AUTOMATED SHADE CONTROL METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20090020233A1
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Mechoshade Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Berman, Jan, Berman, Joel, Hebeisen, Stephen P., Greenspan, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 7,977,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/5
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/32 Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor operation of tilting bars E06B9/307
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/322 Details of operating devices, e.g. pulleys, brakes, spring drums, drives operating devices E06B9/68 ; devices of general interest specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material B65H75/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/56 Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor devices of general interest specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material B65H75/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/24 Structural elements or technologies for improving thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/00 Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings

Abstract

This invention generally relates to automated shade systems. An automated shade system comprises one or more motorized window coverings, sensors, and controllers that use one or more algorithms to control operation of the automated shade control system. These algorithms may include information such as: 3-D models of a building and surrounding structures; shadow information; lighting and radiation information; ASHRAE clear sky algorithms; log information related to manual overrides; occupant preference information; motion information; real-time sky conditions; solar radiation on a building; a total foot-candle load on a structure; brightness overrides; actual and/or calculated BTU load; time-of-year information; and microclimate analysis.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a motor;

a window covering, wherein said motor is configured to actuate said window covering;

at least one of a radiometer and a photometer to detect at least one of lighting and radiation information;

a motor controller configured to control said motor using a proactive algorithm, said proactive algorithm incorporating at least one of said lighting and radiation information;

a first ratio representing a number of said motors to a number of said motor controllers; and

,

a second ratio representing a number of said motor controllers to a number of centralized motor controllers, wherein said first ratio includes whole numbers greater than a one-to-one ratio, and said second ratio includes whole numbers greater than a one-to-one ratio.

2. A system, comprising:

a motor;

a window covering, wherein said motor is configured to actuate said window covering;

at least one of a radiometer and a photometer to detect at least one of lighting and radiation information; and

a motor controller configured to control said motor using a proactive algorithm, said proactive algorithm incorporating at least one of said lighting and radiation information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said motor controller is configured to facilitate adjustment of said window covering position using shadow information based on at least one of cityscape and topographical conditions.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said motor controller is configured to incorporate ASHRAE clear sky algorithms.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said motor controller is configured to log information related to a manual override of said system, and wherein said log information is used to modify said proactive algorithm.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said window covering comprises at least one of:

roller shade, blinds, drapes, shades, Venetian blinds, vertical blinds, at least one of adjustable louvers and panels, at least one of moveable louvers and panels, fabric coverings with low E coatings, fabric coverings without low E coatings, mesh, mesh coverings, window slats, and metallic coverings.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm incorporates occupant preference information.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a motion sensor to detect motion information, wherein said motion information is used to modify said proactive algorithm.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm is configured to utilize at least one of said lighting and radiation information to determine sky conditions in real time.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm is configured to utilize at least one of said lighting and radiation information to determine solar radiation on a building in real time.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm is configured to utilize at least one of said lighting information, said radiation information, brightness information, and solar heat gain to calculate a total foot-candle load on a structure.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm is configured to implement a brightness override.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said brightness override is triggered responsive to a measured brightness exceeding a user defined ratio between said measured brightness and ambient illumination.

14. The system of claim 2, further comprising a database configured to provide reports regarding said system.

15. The system of claim 2, further comprising a centralized control system, wherein said motor controller is configured to communicate with said centralized control system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said centralized control system is configured to monitor at least one of:

location of said window covering;

movement of said window covering;

alignment of said window covering;

information regarding radiation deflected by said window covering; and

operation of said motor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said centralized control system is configured to prepare reports responsive to said monitoring.

18. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm is configured to utilize at least one of an actual British thermal unit (BTU) load and a calculated BTU load to generate a movement request.

19. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm is configured to use time-of-year information to calculate an allowed solar penetration.

20. The system of claim 2, wherein said motor controller is configured to communicate with a computing device.

21. The system of claim 2, wherein said proactive algorithm is configured to perform a microclimate analysis.

22. A method, comprising:

providing a system configured to facilitate control of daylighting of an interior space;

coupling said system to a remote communication link; and

communicating a movement request to a motor, wherein said motor facilitates automated movement of a window covering, wherein said movement request is generated at a location external to said interior space, and wherein said movement request is delivered via said remote communication link.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising of at least one of:

transmitting updated to said system via said remote communication link;

troubleshooting said system via said remote communication link; and

transmitting a report generation instruction to said system via said remote communication link.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing at least one sensor configured to generate information associated with said interior space, wherein said information is transmitted via said remote communication link.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a motor controller, an input from at least one of a photosensor, a radiometer, a temperature sensor, and a motion sensor;

analyzing said input using a reactive algorithm to form a movement request; and

communicating said movement request to a motor, wherein said motor facilitates automated movement of a window covering; and

,

inputting occupant tracking information into said reactive algorithm to adjust for manual overrides.

26. A method, comprising:

providing a system configured to facilitate control of daylighting of an interior space, wherein said system is configured with a first window covering and a second window covering;

generating a first movement request configured to move said first window covering into a first configuration; and

generating a second movement request configured to move said second window covering into a second configuration, wherein said first configuration and said second configuration are different.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said first configuration is configured to protect an occupant of said interior space, and wherein said second configuration directs daylight toward the ceiling of said interior space.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said system is configured to store information related to at least one of position information for said first and second window coverings and movement history information for said first and second window coverings.

29. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-readable instructions, the plurality of computer-readable instructions-comprising:

instructions to receive, at a motor controller, an input from at least one of a photosensor, a radiometer, a temperature sensor, and a motion sensor;

instructions to analyze said input using a reactive algorithm to form a movement request;

instructions to communicate said movement request to a motor, wherein said motor facilitates automated movement of a window covering; and

instructions to input occupant tracking information into said reactive algorithm to adjust for manual overrides.