Device for optically measuring the shading of translucent panes

• US 4,870,264 A
• Filed: 07/26/1988
• Issued: 09/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beha, Christian
• Original Assignee: Beha, Christian
• Inventors: Beha, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oen, William L.
• Application Number:
  US07/224,152
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208, 250/209, 250/578, 356/244, 356/222, 356/224
• US Class Current: 356/432
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/1626 Arrangements with two photodetectors, the signals of which are compared
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/25 Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0616 Ambient light is used

Abstract

A device for measuring the shading of a translucent pane having an exterior side and an interior side comprising first and second photoelectric sensors for measuring unattenuated daylight, each of the sensors having a photosensitive surface and a spectral sensitivity substantially corresponding to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye and generating an output signal proportional to the intensity of the measured daylight, a first mounting element for mounting the first sensor on the exterior surface with the photosensitive surface of the first sensor facing away from the exterior surface, a second mounting element for mounting the second sensor on the interior surface with the photosensitive surface of the second sensor facing the interior surface, a housing, and an electronic circuit disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the first and second sensors for calculating the difference of the output signals of the first and second sensors, calculating the ratio of the difference to the signal from the first sensor, and displaying the ratio as a reference value.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the shading of a translucent pane having an exterior side and an interior side, comprising:

first and second photoelectric sensor means for measuring unattenuated daylight and attenuated daylight, respectively, and generating an output signal proportional thereto, each of said sensor means having a photosensitive surface and a spectral sensitivity substantially corresponding to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye;

first mounting means for mounting said first sensor means on said exterior side of the pane with said photosensitive surface of said first sensor means facing away from said exterior side;

second mounting means for mounting said second sensor means on the interior side of the pane with said photosensitive surface of said second sensor means facing the interior side;

a housing; and

electronic circuit means disposed in said housing and electrically connected to said first and second sensor means for calculating the difference of said output signals of said first and second sensor means, calculating the ratio of the difference of said output signals to said signal from said first sensor means, and displaying the ratio as a reference value.

2. The device of claim 1, each of said first and second sensor means comprising a photoelectric element having color correction filter means for adjusting the spectral sensitivity of said photoelectric element to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye.

3. The device of claim 2, said photoelectric element comprising a photodiode.

4. The device of claim 1, each of said first and second sensor means having a diffusing disk in front of said photosensitive surface.

5. The device of claim 1, said first and second mounting means each comprising a rubber suction cup.

6. The device of claim 1, said electronic circuit means comprising:

a subtractor having an input and generating an output signal, said subtractor input receiving said input signals from said first and second sensors;

a multiplier having an input and generating an output signal, said multiplier input receiving said output signal from said subtractor and said output signal from said first sensor; and

an analog-to-digital converter having an input and generating an output signal, said converter input receiving said output signal from said multiplier.

7. The device of claim 6 said electronic circuit means comprising an LC display disposed in said housing and having an input, said display input receiving said output signal from said analog-to-digital converter.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising first and second amplifier means for amplifying said output signals of said first and second sensor means, respectively, each of said first and second amplifier means having a switchable amplification factor.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a rotary knob switch operatively connected to said first and second amplifier means, said amplification factors of said first and second amplifier means being commonly switchable by said rotary knob switch.

10. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

an overdrive display disposed in said housing and

overdrive circuit means electrically connected to said overdrive display and said first and second amplifier means for controlling said overdrive display as soon as said first and second amplifier means are overdriven.

11. The device of claim 10, said overdrive display comprising flashing segments of and LC display controlled by said overdrive circuit means.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a battery disposed in said housing, said electronic circuit means being powered by said battery.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a low battery display disposed in said housing and

comparator circuit means for comparing the voltage of said battery with a minimum voltage and activating said low battery display as soon as the battery voltage drops below the minimum voltage.

14. The device of claim 1, said housing being pocket-sized.