed, or combined with other signals to make an event detector such as a lightning sensor.

US Patent:

48068519, Feb 21, 1989

Filed:

Sep 3, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/092670

Inventors:

E. Philip Krider - Tucson AZ
Alburt E. Pifer - Tucson AZ
Leon G. Byerley - Tucson AZ

Assignee:

Lightning Location and Protection, Inc. - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

G01N 3102

US Classification:

324 72

Abstract:

The thunderstorm sensor of the present invention includes a pair of orthogonally positioned magnetic loop antennas to provide signals representative of the north-south and east-west components of the magnetic field produced by a lightning discharge. The system also includes an omni-directional electric field antenna to provide a signal representative of the electric field produced by a lightning discharge. The magnetic field and electric field signals from the antennas are coupled to an analog signal processor and digitizer which provides digital representations of the peak north-south and peak east-west components of the radiated magnetic field. The analog signal processor and digitizer also provides digital representations of the peak radiated electric field and the electric field sampled at a time subsequent to the time of occurrence of the peak radiated field wherein the second sampled electric field value represents the electrostatic field change due to the lightning discharge. The amplitude of the magnetic field is determined from the digital representations of the north-south and east-west components of the magnetic field. The relative electric field change is determined from the ratio of the second sampled electric field to the peak radiated electric field.

US Patent:

51682125, Dec 1, 1992

Filed:

May 3, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/695092

Inventors:

Leon G. Byerley - Tucson AZ
Kenneth L. Cummins - Tucson AZ
Alburt E. Pifer - Tucson AZ
Kenneth Hufnagel - Tucson AZ
William Hiscox - Tucson AZ

Assignee:

Lightning Location and Protection, Inc. - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

G01R 2908
G01W 100

US Classification:

324 72

Abstract:

An omnidirectional lightning ranging, identification and protection system having circuits that produce no false alarms or failures to alarm, responsive to cloud to ground and cloud discharges, capable of differentiating between cloud to ground and cloud discharges insensitive to background noise, autonomous with respect to power and communications conductors for operating reliably in the presence of nearby lightning discharges, requiring no field calibration, that provides local and remote lightning rate and range data, and that provides mechanisms for automatically signalling and disconnecting electrical equipment for the purpose of lightning protection. The system has circuits that are responsive to the electric field changes produced by lightning discharges in the frequency range between 2 khz and about 200 khz and to time coincident optical radiation in the 6000 to 9000 angstroms wavelength range. The sensor has circuits for receiving and manipulating the optical radiation component, circuits for receiving and manipulating the radiation field component and electrostatic field component, and other control circuits for generating the active and inactive states and for controlling a photovoltaic solar power source, and circuits for generating digital signals that produce encoded data representing the occurrence, type and range to signal sources of natural lightning origin and circuits for communicating the composite data signal to a remote controller for further processing and manipulation.

US Patent:

6984971, Jan 10, 2006

Filed:

Mar 14, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/094942

Inventors:

William H. Beasley - Norman OK, US
Leon G. Byerley - Tucson AZ, US
Jody A. Swenson - Hyde Park UT, US
Ivan G. Bogoev - Hyde Park UT, US

Assignee:

The Board of Regents University of Oklahoma - Norman OK

International Classification:

G01R 31/02
G01N 27/62

US Classification:

324 72, 324457

Abstract:

An electric-field meter provided with a housing, an electrode assembly, a shield assembly, a movement assembly, a position detection assembly and a charge measurement circuit. The electric-field meter can be characterized as a field mill, an induction voltmeter, an electrostatic fluxmeter or an agrimeter. The electrode assembly is selectively exposed to the electric field. The shield assembly alternately covers and exposes the electrode assembly to the electric field. The movement assembly has a source of motive force and a linkage operably connected to one of the shield assembly and the electrode assembly for alternately covering and exposing the electrode assembly to the electric field. The charge measurement circuit receives charge on the electrode assembly. The charge measurement circuit provides a charge detection signal indicative of the charge induced on the electrode assembly as the electrode assembly is selectively exposed to the electric field. A flexible conductor is bonded to the linkage of the movement assembly for maintaining electrical contact between the movement assembly and at least one of a ground reference potential and the charge measurement circuit.