AUTOMATED SHADE CONTROL RELECTANCE MODULE

• US 20090254222A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• 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 8,120,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6827 sensing light
• 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: 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 9/68 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

Automated shade systems comprise motorized window coverings, sensors, and controllers that use 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, reflectance 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 method, comprising:

modeling at least a portion of a reflective surface to create a reflectance model;

querying the reflectance model a first time to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light at a location of interest; and

adjusting a window covering responsive to the calculated reflected light at the location of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the reflectance model a second time to determine a duration of the calculated reflected light at the location of interest.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the duration exceeding a default reflectance duration.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the duration exceeding a user-input duration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information from a photometer indicating a presence of measured reflected light at the location of interest.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the measured reflected light.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of reflective surfaces are modeled to create the reflectance model.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the reflectance model a first time further comprises calculating reflection information for each of the plurality of reflective surfaces.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the calculating reflection information comprises calculating dispersion reflection information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the reflectance model a first time comprises calculating reflection information for at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces, and calculating no reflection information for at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the reflectance model to calculate an apparent altitude of the calculated reflected light at the location of interest.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the window covering to a fully closed position responsive to the apparent altitude having a negative value.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the reflectance model to determine a calculated intensity of the calculated reflected light at the location of interest.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the calculated intensity exceeding a default intensity.

15. A system, comprising:

a motor;

a window covering associated with a window, wherein the motor is configured to actuate the window covering; and

a motor controller configured to control the motor using reflectance information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the reflectance information is obtained by querying a reflectance model to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light on the window.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a photometer associated with the window.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the reflectance information is obtained from the photometer.

19. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a system, cause the system to perform a method comprising:

modeling at least a portion of a reflective surface to create a reflectance model;

querying the reflectance model to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light at a location of interest; and

adjusting a window covering responsive to the calculated reflected light at the location of interest.