Radio frequency occupancy sensing load control

• US 10,534,334 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SVV Technology Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SVV Technology Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Vasylyev, Sergiy
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US15/606,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20170261953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An occupancy sensing load control system is disclosed. The occupancy sensing load control system includes a detector unit, an occupancy/vacancy signal generator and a load control circuit. The detector unit detects RF signals emitted by cell phones or similar mobile communication devices within an area being monitored. The occupancy/vacancy signal generator generates a control signal for the load control circuit based on the detection of a qualified RF signal or the absence of such signal within a predetermined time interval. The occupancy sensing load control system may also include a signal-generating unit for generating a pseudo base station signal based on zone information of neighboring base stations for transmission to a mobile phone in the detection area.

Claims

1. An occupancy sensing load control system comprising:

a signal-generating unit configured for periodically generating a radio control signal at predefined time intervals, said radio control signal being configured to trigger a response signal from a mobile radio-emitting communication device located within a predetermined distance from said signal-generating unit;

a radio-frequency detector configured to detect said response signal;

an occupancy/vacancy signal generating device configured to determine occupancy and/or vacancy condition in response to the result of a detection of said response signal; and

a load control device connected between an electrical power source and an electrical load and configured to control the current supplied to said electrical load in response to a signal generated by said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy condition only when said response signal has a strength that is greater than a predetermined threshold.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an internal resettable timer, wherein said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured for generating a vacancy condition in response to an absence of a qualified radio-frequency response signal within a predetermined timeout period.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory unit configured to store signal identification information from previously detected radio-emitting communication devices, and a memory processing unit configured for comparing said signal to the signal identification information stored in said memory unit, wherein said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to ignore the detection of at least some response signals which signal identification information is stored in said memory unit.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a motion detector, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy and/or vacancy condition based on the input from both said radio-frequency detector and said motion detector.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said motion detector comprises a PIR sensor.

6. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said motion detector comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile radio-emitting communication device is a personal hand-held communication device energized by an internal or external battery.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile radio-emitting communication device is a cell phone.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the radio-frequency detector is configured to simultaneously monitor more than one radio frequency band.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said threshold is adjustable by a user.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the radio-frequency detector comprises two or more antennas and is configured to compare signals received by said antennas.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrical load comprises a lighting fixture.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrical load comprises an air conditioning or ventilation unit.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrical load comprises a heating unit.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrical load comprises a security system.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said load control device is configured to arm an alarm system when a vacancy condition for a predefined time period is detected.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said radio-frequency detector is provided with a radio frequency shielding structure configured for blocking signals arriving from predetermined unwanted directions.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said radio-frequency detector is provided with a direction-limiting device and configured to detect signals only in a designated space and ignore signals originating outside of said designated space.

19. A method of controlling the amount of power delivered from an electrical power source to an electrical load provided in a space, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a radio-frequency sensor in said space;

providing a radio-frequency signal-generating unit;

periodically transmitting a radio-frequency control signal into said space at predefined time intervals, said radio-frequency control signal being capable of triggering a response from a mobile radio frequency communication device located within said space;

changing the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the absence of a qualified radio-frequency response signal during a predetermined period of time, wherein said response signal has a strength that is greater than a predetermined threshold.

20. An occupancy sensing load control system comprising:

a signal-generating unit configured for periodically generating a radio control signal at predefined time intervals, said radio control signal being configured to trigger a response signal from a mobile radio-emitting communication device located within a predetermined distance from said signal-generating unit;

a radio-frequency detector configured to detect said response signal;

an occupancy/vacancy signal generating device configured to determine occupancy and/or vacancy condition in response to the result of a detection of said response signal; and

a load control device connected between an electrical power source and an electrical load and configured to control the current supplied to said electrical load in response to a signal generated by said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device, wherein the radio-frequency detector comprises two or more antennas and is configured to compare signals received by said antennas.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, further comprising an internal resettable timer, wherein said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured for generating a vacancy condition in response to an absence of a qualified radio-frequency response signal within a predetermined timeout period.

22. The system as recited in claim 20, further comprising a memory unit configured to store signal identification information from previously detected radio-emitting communication devices, and a memory processing unit configured for comparing said signal to the signal identification information stored in said memory unit, wherein said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to ignore the detection of at least some response signals which signal identification information is stored in said memory unit.

23. The system as recited in claim 20, further comprising a motion detector, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy and/or vacancy condition based on the input from both said radio-frequency detector and said motion detector.

24. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the mobile radio-emitting communication device is a cell phone.

25. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the radio-frequency detector is configured to simultaneously monitor more than one radio frequency band.

26. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy condition only when said response signal has a strength that is greater than a predetermined threshold.

27. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy condition only when said response signal has a strength that is greater than a predetermined threshold, and wherein said threshold is adjustable by a user.

28. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said load control device is configured to arm an alarm system when a vacancy condition for a predefined time period is detected.

29. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said radio-frequency detector is provided with a radio frequency shielding structure configured for blocking signals arriving from predetermined unwanted directions.

30. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said radio-frequency detector is provided with a direction-limiting device and configured to detect signals only in a designated space and ignore signals originating outside of said designated space.

31. An occupancy sensing load control system comprising:

a signal-generating unit configured for periodically generating a radio control signal at predefined time intervals, said radio control signal being configured to trigger a response signal from a mobile radio-emitting communication device located within a predetermined distance from said signal-generating unit;

a radio-frequency detector configured to detect said response signal;

an occupancy/vacancy signal generating device configured to determine occupancy and/or vacancy condition in response to the result of a detection of said response signal; and

a load control device connected between an electrical power source and an electrical load and configured to control the current supplied to said electrical load in response to a signal generated by said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device, wherein said radio-frequency detector is provided with a radio frequency shielding structure configured for blocking signals arriving from predetermined unwanted directions.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, further comprising an internal resettable timer, wherein said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured for generating a vacancy condition in response to an absence of a qualified radio-frequency response signal within a predetermined timeout period.

33. The system as recited in claim 31, further comprising a memory unit configured to store signal identification information from previously detected radio-emitting communication devices, and a memory processing unit configured for comparing said signal to the signal identification information stored in said memory unit, wherein said occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to ignore the detection of at least some response signals which signal identification information is stored in said memory unit.

34. The system as recited in claim 31, further comprising a motion detector, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy and/or vacancy condition based on the input from both said radio-frequency detector and said motion detector.

35. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the mobile radio-emitting communication device is a cell phone.

36. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the radio-frequency detector is configured to simultaneously monitor more than one radio frequency band.

37. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy condition only when said response signal has a strength that is greater than a predetermined threshold.

38. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the occupancy/vacancy signal generating device is configured to determine occupancy condition only when said response signal has a strength that is greater than a predetermined threshold, and wherein said threshold is adjustable by a user.

39. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the radio-frequency detector comprises two or more antennas and is configured to compare signals received by said antennas.

40. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein said load control device is configured to arm an alarm system when a vacancy condition for a predefined time period is detected.

41. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein said radio-frequency detector is provided with a direction-limiting device and configured to detect signals only in a designated space and ignore signals originating outside of said designated space.