Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a system for automatic illumination survey, and more particularly to a system and a method to monitor the illuminance levels and mapping the illuminance data to represent in the form of a digital representation against the geospatial coordinates.
BACKGROUND
Illuminance is the measurement of the amount of incident light striking on the surface. Scientifically, Illuminance is defined as the energy of light striking a surface of a specific unit area per unit time and is measured in lux. A sufficient amount of illumination is necessary at night to maintain visibility and safety in workplaces, industrial environments, roads, highways, etc. Due to this, governing bodies have set standards for minimum amounts of illuminance that should be maintained at respective locations, for example, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) governs the Standards codes of practice for illumination relevant to highway lighting in India under IS:1944 and IS:10322. For opencast mines in India, the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) specifies standards for illumination in opencast mines under Circulars 02 & 03 of 2017.
Illumination surveying is the practice of assessing and plotting Illuminance levels of different points in space of a desired area of interest. Due to the different governing standards of minimum Illumination, Illumination Surveying is an essential practice carried out in industrial places, roads and highways, stadiums, and playgrounds, etc to assess the illuminance levels in the respective areas and to observe compliance with standards.
US20080158244 discloses a system and a method for generating light maps by utilizing inputs from a variety of different geographical and structural data sources. The method involves combining multi-layer lineal data selected from roads, highways, interchanges with multi-layer areal data from sources, such as airfield geometric information, information pertaining to type of areas in the region. The system then derive spatial area and associated data for use in visual or sensor based displays and filter the visual related data. The system utilizes random noise input to selectively turn off the light elements in the region in producing a light map for the region.
US10937229 discloses a system for sensing ambient light and process the ambient light information to provide adjustment for vision devices. The method comprises acquiring directional image sensor data with one or more directional image sensors and generating a light source image based on the directional image sensor data. The light source image is used to determine ambient light conditions incident on an image rendering surface and prediction is made on how the ambient light conditions incident on the image rendering surface in combination with properties of the image rendering surface affect image qualities for images rendered on the image rendering surface. Based on the prediction one or more of black levels, contrast settings, white points or primary colors are set differently in different spatial portions of the image rendering surface in dependence on different ambient light conditions in the different spatial portions of the image rendering surface.
US7518715 discloses a method for remote detection of a source of light, such as determination of bub type and intensity from a distance. The method involves discriminating based upon the time-varying characteristics of the light sources to determine which type of bulb is in use. The emission spectrum of the light sources is used to discriminate between CFLs and LEDs and ILBs.
The current method of Illumination Survey consists of a Person (Surveyor) who measures and manually notes the illuminance (in lux) of different points in space of the desired area by the use of a light meter, and plots the data manually or digitally on a map. This method is time-consuming when the desired area/area of interest is large (for example - roads, highways, plants and machinery workshops, mines, etc) and gives a misleading idea of illuminance as only a few discrete points of illuminance are measured.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an automated system to capture and plot illumination survey data in a continuous distribution.
OBJECTIVES
The following are the objectives of the present application:
The main objective of the present invention is to save man-hour in the illumination surveying process and the quality of data representation and interpretation by logging data automatically from the field by traversing the desired area and creating a digital map for a quantitative visual representation of illumination levels throughout the area in a continuous distribution as opposed to discrete points in traditional methods.
Another objective of the present invention is to identify under-illuminated area/dark spots within the surveyed area to comply Industries with minimum Industrial standards with the regulatory bodies.
Another objective of the present invention is to identify over-illuminated areas within the surveyed area for energy and capital saving.
Another objective of the present invention is to suggest the location of light source installations for optimum illumination for the surveyed area.
Another objective of the present invention is to identify light sources and faulty light sources within the surveyed area.
Although specific objectives have been enumerated above, various embodiments may be directed towards meeting some, none, or all of the enumerated objectives.

SUMMARY
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a system and a method is described for automated illumination surveying. The system comprises of a Geolocation or a Geopositioning device, an ambient light sensors, a microcontroller, a user input circuitry, a memory storage unit, a display unit and a power supply unit.
The system captures the horizontal and vertical illuminance and the geolocation of a certain point in space and stores this data digitally, whenever a ‘trigger’ event occurs.
