OCCUPANCY SENSOR AND OVERRIDE UNIT FOR PHOTOSENSOR-BASED CONTROL OF LOAD

• US 20130271011A1
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell Lighting Incorporated (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: WILLIAMS, Jonathan D., HARTNAGEL, Thomas J., MARTIN, Robert A., BENDER, R. Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 8,796,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/151
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0403 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements; Scanning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0448 Adjustable, e.g. focussing
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/084 Adjustable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0896 using a light source, e.g. for illuminating a surface
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• 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 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An occupancy sensor with a separable override unit can selectively override the operation of the occupancy sensor at designated times and for selected time intervals. The occupancy sensor includes a light sensor to actuate the occupancy sensor and a light assembly when the ambient light is below a predetermined level and to deactivate the occupancy sensor when the ambient light is above a threshold level. The override unit is provided with a light source, such as an LED, to emit light to actuate the light sensor of the occupancy sensor, thereby controlling the occupancy sensor, such as by preventing the occupancy sensor from being actuated. The occupancy sensor includes a cavity for receiving the override unit with the LED aligned with the light sensor: A control unit is operatively connected to one or more override units for selectively controlling the normal operation of the occupancy sensor.

Claims

1. A control system for a load control device comprising:

a housing having an occupancy sensor adapted for detecting the presence of an object within a field of view and for operating at least one load in response to detecting the presence of or movement of the object;

and a light sensor in said housing for sensing light, said light sensor being operatively connected to said occupancy sensor for controlling said occupancy sensor based on the light sensed by said light sensor.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein

said load is a lighting assembly.

3. The control system of claim 1, further comprising

a separable override unit removably coupled to said housing.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein

said override unit has a light source for directing light to said light sensor to activate said light sensor and change operation of said occupancy sensor.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein

said light source is an LED for directing light to said light sensor.

6. The control system of claim 4, wherein

said override unit is connected to a control unit for actuating said light source at predetermined times and for a predetermined period of time.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein

said light sensor is positioned for detecting ambient light and where said light sensor controls said occupancy sensor in response to an ambient light level.

8. The occupancy sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one load is a lighting fixture load comprising a plurality of lamps, and said occupancy sensor is configured to not fully energized at least one of the lamps when said light source directs light to said light sensor and activates said light sensor.

9. A control system for a load control device comprising:

a housing;

an occupancy sensor unit associated with said housing and adapted for sensing the presence of an object and actuating at least one load;

a light sensor for detecting ambient light and for operating said load unit when the ambient light is within a predetermined range; and

an override unit operatively associated with said housing and having a light source for directing light to said light sensor to actuate said light sensor.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein

said light sensor is used to deactivate said load.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein

said override unit is removably coupled to said housing.

12. The control system of claim 9, wherein

said override unit includes a control device configured to control actuation of said light source.

13. The control system of claim 9, wherein

said override unit has first end received in a recess in said housing.

14. The control system of claim 9, wherein

said override unit is configured to control actuation of said light source at predetermined times and for predetermined periods of time.

15. The control system of claim 9, further comprising

a remote control device located remotely with respect to said override unit and in communication with said override unit;

and

a remote ambient light sensor connected to said remote control device and located remotely with respect to said override unit, said remote control device being configured to communicate with said control device to selectively control said light source in said override unit in accordance with output signals from said remote ambient light sensor.

16. A control system for a load control device, the load control device having a housing comprising a sensor for sensing ambient light, and a control device for operating a load in accordance with an output of the sensor, the control system comprising:

an override unit operatively associated with said sensor, said override unit comprising a light source configured to be detected by the sensor in the load control device, and a control device configured to control actuation of said light source.

17. A control system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said control device is configured to control actuation of said light source at predetermined times and for a predetermined period of time.

18. A control system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a remote control device located remotely with respect to said override unit and in communication with said override unit; and

a remote ambient light sensor connected to said remote control device and located remotely with respect to said override unit, said remote control device being configured to communicate with said control device to selectively control said light source in said override unit in accordance with output signals from said remote ambient light sensor.

19. A control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said remote control device is configured to control actuation of said light source at predetermined times and for a predetermined period of time.

20. A control system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

a plurality of said override units in communication with said remote control device, said remote control device being configured to control the corresponding said light source in each of said plurality of override units independently of each other.

21. A control system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said plurality of override units are connected to corresponding ones of a plurality of load control devices and each of said load control devices comprises a lamp, said remote control device is configured to selectively control operation of said light source in each of said plurality of override units to allow for similar burn times for the lamp in each of plurality of load control devices.

22. A control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said control device is one of a programmed processing device, an application-specific integrated circuit, and a regulator for controlling power to said light source.

23. A control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said control device is configured to control current through said light source to selectively pulse said light source to generate a message signal for the load control device.

24. A control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said override unit further comprises a sensing node to which the load control device can connect and monitor input power to said override unit.

25. A control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said override unit further comprises a radio frequency transceiver connected to said control device, said control device being configured to transmit information relating to detected ambient light and load operations via the radio frequency transceiver.