METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING OCCUPANCY-BASED VARIABLE LIGHTING
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A presence or an absence of an occupant is detected, and an occupancy sensor signal is generated representative of an active state in which the presence of the occupant is detected, and an inactive state in which the absence of the occupant is detected. An ambient light sensor detects the ambient light level and generates an ambient light sensor signal representative of the ambient light level. Dimmable illumination is generated at a first dimming level, based on the ambient light level, corresponding to the active state and a second dimming level corresponding to the inactive state. A transition delay time between an onset of the inactive state and a transition between the first dimming level and the second dimming level may be controlled. The first dimming level, the second dimming level, and/or the transition delay time may be variably set or controlled locally or via a remote device.
35 Citations
52 Claims
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1-32. -32. (canceled)
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33. A method of controlling illumination of an environment by a light fixture disposed at a first location, the method comprising:
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detecting a presence of a person or object of interest in the environment; detecting an ambient light level in the environment; in response to detecting the presence of the person or object of interest in the environment, entering an active state in which the light fixture is controlled to illuminate the environment at a first dimming level based on the ambient light level in the environment; detecting an absence of the person or object of interest in the environment while in the active state; in response to detecting the absence of the person or object of interest in the environment while in the active state, entering a countdown state in which the light fixture is controlled to illuminate the environment at the first dimming level for a controllably variable transition delay time; and in response to expiration of the controllably variable transition delay time without detecting the presence of the person or object of interest in the environment, entering an inactive state in which the light fixture is controlled to illuminate the environment at a second dimming level based on the ambient light level in the environment, wherein the light fixture is operably connected to a state machine, the state machine being operable to change the controllably variable transition delay time based at least in part on learned appropriate light level settings and the ambient light level in the environment. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. An apparatus for controlling a light fixture, the apparatus comprising:
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an occupancy sensor to detect a presence and an absence of a person or object of interest; an ambient light sensor to detect an ambient light level in an environment illuminated by the light fixture; and a state machine, operably coupled to the occupancy sensor, the ambient light sensor, and the light fixture, to change a controllably variable transition delay time based at least in part on learned appropriate light level settings and the ambient light level in the environment and to implement; an active state in which the light fixture is controlled to illuminate the environment at a first dimming level in response to detection of the presence of the person or object of interest by the occupancy sensor, the first dimming level based on the ambient light level; a countdown state in which the light fixture is controlled to illuminate the environment at the first dimming level for the controllably variable transition delay time in response to detection of the absence of the person or object of interest by the occupancy sensor; and an inactive state in which the light fixture is controlled to illuminate the environment at a second dimming level in response to detection of the absence of the person or object of interest by the occupancy sensor and expiration of the controllably variable transition delay time, the second dimming level based on the ambient light level. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification