SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING PEAK AND OFF-PEAK ELECTRICITY DEMAND BY MONITORING, CONTROLLING AND METERING HIGH INTENSITY FLUORESCENT LIGHTING IN A FACILITY

• US 20130006437A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Verfuerth, Neal R., Potts, Michael J., Wang, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

A method of reducing electricity usage during peak demand periods includes the steps of establishing predetermined load reduction criteria representative of a desire by a power provider to reduce loading on an electricity supply grid, and coordinating with a facility having lighting equipment to permit the power provider to turn-off one or more of the lighting equipment by sending instructions to a master controller at the facility in response to the predetermined load reduction criteria, and establishing a list of lighting equipment to be turned-off in response to the instructions, and configuring the master controller to send an override control signal to the lighting equipment to implement the instructions, and configuring the lighting equipment to send a response signal to the master controller providing a status of the lighting equipment.

Claims

1. A method for metering energy use in a facility having a plurality of lighting fixtures, comprising:

wirelessly transmitting an override signal from a first lighting fixture to a first group of lighting fixtures within a first transmission range;

receiving the override signal at the first group of lighting fixtures;

wirelessly retransmitting the override signal from one or more of the first group of lighting fixtures to a second group of lighting fixtures within a second transmission range, wherein the second transmission range is outside of the transmission range of the first lighting fixture;

receiving the retransmitted override signal at the second group of lighting fixtures and, in response to the retransmitted override signal;

(a) conducting an override at the second group of lighting fixtures and (b) reporting a status update from each of the second group of lighting fixtures to a master controller via at least one retransmission by one or more of the first group of lighting fixtures; and

metering lighting system energy usage using at least the status information from the second group of lighting fixtures retransmitted to the master controller by the one or more of the first group of lighting fixtures.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein metering lighting system energy usage comprises:

monitoring the status of the plurality of lighting fixtures by recording the times that each lighting fixture transitions from on to off and from off to on.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein metering lighting system energy usage further comprises:

determining an amount of time that each lighting fixture was actually off during a normally scheduled on time due to the override signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metering does not include using energy metering devices on power lines of the lighting system.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein metering lighting system energy usage further comprises:

calculating the amount of energy saved based on each lighting fixture'"'"'s electrical power consumption rating applied over the amount of time that each lighting fixture was actually off during a normally scheduled on time due to the override signal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, at the master controller:

using the recorded times to controllably cause a time delay to elapse before a lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures is cycled on again after it has been turned off.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the first lighting fixture and prior to wirelessly transmitting the override signal:

evaluating an ambient light level near the first lighting fixture using a sensor coupled to control circuitry local to the first lighting fixture, and wherein the first lighting fixture wirelessly transmits the override signal in response to recognizing a high level of ambient light during the evaluation.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

wherein at least one lighting fixture of the first group of lighting fixtures and the second group of lighting fixtures retransmits the override signal to a master controller.

9. A system for metering energy use in a facility having a plurality of lighting fixtures, comprising:

a master controller;

a first group of lighting fixtures;

a first lighting fixture configured to wirelessly transmit an override signal to the first group of lighting fixtures within a wireless transmission range of the first lighting fixture;

a second group of lighting fixtures outside the wireless transmission range of the first lighting fixture;

wherein one or more lighting fixtures of the first group of lighting fixtures are configured to retransmit the override signal received from the first lighting fixture to the second group of lighting fixtures;

wherein the second group of lighting fixtures are configured to, in response to receiving the retransmitted override signal, conduct an override of normal operation and report a status update to the master controller via at least one retransmission by one or more of the first group of lighting fixtures;

wherein the master controller is configured to meter lighting system energy usage using at least the status information from the second group of lighting fixtures retransmitted to the master controller by the one or more lighting fixtures of the first group of lighting fixtures.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the master controller meters lighting system energy without using energy metering devices on power lines of the lighting system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the master controller is configured to monitor the status of the plurality of lighting fixtures by recording the times that each lighting fixture transitions from on to off and from off to on.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the master controller is further configured to determine an amount of time that each lighting fixture was actually off during a normally scheduled on time due to the override signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the master controller is configured to calculate the amount of energy saved based on each lighting fixture'"'"'s electrical power consumption rating applied over the amount of time that each lighting fixture was actually off during a normally scheduled on time due to the override signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the master controller is further configured to use the recorded times to controllably cause a time delay to elapse before a lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures is cycled on again after it has been turned off.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first lighting fixture is configured to evaluate an ambient light level near the first lighting fixture using a sensor coupled to control circuitry local to the first lighting fixture, and wherein the first lighting fixture wirelessly transmits the override signal in response to recognizing a high level of ambient light during the evaluation.

16. A system of lights for use within a zone of a building, comprising:

a first lighting fixture comprising a first wireless transceiver;

a second lighting fixture comprising a second wireless transceiver;

wherein the first wireless transceiver receives a control signal, the control signal configured to change a state of the first lighting fixture;

wherein the first wireless transceiver is further configured to retransmit the control signal to the second lighting fixture.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first lighting fixture further comprises a motion sensor and wherein the control signal is generated in response to sensed motion.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first wireless transceiver is configured to transmit a first signal representative of the status of the first lighting fixture in response to changing states;

and

wherein the second wireless transceiver is configured to transmit a second signal representative of the status of the second lighting fixture in response to changing states.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first wireless transceiver is configured to receive the second signal representative of the status of the second lighting fixture and to retransmit the second signal.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the control signal is a dim signal.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the control signal indicates a lighting level of less than 100%.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the control signal is received at the first lighting fixture from a master controller.

23. A master controller for a lighting system having a plurality of lighting fixtures, comprising:

memory comprising a database of individual light on and off transition times for each of the plurality of lighting fixtures;

a wireless transceiver;

a processing circuit coupled to the wireless transceiver and the memory, the processing circuit configured to receive status updates at the wireless transceiver from the plurality of lighting fixtures and wherein the processing circuit is configured to use the database of individual on and off transition times for each of the plurality of lighting fixtures to calculate an amount of energy saved based on each lighting fixture'"'"'s electrical power consumption rating applied over the amount of time that each lighting fixture was actually off during a normally scheduled on time due to the override signal.

24. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the master controller is configured to use the database of individual light on and off transition times for each of the plurality of lighting fixtures to controllably cause a time delay to elapse before a lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures is cycled on again after it has been turned off.

25. The master controller of claim 23, further comprising:

a wire interface for receiving an ambient light signal from a sensor, wherein the processing circuit is configured to use the ambient light signal to determine whether to change the state of one or more lighting fixtures of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

26. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the processing circuit is configured to recognize an ambient light signal received from one of the plurality of lighting fixtures at the wireless transceiver and to determine whether to change the state of one or more lighting fixtures of the plurality of lighting fixtures in response to the received ambient light signal.

27. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the master controller is configured to transmit an override signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures using the wireless transceiver, wherein the override signal is based on a load shed signal received from a source remote from the master controller.

28. The master controller of claim 27, wherein the load shed signal is received at a network interface of the master controller from a utility provider.

29. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the master controller is configured to transmit control information for a second lighting fixture by first transmitting the control information to a first lighting fixture for retransmission.

30. The master controller of claim 23, wherein the master controller calculates the amount of energy saved without using energy metering devices on power lines of the lighting system.