Method and System for Reducing Light Pollution

• US 20090034259A1
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terma A/S (Thomas B. Thriges Fond)
• Original Assignee: Laufer Wind Group, LLC
• Inventors: Laufer, Eric David
• Granted Patent: US 7,876,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/253
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/10 Arrangements for warning air traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A system for preventing light pollution includes one or more radar units that monitor for vehicles in a volume surrounding or containing one or more obstructions having one or more obstruction lights. A master radar detection processing unit receives sensed radar detection information from the one or more radar units with associated radar signal processing units and determines whether a vehicle is present within the monitored volume. A plurality of obstruction light controller units are interconnected in a network, such as a wireless network. Each obstruction light controller unit turns on an obstruction light when a vehicle enters the monitored volume or a failure condition exists, and turns off the obstruction light when the vehicle has vacated the monitored volume and no failure condition exists. The one or more radar units can transmit sensed radar detection information to a master radar detection processing unit via the network.

Claims

1. A system for preventing light pollution, comprising:

a radar unit configured to monitor a volume surrounding or containing at least one obstruction, the at least one obstruction having a plurality of obstruction lights;

a master radar detection processing unit in communication with the radar unit, the master radar detection processing unit configured to process radar detection information from the radar unit and to determine whether a vehicle is present in the monitored volume, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to generate control signals based on the processed radar detection information; and

a plurality of obstruction light controller units, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to transmit the control signals over a network of obstruction light controller units, each obstruction light controller unit configured to operate an obstruction light based on the control signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each obstruction light controller unit is configured (i) to turn on an obstruction light if the control signals indicate that the vehicle has entered the monitored volume or a failure condition has occurred and (ii) to turn off the obstruction light if the control signals indicate that the vehicle has left the monitored volume and the failure condition has not occurred.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second radar unit in communication with the master radar detection processing unit via the network of obstruction light controller units, the second radar unit configured to transmit radar detection information to the master radar detection processing unit via the network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an airborne vehicle and the master radar detection processing unit receives radar detection information from the radar unit and determines a presence, a range, an azimuth, and an elevation of the airborne vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the master radar detection processing unit differentiates between airborne vehicles and ground vehicles.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the airborne vehicle includes a small plane, a large plane, a helicopter, or a glider.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one obstruction includes a windmill, a wind turbine, or a tower.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the master radar detection processing unit differentiates the vehicle from the motion of the wind turbine rotors and the variable yaw orientation of the wind turbine nacelles.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the network of obstruction light controller units is a wireless network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar unit is located in close proximity to the monitored volume.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar unit is located remotely from the monitored volume.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the master radar detection processing unit counts the number of vehicles entering and leaving the monitored volume and transmits a control message to the plurality of obstruction light controller units to turn on the plurality of obstruction lights in response to the master radar detection processing unit determining that the number of vehicles that have entered and have vacated the monitored volume is not equal.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the master radar detection processing unit monitors the operational status of the radar unit.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the radar unit is mounted on a wind turbine.

15. An obstruction light controller unit for preventing light pollution, comprising:

a communications unit configured to receive control signals from a master radar detection processing unit via a network of obstruction light controller units, the master radar detection processing unit generating the control signals based on radar detection information from at least one radar unit, the at least one radar unit monitoring a volume surrounding or containing at least one obstruction having a plurality of obstruction lights;

a processing unit configured (i) to interpret control signals indicating whether a vehicle is present in the monitored volume and (ii) to interpret control signals indicating whether a failure condition has occurred; and

a switching unit configured (i) to turn on an obstruction light in response to the processing unit determining that a vehicle has entered the monitored volume or that the failure condition has occurred and (ii) to turn off the obstruction light in response to the processing unit determining that all vehicle have vacated the monitored volume and the failure condition has not occurred.

16. The obstruction light controller unit of claim 15, wherein the communications unit is a wireless communications unit that includes an antenna.

17. The obstruction light controller unit of claim 15, wherein the switching unit is a normally closed (NC) relay or a single-pole-double-throw (SPDT) relay with normally closed leads.

18. A method for preventing light pollution, comprising:

monitoring for vehicles in a volume surrounding or containing a at least one obstruction, the at least one obstruction having at least one obstruction light;

determining whether at least one vehicle is present in the monitored volume;

determining whether a failure condition exists; and

turning on at least one obstruction light in response to determining that at least one vehicle is present in the monitored volume or a failure condition exists.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising turning off the at least one obstruction light in response to determining that (i) at least one vehicle is not present in the monitored volume and (ii) a failure condition does not exist.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein determining whether a failure condition exists includes monitoring, within a regular time interval, for a predetermined signal indicating whether elements of a system for preventing light pollution are properly functioning.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising turning on at least one obstruction light in response to not detecting, within the regular time interval, a predetermined signal indicating that elements of the system for preventing light pollution are properly functioning.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising turning on at least one obstruction light in response to detecting, a predetermined signal indicating that elements of the system for preventing light pollution are not properly functioning.