Patent Description:
The following description relates to street light lighting control, and more particularly, to a system for street light lighting control and for Internet-of-Things (IoT) control for monitoring solar power generation.

Street lights are lighting facilities installed at predetermined distances along a street for the traffic safety and prevention of crimes against pedestrians. Here, the term "street" includes any ways used or intended to be used by vehicular traffic or pedestrians. In addition, a street light may only refer to a light for illuminating part of a street, but it is common to refer to a street light pole for fixing the light (hereinafter also referred to as a "street pole") as a street light.

Such street lights are installed in various places, such as highways, major roads in urban areas, commercial district roads, and residential district roads, and various types of street lights suitable for these places are used. That is, street lights to illuminate streets are essentially installed on roads on which vehicles or pedestrians travel.

As light sources of conventional street lights, high-pressure mercury lamps, fluorescent lamps, sodium lamps, and ordinary light bulbs have been used, but in recent years light-emitting diode (LED) lamps with low power consumption and high light efficiency have been used to save energy, and furthermore, the use of solar street lights supplied with solar power is increasing.

However, since the solar street light according to a prior art as described above is always lit regardless of the presence or absence of a vehicle or a person, there is a downside in that energy cannot be efficiently used, which leads to excessive power consumption.

<CIT> discloses a street lamp having a solar panel, a battery and a controller for dimming the light of the street lamp. Dimming control is performed by detecting peripheral illuminance and time and the number olf human bodies.

Further documents of the state of the art are disclosed in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

To overcome such a downside, recently, research on a technology that turns on a street light in response to detection of the approach of a vehicle or person is also being conducted.

However, there is a limit to the collection of monitoring information for each street light, and there is a limit to fine lighting control, in particular, there is a problem in which detailed lighting control of a plurality of street lights according to the direction of movement of a person is not performed.

The following description relates to a system for street light lighting control and for Internet-of-Things (IoT) control for monitoring solar power generation which enables control of individual lighting of a plurality of street lights.

The subject matters of the present invention are defined by claims. According to the present invention, a system for street light lighting control and for loT control for monitoring solar power generation includes: a solar panel configured to generate photovoltaic-based electricity using sunlight; a battery configured to store the electricity generated by the solar panel; a solar controller configured to control the battery to store the electricity; and a street light controller configured to control lighting of at least one street light using the electricity stored in the battery; wherein the solar controller includes a battery information detection module configured to detect remaining charge information and discharging time information, which are charging/discharging status information of the battery and a communication module configured to transmit the remaining charge information and discharging time information to a monitoring server, wherein the communication module transmits the charging/discharging status information; the remaining charge information, and the discharging time information to the monitoring server through a low-power wide area network (LPWAN).

The street light controller may detect lighting state information of the street light and transmit the detected lighting state information to the solar controller; and the solar controller may transmit the lighting state information to the monitoring server.

The system may further include a plurality of motion sensors equipped in the street light to detect movement of a person; wherein the motion sensors are radially arranged to detect the movement within a direction angle of predetermined degrees or more with respect to the street light.

When a plurality of streetlights are provided; the streetlight controller controls an on/off operation of the plurality of street lights; and perform dimming control on the plurality of street lights according to a detection signal of each of the motion sensors equipped in the plurality of street lights.

The street light controller may perform dimming control on other street lights according to an on/off operation sequence of motion sensors provided in any one of the street lights.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to be easily implemented by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to embodiments described herein.

<FIG> is a reference diagram for explaining a system for street light lighting control and for Internet-of-Things (IoT) control for monitoring solar power generation according to the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, a system for street light lighting control and for IoT control for monitoring solar power generation may include a solar panel <NUM>, a battery <NUM>, a solar controller <NUM>, a street light controller <NUM>, and one or more street lights <NUM>.

The solar panel <NUM> uses sunlight to produce photovoltaic-based electricity. The solar panel <NUM> converts solar energy into electrical energy. When light is shone on the solar panel <NUM>, a potential difference is generated, which causes the flow of electricity to the battery <NUM> connected to the solar panel <NUM>.

The battery <NUM> stores the electricity produced by the solar panel <NUM>. To this end, the battery <NUM> is electrically connected to the solar panel <NUM> through the solar controller <NUM>. The battery <NUM> that stores input current when charged supplies the current to a load or an electronic device by discharging the current.

The solar controller <NUM> controls the battery <NUM> to store the electricity generated in the solar panel <NUM>.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating an example embodiment of the solar controller <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the solar controller <NUM> includes a battery information detection module <NUM> and a communication module <NUM>.

