Motion sensing system with adaptive timing for controlling lighting fixtures

• US 6,151,529 A
• Filed: 01/08/1999
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Batko, Thomas James
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US09/227,271
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 340/522, 340/521, 340/565, 340/567, 340/573.1, 340/541, 340/511, 367/93, 367/94, 342/27, 342/28, 250/DIG. 1, 250/342, 315/159, 700/11, 700/21, 700/22, 700/28, 700/54, 700/55, 700/12, 700/13, 700/17, 700/275-277, 700/32-34
• US Class Current: 700/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/007 with galvanic isolation between controlling and controlled circuit, e.g. transformer relay
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/16 in which the lamp is fed by dc or by low-frequency ac, e.g. by 50 cycles/sec ac, or with network frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system for selectively providing power from a power source to a load to operate in an area for at least one occupant comprising a processing device for controlling the opening and closing of a relay connected between the load and the power source for energizing the load, and a sensor for detecting the presence of an occupant in the area. The processing device is programmable to close the relay in response to an output signal from the sensor for a period of time that can be of fixed duration, or a duration that is dynamically and automatically determined using sensor data relating to measured time between successive, detected occupant movements. In addition to a daylight inhibit function, the system is provided with color indicators and a tone generator to indicate various operating conditions and to guide a user entering selected system parameters, among other features.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electrical load for an occupant in an area in which the load operates, comprising the steps of:

detecting energy in said area using a single motion sensor;

generating a detector signal representing said energy detected by said motion sensor;

processing said detector signal to determine if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area and to generate an occupancy signal if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area;

repeating said detecting step, said generating step and said processing step to generate a plurality of said detector signals for which a corresponding plurality of said occupancy signals is generated;

storing data corresponding to said plurality of said detector signals; and

automatically modifying said processing step for processing a future said detector signal in accordance with said stored data to adjust the amount of said detected energy that is required to generate a corresponding said occupancy signal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of operating said load when said occupancy signal is generated.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing step comprises the step of determining if a selected signal characteristic of said detector signal is within a predetermined range of values.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said detector signal is the quiescent operating point of an analog-digital converter associated with a motion sensor, and said selected signal characteristic is a threshold voltage corresponding to said quiescent operating point.

5. A system for selectively providing power from a power source to at least one load to operate in an area for at least one occupant, comprising:

a switching device configured to provide a current conduction path between said power source and said load when in a closed position, and to interrupt said path when in an open position;

a processing device connected to said switching device for controlling when said switching device is in said open position and when said switching device is in said closed position;

a memory device associated with said processing device for storing program code, said processing device being programmable to control said switching device in accordance with said program code; and

a single motion sensor connected to said processing device for detecting energy in said area and for providing a detector signal to said processing device;

wherein said processing device is programmable to process said detector signal to determine if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area and to generate an occupancy signal if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area, to process a plurality of detector signals generated by said sensor until a corresponding plurality of said occupancy signals is generated, to store data corresponding to said plurality of detector signals, and to automatically modify processing of a future said detector signal in accordance with said stored data to adjust the amount of said detected energy that is required from said sensor to generate a corresponding said occupancy signal.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said processing device is operable to close said switching device upon generation of said occupancy signal.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said processing device is operable to determine if a selected signal characteristic of said detector signal is within a predetermined range of values.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said detector signal is the quiescent operating point of an analog-to-digital converter associated with said sensor, and said selected signal characteristic is a threshold voltage corresponding to said quiescent operating point.

9. An apparatus for automatically adjusting the sensitivity of an occupancy detector comprising:

slew rate determination means for determining the change in voltage measured at the output of said occupancy detector over a period of time;

a first counter connected to said slew rate determination means, said slew rate determination means being operable to operate said first counter when an output signal generated by said occupancy detector is within a selected range of values representing desired changes in said voltage;

analog-to-digital conversion means connected to said occupancy detector, a second counter,

voltage threshold means connected to said analog-to-digital conversion means and said second counter and operable to determine when said occupancy detector operates outside a predetermined range of values representing desirable operating points; and

a mixer connected to said slew rate determination means and said voltage threshold means for selecting a number of slew rate signals corresponding to respective said changes in said voltages and a number of trip voltage signals corresponding to said desirable operating points using said first counter and said second counter to determine when an occupant is detected.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said mixer is configured to adjust the sensitivity of said occupancy detector by adjusting the numbers of said slew rate signals and said trip voltage signals required to determine the presence of said occupant.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein operation of said mixer can be adjusted in accordance with the time of day.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein different occupants in an area in which said occupancy detector operates are characterized by different energy patterns detected by said occupancy detector, and operation of said mixer can be adjusted in accordance with said energy patterns.

13. An apparatus for controlling the ON/OFF state of an electrical device comprising:

a passive infrared sensor operable to generate a first signal indicating the presence of an occupant in an area;

a noise processing device operable to detect noise and to generate a second signal when said noise processing device determines that noise meets pre-defined criteria;

a control device in electronic communication with said passive infrared sensor and said noise processing device, said control means being operable to maintain said electrical device in an ON state when said control means receives one of said first signal from said passive infrared sensor indicating the presence of said occupant in said area, and said second signal from said noise processing device when noise meets said pre-defined criteria;

wherein said control device is operable to initiate an OFF state when said passive infrared sensor has not generated said first signal indicating the presence of said occupant in said area and said noise processing device determines that noise has not met said pre-defined criteria for a predetermined length of time; and

said noise processing device is configurable to require said pre-defined criteria to meet different ones of a plurality of selected criteria corresponding to different levels of sensitivity of said noise processing device to noise.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said noise processing device comprises an operational amplifier connected to said passive infrared sensor, said pre-defined criteria corresponding to the quiescent operating point of said operational amplifier.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the output of said noise processing device is at least one of a plurality of slew rates corresponding to changes in voltage over a period of time measured at the output of said passive infrared sensor, said operating point corresponding to said plurality of slew rates, said pre-defined criteria corresponding to a selected range of said plurality of said slew rates.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said noise processing device comprises a counter for determining the number of occurrences that said slew rate at the output of said passive infrared sensor exceeds said selected range of slew rates, the value of said counter required before said control device initiates an ON state being adjustable in accordance with the amount of noise that will be tolerated by said apparatus.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said noise processing device comprises an operational amplifier connected to said passive infrared sensor, said pre-defined criteria corresponding to at least one of the quiescent operating point of said operational amplifier and a selected offset value from said quiescent operating point.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a second counter for determining the number of occurrences that said pre-defined criteria exceed said selected offset value, the value of said second counter required before said control device initiates an ON state being adjustable in accordance with the amount of noise that will be tolerated by said apparatus.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a mixer device for receiving output signals from said counter and said second counter, said mixer device being configured to require at least one of a selected sequence and a selected combination of said output signals from respective ones of said counter and said second counter before said control device initiates an ON state being adjustable in accordance with the amount of noise that will be tolerated by said apparatus.

20. A method of controlling an electrical load for an occupant in an area in which the load operates, comprising the steps of:

detecting energy in said area;

generating a detector signal representing said detected energy;

processing said detector signal to determine if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area and to generate an occupancy signal if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area;

repeating said detecting step, said generating step and said processing step to generate a plurality of said detector signals for which a corresponding plurality of said occupancy signals is generated;

storing data corresponding to said plurality of said detector signals; and

automatically modifying said processing step for processing a future said detector signal in accordance with said stored data to adjust the amount of said detected energy that is required to generate a corresponding said occupancy signal;

wherein said processing step comprises the step of determining if a selected signal characteristic of said detector signal is within a predetermined range of values and said detector signal represents a change in voltage over a period of time measured at the output of a motion sensor, and said selected signal characteristic corresponds to a slew rate.

21. A method of controlling an electrical load for an occupant in an area in which the load operates, comprising the steps of:

detecting energy in said area;

generating a detector signal representing said detected energy;

processing said detector signal to determine if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area and to generate an occupancy signal if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area;

repeating said detecting step, said generating step and said processing step to generate a plurality of said detector signals for which a corresponding plurality of said occupancy signals is generated;

storing data corresponding to said plurality of said detector signals; and

automatically modifying said processing step for processing a future said detector signal in accordance with said stored data to adjust the amount of said detected energy that is required to generate a corresponding said occupancy signal;

wherein said processing step comprises the step of determining if a selected signal characteristic of said detector signal is within a predetermined range of values and said storing step comprises the step of incrementing a counter when said detector signal is determined to be within said predetermined range of values.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said automatically modifying step comprises the step of generating said occupancy signal when said counter reaches a selected value using a number of said detector signals in lieu of generating said occupancy signal using a single corresponding said detector signal.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said automatically modifying step further comprises the step of changing at least one of said selected value of said counter and said predetermined range of values.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said changing step is implemented in accordance with a selected time of day.

25. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein an occupant'"'"'s use of said area is characterized by a signature energy pattern, and said changing step comprises the step of selecting at least one of said selected value of said counter and said predetermined range of values in accordance with said signature energy pattern.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said changing step further comprises the step of selecting at least one of said selected value of said counter and said predetermined range of values in accordance with a selected time of day.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said detector signal represents the quiescent operating point of an analog-to-digital converter associated with a motion sensor, and said selected signal characteristic is a threshold voltage corresponding to said quiescent operating point.

28. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said detector signal indicates a change in voltage over a period of time measured at the output of a motion sensor, and said selected signal characteristic corresponds to a slew rate.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said detector signal represents the quiescent operating point of an analog-to-digital converter associated with a motion sensor, and said selected signal characteristic is a threshold voltage corresponding to said quiescent operating point.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein said automatically modifying step comprises the step of selecting a sequence and mix of said detector signals indicating a change in voltage over a period of time measured at the output of a motion sensor, and said detector signals representing the quiescent operating point of an analog-digital converter associated with a motion sensor required to generate said occupancy signal.

31. A system for selectively providing power from a power source to at least one load to operate in an area for at least one occupant, comprising:

a switching device configured to provide a current conduction path between said power source and said load when in a closed position, and to interrupt said path when in an open position;

a processing device connected to said switching device for controlling when said switching device is in said open position and when said switching device is in said closed position;

a memory device associated with said processing device for storing program code, said processing device being programmable to control said switching device in accordance with said program code; and

a sensor connected to said processing device for detecting energy in said area and for providing a detector signal to said processing device;

wherein said processing device is programmable to process said detector signal to determine if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area and to generate an occupancy signal if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area, to process a plurality of detector signals generated by said sensor until a corresponding plurality of said occupancy signals is generated, to store data corresponding to said plurality of detector signals, and to automatically modify processing of a future said detector signal in accordance with said stored data to adjust the amount of said detected energy that is required from said sensor to generate a corresponding said occupancy signal, and said processing device is operable to determine if a selected signal characteristic of said detector signal is within a predetermined range of values, said detector signal representing a change in voltage over a period of time measured at the output of a motion sensor, and said selected signal characteristic corresponding to a slew rate.

32. A system for selectively providing power from a power source to at least one load to operate in an area for at least one occupant, comprising:

a switching device configured to provide a current conduction path between said power source and said load when in a closed position, and to interrupt said path when in an open position;

a processing device connected to said switching device for controlling when said switching device is in said open position and when said switching device is in said closed position;

a memory device associated with said processing device for storing program code, said processing device being programmable to control said switching device in accordance with said program code;

a sensor connected to said processing device for detecting energy in said area and for providing a detector signal to said processing device, said processing device being programmable to process said detector signal to determine if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area and to generate an occupancy signal if said detected energy indicates the presence of said occupant in said area, to process a plurality of detector signals generated by said sensor until a corresponding plurality of said occupancy signals is generated, to store data corresponding to said plurality of detector signals, and to automatically modify processing of a future said detector signal in accordance with said stored data to adjust the amount of said detected energy that is required from said sensor to generate a corresponding said occupancy signal, said processing device being operable to determine if a selected signal characteristic of said detector signal is within a predetermined range of values; and

a counter associated with said processing device, said processing device being operable to increment said counter when said detector signal is determined to be within said predetermined range of values.

33. An apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein said processing device is operable to generate said occupancy signal when said counter reaches a selected value using a number of said detector signals in lieu of generating said occupancy signal using a single corresponding said detector signal.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein said processing device is operable to change at least one of said selected value of said counter and said predetermined range of values.

35. An apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein said processing device is operable to change at least one of said selected value of said counter and said predetermined range of values in accordance with a selected time of day.

36. An apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein use of said area by said occupant is characterized by a signature energy pattern, and said processing device is operable to select at least one of said selected value of said counter and said predetermined range of values in accordance with said signature energy pattern.

37. An apparatus as claimed in claim 36, wherein said processing device is further operable to select at least one of said selected value of said counter and said predetermined range of values in accordance with a selected time of day.

38. An apparatus as claimed in claim 37, wherein said detector signal represents the quiescent operating point of an analog-to-digital converter associated with said sensor, and said selected signal characteristic is a threshold voltage corresponding to said quiescent operating point.

39. An apparatus as claimed in claim 37, wherein said detector signal indicates a change in voltage over a period of time measured at the output of said sensor, and said selected signal characteristic corresponds to a slew rate.

40. An apparatus as claimed in claim 39, wherein said detector signal represents the quiescent operating point of an analog-to-digital converter associated with said sensor, and said selected signal characteristic is a threshold voltage corresponding to said quiescent operating point.

41. An apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said processing device is operable to select a sequence and mix of said detector signals indicating a change in voltage over a period of time measured at the output of a motion sensor, and said detector signals representing the quiescent operating point of an analog-to-digital converter associated with a motion sensor required to generate said occupancy signal.