Underwater lighting light control system

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the field of lighting technology and discloses an underwater lighting control system, including: a control center, a control cable, a camera, and lighting fixtures; the control center is located on the sea surface, one end of the control cable is connected to the control center, and the other end of the control cable extends underwater and is connected to the camera and the lighting fixtures respectively; the control cable is used to transmit control signals from the control center to the camera and the lighting fixtures; the camera is used to capture observation data within the underwater observation area; the number of lighting fixtures includes multiple fixtures, which are arranged in an array in a preset shape around the observation area. This utility model aims to improve the observation effect underwater.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of lighting technology, and in particular to an underwater lighting control system. Background Technology

[0002] Among related technologies, seabed observation is an important tool for marine scientific research and an indispensable technical support for fields such as marine resource development, marine environmental protection, and marine disaster early warning. Good lighting conditions are a crucial prerequisite for obtaining clear images when conducting observations in the ocean.

[0003] Currently, commonly used seabed observation systems typically mount lighting equipment on submersible devices. By controlling the movement of the submersible, the lighting equipment can be adjusted to illuminate the seabed from various directions, thus enabling seabed observation. However, in this method, both the illumination direction of the lighting equipment and the camera's shooting direction are limited by the movement of the submersible, which can result in inadequate lighting and affect the quality of the images captured by the camera.

[0004] In summary, the technical problems existing in the relevant technologies need to be improved. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes an underwater lighting control system, the system comprising: a control center, control cables, a camera, and lighting fixtures;

[0006] The control center is located on the sea surface. One end of the control cable is connected to the control center, and the other end of the control cable extends below the sea surface and is connected to the camera and the lighting fixture respectively. The control cable is used to transmit control signals from the control center to the camera and the lighting fixture.

[0007] The camera is used to capture observation data within the underwater observation area;

[0008] The number of lighting fixtures includes multiple ones, and the multiple lighting fixtures are arranged in an array in a preset shape around the observation area.

[0009] In some embodiments, the preset shape is annular, and the plurality of lighting fixtures form an annular array.

[0010] In some embodiments, the preset shape is rectangular, and the plurality of lighting fixtures form a rectangular array.

[0011] In some embodiments, the system further includes a support frame disposed below the sea surface and fixed at a preset depth, wherein the camera and the lighting fixture are disposed on the support frame;

[0012] The support frame is configured in the preset shape, and multiple lighting fixtures are fixedly mounted on the support frame to form an array of the preset shape.

[0013] In some embodiments, the support frame is provided with a slide rail, along which the camera can move on the support frame.

[0014] In some embodiments, the control center is connected to each of the lighting fixtures via the control cable and is configured to control each of the lighting fixtures individually.

[0015] In some embodiments, the system further includes an ambient light sensor connected to the control cable, the ambient light sensor being used to collect ambient light data below the sea surface and transmit it to the control center via the control cable.

[0016] In some embodiments, the system further includes an attitude sensor disposed on each of the lighting fixtures and connected to the control cable. The attitude sensor is used to detect the attitude data of the corresponding lighting fixture and transmit the attitude data to the control center through the control cable.

[0017] In some embodiments, the system further includes a power cable, one end of which is connected to an external power supply device, and the other end of which is connected to the lighting fixture and the camera, respectively.

[0018] In some embodiments, the lighting fixture and the camera are configured to be encased in a corrosion-resistant and biofouling-resistant housing or coating.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: An underwater lighting control system is designed, including a control center, a camera, and lighting fixtures. The control center connects to and controls the camera and lighting fixtures via control cables. The camera is used to capture observation data of the observation area. Compared to systems where both the camera and lighting fixtures are affected by the movement and turning of the diving equipment, the lighting fixtures in this application are controlled independently of the camera, providing a more flexible lighting and observation solution. Furthermore, the lighting fixtures are multiple and arranged in a preset array around the observation area, ensuring that the array provides sufficient supplementary lighting for the observation area. Controlling the camera does not affect the lighting effect of the lighting fixtures, avoiding the need to consider the orientation of both the camera and lighting fixtures when controlling observation through diving equipment, thus improving the observation effect below the sea surface. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0021] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of an underwater lighting control system provided in this embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a ring array lighting fixture provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a rectangular array lighting fixture provided for an embodiment of the present utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0025] Among related technologies, seabed observation is an important tool for marine scientific research and an indispensable technical support for fields such as marine resource development, marine environmental protection, and marine disaster early warning. Good lighting conditions are a crucial prerequisite for obtaining clear images when conducting observations in the ocean.

[0026] Currently, commonly used seabed observation systems typically mount lighting equipment on submersible devices. By controlling the movement of the submersible, the lighting equipment can be adjusted to illuminate the seabed from various directions, thus enabling seabed observation. However, in this method, both the illumination direction of the lighting equipment and the camera's shooting direction are limited by the movement of the submersible, which can result in inadequate lighting and affect the quality of the images captured by the camera.

[0027] In view of this, this application provides an underwater lighting control system. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an underwater lighting control system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 The underwater lighting control system may include, but is not limited to: a control center, control cables, cameras, and lighting fixtures;

[0028] The control center is located on the sea surface. One end of the control cable is connected to the control center, and the other end extends below the sea surface and is connected to the camera and lighting fixtures respectively. The control cable is used to transmit the control signals from the control center to the camera and lighting fixtures.

[0029] The camera is used to capture observation data within the underwater observation area;

[0030] The number of lighting fixtures includes multiple fixtures, which are arranged in a preset shape to form an array around the observation area.

[0031] Specifically, the control center is located on the sea surface, either on land or on a ship. When conducting underwater observation work, cameras and lighting equipment are deployed underwater. The control center is connected to the lighting equipment and the cameras via control cables. Based on these control cables, staff can obtain the observation data captured by the cameras underwater from the control center and control the operation of the lighting equipment and / or cameras.

[0032] For observation work, multiple lighting fixtures are arranged in a pre-defined array around the observation area, effectively providing ample illumination for the entire area. Based on this, the independently controllable camera can capture images under favorable lighting conditions regardless of which object it is directed at within the observation area. This solves the problem of simultaneous controllability issues when using underwater equipment with both lighting fixtures and cameras for observation.

[0033] This embodiment designs an underwater lighting control system, including a control center, a camera, and lighting fixtures. The control center connects to and controls the camera and lighting fixtures via control cables. The camera is used to capture observation data of the observation area. Compared to the previous method where both the camera and lighting fixtures are affected by the movement and turning of the diving equipment, the lighting fixtures in this application are controlled independently of the camera, providing a more flexible lighting and observation solution. Furthermore, the lighting fixtures are multiple and arranged in a preset array around the observation area, ensuring that the array provides sufficient supplementary lighting. Controlling the camera does not affect the lighting effect of the lighting fixtures, avoiding the need to consider the orientation of both the camera and lighting fixtures when controlling observations via diving equipment, thus improving the observation effect below the sea surface.

[0034] In some embodiments, the preset shape is a ring, and multiple lighting fixtures form a ring array.

[0035] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of lighting fixtures to form a circular array. The minimum number of lighting fixtures should be four to support the circular arrangement. Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a circular array formed by eight lighting fixtures.

[0036] The illumination fixtures in the circular array are distributed along the circumference, and the light converges towards the center (observation area). This arrangement helps to eliminate shadows cast by objects within the observation area, thus improving the observation effect. On the other hand, the camera is positioned outside the ring, enabling out-of-ring photography. Since the illumination of the circular array provides edge highlighting for the observed object, emphasizing the contrast between the object and the background, the camera's outward shooting further enhances the contour imaging, resulting in a better observation effect.

[0037] In some embodiments, the preset shape is rectangular, and multiple lighting fixtures form a rectangular array.

[0038] To ensure sufficient lighting fixtures to form a rectangle, a minimum of four fixtures should be used. In practical applications, rectangular arrays are more often configured as grid-like arrays, see reference [reference needed]. Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of lighting fixtures to form a grid-like rectangular array, illustrating a matrix array formed by six lighting fixtures.

