Ship light design control system
The ship lighting design and control system enables intelligent adjustment of the lighting system in polar environments, meeting the work and living needs of the crew and providing effective escape guidance in emergency situations. It solves the problem of insufficient lighting systems in existing technologies and provides a safe and comfortable lighting environment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing ship lighting systems cannot meet the long-term working and living needs of crew members in polar navigation environments, and the emergency lighting system is poorly designed and cannot effectively guide and evacuate personnel in extreme environments.
A ship lighting design and control system was designed, including a data acquisition and analysis module, a function planning module, and a monitoring and control module. By collecting external environmental data and cabin area division, the system can intelligently adjust the lighting to meet the lighting needs of different areas and switch to escape mode in emergency situations.
It provides a safe, efficient, comfortable and environmentally friendly lighting environment to meet the working and living needs of crew members in polar environments and to ensure the smooth evacuation of personnel in emergency situations.
Smart Images
Figure CN121815499A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of ship lighting control, and in particular to a ship lighting design and control system. Background Technology
[0002] The only suitable navigation period in the Arctic is typically during the Northern Hemisphere summer. This short period forces ships to navigate during the Arctic winter. The Arctic winter environment is harsh, characterized by polar nights, extremely low temperatures, strong winds, and blizzards. During this time, crew members are often confined to their cabins for extended periods. Prolonged indoor activity can lead to seasonal affective disorder, visual fatigue, sleep disturbances, and long-term disruption of circadian rhythms, potentially causing biological clock irregularities and even increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, since ships require 24-hour continuous work when underway or loading cargo at docks, crew members need to take turns working and resting. Therefore, each crew member has different needs regarding the lighting in their cabin. In addition, ships, as integrated living and working environments, have an emergency system to facilitate the timely evacuation of personnel in the event of power failure or fire. The most important components of this emergency system are directional escape lights and stable lighting inside the ship's cabins. Currently, the lighting systems on ships navigating in polar regions are limited to the conventional manual on / off function. Summary of the Invention
[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the above-mentioned related technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a ship lighting design and control system.
[0004] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a ship lighting design and control system, comprising: a data acquisition and analysis module for acquiring external environmental data under various operating conditions; a function planning module for dividing the ship into compartment areas with different functions; a technical requirements module for storing the lighting requirements of each compartment area; and a monitoring and control module, wherein the monitoring and control module determines the operating conditions of the lighting fixtures based on the data acquired by the data acquisition and analysis module, and adjusts the lighting in each compartment area based on the preset lighting requirements in the technical requirements module.
[0005] Optionally, the data acquisition and analysis module is used to collect information on the lowest external temperature, storm impact vibration, and polar day and polar night conditions.
[0006] Optionally, the functional planning module divides the ship into cabin working areas, cabin living areas, cabin entertainment areas, cabin dining areas, cabin escape areas, and open-air escape areas.
[0007] Optionally, in polar day environments, the monitoring and control module adjusts the illumination by providing high-contrast lighting, designing lenses or reflectors according to the area, and controlling the beam angle.
[0008] Optionally, the monitoring and control module may adjust the lighting in the working area of the cabin by changing the light contrast, increasing color rendering, and reducing upward light and diffuse light.
[0009] Optionally, the monitoring and control system includes an AI monitoring sensor for scanning the personnel situation inside the cabin and automatically turning on the natural light source at the current time when personnel enter.
[0010] Optionally, the AI monitoring sensor is a millimeter-wave radar sensor.
[0011] Optionally, the monitoring and control system further includes a mechanical control panel for manual operation by the crew.
[0012] As described above, the ship lighting design and control system of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention is based on the concept of human factors engineering and matches the lighting system according to the living and working needs of people in a specific area. In this way, by analyzing the data collected by the data acquisition and analysis module, analyzing the external natural light source, the illuminance of various lamps, the mutual influence of various lamps under application states, and the lighting control logic under emergency conditions of the ship, the ship lighting system can meet the needs of people's work and life in polar environments, and can be intelligently adjusted by the monitoring and control module in combination with the internal and external environment. This provides theoretical support for the long-term navigation of polar ships and also provides a safe, efficient, comfortable and environmentally friendly lighting environment. Attached Figure Description
[0013] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the control logic of the control system designed in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0014] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0015] In the detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views illustrating the device structure may be partially enlarged and not to scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In actual fabrication, the three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth should be included.
