JPH0659055A - Rainfall sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a rainfall sensor which is rare in the possibility of a false report and can estimate a rain fall. CONSTITUTION:An image processing section 13 divides a received signal, which is received by a satellite broadcast receiving antenna 1 and demodulated, into an image signal and a voice signal. A C/N output section 2 outputs a receiving C/N signal having a level corresponding to C/N of the receiving signal on the output of the image processing section 13. An operation judging section 3 detects rain fall on the tendency of the change of this received C/N signal. When the rainfall is detected, an operation judging section 3 issues informing sound from a speaker 5 through an informing device 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rainfall sensor for detecting rainfall.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electric resistance type sensors and piezoelectric type sensors have been provided as rainfall sensors. An electric resistance type rain sensor is one in which a counter electrode is provided on an insulating substrate along the surface of the substrate and the change in the electrical resistance between both electrodes is measured. When it becomes smaller, it is configured to judge that raindrops have adhered between both electrodes due to rainfall. Further, the piezoelectric-type rainfall sensor is configured to detect rainfall by measuring a voltage pulse generated by an impact when a raindrop hits the piezoelectric body. By using these rainfall sensors, it is possible to detect the start of rain and the intensity of rain.

[0003]

By the way, the electric resistance type rain sensor has a problem that a false alarm may occur when a foreign substance adheres between the electrodes. Further, since it takes time for the electrode to dry once it gets wet, there is a problem that it takes time to return the rain and return even if it rains.

On the other hand, in the case of the piezoelectric type, by using the magnitude and frequency of the generated voltage pulse or the integrated value thereof, it is possible to judge whether or not the voltage pulse is due to rainfall to prevent malfunction and to prevent rain. It is possible to judge the strength of the electric resistance, and the above-mentioned drawbacks of the electric resistance type are eliminated. However, there is a problem in that a false alarm is generated due to external vibration.

Further, in principle, in both the electric resistance type and the piezoelectric type structure, since rainfall cannot be detected until it actually rains, it cannot be used for prediction of rainfall. is there. The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and provides a rainfall sensor that is less likely to cause false alarms and that can predict rainfall even when it is not raining on the spot. It is what

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an antenna for receiving satellite broadcasts, and CN detecting means for detecting C / N based on the output of the antenna.
It is provided with a calculation determining means for detecting rainfall based on the changing tendency of the C / N and an informing means for notifying that the calculation determining means detects rainfall.

[0007]

According to the above structure, the satellite broadcast radio waves are received by the antenna, and the C / N (carrier to noise ratio) of the received signal is received.
Of the satellite broadcast, the radio waves of the satellite broadcast have the property of being attenuated by rain or rain clouds. Therefore, if the calculation determining means makes a determination based on the changing tendency of C / N, the passage route of the radio waves is You can see that it is raining and there are rain clouds. Especially, it is known that a rain cloud containing a large amount of water immediately before rain starts greatly attenuates the radio waves of satellite broadcasting, and the C / N greatly decreases. Therefore, it is possible to predict rainfall by using this. It will be.

[0008]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a plane antenna is used as an antenna 1 for receiving satellite broadcasting. A BS converter 11 is attached to the antenna 1, and the reception signal frequency-converted by the BS converter 11 is further frequency-converted and FM demodulated through the front end unit 12. The demodulated signal is input to the video processing unit 13 and separated into a video signal and an audio signal. The video signal is amplified by the video amplifier 14 and output as a video output. Further, the voice signal is subjected to 4-phase phase demodulation in the QPSK demodulation unit 15, and the PCM signal demodulated in the QPSK demodulation unit 15 is further decoded in the PCM decoder 16. The decoded voice signal is digital-analog converted and amplified by the DAC voice amplifier 17, and an analog voice signal is output as a voice output. In this way, the satellite broadcast is received, and the video output and the audio output can be taken out.

By the way, the video processing section 13 outputs the received signal to the CN output section 2 which is a CN detecting means, and the CN output section 2 receives the received C / N at a level corresponding to the C / N of the received signal.
Output a signal. There is a relationship as shown in FIG. 2 between the amount of C / N deterioration and the rainfall intensity, and it can be seen that when the amount of rainfall intensity is large, the amount of C / N degradation is also large. Here, regarding the rainfall intensity, 1.2 mm / h or less is "especially weak rainfall" where the ground is slightly wet, 1.2 to 3 mm / h.
h is a “small descent” where the ground gets wet, 3 to 15 mm / h
Is a "medium descent" that allows water to collect on the ground, 15-6
0 mm / h is defined as a "large downpour" at which water can be collected on the entire surface of the ground, and 60 mm / h or above is defined as a "especially strong downpour" that causes downpour. Also, just before it starts to rain, radio waves pass through a rain cloud containing a lot of water,
As shown in FIG. 3, C / N is greatly deteriorated immediately before the start of rain. Therefore, by detecting such a change tendency of C / N, it becomes possible to predict rainfall before it starts to rain.