[0039] Rectangular array lighting fixtures provide planar illumination with high uniformity, making them more suitable than circular arrays for larger observation areas where objects are more dispersed. The grid pattern effectively divides the observation area into multiple sub-regions, achieving zoned illumination. Cameras can be positioned at the nodes of the rectangular or grid-like array, with multiple cameras configured according to grid requirements, enabling distributed illumination and image capture for each sub-region, resulting in more comprehensive lighting and observation effects.

[0040] In some embodiments, the system further includes a support frame disposed below the sea surface and fixed at a preset depth, with the camera and lighting fixtures disposed on the support frame;

[0041] The support frame is set to a preset shape, and multiple lighting fixtures are fixedly installed on the support frame to form an array of the preset shape.

[0042] To achieve stable underwater observation, it is necessary to fix the lighting equipment and cameras installed underwater to prevent them from being affected by ocean currents and deviating from their positions, which could lead to abnormal lighting or observation angles.

[0043] In this embodiment, a support frame is used to fix the camera and lighting fixtures. The support frame is set underwater and can be connected to a vessel on the sea surface via an extension rod, providing a stable fulcrum and fixing it at a predetermined depth underwater. Based on this, the camera and lighting fixtures can be mounted on the support frame, thus stabilizing their positions. The control cable can be extended by attaching to the extension rod and support frame until it connects to the lighting fixture or camera.

[0044] On the other hand, since the position of the lighting fixtures is also restricted by the support frame, in order for the lighting fixtures to form an array of a preset shape, the support frame can also be set to a preset shape, so that the lighting fixtures set on it can naturally form an array of a preset shape.

[0045] In other embodiments, other methods can be used to fix the lighting fixtures and cameras at a certain depth and position. For example, anchors or similar structures can be deployed to the seabed, and cables can be extended from the anchors to hold the lighting fixtures and cameras. The lighting fixtures and cameras can be fixed to a fixed position on the cable by a damper on the cable, thus achieving the same result of fixing the lighting fixtures and cameras at a certain depth and position below the sea surface.

[0046] In some embodiments, the support frame is provided with a slide rail, along which the camera can move on the support frame.

[0047] The support frame described in the above embodiment can be configured to include two tracks, with the first track for mounting lighting fixtures and the second track for mounting cameras. Furthermore, the second track can be configured as a slide rail structure including a motor, with the camera mounted on the motor, enabling remote electronic control of the camera's movement on the support frame via a control center.

[0048] By controlling the movement of the camera on the support frame, it means that for observation areas that have been adequately illuminated by the lighting array, the camera can flexibly adjust the shooting angle and shooting position, improving the flexibility of underwater observation.

[0049] In some embodiments, the control center is connected to each lighting fixture via control cables and is configured to control each lighting fixture individually.

[0050] Optionally, the control cables can be branched to connect individually to each lighting fixture. Based on this connection, the control center can also be configured to control each lighting fixture individually. This allows for adjustments to nearby lighting fixtures when poor lighting conditions are detected at a location within the observation area, necessitating supplemental lighting adjustments. This compensates for partial lighting needs without affecting the overall illumination of the observation area, improving the flexibility of underwater lighting adjustments and reducing adjustment costs.

[0051] In some embodiments, the system further includes an ambient light sensor connected to a control cable. The ambient light sensor is used to collect ambient light data below the sea surface and transmit it to the control center via the control cable.

[0052] Optionally, an ambient light sensor can also be installed underwater in the system. To adapt to the underwater environment, this sensor needs improvements in waterproofing, pressure resistance, and seawater corrosion resistance. The ambient light sensor can be mounted on a support frame or camera, where it collects ambient light data and transmits this data back to the control center via a control cable.

[0053] This ambient light data can be used to help control center staff determine the default lighting conditions under the sea surface before starting the lighting fixtures, or to help control center staff determine the lighting effect that the lighting fixtures can provide after they are started. This helps to identify deficiencies and further adjust the lighting scheme, thereby helping to improve and enhance the lighting effect under the sea surface.

[0054] In some embodiments, the system further includes an attitude sensor, which is disposed on each lighting fixture and connected to a control cable. The attitude sensor is used to detect the attitude data of the corresponding lighting fixture and transmit the attitude data to the control center via the control cable.

