CA3101898A1 - Solar-monitoring indoor lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

A solar-monitoring plant light that monitors sun exposure of plants and controls the illumination of a lighting system in order to ensure sufficient light exposure to plants.
The main components of this invention include a frame which houses a changeable lightbulb connection, an automatic switch connected to a control panel which illuminates said lightbulb, a solar panel to harvest sunlight, a battery with a charge controller to power the apparatus, and a light sensor to detect and measure sunlight exposure.
This device is not directly responsible for improving plant growth; instead it monitors the amount of sun exposure and controls the illumination of a light source in order to complement the natural exposure tracked through a panel. Depending on the input by the user, the light will turn on for a time if insufficient natural sunlight/energy is detected for the required exposure duration.

Description

DESCRIPTION
Title Solar-monitoring indoor lighting system.
Technical field This patent describes an indoor light that monitors light intensity in order to supplement light requirements of plants.
Background information House plants requiring a certain amount of light are usually strategically placed at different areas around the dwelling to optimize the amount of light the plant gets.
However, plants must then be moved around during periods of decreased light, such as overcast days or during the winter months, to ensure the plant is getting the required amount of sunlight to survive. To combat this, growth lights have been employed to provide varying hours of light; however, these do not take into account the natural sunlight the plant may already be receiving and can result in the plant burning or desiccating.
The current method of using LEDs for plant/horticulture use is to either use grow bulbs or grow lamps. These can be programmed to turn on for a specific amount of time in order to supplement plants with UV light, but this usually requires that plants be located in darker areas so that they only receive light from the lamp/bulb. In addition, these lamps usually use electricity for power, limiting where the lamp can be placed.
This patent will describe a portable battery/solar-powered solar-monitoring light used to optimize the required light levels specific to the chosen plant by measuring the light the plant is already getting and supplementing it with artificial light.
Summary of the invention The concept of this invention is an indoor plant light that has the ability to monitor the amount of sunlight exposure for a given plant type, allowing the invention to supplement the plant with extra light if the natural light is insufficient for plant growth. If inadequate natural light is measured during a specific time period by the light sensor (based on Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08 hours calculated through specific settings selected by the user in the control panel), a light bulb mimicking sunlight wavelengths will be automatically turned on for the remainder of the time in order to supplement the plant with more light in order to fill the deficiency. On the other hand, if the plant is getting too much sunlight, the lightbulb will not be turned on, and the monitor will indicate this to the user by turning on an indicator light. The plant can then be moved to a more suited location with less light exposure.
The use of battery and solar technology is employed in order to reduce power consumption, in addition to allowing portability of the invention so that it can be placed wherever the user desires/requires. Charging of a primary battery will be accomplished through the use of solar cells which can harvest both natural sunlight and the light emitted by the lamp. In a sense, this invention may be self-charging. This invention would allow for optimal plant health and growth in a way that could be used year-round, as the plant would not need to be relocated depending on the season. It would also allow for users to place plants in any location, without having to worry about the plant's light requirements, as this invention will take care of it.
The purpose of this invention is to provide a 'hands-off approach in regards to the energy requirements for a plant, so that any plant can be grown indoors at any time of the year. This would be beneficial for household use, especially in dimmer areas where a plant is desired, in addition for use with fastidious plants that require a much higher level of care.
Descriptions of prior art Many attempts have been made to use solar energy in combination with a light monitoring system in order to illuminate spaces such as roadways or indoor spaces.
One such patent, "Self-lighting roadway delineator apparatus and control method" in South Korean patent number KR101807227B1 filed in 2017 by OI,TH aims to illuminate and delineate roadways. It uses both wind energy from passing cars and a solar cell to convert solar energy into electric energy in order to power the apparatus. It also uses a method of measuring the illuminance and humidity outdoors in order to activate the lighting apparatus with a certain illuminance. While this invention uses both solar energy to power the apparatus and an illuminance-measuring system to determine Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08 light output, it's purpose is for outdoor use as a road delineation device.
This would not be suitable indoors and is not practical with plants, as the apparatus is not programmable and the light source is always illuminated. In addition, it relies on both solar energy and wind energy making it impractical for household use.
Another patent, "Lighting control system and method" filed in 2001 by Allen, C
in the United States patent number U56495973B1 aims to maintain illumination in an indoor space. This system uses a sensor to detect the light level in a lighting zone and adjusts the light output by controlling the current to the lightbulb in order to maintain a predetermined light level. It is electric powered and measures both natural and artificial light. While this invention is for household/indoor use and measures the light level in order to supplement it with artificial light, it is not meant for plant use and therefore does not take into consideration that a plant may burn or desiccate with excessive light exposure. It is pre-programmable for the light level for which it maintains, however it can not be automatically turned off. This may cause a plant to receive too much light exposure and may result in decreased plant health as the plant may burn or dry out.
