FLOW SENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130106312A1
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ETH Zurich, Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Rufli, Martin M., Beardsley, Paul A., Mattmann, Pirmin
• Granted Patent: US 8,721,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/312
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A visual display is provided through the combined effect of many devices that individually illuminate in response to wind flow. The devices are distributed at different locations within a three-dimensional space, so as to provide an overall illumination effect throughout the space that visually indicates wind (air) or other fluid flowing through the space. Each device can include a housing, at least one light source, a sensor system, and a device controller. The sensor system can include any of various types of sensor subsystems, each having one or more sensors, but includes at least a flow sensor subsystem. The device controller is configured to activate the light source in response to the sensor system detecting a change in an environmentally-related input, such as air flow, sensed by the sensor system.

Claims

1. A flow sensing system, comprising:

a multiplicity of devices distributed at different locations within a three-dimensional space, each device comprising;

a housing;

a light source coupled to the housing and configured to emit visible light;

a sensor system coupled to the housing, the sensor system including an air flow sensor subsystem; and

a device controller coupled to the sensor system and the light source and configured to activate the light source in response to a change in a sensed environmental input provided by the sensor system.

2. The flow sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a central controller having a wireless communication system, and wherein each device further comprises a wireless communication system configured to communicate with the wireless communication system of the central controller, wherein the central controller is configured to wirelessly receive measurement information sensed by the sensor system of each device and provide a plurality of control signals in response to the received measurement information, each control signal corresponding to one device, and wherein the device controller of each corresponding device is configured to wirelessly receive the corresponding control signal and activate the light source in response to the received control signal.

3. The flow sensing system of claim 1, wherein each device further comprises a wireless communication system configured to communicate with the wireless communication systems of others of the multiplicity of devices, wherein the device controller of each device is configured to wirelessly receive measurement information sensed by the sensor system of at least one other device and provide a control signal in response to the received measurement information, and wherein the device controller is configured to activate the light source in response to the control signal.

4. The flow sensing system of claim 1, wherein each device further comprises a wireless communication system configured to communicate with the wireless communication systems of others of the multiplicity of devices, wherein the device controller of at least one device is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal produced by at least one other device in response to measurement information sensed by the sensor system of the at the least one other device.

5. The flow sensing system of claim 4, wherein the at least one device does not include a sensor system.

6. The flow sensing system of claim 1, wherein the multiplicity of devices are mounted on a common structure.

7. The flow sensing system of claim 6, wherein the structure is a tree, and the multiplicity of devices are distributed among branches of the tree.

8. The flow sensing system of claim 1, wherein the air flow sensor subsystem comprises an anemometer.

9. The flow sensing system of claim 1, wherein the air flow sensor subsystem comprises a microphone.

10. The flow sensing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises an orientation sensor subsystem.

11. The flow sensing system of claim 10, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises a magnetometer.

12. The flow sensing system of claim 10, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises a gyroscopic sensor.

13. The flow sensing system of claim 10, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises an accelerometer.

14. The flow sensing system of claim 10, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises a camera.

15. The flow sensing system of claim 10, wherein the sensor system comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

16. The flow sensing system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor system comprises an anemometer and a magnetometer; and

the device controller is configured to activate the light source in response to a sensed flow direction provided by the sensor system, and light emitted by the light source has a color determined by wind direction relative to a direction of a magnetic field sensed by the magnetometer.

17. A flow sensing device, comprising:

a housing;

a light source coupled to the housing and configured to emit light visible from within a range of distances from the light source;

a sensor system coupled to the housing, the sensor system including an air flow sensor subsystem; and

a device controller coupled to the sensor system and the light source and configured to activate the light source in response to a change in a sensed environmental input provided by the sensor system.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a signal in response to information sensed by the sensor system.

19. The device of claim 17, further comprising a wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive a control signal, wherein the device controller is configured to activate the light source in response to the control signal.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the air flow sensor subsystem comprises an anemometer.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the air flow sensor subsystem comprises a microphone.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the sensor system comprises an orientation sensor subsystem.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises a magnetometer.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises a gyroscopic sensor.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises an accelerometer.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the orientation sensor subsystem comprises a camera.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein the sensor system comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

28. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the sensor system comprises an anemometer and a magnetometer; and

the device controller is configured to activate the light source in response to a sensed flow direction provided by the sensor system, and light emitted by the light source has a color determined by wind direction relative to a direction of a magnetic field sensed by the magnetometer.

29. A method for providing an illuminated flow sensing display, comprising:

distributing a multiplicity of devices at different locations within a three-dimensional space, each device comprising;

a housing;

a light source coupled to the housing and configured to emit visible light from within a range of distances from the light source, wherein the multiplicity of devices are located within the range of distances from at least one observation location;

a sensor system coupled to the housing, the sensor system including an air flow sensor subsystem; and

a device controller coupled to the sensor system and the light source and configured to activate the light source in response to change in a sensed environmental input provided by the sensor system.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein distributing a multiplicity of devices comprises distributing the multiplicity of devices on a supporting structure spanning the three-dimensional space.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein distributing the multiplicity of devices on a supporting structure comprises distributing the multiplicity of devices among branches of a tree.