This digitally stored data is plotted on a map for visual representation and analytics - extrapolation of illumination levels in 2D/3D space, identification of light sources, identification of faulty light sources, comparison of illuminance levels over a period of time, identification of dark zones as stated in the respective governing standards, Identification of over illuminated areas as per the respective governing standards, etc.
In another aspect of the present invention, a system for automated illumination surveying for sensing and calculating illuminance levels of a point in space is provided. The system comprising: a geo-positioning device to capture geographical coordinates of the point in space; at least two ambient light sensors to measure illuminance level at the point in space; a memory unit to store data on geographical coordinates and illuminance level at the point in space; a central processor to extract sensors data and geo-location data to store in the memory unit for transfer the data or to display the data; wherein at least two ambient light sensors are arranged orthogonal at 90 degrees inclined position with each other, wherein the first ambient light sensor measures the illuminance level in the horizontal plane and the second ambient light sensor measures the illuminance level in the vertical plane; wherein the central processor extract data from the ambient light sensors and the geo-positioning device, stores the data in the memory unit, and display the data on a digital display unit.
The ambient light sensors may comprise but are not limited to a photodiode, a photoresistor, a phototransistor or a photosensor array. The geo-positioning device may comprise but is not limited to a GPS, IP address Tracking device or a cellular range device. The system may also comprise a wireless data transfer unit to facilitate wireless data transfer of the stored data through a wireless data transfer technology. The system may also comprise a user input circuitry to accept data from the user to switch modes of operation from manual to automatic, to send commands to trigger data storage, and to power on/off the system. The system can be a handheld device or can be mounted on a moving vehicle or unmanned aerial vehicle. A web-based application generates a report by mapping the stored data digitally on a map in two dimensions or 3 dimensions in which illuminance data is represented in the form of digital visual representation against the geographical coordinates. The report can provide an insight on under-illuminated zones, over illuminated points and illuminance compliant areas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of various embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there is shown in the drawings, exemplary embodiments; however, the presently disclosed subject matter is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. Also, unless otherwise specifically noted, articles depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an illumination surveying device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing components of a web application to analyze illumination data in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating the method used by the illumination surveying device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a block diagram showing process flow in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following description should be read with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. The detailed description and drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the claimed invention.
All numbers used or otherwise included herein should be considered to be modified by the term “about.” The disclosure or recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular indefinite articles “a,” “an,” and the definite article “the,” should be considered to include or otherwise cover both single and plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. In other words, these articles are applicable to one or more referents. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” should be considered to mean “and/or,” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.
References in the specification to “an embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Further, if a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, then it would be within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described, unless clearly stated to the contrary.
It should be understood at the outset that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below.
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. Moreover, the operations of the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein may be performed by more, fewer, or other components and the methods described may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order. As used in this document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set. Further, the invention's scope is only limited by, and defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method and system for automated illumination surveying. The system comprises one or more illumination surveying devices that senses and calculates the illuminance levels of a point in a space and the geographical coordinates of the same point and stores the data in a digital form of memory storage. The hardware device automatically stores the illumination level data in lux along with location data of the corresponding geospatial coordinate of the desired region of the survey in a digital form while traversing the said area, which makes it feasible for the device to be mounted on a vehicle and automatically store the illumination data. The system comprises a Geolocation/Geopositioning circuitry, ambient light sensors, a microcontroller/a central processor, a user input circuitry, a digital memory storage unit, a display unit and a power supply unit. The system captures the horizontal and vertical illuminance, the geolocation of a certain point in space, and User Input Data and stores this data digitally, whenever a ‘trigger’ event occurs.
The system consists of at least two sensors arranged in orthogonal planes to each other which can measure illuminance in vertical and horizontal planes. This helps to detect the locations of light sources approximately. The system can extract movement data using a geo-positioning module and does not need an accelerometer. The system gives information about under/over illuminated areas identified based on safety norms/ergonomics stated under rules of any of the safety standards. The system can be manually triggered to store the illuminance levels of a certain point, which enable the system to function at places where vehicles can’t traverse in industrial environments and the surveyor can manually store illuminance data of those locations.
The method comprises capturing the illumination data and geographical coordinate data and mapping the distribution of the illumination levels on a spatial map by the use of the stored data and analyzing the illumination levels of the data as per any of the safety standards and to identify all the dark zones and over illuminated areas. The method also provides a visual comparative analysis of the changes in the illumination levels of a certain area by comparing it with older illumination survey data. The method results in a much more effective illumination survey analysis and a significant reduction in man-hours of the surveyor. The surveying includes local coordinates as well, hence the integrated module is capable of cross coordinate reference systems (CRS).
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an illumination surveying device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system comprises a Geolocation/Geopositioning device 104, an ambient light sensor 102, a power supply 106, a central processor 110, a user input circuitry 108, an electronic memory unit 112 and a digital display unit 114.
The ambient light sensing unit 102 consists of at least two electronic ambient light sensors arranged in 90 degrees inclined position from one another. The ambient light sensor 102 may comprise but is not limited to a photodiode, a photoresistor, or a phototransistor array. The first sensor measures illuminance levels (lux) in the horizontal plane while the second sensor measures illuminance levels (lux) in the vertical plane. The Geo-positioning unit 104 utilizes a positioning technology to extract the geolocation of the device. The positioning technology used by the Geo-positioning unit comprises but is not limited to GPS, IP address tracking, cellular ranging etc.
The memory unit 112 is provided in the system to store the vertical and horizontal ambient light values, corresponding geolocation coordinates, User Input Data, and any other data such as time, date, etc in any of the data storage formats. The data stored inside the memory unit is called ‘stored data’. Inside the memory unit 112, the data may include ambient light intensity values from the sensors: horizontal and vertical sensors of a point in space, geolocation coordinates of the same point, and other user data if required. The data may be unencrypted or encrypted using encryption protocols that may include but are not limited to AES, SHA, TripleDES etc. The memory unit 112 is used to store the data in places where internet connectivity or other communication technologies are ineffective. The memory unit can be in the form of SD cards, EEPROM, flash memory etc. The system may further comprise a ‘wireless data transfer unit’. The wireless data transfer unit comprises electronic circuitry to facilitate wireless data transfer of the stored data via one or more of the different wireless data transfer technologies, such as BlueTooth, WiFi, Zigbee, GSM, BLE, etc. The digital display 114 of the system may be configured to show in real-time the processes or sensor data or geolocation data as required for ease of the user.
The central processor or the processing unit 110 comprises the electronic circuitry for the microprocessor/microcontroller and its peripherals that control the processes of the device based on the pre-programmed algorithms feed in the microprocessor/microcontroller. The central processor unit 110 is responsible for extracting data from sensors, geo-positioning unit and User Input Circuitry, storing them in the memory unit as required by the user in a manual (storage triggered by user) or automatic mode (storage triggered automatically in a repetitive manner within a certain period of time or as set by user). The processing unit 110 is also responsible for displaying any amount of data on the display unit and transferring the stored data through the wireless data transfer unit.
The user input circuitry 114 is used to accept user input data from the user to switch the modes of operation from manual to automatic, or to send commands to trigger data storage in the device or to power on/off the device, as required for the ease of the user.
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing components of a web application to analyze illumination data in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system utilizes an integrated and purpose-designed web application for illumination surveying and planning of industries. The application has inter-dependent modules to shape the overall functionality of the software.
Rendering Engine 202
Once the 'stored data’ is uploaded to the application through the user interface or through the ‘wireless data transfer unit’, the data points are inserted into the database with a cross-check mechanism to verify the authenticity of data. There are defined sets of rules that parse the stored data, (illuminance in two perpendicular planes, coordinates in three-dimension, Timestamps, Signal Strength etc.). Correlation is established between each data-point and foreign values are discarded. Also the filtering is effective to avoid outliers, duplicates, child outcomes and NULL values that are encountered in the Stored Data. Data fetched from the database is hashed and parsed in syntactic manner before visualization.
Visualization & Layer Fusion 204
The visualization module is a combination of three sources viz. Satellite layer, Map layer, and Illuminance Data-points from Rendering Engine 202. The three layers are imposed on each other to generate illumination maps as per the industrial standards. The color codes or symbolic representation provides the information related to distribution of illuminance across the area of interest. The different layers are interactive and the user can traverse the area digitally.