Yet another patent, an "Solar powered illumination system" invention that provided high street visibility and illumination coverage is disclosed in patent number US1056382762. This patent, assigned to the inventors Reza Jadidzadeh et al.
aims at minimizing energy consumption of outdoor solar-based illumination systems in order to extend battery life allowing for continuous functioning even during cloudy conditions.
The illumination system provides equivalent light to standard LED bulbs but requires less energy. This system uses lower input voltage to increase the battery life and a motion sensor to control the amount of power used to illuminate the light system. When an object is detected, the power consumption is maximal, otherwise the system works at 20-40% based on pre-set programming. The system can be programmed on a yearly basis to account for different daylight during different times of the year (i.e. summer and winter). While this disclosed device is able to utilize solar energy to efficiently power an illumination system, it lacks the ability to adapt to daily environmental changes. Due to the lack of light sensor, an especially dark day would make the device ineffective until the pre-programmed night hour is reached. This prevents it from properly fulfilling its Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08 purpose. Additionally, this invention cannot be scaled down to an indoor/household use of its large embodiment, further minimizing its application.
While the above mentioned patents describe a similar mechanism of measuring or harvesting light energy, a patent titled "LED Grow Light System" filed in 2014 by Hansen in US patent number U520160178179A1 describes an apparatus that has similar function. This patent describes an LED lighting device for use with plants/horticulture.
The device has different coloured LEDs to ensure optimal light colour for plant growth.
This patent does not describe any method of timing the device to run for a specific amount of time, nor does it take into account the other types of light that the plant may be receiving by measuring the ambient lighting. In addition, this device is to be a fixture, not portable or battery powered.
In yet another patent titled "A method for automatically supplement light for vertical three-dimensional planting fruits and vegetables" filed in 2018 by Chien Yuan Chi is disclosed in TWI676415B. The device aims to improve greenhouse plant growth by providing an even light exposure on vertical plant walls to increase product yield and increase photosynthesis rate. This is accomplished through the combination of retractable aluminum LED mats and PAR radiation sensors placed beside each individual plant. When insufficient light intensity is detected at a specific location, an LED mat is unrolled from a pulley system at the top of the wall and dropped to the appropriate height. Multiple LED light bars can then be used to supplement natural sunlight with an artificial alternative. While this device efficiently increases plant growth by adapting to varying lighting conditions, it cannot be modified for different situations as it requires the presence of tall vertical plant walls to function making it only applicable for large, industrial plant growers. Vertical planting racks lack aesthetic appeal required for household use, are not compatible with various houseplants and require significantly more space due to the pulley system. Additionally, this invention also requires a constant electrical current inhibiting its portability and household application.
Upon consideration of the aforementioned prior art, the invention discussed herein advances the traditional solar illumination system for plants which may be capable of effectively optimizing household plant growth and overall plant health. The disclosed invention is straightforward and has a simplistic design that can be used by various age Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08 demographics. The objective of the present invention is to simplify industrial level plant growth and illumination systems in such a way that plant growth can be optimized with minimal work on the part of the user. Required light for proper plant health is simply inputted by the user into the control panel via selection of specific plant conditions. The information necessary can easily be obtained through the small index card that comes with a houseplant or found online. It is a further objective of the invention to increase portability of the device by making it self-powered. Portability of the device is achieved with the presence of a solar panel that also functions as a base. By maximizing surface area, more energy can be harvested and converted to power the system. Other specific objectives will be readily apparent when the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of figures Figure A is an isometric view of the components comprising a solar-monitoring indoor lighting system for use with potted plants.
Figure B is an isometric view of the light sensor and lighting components of the lamp head shown in figure A.
Figure C is an isometric view of the layered components of the base of the lighting system shown in figure A.
Figure D is an isometric view of the internal components of the housing unit from the figure A lighting system.
Figure E is a flow chart describing the interactions of the different components of the figure A lighting system.
Figure F is a flow chart describing the decision making tree of the central processing unit (CPU) from figure D and the outcomes of each decision.
Detailed description of the Preferred Embodiment In a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in figures A to C, a solar-monitoring indoor lighting system comprises an energy-gathering base 6 having an attached bendable neck 1 with an illumination unit 4 housed by a lamp shade 3 and a light sensor 7 at the end of said bendable neck I. A housing unit 9 encloses a CPU 14 which is Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08 connected to a rechargeable primary battery 16 with a charger controller 15 and an optional secondary battery 13. A control panel 5 allows user input, and an indicator light

