Self-adjusting dual technology occupancy sensor system and method

• US 7,411,489 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Wiring Devices Incorporated (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Himonas, James D., Elwell, Brian E.
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US11/174,716
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 340/501, 340/511, 340/521, 340/522, 340/567, 340/541, 307/116, 307/117
• US Class Current: 340/501
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1645 using ultrasonic detection means and other detection means, e.g. microwave or infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19 using infrared-radiation detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/24 Self-calibration, e.g. compensating for environmental drift or ageing of components

Abstract

The present invention provides a system comprising an occupancy sensor for sensing occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings. It includes an infrared sensor section, able to passively sense occupancy and activate a signal, continue to activate upon sensing continuing occupancy, and enable separate processing of the settings. It also includes an ultrasonic sensor section, able to actively sense occupancy, activate a signal upon sensing continuing occupancy, and enable separate processing of the settings. The occupancy sensor is able to activate when the infrared sensor section senses occupancy, and to maintain activation when either the infrared sensor section or the ultrasonic sensor section senses continuing occupancy of the area. The infrared sensor section signals and the ultrasonic sensor section signals are each independently formed and activated.

Claims

1. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, and enable self-adjusting of settings thereof, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings, comprising an infrared sensor section, able to passively sense occupancy of the area, and to activate a signal thereupon, to continue to activate the signal upon sensing the continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable separate processing of the settings for only the infrared sensor section, and an ultrasonic sensor section, able to actively sense the occupancy of the area, to activate a signal upon sensing the continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable separate processing of the settings for only the ultrasonic sensor section, wherein the occupancy sensor is able to activate when the infrared sensor section senses occupancy of the area, and to maintain activation when either the infrared sensor section or the ultrasonic sensor section senses continuing occupancy of the area, and the signals in the infrared sensor section and the ultrasonic sensor section are each independently activated and form independent signals.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the independent infrared section signal and the independent ultrasonic sensor section signal are not combined to form a composite signal.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the separately-processed settings include time delay settings and sensitivity settings.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensor is able to activate upon sensing motion in the area.

5. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a motion-responding element for responding to motion varying from a baseline motion so as to require a constant level of such motion in order to activate the occupancy sensor.

6. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a building automation system relay, able to be connected to the occupancy sensor and a building automation system.

7. A system as in claim 1, further comprising an alarm relay, able to be connected to the occupancy sensor and to an alarm system, and a setting element which comprises a switch which is able to enable the selection of an alarm mode setting, and which is able to require multiple activations within a preset time period to activate the alarm relay.

8. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a switch for enabling the setting of a manual-on mode of the occupancy sensor.

9. A system as in claim 1, able to be connected to a system to be controlled thereby.

10. A system as in claim 1, further including a switch, wherein the switch is further able to enable selection of a lighting sweep setting, to prevent false activation in a power sweep facility.

11. A system as in claim 2, wherein the occupancy sensor is able to maintain activation when both the infrared sensor section and the ultrasonic sensor section are independently activated and form independent signals.

12. A system as in claim 3, wherein the separately-processed sensitivity settings include pre-programmed settings and self-adjusting settings.

13. A system as in claim 3, wherein the separately-processed time delay settings include pre-set settings and self-adjusting settings.

14. A system as in claim 3, wherein the separately-processed settings include self-adjusting time delay settings and self-adjusting sensitivity settings, and wherein the self-adjusting thereof comprise substantially moderate intermediate and incremental self-adjusting.

15. A system as in claim 3, wherein the separately-processed settings include self-adjusting time delay settings and self-adjusting sensitivity settings, and wherein the self-adjusting thereof is able to be responsive to real-time adjustment.

16. A system as in claim 3, wherein the occupancy sensor further includes an element for detecting a fault in the operation thereof, and the separately-processed settings include self-adjusting time delay settings and self-adjusting sensitivity settings, and wherein the self-adjusting thereof is able to be responsive to the fault detection.

17. A system as in claim 3, wherein the separately-processed settings include self-adjusting time delay settings and self-adjusting sensitivity settings, and wherein the self-adjusting thereof is further able to be self-resetting.

