AUTOMATED SHADE CONTROL METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20110220299A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Mechoshade Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Berman, Jan, Hebeisen, Stephen P., Greenspan, Alex, Berman, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 8,525,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/5
• 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

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; and

a central controller configured to control the motor using a proactive algorithm, the proactive algorithm incorporating at least one of lighting information or radiation information,

wherein the central controller is configured to control the motor using shadow information based on at least one of cityscape conditions or topographical conditions.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a radiometer or a photometer to detect at least one of the lighting information or the radiation information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the proactive algorithm acquires at least a portion of the lighting information or the radiation information from a database.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured with a reactive algorithm incorporating at least one of the lighting information or the radiation information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the reactive algorithm is configured to facilitate control of the motor under conditions not modeled by the proactive algorithm.

6. A system, comprising:

a motor; and

a central controller configured to control the motor using a proactive algorithm, the proactive algorithm incorporating at least one of lighting information or radiation information,

wherein the central controller is configured to incorporate a clear sky algorithm.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising at least one of a radiometer or a photometer to detect at least one of the lighting information or the radiation information.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the clear sky algorithm is an ASHRAE clear sky algorithm.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the proactive algorithm is configured to implement a brightness override.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the brightness override is triggered responsive to a measured brightness exceeding a user defined ratio between the measured brightness and ambient illumination.

11. A system, comprising:

a motor;

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

a motion sensor to detect motion information, wherein the motion information is used to modify the proactive algorithm.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one of a radiometer or a photometer to detect at least one of the lighting information or the radiation information.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the proactive algorithm acquires at least a portion of the lighting information or the radiation information from a database.

14. A system, comprising:

a motor; and

a central controller configured to control the motor using a proactive algorithm, the proactive algorithm incorporating at least one of lighting information or radiation information,

wherein the proactive algorithm is configured to utilize at least one of the lighting information, the radiation information, brightness information, or solar heat gain to calculate a total foot-candle load on a structure.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least one of a radiometer or a photometer to detect at least one of the lighting information or the radiation information.

16. A system, comprising:

a motor; and

a central controller configured to control the motor using a proactive algorithm, the proactive algorithm incorporating at least one of lighting information or radiation information,

wherein the proactive algorithm is configured to utilize at least one of an actual British thermal unit (BTU) load or a calculated BTU load to control the motor.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a central controller, at least one of lighting information, radiation information, temperature information, or motion information;

analyzing the input using a reactive algorithm to form a movement request;

communicating the movement request to a motor; and

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

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the lighting information, radiation information, temperature information, or motion information is detected by a sensor in communication with the central controller.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the lighting information, radiation information, temperature information, or motion information is provided to the central controller from a database.

20. A method, comprising:

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

generating, via the proactive algorithm, a first movement request configured to move the first window covering into a first configuration; and

generating, via the proactive algorithm, a second movement request configured to move the second window covering into a second configuration, wherein the first configuration and the second configuration are different.

21. A system for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space, the system comprising:

a motor;

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

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

a motor controller coupled to the motor;

a central controller configured to control the motor, the central controller using a proactive algorithm incorporating said lighting information;

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

,

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

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the central controller uses the proactive algorithm.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the central controller incorporates the proactive algorithm.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the central controller is a centralized control system (CCS).

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the central controller controls the motor via the motor controller.