2009 International Conference on Test and Measurement

Research and Design of a Smart Home System Based on Raindrop Sensor

Xianzhang FENG, Tao HOU, Yanmei CUI
School ofMechatronics Engineering
Zhengzhou Institute of Aeronautical Industry Management
Zhengzhou, China
E-mail: phdfxz@163.com
Abstract-With the rapid economic development, fast-paced
social life has become the main cantus of cities. Smart Home is
the inevitable result of the social development and the scientific
and technological progress. It mainly studies the application of
the control system based on raindrop sensor in the windows of
smart home. Detect the rain signal through the sensor, then
magnify the signal and let it enter into the control system,
finally control the actions of the executing agency,
automatically shut the windows in rain days. The automatic
control system mainly consists of the following functional
modules: transformer function modules, rain sensing and
amplification modules, the control of driving direction function
modules, mechanical drive system. The result of the practical
application shows that this system is easy to operate, and has
the characteristics of stable performance, convenient
maintenance, cost-effective, value of commercial promotion.
Keywords- raindrop sensor; smart home; control; rain signal;
transformer function
I. INTRODUCTION
Since the information era, IT technology has been rapidly
penetrating all areas. Using information technology as the
people's daily life services and improving the .living
environment is one important area. Smart home IS the
inevitable result of the infiltration of IT technology to the
traditional construction industry. At the same time, the
growing shortage of globalization resources has highlighted,
while the construction industry has always used more power.
The combine of the advantages of information technology
and energy-saving technologies can create smart home with
low-power cost. Smart Home is a comfortable, safe, efficient,
convenient and environmentally-friendly living environment
which uses a house as a platform and is based on architecture,
network communications, information appliances, equipment,
automation, collection systems, structure, management and
service. Smart home can be defined as a process or a system,
using advanced computer technology, network
communication technology, structured cabling technology,
wireless technology, and the various subsystems connected
to home life. Compared with the ordinary household, it
realizes the transformation from a passive structure to a
dynamic intelligent tool that will provide a full range of
information exchange capabilities to help families to
maintain the exchange of information with the external
environment. Under the premise of energy-saving,
environmental protection and comfort, smart home emphasis
978-1-4244-4700-8/09/$25.00 2009 IEEE
275
on human initiative, call attention to the coordination of
people and the living environment, and can be arbitrarily
control the indoor living environment.[1-5]
The system detects the rain through the raindrop sensor.
Raindrop sensor is a new type of sensor specifically designed
to detect rain. The device is widely used in a variety of
places needed to detect raindrops, such as: it can be used for
smart windows. When encountering rain weather, it
automatically closes the windows.[6]
According to operating voltage and current, select the
appropriate current-limiting resistor in order to ensure the
sensor's normal work. Put the sensor in a proper place to
ensure that it is able to receive rain in time when it rains.
When the sensor receives rain, the signal is connected to
control system, and, the controlling system let the executing
agency shut the windows. Sensors should have the necessary
protective measures to ensure that sensors are not
undermined. In the course of working, Sensors should be
avoided severe vibration and the damage of a variety of
corrosive substances.[7-16]
II. PRINCIPLE OF RAINDROP SENSOR
The rain has many forms, which makes the research and
development process of raindrop sensor full of hardships.
Differences in the intensity of rainfall are very large. The
smallest is very thin mist, while the largest is heavy
downpour. The state of rain may be entirely liquid, and can
also be frozen or semi-frozen ice (only these forms of ice as
many as 212 kinds), may also be semi-melting snow, sleet,
or the drifting snow that Eskimo people often talk about.
Moreover, the water from the rain is also diversity. Rain may
have almost pure distilled water, may have the water
contaminated by industrial or sludge, and may have been
pollen contaminated water.
From the major classification, raindrop sensor is one type
of the humidity sensor. Currently, raindrop sensor widely
used is the piezoelectric vibrator sensors, optical sensors and
capacitive sensors.
A. Principle of piezoelectric vibrator sensors
Piezoelectric vibrator changes the mechanical
displacement (vibration) into electrical signals by using the
piezoelectric effect. According to rain intensity and rainfall,
piezoelectric vibrator converts raindrop impact energy into
voltage waveform, which enters into the appropriate
amplification and control circuit to achieve a certain function.
ICTM2009
B. Principle ofoptical sensors
Such raindrop sensors use optical systems which are
consisted of light-emitting diode (LED), light receiving
diode (LRD), the surrounding environment sensors, electric
control unit (ECU), and several lenses. Optical sensors are
based on principles of light refraction. Light-emitting diode
emits a cone of light, and the light passes through a piece of
glass. When the glass is in the dry state, almost all the light
will be reflected to an optical sensor. When it rains, the glass
will keep rain. So some light will be deviated, which cause
the light the sensor receives change in the total amount, it
detects the presence of rain. The larger the reflected area
optical sensors could receive, the more detailed information
it will get. Optical sensor is more accurate.