Analytics and Statement Preparation
Once the stored data is uploaded to the application, and the visualization module 204 is triggered, then Analytics module is also activated at the back-end. The analytics module may be configured to generate the report for each survey with insights related to under-illuminated zones, over-illuminated points, and compliant areas. The current illuminance model may be compared with the Illumination Standards. After processing, a complete gap analysis between the visualization layer and Illumination Standards may be performed to identify gaps and recommendation may be provided to the user with corrective measures required. The Analytics and Statement Preparation Module may be programmed to download the detailed report for historical purposes.
The trained AI model 208 is programmed to suggest the location for installation of additional lights to mitigate the inadequate illumination when compared with illumination standards. The trained AI model will recommend location of light sources along with parameters like height, orientation and light intensity to mitigate the said inadequate illumination.
Simulation Module
The Simulation Module allows the system to simulate installation of custom light sources. The simulation layer will result in the same digital layer as the one in the visualization layer in which the user may generate an equivalent effect of any custom light source.
In simulation module, input parameters like light intensity, wattage, type of light, etc sources can be chosen by the user. The output is the Illuminance Spread in a digital format of the corresponding light source as selected by the user using empirically correlated equations based on the energy efficiency as well as the statutory requirement simultaneously. The output may also include parameters like the number of lights, orientation and span of lights, height of lights, and angle of placement. Once the lights are simulated on the area of interest in the map layer then the optimum profile can be retrieved by the user to get the location of lights to be installed along with the specifications.
Database Architecture 206
Considering the overall flow of the application, the multiple users can utilize it for illumination surveying, mapping and planning. Relational structure is followed for channelizing the discrete data-points through centralized resources. Entire architecture is a unique combination of datasets and relation-sets.
Access and Authentication 212
The new user can be added centrally by providing the relevant inputs, as an output user authentication parameters are generated through dynamic algorithms. Through these parameters the user can login to the web application for full-functionality, the map layer shown in visualization is linked to each user, wherein map layer refers to any physical map, city map, mine layout, industrial layout, architectural or topographical map etc. Respectively the report in the appropriate format is available after successful verification of user.
Security
There are 3 stages of security in-built for the entire system that are governed by the web application. First one is the geo-fencing of the area with each license key, it nullifies any attempt of SQL injection or dumping on cloud. Second, all data transactions are happening with secure encode-decode script to avoid any leakage of information in the understandable format and it also helps in avoiding processing noises. Third and last one in the list is linking of device-id with intended license key only so that any potential harm by uploading malicious files is completely restricted.
User-Interface 210
For ease of navigation and working the user interface may be provided with several technical tools to make user access easier. Toggle between different types of mapping conventions, custom landmark tagging, filters, historic trends etc.
Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating the method used by the illumination surveying device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In the first step 302, illuminance data from the illumination sensor is fetched to the system. In next step 304, the system fetches geolocation data from geo-positioning circuitry. The system then displays the fetched data on the digital display in step 306. The system looks for user input data from user input circuitry and fetches the user input data in step 308. The system then checks for the user mode set by the user. If the user set mode in manual, the system checks if the user input wants to store data in step 310. If the user input is to store the data then the system will trigger the event to store the corresponding data.
In case, user set mode is automatic, the system checks if the difference between previous and current geolocation data is greater than threshold distance in step 312. If the distance is greater than threshold distance the system will trigger the event for capturing illuminance level and geolocation coordinates of that place. If the difference between the previous and current is less than threshold then the system again starts the loop by fetching illuminance data from the illuminance sensors. If the difference between previous and current geolocation data is greater than the threshold distance, the system will trigger the event.
Figure 4 is a block diagram showing process flow in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic memory unit 112 stores the illumination data, geographic location data, and the stored data as a stored data file 402. The data points are inserted into the database with a cross-check mechanism to verify the authenticity of data. There are defined sets of rules that parse the stored data (Illuminance in two perpendicular planes, Coordinates in three-dimension, Timestamps, Signal Strength etc.). Correlation is established between each data-point and foreign values are discarded. Also the filtering is effective to avoid outliers, duplicates, child outcomes and NULL values that are encountered in the survey. Data fetched from the database is hashed and parsed in syntactic manner before visualization. The processed report 404 is then fetched into the web-based application 406.