2 turns on if excessive sunlight is detected. Plant containers 8 are placed on a protective glass covering 12 on the energy-gathering base 6 consisting of a layer of solar cells 11 on top of a non-slip layer 10 to protect stability of apparatus.
Figure D shows the internal components of the housing unit 9 shown in figures A and C. The housing unit 9 is attached to the bottom of the bendable neck 1 and connects to the energy-gathering base 6. It houses a rechargeable primary battery 16 and an optional secondary battery 13 with a charge controller 15 to protect said rechargeable primary battery 16 from overcharge and battery decay. The CPU 14 will use input from the control panel 5 to turn on either the lightbulb 4 or the overexposure indicator light 2.
Figure E shows the interactions between components shown in figures A to D.
Energy harvested from solar cells 11 in the energy-gathering base 6 passes through the charge controller 15 before being stored in the rechargeable primary battery 16. If the rechargeable primary battery 16 is fully charged, then the charge controller 15 will prevent overcharging and therefore battery damage. The optional secondary battery 13 serves as a backup in situations where the solar cells 11 do not gather enough energy to charge the rechargeable primary battery 16. The CPU 14 will take information from the control panel 5 and the light sensor 7 and decide an outcome as in figure F. If the CPU 14 decides to turn on the lightbulb 4, it will first use the energy from the rechargeable primary battery 16, then it will use energy from the optional secondary battery 13.
Figure F shows the decision tree generated by the CPU 14 shown in figure D.
The CPU 14 will gather data from the light sensor 7 and compare it to the user input from the control panel 5. If excessive light is measured by the light sensor 7, then an overexposure indicator light 2 will turn on to indicate the plant should be moved to prevent burning/desiccating. If insufficient light is measured by the light sensor 7 then the lightbulb 4 will turn on for the appropriate amount of hours as input into the control panel 5. If neither excessive nor insufficient light is detected by the light sensor 7, then neither the overexposure indicator light 2 nor the lightbulb 4 will be turned on.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08 In figure E, the user input into the control panel 5 described above has three options in the preferred embodiment. Full sun refers to 8 to 10 hours of light, partial sun refers to 4 to 6 hours of light exposure, partial shade refers to 1.5 to 4 hours of light, and full shade refers to less than 3 hours of light exposure. Full shade is not pictured in the preferred embodiment, but is a possible addition if the user requiresol.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08

Claims (7)

1. A solar-monitoring indoor lighting system comprising:
a. A base element vertically supporting at least one illumination fixture element on the top position of said base element and housing a battery unit and a central control element;
b. A battery unit comprising a primary rechargeable battery element and an optional secondary battery element which are electrically connected;
c. An indicator element that is illuminated to indicate excessive light exposure coupled to the top position of said base element and electrically connected to said central control element and said rechargeable battery element;
d. A solar unit, comprising at least one solar panel element coupled to the frontal side position of said base element and a charge controller element electrically connecting said solar panel and said rechargeable battery element;
e. A flexible mid-region element coupled at a first end to said vertical top position of said base element;
f. An illumination fixture element coupled at the second end of said flexible mid-region element, wherein a light source element is attached to said illumination fixture element and electrically connected to said central control element and said rechargeable battery element, allowing for controlled electric light production;
g. A sensor element for measuring light levels within a lighting zone, said sensor element is attached to said illumination fixture element and electrically connected to said central control element;
h. A central control element electrically connected to said rechargeable battery element, configured to control said light source element and further comprising:
i. A timer element with a run time that repeats every 24 hours;
ii. A means for receiving required light characteristic data;
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08 iii. A means for calculating required solar energy and time based on said light characteristic data;
iv. A means for calculating differential solar energy based on said required solar energy and said sensor element measurement;
v. A means for transmitting orders to selectively engage and disengage said light source element and said indicator element based on the minimum light reading threshold and the remaining run time.

2. A solar-monitoring indoor lighting system as in claim 1, wherein said solar panel element of said solar unit is of sufficient dimension and size for the placement of various sized indoor plant pots in addition to visible surface area for solar energy harvesting.

3. A solar-monitoring indoor lighting system as in claim 2, wherein the bottom facing position of said solar panel element of said solar unit is coated in rubber-like material with a high friction coefficient and wherein the top facing position of said solar panel element is covered in a glass layer.

4. A solar-monitoring indoor lighting system as in claim 1, wherein said indicator element illumination is powered by said central control element via said rechargeable battery element when run time has expired and said sensor element is still detecting light above the minimum threshold.

5. A solar-monitoring indoor lighting system as in claim 1, wherein said sensor element measures wavelengths within, but not limited to, a range of 400-700 nm.

6. A solar-monitoring indoor lighting system as in claim 1, wherein said flexible mid-region element is a flexible gooseneck arm, a flexible neck, a flexible pipe or a flexible tube.

7. A solar-monitoring indoor lighting system as in claim 6, wherein said flexible mid-region element is made of, but not limited to, steel or stainless-steel spring surrounded by an external covering.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-08