SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLANNING AND MONITORING A LIGHT SENSORY NETWORK

• US 20140297227A1
• Filed: 03/25/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sensity Systems, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Barnard, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,933,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/189
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4247 for testing lamps or other light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• 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

A method of determining the position of an array of sensors, an array of solid-state lamps, or other devices which sense or emit electromagnetic waves includes first determining a sensing or emitting distribution for one of the devices, then integrating that distribution over the area to be covered by the sensors or emitters. In response to the integrated distribution, the sensors or emitters may be repositioned, reconfigured, or reoriented to provide desired coverage. Wireless access points that communicate to wireless end points associated with the lights and/or sensors are designed and positioned to provide adequate signal strength. All elements, light distribution, sensor range, and wireless signal strength may be plotted in contour plots within the same user interface that enables users to place the devices in a specified area.

Claims

1. A method for designing a light sensory network (LSN) in a specified area, the method comprising:

selecting luminaires, sensors, and network devices with known characteristics from a product library;

calculating an illumination over the specified area for the selected luminaires, wherein the selected luminaires are installed at specific mounting locations within the specified area;

adjusting dimming levels of the selected luminaires to meet specified requirements for a maximum illumination and a minimum illumination based on the calculated illumination;

calculating a range of the selected sensors over the specified area;

adjusting one or more of the selected sensors such that the adjusted sensors are capable of detecting specified events or parameters at a specified set of points within the specified area, wherein adjusting the one or more of the selected sensors includes adjusting orientations of the selected sensors;

calculating a range of wireless network devices integrated with the selected luminaires and the selected sensors;

adjusting one or more network elements, antenna gains, and locations of the selected network devices such that the network devices have sufficient margin to communicate with control software on a remote computer;

displaying, on a display, an image of the specified area with wireless network locations, ranges, and signal strengths for the selected luminaires, the selected sensors, and the selected network devices; and

tabulating at least one of the selected devices, equipment settings, power consumption, and locations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying comprises displaying a contour plot as a function of desired coordinates to illustrate to a user the calculated illumination, the calculated range of the selected sensors, and the calculated range of the wireless network devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein for each luminaire in the product library, the step of calculating the illumination over the specified area comprises:

measuring a Candela distribution versus viewing angles of a typical luminaire at a peak drive current;

storing results from the measurement of the Candela distribution versus the viewing angles of the typical luminaire at the peak drive current in a first format that tabulates Candela versus horizontal and vertical viewing angles;

measuring a proportional change in Candelas at a specified viewing angle versus the peak drive current of the typical luminaire;

storing results from the measurement of the proportional change in a second format that tabulates a percent change in Candela versus the peak drive current;

specifying an array of calculation points in the specified area;

adding, for each calculation point in the array of calculations points in the specified area, a foot-candle contribution, wherein the adding comprises;

calculating a distance and angles from the each calculation point to each luminaire in the product library;

interpolating a table of Candela versus horizontal and vertical angles to obtain a Candela value at a peak drive current at the calculation point;

interpolating a table of percent change in Candela versus the peak drive current to obtain a Candela value of each luminaire; and

using the calculated angles and the calculated distance to calculate the foot-candle contribution from each luminaire.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining target specifications for illumination in the specified area by measuring an existing illumination over the specified area with a mobile measuring device that moves along a path through the specified area while measuring illumination as a function of position in the specified area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein tabulating the power consumption comprises:

measuring a typical power consumption of each device in the product library at maximum settings;

measuring how the typical power consumption changes for adjustable devices in the product library, wherein the adjustable devices have adjustable output levels;

calculating output levels for each of the adjustable devices;

using the calculated output levels of each of the adjustable devices to calculate the power consumption of each of the adjustable devices; and

adding up the calculated power consumption of all the adjustable devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising comparing the tabulated power consumption to a known power consumption of legacy equipment to estimate a change in power between the LSN and the legacy equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the sensors comprises:

specifying parameters to be monitored; and

selecting sensor devices that monitor the specified parameters, the method further comprising;

specifying observation points for one or more of the specified parameters;

specifying observation angles for one or more of the specified observation points;

determining sensor locations that are within a range of the specified observation points; and

determining sensor orientations for the selected sensor devices that observe the specified observation points at the specified observation angles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the known characteristics of the selected luminaries, the selected sensors, and the selected network devices are tabulated as intensity levels versus horizontal and vertical angles such that a signal strength at any direction and a distance can be calculated from each of the selected luminaires, the selected sensors, and the selected network devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated illumination, location, and orientation of the selected sensors is used to calculate a possible power generated by photovoltaic cells mounted on the selected sensors.