The map layer files 410 is processed by map layer processor 412 to generate illumination maps as per the industrial standards, wherein map layer refers to any physical map, city map, mine layout, industrial layout, architectural or topographical map etc. The final report 408 is generated by the web-based application 406 for each survey with insights related to under-illuminated zones, over-illuminated points, and compliant areas. The current illuminance model is compared with the illumination standards. After processing a complete gap analysis is done with corrective measures as a recommendation. The detailed report can be downloaded and also stored for historical purposes.
Various other modifications, adaptations, and alternative designs are of course possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it should be understood at this time that within the scope of the appended claims the invention might be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
ADVANTAGES
The main advantage of the present invention is that it saves man-hour in the Illumination Surveying Process and the Quality of Data Representation and Interpretation. Traditional Illumination Surveying Process comprises a person manually noting Ambient Light Data (lux) at discrete places in the field and plotting those discrete points over a digital/physical map. The system logs data automatically from the field just by traversing the desired area and creates a digital map for a quantitative visual representation of illumination levels throughout the area in a continuous distribution as opposed to discrete points in traditional methods which provide little or no information about illumination level spread and light sources.
Another advantage of the present invention is to identify under illuminated areas/dark spots within the surveyed area. This is very crucial for Industrial Areas as illumination is directly related to safety and productivity, as well as to comply with minimum Industrial standards with regulatory bodies.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be used for identification of over-illuminated areas within the surveyed area. This will result in energy and capital savings as this can help identify the locations of light sources that are not necessarily required to meet Lighting Standards and create excess illumination and can be removed or shifted to another location for better illumination.
Another advantage of the present invention is to suggest the locations of light source installations for optimum illumination for the surveyed area, the spacing distance between them and the types of light sources to be used.
Another advantage of the present invention is to aid in identification of Light Sources and Faulty Light Sources. The system detects all the light sources within the surveyed area, due to the unique orientation of sensors. When this data is compared with the existing data of light source installations available to relevant stakeholders, the system can detect faulty light sources.
The system of the present invention finds its application in diverse areas where illumination standards are to be maintained, like mines, plants, smelters, crushers, workshops, stadiums, playgrounds, highways and city roads, etc.
Although specific advantages have been enumerated above, various embodiments may include some, none, or all of the enumerated advantages.
Other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the instant specification.
, C , Claims:We Claim:
1. A system for automated illumination surveying for sensing and calculating illuminance levels of a point in space, the system comprising:
a geo-positioning device 104 to capture geographical coordinates of the point in space;
an ambient light sensors 102 to measure illuminance level at the point in space;
a memory unit 112 to store data on geographical coordinates and illuminance level at the point in space;
a central processor 110;
a display unit 114;
characterized by the presence of at least two ambient light sensors 102;
wherein the central processor 110 extract data from the ambient light sensors 102 and the geo-positioning device 104, stores the data in the memory unit 112, and display the data on the digital display unit 114;
a web-based application to process the data stored in the memory unit to generate a map showing illumination level on the maps .
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least two light sensors are arranged orthogonal at 90 degrees inclined position with each other, wherein the first ambient light sensor measures the illuminance level in the horizontal plane and the second ambient light sensor measures the illuminance level in the vertical plane.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ambient light sensors may comprise but are not limited to a photodiode, a photoresistor, a phototransistor or a photosensor array.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the geo-positioning device may comprise but is not limited to a GPS, IP address Tracking device or a cellular range device.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a wireless data transfer unit to facilitate wireless data transfer of the stored data through a wireless data transfer technology.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a user input circuitry to accept data from the user to switch modes of operation from manual to automatic, to send commands to trigger data storage, and to power on/off the system.
7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is a handheld device or it is adapted to mount on a moving vehicle or unmanned air vehicle.
8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein web-based application generates a report by mapping the stored data digitally on a map in two dimensions or 3 dimensions in which illuminance data is represented in the form of digital visual representation against the geographical coordinates.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the report provides an insight on under-illuminated zones, over illuminated points and illuminance compliant areas.
10. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the report suggests the location for installation of additional lights to mitigate the inadequate illumination.
11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system simulate installation of custom light source in the same digital visualization layer, where the user may generate an equivalent effect of any custom light source.