I am planning to standardize weather devices & services in INDI, and would appreciate your input before I embark on the actual development. Basically the idea is to design a class that encapsulates most weather parameters of interest to astronomers along with their range & units. For each parameter that is supported by the device, the user should be able to pick a "maximum" and/or "minimum" range which the value must fall within for it deemed "acceptable". Once the value is exceeded for a certain time threshold (also configurable), then the status of the overall "Weather Parameter" property is ALERT and this should cause the observatory to interrupt any operations and go into "panic mode".
All parameters shall have:
1. Actual value + unit if any
2. Current % of Maximum Range?
3. Minimum/Maximum "Acceptable" range?
This could even apply to rain (descriptive and mm). If we define rain conditions as RAIN_DRY, RAIN_LIGHT, RAIN_HEAVY (just an example, the actual enumeration range can be more complex) then we have just 3 values (0, 1, 2). The % would be 0%, 50% and 100%. The minimum/maximum acceptable range could be 0%/0%. If the rain is measured in mm, the same principle applies.
There will be a primary LIGHT property which holds the state of the various parameters. Greek OK, Yellow Warning (10% within range, if applicable), and Red for Alert.
Weather: [X] Rain [X] Wind [X] Clouds
If Rain is ALERT, then the whole Weather property is ALERT, and the observatory can go into safe mode. As it stands now, it is either OK (continue observing), or full panic mode (stop observation, close dome shutter, park..etc). We can have a "Medium" risk mode which we would have to define someway. Perhaps something like, if Warning state last more than 5 minutes, or only if parameters X, Y, Z are all warning then the overall state becomes warning, otherwise, it is OK...etc.. For the "Medium" risk, it can cause the observatory to cease operations, until the weather improves, but it doesn't need to go into panic mode.
This might seem complex, but remember we are trying to create a generic weather interface for _any_ devices or service, with any number of parameters, descriptive or physical in nature. Furthermore, we need to formalize what is the overall state of the weather device, and how it can affect the observatory. Is OK/Alert enough? or OK/Warning/Alert? Or perhaps something else completely?
Any thoughts appreciated!
All parameters shall have:
1. Actual value + unit if any
2. Current % of Maximum Range?
3. Minimum/Maximum "Acceptable" range?
This could even apply to rain (descriptive and mm). If we define rain conditions as RAIN_DRY, RAIN_LIGHT, RAIN_HEAVY (just an example, the actual enumeration range can be more complex) then we have just 3 values (0, 1, 2). The % would be 0%, 50% and 100%. The minimum/maximum acceptable range could be 0%/0%. If the rain is measured in mm, the same principle applies.
There will be a primary LIGHT property which holds the state of the various parameters. Greek OK, Yellow Warning (10% within range, if applicable), and Red for Alert.
Weather: [X] Rain [X] Wind [X] Clouds
If Rain is ALERT, then the whole Weather property is ALERT, and the observatory can go into safe mode. As it stands now, it is either OK (continue observing), or full panic mode (stop observation, close dome shutter, park..etc). We can have a "Medium" risk mode which we would have to define someway. Perhaps something like, if Warning state last more than 5 minutes, or only if parameters X, Y, Z are all warning then the overall state becomes warning, otherwise, it is OK...etc.. For the "Medium" risk, it can cause the observatory to cease operations, until the weather improves, but it doesn't need to go into panic mode.
This might seem complex, but remember we are trying to create a generic weather interface for _any_ devices or service, with any number of parameters, descriptive or physical in nature. Furthermore, we need to formalize what is the overall state of the weather device, and how it can affect the observatory. Is OK/Alert enough? or OK/Warning/Alert? Or perhaps something else completely?
Any thoughts appreciated!