Integrated Occupancy and Ambient Light Sensors

• US 20130229112A1
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Van Der Werff, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,253,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/151
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• 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

Abstract

Technologies are generally described herein for controlling and using integrated occupancy and ambient light sensors. In some examples, a lighting device includes an illumination source, a light sensor, and a transceiver. A determination can be made to determine if the illumination source is operating in an on mode of operation or an off mode of operation. In response to determining that the illumination source is operating in the off mode of operation, an instruction can be received at the lighting device to pulse operation of the illumination source to emit a light pulse. The lighting device can also be configured to receive an instruction to compressively sense, using the light sensor, a light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse. The lighting device can output data indicating the light level compressively sensed by the light sensor.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling operation of a lighting device comprising an illumination source and a light sensor, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining if the illumination source is operating in an on mode of operation or an off mode of operation; and

in response to determining that the illumination source is operating in the off mode of operation,

pulsing operation of the illumination source to the on mode of operation to generate a light pulse, and

compressively sensing, using the light sensor, a light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the lighting device, if the illumination source is to be operated in the on mode of operation based, at least partially, upon the light level measured; and

in response to determining that the illumination source is to be operated in the on mode of operation, activating the illumination source in the on mode of operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the light level measured indicates presence of an entity in the area illuminated by the illumination source.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the illumination source is operating in the on mode of operation,

pulsing operation of the light sensor to measure light at the light sensor, and

compressively sensing, using the light sensor, the light level based upon the light measured at the light sensor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the light level measured indicates presence of an entity in the area illuminated by the illumination source.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the light level measured corresponds to an ambient light level in the area illuminated by the illumination source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the lighting device further comprises a transceiver, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the light level measured to another entity in communication with the lighting device via the transceiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the other entity comprises a further lighting device, wherein the further lighting device is configured to receive data indicating the light level measured at the lighting device, and wherein the further lighting device is configured to control operation of the further lighting device based, at least partially, upon the data indicating the light level measured at the lighting device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the other entity comprises a controller operable to be in communication with the lighting device, and wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the lighting device based, at least partially, upon the light level measured.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting the light level measured to the controller;

receiving control data from the controller; and

determining, based upon the control data, if the illumination source is to be operated in the on mode of operation or the off mode of operation.

11. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

determine if an illumination source of a lighting device is operating in an on mode of operation or an off mode of operation, the lighting device comprising the illumination source, a light sensor, and a transceiver; and

in response to determining that the illumination source is operating in the off mode of operation,

transmit, to the lighting device, an instruction to pulse operation of the illumination source to emit a light pulse and an instruction to compressively sense, using the light sensor, a light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse, and

receive, from the lighting device, data indicating the light level compressively sensed by the light sensor.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

determine if the illumination source is to be operated in the on mode of operation based, at least partially, upon the light level measured; and

in response to a determination that the illumination source is to be operated in the on mode of operation, transmit instructions to the lighting device to activate the illumination source in the on mode of operation.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

in response to a determination that the illumination source is operating in the on mode of operation,

pulse operation of the light sensor to measure light at the light sensor, and

compressively sense, using the light sensor, the light level based upon the light measured at the light sensor.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to apply a compressive sensing algorithm to the light level measured by the light sensor to determine presence of an entity in the area illuminated by the illumination source.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to generate control data for controlling operation of the lighting device or a further lighting device in communication with the computer.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein to determine if the operation mode is to be changed, the computer executable instructions, when executed by the computer, further cause the computer to:

apply an algorithm to the data indicating the light level measured to determine if the operation mode is to be changed; and

generate control data based upon a determination made during execution of the algorithm, the control data comprising instructions for controlling operation of at least one of the lighting device or a further lighting device in communication with the computer.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the algorithm, when executed by the computer, further causes the computer to:

determine an ambient light level at the light sensor; and

generate control data for controlling the operation mode of the lighting device based upon the ambient light level determined.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to transmit the control data to at least one of the lighting device or a further lighting device in communication with the computer to adjust an ambient light level at the light sensor.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the algorithm, when executed by the computer, further causes the computer to predict movement of an entity within the area illuminated by the illumination source.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to transmit the control data to at least one of the lighting device or the further lighting device.

21. A lighting system comprising a lighting device and a controller operable to be in communication with the lighting device, the lighting device comprising an illumination source and a light sensor and the controller configured to:

determine if the illumination source is operating in an on mode of operation or an off mode of operation; and

in response to determining that the illumination source is operating in the off mode of operation,

generate an instruction to pulse operation of the illumination source to emit a light pulse and an instruction to measure, using the light sensor, a light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse,

transmit, to the lighting device, the instruction to pulse operation of the illumination source and the instruction to measure, and

receive, at the controller, data indicating the light level measured by the light sensor.

22. The lighting system of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine if an operation mode of the illumination source is to be changed based, at least partially, upon data indicating the light level measured;

generate instructions for controlling the operation mode, based upon the determination; and

transmit the instructions to the lighting device.

23. The lighting system of claim 21, wherein the controller comprises circuitry included in the lighting device.

24. The lighting system of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to apply a compressive sensing algorithm to the data indicating the light level measured by the light sensor to determine presence of an entity in the area illuminated by the illumination source.

25. The lighting system of claim of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to apply a compressive sensing algorithm to the data indicating the light level measured by the light sensor to determine an ambient light level at the light sensor.

26. The lighting system of claim 21, wherein the controller is in communication with the lighting device via a wireless connection.

27. The lighting system of claim 26, further comprising a further lighting device comprising a transceiver, and wherein the controller is configured to generate control data controlling operation of the further lighting device based, at least partially, upon the data indicating the light level measured.

28. The lighting system of claim 21, wherein the illumination source comprises a light emitting diode, wherein the light sensor comprises a receiver diode, and wherein the controller comprises a processor.

29. The lighting system of claim 28, further comprising diode amplification circuitry including a variable gain amplifier and an analog to digital converter, and wherein the processor is configured to receive a digital signal generated by the diode amplification circuitry and to output control data for controlling operation of the illumination source.

30. A lighting device comprising:

a housing;

a light-emitting diode connected to the housing;

a receiver diode connected to the housing; and

circuitry for compressively sensing, using the receiver diode, a light level during a light pulse emitted by the light-emitting diode.

31. The lighting device of claim 30, wherein the circuitry comprises diode amplification circuitry in communication with the receiver diode, the diode amplification circuitry comprising a variable gain amplifier and an analog to digital converter.

32. The lighting device of claim 30, further comprising a control module in communication with the light-emitting diode and the receiver diode.

33. The lighting device of claim 32, further comprising a transceiver in communication with the control module.

34. The lighting device of claim 32, wherein the circuitry comprises diode amplification circuitry in communication with the receiver diode, wherein the diode amplification circuitry is configured to convert a signal from the receiver diode to a digital signal, and wherein the control module is configured to receive the digital signal and to output control data for controlling operation of the light-emitting diode.

35. The lighting device of claim 34, further comprising a transceiver in communication with the control module, wherein the control module is configured to output the control data to the transceiver.