[0016] For ease of description, spatial relation terms such as “below,” “under,” “lower than,” “below,” “above,” and “upper” may be used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the accompanying drawings and other elements or features. It will be understood that these spatial relation terms are intended to include directions other than those depicted in the drawings for the device in use or operation. Furthermore, when a layer is referred to as being “between” two layers, it can be the only layer between the two layers, or there may be one or more layers in between. The phrase “between” as used herein includes both endpoint values.
[0017] In the context of this application, the structure described above the first feature may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, or embodiments in which additional features are formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.
[0018] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.
[0019] like Figure 1 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a ship lighting design and control system, which includes a data acquisition and analysis module, a function planning module, a technical requirements module, and a monitoring and control module.
[0020] The data acquisition and analysis module collects data on the lowest ambient temperature, storm impact vibration, and illumination conditions during polar days and nights. The functional planning module, based on different ship types, divides the vessel into cabin work areas, cabin living areas, cabin entertainment areas, cabin dining areas, cabin escape areas, and open-air escape areas. The technical requirements module stores the illumination requirements and lighting installation requirements for each cabin area.
[0021] Since polar temperatures can typically reach -50°C, and in extreme winter blizzard conditions, they can drop to -70°C, lighting fixtures need to be replaced and maintained after reaching the end of their lifespan when operating under such low-temperature conditions for a period of time. By collecting the lowest temperature data, the low-temperature requirements for the lighting fixtures can be determined. To enable the lighting fixtures to operate in extreme environments, outdoor lighting fixtures on ships are divided into three parts for insulation / heating to ensure normal outdoor use. First, its internal electronic components require a wide-temperature-range driving power supply (such as a wide-temperature capacitor). Second, it needs to use an integrated PTC heater or resistance wire to preheat the power supply and battery for an extended period before the lamp is started or at low temperatures. Third, it uses insulating materials to construct the lamp housing. The base of the lamp housing is made of thick insulating material and uses a low-temperature resistant sealing ring for protection against low temperatures and rain / snow penetration. Since the light source surface is more susceptible to snow accumulation and storm impacts than the base, it can be constructed using a combination of non-obstructive coating materials (such as acrylic polyurethane coatings) and metal or plastic structures, such as marine-grade aluminum alloys or special engineering plastics like polyetheretherketone (PEEK) that meet IP68 / IP69K standards. The monitoring and control module can detect the lowest ambient temperature to understand the operating conditions of the outdoor lamps, then use algorithms to estimate the lamp's lifespan and notify the operator to perform timely replacement and maintenance.
[0022] After acquiring data on storm impact vibration, requirements for the luminaire's external structure to be robust and impact-resistant, and to prevent snow and ice accumulation, will be generated. Based on the collected data, the technical requirements module can output the luminaire's design requirements for operators to refer to. The design requirements include impact-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials, smooth external surface design of the luminaire, and large tilt angle installation, etc.
[0023] For example, the tilt angle of outdoor lighting fixtures in general areas should not exceed 5°. However, installing fixtures at a large tilt angle allows snow to slide off naturally, avoiding frequent cleaning and preventing snow from freezing and cracking the fixtures or affecting the light source. In polar environments, the minimum installation angle is 45°, and the optimal tilt angle is related to the local latitude, falling within ±5°. Using the equator as a reference point, the optimal tilt angle gradually increases with increasing latitude towards the poles. Therefore, the tilt angle for outdoor lighting fixtures in polar regions should be above 50°.
