The present invention relates to alternative equipment for solar energy prospecting with a focus on low cost, low complexity in installation, operation and maintenance, and high reliability. A low-cost solarimetric station consists of compact equipment capable of providing global irradiance measurements and estimates for direct and diffuse components, as well as hemispheric photographs, with acceptable levels of uncertainty. The pyranometer periodically provides global irradiance information to the system, and the camera records photos of the sky. Using machine learning algorithms, and based on that information, the equipment provides estimates for direct and diffuse irradiance components. The equipment has other meteorological sensors, GPS, and wireless communication facilities. The equipment has an energy supply and management system consisting of a photovoltaic module, charge controller, and battery, which provide the energy necessary for the station to operate.

A device allowing the angular emission pattern of a source to be measured without mechanical movement comprises, in succession, along its optical axis: a first objective, called the Fourier objective, arranged to form a Fourier surface each point of which corresponds to one direction of observation of the object; a diffuser used in transmission and placed on the Fourier surface; a substance of optical density placed upstream of the diffuser and arranged to attenuate the light backscattered toward the Fourier objective and the areal source; and a video photometer located downstream of the plane of the diffuser and arranged to image the surface of the diffuser.

An optical lens assembly is adapted for receiving a light beam that is emitted by an object, and includes a lens unit and a sleeve unit. The lens unit includes a casing that has a light-incident side adapted for receiving the light beam. The sleeve unit surrounds the light-incident side of the casing, and defines a light-receiving space that is adapted for the light beam to pass through so that propagation of the light beam is unaffected by disturbance caused by movement of air. An optical measurement method includes steps of: a) providing a lens unit, a sleeve unit, and an object that is for emitting a light beam; and b) operating the lens unit so that the light beam is received by the lens unit.

The disclosure provides an optical system, an optical sensing unit and an optical sensing module. The optical system is used for forming a plurality of light spots on a plurality of photosensitive regions separated from each other. The optical system includes: a lens for receiving a first light beam and converging the first light beam; a first light-transmitting layer located under the lens, for refracting the converged first light beam into a plurality of second light beams, the plurality of second light beams being used for forming the plurality of light spots on the photosensitive regions, wherein each light spot in the plurality of light spots covers a part of the plurality of photosensitive regions; and a second light-transmitting layer located under the first light-transmitting layer, wherein the plurality of second light beams are respectively incident on the plurality of photosensitive regions through the second light-transmitting layer.

Ultraviolet systems and methods are described for capturing images depicting absorption or remittance of ultraviolet radiation (UVR). An example system includes a camera comprising a monochrome camera sensor that is configured to capture images, a radiation source that is configured to output a UVR waveband, a filter component that is configured to differentiate at least one of a UVA waveband and a UVB waveband of the UVR waveband, and a polarizer component that is configured to cross polarize each of the UVA waveband and the UVB waveband. Further, the camera is configured to capture an image depicting an UVA amount of UVA absorption or remittance as projected on a surface area and an UVB amount of UVB absorption or remittance as projected on the surface area.

A method and a device are provided for determining a global irradiance of solar radiation, and/or at least one of the components thereof, in a plane, wherein the components include direct radiation, diffuse radiation, and radiation reflected on the ground, with a device including at least one radiation sensor unit, a camera, and an evaluation unit which is provided for evaluating measurement data from the radiation sensor unit and/or from the camera. The radiation sensor unit for determining the irradiance of solar radiation is provided in a field of view of 180° over a plane. The camera for detecting a field of view of 180° is provided over a plane. A global irradiance of the solar radiation is measured and converted into the global irradiance and/or into one or more of the components thereof in the horizontal plane and/or in the plane inclined with respect to the horizontal plane.

The present disclosure sets forth a motion sensing outdoor security light with the flexibility of being mounted to either a wall structure or to an eave or ceiling structure. An adjustable spherical motion sensor housing may be provided with the rotationally adjustable outdoor security light, allowing easy adjustment of motion detection ranges under different mounting schemes without comprising the aesthetic design of the light. The adjustable spherical motion sensor housing may also provide an enlarged horizontal field of view for better performance.

A vehicular camera includes a lens assembly and a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The circuit board has a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). An imager is disposed at the first side of the circuit board and optically aligned with the lens assembly. A bend-countering element is disposed at the second side of the circuit board. The bend-countering element has a second CTE that is greater than the first CTE of the circuit board. The bend-countering element counters temperature-induced bending of the circuit board. With the camera disposed at the vehicle, temperature-induced bending of the bend-countering element is in an opposite direction from temperature-induced bending of the circuit board.

A sensor apparatus for detecting the wetness of window, with a radiation emitter and a radiation receiver, with an optical guide element which can be coupled to the inner side of the window, the radiation inlet side and the radiation outlet side of the guide element are each embodied as a lens arrangement, and a lens arrangement is embodied by lens contours arranged side by side. The lens arrangement on the radiation inlet side has at least two lens contours. The inlet surfaces of the lens contours on the radiation inlet side, through which the radiation is able to enter the guide element, are inclined towards each other. The lens arrangement on the radiation outlet side has at least two lens contours. The outlet surfaces of the lens contours on the radiation outlet side, through which the radiation can exit the guide element, are inclined towards each other.

The invention discloses an optical system for generating arbitrary-order optical vortex arrays and finite optical lattices with defects, comprising a laser, a collimating and beam-expanding system, a spatial light modulator, a 4-f lens system, and an image detector which are disposed according to a light path. After passing through the collimating and beam-expanding system, the linearly-polarized Gaussian beam emitted by the laser is radiated to the spatial light modulator to be modulated in complex amplitude; the first-order diffraction beam of the emergent light generates an arbitrary-order alternating optical vortex array on the back focal plane of the first 2-f lens system, and an adjustable finite optical lattice with defects on the back focal plane of the second 2-f lens system. The topological charge value of each vortex and the spacing between vortices, in the generated arbitrary-order alternating optical vortex array, can be precisely controlled.