C. Principle ofcapacitive sensors
The working principle of capacitive sensors can be got
from the flat-plate capacitor shown in Figure 1. From
physics, we can see that if you do not consider edge effects,
the capacitance (C) of capacitors formed by two parallel
plates is as follows :
sA
c=- (1)
8
Where, A is the area covered by bipolar plates (mrrr'), 0 is
the distance between bipolar plates (mm), S is the
permittivity of dielectric between bipolar plates (F/m).
conductive material between the electrodes, we should
selected electrodes coated with insulating layer, in order to
prevent short circuit between the electrodes. Such sensors
have many important advantages of stability, temperature
resistance and long service life. The essence of the sensor is
transforming the changes of non-electricity into the changes
of electricity (voltage, current, etc.) through a certain
approach.
III. DESIGNOFTHESYSTEM
When the rain signal input the control system, it
automatically controls electric motor to close the windows.
When the window is closed, the contact fixed at the belt let
contact-limited switch opening. So it cuts off power supplies.
At the same time, you also can control the windows by
several buttons.
A. Transformerfunction module
The rated working voltage of the automatic control system
is the steady-state 12V DC. But currently every nation use
alternating electricity, and the voltage amplitude and
frequency are not the same, which needs to transform the
alternating power (taking 220V, 50HZ AC power supply for
example) into the required voltage. The circuit of
transformer function module is shown in Figure 2.
The four diodes are used as rectifier. It means that , at any
one time , no matter which side of AC power supply is the
high potential, it could ensure that one certain output is high-
voltage through the rectifier. The capacitors can reduce the
pulse level of voltage. It shows the transformer circuit
working properly or not with a resistor and a light-emitting
diode. If the power supply is on, light-emitting diode is
shining. It means that transformer circuit is working
correctly. Otherwise, it does not work.
B. signal sensing and amplificationfunction modules
This module mainly realizes the functions of signal
sensing and amplification. The process of signal induction is
to convert the information of rain into a voltage. The typical
measuring circuits of capacitive sensor include the
alternating current bridge circuit, the frequency modulation
circuit and the pulse width modulation circuit. The latter two
circuits also can achieve the same function, but more
complex than the first. Therefore, we use one arm connected
alternating bridge circuits. This circuit is shown in Figure 3.
I
Figure I. Parallel plate capacitor
From the above formula, we can get that when one of the
three parameters changes, the capacitance will change too. In
engineering, this principle can be used to design and
manufacture a number of capacitive sensors. In general, it
can be divided into three types: variable area type, pole-
changing type and variable dielectric constant type. We
mainly study the variable dielectric constant sensor.
The material (in the raindrop sensor, it is "air" and "water")
between different electrodes in the surface of electrostatic
capacitance could changes the amount of storage capacity.
The area covered by bipolar plates and the spacing of
electrodes do not change, and then the capacitance value is
only decided by the dielectric constant. The dielectric
coefficients of water and air are different, so the capacitance
value wills changes with the size of raindrops. In using this
sensor, there is a little explanation that when there is
276
220V
rv
Figure 2. Schematic of transformer circuit
12V
KM2
KMI
Figure 5. Control circuit
CI
SQI
R2


o
In raining days, the system can also achieve the function
of closing and opening the windows . But you must let the
button (KI) open, so that raindrop sensor is in non-working
condition. When the switch (QSI) is closed, click the button
(SB2). The coil (KM2) have electricity, then the state of the
switches(KM23 and KM24) reverse, so that electric motor
conversely is connected to the power supply; The switch
(KM20) is in a disconnected state, so that manual closed
circuit does not work. In other words, the switches (KM20
and KMI) achieve interlocking functions in the manual open
and closed circuit; The switch (KM21) is in a closed state, so
that it let the manual open circuit in a self-locking condition.
Even if release the button (SB2), the circuit is still working,
until the windows moves to the open limit position. Because
the contact will open the switch (SQ2), which cut off the
circuit. At the same time, the windows are wide open.
When the switch (QSI) is turned off, the circuit is on the
state of point moving. It means that, when pressing the
button (SB2), the circuit is connected; Once releasing it, the
circuit will be disconnect, and the motor stops working. The
windows are in a non-fully open position.
In the open process of windows, when press the button
(SB2), the circuit is connected. When the windows just left
off the closed limit position, the switch (SQI) changes into
closed state. Similarly, when the windows just left the open
limit position, the switch (SQ2) become closed. When the
windows are in a middle position, the switches (SQI and
12V
electric motors works and drives the windows close. When
the windows movement to the close limiting position, the
contact fixed at the belt will open the switch (SQI). Circuit is
disconnected. The motor stops working. And the windows is
closed. At the same time, light-emitting diode is off. The rain
control circuit is in a disconnected state. No matter how
much rain falls on the sensor, it will never drive motors. On
rainy days, we must first open the shower control switch
(KI), and then we could use the buttons of the manual
control system to open or close the window.
C. Control function module oftransmission direction
After the system receives the signal from raindrop sensor,
the motor will automatically close the windows . In sunny
days, the system can also achieve the function of closing and
opening the windows. Moreover, the system can achieve the
function that the windows could stop at anywhere through
the point control. This requires that the circuit could drive
the motor in two directions. The control circuit is shown in
Figure 5.
u.
C2
CI
KM22
KM24 i W I KM2J
+W-
CI
SQI
R2
- _.:::::::
Figure 4. The amplifier circuit
Figure 3. The arm connected alternating bridge circuits
RI
o
12V
.-J KI
U.
u
High-frequency power supply coming from the
transformer is connected to a diagonal of the bridge.
Capacitors ofCI, C2, C3, Cx constitute the four bridge arms
of the bridge circuit, and Cx is capacitance sensor of the
circuit. When the alternating bridge circuit is balance( Cl/C2
= CX/C3 and CI = C2, Cx = C3), the output voltage U. = 0;
When the value of Cx changes, there will be a voltage output
(D. "* 0). The dielectric constant of water is larger than that
of the air, so when rain falls on the sensor, the dielectric
constant of the sensor Cx becomes larger. Then we can get
that the value by of Cx turns bigger by the above-mentioned
formula (1). Then the output voltage (U.) is as follows:
U C
3)
(2)
. C\ +C
2
c, +/).C
X
+C
3
The output voltage is alternating. It should be turned into
direct voltage by a rectifier circuit, but the size of voltage
does not change. Then the DC voltage is taken into amplifier
circuit to drive the motor. The amplifier circuit is shown in
Figure 4.
Capacitor (CI) has the protective effects on the motor.
Switch (KI) control the rain circuit, and light-emitting diode
is used to show the rain control circuit working or not. When
KI is closed, light-emitting diode shines, which shows that
the raindrops control circuit work properly. When rain falls
on the sensor, the signal conversion circuitry finally output a
DC voltage(U.) . It is noteworthy that the voltage should
rightly access to the amplifier circuit. Furthermore, the
voltage meets the conditions of amplifier circuit. Then
277
SQ2) are all in a closed state. At this time, opening or closing
the windows can be closed.
D. Mechanical Transmission
This transmission system consists of two pulleys, belt, and
two limiting switches. A pulley is installed on shaft of the
motor, and the other one is fixed to the closed limit position
of the windows. The center distance of the two pulleys must
be greater than the opening and closing travel of the
windows. A point of the belt is fixed to the window to
achieve the movement of the windows. The contact is fixed
to another point (the location is connected to the opening and
closing travel of the windows) of the belt, which is used to
control the limiting switch. When windows are closed or
open, the contact fixed to the belt makes limiting switch
open. So that it cuts off the power supply. The electric motor
stops moving.
IV. CONCLUSION
In raining days, the system can achieve the function of
automatically closing the windows; Not only in sunny days
but also in raining days, the system could open or close the
windows by pressing the buttons SB1 or SB2; At the same
time, When the switch (QS1) is turned off, the windows
could stop at anywhere in the opening and closing travel of
the windows.
The research achieves economic by using the belt
transmission system. The movements of mechanical
transmission are very accurate by the use of restrictive
switch. Thus, this system has a high economic and
practicality. At the same time, it has the characteristics of
easy to operate and convenient maintenance, etc.
This control system can be used for outdoor advertising
light boxes; It could be combined of anti-mosquito lamp,
once it rains, it will tum off the anti-mosquito lamp; It also
can be used for automatic control places, such as unattended
computer rooms, high-rise windows and doors of hotels,
high-level sedans, doors and windows of coach, as well as
various freight yard, etc. So, this system has a strong
business value.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The research is supported by Science and Technique
Foundation of Henan Province (092102210272). The
Scheme of Young Backbone Teachers of Colleges and
Universities of Henan Province "The Key Technology
278
Research of Dimension Controling in course of Adjusting
Width for Continuous Casting", Foundation of Aviation
Science (2007ZC55002)
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