[0024] Furthermore, increasing the installation angle will affect the stability of outdoor lighting fixtures. Therefore, there are corresponding requirements for the structural design of the lighting fixture base. At the same time, the resonance effect between the base and the bracket under strong wind conditions needs to be considered, and strength simulation calculations can be performed.
[0025] In polar day environments, intense light reflection is common. The high reflectivity of ice and snow surfaces causes glare, and this intense light reflects through the windows of ship cabins, making the interiors overly bright. This not only affects the visibility of personnel inside the cabins but also causes overexposure of interior colors. When the data acquisition and analysis module detects that the polar environment is currently in a polar day state, the technical requirements module transmits the lighting requirements information for each cabin to the monitoring and control module. Based on this information, the monitoring and control module adjusts the lighting fixtures in each cabin area. The monitoring and control module can adjust the lighting by providing high-contrast illumination, designing lenses or reflectors according to the area, and controlling the beam angle.
[0026] For example, in entertainment rooms or other cabins where accurate color perception is required, a high color rendering scheme with a CRI>85 or Ra>90 should be selected. If the cabin is a work or experimental cabin where concentration is required, the Uniform Glare Ratio (UGR) should be controlled below 19 to reduce discomfort caused by the lighting fixtures in the cabin. The monitoring and control module can convert the direct light in the lighting fixtures into soft diffused light by controlling reflectors or lenses, thus eliminating glare interference from the light source.
[0027] When the data acquisition and analysis module detects that the current environment is polar night, all areas of the ship require 24-hour artificial lighting. At this time, it is necessary to consider the requirements of maintaining the physiological rhythm of the personnel and the lighting fixtures needing to simulate changes in natural light. The technical requirements module sends the requirements information to the monitoring and control module, which then adjusts the lighting fixtures in each compartment.
[0028] For example, the process of the monitoring and control module controlling the changes in the light of the lamps is as follows: When in polar night, in the early morning to morning (about 5 am to 10 am) local time in the polar region, the crew is just waking up and the cabin requires cool white light with high illuminance (500-1000 lx) and high color temperature (5000-6500K) to enhance concentration.
[0029] During the midday to afternoon (approximately 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM) local time in the polar regions, the crew is in a highly active state, requiring the cabin lighting to be of medium illuminance (300-600 lx) and medium-to-high color temperature (4000-5500 K) to maintain uniform illumination.
[0030] In the early evening (around 4 PM to 7 PM local time in the polar region), as the crew gradually relaxes, the cabin lighting requires low to medium illuminance (150-300 lx) and a neutral to warm color temperature (3500-4000 K) to preheat the secretion of melatonin.
[0031] At night, local time in the polar regions (around 7 PM to 11 PM), the crew is preparing to sleep, and the cabin requires low-intensity (50-150 lx) and low-color-temperature (below 2700 K) light sources to suppress blue light.
[0032] In the dead of night in the polar region (around 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.), the crew is in a deep sleep, and the lighting is limited to basic nightlights or motion-sensor lights to avoid disrupting melatonin synthesis.
[0033] Furthermore, the monitoring and control module can perform specific lighting adjustments for different compartments. For example, the work area of the compartment is mainly a place for interpersonal communication or human-machine interaction, such as meetings and equipment operation. The lighting system needs to provide clear lighting for personnel in areas such as meeting seats around the conference table, reporting seats, and workstations in front of equipment operating tables. By changing the light contrast, increasing the color rendering index, and reducing uplighting and diffused light, accurate color discrimination can be provided, and glare can be effectively reduced to improve personnel's focus and efficiency.
[0034] The living quarters are primarily designed to provide crew members with places to rest, wash, and sleep. However, since each crew member's daily routine varies depending on the shifts on board, the lighting system in each living quarter needs to be controlled relatively independently. The system should be able to dim the lights when crew members need to rest, turn off all the lights when crew members need to sleep, and brighten the lights in the washing area when crew members need to wash, in order to meet the various living needs of the crew members.
[0035] The cabin entertainment area is mainly intended to provide a place for crew members to relax and unwind after work. In addition to adjusting the brightness, the lighting system needs to be able to switch playback modes such as color or rotation according to the rhythm of the music played during dance parties and singing sessions, as well as the lighting adjustment needs of cinema scenes.
