Quantum dot lightning detection and warning system and method
A quantum dot (QD) lightning detection and warning (LDW) system and method. This LDW system and method find broader applicability to spark and other transient optical event detection as well. The QDs are operable for receiving ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), visible, x-ray, and/or gamma ray radiation emanating from lightning or the like and generating visible radiation that may be detected and utilized to generate topological event information, such that property, human life, and the like may be safeguarded.
1. A system operable for detecting a transient radiation emission event, comprising:
a plurality of sensor devices, wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices comprises one or more quantum dot devices operable for receiving incident radiation from the transient radiation event and generating visible photoluminescence radiation and one or more photodetector devices optically coupled to the one or more quantum dot devices operable for detecting the visible photoluminescence radiation from the one or more quantum dot devices and generating one or more output signals; and
a communications link operable for transmitting output signals from the plurality of sensor devices to a central aggregation processor operable for determining a direction, location, and time of the transient radiation emission event using the output signals;
wherein the plurality of sensor devices are geographically spaced apart with a gap therebetween and arranged in a local geometric shaped array, wherein the local geometric shaped array comprises local groupings of multiple quantum dot devices or quantum dot cartridges; and
wherein the local geometric shaped array of the plurality of sensor devices is arranged in a larger geometric shaped geographical network array with and geographically spaced apart from, leaving a gap therebetween other local geometric shaped arrays of the plurality of sensor devices.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the incident radiation comprises one or more of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, infrared (IR) radiation, visible radiation, x-ray radiation, and gamma ray radiation.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more quantum dot devices are one or more of suspended in a liquid matrix, suspended in a semi-solid matrix, and deposited on a solid substrate.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more quantum dot devices are in a thin slit pattern and covered by a thin slit mask.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices further comprises signal amplification and transformation hardware coupled to the one or more photodetector devices operable for amplifying and transforming the one or more output signals generated by the one or more photodetector devices.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central aggregation processor is operable for executing one or more of a triangulation algorithm and a time-of-flight algorithm to determine the direction, location, and time of the transient radiation emission event.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the local geometric shaped array is a hexagonal array and the geometric shaped geographical network is a hexagonal geographical network.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the local geometric shaped array comprises the local groupings of multiple quantum dot devices or cartridges disposed in a common housing.
9. A method for detecting a transient radiation emission event, comprising:
providing a plurality of sensor devices, wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices comprises one or more quantum dot devices operable for receiving incident radiation from the transient radiation event and generating visible photoluminescence radiation and one or more photodetector devices optically coupled to the one or more quantum dot devices operable for detecting the visible photoluminescence radiation from the one or more quantum dot devices and generating one or more output signals; and
providing a communications link operable for transmitting output signals from the plurality of sensor devices to a central aggregation processor operable for determining a direction, location, and time of the transient radiation emission event using the output signals;
wherein the plurality of sensor devices are geographically spaced apart with a gap therebetween and arranged in a local geometric shaped array, wherein the local geometric shaped array comprises local groupings of multiple quantum dot devices or quantum dot cartridges; and
wherein the local geometric shaped array of the plurality of sensor devices is arranged in a larger geometric shaped geographical network with and geographically spaced apart from, leaving a gap therebetween other local geometric shaped arrays of the plurality of sensor devices.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the incident radiation comprises one or more of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, infrared (IR) radiation, visible radiation, x-ray radiation, and gamma ray radiation.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more quantum dot devices are one or more of suspended in a liquid matrix, suspended in a semi-solid matrix, and deposited on a solid substrate.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more quantum dot devices are in a thin slit pattern and covered by a thin slit mask.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices further comprises signal amplification and transformation hardware coupled to the one or more photodetector devices operable for amplifying and transforming the one or more output signals generated by the one or more photodetector devices.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the central aggregation processor is operable for executing one or more of a triangulation algorithm and a time-of-flight algorithm to determine the direction, location, and time of the transient radiation emission event.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the local geometric shaped array is a hexagonal array and the geometric shaped geographical network is a hexagonal geographical network.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the local geometric shaped array comprises the local groupings of multiple quantum dot devices or cartridges disposed in a common housing.
17. A sensor device operable for detecting a transient radiation emission event, comprising:
one or more quantum dot devices operable for receiving incident radiation from the transient radiation event and generating visible photoluminescence radiation;
one or more photodetector devices optically coupled to the one or more quantum dot devices operable for detecting the visible photoluminescence radiation from the one or more quantum dot devices and generating one or more output signals;
signal amplification and transformation hardware coupled to the one or more photodetector devices operable for amplifying and transforming the one or more output signals generated by the one or more photodetector devices; and
a communications link operable for transmitting an output signal from the sensor device to a central aggregation processor operable for determining a direction, location, and time of the transient radiation emission event using the output signal;
wherein the sensor device is geographically spaced apart from and arranged in a local geometric shaped array of other sensor devices with a gap therebetween, wherein the local geometric shaped array comprises local groupings of multiple quantum dot devices or cartridges; and
wherein the local geometric shaped array is arranged in a larger, geometric shaped geographical network array with and geographically spaced apart from, leaving a gap therebetween other local geometric shaped arrays.
18. The sensor device of claim 17 , wherein the incident radiation comprises one or more of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, infrared (IR) radiation, visible radiation, x-ray radiation, and gamma ray radiation.
19. The sensor device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more quantum dot devices are one or more of suspended in a liquid matrix, suspended in a semi-solid matrix, and deposited on a solid substrate.
20. The sensor device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more quantum dot devices are in a thin slit pattern and covered by a thin slit mask.
21. The sensor device of claim 17 , wherein the central aggregation processor is operable for executing one or more of a triangulation algorithm and a time-of-flight algorithm to determine the direction, location, and time of the transient radiation emission event.
22. The sensor device of claim 17 , wherein the local geometric shaped array is a hexagonal array and the geometric shaped geographical network is a hexagonal geographical network.
23. The sensor device of claim 17 , wherein the local geometric shaped array comprises the local groupings of multiple quantum dot devices or cartridges disposed in a common housing.