Intelligence in distributed lighting control devices

• US 10,139,787 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huizenga, Charles, Do, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/710,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,178 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit

Abstract

Exemplary systems, methods, and apparatuses for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control are provided. A facility lighting system may be organized into multiple control areas, each of which may include one or more component devices. Each lighting control area may be associated with a control apparatus, which controls the operation of the lighting devices of the associated control area based on various types of signal information. Signal information may include information concerning local conditions or environments, as well as information from a centralized control server. Some embodiments further include monitoring the operation and predicting fault states of the lighting control area.

Claims

1. A method for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the method comprising:

detecting installation of a component for a lighting device;

sensing, using a sensor, presence of occupants in a lighting control area;

receiving signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of control areas, the control area comprising the lighting device, wherein the signal information includes an indication as to when the component failed, as well as information concerning power usage, number of actuations, fault detection, and predictions concerning fault states of the component, wherein fault detection comprises evaluating characteristics of an electric load of the component;

determining instructions for operation of the control area based on at least rule-based actuation logic and the received signal information, wherein the rule-based actuation logic comprises tasks associated with particular light levels;

predicting that the component is close to expiry by evaluating the number of actuations or operating hours of the component accumulated relative to a predetermined level or threshold;

determining, by a dedicated time keeper based on the signal information, a time period between installation of the component and failure of the component;

storing, by the dedicated time keeper, the time period in a database; and

providing alarms or tasks, based on the time period or the prediction that the component is close to expiry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal information comprises information concerning an environmental condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal information comprises information concerning an operation schedule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal information comprises information from a control server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal information comprises information designated by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring operation of the lighting control area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring operation of the lighting control area further comprises detecting a fault state in the lighting control area.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting actuations or operating hours for a plurality of lighting devices, the lighting device being similar to the plurality of lighting devices;

detecting a fault state for one or more of the plurality of lighting devices; and

predicting failure of the lighting device based upon actuations or operating hours for the lighting device as compared to the actuations or operating hours for the plurality of lighting devices and the detected fault state.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting actuations or operating hours for a plurality of lighting devices, the lighting device having similar components to the plurality of lighting devices, the components comprising any of a bulb, a ballast, a power supply, a controller, or combinations thereof;

detecting a fault state for one or more of the components of the plurality of lighting devices;

predicting failure of the lighting device based upon actuations or operating hours for the lighting device as compared to the actuations or operating hours for the plurality of lighting devices and the detected fault state; and

transmitting to a control server a message that is indicative of the predicted failure of the lighting device.

10. An apparatus for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of lighting control areas, the signal information further comprising power usage, number of actuations, fault detection, and predictions concerning fault states of a component for a lighting device within the lighting control area, wherein fault detection comprises evaluating characteristics of an electric load of the component;

a processor configured to determine instructions for operation of the control area based on at least rule-based actuation logic and the received signal information, wherein the rule-based actuation logic comprises tasks associated with particular light levels, the processor further configured to predict that the component is close to expiry by evaluating the number of actuations or operating hours of the component accumulated relative to a level or threshold so as to determine a future fault state for the lighting control area by comparing fault states for similar lighting control areas to the signal information of the lighting control area, as detected and stored by a dedicated time keeper;

the dedicated time keeper configured to track and provide signal information concerning date and time to the component and trigger operations; and

a controller configured to transmit a predicted future fault state for the lighting control area to a control server and estimate an expiry of a similar component based on a determined time period for the component that comprises a time frame defined by an installation date and a failure date.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a timekeeper configured to provide signal information concerning date and time.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a light sensor configured to provide signal information concerning a level of light.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a motion sensor configured to provide signal information concerning presence of an occupant.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive signal information from the control server.

15. A system for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the system comprising:

a plurality of lighting control areas, each lighting control area comprising;

a plurality of sensors for capturing environmental input;

a communication interface for receiving signal information concerning a lighting control area, the signal information further comprising power usage, number of actuations, fault detection, and predictions concerning fault states of a component for a lighting device within one of the plurality of lighting control areas, wherein fault detection comprises evaluating characteristics of an electric load of the component;

a processor configured to determine instructions for operation of the control area based on at least rule-based actuation logic and the received signal information, wherein the rule-based actuation logic comprises tasks associated with particular light levels and the signal information includes light levels sensed in the lighting control area, as well as information concerning the presence of occupants in the lighting control area, wherein the tasks further comprise selectively adjusting artificial light in the lighting control areas as natural light level changes in the lighting control areas, and predict that the component is close to expiry by evaluating the number of actuations or operating hours of the component accumulated relative to level or threshold;

a controller for controlling operation of the lighting control area by selecting a task that is associated with the particular light level and the presence of occupants in the lighting control area; and

a control server configured to provide signal information concerning an operation configuration to each lighting control area in the plurality of lighting control areas in response to the task determined for each of the lighting control areas.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control server is further configured to receive user input concerning the operation configuration.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the control server is further configured to receive operation information from each control area from the plurality of control areas.

18. A method for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the method comprising:

detecting installation of a component for a lighting device, the component comprising any of a bulb, a ballast, a power supply, a controller, or combinations thereof;

receiving signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of control areas, the control area comprising the lighting device, wherein the signal information includes an indication as to when the component failed;

determining a time period between installation of the component and failure of the component using a dedicated time keeper;

determining instructions for operation of the control area based on at least rule-based actuation logic and the received signal information, wherein the rule-based actuation logic comprises tasks associated with particular light levels;

predicting that the component is close to expiry by evaluating a number of actuations or operating hours of the component accumulated relative to a predetermined level or threshold;

storing the time period in a database by the dedicated time keeper;

transmitting the time period to a control server; and

providing alarms or tasks, based on the time period or the prediction that the component is close to expiry.