OCCUPANCY SENSING WITH VACATE INPUT

• US 20120296487A1
• Filed: 05/18/2011
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Leinen, Richard A., Hick, Robert L., Leonard, Thomas W.
• Application Number:
  US13/110,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296487A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 Feedback from users

Abstract

An occupancy sensing system includes a vacate input to cause the system to turn lights on without substantial delay when a monitored space becomes occupied after turning the load off in response to the vacate input. A special vacate input may be eliminated by determining, in response to a manual-off input, if the space has been vacated. A dead time may be included to prevent the lights from being turned back on by movement that is detected as occupants vacate the monitored space after pressing a vacate or manual-OFF button.

Claims

1. An occupancy sensing system comprising:

an occupancy sensor to sense the occupied state of a space and control a load in response to the occupied state of the space;

a vacate input to enable an occupant to indicate an intention to vacate the space; and

vacate logic to perform a vacate sequence in response to the vacate input.

2. The system of claim 1 where the vacate input comprises a dedicated vacate input.

3. The system of claim 1 where the vacate input comprises a sequence of actions performed on a multi-purpose input.

4. The system of claim 3 where the sequence of actions comprises a double actuation.

5. The system of claim 3 where the multi-purpose input comprises a switch.

6. The system of claim 1 where the vacate input comprises a message received on a communication network.

7. The system of claim 1 where the vacate input comprises a reboot of the system.

8. The system of claim 1 where the vacate sequence comprises switching a load to an unoccupied state.

9. The system of claim 8 where the vacate sequence further comprises decreasing a delay timer in the controller.

10. The system of claim 9 where decreasing the delay timer comprises clearing the delay timer.

11. The system of claim 8 where the vacate sequence further comprises delaying for a time period to allow an occupant to vacate the space.

12. The system of claim 1 where the vacate logic is further adapted to return the load to an occupied state without substantial delay when the space becomes occupied again.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a power pack arranged to supply power to the occupancy sensor and switch power to the load in response to the controller.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a communication network coupled to the power pack; and

an input device coupled to the communication network and adapted to transmit a vacate command to the power pack.

15. The system of claim 14 where the power pack is adapted to temporarily turn off the power supply to the controller in response to the vacate command.

16. An occupancy sensing system comprising:

an occupancy sensor to sense the occupied state of a space and control a load in response to the occupied state of the space;

a manual input to enable an occupant to manually control the load; and

vacate logic to determine, in response to the manual input, if the space has been vacated.

17. The system of claim 16 where the manual input comprises a manual-off input.

18. The system of claim 17 where the manual-off input comprises a switch.

19. The system of claim 16 where the vacate logic is adapted to:

switch the load to an unoccupied state in response to the manual input; and

decrease a delay timer in response to determining that the space has been vacated.

20. The system of claim 16 where the vacate logic is adapted to determine if the space has been vacated by delaying during a first time period to allow an occupant to vacate the space.

21. The system of claim 20 where the vacate logic is adapted to determine if the space has been vacated by monitoring the space during a second time period following the first time period.

22. The system of claim 16 where the vacate logic is adapted to:

switch the load to an unoccupied state in response to the manual input; and

return the load to the occupied state without substantial delay when the space becomes occupied again.

23. A method comprising:

sensing the occupied state of a space;

controlling a load in response to the occupied state of the space;

turning the load off in response to a vacate input; and

turning the load on without substantial delay when the space becomes occupied after turning the load off in response to the vacate input.

24. The method of claim 23 where the vacate input is generated by determining if the space has been vacated in response to a manual-off input.

25. The method of claim 23 where a delay timer is decreased in response to determining that the space has been vacated.