360° Camera Assembly for Global Irradiance and Cloud Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for determining components of global irradiance are often costly and require multiple sensors or complex setups, making them inefficient and unreliable for accurate and cost-effective measurements.
Innovation Solution
A camera assembly with a 360° field of view, comprising a first and second camera with partial fields of view of 180° each, oriented vertically or at a tilt, allows for precise determination of global irradiance components by capturing and evaluating camera data from both sky and ground, eliminating the need for additional sensors and reducing hardware costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors or complex setups are used to determine global irradiance components, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camera assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: capturing sky radiation data, ground-reflected radiation data, and cloud motion information simultaneously using a single integrated device. The 360° field of view enables the system to function as both a sky camera and ground camera, eliminating the need for separate sensor installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines sky camera and ground camera functionalities into a single camera assembly with 360° field of view. This merging of functions allows simultaneous capture of both sky and ground radiation components without requiring multiple separate sensor systems, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Loss of information
If additional sensors are installed to capture both sky and ground radiation data, then measurement completeness is improved, but cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single camera assembly with 360° field of view serves multiple measurement purposes simultaneously. It captures direct sky radiation, diffuse sky radiation, and ground-reflected radiation in one integrated system, ensuring complete solar radiation data acquisition without requiring separate sky cameras and ground cameras.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from requiring separate vertical (sky) and horizontal (ground) sensor placements to a single 360° omnidirectional camera that captures all radiation components from all directions simultaneously, adding the dimension of omnidirectional measurement capability.
3Measurement precision
If cloud cameras and shadow cameras are installed at different locations, then cloud velocity determination is improved, but system complexity and coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges cloud camera and shadow camera functionalities into a single integrated assembly. The same 360° camera captures both sky cloud images and ground shadow images simultaneously at the same location, eliminating the need for coordinating data from geographically separated cameras and simplifying the system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary capture of both sky and ground images at the same timestamp using a single synchronized camera, establishing a direct temporal and spatial relationship between cloud positions and shadow positions without requiring subsequent complex registration and coordination procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for ascertaining at least one parameter for determining components of a global irradiance includes an evaluation and control device and a camera assembly having at least one camera, wherein the at least one camera is fixed at a predetermined distance from an earth surface at least while ascertaining the parameter, wherein the camera assembly is designed to capture camera data in a spatial field of view of approximately 360° around the camera assembly, wherein the camera data is suitable for deriving information concerning solar radiation and/or on the position and/or properties of clouds. A method of use of such an assembly, a method for ascertaining at least one parameter for determining at least one component of global irradiance, and a computer program are also provided.