Load control system having a visible light sensor

• US 10,264,651 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Steiner, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luong, Henry
• Application Number:
  US15/374,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20170171941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23153 Controlled load, lightbulb, roller blind itself acts as display to acknowledge command
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• 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 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A sensor for sensing environmental characteristics of a space may include a visible light sensing circuit for recording an image of the space and a control circuit responsive to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may detect an occupancy or vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit, and measure a light level in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may also include a low-energy occupancy sensing circuit for detecting an occupancy condition in the space. The control circuit may disable the visible light sensing circuit when the space is vacant. The control circuit may detect an occupancy condition in the space in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit and subsequently enable the visible light sensing circuit. The visible light sensor may be configured in a way that protects the privacy of the occupants of the space.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a visible light sensor mounted in a space, the visible light sensor installed at a location at which the visible light sensor can record images of the space, the visible light sensor configured to transmit and receive first digital messages via a first communication link when executing operation software during operation, the method comprising:

recording a first image of the space by the visible light sensor;

executing a configuration software on the visible light sensor to transmit a digital representation of the first image to a network device in second digital messages via a second communication link;

setting at least one configuration parameter of the visible light sensor at the network device using the digital representation of the first image;

transmitting the at least one configuration parameter to the visible light sensor;

subsequently installing the operation software in place of the configuration software, wherein the operation software is configured to operate according to the at least one configuration parameter, and wherein the operation software being installed in place of the configuration software prevents the visible light sensor from being able to transmit the images or digital representations of the images of the space in the second digital messages via the second communication link;

recording a second image of the space during execution of the operation software on the visible light sensor;

identifying an environmental characteristic in the second image of the space; and

transmitting the first digital messages via the first communication link during execution of the operation software on the visible light sensor, wherein the first digital messages comprise an indication of an environmental characteristic on which an electrical load may be controlled or load control instructions for controlling the electrical load.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration software configures the visible light sensor to operate in a plurality of modes of operation during the execution of the operation software, wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise at least one of a daylighting mode, a daylight glare mode, a color temperature mode, or an occupancy/vacancy mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuration software configures the visible light sensor to alternate sequentially between the plurality of modes of operation after expiration of predefined periods of time during the execution of the operation software.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuration software configures the visible light sensor to alternate between different modes of the plurality of modes of operation based on identification of different environmental characteristics in the first image.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one configuration parameter relates to a respective mode of the plurality of modes of operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the at least one configuration parameter to the visible light sensor comprises transmitting the at least one configuration parameter to the visible light sensor via the first communication link or the second communication link.

7. A sensor mountable in a space, the sensor comprising:

a visible light sensing circuit configured to record images of a space;

a first communication circuit configured to transmit and receive first digital messages via a first communication link during operation;

a second communication circuit configured to transmit and receive second digital messages via a second communication link during configuration; and

a control circuit configured to;

execute a configuration software to transmit a digital representation of a first image to a network device via the second communication link;

receive at least one configuration parameter from the network device in response to the digital representation of the first image; and

subsequently install operation software in place of the configuration software, wherein the operation software is configured to operate according to the at least one configuration parameter, and wherein the operation software installed in place of the configuration software prevents the sensor from being able to transmit the images or digital representations of the images of the space in the second digital messages via the second communication link;

detect an environmental characteristic in a second image of the space during execution of the operation software; and

transmit the first digital messages via the first communication link during execution of the operation software, wherein the first digital messages comprise an indication of an environmental characteristic on which an electrical load may be controlled or load control instructions for controlling the electrical load.

8. The sensor of claim 7, wherein the configuration software is configured to enable the control circuit to operate in a plurality of modes of operation during the execution of the operation software, wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise at least one of a daylighting mode, a daylight glare mode, a color temperature mode, or an occupancy/vacancy mode.

9. The sensor of claim 8, wherein the configuration software is configured to enable the control circuit to alternate sequentially between the plurality of modes of operation after expiration of predefined periods of time during the execution of the operation software.

10. The sensor of claim 8, wherein the configuration software is configured to enable the control circuit to alternate between different modes of the plurality of modes of operation based on identification of different environmental characteristics in the image.

11. The sensor of claim 8, wherein the at least one configuration parameter relates to a respective mode of the plurality of modes of operation.

12. The sensor of claim 7, wherein the control circuit is further configured to transmit the first digital messages via the first communication link during operation of the visible light sensor, wherein the first digital messages comprise load control instructions for controlling an electrical load.

13. The sensor of claim 7, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive the at least one configuration parameter via the first communication link or second communication link.