Solar concentrator and control method thereof for tracking sun

Abstract

Provided are a concentrator for collecting sunlight and transmitting the sunlight a long distance, and a control method for the concentrator, the control method being for tracking the sun and increasing light collection efficiency and light transmission efficiency by making precise corrections even when minute phase distortions occur. The control method for the concentrator is performed by a device including at least one processor, and comprises: collecting detection data from a plurality of light collecting sensors including a first light collecting sensor and a second light collecting sensor; and pivoting or tilting a joint module on the basis of a comparison result of the detection data of the plurality of light collecting sensors.

Description

Solar power concentrator and its control method for tracking the sun

[0001] The present invention relates to a solar concentrator and a control method thereof for tracking the sun. More specifically, the present invention relates to a solar concentrator for concentrating sunlight and transporting light over a longer distance, and to a control method of the solar concentrator for precisely correcting even minute phase distortions to track the sun and increase both the collection and transport efficiencies.

[0002] A solar concentrator is a device that tracks the sun, focuses sunlight, and transports the collected light. Solar concentrator technology is attracting attention for its high energy efficiency and environmental friendliness, as it allows direct use of solar energy without any conversion process.

[0003] Recently, the increasing tallness and density of urban buildings has led to increasing problems with sunlight. Solar concentrating technology is expected to address this issue by enabling direct sunlight to be transmitted to indoor and underground spaces where direct sunlight is difficult to access. For example, solar concentrators can be used for indoor lighting and for lighting plant growth.

[0004] In order to achieve high efficiency in solar power collection, it is very important for the light collector of the solar power collection device to precisely track the position of the sun in response to changes in the sun's position.

[0005] (Patent Document 1) KR 10-2483107 B1

[0006] Solar tracking technology has also been developed for solar cells, which convert sunlight into electrical energy. However, because solar cells exhibit only a small difference in photoelectric conversion efficiency depending on the sun's orientation and altitude, rough tracking is sufficient. Conventional solar cells perform solar tracking based on factors such as geographic location and time of day.

[0007] In contrast, when trying to concentrate sunlight and use it for lighting, tracking at the same level as solar cells cannot sufficiently achieve the purpose of light collection, so a very high level of tracking precision is required.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a solar concentrator with extremely high tracking precision. This provides a solar concentrator with improved light collection efficiency. At the same time, the present invention aims to provide a solar concentrator that is lightweight, compact, and highly integrated, with low manufacturing and maintenance costs, and is minimally affected by environmental factors such as strong winds or rain.

[0009] Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for controlling a solar power concentrator having very high tracking precision.

[0010] The tasks of the present invention are not limited to the technical tasks mentioned above, and other technical tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0011] A method for controlling a light collecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-described problem is a method performed by a device including at least one processor, the method including collecting detection data of a plurality of light collecting sensors including a first light collecting sensor and a second light collecting sensor, and pivoting or tilting a joint module based on a comparison result of the detection data of the plurality of light collecting sensors.

[0012] The step of comparing detection data of the first and second light collection sensors and pivoting or tilting the joint module may include pivoting or tilting toward the light collection sensor side where the light amount is determined to be less.

[0013] In some embodiments, the control method may further include collecting detection data of at least one reflective light sensor and deriving a reference light amount based on the detection data of the plurality of light collection sensors.

[0014] At this time, if the detection data of the first light-gathering sensor and the second light-gathering sensor are within a pre-specified range, the derived reference light amount and the detection data of the reflected light sensor can be compared, and the comparison result can be used to compare the detection data of a plurality of light-gathering sensors.

[0015] If the detection data of the first light collection sensor and the second light collection sensor are not within a pre-specified range, pivoting or tilting of the joint module based on the detection data of the reflection light sensor may not be performed.

[0016] The above plurality of light-gathering sensors further include a third light-gathering sensor and a fourth light-gathering sensor, and in the step of pivoting or tilting the joint module, if the difference in detection data of the first light-gathering sensor and the second light-gathering sensor is within a first range specified in advance, and the difference in detection data of the first light-gathering sensor and the third light-gathering sensor is within a second range specified in advance, but the difference in detection data of the third light-gathering sensor and the fourth light-gathering sensor is outside the first error range, and the difference in detection data of the second light-gathering sensor and the fourth light-gathering sensor is outside the second error range, a waiting time can be provided.

[0017] In addition, in the step of pivoting or tilting the joint module, if the second detection data of the second light collection sensor is greater than the first detection data of the first light collection sensor, the first detection data is greater than the third detection data of the third light collection sensor, and the fourth detection data of the fourth light collection sensor is greater than the third detection data, but the fourth detection data is greater than the second detection data, a waiting time can be provided.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-described other problem, a light collecting device includes: a reflective member having a reflective curved surface; a joint module for pivoting the reflective member in a plane to which a first direction and a second direction belong, or tilting the reflective member in a plane to which a third direction belongs; a plurality of sensor brackets fixed on the reflective member; a light collecting sensor arranged on each of the sensor brackets and configured to sense light irradiated toward the reflective member; a light transport unit configured to transport light through internal reflection; and a light path modulation unit configured to reflect the light reflected by the reflective member one or more times so that the reflected light faces one end of the light transport unit.

[0019] In some embodiments, the light collection device may further include a reflective light sensor configured to sense light at the other end or at any point of the light transport unit; and a processor for comparing detection data of the light collection sensor and the reflective light sensor.

[0020] The above plurality of sensor brackets may include first bracket to fourth bracket.

[0021] At this time, each of the sensor brackets may include a blocking plate portion extending in the direction of the optical axis of the reflective member.

[0022] Additionally, the plurality of said light-gathering sensors may include a first light-gathering sensor to a fourth light-gathering sensor.

[0023] When the reflective member is viewed from the optical axis direction, the first light-gathering sensor and the fourth light-gathering sensor may be spaced apart with the reflection center of the reflective member interposed therebetween, and the second light-gathering sensor and the third light-gathering sensor may be spaced apart with the reflection center interposed therebetween.

[0024] Additionally, the separation direction of the first and fourth light-gathering sensors, and the separation direction of the second and third light-gathering sensors may not be within a plane to which the third direction in which the joint module is tilted belongs.

[0025] In addition, when the reflective member is viewed from the optical axis direction, the blocking plate portion of the first bracket supporting the first light-gathering sensor may be provided on the opposite side of the fourth light-gathering sensor, and the blocking plate portion of the second bracket supporting the second light-gathering sensor may be provided on the opposite side of the third light-gathering sensor.

[0026] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description.

[0027] According to embodiments of the present invention, a solar power concentrator having very high tracking precision can be provided.

[0028] The effects according to the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the contents exemplified above, and more diverse effects are included in the present specification.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a solar power concentrator according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the solar power concentrator of Figure 1.

[0031] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the reflective member and sensor bracket of Figure 2.

[0032] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the reflective member and sensor bracket of Figure 3 viewed from a different direction.

[0033] Fig. 5 is a plan view of the reflective member and sensor bracket of Fig. 3 viewed in the optical axis direction.

[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the oblique light according to the sensor bracket.

[0035] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the joint module of Fig. 1.

[0036] Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the guide block of Figure 7.

[0037] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing light collection and light transport using the solar concentrator of Fig. 1.

[0038] Figures 10 and 11 are schematic diagrams showing the process of tilting the light collecting device of Figure 9, respectively.

[0039] Fig. 12 is a hardware configuration diagram of the light collection device of Fig. 1.

[0040] Fig. 13 is a logical configuration diagram of the light collection device of Fig. 12.

[0041] Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing a control method of a light collecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing in detail the steps for comparing and judging the detection data of the light collection sensors of Fig. 14.

[0043] Figures 16 to 18 are schematic diagrams for explaining the judgment steps of Figure 15.

[0044] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described in detail below, along with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided solely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention is defined solely by the scope of the claims.

[0045] Furthermore, the scope of a patent claim does not describe the technical content that constitutes the substance of the invention, but rather indicates the scope of rights claimed based on the technical components disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. Therefore, it is inevitable that the patent claim is composed of abstract, superordinate concepts encompassing the technology disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. If a person skilled in the art can understand the technical components within the claim, or their combination and operational effects, throughout the entire specification, the patent claim should be considered supported by the detailed description of the invention.

[0046] That is, various modifications may be made to the embodiments presented in the present invention. The embodiments described below are not intended to limit the embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives thereto.

[0047] If any term described in this specification is intended to be used with a specific meaning, that meaning must be defined and interpreted accordingly. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used in their common sense to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise.

[0048] In this specification, "and / or" includes each and every combination of the items mentioned. In addition, the singular also includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise in the phrase. As used herein, "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components in addition to the mentioned components. A numerical range indicated using "to" indicates a numerical range that includes the values ​​stated before and after it as the lower and upper limits, respectively. The terms "about" or "approximately" mean a value or numerical range that is within 20% of the value or numerical range stated after it.

[0049] In this specification, ordinal modifiers such as “first component,” “second component,” and “1-1st component” are used to simply distinguish one component from another. Therefore, the first component referred to below may be referred to as the second component within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. For example, what is referred to as the first component in one embodiment may be referred to as the second component in another embodiment. Furthermore, what is referred to as the first component in the description of the invention may of course be referred to as the second component in the claims.

[0050] The size, thickness, width, length, etc. of the components illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience and clarity of explanation, and therefore the present invention is not limited to the illustrated form.

[0051] Spatially relative terms such as 'above', 'upper', 'on', 'below', 'beneath', 'lower', etc. can be used to easily describe the relationship of one element or component to another element or component as depicted in the drawings. Spatially relative terms should be understood to include different orientations of the elements when used in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if an element depicted in a drawing is flipped, an element described as 'below' or 'beneath' another element may actually be 'above' the other element. Thus, the exemplary term 'below' can include both the above and below orientations.

[0052] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings below.

[0053] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a solar concentrator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the solar concentrator of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a reflective member and a sensor bracket of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the reflective member and the sensor bracket of FIG. 3 when viewed from another direction. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the reflective member and the sensor bracket of FIG. 3 when viewed in the direction of the optical axis. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the position of oblique light according to the sensor bracket. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the joint module of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the guide block of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing light collection and light transport using the solar concentrator of FIG. 1. FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are schematic diagrams showing the process of tilting the concentrator of FIG. 9, respectively.

[0054] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 11, a solar concentrator (10) (or solar concentrator system, or solar transport system) according to the present embodiment includes a reflective member (100), a joint module (200), a light concentrating sensor (300), a sensor bracket (400), a light path modulation member (500), and a housing (600), and may further include a light transport unit (700) and a reflective light sensor (800).

[0055] In describing the present invention, the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) may mean a horizontal direction belonging to a horizontal plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity. In addition, the third direction (Z) may mean the direction of gravity. The pivoting of some components of the solar concentrator (10) is a rotational movement for tracking the azimuth angle (λ) of the moving sun, and means rotation on a horizontal plane to which the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) belong. The tilting of some components of the solar concentrator (10) is a movement for tracking the elevation angle (φ, h) of the moving sun, and means rotation on a plane to which the third direction (Z) belongs.

[0056] The reflective member (100) (or reflector, primary mirror, or first reflector) may be a means for primarily reflecting sunlight directly irradiated from the sun. The reflective member (100) may be provided in the form of a roughly parabolic concave mirror. That is, the concave curved surface of the reflective member (100) may provide an effective reflective surface. In the present specification, a parabolic mirror may mean a reflective member having a paraboloid as a reflective surface.

[0057] A through hole (100h) may be provided at the reflection center (RC) of the reflective member (100), i.e., the center of the mirror. In the present specification, the reflection center or mirror center refers to the center of a paraboloid of the reflective member having a reflective surface of an approximately curved shape. In addition, the optical axis (OA) (or mirror axis) refers to a line connecting the reflection center (RC) and the focus or centroid of the reflective member (100). For example, all, part, or a majority of light incident on the reflective member (100) along a direction parallel to the optical axis (OA) may be gathered at one point.

[0058] As described later, the reflected light primarily reflected from the reflective member (100) can be reflected to the optical path modulation member (500) described later, particularly the first path modulation member (510), and can be substantially changed into parallel light. In addition, the parallel light reflected by the first path modulation member (510) can proceed to the rear side of the reflective member (100) through the through hole (100h) located at the reflection center of the reflective member (100).

[0059] In describing the present invention, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) and the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) may be used to describe a direction based on the reflective member (100). That is, since the reflective member (100) can pivot or tilt with respect to the ground or a horizontal plane as described below, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) and the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) may be used to describe the position and direction of a component that is fixed on the reflective member (100) and moves together with the reflective member (100) with respect to the reflective member (100).

[0060] The first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) and the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) may be any direction orthogonal to the optical axis (OA), which may be a direction seen in a plane when the reflective member (100) is viewed in the direction of the optical axis (OA). That is, it may be a direction lying in a plane corresponding to a string in an arc revealed in any cross-section of a concave parabolic mirror. As the reflective member (100) pivots or tilts, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) or the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) may be parallel to, intersect with, or perpendicular to any direction among the first direction (X) to the third direction (Z).

[0061] Specifically, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) (transverse direction of the reflector) refers to a direction orthogonal to the optical axis (OA) of the reflective member (100) and parallel to the horizontal plane to which the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) belong. As the reflective member (100) pivots, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) may be parallel to or intersect the first direction (X) or the second direction (Y). In addition, even when the reflective member (100) is tilted, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) may always be parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0062] The second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) (vertical direction of the reflector) is a direction orthogonal to the optical axis (OA) of the reflective member (100), and means a direction located within a plane to which the third direction (Z) belongs. As the reflective member (100) tilts, the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) may be located within a horizontal plane, intersect with the third direction (Z), or be parallel to the third direction (Z).

[0063] That is, although the terms "direction" and "optical axis crossing direction" are used distinctly in the description of the invention, it goes without saying that the term "direction" is not limited thereto when interpreting the claims. For example, the term "optical axis crossing direction" used in the description of the invention may be referred to as "direction" in the claims.

[0064] The optical path modulation member (500) (or the second reflector) may be configured to reflect the light primarily reflected by the reflector (100) one or more times so that it is directed toward one end (e.g., the introduction end or the incident end) of the optical transport member (700).

[0065] The optical path modulation member (500) may include a first path modulation member (510). The first path modulation member (510) may be a means for re-reflecting light that has been reflected once by the reflective member (100). The first path modulation member (510) may be provided in an approximately convex mirror shape. That is, the convex curved surface of the first path modulation member (510) may provide an effective reflective surface.

[0066] The reflective surface of the first path modulation member (510) may be spaced apart and opposite to the reflective surface of the reflective member (100) in the direction of the optical axis (OA). For this purpose, a first spacer bar (110a) (or frame) may be provided. For example, one end of the first spacer bar (110a) may be fixed on the reflective member (100), and the first path modulation member (510) may be fixed on the other end of the first spacer bar (110a). The optical axis of the first path modulation member (510) may be approximately parallel to the optical axis (OA) of the reflective member (100), and the focus of the first path modulation member (510) and the focus of the reflective member (100) may be placed on a line connecting the reflection center of the first path modulation member (510) and the reflection center (RC) of the reflective member (100).

[0067] The first path modulation member (510) may be positioned near the focus of the reflective member (100). Accordingly, when the reflective member (100) is arranged to face the sun, parallel sunlight incident on the reflective member (100) is reflected by the reflective member (100) and directed toward the first path modulation member (510), and the reflected light reflected again from the first path modulation member (510) is modulated into high-density parallel light and may proceed toward the through hole (100h) of the reflective member (100). The light propagation of the high-density parallel light passing through the through hole (100h) will be described later. The shape, such as the curvature, of the first path modulation member (510) may be appropriately designed to achieve the above purpose.

[0068] A sensor bracket (400) can be fixedly placed on the reflective member (100). When the reflective member (100) is pivoted and / or tilted by the joint module (200), the sensor bracket (400) and the light-collecting sensors (300) placed on the sensor bracket (400) can move together with the reflective member (100).

[0069] The sensor bracket (400) can provide a space in which a light-gathering sensor (300), which will be described later, is placed and fixed. The sensor bracket (400) can include a mounting plate (400a) and a blocking plate (400b). The mounting plate (400a) can provide a plane space approximately perpendicular to the optical axis (OA) so that the light-gathering sensor (300) can be placed. The blocking plate (400b) can protrude and extend from the mounting plate (400a) in the direction of the optical axis (OA).

[0070] A light-gathering sensor (300) may be placed on each sensor bracket (400). The light-gathering sensor (300) (e.g., the first light sensor) may be a sensor that detects the presence and / or amount of light directly irradiated by sunlight. The light-gathering sensor (300) may be implemented as a light sensor or an illuminance sensor, etc. The term 'light-gathering sensor' refers to a sensor that is operatively placed together with a light-gathering unit, i.e., a light-gathering member (100), in contrast to a reflected light sensor described later.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor bracket (400) and the light collection sensor (300) may be provided in numbers of four or more. FIG. 5 and the like refer to the light collection sensor (300) located on the upper left side of the reflective member (100) as a first light collection sensor (310), the light collection sensor (300) located on the upper right side as a second light collection sensor (320), the light collection sensor (300) located on the lower left side as a third light collection sensor (330), and the light collection sensor (300) located on the lower right side as a fourth light collection sensor (340). And the bracket that fixes the first light-gathering sensor (310) is referred to as the first bracket (410), the bracket that fixes the second light-gathering sensor (320) is referred to as the second bracket (420), the bracket that fixes the third light-gathering sensor (330) is referred to as the third bracket (430), and the bracket that fixes the fourth light-gathering sensor (340) is referred to as the fourth bracket (440). However, it should be understood that the interpretation of the claims is not limited thereto.

[0072] As explained above, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) can be defined as a direction parallel to the horizontal plane to which the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) belong among the directions belonging to the plane perpendicular to the optical axis (OA), and the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) can be defined as a direction within the plane to which the third direction (Z) belongs among the directions belonging to the plane perpendicular to the optical axis (OA), that is, the direction of gravity belongs.

[0073] At this time, when viewed in the direction of the optical axis (OA), the first to fourth focusing sensors (310) to (340) (and the first to fourth brackets (410) to (440)) may be arranged approximately in the shape of an 'X'. Specifically, the first focusing sensor (310) and the second focusing sensor (320) may be spaced apart from each other in the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX), and the third focusing sensor (330) to (340) may be spaced apart from each other in the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX). In addition, the first focusing sensor (310) to (330) may be spaced apart from each other in the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY), and the second focusing sensor (320) to (340) may be spaced apart from each other in the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY). In addition, the first light collection sensor (310) and the fourth light collection sensor (340) may be spaced apart from each other in a direction intersecting the first optical axis intersection direction (OAX) and the second optical axis intersection direction (OAY), for example, a 45° diagonal direction (OAB), with the reflection center of the reflective member (100) interposed therebetween. Similarly, the second light collection sensor (320) and the third light collection sensor (330) may be spaced apart from each other in a direction intersecting the first optical axis intersection direction (OAX) and the second optical axis intersection direction (OAY), for example, a 45° diagonal direction (OAA).

[0074] In other words, the separation direction of the first focusing sensor (310) and the fourth focusing sensor (340), and the separation direction of the second focusing sensor (320) and the third focusing sensor (330), may intersect with the first optical axis intersection direction (OAX) that is parallel to the horizontal plane on which the pivot is made. Similarly, the separation direction of the first focusing sensor (310) and the fourth focusing sensor (340), and the separation direction of the second focusing sensor (320) and the third focusing sensor (330), may intersect with the second optical axis intersection direction (OAY) that belongs to the third direction (Z) in which the tilting is made.

[0075] That is, the light collecting device (10) according to the present embodiment includes at least four light collecting sensors (300) that operate together with a reflective member (100), and these may be arranged in an approximately 'X' shape. As will be described together with the control method described below, the four light collecting sensors (300) can control the joint module (200) based on the detection data, i.e., light quantity information, detected by each of them. At this time, two pairs of sensors spaced apart in a direction, for example, the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) are provided (i.e., a pair of a first light collection sensor (310) and a second light collection sensor (320), and a pair of a third light collection sensor (330) and a fourth light collection sensor (340)), and two pairs of sensors spaced apart in another direction, for example, the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) are provided (i.e., a pair of a first light collection sensor (310) and a third light collection sensor (330), and a pair of a second light collection sensor (320) and a fourth light collection sensor (340)), so that more precise tracking can be performed by combining their detection data.

[0076] Unlike the present invention, if four light-gathering sensors are arranged in an approximate '+' shape, the sensors arranged in the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) and the sensors arranged in the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY) each form only one pair, making it difficult to verify data.

[0077] Meanwhile, the first bracket (410) to the fourth bracket (440) may each include a blocking plate portion (400b) extending in the direction of the optical axis (OA). At this time, when viewed in the direction of the optical axis (OA), the blocking plate portion (400b) and the reflective member (100) may be spaced apart from each other with a light-collecting sensor (300) therebetween.

[0078] When explaining using the first light-gathering sensor (310) located on the upper left side of FIG. 5 as an example, the first light-gathering sensor (310) may be located between the blocking plate (400b) of the first bracket (410) and the reflective member (100). That is, the blocking plate (400b) of the first bracket (410) may face the opposite side of the fourth light-gathering sensor (340) and the fourth bracket (440). Similarly, the blocking plate (400b) of the fourth bracket (440) may face the opposite side of the first light-gathering sensor (310).

[0079] Likewise, the second light-gathering sensor (320) is positioned between the blocking plate (400b) of the second bracket (420) and the reflective member (100), such that the blocking plate (400b) of the second bracket (420) may face the opposite side of the third light-gathering sensor (330) and the third bracket (430). Similarly, the blocking plate (400b) of the third bracket (430) may face the opposite side of the second light-gathering sensor (320).

[0080] FIG. 5 illustrates a case where, when viewed in the direction of the optical axis (OA), the blocking plate portion (400b) of the first bracket (410) has an approximately ┌ shape, the blocking plate portion (400b) of the second bracket (420) has an approximately ┐ shape, the blocking plate portion (400b) of the third bracket (430) has an approximately └ shape, and the blocking plate portion (400b) of the fourth bracket (440) has an approximately ┘ shape. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the shape of the blocking plate portion (400b) is not particularly limited as long as it can block oblique light incident from the outside to the inside.

[0081] The light collection device (10) according to the present embodiment has a light collection sensor (300) placed on a sensor bracket (400), and the sensor bracket (400) includes a blocking plate (400b) extending in the direction of the optical axis (OA), thereby increasing the measurement precision of each light collection sensor (300).

[0082] As described later, using the detection data measured by each of the plurality of light-gathering sensors (300), it is possible to determine whether the optical axis of the reflective member (100) is facing the sun and the error range. At this time, since the distance between the reflective member (100) and the sun is very far compared to the size of the reflective member (100), even if sunlight is understood as light rays, an error may occur in the measurement data of the light-gathering sensors (300). For example, even if the optical axis is not facing the sun, the difference in detection data between one light-gathering sensor (300) and another light-gathering sensor (300) may not be large.

[0083] Accordingly, the present invention provides a blocking plate (400b) extending in the direction of the optical axis (OA) directly adjacent to the light collection sensor (300), thereby extracting only the influence of light irradiated from the sun that is approximately parallel to the optical axis direction of the current reflective member (100), and performing pivoting and / or tilting of the reflective member (100) based thereon.

[0084] In addition, in the light collecting device (10) according to the present embodiment, the blocking plate (400b) may be positioned outside the light collecting sensors (300) when viewed in the direction of the optical axis (OA). As described in the control method described below, the control method according to the present embodiment may determine that an error or a condition recognized as a sudden change in the external environment is detected among the data detected by the plurality of light collecting sensors (300), for example, if an extremely high or low amount of light is detected by one of the light collecting sensors (300), it may be determined as an error and tracking correction may be stopped.

