Method and Apparatus to Facilitate Automated Control of Local Lighting at a Remote Control

• US 20090284386A1
• Filed: 05/13/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Nassimi, Shary
• Granted Patent: US 8,325,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.600
• 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 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Upon detecting (101) (via an animate object detector (506)) an animate object, these teachings provide for automatically and responsively transmitting (102) a remote light control signal and also selectively controlling (103) local lighting (505). This can comprise temporarily switching the local lighting to a higher power mode of operation (such as a fully-on mode of operation) from a lower power mode of operation (such as a fully-off mode of operation). These teachings will further accommodate determining (301) a relatively closeness of the animate object to the remote control. When the detected animate object is more than predetermined distance from the remote control, the local lighting can remain in the lower power mode of operation. When the detected animate object, however, is within that predetermined distance from the remote control, then the aforementioned step of switching the local lighting to the higher power mode of operation can be undertaken as described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a remote control having an animate object detector and local lighting;

detecting, via the animate object detector, an animate object;

upon detecting the animate object;

transmitting a remote light control signal;

selectively controlling the local lighting.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote control comprises a remote control for a movable barrier operator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein transmitting a remote light control signal comprises transmitting a remote light control signal to a light that comprises an integral part of the movable barrier operator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the animate object detector comprises at least one of:

an image-based detector;

a sound-based detector;

an active light-based detector.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the animate object detector comprises a passive infrared (PIR)-based detector.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting, via the animate object detector, an animate object comprises, at least in part, detecting when the animate object is relatively close to the remote control and when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein detecting when the animate object is relatively close to the remote control and when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control comprises using at least a close proximity threshold and a distant proximity threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein transmitting a remote light control signal comprises transmitting the remote light control signal when the animate object is either relatively close to the remote control and relatively far from the remote control.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein selectively controlling the local lighting comprises causing the local lighting to be brighter when the animate object is relatively close to the remote control than when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein causing the local lighting to be brighter when the animate object is relatively closer to the remote control than when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control comprises causing the local lighting to be on when the animate object is relatively close to the remote control and off when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:

transmitting a remote light control signal comprises transmitting the remote light control signal when the animate object is either relatively close to the remote control and relatively far from the remote control;

selectively controlling the local lighting comprises causing the local lighting to be brighter when the animate object is relatively closer to the remote control than when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein causing the local lighting to be brighter when the animate object is relatively closer to the remote control than when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control comprises causing the local lighting to be on when the animate object is relatively closer to the remote control and off when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively controlling the local lighting further comprises:

operating the local lighting using a high power mode of operation;

automatically switching the local lighting to a low power mode of operation in response to a predetermined event.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the predetermined event comprises completion of a predetermined amount of time.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the predetermined event comprises completion of a predetermined count.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

at a movable barrier operator;

detecting reception of the remote light control signal;

using the remote light control signal to control a light.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein using the remote light control signal to control a light comprises energizing a workspace light.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein using the remote light control signal to control a light comprises determining whether to energize a workspace light as a further function, at least in part, of whether the movable barrier operator is presently active with respect to moving a movable barrier.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the animate object comprises determining when the animate object is within a first distance of the remote control and when the animate object is within a second distance of the remote control, wherein the second distance is shorter than the first distance.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

transmitting a remote light control signal comprises transmitting the remote light control signal when the animate object is within the first distance of the remote control;

selectively controlling the local lighting comprises increasing an illumination level for the local lighting only when the animate object is within the second distance of the remote control.

21. A remote control comprising:

an end user interface;

a remote light control signal transmitter operably coupled to the end user interface;

an animate object detector operably coupled to the remote light control signal transmitter;

a local lighting light source operably coupled to the animate object detector that is configured and arranged to primarily purposefully illuminate at least a portion of the end user interface to thereby facilitate an end user viewing the end user interface;

wherein the remote control is configured and arranged to, upon detecting, via the animate object detector, an animate object;

causing the remote light control signal transmitter to transmit a remote light control signal;

selectively control the local lighting light source.

22. The remote control of claim 21 wherein the remote control comprises a remote control for a movable barrier operator.

23. The remote control of claim 21 wherein the animate object detector comprises at least one of:

an image-based detector;

a sound-based detector;

an active light-based detector.

24. The remote control of claim 21 wherein the animate object detector comprises a passive infrared (PIR)-based detector.

25. The remote control of claim 21 wherein the remote control is configured and arranged to:

transmit the remote light control signal upon detecting the animate object regardless of whether the animate object is either;

relatively close to the remote control; and

relatively far from the remote control;

selectively control the local lighting by causing the local lighting light source to be brighter when the animate object is relatively closer to the remote control than when the animate object is relatively far from the remote control.