10. A system for designing a light sensory network (LSN) in a specified area, the system comprising at least a database, a user interface, and processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

selecting luminaires, sensors, and network devices with known characteristics from a product library;

calculating an illumination over the specified area for the selected luminaires, wherein the selected luminaires are installed at specific mounting locations within the specified area;

adjusting dimming levels of the selected luminaires to meet specified requirements for a maximum illumination and a minimum illumination based on the calculated illumination;

calculating a range of the selected sensors over the specified area;

adjusting one or more of the selected sensors such that the sensors are capable of detecting specified events or parameters at a specified set of points within the specified area, wherein adjusting the one or more of the selected sensors includes adjusting orientations;

calculating a range of wireless network devices integrated with the selected luminaires and the selected sensors;

adjusting one or more network elements, antenna gains, and locations of the selected network devices such that the network devices have sufficient margin to communicate with control software on a remote computer;

displaying, on a display, an image of the specified area with wireless network locations, ranges, and signal strengths for the selected luminaires, the selected sensors, and the selected network devices; and

tabulating at least one of the selected devices, equipment settings, power consumption, and locations.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

calculating an illuminance over the specified area by interpolating tables of luminous intensity versus horizontal, vertical angles, and dimming levels for each of the selected luminaires for adding up a cumulative illuminance at each specified point in the specified area;

automatically increasing a number of lighting modules at one or more luminaire locations when the cumulative illuminance at any point in the specified area falls below a specified minimum illuminance;

automatically adjusting dimming percentages to luminaires when the cumulative illuminance at any point in the specified area falls above a specified maximum illuminance; and

outputting in a useable format the location, type, and dimming level of each of the selected luminaires.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

automatically calculating the power consumption using input data comprising a typical power consumption of each device in the product library at maximum settings, input functions defining how the typical power consumption changes for adjustable devices in the product library with adjustable output levels, calculating the output levels of each of the adjustable devices, and using the calculated output levels of each of the adjustable devices to calculate the power consumption of each of the adjustable devices;

adding up the power consumption of all the adjustable devices;

listing a total power consumption of each integrated LSN element; and

listing the power consumption of a specified group of devices.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor-executable instructions include design software and are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

exchanging real-time data with software that controls and monitors the light sensory network, wherein the real-time data specifies lighting levels, sensor readings, and wireless signal strengths; and

displaying, on the display, the image of the specified area with locations, ranges, and the signal strengths of the selected luminaires, the selected sensors, and the selected network devices using the real-time data.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of the selected sensors are one of still cameras or video cameras that can be selected, located, and rotated to point at specified observation points within specified angular ranges.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

estimating an operating margin of all network devices to a single server; and

adding one or more network devices in response to determining the estimated operating margin for any of the one or more network devices is not adequate.

16. A system for selecting, locating, and pointing sensors in a specified area, the system comprising at least a database, a user interface, and processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving inputs from a user, the inputs including specified parameters to be measured at specified observation points, optional specified viewing angles of one or more of the specified parameters at the specified observation points, and optional specified sensor locations; and

calculating an optimum placement and an optimum orientation of the sensors with parameters listed in the database by calculating a range and a viewing angle of each of the sensors for each of the specified parameters, the specified observation points, and the specified viewing angles.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein one of the specified parameters is incident light that powers the sensors.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein one or more of the sensors are cameras that include one or more of still cameras and video cameras, and

wherein the user interface comprises an interactive function to select, locate, and rotate the cameras to point at the specified observation points within specified angular ranges.

19. A method of adjusting devices within a lighting sensor network (LSN) that includes an array of sensors or emitters, an array of solid-state lamps, and devices that sense or emit electromagnetic waves, comprising:

determining a sensing or emitting distribution for one or more of the devices that sense or emit electromagnetic waves;

integrating the sensing or emitting distribution over an area to be covered by the array of sensors or emitters; and

adjusting the sensors or emitters in the array of sensors or emitters to provide a desired coverage based on the integrated distribution, wherein adjusting comprises at least one of repositioning, reconfiguring, and reorienting the sensors or emitters in the array.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the LSN includes wireless access points that are configured to communicate to wireless end points associated with the array of solid-state lamps and/or the array of sensors or emitters, are designed to provide adequate signal strength, and are positioned to provide adequate signal strength.