[0085] If, unlike the present embodiment, the blocking plate (400b) is positioned inside the light-gathering sensors (300), in other words, if the blocking plate (400b) is positioned between the light-gathering sensors (300) and the reflective member (100) when viewed in the direction of the optical axis (OA), in an environment where sunlight is incident at an angle that is significantly different from the optical axis (OA) of the reflective member (100), a high amount of light may be detected by one light-gathering sensor (300), and a very low amount of light may be detected by another light-gathering sensor (300). Therefore, according to the control method according to the present invention, the above condition may be detected as an error.

[0086] That is, the arrangement and configuration of the blocking plate (400b) according to the present embodiment are design matters that take the control method into consideration. As illustrated in Fig. 6, in a cross-sectional schematic diagram cut in the direction of separation between the first light-gathering sensor (310) and the fourth light-gathering sensor (340), or in the direction of separation between the second light-gathering sensor (320) and the third light-gathering sensor (330), if the optical axis (OA) direction of the reflective member (100) and the incident angle of sunlight are different, a shadow area (SD) may be formed by the blocking plate (400b). If the position of the sun is tilted toward the fourth light-gathering sensor (340), the shadow area (SD) by the blocking plate (400b) of the first bracket (410) is formed outside the reflective member (100) so as not to block the first light-gathering sensor (310), and therefore, a predetermined amount of light may be detected by the first light-gathering sensor (310). On the other hand, the shadow area (SD) by the blocking plate (400b) of the fourth bracket (440) is formed toward the reflective member (100), that is, toward the inside, so as to block the fourth light-gathering sensor (340), and therefore, a relatively small amount of light can be detected by the fourth light-gathering sensor (340). Depending on the extension direction of the blocking plate (400b) as described above, the position of the sun, and the position of the shadow area (SD) resulting from this, a difference in detection data occurs in the plurality of light-gathering sensors (300), and based on this, pivoting and / or tilting of the reflective member (100) can be performed. In other words, the blocking plate parts (400b) can be arranged to pivot or tilt toward the side where a smaller amount of light is detected. The control method will be described in detail below.

[0087] In some embodiments, the extension length of the blocking plate portion (400b) of the sensor bracket (400) in the direction of the optical axis (OA) may be in the range of 30% to 100%, or 30% to 70%, of the hemisphere of the reflective member (100), i.e., the distance from any position of the reflective member (100) to the center of the ball. If the length of the blocking plate portion (400b) is not sufficient, the oblique light blocking effect by the blocking plate portion (400b) may not be sufficiently exhibited, resulting in a decrease in tracking accuracy. On the other hand, if the length of the blocking plate portion (400b) is excessively long, the algorithm for the control of the light collection device (10), i.e., pivot and tilt control, or the tracking compensation method, may become complicated, difficult to deal with unexpected situations, or difficult to implement due to excessively strict conditions.

[0088] The joint module (200) is coupled with the reflective member (100) and can pivot or tilt the reflective member (100) according to its actuation. In an exemplary embodiment, the joint module (200) includes a guide bar (210) (or frame), a guide block (220) that moves along the guide bar (210), a hinge arm (230) hingedly coupled to the guide block (220), and a pivot base (240), and may further include interlocking frames (250) and angle adjustment bars (260).

[0089] The hinge arm (230) may be positioned so as to be fixed relative to the reflective member (100). For example, a second spacer bar (110b) (or frame) may be fixedly positioned on the back surface of the reflective member (100), and the hinge arm (230) may be fixedly coupled with the second spacer bar (110b). The hinge arm (230) may pivot and / or tilt together with the reflective member (100) and move together.

[0090] The guide block (220) (or sliding block) may be configured to be hinge-coupled to the hinge arm (230) so as to enable relative rotational movement. A guide bar (210) may be inserted into the guide block (220). Accordingly, the guide block (220) may be configured to be movable along the extension direction of the guide bar (210).

[0091] The guide bar (210) (or sliding bar) may be fixed so as to be approximately inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. For example, the guide bar (210) may be fixed so that the inclination with respect to the horizontal plane to which the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) belong is maintained at a constant angle (θ). That is, even if the reflective member (100) tilts, the inclination angle (θ) of the guide bar (210) may be constant. On the other hand, when a certain configuration of the light collection device (10), for example, the reflective member (100) pivots, the guide bar (210) may be configured to pivot together.

[0092] In some embodiments, the optical path modulation member (500) further includes a second path modulation member (520), and the angle adjustment bar (260) can be fixedly coupled relative to the second path modulation member (520). The angle adjustment bar (260) can be hinge-coupled to the linkage frame (250) at any position, and the second path modulation member (520) can be hinge-coupled to the hinge arm (230). Specifically, the hinge arm (230), the guide block (220), and the second path modulation member (520) can be configured to rotate relative to one rotational axis.

[0093] The linkage frame (250) may be configured so that the angles between the guide block (220), the hinge arm (230), and the second path modulation member (520) to be described later are organically linked according to the movement of the guide block (220) at a predetermined angle. The linkage frame (250) may include detailed frames including a hinge structure, and the detailed frames may be hinge-coupled at any position of the guide block (220), any position of the hinge arm (230), and / or any position of the angle adjustment bar (260), respectively.

[0094] The light collecting device (10) according to the present embodiment can perform tilting of the reflective member (100) by including a joint module (200) having the above-described structure. In particular, since the reflective member (100) tilts based on the movement of the guide block (220), it is very sturdy and can achieve weight reduction of the light collecting device (10). In addition, it can improve operational convenience and stability.

[0095] An end of the guide bar (210) may be fixed on a pivot base (240). The pivot base (240) is fixed on the ground or on a housing (600) to be described later, and can perform rotation, i.e., pivoting, within a horizontal plane. As described above, the guide bar (210) is coupled to the pivot base (240), the guide block (220) is inserted into the guide bar (210), the guide block (220) is hinge-coupled to the hinge arm (230), and the hinge arm (230) is coupled to the reflective member (100), so that all of the above-described components can be subject to the movement of the pivot base (240). In other words, when the pivot base (240) pivots, all of the components including the reflective member (100) can pivot together.

[0096] In some embodiments, the optical path modulation member (500) may further include a third path modulation member (530) and a fourth path modulation member (540). The third path modulation member (530) and the fourth path modulation member (540) may be disposed within the pivot base (240).

[0097] As described above, parallel sunlight incident on the reflective member (100) is reflected by the reflective member (100) and directed toward the first path modulation member (510), and high-density parallel light reflected again from the first path modulation member (510) having a convex reflective surface can be directed toward the through hole (100h) of the reflective member (100).

[0098] And the parallel light that has passed through the through hole (100h) is reflected by the second path modulation member (520) and can proceed in a direction approximately parallel to the guide bar (210). As described above, the rotation of the reflection member (100) (and the hinge arm (230) fixed thereto) and the second path modulation member (520) is configured to be linked together according to the movement of the guide block (220), so that the light reflected by the second path modulation member (520) can always proceed in a direction parallel to the guide bar (210) whose inclination is fixed.

[0099] In addition, light reflected by the second path modulation member (520) and incident in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the guide bar (210) is reflected by the third path modulation member (530) and the fourth path modulation member (540) whose positions are fixed, and can proceed toward one end of the light transport unit (700), for example, toward the incident end. Light reflected and proceeding through the above-described structure can maintain a high-density parallel light state.

[0100] Meanwhile, the housing (600) may be arranged to at least partially surround the reflective member (100) and joint module (200) described above. The light collection device (10) is arranged outdoors and may be affected by external environments such as rain or strong winds. Therefore, the housing (600) may be arranged to surround the reflective member (100) and joint module (200) having a precisely designed structure. The pivot base (240) may be arranged on the bottom surface of the housing (600), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0101] Meanwhile, the housing (600) is placed on the ground, and the housing (600) can pivot relative to the ground. However, the pivot of the housing (600) and the pivot of the aforementioned pivot base (240) and the reflective member (100) connected thereto can be mutually independent. In other words, the degree of pivot of the reflective member (100) and the degree of pivot of the housing (600) can be different and can be independently controlled.

[0102] Light whose path has been modulated by the optical path modulation member (500) as described above can be incident on the optical transport unit (700). FIG. 8 illustrates a case where light reflected by the fourth path modulation member (540) arranged in the pivot base (240) is directly incident on the optical transport unit (700). The optical path modulation members (500) described above are also the same as the optical transport unit (700) in that they transport light through reflection. However, in describing the present invention, the optical transport unit (700) can be distinguished from the optical path modulation members (500) in that light propagates through internal reflection.

[0103] The optical transport unit (700) may be implemented with an optical fiber, etc. That is, the optical transport unit (700) can transmit light incident on the incident end of the optical transport unit (700) to a long distance while minimizing light loss through internal total reflection, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the optical transport unit (700) (or optical fiber) may include a first optical transport unit (700a) (or a first optical fiber unit, or a first optical line unit) and a second optical transport unit (700b) (or a second optical fiber unit, or a second optical line unit).

[0104] Here, the first optical transport unit (700a) has an incident end where parallel light is incident, and means a portion or optical fiber extended from the incident end without a branching portion. The second optical transport units (700b) may be provided in multiple units and may branch from the first optical transport unit (700a). That is, the second optical transport units (700b) mean a portion or optical fiber branched from the first optical transport unit (700a). The connection between the first optical transport unit (700a) and the plurality of second optical transport units (700b) may be implemented through an optical fiber cable or a splitter (701), etc. In addition, the portion where the second optical transport units (700b) are connected to the first optical transport unit (700a) may be understood as the other end or branching end (701) of the first optical transport unit (700a).

[0105] The light collection device (10) according to the present embodiment can collect and concentrate sunlight on the ground and transport it indoors or underground. In this case, the second light transport unit (700b) branched off from the first light transport unit (700a) may be connected to different indoor spaces.

[0106] In an exemplary embodiment, a nearby reflective light sensor (800) may be disposed at any end of the optical transport unit (700), for example, at the end (701) (the other end or branch end) of the first optical transport unit (700a) that is not branched. In other words, the reflective light sensor (800) may be disposed to detect light that has been reflected one or more times by the reflective member (100) and the optical path modulation member (500) and guided through the optical transport unit (700), such as an optical fiber. The reflective light sensor (800) may be disposed inside an optical fiber cable or a distributor, and may measure the presence and / or amount of light transported along the first optical transport unit (700a) as detection data. The reflective light sensor (800), like the light collection sensor (300), may be implemented as a light sensor or an illuminance sensor, etc. The reflective light sensor (800) may be utilized in a control method to be described later. Unlike the light-collecting sensor (300), the reflective light sensor (800) can be positioned fixedly despite the pivoting and / or tilting of the reflective member (100). The term 'reflective light sensor' refers to a sensor that detects light reflected at least once, twice, or more by the reflective member (100) and the light path modulation member (500).

[0107] Solar cells, which convert sunlight into electrical energy, also track to increase their photoelectric conversion efficiency. However, concentrators, which utilize sunlight for lighting and other purposes, require a much higher level of tracking than solar cells. Failure to fully track the sun can result in indoor lighting problems, such as dimming or even flickering.

[0108] As described above, light incident on the reflective member (100) is converted into parallel light and travels along the light transport member (700). However, if the sun is not exactly aligned with the normal to the reflection center (RC) of the reflective member (100), i.e., the optical axis (OA), the parallelism of the parallel light incident on the light transport member (700) may be relatively low. If the parallelism of the incident light is low, even if the light transport member (700) has a light guide structure that suppresses light loss, the loss of light increases rapidly during the long-distance transport process, and as a result, the amount of light ultimately emitted may be significantly reduced. That is, considering the light loss within the light transport member (700), it is necessary for the light reflected by the reflective member (100) and the first path modulation member (510) to have as high a parallelism as possible, for example, to be focused into parallel light within an error range of about 0.1%.

[0109] To this end, it is required that the optical axis (OA) of the reflective member (100) be precisely oriented toward the sun. Accordingly, the present invention proposes a control method for a light collecting device (10), specifically a method for tracking the sun by pivoting / tilting the light collecting device (10), and more specifically a correction method for sun tracking.

[0110] Hereinafter, a method for controlling a light collecting device (10) according to the present invention will be described.

[0111] Fig. 12 is a hardware configuration diagram of the light collection device of Fig. 1.

[0112] Referring further to FIG. 12, the light collection device (10) according to the present embodiment can be understood as a computing device including a processor (910). For example, the light collection device (10) includes a processor (910), a memory (920), a communication module (931), and a GNSS module (932), and may further include a sensor module including the aforementioned joint module (200), a light collection sensor (300), and a reflected light sensor (800).

[0113] The processor (910) may implement operations and / or functions related to the method according to the present invention based on instructions according to software implemented according to the method according to the present invention residing in the memory (920). That is, the processor (910) may be understood as a subject executing a program. For example, the processor (910) may execute software to control hardware components and / or software components connected to the processor (910) and perform data processing or calculations. That is, the processor (910) may store instructions or data received from other components in the memory (920) as part of data processing or calculations, process instructions or data stored in the memory (920), or store result data in the memory (920). The processor (910) may utilize a known one, but may be implemented through, for example, an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or other chipsets, logic circuits, and / or data processing devices.

[0114] Memory (920) can store various data used in at least one component. The data may include input data or output data for software and related commands. Memory (920) may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. For example, volatile memory may utilize known memory, but may be implemented through Read-Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, memory cards, storage media, and / or other storage devices.

[0115] Non-volatile memory, such as storage, can store application programming interfaces (APIs), libraries, resource files, and the like required for executing software implementing the method according to the present embodiment. Furthermore, the software and database implementing the method can be stored. The contents of various databases required to perform operations and / or functions related to the method according to the present invention, which will be described below, will be understood.

[0116] The communication module (931) can support the establishment of a wired / wireless communication channel between the light collection device (10) and other hardware components such as another server device (not shown) for receiving environmental information, or a user terminal device for controlling or monitoring the light collection device (10), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (931) can include a wired communication module or a wireless communication module. An example of the wired communication module may be a LAN communication module. The wireless communication module can transmit and receive data through a communication network. Examples of the communication network may include a public wired communication network such as Ethernet, a Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL), a Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC), and a Fiber To The Home (FTTH). In addition, other examples of the above communication network include mobile communication networks such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), and Long Term Evolution (LTE). Alternatively, the wireless communication module may include a Wi-Fi module, a short-range communication module such as Bluetooth, or NFC.

[0117] The GNSS (global navigation satellite system) module (932), or global positioning system or global navigation satellite system module, refers to a satellite navigation system that receives signals sent from satellites and calculates the user's current location. Examples thereof include GPS (global positioning system), Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, Beidou, etc. The GNSS module (932) can collect the current geographical location of the light collection device (10), such as latitude and longitude information. Although Fig. 12 shows the GNSS module (932) and the communication module (931) separately, the GNSS module can also be understood as a type of communication module (931).

[0118] The various components of FIG. 12 that constitute the aforementioned light collection device (10) are connected via a data bus, and data can be transmitted between each component via the data bus. In addition, the light collection device (10) that implements operations and / or functions related to the method of the present invention based on instructions according to software in which the method of the present invention is implemented, including the processor (910) as described above, may be understood or described in terms of functional elements or logical elements.

[0119] Fig. 13 is a logical configuration diagram of the light collection device of Fig. 12.

[0120] Referring further to FIG. 13, the light collection device (10) (or its processor) may include an environmental information collection unit (911), a normal tracking control unit (914), a light collection sensor detection unit (912), a reflected light sensor detection unit (913), a data judgment unit (915), and a tracking correction control unit (916). The roles and functions of each unit will be described later along with the control method according to the present embodiment. However, the logical configuration of the light collection device (10) according to the present invention is not limited thereto, and disclosures regarding various logical configurations for implementing the aforementioned hardware and the method to be described later are included in this specification.

[0121] The various components illustrated in Fig. 13 may be implemented by various means, for example, hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. That is, the '~ section' in Fig. 13 may be used to mean a hardware configuration such as a processor or circuit and / or a software configuration executed by a hardware configuration.

[0122] Specifically, in the case of hardware implementation of a component referred to as '~part', it can be implemented through the aforementioned processor. Or, in the case of implementation by firmware or software, it can be implemented in the form of modules, codes, code segments, procedures, functions, etc. that include instructions that perform the described functions or operations, and can be recorded on a recording medium that can be read by various computer means. Here, the recording medium can include program commands, data files, data structures, etc., singly or in combination. In this case, each component on the configuration diagram or block diagram can mean a module, segment, or part of code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing a specific logical function. Therefore, it goes without saying that the function provided by the component on the configuration diagram or block diagram can be implemented by a plurality of more detailed components, or the plurality of components on the configuration diagram or block diagram can be implemented by a single integrated component. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the present invention, each component can be selectively combined and operated one or more times. Additionally, each component may be implemented as a single, independent piece of hardware, or some or all of the components may be selectively combined to form a computer program having program modules that perform some or all of the functions of one or more hardware components. The codes and code segments that constitute the computer program will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0123] The program commands recorded on the recording medium in this specification may be those specifically designed and configured for the present invention, or may be those known and usable by those skilled in the art of computer software. For example, the recording medium includes magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) and DVDs (Digital Video Disks), magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program commands, such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memories. Examples of program commands may include not only machine language codes generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. Such hardware devices may be configured to operate as one or more software to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

[0124] Hereinafter, a method for controlling a light collecting device (10) according to the present embodiment, a method for tracking sunlight, or a method for correcting tracking will be described. Fig. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a light collecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating in detail the steps for comparing and judging detection data of the light collecting sensors of Fig. 14.

[0125] Referring further to FIGS. 14 and 15, the control method of the light collecting device (10) according to the present embodiment may include a step of collecting environmental information (S100), a step of collecting detection data of a light collecting sensor (S200), a step of collecting detection data of a reflective light sensor (S300), a step of performing tracking based on environmental information (S400), a step of analyzing detection data of light collecting sensors to determine control (S500), a step of analyzing a reference light amount and detection data of a reflective light sensor to determine control (S700), and a step of performing tracking correction (S600).

[0126] First, the environmental information collection unit (911) can collect geographical information of the location where the light collection device (10) is located, such as latitude and longitude, time and / or weather, from an external device (S100).

[0127] And the light-gathering sensor detection unit (912) can collect and store data detected from each of the plurality of light-gathering sensors (300), that is, the first light-gathering sensor (310) to the fourth light-gathering sensor (340) (S200). As described above, the first light-gathering sensor (310) to the fourth light-gathering sensor (340) are fixed on the reflective member (100) so that different light amounts can be detected depending on the direction in which the optical axis of the reflective member (100) faces and the position of the sun. Hereinafter, the detection data of the first light-gathering sensor (310) is referred to as first detection data (S1), the detection data of the second light-gathering sensor (320) is referred to as second detection data (S2), the detection data of the third light-gathering sensor (330) is referred to as third detection data (S3), and the detection data of the fourth light-gathering sensor (340) is referred to as fourth detection data (S4). In addition, the arrangement relationship of the first light collection sensor (310) to the fourth light collection sensor (340) has been described above, so a duplicate description will be omitted.

[0128] Below, an example is given in which the detection data is large when a high amount of light is irradiated to the light sensor, but it is of course possible that in other embodiments, the amount of light and the detection data may tend to be inversely proportional.

[0129] In addition, the reflective light sensor detection unit (913) can collect and store data detected by the reflective light sensor (800) (S300). As described above, the reflective light sensor (800) can detect the presence or absence and / or amount of light guided at any location or end of the light transport unit (700), for example, near the end of the first light transport unit (700a) before branching, as detection data.

[0130] Next, the normal tracking control unit (914) performs tracking of the sun based on environmental information (S400). Here, the tracking may include pivot rotation of at least a portion of the configuration of the light collection device (10), for example, a reflective member (100) within a horizontal plane and / or tilt rotation within a plane to which the direction of gravity belongs.

[0131] The collected environmental information may include information on the latitude and longitude of the light collection device (10) performing light collection. Accordingly, the azimuth and elevation angle information of the sun can be derived or collected at the corresponding geographical location, and tracking can be performed based on the collected azimuth / elevation angle information of the sun regardless of the detection data of the light collection sensors (300) and the reflected light sensors (800).

[0132] As described above, the tilting of the reflective member (100) may be based on the sliding motion of the guide block (220), and the pivoting may be based on the rotation of the pivot base (240) relative to the housing (600). In an exemplary embodiment, the transmission of mechanical power for the tilting and pivoting in the normal tracking step (S400) may utilize a stepping motor. For example, the pivoting and tilting may be performed by a specified amount by performing microstepping of the stepping motor based on a network clock.

[0133] And the data judgment unit (915) can compare and judge detection data of multiple light collection sensors (300) (S500). For example, it can judge whether the detection data of each light collection sensor (300) satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0134] Specifically, as expressed in FIG. 15, the step (S500) of comparing and judging detection data of the light collection sensors may include a step (S510) of comparing the first detection data (S1) to the fourth detection data (S4) to derive the difference, a step (S520) of judging whether the difference between the detection data (S1, S2, S3, S4) is within an abnormal error range, a step (S540) of judging whether the difference between the detection data (S1, S2, S3, S4) is within an error range, and a step (S550) of judging whether an additional condition is satisfied.

[0135] First, the data judgment unit (915) can calculate at least the difference (S1-S2) between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2), the difference (S1-S3) between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3), the difference (S2-S4) between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4), and the difference (S3-S4) between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) (S510).

[0136] And the data judgment unit (915) can judge whether at least one of the four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) is within the error range, or in other words, whether all four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) do not fall within the error range (S520).

[0137] For example, it is possible to determine whether the difference (S1-S2) between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2) or the difference (S3-S4) between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) calculated from the first light collecting sensor (310) and the second light collecting sensor (320), and the third light collecting sensor (330) and the fourth light collecting sensor (340) arranged in the mutual first optical axis intersection direction (OAX) is outside the first error range (AL1).

[0138] In addition, it is possible to determine whether the difference (S1-S3) between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3) or the difference (S2-S4) between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) calculated from the first and third light-gathering sensors (310 and 330), and the second and fourth light-gathering sensors (320 and 340) arranged in the mutual second optical axis intersection direction (OAY) is outside the second error range (AL2). Here, the second error range (AL2) may be equal to or smaller than the first error range (AL1).

[0139] Here, it is obvious that the four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) can utilize their absolute values. That is, unless otherwise stated, the differences utilize absolute values, and the error ranges (AL1, AL2) and error ranges (ER1, ER2) can be understood as positive numbers, but it is obvious that the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0140] If any one of the four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) exceeds the error ranges (AL1, AL2), it is determined that the current light collector (10) is not in a normal state (S520), and rather than immediately performing pivoting and / or tilting for correction of the light collector (10), a waiting time is given (S530) and the normal tracking step (S400) can be continued.

[0141] Refer further to Fig. 16 in this regard. Figs. 16 to 18 illustrate examples of second detection data (S2) to fourth detection data (S4) based on the case where the first detection data (S1) is 10, and assume that the first error range (AL1) is set to 0.5 and the second error range (AL2) is set to 0.4.

[0142] As shown in Fig. 16, the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3) is 0.1, which is within the second error range (AL2), and the difference between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) is 0.2, which is within the first error range (AL1). On the other hand, the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2) and the difference between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) are 0.6 and 0.7, respectively, which are outside the first error range (AL1) and the second error range (AL2). In this case, the second light collection sensor (320) is temporarily blocked by a surrounding structure, such as a tree or cloud, and in this state, rather than performing correction by relying on the detection data of the light collection sensors (300), a waiting time can be provided for the abnormal environment to be resolved. In addition, in some embodiments, the communication unit may transmit an alarm to the user terminal.

[0143] If all of the information of the four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) does not exceed the error range (AL1, AL2), the data judgment unit (915) can judge whether all of the four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) are within the error range (ER1, ER2) (S540) and whether a specific condition is satisfied (S550).

[0144] For example, it is possible to determine whether the difference (S1-S2) between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2) or the difference (S3-S4) between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) calculated from the first and second condensing sensors (310 and 320), and the third and fourth condensing sensors (330 and 340) arranged in the mutual first optical axis intersection direction (OAX) is outside the first error range (ER1) (or the first reference range).

[0145] In addition, it is possible to determine whether the difference (S1-S3) between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3) or the difference (S2-S4) between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) calculated from the first and third light-gathering sensors (310 and 330), and the second and fourth light-gathering sensors (320 and 340) arranged in the mutual second optical axis intersection direction (OAY) is outside the second error range (ER2) (or the second reference range).

[0146] Here, the first error range (ER1) may be smaller than the first error range (AL1). Furthermore, the second error range (ER2) may be equal to or smaller than the first error range (ER1). Furthermore, the second error range (ER2) may be smaller than the second error range (AL2). In FIGS. 16 to 18, it is assumed that the first error range (ER1) is set to 0.2 and the second error range (ER2) is set to 0.1.

[0147] As shown in Fig. 17(a), the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2), the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3), and the difference between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) are within the error ranges (ER1, ER2) that serve as the reference, which are 0.2, 0.1, and 0.0, respectively. On the other hand, the difference between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) is 0.3, which falls outside the first error range (ER1).

[0148] If at least one of the four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) is determined to be outside the error range (S540) and does not satisfy a specific condition (S550), the data judgment unit (915) determines that the condition is unsatisfactory (S500) and may perform a tracking correction step (S600). The step of judging a specific condition (S550) will be described later.

[0149] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17(a), if the difference between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) is outside the first error range (ER1), but the size of the third detection data (S3) is smaller, and if a specific condition is not satisfied (S550), the tracking correction control unit (916) may pivot the reflective member (100) toward the third light-converging sensor (330) in the first optical axis intersection direction (OAX). That is, correction (pivoting in this case) is performed toward the light-converging sensor side where less light is irradiated.

[0150] And after pivoting through the tracking correction step (S600), the comparison judgment step (S500) based on the detection data of the light collection sensors can be performed again. In other words, the pivoting / tilting can be performed gradually until the judgment result based on the detection data of the light collection sensors is determined to satisfy the condition, i.e., until the difference between the four detection data falls within the error range.

[0151] Or, as expressed in Fig. 17(b), the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2), the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3), and the difference between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) are within the error ranges (ER1, ER2) that serve as the standard, which are 0.2, 0.1, and 0.0, respectively. On the other hand, the difference between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) is 0.3, which falls outside the second error range (ER2).

[0152] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17(b), when the difference between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) is outside the second error range (ER2), but the size of the fourth detection data (S4) is smaller, and when a specific condition is not satisfied (S550), the tracking correction control unit (916) may tilt the reflective member (100) toward the fourth light collecting sensor (340) in the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY). That is, correction (tilting in this case) is performed toward the light collecting sensor side where less light is irradiated.

[0153] And as described above, after tilting through the tracking correction step (S600), the comparison judgment step (S500) based on the detection data of the light collection sensors can be performed again.

[0154] Or, as expressed in Fig. 17(c), the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3), and the difference between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4) are within the error ranges (ER1, ER2) that serve as the standard, which are 0.1 and 0.2, respectively. On the other hand, the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2), and the difference between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) are 0.3 and 0.2, respectively, which do not exceed the first error range (AL1) and the second error range (AL2), but exceed the first error range (ER1) and the second error range (ER2).

[0155] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17(c), when the first detection data (S1) is outside the first error range (ER1) and is smaller than the second detection data (S2), and the fourth detection data (S4) is outside the second error range (ER2) and is smaller than the second detection data (S2), and when a specific condition is not satisfied (S550), the tracking correction control unit (916) may pivot the reflective member (100) toward the first condensing sensor (310) in the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX) and tilt the reflective member (100) toward the fourth condensing sensor (340) in the second optical axis crossing direction (OAY).

[0156] And as described above, after tilting through the tracking correction step (S600), the comparison judgment step (S500) based on the detection data of the light collection sensors can be performed again.

[0157] Or, as expressed in Fig. 17(d), the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3) is 0.1, which is within the second error range (ER2). On the other hand, the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2), the difference between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4), and the difference between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) are 0.3, 0.25, and 0.15, respectively, which do not exceed the first error range (AL1) and the second error range (AL2), but exceed the first error range (ER1) and the second error range (ER2).

[0158] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17(d), when the first detection data (S1) is outside the first error range (ER1) and is smaller than the second detection data (S2), and the third detection data (S3) is outside the first error range (ER1) and is smaller than the fourth detection data (S4), and when a specific condition is not satisfied (S550), the tracking correction control unit (916) may pivot the reflective member (100) toward the first condenser sensor (310) and the third condenser sensor (330) in the first optical axis crossing direction (OAX).

[0159] In addition, if the fourth detection data (S4) is outside the second error range (ER2) and is smaller than the second detection data (S2), and if a specific condition is not satisfied (S550), the tracking correction control unit (916) can tilt the reflective member (100) toward the fourth light-gathering sensor (340) in the second optical axis intersection direction (OAY).

[0160] And as described above, after tilting through the tracking correction step (S600), the comparison judgment step (S500) based on the detection data of the light collection sensors can be performed again.

[0161] The step (S550) for determining whether a specific condition, which was omitted from the description in FIG. 17 above, is satisfied will be described. As described above, if at least some of the information of the four differences (S1-S2, S1-S3, S2-S4, S3-S4) falls outside the error range, the data determination unit (915) can determine whether a specific condition is satisfied (S550).

[0162] In an exemplary embodiment, the specific condition may be whether the value (S2-S1) obtained by subtracting the first detection data (S1) from the second detection data (S2) is positive, whether the value (S1-S3) obtained by subtracting the third detection data (S3) from the first detection data (S1) is positive, whether the value (S4-S3) obtained by subtracting the third detection data (S3) from the fourth detection data (S4) is positive, and whether the value (S4-S2) obtained by subtracting the second detection data (S2) from the fourth detection data (S4) is positive. In other words, it is possible to determine whether all four of the above conditions are satisfied simultaneously. Refer further to FIG. 18 in this regard.

[0163] As shown in Fig. 18, the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the third detection data (S3) is 0.1, which is within the second error range (ER2). On the other hand, the difference between the first detection data (S1) and the second detection data (S2), the difference between the third detection data (S3) and the fourth detection data (S4), and the difference between the second detection data (S2) and the fourth detection data (S4) are 0.25, 0.5, and 0.15, respectively, which do not exceed the first error range (AL1) and the second error range (AL2), but exceed the first error range (ER1) and the second error range (ER2).

[0164] However, in the case of Fig. 18, unlike Fig. 17(d), the value (S4-S2) obtained by subtracting the second detection data (S2) from the fourth detection data (S4) is a positive number. In addition, the value (S1-S3) obtained by subtracting the third detection data (S3) from the first detection data (S1) is also a positive number. In this case, it may be difficult to determine to which side of the second optical axis intersection direction (OAY) of the reflective member (100) to perform the tilt. Such a problem may be influenced by the surrounding environment, etc., and therefore, even if the result of the judgment (S500) of the light collection sensor detection data is outside the error range, rather than immediately performing pivoting and / or tilting for compensation of the light collection device (10), a waiting time may be granted (S560) and the normal tracking step (S400) may be continued.

[0165] Meanwhile, if the judgment result (S500) of the light sensor detection data is all within the error range and error range and the condition is judged to be satisfied (S500), the data judgment unit (915) can derive the reference light amount based on the detected first detection data (S1) to fourth detection data (S4) (S910).

[0166] If the difference between any of the data detected by the light-gathering sensor is determined to be outside the error range as a result of the judgment (S500) of the light-gathering sensor detection data, i.e., if the condition is not satisfied, both the reference light quantity derivation step (S910) and the step (S700) of comparing the detection data of the light-gathering sensor and the reflected light sensor, which will be described later, or at least the step (S700) of comparing the detection data of the light-gathering sensor and the reflected light sensor, may not be performed. As a result, pivoting and / or tilting utilizing the detection data of the reflected light sensor will not be performed.

