Method and apparatus for detecting lightning activity

A method for detecting lightning activity, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a processing server, waveform data indicative of the lightning activity from one or more waveform sensors;
• generating, at the processing server, digital filter data based on one or more uncompressed portions of waveform data from a predetermined sensor and transmitting the digital filter data to the predetermined sensor;
• converting, at the processing server, the compressed waveform data from each of the one or more sensors into a time sample;
• aligning, at the processing server, the compressed waveform data from the one or more sensors based on a time of arrival of the compressed waveform data, the aligning comprising:
• (i) determining a location and height of a waveform based on the compressed waveform data;
• (ii) determining an offset of the waveform based on the time sample associated with the compressed waveform data;
• (iii) determining a peak current of the waveform based on the compressed waveform data;
• and
• generating lightning strike data based on the conversion and alignment of the compressed waveform data.

A system for detecting lightning activity, the system comprising:

• one or more waveform sensors, the waveform sensors configured to receive waveform data from one or more signal converters, the waveform data comprising a group of electromagnetic waveforms, the sensor comprising a processor that filters the waveform data to remove noise frequencies, and compresses the waveform data, the compressing comprising:
• (i) selecting one or more points on a waveform, the one or more points being above a predetermined threshold;
• and
• (ii) determining an inflection of the selected points based on a predefined algorithm;
• and
• a server configured to:
• receive waveform data from the one or more waveform sensors, the waveform data comprising compressed and uncompressed waveform data;
• generate digital filter data based on one or more uncompressed portions of waveform data from a particular sensor and transmitting the digital filter data to the selected sensor;
• convert the compressed waveform data from each of the one or more sensors into a time sample;
• align the compressed waveform data from the one or more sensors based on a time of arrival of the compressed waveform data, the aligning comprising:
• determining a location and height of a waveform based on the compressed waveform data from the one or more sensors;
• determining an offset of the waveform based on the time sample associated with the compressed waveform data;
• determining a peak current of the waveform based on the compressed waveform data;
• and
• generate lightning strike data based on the conversion and alignment of the compressed waveform data.

A system for detecting lightning activity comprising:

• means for receiving waveform data from one or more signal converters, the waveform data comprising a group of electromagnetic waveforms;
• means for filtering the waveform data to remove noise frequencies;
• means for compressing the waveform data, the compressing comprising:
• selecting one or more points on a waveform, the one or more points being above a predetermined threshold;
• and
• determining an inflection of the selected points based on a predefined algorithm;
• means for receiving waveform data from the one or more waveform sensors, the waveform data comprising compressed and uncompressed waveform data;
• means for generating digital filter data based on the uncompressed portions of waveform data from a particular sensor and transmitting the digital filter data to the selected sensor;
• means for converting the compressed waveform data from each of the one or more sensors into a time sample;
• means for aligning the compressed waveform data from the one or more sensors based on a time of arrival of the compressed waveform data, the aligning comprising:
• determining a location and height of a waveform based on the compressed waveform data from the one or more sensors;
• determining an offset of the waveform based on the time sample associated with the compressed waveform data;
• determining a peak current of the waveform based on the compressed waveform data;
• and
• means for generating lightning strike data based on the conversion and alignment of the compressed waveform data.