Multiple sensor lux reader and averager

• US 6,307,331 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1999
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Bonasia, Gaetano, Eckel, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alemu, Ephrem
• Application Number:
  US09/306,219
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 315/219, 315/293, 315/294, 315/295, 315/307, 315/312, 315/149, 315/150, 315/158, 315/324, 315/159
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/28 using variation of intensity or distance of source G01J1/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/045 temperature indication combined with the indication of another variable indicating of human comfort G01W1/17
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/08 Protective devices, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/3922 and measurement of the incident light
• 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 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system for sensing and maintaining the light level within an area. The invention comprises multiple lux sensor readers that function to measure the current light level within an area. One or more controllers are used to control the dimming level of each light source in accordance with the readings received from the plurality of lux sensors. The readings are averaged such that over time any extreme readings are averaged out. The light level of the plurality of light sources is adjusted in accordance with the averaged readings. This virtually eliminates areas in the room where the light is too dim or too bright and serves to average out any manufacturing and component tolerance differences between devices. In addition, the invention comprises the optional assignment of a weight factor to each reading or average to further provide the ability to give more importance to certain regions in the room over others thus further assisting in eliminating areas where the light is either too dim or too bright. The system includes control units, controllers, controls for window, skylight, light pipe and shading, HVAC controls, lighting loads and light sensors (lux readers) that are used to construct the lighting control system of the present invention. Readings from the one or more lux sensors are processed by one or more controllers and in response thereto, one or more commands are generated for directing the actions of controllers to which the lighting loads are attached.

Claims

1. A system for measuring and controlling the level of light in an area, comprising:

a plurality of lux sensors for communicating over an automation system network;

a plurality of lighting loads for illuminating one or more regions of said area; and

control means for receiving lux readings transmitted from said plurality of lux sensors via said automation system network, said control means for storing said lux readings in a database maintained therein and to average said lux readings so as to control the light output of said plurality of lighting loads in response thereto.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said automation system network comprises the Lon Works automation system.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said automation system network comprises the CEBus automation system.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more relay lighting loads.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more 0-10 V lighting loads.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more triac loads.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more dimmer loads.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more incandescent loads.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more fluorescent loads.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more natural lighting loads.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more 4-20 mA driver loads.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said database comprises a plurality of fields for storing the following information:

node ID, current lux reading, average lux reading.

13. A system for measuring and controlling the level of light in an area, comprising:

a plurality of lux sensors for communicating over an automation system network;

a plurality of lighting loads for communicating over said automation system network, said plurality of lighting loads for illuminating one or more regions of said area; and

control means for receiving lux readings transmitted from said plurality of lux sensors via said automation system network, said control means for storing said lux readings in a database maintained therein, assign a weight factor to readings received from each lux sensor, average said weighted lux readings so as to control the light output of said plurality of lighting loads in response thereto, said plurality of lighting loads controlled by said control means via said automation system network.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said automation system network comprises the LonWorks automation system.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said automation system network comprises the CEBus automation system.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more relay lighting loads.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more 0-10 V lighting loads.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more triac loads.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more dimmer loads.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more incandescent loads.

21. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more fluorescent loads.

22. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more natural lighting loads.

23. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more 4-20 mA driver loads.

24. The system according to claim 13, wherein said database comprises a plurality of fields for storing the following information:

node ID, current lux reading, average lux reading, weight factor and weighted average lux reading.

25. A system for measuring and controlling the level of light in an area, comprising:

a plurality of lux sensors for communicating over an automation system network;

a plurality of lighting loads for illuminating one or more regions of said area; and

load controller means for connecting to and controlling the operation of said plurality of lighting loads;

control means for receiving lux readings transmitted from said plurality of lux sensors via said automation system network, said control means for storing said lux readings in a database maintained therein, assign a weight factor to readings received from each lux sensor and to average said weighted lux readings so as to control the light output of said plurality of lighting loads in response thereto, said control means adapted to generate control messages for transmission to said load controller means via said automation system network.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said automation system network comprises the LonWorks automation system.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein said automation system network comprises the CEBus automation system.

28. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more relay lighting loads.

29. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more 0-10 V lighting loads.

30. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more triac loads.

31. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more dimmer loads.

32. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more incandescent loads.

33. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more fluorescent loads.

34. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more natural lighting loads.

35. The system according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lighting loads comprises one or more 4-20 mA driver loads.

36. The system according to claim 25, wherein said database comprises a plurality of fields for storing the following information:

node ID, current lux reading, average lux reading, weight factor and weighted average lux reading.

37. The system according to claim 25, wherein said load controller means comprises relay driver means for controlling electrical power to one or more relay type lighting loads connected thereto.

38. The system according to claim 25, wherein said load controller means comprises 0-10 V driver means for controlling electrical power to one or more 0-10 V type lighting loads connected thereto.

39. A system for measuring and controlling the level of light in an area, comprising:

a plurality of lux sensors connected to a first communications network;

a plurality of lighting loads connected to a second communications network for illuminating one or more regions of said area; and

at least one controller connected to a memory and connected to the plurality of lux sensors using the first communications network and connected to the plurality of lighting loads using the second communications network and operative to perform;

receiving a plurality of lux readings transmitted from each of said plurality of lux sensors via said first communications network;

storing at least one of said plurality of lux readings received from each of said plurality of lux sensors in said memory;

determining a first average for each of said plurality of lux sensors of at least two of said plurality of lux readings received; and

controlling said lighting loads based upon said first averages.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein each of the first averages each comprise an average of the two most recently received lux readings for each lux sensor.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein each of the first averages is recomputed for each lux reading received from each lux sensor.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein,

the at least one controller is operative to perform:

determining a second average of lux readings for each of said plurality of lux sensors of an overall count number of said plurality of lux readings received; and

controlling said lighting loads based upon said second averages.

43. The system of claim 39 further comprising:

a plurality of sensor subnets, each comprising at least one of the plurality of lux sensors; and

wherein the at least one controller is further operative to perform;

determining a third average for each of said sensor subnets comprising an average of at least two of said plurality of lux readings received for each of said lux sensors in each sensor subnet; and

controlling said lighting loads based upon said third averages.

44. A system for measuring and controlling the level of light in an area, comprising:

a plurality of lux sensors connected to a first communications network;

a plurality of lighting loads connected to a second communications network for illuminating one or more regions of said area; and

at least one controller connected to a memory and connected to the plurality of lux sensors using the first communications network and connected to the plurality of lighting loads using the second communications network and is operative to perform;

receiving a plurality of lux readings transmitted from each of said plurality of lux sensors via said first communications network;

storing at least one of said plurality of lux readings received from each of said plurality of lux sensors in said memory;

obtaining a weight factor for each of said plurality of lux sensors;

determining a first weighted average for each of said plurality of lux sensors of at least two said plurality of lux readings received using said weight factor; and

controlling said lighting loads based upon said first weighted averages.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein,

the weight factor for each of said plurality of lux sensors is related to the physical location of the lux sensor in the area.

46. A method of measuring and controlling the level of light in an area having a plurality of lighting loads, the method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of lux readings transmitted from each of a plurality of lux sensors;

storing at least one of said plurality of lux readings received from each of said plurality of lux sensors in a memory;

obtaining a weight factor for each of said plurality of lux sensors;

determining a first weighted average for each of said plurality of lux sensors of at least two said plurality of lux readings received using said weight factor; and

controlling said lighting loads based upon said first weighted averages.