Astronomical Time Switch Eclipse Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional astronomical time switches do not react to local solar eclipses, making them unsuitable for safety-critical applications like street lighting, obstruction lighting for air traffic or shipping, and outdoor lighting systems, as they rely on sunrise and sunset times rather than the specific lighting conditions during an eclipse.

Innovation Solution

An astronomical time switch that calculates the degree of a solar eclipse based on location and time, using astronomical algorithms and constants, and controls a switching element when the eclipse reaches a certain threshold, thereby enabling appropriate lighting during solar eclipses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional astronomical time switches are used to control lighting systems, then the lighting can be switched automatically based on sunrise and sunset times, but the system does not react to local solar eclipses and is therefore unsuitable for safety-critical applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability for safety-critical applicationsVSAvoidability to detect solar eclipses

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The microcontroller pre-calculates the eclipse degree for future time points using astronomical algorithms and compares it with a threshold value before the eclipse occurs, enabling the lighting system to be switched on in advance for safety-critical applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary calculation layer that computes the eclipse degree based on the relative positions of the sun and moon, serving as a mediator between astronomical data and the lighting control decision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If external light sensors are used to detect solar eclipses, then the lighting system can react to changing light conditions, but additional installation work is required and the system reliability decreases due to exposure to ambient climate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to detect light conditionsVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The astronomical time switch performs self-service by internally calculating the eclipse degree using stored astronomical algorithms and current time data, eliminating the need for external light sensors and their associated installation and reliability issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the physical light sensing mechanism with a computational approach, substituting mechanical/optical detection with mathematical calculations of celestial body positions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If external light sensors are used, then lighting control during eclipses is possible, but the measured values are significantly affected by snow deposits, icing, radiation degradation, dust deposits, and biological impairment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeclipse detection capabilityVSAvoidaccuracy of light measurement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of directly measuring light conditions that are prone to measurement errors, the system creates a computational model (copy) of the expected light conditions during an eclipse based on astronomical calculations, allowing for accurate prediction without physical measurement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

4Adaptability or versatility

If external light sensors are used, then the lighting system can be controlled during eclipses, but the housing material degrades due to radiation and the sensor is exposed to vandalism or targeted manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeclipse response capabilityVSAvoidradiation degradation and vandalism risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the light sensing function from the physical domain and relocates it to the computational domain, removing the vulnerable external light sensor and its housing from the system architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3236322B1Astronomical time switch

Publication Date: 2019.02.13 MAUZ ERWIN

Figure 1~2b
Figure 3a~4

AI summary

Conventional astronomical timers are used for lighting control and are capable of performing circuits based on locally calculated sunrise and sunset times. However, they do not respond to a local solar eclipse, during which the natural illuminance can decrease so drastically, depending on the degree of the eclipse, that switching on a lighting system becomes necessary. The invention provides that the astronomical timer, based on input data and stored astronomical algorithms and constants, calculates the degree of a solar eclipse (11) depending on the location and local time and switches on at least one switching element (17, 18) as long as the calculated degree of the solar eclipse (11) is equal to or greater than a definable limit (19).