The battery information detection module <NUM> may detect remaining charge information and battery discharging time information as charge/discharge status information of the battery <NUM>. The battery information detection module <NUM> may detect the remaining power of the battery <NUM> by detecting a voltage of the charging power of battery <NUM> that supplies power to the street lights <NUM>. To this end, the battery information detection module <NUM> may include a voltage detect block that detects the voltage of the charging power of the battery <NUM> and generate a voltage signal corresponding to the detected voltage, or a current detect block that detects the amount of current of the charging power supplied to the battery <NUM> and generate a current signal corresponding to the detected amount of current. The battery information detection module <NUM> may detect an average power consumption value of the charging power through the detected voltage and the detected amount of current. Accordingly, the battery information detection module <NUM> may detect the remaining power amount of the charged battery <NUM> through the detected average power consumption value. The battery information detection module <NUM> may include an analog-to- digital (A/D) converter that converts a detected analog value into a digital value. The battery information detection module <NUM> may convert the remaining amount of the charging power into a digital value at a preset period.

In addition, the battery information detection module <NUM> calculates a battery discharging time corresponding to the detected remaining charge information. To this end, the battery information detection module <NUM> may include one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), and a communication processor (CP).

The battery information detection module <NUM> may calculate the detected remaining charge information to calculate the remaining discharging time of the power remaining in the battery <NUM>. To this end, the battery information detection module <NUM> may use table information on a discharging time corresponding to the remaining power amount, and such table information is prestored in a memory.

The communication module <NUM> transmits the remaining charge information and the discharging time information detected by the battery information detection module <NUM> to a monitoring server <NUM>. The communication module <NUM> transmits the remaining charge information and discharging time information through a wired or wireless communication network. In particular, the communication module <NUM> may transmit the remaining charge information and the discharging time information to the monitoring server <NUM> through a low-power wide area network (LPWAN). The LPWAN refers to a low-power wireless communication network that covers a very wide service area (<NUM> or more) and provides a communication rate of several hundreds of kilobits per second. For example, the LPWAN includes LoRaWAN, SIGFOX, LTE machine-type communications (LTE-MTC), narrow band Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT), and the like. Meanwhile, the communication module <NUM> may transmit the remaining charge information and the discharging time information through the Internet or a communication network for providing a highspeed service.

The street light controller <NUM> controls lighting of the one or more street lights <NUM> by using the electricity stored in the battery <NUM>. To this end, the street light controller <NUM> is connected to the battery <NUM> through the solar controller <NUM>.

The street light controller <NUM> may control lighting on/off of the street lights <NUM> using the power supplied from the battery <NUM>, and may also perform dimming control on other street lights according to an on-ff operation sequence of motion sensors equipped in the street lights <NUM>. The dimming control refers to an operation of controlling the brightness of the street lights <NUM> as well as an on/off operation of the street lights <NUM>, which will be described in detail further below.

Also, the street light controller <NUM> detects lighting state information of the street lights. The lighting state information is information indicating the lighting on/off state of the street lights <NUM> and may include dimming state information of the street lights <NUM>. Upon detecting the lighting state information of the street lights, the street light controller <NUM> transmits the detected lighting state information to the solar controller <NUM>. Then, the solar controller <NUM> transmits the lighting state information transmitted from the street light controller <NUM> to the monitoring server <NUM>.

At least one street light <NUM> is provided, and preferably, a plurality of street lights are provided. The street lights <NUM> are turned on by power supplied by the street light controller <NUM>. The street lights <NUM> may be turned on to maximum brightness immediately after sunset according to sunset time information and sunrise time information by settings of the monitoring server <NUM> or an administrator, the operation time of the street lights <NUM> may be maximized through dimming control at night time, and when the charging power is insufficient, dimming control may be performed or the street lights <NUM> may be controlled to be turned on and off in an alternating manner to further reduce power consumption.

In addition, each of the street lights <NUM> includes a plurality of motion sensors that detect the movement of a person. The motion sensors are radially arranged to detect movement within a direction angle of predetermined degrees or more with respect to the street light.

