Controlling light intensity at a location

• US 10,524,336 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2018
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Inventors: Karc, Jeffrey, Steiner, James P., Fricke, William Bryce
• Primary Examiner(s): Richardson, Jany
• Application Number:
  US16/183,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/24 Structural elements or technologies for improving thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/00 Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings

Abstract

A mobile device that is configured for wireless communication may be configured to operate as a remote control device in a lighting control system, controlling one or more lighting control devices of the lighting control system. The remote control device may control the light intensity in a space, for instance at a location of the remote control device, in response to an ambient light intensity measured at the remote control device. The remote control device may define a user interface for receiving an input that indicates a desired light intensity at the location. The remote control device may measure the ambient light intensity at the location via a light detector, compare the measured ambient light intensity to the desired light intensity, and cause the one or more lighting control devices to adjust the ambient light intensity at the remote control device until it agrees with the desired light intensity.

Claims

1. A non-transient computer readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed by a control circuit of a mobile device cause the control circuit to:

receive, via a user interface, an input indicative of a desired light intensity;

receive, via an ambient light sensor, a measurement of ambient light intensity in response to receipt of the input;

compare the measurement of ambient light intensity with the desired light intensity;

determine that a difference between the measurement of ambient light intensity and the desired light intensity exceeds a threshold; and

based on the determination that the difference exceeds the threshold, cause a wireless communication circuit to transmit one or more first messages to a lighting control device based on the measurement of ambient light intensity and a determined location of the mobile device, wherein the one or more first messages causes an ambient light intensity at the mobile device to be adjusted towards the desired light intensity.

2. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the control circuit, further cause the control circuit to determine the location of the mobile device.

3. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein to determine the location comprises to cause a GPS receiver of the mobile device to determine the location.

4. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the control circuit, further cause the control circuit to:

retrieve, via a memory, information related to the input.

5. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the information related to the input comprises the threshold.

6. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more first messages include the measurement of ambient light intensity.

7. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more first messages include a command configured to cause a lighting control device to adjust an intensity of a lighting load.

8. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the control circuit, further cause the control circuit to:

determine that the mobile device has been moved from a first location to a second location;

cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit a second message to a second lighting control device based on the second location of the mobile device and a measurement of a second ambient light intensity at the second location; and

wherein the second message is configured to cause the second ambient light intensity at the mobile device to be adjusted towards the desired light intensity.

9. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more first messages include a command configured to cause a lighting control device to adjust an amount of natural light that arrives at the mobile device.

10. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a voice command received at a microphone of the mobile device.

11. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises an activation of a soft button on a touch display of the mobile device.

12. A non-transient computer readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed by a control circuit of a mobile device cause the control circuit to:

receive, via a user interface, an input indicative of a desired light intensity;

receive, via an ambient light sensor, a measurement of ambient light intensity in response to receipt of the input;

compare the measurement of ambient light intensity with the desired light intensity;

when the measurement of ambient light intensity is not equal to the desired light intensity, cause a first lighting control device to adjust a light intensity in a space until an adjustment limit of the first lighting control device is reached; and

when the adjusted light intensity is not equal to the desired light intensity when the adjustment limit of the first lighting control device is reached, cause a second lighting control device to further adjust the light intensity in the space, such that the light intensity agrees with the desired light intensity.

13. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the control circuit, further cause the control circuit to cause at least one of the first or second lighting control device to adjust the light intensity in the space by incrementing the light intensity.

14. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first lighting control device is a dimmer switch and the second lighting control device is a motorized window treatment.

15. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the control circuit, further cause the control circuit to prioritize, based on a user preference, use of the second lighting control device over use of the first lighting control device when adjusting the light intensity in the space.

16. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the control circuit, further cause the control circuit to cause at least one of the first lighting control device or the second lighting control device to adjust the light intensity in the space to maximize an amount of natural light that enters the space.

17. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the control circuit, further cause the control circuit to:

determine an artificial light intensity in the space;

determine a natural light intensity in the space; and

based on the artificial and natural light intensities, cause the second lighting control device to perform initial adjustment of the light intensity in the space.

18. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the input comprises a voice command received at a microphone of the mobile device.

19. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the input comprises an activation of a soft button on a touch display of the mobile device.