Patent Publication Number: US-2013231866-A1

Title: Weather monitoring system and streetlamp system using same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure generally relates to a weather monitoring system, especially a weather monitoring system which can report weather information instantly, and a streetlamp system using the weather monitoring system. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Weather conditions are closed to people&#39;s life. Before going shopping or travelling, people may concern the weather conditions of that area. Generally, people obtain weather information from a weather bureau. However, the information from the weather bureau is not instantly reported. Therefore, people can not know exactly the weather conditions in predetermined regions. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a weather monitoring system and a streetlamp system using the weather monitoring system which can overcome the described limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a weather monitoring system in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a weather station in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a humidity sensor in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIGS. 4-5  are schematic views showing a working process of a rainfall sensor in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a streetlamp system in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a weather monitoring system  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The weather monitoring system  100  includes a plurality of weather stations  110  located at different regions. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , each of the weather station  110  includes a processor  120 , a power controller  130  electrically connected with the processor  120 , a sensor  140 , an emitter  150 , a receiver  160  and a display device  170 . 
     The power controller  130  is electrically connected with external power source to provide power for the weather station  110 . 
     The sensor  140  is configured to detect weather conditions of the regions where the weather stations  110  are. The weather conditions include temperature, humidity, rainfall and visibility of atmosphere. In this embodiment, the sensor  140  includes a temperature sensor  141 , a humidity sensor  142  and a rainfall sensor  143 . The temperature sensor  141  is a thermistor. The thermistor has an electrical resistance changeable according to temperature of environment. Therefore, the temperature is determined by measuring the electrical resistance of the thermistor. The humidity sensor  142  is selected from one of a humidity sensitive resistor and a humidity sensitive capacitor. The humidity sensitive resistor has an electrical resistance changeable according to humidity of environment. Therefore, the humidity of environment can be determined by measuring the electrical resistance of the humidity sensitive resistor. Similarly, the humidity sensitive capacitor has an electrical capacitance changeable according to the humidity of environment, and the humidity can be determined by measuring the electrical capacitance of the humidity sensitive capacitor. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the humidity sensor  142  is a humidity sensitive resistor, which includes a substrate  1421  and a polymer film  1422  formed on the substrate  1421 . The polymer film  1422  is made of a material selected from electrolyte salts, metal oxides and hygroscopic resin. The polymer film  1422  absorbs moisture in the atmosphere and changes its electrical resistance accordingly. Therefore, the humidity of atmosphere can be determined by measuring the electrical resistance of the polymer film  1422 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-5 , the rainfall sensor  143  is configured to obtain an amount of rainfall in a given time. The rainfall sensor  143  includes a light emitting diode  1431 , a photodiode  1432  and a transparent glass  1433 . The light emitting diode  1431  and the photodiode  1432  are positioned at an inner side of the transparent glass  1433 , and an outer side of the transparent glass  1433  is exposed to outer environment. The light emitting diode  1431  is positioned at an angle with the outer surface of the transparent glass  1433  to achieve that light from the light emitting diode  1431  is totally reflected by the outer surface of the transparent glass  1433  and received by the photodiode  1432 . When it is raining, a raindrop  1434  is attached to the outer surface of the transparent glass  1433 . The raindrop  1434  breaks down the totally reflection of light in the outer surface of the transparent glass  1433  and reduces light being received by the photodiode  1432 . Therefore, the amount of rainfall can be determined by measuring a light intensity being received by the photodiode  1432 . Preferably, a screen wiper is formed on the outer surface of the transparent glass  1433  to remove the raindrop after a predetermined time. 
     In this embodiment, the sensor module  140  further includes a visibility sensor  144 . The visibility sensor  144  determines a visibility of atmosphere by measuring a dispersal of an infrared light in atmosphere. 
     The emitter  150  and the receiver  160  are electrically connected with the processor  120 . The emitter  150  is configured to transmit the weather conditions to the other weather stations  110 . The receiver  160  is configured to receive the weather conditions transmitted by the other weather stations  110 . In this embodiment, the emitter  150  is communicated with the receiver  160  by a wireless network such as a GPRS (general packet radio service). Furthermore, the weather stations  110  can also transmit the weather conditions to a weather bureau by the emitter  150  and receives weather information forecasted by the weather bureau by the receiver  160 . 
     The display device  170  is configured to display the weather conditions detected by the senor  140 . Furthermore, the receiver  160  receives the weather conditions from the other weather stations  110  and transmits to the display device  170 . That is, in any one of the weather stations  110 , users can look over the weather conditions of all the regions having the weather stations  110 . 
     The weather stations  110  can be located at a streetlamp to form a streetlamp system. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the streetlamp system  200  includes a plurality of streetlamps  210 . The streetlamps  210  is located at different regions. The weather stations  110  are attached to the streetlamps  210 , respectively, therefore detecting and displaying the weather conditions of the regions. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.