APPLICATIONS FOR CONTROLLING OPTICALLY SWITCHABLE DEVICES

• US 20150116811A1
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Shrivastava, Dhairya, Marques, Todd, Brown, Stephen C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,365,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/275
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Software applications are used for controlling the optical state of one or more optically switchable windows or other optical products installed in a structure such as building. The applications permit users to send and/or receive data and/or commands for controlling the switchable optical products. In some embodiments, the applications provide an interface with a window network controller, which directly or indirectly controls windows in a structure. Relevant processing involving the application may include user authentication, commissioning, adaptive control, and decisions on whether to permit an action or change requested by a user. In some embodiments, the application allows users to directly control the tint state of one or more tintable windows. In some embodiments, the application allows users to change a rule or property associated with controlling a switchable optical product.

Claims

1. A network optical device controller comprising:

a network interface for communicating with a network comprising a plurality of optically switchable devices and a plurality of monitors in one or more structures;

a remote device interface configured to receive communications from a remote wireless device, which communications contain user instructions for changing the optical state of at least one of the plurality of optically switchable devices; and

logic for providing instructions for controlling optical states of the plurality of optically switchable devices in the one or more structures.

2. The network optical device controller of claim 1, further comprising logic for determining whether to implement the user instructions.

3. The network optical device controller of claim 1, further comprising logic for receiving signals from the plurality of monitors within the one or more structures, and using the signals from the one or more monitors to determine whether to change the state of at least one of the plurality of optically switchable devices in the one or more structures.

4. The network optical device controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of monitors comprise sensors.

5. The network optical device controller of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of monitors comprises a power consumption monitor for at least a portion of the structure.

6. The network optical device controller of claim 1, further comprising logic for communicating with a building management system on the network.

7. The network optical device controller of claim 1, further comprising logic for communicating with a security system on the network.

8. The network optical device controller of claim 1, wherein the remote device interface is a wireless interface.

9. The network optical device controller of claim 1, wherein the optically switchable devices include one or more optically switchable windows.

10. The network optical device controller of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the optically switchable windows is an electrochromic window.

11. The network optical device controller of claim 1, further comprising logic for receiving user instructions for commissioning the plurality of optically switchable devices, and executing network operations to commission said devices, wherein said user instructions are provided from said remote wireless device.

12. The network optical device controller of claim 1, further comprising logic for receiving user instructions for grouping the plurality of optically switchable devices, and organizing said devices into groups, wherein all devices in a group have a common group attribute allowing common treatment and/or monitoring of the devices in the group, wherein said user instructions are provided from said remote wireless device.

13. The network optical device controller of claim 1, further comprising logic for defining one or more roles for a user of said remote wireless device, wherein the roles specify permissible actions for the user.

14. The network optical device controller of claim 13, further comprising logic for defining one or more devices that the user of said remote wireless device can act on.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium storing non-transitory instructions for interfacing with a user and with a network comprising a plurality of optically switchable devices and a plurality of monitors, the instructions comprising:

presenting a user interface on a wireless device remote from the network, wherein the user interface presents features for receiving user input concerning monitoring and/or controlling at least some of the plurality of optically switchable devices;

receiving user instructions for changing the optical state of at least one of the plurality of optically switchable devices; and

transmitting the user instructions to the network.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for presenting rule-type user interface features for allowing the user to create, modify, and/or delete rules for controlling optical state of one or more windows.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the rule-type user interface features allow the user to input schedule information to the rules for controlling optical state of one or more windows.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the rule-type user interface features allow the user to input sensor output information to the rules for controlling optical state of one or more windows.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for presenting commissioning user interface features for allowing the user to commission at least some of the plurality of optically switchable devices on the network.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions for presenting commissioning user interface features comprise instructions for grouping two or more of the plurality of optically switchable devices on the network.

21. The computer program product of any of claim 15, further comprising instructions for determining the role of a user attempting to control or monitor a device on the network, and preventing the user from controlling or monitoring the device because the user'"'"'s role does not permit the attempted control or monitoring.

22. A computational method of determining whether to modify an algorithm for controlling an optically switchable device having two or more optical states operating under at least partial control of an application having a user interface, the method comprising:

(a) monitoring a user'"'"'s control over the optically switchable device'"'"'s optical states, wherein the user'"'"'s control is implemented via the application presenting the user interface on a device remote from a network on which the optically switchable device is connected;

(b) inferring a new rule based on a monitored history of the user control via the application;

(c) providing an alert through the application, which alert suggests via the user interface that the new rule be adopted.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining through the user interface that the user has accepted the proposed new rule; and

instructing the network to implement the new rule.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the monitored history of user control comprises a monitored time in which the user controls optical states of the optically switchable device, and wherein the new rule comprises a schedule based algorithm.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the monitored history of user control comprises a monitored sensor state in which the user controls optical states of the optically switchable device, and wherein the new rule comprises a sensor feedback based algorithm.

26. A computational method of determining whether to modify an algorithm for controlling an optically switchable device having two or more optical states operating under at least partial control of an application having a user interface, wherein the optically switchable device is disposed in a structure and connected to a network, the method comprising:

(a) monitoring the response of the structure to changes in the heat, cooling or lighting provided to the structure;

(b) inferring a new rule based on a monitored history of the response of the structure;

(c) providing an alert through the application, which alert suggests via the user interface that the user adopt the new rule.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining through the user interface that the user has accepted the proposed new rule; and

instructing the network to implement the new rule.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the response is affected by the thermal mass of the building.