To improve the sensitive and reliability of condition monitoring in gas insulated switchgear (GIS), discharge perception system applied to GIS insulators protrusion discharge based on single ultraviolet photon is built. Step method is used to inspire the discharges of different severity, based on which, the regression relationship of ultraviolet (UV) signal and electrical signal are studied, and the perception mechanism of UV signal in different severity of discharges is analyzed. The study indicates that, the development of protrusion discharge in GIS can be divided into four stages, and there is no positive correlation between the number of ultraviolet photons caused by discharge radiation and insulation deterioration level, but related to the diffusion, migration and recombination of charged particles, then UV optical method for quantitative monitoring of discharge in each stage is provided, which provide a new method for quantitative measurement of GIS insulator discharge.