<FIG> is a reference diagram illustrating the control of a plurality of street lights using a system for street light lighting control and for IoT control for monitoring solar power generation according to the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, in street light A, a first motion sensor is positioned in a first direction i, a second motion sensor is positioned in a second direction ii, and a third motion sensor is positioned in a third direction iii. Also, in street light B, a fourth motion sensor is positioned in the first direction i, a fifth motion sensor is positioned in the second direction ii, and a sixth motion sensor is positioned in the third direction iii. Moreover, in street light C, a seventh motion sensor is positioned in the first direction i, an eight motion sensor is positioned in the second direction ii, and a ninth motion sensor is positioned in the third direction iii. In addition, in street light D , a tenth motion sensor is positioned in the first direction i, an eleventh motion sensor is positioned in the second direction ii, and a twelfth motion sensor is positioned in the third direction iii. Also, in street light D, a thirteenth motion sensor is positioned in the first direction i, a fourteenth motion sensor is positioned in the second direction ii, and a fifteenth motion sensor is positioned in the third direction iii. In addition, in street light E, a sixteenth motion sensor is positioned in the first direction i, a seventeenth motion sensor is positioned in the second direction ii, and an eighteenth motion sensor is positioned in the third direction iii.

A street light controller <NUM> controls the on-off operation of a plurality of streetlights <NUM>, and performs dimming control on the plurality of street lights <NUM> according to a detection signal of each of the motion sensors provided in the plurality of street lights <NUM>. That is, the street light controller <NUM> may perform dimming control on other street lights according to an on-off operation sequence of motion sensors provided in any one of the street lights. To this end, the street light controller <NUM> may store lighting control information corresponding to the detection order of the motion sensors provided in each of the street lights <NUM> as table information. The table information may include lighting-on/off information or dimming control information of each street light corresponding to a direction of movement of a person.

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, assuming that a person enters in the first direction i of street light A and moves in the third direction iii, the first motion sensor and the third sensor of street light A sequentially detect the approach of the person. Accordingly, the street light controller <NUM> turns on street light A and performs dimming control to increase the lighting brightness. In addition, the street light controller <NUM> detects a direction of movement of the person according to sequential detection signals of the first sensor and the third sensor. Thereafter, the street light controller <NUM> turns on street light C positioned in the direction of movement of the person and performs dimming control to increase the lighting brightness. As a result, street light C is turned on according to the lighting control of the street light controller <NUM>. In this case, the street light controller <NUM> may control the street lights (street light B, street light D, and street light E), other than street light C, to be turned off, or control them to reduce the lighting brightness.

The monitoring server <NUM> is a server that manages monitoring information of a solar power generation facility, and collects and manages, for example, state information related to the battery <NUM>. In particular, the monitoring server <NUM> may receive information on the charging/discharging status of the battery <NUM> transmitted from the solar controller <NUM>, and display the received information on a display screen. For example, the monitoring server <NUM> may receive remaining charge information or discharging time information of the battery <NUM> as the charging/discharging status information of the battery <NUM>, and display the received information on the screen. The administrator may check the state information on the solar power generation facility through the displayed information.

According to the present invention, the charging/discharging status information of the battery, that is, remaining charge information and discharging time information, is detected and transmitted to a monitoring server through a LPWAN, and fine dimming control is performed on each street light, so that individual control related to lighting of the street lights can be easily performed and detailed lighting control of multiple street lights according to the direction of movement of a person is easily performed, thereby reducing power consumption.

Claim 1:
A system for street light lighting control and for Internet-of Things (IoT) control for monitoring solar power generation, comprising:
- a plurality of streetlights (<NUM>) and a plurality of motion sensors configured to be arranged in each of the plurality of street lights to detect movement of a person,
- a solar panel (<NUM>) configured to generate photovoltaic-based electricity using sunlight;
- a battery (<NUM>) configured to store the electricity generated by the solar panel (<NUM>),
- a solar controller (<NUM>) configured to control the battery (<NUM>) to store the electricity; and
- a street light controller (<NUM>) configured to control lighting of the plurality of street lights using the electricity stored in the battery (<NUM>); - wherein the solar controller (<NUM>) includes a battery information detection module (<NUM>) configured to detect remaining charge information and discharging time information of the battery (<NUM>) and a communication module (<NUM>) configured to transmit the remaining charge information and discharging time information to a monitoring server (<NUM>),
- wherein the communication module (<NUM>) is configured to transmit the remaining charge information, and the discharging time information to the monitoring server (<NUM>) through a low-power wide area network (LPWAN), characterized in that:
- the motion sensors are radially arranged to detect the movement within a direction angle of predetermined degrees with respect to each of the plurality of street lights, and
the streetlight controller (<NUM>) is configured to control on-off operation of each of the plurality of streetlights (<NUM>) according to a detection signal of each of the motion sensors arranged in each street light and perform dimming control on the plurality of streetlights according to an on-off operation sequence of the motion sensors provided in each streetlight corresponding to a direction of movement of a person.