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EP-4395126-B1 - LASER DEVICE, PROGRAM, SYSTEM, AND METHOD

EP4395126B1EP 4395126 B1EP4395126 B1EP 4395126B1EP-4395126-B1

Inventors

  • TAJIKA, Akihiko
  • WANI, Fumio

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230330

Claims (15)

  1. A laser device (100) comprising: an output unit (104) which is configured to output laser light (150); a receiving unit (106) which is configured to receive position information indicating a position of a moving object (200); an image capture unit (108) which is configured to capture an image of light from the moving object (200); and a control unit (110) which is configured to control an output of the laser light (150) such that more of the laser light (150) is radiated to a photovoltaic panel (250) mounted on the moving object (200), based on the position of the moving object (200) indicated by the position information and a captured image that is captured by the image capture unit (108), wherein the receiving unit (106) is configured to receive environmental information indicating an environment around the moving object (200), the control unit (110) is configured to control the output of the laser light (150), further based on the environmental information, wherein the environmental information includes object information indicating a position of an object that exists around the moving object (200), and the control unit (110) is further configured to control a timing of outputting the laser light (150) such that the laser light (150) is not radiated to the object, when the object information indicates that the object exists around a path of the laser light (150), or a beam diameter of the laser light (150) such that a size of the laser light (150) becomes smaller than a size of the photovoltaic panel (250) by a predetermined ratio, when the object information indicates that the object exists behind the moving object (200).
  2. The laser device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the image capture unit (108) is configured to capture an image of the light emitted by a light source (260) installed at a position corresponding to the photovoltaic panel (250).
  3. The laser device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the image capture unit (108) is configured to capture an image of the light obtained by a reflection plate (270) installed around the photovoltaic panel (250), reflecting the laser light (150).
  4. The laser device (100) according to claim 3, wherein the image capture unit (108) is configured to capture an image of the light that has passed through a band-pass filter (109) which passes only light in a wavelength band in a predetermined range including a wavelength of the laser light (150).
  5. The laser device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to control a radiation direction of the laser light (150) such that a distance between a center (155) of the laser light (150) and a center (155) of the photovoltaic panel (250) becomes shorter.
  6. The laser device (100) according to claim 5, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to control the radiation direction of the laser light (150), by analyzing the image of the captured image, and specifying a position of the center (155) of the photovoltaic panel (250).
  7. The laser device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to control a shape of the laser light (150) such that a shape error between the shape of the laser light (150) and a shape of the photovoltaic panel (250) becomes smaller.
  8. The laser device (100) according to claim 7, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to control the shape of the laser light (150) to be an ellipse, and an aspect ratio and an orientation of the ellipse are able to be controlled by the control unit (110).
  9. The laser device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to control an intensity distribution of the laser light (150) such that the intensity distribution of the laser light (150) becomes more uniform on the photovoltaic panel (250).
  10. The laser device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to control at least one of a shape or an intensity distribution of the laser light (150) such that electric power generated by the photovoltaic panel (250) which has received the laser light (150), is maximized.
  11. The laser device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to control a beam diameter of the laser light (150) such that a ratio of a size of the laser light (150) to a size of the photovoltaic panel (250) becomes a predetermined ratio.
  12. The laser device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the receiving unit (106) is further configured to receive movement speed information indicating a movement speed of the moving object (200), and movement direction information indicating a movement direction of the moving object (200), and the control unit (110) is configured to control the output of the laser light (150) such that the laser light (150) tracks the photovoltaic panel (250), further based on the movement speed of the moving object (200) indicated by the movement speed information, and the movement direction of the moving object (200) indicated by the movement direction information.
  13. The laser device (100) according to claim 12, wherein the control unit (110) is configured to determine a target ratio of a size of the laser light (150) to a size of the photovoltaic panel (250), based on a track result obtained by the laser light (150) tracking the photovoltaic panel (250); and to control a beam diameter of the laser light (150) such that the ratio of the size of the laser light (150) to the size of the photovoltaic panel (250) becomes the target ratio which has been determined.
  14. A system comprising: the laser device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and the moving object (200).
  15. A method which is executed by a computer (1200), the method comprising: receiving position information indicating a position of a moving object (200); capturing an image of light from the moving object (200); controlling an output of laser light (150) such that more of the laser light (150) is radiated to a photovoltaic panel (250) mounted on the moving object (200), based on the position of the moving object (200) indicated by the position information and a captured image that is captured by the capturing the image; receiving environmental information indicating an environment around the moving object (200), controlling the output of the laser light (150), further based on the environmental information, wherein the environmental information includes object information indicating a position of an object that exists around the moving object (200), and controlling a timing of outputting the laser light (150) such that the laser light (150) is not radiated to the object, when the object information indicates that the object exists around a path of the laser light (150), or controlling a beam diameter of the laser light (150) such that a size of the laser light (150) becomes smaller than a size of the photovoltaic panel (250) by a predetermined ratio, when the object information indicates that the object exists behind the moving object (200).

