Application of Microsystems for Lighting Control

• US 20080074059A1
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Ahmed, Osman
• Granted Patent: US 7,948,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• 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 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An arrangement includes a plurality of microsystems and a controller. Each of the plurality of wireless microsystems is operable to measure at least one parameter of a space, and to transmit the at least one parameter wirelessly. The controller is operably coupled to receive the information corresponding to the at least one parameter directly or indirectly. The controller is operable to cause a change in a lighting control level based at least in part on the information. The wireless microsystems may suitably measure light levels and/or occupancy regarding the space.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising:

a plurality of wireless microsystems, each microsystem operable to measure at least one parameter of a space, and to transmit the at least one parameter wirelessly;

a controller operably coupled to receive the information corresponding to the at least one parameter directly or indirectly, the controller operable to cause a change in a lighting control level based at least in part on the information.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a light level measurement for the space.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the at least one parameter comprises an occupancy measurement for the space.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the microsystem includes a MEMS sensor.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising at least one dimming ballast light fixture, and wherein the controller is operably connected to cause a change in a lighting control level by providing control signals to the at least one dimming ballast light fixture.

6. An arrangement comprising:

a plurality of wireless microsystems, each microsystem operable to measure at least a light level measurement for the space, and to transmit light level information wirelessly; and

a controller operably coupled to receive the light level information directly or indirectly, the controller operable to cause a change in a lighting control level based at least in part on the light level information and at least indirectly on occupancy information.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the controller is operably coupled to receive at least a part of the occupancy information from a wireless measurement device, the wireless measurement device configured to detect a presence of occupants in the proximity of a space.

8. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the microsystem includes a MEMS sensor.

9. The arrangement of claim 7, further comprising at least one dimming ballast light fixture, and wherein the controller is operably connected to cause a change in a lighting control level by providing control signals to the at least one dimming ballast light fixture.

10. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the controller is operable to cause a change in a lighting control level further based on time of day information.

11. The arrangement of claim 6, further comprising a processing circuit configured to generate a lighting set point based at least in part on the occupancy information, and wherein the controller is further operable to cause a change in lighting control by generating a control output based on the lighting set point and the light level information.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the controller includes the processing circuit.

13. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is operable to generate the lighting set point by selecting the lighting set point from at least three values, a lowest level value, a second level value, and a highest level value, and wherein selection of the lowest level value and the second value level require occupancy information indicative of a lack of occupancy.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein selection of the second level value requires occupancy information indicative of a lack of occupancy for a first duration of time, and selection of the lowest level value requires occupancy information indicative of the a lack of occupancy for a second duration of time that is longer than the first duration of time.

15. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein selection between the second level value and the lowest level value depends on time-of-day information.

16. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operable to cause a change in a lighting control level based at least in part on a statistical light level value, the statistical value generated based on light level information from each of the plurality of microsystems.

17. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein:

at least a first microsystem is configured to generate the light level information representative of a measurement of a first aspect of the light in a space;

at least a second microsystem is configured to generate the light level information representative of a measurement of a second aspect of the light in the space;

the controller is further operable to cause a change in a lighting control level based at least in part on the light level information from the first microsystem and the second microsystem.

18. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein the first aspect comprises an intensity of light within a first defined wavelength band, and the second aspect comprises an intensity of light that includes light outside the first defined wavelength band.

19. A method comprising:

a) employing a plurality of wireless microsystems to measure at least one parameter of a space;

b) transmitting the at least one parameter wirelessly;

c) receiving the at least one parameter at a first device, the first device operably coupled to the controller; and

d) employing a controller to cause a change in a lighting control level based at least in part on the at least one parameter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a light level measurement for the space.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one parameter comprises an occupancy measurement for the space.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein step d) further comprises:

d1) generating a lighting set point based at least in part on occupancy information for the space;

d2) causing a change in lighting control by generating a control output based on the lighting set point and the light level measurement.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein step d1) further comprises generating the lighting set point based at least in part on a detected occupancy for the space.