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Publication Number
US-10488382-B2
Publication Date
2019-11-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods for measuring gas flux are disclosed. One method for calculating gas flux includes: receiving a master clock signal from a global positioning system (GPS) module; transmitting a clock synchronization signal that is based on the master clock signal to a measurement subsystem configured to measure environmental data, wherein the measurement subsystem comprises at least two clocks; receiving the environmental data from the measurement subsystem, wherein the environmental data is associated with the at least two clocks; and calculating gas flux based on the environmental data received from the measurement subsystem.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a gas-flux measurement system in which environmental data associated with measuring the gas flux includes at least wind speed data and gas concentration data. The measurement subsystem comprises at least a first measurement device having a software clock and a first hardware clock and a second measurement device having a second hardware clock. The system uses a computing subsystem in signal communication with the measurement subsystem to coordinate time across multiple measurement devices before computing gas flux.
The computing subsystem transmits a clock synchronization signal over a packet-switched network to synchronize the first hardware clock in the first measurement device. The clock synchronization signal is based on a master clock signal, and the software clock is synchronized based on the clock synchronization signal. The first hardware clock is thereby synchronized in time to the master clock signal, while environmental data received from the measurement subsystem is associated with the first and second hardware clocks.
To align environmental measurements into a common time base, the computing subsystem re-samples the environmental data received from the second measurement device based on the master clock signal. The re-sampling synchronizes the environmental data from the first and second measurement devices in time to the master clock signal. The computing subsystem then calculates the gas flux based on the synchronized environmental data.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover a complete system, a computing device, and a method, centered on master clock synchronization and time-aligned re-sampling of environmental data before gas-flux calculation. Across the independent claims, the inventive focus is on synchronizing a measurement subsystem’s software and hardware clocks to a master clock signal and using that master timing to re-sample environmental data from multiple measurement devices for gas flux calculation. Inventive features are distributed between synchronization, packet-switched transmission, master-clock sourcing, time association of environmental data, re-sampling, and gas flux calculation.
Packet-switched master-clock synchronization for measuring gas flux
A system for measuring gas flux having a measurement subsystem and a computing subsystem, where the computing subsystem transmits a clock synchronization signal over a packet-switched network to synchronize a first hardware clock based on a master clock signal, with the software clock synchronized based on the clock synchronization signal and the first hardware clock synchronized by the software clock to the master clock signal.
Time-associated environmental data reception from multiple hardware clocks
A system where the computing subsystem receives environmental data from the measurement subsystem, the environmental data being associated with the first and second hardware clocks.
Master-clock based re-sampling and gas flux calculation
A system where the computing subsystem re-samples the environmental data received from the second measurement device based on the master clock signal so that the environmental data from the first and second measurement devices are synchronized in time to the master clock signal, and calculates the gas flux based on the synchronized environmental data.
GPS-master-clock computing device to distribute synchronization and calculate gas flux
A computing device comprising a controller receiving a master clock signal from a global positioning system (GPS) module; a network interface configured to transmit a clock synchronization signal based on the master clock signal to a measurement subsystem; and a controller configured to receive environmental data associated with first and second hardware clocks, with the environmental data received from the first measurement device synchronized to the master clock signal, and to re-sample environmental data received from the second measurement device based on the master clock signal so that the first and second measurement devices are synchronized in time to the master clock signal; and to calculate gas flux based on the synchronized environmental data.
GPS-based method of synchronizing measurement clocks and calculating gas flux
A method for calculating gas flux including receiving a master clock signal from a global positioning system (GPS) module; transmitting a clock synchronization signal based on the master clock signal to a measurement subsystem; synchronizing the software clock based on the clock synchronization signal; synchronizing the first hardware clock by the software clock so the first hardware clock is synchronized in time to the master clock signal; receiving environmental data associated with the first and second hardware clocks; re-sampling environmental data received from the second measurement device based on the master clock signal so that the environmental data from the first and second measurement devices are synchronized in time to the master clock signal; and calculating gas flux based on the synchronized environmental data.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is synchronization of measurement-device clocks to a master clock signal, distribution of a clock synchronization signal over a packet-switched network, reception of environmental data associated with multiple hardware clocks, re-sampling of environmental data from the second measurement device based on the master clock signal, and calculation of gas flux based on the synchronized environmental data.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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