Method and apparatus for evaluating solar radiation amount

• US 8,019,117 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pasco Corporation (Secom Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Pasco Corporation (Secom Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sasakawa, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, BRIAN Q
• Application Number:
  US12/680,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20100310116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/113, 382/154
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/12 Sunshine duration recorders measuring intensity of sunshine G01J

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for evaluating a solar radiation amount that can realize higher accuracy by virtue of consideration of terrain conditions.

Static satellite image data 1 and three-dimensional map model 2 are combined, and a mesh 3 based on plane coordinates is set in accordance with a ground resolution of the static satellite image data 1. A shadow area 4 is calculated based on the three-dimensional map model 2 and a solar position specified by photographing chronological data, and whether or not each cell 8 of the mesh 3 belongs to the shadow area 4 is determined. Also, a solar radiation evaluation component 6 of each cell 8 in an area to be evaluated is obtained with reference to a table 7 associating a pixel value 5 of each pixel in the static satellite image data 1 with the solar radiation evaluation component 6 in an area corresponding to each pixel. In addition, when the cell 8 is determined to belong to the shadow area 4, an evaluation component after terrain condition correction calculated by applying a predetermined correction calculation to the solar radiation evaluation component 6 is obtained.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a solar radiation amount in an area to be evaluated, comprising:

using a computer to perform the following steps of;

obtaining static satellite image data along with photographing chronological data;

then combining the static satellite image data with a three-dimensional map model;

then, in accordance with a ground resolution of the static satellite image data, setting a mesh based on plane coordinates to the combination data and, in accordance with the mesh, setting a predetermined area in the combination data as an area to be evaluated;

thereafter calculating a shadow area, generated in the area to be evaluated, based on the three-dimensional map model and a solar position specified by the photographing chronological data and determining whether or not each cell of the mesh belongs to the shadow area in accordance with a predetermined criterion; and

,

with reference to a table associating a pixel value of each pixel in the static satellite image data with a solar radiation amount evaluation component of an area corresponding to each pixel, obtaining the solar radiation amount evaluation component of each cell in the area to be evaluated, and when the relevant cell is determined to belong to the shadow area, obtaining, instead of the solar radiation amount evaluation component, an evaluation component after terrain condition correction that is calculated by applying a predetermined correction calculation to the solar radiation amount evaluation component.

3. The method for evaluating a solar radiation amount according to claim 1,

wherein three-dimensional coordinate data using a center point of a cell as a reference is set to said each cell,

and wherein whether or not each cell belongs to a shadow area based on the solar position specified by the photographing chronological data is determined by whether or not three-dimensional coordinates of the center point belongs to a shadow area in the three-dimensional map model.

5. The method for evaluating a solar radiation amount according to claim 1,

wherein the table comprises a solar radiation transmission coefficient of a cloud set as a solar radiation amount evaluation component,

and wherein the solar radiation amount is calculated based on a solar position, specified by the photographing chronological data, and the solar radiation transmission coefficient.

2. A method for evaluating a solar radiation amount in an area to be evaluated, comprising:

using a computer to perform the following steps of;

obtaining static satellite image data along with photographing chronological data;

then combining the static satellite image data with a three-dimensional map model;

then, in accordance with a ground resolution of the static satellite image data, setting a mesh based on plane coordinates to the combination data and, in accordance with the mesh, setting a predetermined area in the combination data as an area to be evaluated;

thereafter, based on the three-dimensional map model, in accordance with a predetermined criterion, obtaining a representative slope angle and a representative slope direction of each cell of the mesh in the area to be evaluated and calculating, for each cell, a slope correction coefficient adopted for use in the conversion from the solar radiation amount evaluation, that is received when each cell is assumed to be a horizontal plane based on a solar position specified by the photographing chronological data, to the solar radiation amount evaluation received when the representative slope angle and the representative slope direction are applied; and

obtaining a solar radiation amount evaluation component of each cell in the area to be evaluated with reference to a table associating a pixel value of each pixel in the static satellite image data with the solar radiation amount evaluation component for each area when an area corresponding to each pixel is assumed to be a horizontal plane, and thereafter obtaining an evaluation component after terrain condition correction for each cell calculated by applying correction calculation to the solar radiation amount evaluation component with the slope correction coefficient.

4. The method for evaluating a solar radiation amount according to claim 2,

wherein three-dimensional coordinate data using a center point of a cell as a reference is set to said each cell,

and wherein the representative slope angle and the representative slope direction of each cell are calculated based on a difference between elevation data of a center point of a peripheral cell and elevation data of a center point of a central cell.

6. An apparatus for evaluating a solar radiation amount comprising:

a processor and a non-transitory medium to perform the following;

obtaining means that obtains static satellite image data along with photographing chronological data;

map model combination means that combines the static satellite image data with a three-dimensional map model;

evaluated area setting means that sets a mesh based on plane coordinates to the combination data in accordance with a ground resolution of the static satellite image data and, in accordance with the mesh, sets a predetermined area in the combination data as an area to be evaluated;

shadow determination means that calculates a shadow area, generated in the area to be evaluated, based on the three-dimensional map model and a solar position specified by the photographing chronological data and determines whether or not each cell of the mesh belongs to the shadow area in accordance with a predetermined criterion; and

,

solar radiation amount evaluation means that obtains a solar radiation amount evaluation component of each cell in the area to be evaluated with reference to a table associating a pixel value of each pixel in the static satellite image data with the solar radiation amount evaluation component of an area corresponding to each pixel, and, when the relevant cell is determined to belong to the shadow area, obtains, instead of the solar radiation amount evaluation component, an evaluation component after terrain condition correction that is calculated by applying a predetermined correction calculation to the solar radiation amount evaluation component, whereby the solar radiation amount in the area to be evaluated is evaluated.

7. An apparatus for evaluating a solar radiation amount, comprising:

a processor and a non-transitory medium to perform the following;

obtaining means that obtains static satellite image data along with photographing chronological data;

map model combination means that combines the static satellite image data with a three-dimensional map model;

evaluated area setting means that sets a mesh based on plane coordinates to the combination data in accordance with a ground resolution of the static satellite image data and, in accordance with the mesh, sets a predetermined area in the combination data as an area to be evaluated;

slope correction calculation means that, based on the three-dimensional map model, in accordance with a predetermined criterion, obtains a representative slope angle and a representative slope direction of each cell in the mesh in the area to be evaluated and calculates, for each cell, a correction coefficient adopted for use in the conversion from the solar radiation amount evaluation, that is received when each cell is assumed to be a horizontal plane based on a solar position specified by the photographing chronological data, to the solar radiation amount evaluation received when the representative slope angle and the representative slope direction are applied; and

solar radiation amount evaluation means that obtains a solar radiation amount evaluation component of each cell in the area to be evaluated with reference to a table associating a pixel value of each pixel in the static satellite image data with the solar radiation amount evaluation component for each area when an area corresponding to each pixel is assumed to be a horizontal plane, and thereafter obtains an evaluation component after terrain condition correction for each cell calculated by applying correction calculation to the solar radiation amount evaluation component with the correction coefficient, whereby the solar radiation amount in the area to be evaluated is evaluated.

8. A method for evaluating a solar radiation amount in an area to be evaluated, comprising:

using a computer to perform the following steps of;

obtaining static satellite image data along with photographing chronological data;

then combining the static satellite image data with a three-dimensional map model;

then, in accordance with a ground resolution of the static satellite image data, setting a mesh based on plane coordinates to the combination data and, in accordance with the mesh, setting a predetermined area in the combination data as an area to be evaluated;

thereafter calculating a shadow area, generated in the area to be evaluated, based on the three-dimensional map model and a solar position specified by the photographing chronological data and determining whether or not each cell of the mesh belongs to the shadow area in accordance with a predetermined criterion;

based on the three-dimensional map model, in accordance with a predetermined criterion, obtaining a representative slope angle and a representative slope direction of each cell of the mesh in the area to be evaluated and calculating, for each cell, a correction coefficient adopted for use in the conversion from the solar radiation amount evaluation, that is received when each cell is assumed to be a horizontal plane based on a solar position, to the solar radiation amount evaluation received when the representative slope angle and the representative slope direction are applied; and

obtaining a solar radiation amount evaluation component of each cell in the area to be evaluated with reference to a table associating a pixel value of each pixel in the static satellite image data with the solar radiation amount evaluation component for each area when an area corresponding to each pixel is assumed to be a horizontal plane, and thereafter when the cell is determined to belong to a shadow area, applying a predetermined correction calculation to the solar radiation amount evaluation component, and, obtaining instead of the solar radiation amount evaluation component, an evaluation component after terrain condition correction calculated by additional correction calculation with the correction coefficient.