Method and system for reducing light pollution
First Claim
1. A system for preventing light pollution, comprising:
- a radar unit configured to monitor a volume surrounding or containing at least one obstruction, the at least one obstruction having one or more obstruction lights;
a master radar detection processing unit in communication with the radar unit, the master radar detection processing unit configured to process radar detection information from the radar unit and to count the number of vehicles entering and leaving the monitored volume, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to generate one or more control signals based on the processed radar detection information; and
a plurality of obstruction light controller units each configured to operate an obstruction light based on the one or more control signals, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to transmit a control signal of the one or more control signals over a network of obstruction light controller units, to at least one of the plurality of obstruction light controller units to activate at least one of the one or more obstruction lights in response to the master radar detection processing unit determining that the number of vehicles that have entered and have vacated the monitored volume is not equal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for preventing light pollution includes one or more radar units that monitor for vehicles in a volume surrounding or containing one or more obstructions having one or more obstruction lights. A master radar detection processing unit receives sensed radar detection information from the one or more radar units with associated radar signal processing units and determines whether a vehicle is present within the monitored volume. A plurality of obstruction light controller units are interconnected in a network, such as a wireless network. Each obstruction light controller unit turns on an obstruction light when a vehicle enters the monitored volume or a failure condition exists, and turns off the obstruction light when the vehicle has vacated the monitored volume and no failure condition exists. The one or more radar units can transmit sensed radar detection information to a master radar detection processing unit via the network.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system for preventing light pollution, comprising:
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a radar unit configured to monitor a volume surrounding or containing at least one obstruction, the at least one obstruction having one or more obstruction lights; a master radar detection processing unit in communication with the radar unit, the master radar detection processing unit configured to process radar detection information from the radar unit and to count the number of vehicles entering and leaving the monitored volume, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to generate one or more control signals based on the processed radar detection information; and a plurality of obstruction light controller units each configured to operate an obstruction light based on the one or more control signals, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to transmit a control signal of the one or more control signals over a network of obstruction light controller units, to at least one of the plurality of obstruction light controller units to activate at least one of the one or more obstruction lights in response to the master radar detection processing unit determining that the number of vehicles that have entered and have vacated the monitored volume is not equal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24)
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12. A method for preventing light pollution, comprising:
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monitoring for vehicles in a volume surrounding or containing at least one obstruction, the at least one obstruction having at least one obstruction light; determining whether at least one vehicle is present in the monitored volume by counting the number of vehicles entering and vacating the monitored volume; and turning on at least one obstruction light in response to determining that at least one vehicle is present in the monitored volume when the number of vehicles entering and vacating the monitored volume are not equal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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25. A system for preventing light pollution, comprising:
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a radar unit configured to monitor a volume surrounding or containing at least one obstruction including at least one of a windmill, a wind turbine, a tower, or any combination thereof and having one or more obstruction lights; a master radar detection processing unit in communication with the radar unit, the master radar detection processing unit configured to process radar detection information from the radar unit and to determine whether a vehicle is present in the monitored volume and to differentiate the vehicle from the motion of the wind turbine rotors or the variable yaw orientation of the wind turbine nacelles, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to generate one or more control signals based on the processed radar detection information; and a plurality of obstruction light controller units each configured to operate an obstruction light based on the one or more control signals, the master radar detection processing unit further configured to transmit a control signal of the one or more control signals over a network of obstruction light controller units. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification