SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RULES BASED, AUTOMATED LIGHTING CONTROL

• US 20090302782A1
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tesla Controls Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Derek Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,299,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/297
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting control system comprising a plurality of intelligent switches designed to replace a conventional light switch, each of the intelligent switches including a receiver configured to receive communication signals that include rules based instructions for controlling one or more lighting circuits; a circuit interrupter configured to control the amount of current flowing to a lighting circuit; a memory configured to store the rules based instructions; and a processor coupled with the receiver, memory, and circuit interrupter, the processor configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions stored in memory.

Claims

1. A lighting control system comprising a plurality of intelligent switches, each of the intelligent switches including:

a receiver configured to receive communication signals that include rules based instructions for controlling one or more lighting circuits;

a circuit interrupter configured to control the amount of energy flowing to a lighting circuit;

a memory configured to store the rules based instructions; and

a processor coupled with the receiver, memory, and circuit interrupter, the processor configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions stored in memory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules based instructions include instructions that cause the processor to change the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the time of day.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules based instructions include at least one instruction not related to the time of day.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a manual input coupled with the processor and configured to provide signals related to the control of the lighting circuit when the manual input is activated, and wherein the processor is configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions and based on the signals received from the manual input.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to allow the signals received from the manual input to override the rules based instructions.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the manual input causes the processor to control the circuit interrupter so as to turn all lights on the lighting circuit on or off.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the manual input causes the processor to control the circuit interrupter so as to turn some lights on the lighting circuit on or off.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the manual input causes the processor to control the circuit interrupter so as to set at least some lights on the lighting circuit to an intermediate level.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the manual input is associated with a preset configuration for the lighting circuit, and wherein the processor is configured to control the circuit interrupter in accordance with the preset configuration when the manual input is activated.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a motion sensor coupled with the processor and configured to provide signals related to the detection of movement within a room associated with the lighting circuit, and wherein the processor is configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions and based on the signals received from the motion sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a real-time clock coupled with the processor, the real-time clock configured to keep track of the time of day for use by the processor in implementing the rules based instructions.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a current sensor coupled between the intelligent switch and the lighting circuit and coupled with the processor, the current sensor configured to sense the amount of current flowing to the lighting circuit.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a transmitter coupled with processor, the transmitter configured to transmit data related to the operation of the intelligent switch and the lighting circuit under control of the processor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmitted data includes data related to how much current is flowing to the lighting circuit.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiver and transmitter are configured to send and receive signals via a wireless network.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiver and transmitter are configured to send and receive signals via a main power circuit.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of switches includes a receiver configured to receive the rules based instructions from a remote server, and wherein each of the plurality of switches is a node on a wireless network and is configured to communicate with each other via the wireless network.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of switches is a node on a wireless network and is configured to communicate with each other and with a gateway via the wireless network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

20. A lighting control system, comprising:

a plurality of intelligent switches, each of the intelligent switches including;

a receiver configured to receive communication signals that include rules based instructions for controlling one or more lighting circuits,

a circuit interrupter configured to control the amount of energy flowing to a lighting circuit,

a memory configured to store the rules based instructions, and

a processor coupled with the receiver, memory, and circuit interrupter, the processor configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions stored in memory; and

a gateway, the gateway including;

a first transceiver configured to communicate with a remote server in order to receive rules based instructions for control of a plurality of intelligent switches, and

a transmitter configured to transmit the rules based instructions to the plurality of intelligent switches.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the rules based instructions include instructions that cause the processor to change the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the time of day.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the rules based instructions include at least one instruction not related to the time of day.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a manual input coupled with the processor and configured to provide signals related to the control of the lighting circuit when the manual input is activated, and wherein the processor is configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions and based on the signals received from the manual input.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to allow the signals received from the manual input to override the rules based instructions.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the manual input causes the processor to control the circuit interrupter so as to turn all lights on the lighting circuit on or off.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the manual input causes the processor to control the circuit interrupter so as to turn some lights on the lighting circuit on or off.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the manual input causes the processor to control the circuit interrupter so as to set at least some lights on the lighting circuit to an intermediate level.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the manual input is associated with a preset configuration for the lighting circuit, and wherein the processor is configured to control the circuit interrupter in accordance with the preset configuration when the manual input is activated.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a motion sensor coupled with the processor and configured to provide signals related to the detection of movement within a room associated with the lighting circuit, and wherein the processor is configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions and based on the signals received from the motion sensor.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a real-time clock coupled with the processor, the real-time clock configured to keep track of the time of day for use by the processor in implementing the rules based instructions.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a current sensor coupled between the intelligent switch and the lighting circuit and coupled with the processor, the current sensor configured to sense the amount of current flowing to the lighting circuit.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of intelligent switches further comprises a switch transceiver comprising the receiver and a transmitter coupled with the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit data related to the operation of the intelligent switch and the lighting circuit under control of the processor, and wherein the gateway further comprises a second transceiver comprising the transmitter and a receiver configured to receive the data, the gateway configured to forward the data to the server via the first transceiver.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmitted data includes data related to how much current is flowing to the lighting circuit.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the switch transceiver and the second transceiver are wireless transceivers configured to send and received data over a wireless network.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the switch transceiver and the second transceiver are configured to send and receive signals via a main power circuit.

36. The system of claim 20, further comprising a server comprising a user interface program configured to allow a user to configured a set of rules based instructions for download to the plurality of intelligent switches, and a third transceiver configured to transmit the rules based instructions configured by the user to the gateway.

37. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of switches and the gateway are nodes on a wireless network and are configured to communicate with each other and with a gateway via the wireless network.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the wireless network is a wireless mesh network.