Description

BACKGROUND 1. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a laser device, a program, a system, and a method. 2. RELATED ART Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-006916 discloses a management device which can make an unmanned flight body fly stably and easily, by generating a flight route using a range of a land lot in which a railroad line is provided and which is possessed by a railroad undertaker. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-129678 discloses a power transmission device that wirelessly transmits power to an electronic device. KR 2018 0094943 A describes a system which includes a laser configured to generate a laser beam and a laser aiming module configured to aim the laser such that the laser beam is at least partially incident on a solar cell that is located remotely and continuously moves. The system also includes a controller configured to receive a feedback signal indicating a position of the laser beam relative to the solar cell, which is located remotely and continuously moves, and to instruct the laser aiming module to adjust the aiming of the laser beam based on the feedback signal. KR 2015 0102153 A describes a a system and a method for wireless power supply of a remotely piloted vehicle. The system for wireless power supply of a remotely piloted vehicle includes: a laser transmitting part which includes a laser radiation part for radiating a laser beam; and the remotely piloted vehicle where a photoelectric device for converting the laser beam radiated from the laser radiation part into an electric signal is installed on one outer side. The remotely piloted vehicle further includes a battery which is charged by the electric signal converted from the laser beam through the photoelectric device. The laser transmission part further includes a driving part which controls the direction of the laser radiation part according to the position of the photoelectric device. GENERAL DISCLOSURE The invention is defined by the independent claims. Embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. An embodiment of the present invention provides a laser device. The laser device includes an output unit which outputs laser light. The laser device includes a receiving unit which receives position information indicating a position of a moving object. The laser device includes an image capture unit which captures an image of light from the moving object. The laser device includes a control unit which controls an output of the laser light such that more of the laser light is radiated to a photovoltaic panel mounted on the moving object, based on the position of the moving object indicated by the position information and a captured image that is captured by the image capture unit. The image capture unit may capture an image of the light emitted by a light source installed at a position corresponding to the photovoltaic panel. The image capture unit may capture an image of the light obtained by a reflection plate installed around the photovoltaic panel, reflecting the laser light. The image capture unit may capture an image of the light that has passed through a band-pass filter which passes only light in a wavelength band in a predetermined range including a wavelength of the laser light. The control unit may control a radiation direction of the laser light such that a distance between a center of the laser light and a center of the photovoltaic panel becomes shorter. The control unit may control the radiation direction of the laser light, by analyzing the image of the captured image, and specifying a position of the center of the photovoltaic panel. The control unit may control a shape of the laser light such that a shape error between the shape of the laser light and a shape of the photovoltaic panel becomes smaller. The control unit may control the shape of the laser light to be an ellipse, and an aspect ratio and an orientation of the ellipse are able to be controlled by the control unit. The control unit may control an intensity distribution of the laser light such that the intensity distribution of the laser light becomes more uniform on the photovoltaic panel. The control unit may control at least one of a shape or an intensity distribution of the laser light such that electric power generated by the photovoltaic panel which has received the laser light, is maximized. The control unit may control a beam diameter of the laser light such that a ratio of a size of the laser light to a size of the photovoltaic panel becomes a predetermined ratio. The receiving unit may further receive movement speed information indicating a movement speed of the moving object, and movement direction information indicating a movement direction of the moving object. The control unit may control the output of the laser light such that the laser light tracks the photovoltaic panel, further based on the movement speed of the moving object indicated by the movement speed information, a