[0036] The cabin dining area primarily provides an environment for crew and cooks to eat and prepare meals. The catering area needs lighting that enhances the color of the food and keeps it warm, while the galley area needs lighting that allows light to penetrate fumes and moisture and is easy to clean. Meanwhile, the dining area requires warm, comfortable lighting that can appropriately enhance appetite, encouraging crew members to consume sufficient food to ensure they receive adequate nutrition.
[0037] When a ship encounters special scenarios, such as escape from cabin areas and escape from open areas, cabin area escape will impose requirements on the control priority of the lighting system. That is, regardless of the operating status of the lighting system in any area of the cabin, when a fire breaks out somewhere on the ship or the entire ship loses power and crew needs to escape, the entire ship's lighting system will switch to escape mode. After the technical requirement module sends this requirement information to the monitoring and control module, under the control of the monitoring and control module, the power supply of the ship's lighting system will be adjusted from the original generator power supply to the emergency reserve power supply of the lighting system itself. The lighting inside the cabin will switch from the current state to a mode where only the lights indicating the escape route or the escape route are turned on, so that the crew inside can quickly reach the outdoor escape assembly point.
[0038] Furthermore, when the indoor escape area is activated, the outdoor escape area will also be activated. At this time, outdoor lights are needed to focus on illuminating and guiding small areas such as the outdoor escape boats and the disembarkation gangways. The technical requirements module sends the requirements information to the monitoring and control module, which controls narrow-beam, high-intensity lights to provide illumination, making it easier for crew members to operate the escape boats and disembark via the gangways in the outdoor open area.
[0039] The monitoring and control system includes AI monitoring sensors and mechanical control panels. The AI monitoring sensors use millimeter-wave radar to scan the personnel situation in the cabins within fixed time periods. When personnel enter, the system automatically turns on the natural light sources for that time period and allows crew members to switch between different light source modes. This not only saves energy but also meets usage needs. The AI monitoring sensors, in conjunction with control algorithms, integrate the control logic with the ship's lighting system to achieve dynamic dimming and color adjustment, thus meeting the lighting needs of different areas, scenarios, and user habits.
[0040] When the AI monitoring sensors malfunction, the mechanical control panel provides manual operation for the crew. It can be installed at the escape route in each individual compartment, or centrally controlled from the bridge and control room of the ship.
[0041] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A ship lighting design and control system, characterized in that, include: The data acquisition and analysis module is used to collect external environmental data under various operating conditions. The functional planning module is used to divide the ship into compartment areas with different functions; The technical requirements module stores the lighting requirements for each compartment area; The monitoring and control module determines the operating condition of the lighting fixtures based on the data collected by the data acquisition and analysis module, and adjusts the lighting in each compartment area based on the preset lighting requirements in the technical requirements module.
2. The ship lighting design and control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The data acquisition and analysis module is used to collect data on the lowest external temperature, storm impact vibration, and polar day and polar night conditions.
3. The ship lighting design and control system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The functional planning module divides the ship into cabin work areas, cabin living areas, cabin entertainment areas, cabin dining areas, cabin escape areas, and open-air escape areas.
4. The ship lighting design and control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: In polar day environments, the monitoring and control module adjusts illumination by providing high-contrast lighting, designing lenses or reflectors according to the area, and controlling the beam angle.
5. The ship lighting design and control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The monitoring and control module adjusts the lighting in the working area of the cabin by changing the light contrast, increasing color rendering, and reducing upward light and diffused light.
6. The ship lighting design and control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The monitoring and control system includes an AI monitoring sensor used to scan the personnel situation inside the cabin and automatically turn on the natural light source at the current time when personnel enter.
7. The ship lighting design and control system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The AI monitoring sensor is a millimeter-wave radar sensor.
8. The ship lighting design and control system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The monitoring and control system also includes a mechanical control panel for manual operation by the crew.