METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING LIGHT POLLUTION
First Claim
1. An obstruction light controller unit for preventing light pollution, comprising:
- a communications unit configured to receive one or more signals from a master radar detection processing unit via a network, the master radar detection processing unit generating the one or more 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 one or more obstruction lights; and
a switching unit configured (i) to turn on the one or more obstruction lights in response to receiving a first signal indicative of a determination that a vehicle has entered the monitored volume or that a failure condition has occurred and (ii) to turn off the one or more obstruction lights in response to a second signal indicative of a determination that all vehicles have vacated the monitored volume and the failure condition has not occurred.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An obstruction light controller unit for preventing light pollution, comprising:
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a communications unit configured to receive one or more signals from a master radar detection processing unit via a network, the master radar detection processing unit generating the one or more 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 one or more obstruction lights; and a switching unit configured (i) to turn on the one or more obstruction lights in response to receiving a first signal indicative of a determination that a vehicle has entered the monitored volume or that a failure condition has occurred and (ii) to turn off the one or more obstruction lights in response to a second signal indicative of a determination that all vehicles have vacated the monitored volume and the failure condition has not occurred. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for preventing light pollution, comprising:
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receiving one or more signals from a master radar detection processing unit, the master radar detection processing unit generating the one or more 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; turning on one or more obstruction lights in response to receiving a first signal indicative of a determination that a vehicle has entered the monitored volume or that a failure condition has occurred; and turning off the one or more obstruction lights in response to a second signal indicative of a determination that all vehicles have vacated the monitored volume and the failure condition has not occurred. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product for preventing light pollution, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:
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monitor for vehicles in a volume surrounding or containing at least one obstruction, the at least one obstruction having at least one obstruction light;
determine whether at least one vehicle is present in the monitored volume;
determine whether a failure condition exists; andturn on at least one obstruction light in response to determining that (i) at least one vehicle is present in the monitored volume or (ii) a failure condition exists; and
turn off the at least one obstruction light in response to determining that (i) no vehicles are present in the monitored volume and (ii) a failure condition does not exist. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification