Methods for solar access measurement
AssigneeSolmetric Corporation
InventorsWillard MacDonald, Robert MacDonald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for determining solar access at a position includes: obtaining an image of a horizon that includes a skyline; determining the azimuth orientation and the inclination of the obtained image; and determining solar access based on the skyline within the obtained image, the measured azimuth orientation and inclination of the obtained image, and a position associated with the image of the horizon. Other features and embodiments relating to solar access measurement are disclosed.
Claims11
A non-transitory computer-readable medium with an executable computer program comprising an ordered listing of executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed, instructs a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
- obtaining an image of a horizon that includes a skyline;
- determining the azimuth orientation and the inclination of the obtained image;
- and
- determining solar access based on the skyline within the obtained image, the measured azimuth orientation and inclination of the obtained image, and a position associated with the image of the horizon.
A method for determining solar access, comprising:
- within a computerized system comprising a 3D CAD model configured to obtain an image of a virtual horizon that includes a virtual skyline at a predetermined virtual position, wherein said virtual horizon corresponds to a real world horizon, said virtual skyline corresponds to a real world skyline, and said virtual position corresponds to a real world position:
- obtaining an image of the virtual horizon and the virtual skyline associated therewith;
- determining the azimuth orientation and inclination of the obtained image;
- and
- processing the obtained image to locate the skyline in the obtained image;
- and
- determining solar access based on the virtual skyline within the obtained image, the measured azimuth orientation and inclination of the obtained image, and the position associated with the image.
A method for determining solar radiation exposure at a predetermined position within a 3D CAD model utilizing a Solar Access Measurement Device (“SAMD”) associated with the position, the method comprising:
- tracing rays from the position of the SAMD to the sun;
- determining whether the ray intersects an obstruction;
- and
- repeating for different locations of the sun and calculating the solar access.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.