Street Lamp Integrated Moisture Sensor for Glare Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing street lamps struggle to adjust light output effectively in adverse weather conditions such as fog, rain, or snow, leading to glare and impaired road safety due to complex and externally mounted sensor systems.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a simple moisture sensor, such as capacitive, optical, or sound-based sensors within the street lamp itself, allowing for weather-dependent light adjustments without external connections, using principles like capacitance measurement, infrared light, or sound wave detection to control light emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex sensor systems (lidar, IR sensors) are used to detect fog, rain, or snow, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and requires external mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the moisture sensing function directly into the street lamp housing by using the housing itself as one electrode of a capacitive sensor. This integration eliminates the need for separate external sensor systems while maintaining the ability to detect moisture in fog, rain, or snow conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The street lamp housing serves dual purposes: as the structural enclosure and as an active sensing element. The housing is designed to function both as the luminaire enclosure and as one electrode of the capacitive moisture sensor, enabling the lamp to autonomously detect weather conditions without additional external sensors.
2Adaptability or versatility
If external sensor systems are mounted outside the lamp, then visibility detection capability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to additional mounting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing function is merged into the existing lamp housing structure. The housing is designed to serve as one electrode of the capacitive sensor, eliminating the need for separate sensor mounting and reducing assembly steps while maintaining weather detection capability.
3Measurement precision
If moisture sensors are exposed directly to weather environment, then moisture detection sensitivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to sensor exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The lamp housing acts as an intermediary element that is exposed to the weather environment and transmits moisture information to the sensor. The housing serves as the exposed component that contacts moisture while the sensor itself remains protected inside the sealed lamp assembly.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables automatic adjustment of light output to reduce glare and improve visibility by changing light distribution, color, or luminous flux, enhancing visual comfort for road users in adverse weather without the need for external measuring devices.
Implementation Method 1
capacitive systems that are very simple in particular are preferred
Implementation Method 2
the capacity measured between the two electrodes changes in the event of moisture because the dielectric constant of water or snow is much higher than the dielectric constant of air
Implementation Method 3
sensors can also be used based on a sound measurement or an optical principle
Implementation Method 4
sensors can also be used based on a sound measurement or an optical principle
Data Source
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AI summary
A street light which is designed to change its light output depending on the weather, characterized by a humidity sensor which is concealed in the street light itself under a housing component (1) or a light cover (14) of the street light, wherein a control device in the street light is designed to change the light output of the lamp of the street light depending on measurement signals of the humidity sensor.