BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM CONTROL WITH MOTION SENSING

• US 20130073093A1
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Songkakul, Pornsak
• Granted Patent: US 9,690,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25011 Domotique, I-O bus, home automation, building automation

Abstract

An arrangement configured to control an environmental parameter in a building space includes a building automation system. The building automation system includes a plurality of field devices configured to control the environmental parameter within the building space. The arrangement further includes a motion detector configured to determine a number of humans within the building space and a measure of movement for the number of humans. The building automation system is configured to control the field devices based at least in part on the determined number of humans and the measure of movement for the number of humans.

Claims

1. An arrangement configured to control an environmental parameter in a building space, the arrangement comprising:

a building automation system including a plurality of field devices configured to control the environmental parameter within the building space; and

a motion detector configured to determine a number of humans within the building space and a measure of movement for the number of humans;

wherein the building automation system is configured to control the field devices based at least in part on the determined number of humans and the measure of movement for the number of humans.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the environmental parameter is a temperature in the building space.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the motion detector includes a camera.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the motion detector includes a motion sensing processor configured to send signals to a controller of the building automation system.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the motion detector includes an infrared light emitter.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the building automation system is configured to determine an activity level for each of the number of humans based on the measure of movement determined by the motion detector, and wherein the building automation system is configured to control the field devices based at least in part on the determined activity level for each of the number of humans.

7. The arrangement of claim 6 wherein the motion detector is configured to determine a thermal comfort condition based at least in part on the determined number of humans and the activity level for the number of humans, and wherein the building automation system is configured to control the field devices based at least in part on the thermal comfort condition.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein the building automation system is configured to control the field devices in attempt to maintain a neutral thermal comfort condition.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the motion detector is configured to determine a spacing between the number of humans within the building space, and wherein the building automation system is configured to control the field devices based at least in part on the spacing between the number of humans.

10. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the building automation system is configured to control the field devices based at least in part on a clothing level of the number of humans, wherein the clothing level is determined based at least in part on a date and location.

11. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the motion detector is configured to determine a portion of the building space in which the number of humans are located, and wherein the building automation system is configured to control the field devices depending at least in part on the portion of the building space in which the number of humans are located.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein the field devices include a first damper actuator configured to regulate air flow to a first portion of the building space and a second damper actuator configured to regulate air flow to a second portion of the building space, and wherein the building automation system controls the first damper actuator differently from the second damper actuator depending at least in part on the portion of the building space in which the number of humans are located.

13. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the building space is less than half the space within a room of a building.

14. A method of controlling an environmental parameter in a building space, the method comprising:

determining a number of humans in the building space;

determining an activity level of the number of humans in the building space; and

controlling the operation of at least one field device of a building automation system based at least in part on the determined number of humans in the building space and the determined activity level of the number of humans in the building space.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining the spacing of the number of humans, wherein controlling the operation of the at least one field device is based at least in part on the determined spacing of the number of humans.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a thermal comfort condition based at least in part on the determined number of humans and the determined activity level, wherein controlling the operation of the at least one field device includes controlling the operation of the at least one field device in an attempt to maintain a neutral thermal comfort condition.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining a thermal comfort condition based at least in part on the determined number of humans and the determined activity level, wherein controlling the operation of the at least one field device includes changing the operation of the at least one field device if the thermal comfort condition changes from a first state to a second state and remains in the second state for a predetermined period of time.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the environmental parameter includes a temperature in the building space.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising determining whether the number of humans are located in a first portion of the building space or a second portion of the building space, wherein the at least one field device includes a first damper actuator configured to regulate air flow to the first portion of the building space and a second damper actuator configured to regulate air flow to the second portion of the building space, and wherein the first damper actuator is controlled differently from the second damper actuator depending at least in part on the portion of the building space in which the number of humans are located.

20. A control system for a building comprising:

a motion detector configured to determine a number of humans and a measurement of movement for the number of humans in a room of the building;

a field device configured to control a flow of air into the room of the building; and

a controller configured to receive data from the motion detector related to the number of humans and the measurement of movement for the number of humans, the controller further configured to determine an activity level for the number of humans based on the measurement of movement for the number of humans, and the controller further configured to send control signals to the field device based at least in part on the number of humans and the activity level of the number of humans determined by the motion detector.