The received C / N signal output from the CN detection section 2 is an operation determination section 3 which is an operation determination means having a CPU.
Entered in. In the operation determination unit 3, the C / N as shown in FIG.
The judgment criteria based on the relationship between the amount of deterioration and rainfall intensity and the tendency of C / N change as shown in Fig. 3 are set. The input received C / N signal is checked against these judgment criteria. To detect rainfall. When rainfall is detected in the calculation determination unit 3, a speaker 5 gives a voice notification through a notification device 4 as a notification means. Notification device 4
Can use a buzzer sound, a message with a synthetic voice, or the like. Further, when the calculation determining unit 3 detects rainfall, a sound notification signal may be output as a voice output through the PCM decoder 16.

With the above configuration, it is possible to detect rainfall and generate an alarm sound, and it is possible to detect not only when it is raining but also the state before it starts to rain. Can be predicted. Further, in the present embodiment, since the satellite broadcasting receiving device and the antenna 1 are also used, and it is necessary to detect rainfall even when satellite broadcasting is not being received, it is surrounded by a broken line in FIG. Power is supplied to those parts even if satellite broadcasting is not received.

(Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a video monitor device 6 such as a liquid crystal display for monitoring the video output from the video amplifier 14 is notified to the configuration of the embodiment 1. As a means, when the calculation determination unit 3 detects rain, the calculation determination unit 3 generates on-screen data and superimposes it on a video signal, and a video based on the on-screen data is passed through a video amplification unit 14 to a video monitor device. The difference is that they are displayed on the screen 6. The image monitor device 6 displays an image based on a video signal of satellite broadcast when the rainfall is not detected by the calculation determination unit 3, and when the rainfall is detected, the image is superimposed on the image of the satellite broadcast or the rainfall information alone Is displayed on the screen.

As described above, by adding the video monitor device 6, not only audio but also video can be notified, and the effect of notification is enhanced. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, an antenna for receiving satellite broadcasting, a CN detecting means for detecting C / N based on the output of the antenna, and a rainfall detecting based on the changing tendency of C / N. The present invention is provided with an operation determining means for performing the operation and an informing means for informing that the operation determining means detects the rainfall. The antenna receives radio waves of satellite broadcasting, and the rainfall based on the change in the received C / N. Since it is detected, there is an advantage that a long recovery time as in the electric resistance type is not required and an erroneous report due to external vibration as in the piezoelectric type does not occur. Moreover, it is known that a rain cloud containing a large amount of water immediately before it begins to rain greatly attenuates satellite broadcast waves.
Since C / N is greatly reduced, if this is used,
It has the advantage of being able to predict rainfall.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block circuit diagram showing a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Antenna 2 CN Output Unit 3 Calculation Judgment Unit 4 Notification Device 5 Speaker 6 Video Monitor Device

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] October 12, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0008

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0008]

EXAMPLE 1 In this example, as shown in FIG. 1, a plane antenna is used as an antenna 1 for receiving satellite broadcast. A BS converter 11 is attached to the antenna 1, and the reception signal frequency-converted by the BS converter 11 is further frequency-converted and FM demodulated through the front end unit 12. The demodulated signal is input to the video processing unit 13 and separated into a video signal and an audio signal. The video signal is amplified by the video amplifier 14 and output as a video output. Further, the voice signal is subjected to 4-phase phase demodulation in the QPSK demodulation unit 15, and the PCM signal demodulated in the QPSK demodulation unit 15 is further decoded in the PCM decoder 16. Decoded audio signal is digital in DAC audio amplifier 17 - is amplified with the analog conversion, analog audio signal is outputted as an audio output. In this way, the satellite broadcast is received, and the video output and the audio output can be taken out.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0010

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The received C / N signal output from the CN detection section 2 is an operation determination section 3 which is an operation determination means having a CPU.
Entered in. In the operation determination unit 3, the C / N as shown in FIG.
The judgment criteria based on the relationship between the amount of deterioration and the rainfall intensity and the tendency of C / N change as shown in Fig. 3 are set, and the input received C / N signal is checked against these judgment criteria. To detect rainfall. When rainfall is detected in the calculation determination unit 3, a speaker 5 gives a voice notification through a notification device 4 as a notification means. Notification device 4
Can use a buzzer sound, a message with a synthetic voice, or the like. Further, when rain is detected by the calculation determination unit 3, a sound notification signal may be output as a voice output through the DAC voice amplification unit I7 .

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 1]

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 4

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 4]

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An antenna for receiving satellite broadcasting, a CN detecting means for detecting C / N based on the output of the antenna, and C.
A rainfall sensor, comprising: a calculation determining unit that detects rainfall based on a change tendency of / N; and a notifying unit that notifies that the rainfall is detected by the calculation determining unit.