INTELLIGENT SHADING OBJECT MOVEMENT BASED ON SUN SENSOR INTENSITY

• US 20170071300A1
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ShadeCraft, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ShadeCraft, LLC
• Inventors: Gharabegian, Armen Sevada
• Application Number:
  US15/278,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20170071300A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 17/00 Tiltable umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 19/02 Inflatable umbrellas; Umbrellas without ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 19/04 with telescopic sticks
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 19/08 with collapsible sticks
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2017/005 with additional rotation about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2019/002 Umbrellas stored inside the stick when closed, e.g. collapsible into the handle
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2019/026 Umbrellas without ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0012 Ground supported umbrellas or sunshades on a single post, e.g. resting in or on a surface there below
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0031 Cantilever umbrellas or sunshades with a support arm
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2023/0093 Sunshades or weather protections of other than umbrella type
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2025/003 Accessories not covered by groups A45B25/24 - A45B25/30
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1018 with illuminating devices, e.g. electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1027 with means for generating solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 23/00 Other umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/143 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/16 Automatic openers, e.g. frames with spring mechanisms A45B25/143 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/165 with fluid or electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 25/18 Covers detachable A45B15/00; Means for fastening same
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/00 Compasses; Devices for ascertaining true or magnetic north for navigation or surveying purposes using gyroscopic effect G01C19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 : with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 : Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4266 : for measuring solar light
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 : specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7861 : Solar tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric

Abstract

An intelligent umbrella includes a light sensor to generate a light intensity measurement, a motor to move the light sensor about an azimuth axis, the light sensor generating a plurality of light intensity measurements and associated locations. The intelligent umbrella also includes a controller to receive the plurality of light intensity measurements from the light sensor, and to identify a highest light sensor measurement of the plurality of light sensor measurements and an associated location. The controller generates and communicates a command including the associated location to a motor, which receives the command and moves the light sensor to the associated location. The controller moves a light sensor about an elevation axis, determines a peak intensity value and corresponding elevation location, and moves the light sensor to the corresponding elevation location.

Claims

1. An intelligent umbrella, comprising:

a light sensor to generate a light intensity measurement;

a motor to move the light sensor about an azimuth axis, the light sensor generating a plurality of light intensity measurements and associated locations;

a controller to receive the plurality of light intensity measurements from the light sensor, and identify a highest light sensor measurement of the plurality of light sensor measurements and an associated location, the controller to generate and communicate a command including the associated location, wherein the motor receives the command and moves the light sensor to the associated location.

2. The intelligent umbrella of claim 1, further comprising the controller to generate and communicate instructions to the motor to move the light sensor 360 degrees about the azimuth axis.

3. The intelligent umbrella of claim 2, wherein the light sensor generates greater than 100 measurements during movement of the light sensor about the azimuth axis.

4. The intelligent umbrella of claim 1, further comprising an additional motor to move the light sensor about an elevation axis, the light sensor generating a second plurality of light intensity measurements and associated elevation locations.

5. The intelligent umbrella of claim 1, further comprising the controller to receive the second plurality of light intensity measurements and identify a largest light intensity measurement of the second plurality of light intensity measurements and an associated elevation measurement.

6. The intelligent umbrella of claim 1, further comprising the controller to communicate the associated elevation measurement to the second motor, the second motor to move the light sensor to the associated elevation measurement.

7. A method of positioning a shading element in a shading object comprising:

moving a sun sensor about an azimuth axis;

generating a plurality of sun sensor values for a plurality of locations about the azimuth axis;

capturing a peak intensity sun sensor value and corresponding peak intensity location;

moving the shading element to the peak intensity location about the azimuth axis.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sun sensor is moved 360 degrees about an azimuth axis.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of sun sensor values is greater than 100 sun sensor values.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising moving a sun sensor about an elevation axis.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a second plurality of sun sensor values for a second plurality of locations about the elevation axis and capturing a peak intensity value and corresponding peak intensity location about the elevation axis from the second plurality of sun sensor values.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising moving the shading element to the corresponding peak intensity location about the elevation axis.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

capturing, utilizing a Global Positioning System receiver, a reference time, a local time, and/or a number of days since start of a year of the shading object;

calculating an azimuth angle and an elevation angle for the shading object based, at least in part, on the captured reference time, the captured local time, and/or the number of days since start of the year; and

moving the shading element to the calculated azimuth angle and the calculated elevation angle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

capturing using a digital compass, a true North reading and determining an direction/orientation reading of the shading object;

calculating an updated azimuth angle and an updated elevation angle for the shading object based, at least in part, on the determined direction/orientation reading; and

moving the shading element to the calculated updated azimuth angle and the calculated updated elevation angle.

13. An article, comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory storage medium, comprising computer-readable instructions stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions which when executed cause an umbrella to;

move a light sensor about an azimuth axis;

generate a plurality of light sensor intensity values for a plurality of locations about the azimuth axis;

capture a peak light sensor intensity value and corresponding peak intensity location;

move the shading element to the peak intensity location about the azimuth axis.

14. The article of claim 13, wherein the light sensor is moved 360 degrees about the azimuth axis.

15. The article of claim 13, wherein the plurality of light sensor intensity values is greater than 100 light sensor intensity values.

16. The article of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors cause the umbrella to move a light sensor about an elevation axis.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising computer-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors cause the umbrella to:

generate a second plurality of light sensor intensity values for a second plurality of locations about the elevation axis and capture a peak intensity value and corresponding peak intensity location about the elevation axis from the second plurality of light sensor intensity values.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising computer-readable instructions which when executed by the processors cause the umbrella to:

move the shading element to the corresponding peak intensity location about the elevation axis.