Utilizing automated lighting system to determine occupancy

• US 10,254,725 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cohn, John M
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Phuong
• Application Number:
  US14/612,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160223395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A method for utilizing an automated lighting system having a plurality of lighting fixtures with associated light sensors to determine occupancy of a plurality of occupants in an area of a building. Lighting level information is received from the lighting fixture sensors of the automated lighting system identifying lighting variations in an area to form a time-based history of lighting level variations. Analytic analysis is applied to the time-based history of lighting level variations to determine a time-based occupancy in the area.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing an automated lighting system having a plurality of lighting fixtures with associated light sensors to determine occupancy of a plurality of occupants in an area of a building comprising:

in response to a lighting level request, receiving lighting level variation information from the light sensors of the automated lighting system identifying lighting level variations in the area to form a time-based history of lighting level variations, wherein the light sensors comprise a plurality of quadrature sensors capable of determining a time-based direction of movement of occupants, the—

time-based direction of movement comprises both a distance and a direction of the occupants underneath the light sensors such that a position and a motion of the occupants between light sensors can be determined; and

applying analytic analysis to the time-based history of lighting level variations to determine a time-based occupancy in the area.

2. The method for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting fixtures comprises light emitting diode (LED) lighting fixtures coupled to a control circuitry.

3. The method for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving image information from the area to augment the received lighting level variation information from the automated lighting.

4. The method for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 1, further comprising:

applying analytic analysis to the time-based history of lighting level variations as a software service in a cloud environment.

5. The method for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating the lighting level variations to a count, a placement, and a movement of occupants.

6. The method for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 1, further comprising:

mapping movement of occupants or objects from below one lighting fixture location to another lighting fixture location in the area and determining a distance and direction of movement of occupants or objects.

7. The method for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting lighting level variation information to a cloud-based analytic management system.

8. A system for utilizing an automated lighting system having a plurality of lighting fixtures with associated light sensors to determine occupancy of a plurality of occupants in an area of a building, the system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising;

in response to a lighting level request, receiving lighting level variation information from the light sensors of the automated lighting system identifying lighting level variations in the area to form a time-based history of lighting level variations, wherein the light sensors comprise a plurality of quadrature sensors capable of determining a time-based direction of movement of occupants, the time-based direction of movement comprises both a distance and a direction of the occupants underneath the light sensors such that a position and a motion of the occupants between light sensors can be determined; and

applying analytic analysis to the time-based history of lighting level variations to determine a time-based occupancy in the area.

9. The system for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 8, wherein the plurality of lighting fixtures comprises light emitting diode (LED) lighting fixtures coupled to a control circuitry.

10. The system for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving image information from the area to augment the lighting level variation information from the automated lighting system.

11. The system for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 8, further comprising:

correlating the lighting level variations to a count, a placement, and a movement of occupants.

12. The system for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 8, further comprising:

mapping movement of occupants or objects from below one lighting fixture location to another lighting fixture location in the area and determining a distance and direction of movement of occupants or objects.

13. The system for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting lighting level variation information to a cloud-based analytic management system.

14. The system for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 8, further comprising:

applying analytic analysis to the time-based history of lighting level variations as a software service via the memory device and processor in a cloud environment.

15. A computer program product for utilizing an automated lighting system having a plurality of lighting fixtures with associated light sensors to determine occupancy of a plurality of occupants in area, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable non-transitory article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to carry out a method comprising;

in response to a lighting level request, receiving lighting level variation information from the light sensors of the automated lighting system identifying lighting level variations in the area to form a time-based history of lighting level variations, wherein the light sensors comprise a plurality of quadrature sensors capable of determining a time-based direction of movement of occupants, the—

time-based direction of movement comprises both a distance and a direction of the occupants underneath the light sensors such that a position and a motion of the occupants between light sensors can be determined; and

applying analytic analysis to the time-based history of lighting level variations to determine a time-based occupancy in the area.

16. The computer program product for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 15, wherein the plurality of lighting fixtures comprises light emitting diode (LED) lighting fixtures coupled to a control circuitry.

17. The computer program product for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving image information from the area to augment the received lighting level variation information from the automated lighting system.

18. The computer program product for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 15, further comprising;

correlating the lighting level variations to a count, a placement, and a movement of occupants.

19. The computer program product for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 15, further comprising:

mapping movement of occupants or objects from below one lighting fixture location to another lighting fixture location in the area and determining a distance and direction of movement of occupants or objects.

20. The computer program product for utilizing an automated lighting system to determine occupancy of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting lighting level variation information to a cloud-based analytic management system.