Monitoring Road Reflectance and Street Lighting

• US 20070263222A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Odyssey Developments Limited
• Original Assignee: Odyssey Developments Limited
• Inventors: Loveless, Roger
• Application Number:
  US10/554,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263222A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/445
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/08 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for photometry standard sources, also using luminescent or radioactive material
• 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: G01N 21/474 Details of optical heads therefor, e.g. using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/042 by measuring the incident light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for measuring and recording reflectance of a road surface compliance with luminance-specified lighting standards for roads, said apparatus including at least one road surface reflectance monitoring system capable of determining at least one spectral component and brightness of light reflected from the road surface, said system including at least one light emitter adapted to emit light toward the road surface, at least two non-coaxial light detectors adapted to detect light reflected from the road surface, to determine said spectral component, and at least one further light emitter adapted to emit light toward the road surface, at least one further light detector adapted to detect light reflected from the road surface, to determine said brightness, said apparatus further including at least one data recording system, and at least one output device adapted to receive data from the light emitter and the light detectors and provide at least one output signal to the said at least one data recording system regarding a level of received reflectance from the road surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring and recording reflectance of a road surface compliance with luminance-specified lighting standards for roads, said apparatus including :

at least one road surface reflectance monitoring system capable of determining at least one spectral component and brightness of light reflected from the road surface, said system including;

at least one light emitter adapted to emit light toward the road surface,

at least two non-coaxial light detectors adapted to detect light reflected from the road surface,

to determine said spectral component and

at least one further light emitter adapted to emit light toward the road surface,

at least one further light detector adapted to detect light reflected from the road surface,

to determine said brightness;

said apparatus further including

at least one data recording system, and

at least one output device adapted to receive data from the light emitter and the light detectors and provide at least one output signal to the said at least one data recording system regarding a level of reflectance from the road surface.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, adapted for use with a vehicle

said apparatus also including:

at least one logging device adapted to log the position of the vehicle in the course of travel along a route, and

at least one recording device adapted to record the at least one output signal and a logging device output signal, said at least one recording device being adapted to record the output of the road surface reflectance in combination with the position of said vehicle on said route.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said apparatus further including:

an illuminance measuring system adapted to measure incident light from external light sources including road lighting, and

wherein said output device is adapted to receive and process data from the illuminance measuring system.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 adapted for use with a vehicle said apparatus also including:

at least one light transmitting detector adapted to provide an output signal relating to a level of received illumination from external light sources including street lighting, and

wherein said at least one output device is also adapted to receive and process data from the logging device output signal and receive and process data from the transmitting device.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light emitter is an automotive grade light source.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light detector is a photosensitive device.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reflectance monitoring system is shielded from external light sources.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 which includes a shield.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the shield includes a soft resilient material.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the shield is positioned in contact with the road surface.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data recording system includes at least one programmable logic device.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the data recording system includes a computer.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the light transmitting detector includes at least one sensing device adapted to respond to illumination received from light transmittance equipment.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the sensing device includes at least one photosensitive device.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the sensing device includes at least one lux sensor.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the position of the vehicle is logged by global positioning satellite device.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the speed and height of the vehicle mounted sensing equipment from the road surface are recorded by a logging device.

18. A method of monitoring main road lighting using the apparatus claimed in claim 1, said method including the steps of:

a) driving a vehicle along a route while street lighting is operative,

b) recording the illumination provided by the street lighting,

c) recording the road surface reflectance that can be used to determine the luminance properties of the route surface, and

d) recording the position of the vehicle in the course of the vehicle'"'"'s travel along said route.

19-32. -32. (canceled)