[0055] Optionally, the system can also include attitude sensors for the lighting fixtures. An attitude sensor is a device capable of detecting the attitude information of an object in three-dimensional space, converting physical quantities such as the object's orientation, angle, and motion state into processable electrical signals. Typically, the attitude of an object can be described using three-axis rotation angles. In this embodiment, attitude sensors are installed on each lighting fixture to detect the attitude information of each fixture, thereby determining the illumination direction of each fixture. The collected attitude information is defined as the attitude data, and this attitude data is transmitted back to the control center via a control cable.

[0056] Lighting fixtures have light distribution curves based on their hardware characteristics. When illuminated from different angles in space, their light intensity distribution will vary. Therefore, collecting the attitude data of lighting fixtures can help the staff in the control center determine the illumination direction of each lighting fixture, as well as the current light intensity output of the fixture. This is beneficial for determining the adjustment scheme when the lighting scheme needs to be adjusted, taking into account the impact of light intensity changes, and helping to improve and enhance the lighting effect under the sea surface.

[0057] In some embodiments, the system further includes a power cable, one end of which is connected to an external power supply device, and the other end of which is connected to a lighting fixture and a camera, respectively.

[0058] To ensure the proper functioning of the lighting fixtures and cameras, a power supply is required. In this embodiment, a separate power cable is provided, decoupling the power supply function from the control cable. The power supply unit is located on the sea surface, for example, in the same location as the control center. The power cable extends below the sea surface along the same path as the control cable and connects to the lighting fixtures and cameras respectively, thereby providing them with power. Separating the power cable from the control cable avoids electromagnetic interference, improves the stability of the control signal, and enhances the flexibility of system expansion.

[0059] In some embodiments, the lighting fixtures and cameras are configured to be encased in a corrosion-resistant and biofouling-resistant housing or coating.

[0060] For underwater lighting fixtures and cameras to function properly, they need to be able to withstand the effects of the underwater environment. In this embodiment, the lighting fixtures and cameras are made resistant to corrosion (seawater corrosion) and biofouling (mainly algae) by optimizing the housing or coating on the housing, thus enabling them to possess corrosion resistance and biofouling resistance.

[0061] It should be noted that the lighting fixtures and cameras also possess the basic waterproof and pressure-resistant features required for underwater use.

[0062] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0063] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0064] In the description of this utility model, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0065] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. An underwater lighting control system, characterized in that, The system includes: a control center, control cables, cameras, and lighting fixtures; The control center is located on the sea surface. One end of the control cable is connected to the control center, and the other end of the control cable extends below the sea surface and is connected to the camera and the lighting fixture respectively. The control cable is used to transmit control signals from the control center to the camera and the lighting fixture. The camera is used to capture observation data within the underwater observation area; The number of lighting fixtures includes multiple ones, and the multiple lighting fixtures are arranged in an array in a preset shape around the observation area.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset shape is a ring, and multiple lighting fixtures form a ring array.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset shape is rectangular, and multiple lighting fixtures form a rectangular array.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes a support frame, which is disposed below the sea surface and fixed at a preset depth, and the camera and the lighting fixture are disposed on the support frame; The support frame is configured in the preset shape, and multiple lighting fixtures are fixedly mounted on the support frame to form an array of the preset shape.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support frame is equipped with a slide rail, and the camera can move along the slide rail on the support frame.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control center is connected to each of the lighting fixtures via the control cables and is configured to control each of the lighting fixtures individually.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes an ambient light sensor, which is connected to the control cable. The ambient light sensor is used to collect ambient light data below the sea surface and transmit it to the control center through the control cable.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes an attitude sensor, which is installed on each of the lighting fixtures and connected to the control cable. The attitude sensor is used to detect the attitude data of the corresponding lighting fixture and transmit the attitude data to the control center through the control cable.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes a power cable, one end of which is connected to an external power supply device, and the other end of which is connected to the lighting fixture and the camera, respectively.

10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lighting fixtures and the camera are configured to be encased in a corrosion-resistant and biofouling-resistant shell or coating.

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