18. A system as in claim 3, wherein the time delay settings include a zero time delay setting for a system which is able to be connected to the occupancy sensor which includes an internal timing function.

19. A system as in claim 4, further comprising a filtering element for filtering out the portion of the frequency spectrum related to air movement, for preventing false activation of the occupancy sensor.

20. A system as in claim 6, further comprising a switch interface for enabling manual activation of the occupancy sensor such that the building automation system relay remains active during occupancy.

21. A system as in claim 7, able to provide redundant detection testing so as to avoid false alarms.

22. A system as in claim 8, further including a push button interface which includes a push button switch for enabling initial activation of the occupancy sensor after the setting of the manual-on mode.

23. A system as in claim 8, wherein the manual-on mode comprises a time delay setting for the occupancy sensor, and the occupancy sensor is able to automatically deactivate after manual activation following the time delay.

24. A system as in claim 9, wherein the controlled system comprises a lighting system.

25. A system as in claim 9, wherein the controlled system comprises a heating system.

26. A system as in claim 9, wherein the controlled system comprises an air conditioning system.

27. A system as in claim 10, further comprising a setting element, for enabling the input of a setting for the activating of the occupancy sensor, and a building automation system relay, able to be connected to the occupancy sensor and a building automation system, and wherein the setting element comprises a switch which is able to enable selection of the lighting sweep setting for the building automation system relay.

28. A system as in claim 10, further comprising a setting element, for enabling the input of a setting for the activating of the occupancy sensor, and an output control, able to be connected to the occupancy sensor and an output control system, and wherein the setting element comprises a switch which is able to enable selection of the lighting sweep setting for the output control system.

29. A system as in claim 12, wherein the separately-processed sensitivity settings of the ultrasonic sensor section further include an initial setting which is external to the pre-programmed settings.

30. A system as in claim 12, wherein the pre-programmed sensitivity settings include baseline settings, and threshold trigger-acquiring settings comprising the amount of motion above the baseline settings required to trigger occupancy detection.

31. A system as in claim 23, further including a grace timer, able to automatically activate the occupancy sensor within a grace period comprising a preset time after deactivation thereof.

32. A system as in claim 31, further including an automatic-on mode, and able to be self-resetting, and wherein the self-resetting is such that upon manual setting of a lights turned-off setting, in the system automatic-on mode, the lights stay off during occupancy, and upon vacating the area and elapse of the time delay and grace period, the lights turn on automatically the next time the area is entered.

33. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, and enable self-adjusting of settings thereof, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings, including a motion-responding element for responding to motion varying from a baseline motion so as to require a constant level of such motion in order to activate the occupancy sensor.

34. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, and enable self-adjusting of settings thereof, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings, including a building automation system relay, able to be connected to the occupancy sensor and a building automation system.

35. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, and enable self-adjusting of settings thereof, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings, including an alarm relay, able to be connected to the occupancy sensor and to an alarm system, and

a setting element which comprises a switch which is able to enable the selection of an alarm mode setting, and which is able to require multiple activations within a preset time period to activate the alarm relay.

36. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, and enable self-adjusting of settings thereof, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings, including a switch for enabling the setting of a manual-on mode of the occupancy sensor.

37. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, and enable self-adjusting of settings thereof, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to enable self-adjusting of the settings, including a switch, wherein the switch is further able to enable selection of a lighting sweep setting, to prevent false activation in a power sweep facility.

38. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, and maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, to include settings therefor, and to be connected to a system to be controlled thereby, wherein the occupancy sensor includes a building automation system relay, able to be connected to the occupancy sensor and a building automation system, and

an interface which includes a switch which is able to toggle the state of the controlled system between on and off, wherein the switch is able to toggle the controlled system off while the building automation system relay remains active.

39. A system for sensing the occupancy of an area, able to activate upon sensing occupancy of the area, and maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, comprising:

an occupancy sensor, able to activate upon sensing the occupancy of the area, to maintain activation when sensing continuing occupancy of the area, and to include settings therefor, wherein the occupancy sensor includes a switch for enabling the setting of a manual-on mode, which comprises a time delay setting, and further includes an indicator which emits a visible indication of occupancy detection, and wherein switching to set the manual-on mode inhibits activation of the indicator in response to continued occupancy detection.