[0167] For example, the reference light quantity information may be derived based on the first detection data (S1) to the fourth detection data (S4), but may be a value derived from the first detection data (S1) to the fourth detection data (S4) that is within a mutually valid error range.

[0168] As a non-limiting example, the step of deriving the reference light quantity (S910) may include a step of setting a representative value of the first detection data (S1) to the fourth detection data (S4), and a step of deriving the reference light quantity for the representative value set based on a database or the like.

[0169] The above representative value may refer to an average value, a median value, or a value specified by another objective method of the detection data detected from each of a plurality of light-gathering sensors (300). The light-gathering sensor (300) is a sensor that directly detects sunlight. In this case, the database may include information on a value expected to be measured by the reflected light sensor (800) when the light detected by the light-gathering sensor (300) has a predetermined light quantity and is transmitted through the light transport unit (700) with sufficient parallelism.

[0170] Next, the data judgment unit (915) can compare and judge the derived standard light quantity with the detection data of the reflected light sensor (800) (S700).

[0171] As described above, the predetermined reference light quantity may be a value expected to be measured by the reflective light sensor (800) when the light detected by the light collection sensor (300) has the predetermined light quantity and is transmitted through the light transport unit (700) with sufficient parallelism. Therefore, if the detection data actually measured by the reflective light sensor (800) deviates from the reference range for the reference light quantity, this means that there is room for further correction of the direction of the reflective member (100).

[0172] In other words, even if correction is performed only with the light collection sensors (300), that is, detection data of the light collection sensors of the present invention are compared and judged (S500) and tracking correction is performed based on this (S600), if the detection data of the reflection sensor (800) falls below a predetermined standard range compared to the reference light amount, more precise correction needs to be performed.

[0173] As previously described, the light-gathering sensor (300) may be implemented as a light sensor, etc. In this case, there may be some difference in sensitivity for each light-gathering sensor (300) due to practical reasons. For example, when the same light is irradiated, the output values ​​from one light sensor module and another light sensor module may be different. Therefore, the control method according to the present embodiment primarily performs a comparative judgment (S500) based on the detection data of the light-gathering sensor, and secondarily verifies the parallelism state of the light using the reflected light sensor (800) (S700) to perform more detailed correction.

[0174] Alternatively, as previously described, the comparative judgment (S500) based on detection data from the light-gathering sensor may be performed based on error ranges (ER1, ER2). If the error ranges (ER1, ER2) are set too narrowly, the correction algorithm may become complex, data processing may be delayed, power consumption may increase, response to unexpected situations may become difficult, or implementation may become challenging.

[0175] Therefore, in the first judgment (S500), a somewhat relaxed error range (ER1, ER2) is provided, and this can be verified through the judgment step (S700) using the reflected light sensor detection data.

[0176] If the result of the judgment using the reflected light detection data and the reference light quantity (S700) shows that the reflected light detection data and the reference light quantity are within a pre-specified reference range, tracking based on the environmental information can be continuously performed (S400).

[0177] On the other hand, if the result of the judgment using the reflected light detection data and the reference light quantity (S700) shows that the reflected light detection data and the reference light quantity are outside the pre-specified reference range, for example, if they are above or exceed the reference range, the data judgment unit (915) can modify the first error range (ER1) and the second error range (ER2) used in the step (S500) of comparing and judging the detection data of the light collection sensors (S920). For example, the first error range (ER1) and the second error range (ER2) can be set narrower and more strictly than before.

[0178] As explained above, if the error ranges (ER1, ER2) are applied too narrowly and strictly from the first judgment for correction, problems such as difficulty in responding to unexpected situations may arise. Therefore, in the first judgment (S500), somewhat relaxed error ranges (ER1, ER2) are used, but if the second verification result using the reflective light sensor (800) determines that there is room for further correction, the error range is strictly changed (S920), and based on this, judgment using the detection data of the light collection sensors (S500) and tracking correction using the same (S600) can be additionally performed.

[0179] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments thereof, these are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and applications not exemplified above are possible without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0180] Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood to include modifications, equivalents, or alternatives to the technical concepts exemplified above. For example, each component specifically illustrated in the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented with modifications. Furthermore, any differences related to such modifications and applications should be construed as being within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method performed by a device including at least one processor, Collect detection data from a plurality of light collection sensors including a first light collection sensor and a second light collection sensor, A method for controlling a light collection device, comprising pivoting or tilting a joint module based on a comparison result of detection data of a plurality of light collection sensors.

2. In paragraph 1, A control method in which the step of comparing detection data of the first and second light collection sensors and pivoting or tilting the joint module includes pivoting or tilting toward the light collection sensor side where the light amount is determined to be less.

3. In paragraph 1, Collect detection data from at least one reflective light sensor, A reference light quantity is derived based on the detection data of the above plurality of light collection sensors, A control method for comparing the detection data of the first and second light-gathering sensors when the detection data of the first and second light-gathering sensors are within a predetermined range, by comparing the derived reference light quantity with the detection data of the reflected light sensor, and utilizing the comparison result for comparing the detection data of a plurality of light-gathering sensors.

4. In paragraph 3, A control method in which, if the detection data of the first light collection sensor and the second light collection sensor are not within a predetermined range, pivoting or tilting of the joint module based on the detection data of the reflection light sensor is not performed.

5. In paragraph 2, The above plurality of light-gathering sensors further include a third light-gathering sensor and a fourth light-gathering sensor, In the step of pivoting or tilting the above joint module, A control method for granting a waiting time when the difference between the detection data of the first and second collection sensors is within a first range specified in advance, the difference between the detection data of the first and third collection sensors is within a second range specified in advance, and the difference between the detection data of the third and fourth collection sensors is outside the first error range and the difference between the detection data of the second and fourth collection sensors is outside the second error range.

6. In paragraph 5, A control method in which a waiting time is provided when the second detection data of the second light collection sensor is greater than the first detection data of the first light collection sensor, the first detection data is greater than the third detection data of the third light collection sensor, and the fourth detection data of the fourth light collection sensor is greater than the third detection data, but the fourth detection data is greater than the second detection data.

7. Reflective member having a reflective surface; A joint module for pivoting the reflective member in a plane to which the first and second directions belong, or tilting the reflective member in a plane to which the third direction belongs; A plurality of sensor brackets fixed on the above reflective member; A light-concentrating sensor arranged on each of the above sensor brackets and configured to sense light irradiated toward the reflective member side; an optical transport unit configured to transport light through internal reflection; and A solar power concentrator comprising an optical path modulation member configured to reflect light reflected by the reflective member one or more times so that the reflected light is directed toward one end of the optical transport member.

8. In paragraph 7, A reflective light sensor configured to sense light at the other end or any point of the optical transport unit; and A solar power concentrator further comprising a processor that compares detection data of the above light concentrating sensor and the above reflected light sensor.

9. In paragraph 8, The above plurality of sensor brackets include the first bracket to the fourth bracket, Each of the above sensor brackets includes a blocking plate portion extending in the direction of the optical axis of the reflective member, The plurality of said light-gathering sensors include a first light-gathering sensor to a fourth light-gathering sensor, A solar power collection device, wherein, when the reflective member is viewed from the optical axis direction, the first light collection sensor and the fourth light collection sensor are spaced apart with the reflection center of the reflective member interposed therebetween, and the second light collection sensor and the third light collection sensor are spaced apart with the reflection center interposed therebetween.

10. In paragraph 9, The separation direction of the first and fourth light-gathering sensors and the separation direction of the second and third light-gathering sensors are not within a plane to which the third direction in which the joint module is tilted belongs. A solar power collection device, wherein, when the reflective member is viewed from the optical axis direction, the blocking plate portion of the first bracket supporting the first light collection sensor is provided on the opposite side of the fourth light collection sensor, and the blocking plate portion of the second bracket supporting the second light collection sensor is provided on the opposite side of the third light collection sensor.

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