Intelligent device control system

• US 7,765,033 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DSA Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DSA Incorporated
• Inventors: Perry, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman; Sean P
• Application Number:
  US12/144,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 700/14, 700/17, 700/83, 700275-278, 700282-284, 701/19, 701/131, 726/2, 726/16, 726/17, 726/21, 726/26, 726/27, 726/28
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A device for controlling devices in a monitored space. A sensor senses an event in an initial state indicating an occupant may be present in the monitored space. A switch activates the controlled device in response to the sensed event. A processor enables the device to change from the initial state to a first state in response to the sensed event, with the first state indicating that the occupant may be in the monitored space. The device also changes from the first state to a second state while determining whether the occupant continues to be in the monitored space in response to a query challenge. The device next changes from the second state to the initial state in response to the determining indicating that the occupant is not in the monitored space. The switch deactivates the controlled device in the initial state in the monitored space.

Claims

1. A method for a controller to control devices associated with a monitored space, said method comprising:

defining a plurality of states of the controller controlling a controlled device associated with the monitored space;

at an initial state, receiving an event indicating a possible presence of a subject within the monitored space;

changing from the initial state in which the controlled device is de-energized to a first state in which the controlled device is energized in the first state and in response to the received event, said first state indicating that the subject can provisionally be in the monitored space;

while in the first state;

initiating an event timer set to expire after a first delay;

resetting the event timer in response to receiving a signal indicating a detection one or more additional events before the expiration of the event timer thereby remaining in the first state;

upon expiration of the event timer, changing from the first state to a second state;

while in the second state;

issuing a query challenge;

responsive to the issued query challenge, detecting a query response signal;

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the first state and resetting the event timer when the query response signal indicates the subject may still provisionally be in the monitored space; and

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the initial state in which the controlled device is de-energized when the query response signal fails to indicate the subject responded to the query challenge.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the events or the additional events comprises at least one of the following:

a motion signal, a user generated signal, and a passageway signal, said passageway signal being generated from a passageway traversal sensor connected to the controller, sad user generated signal includes at least one of the following;

wireless transmission signal, infrared signal, a noise, a sequence of noises, a human whistle, and a specific tone, and wherein the issued challenge comprises an audio challenge or a visual challenge, and further comprising an OccupiedFlag, said OccupiedFlag having at least one of the following characteristics;

the occupied flag being set at any time when the controller enters a third state;

the occupied flag being cleared at any time the controller enters the first state;

the OccupiedFlag is set while changing from the first state to the second state in response to receiving the user generated signal, and, changing to the third state from the second state and de-energizing the controlled device while in the second state and upon an expiration of the query response timer without receiving the query response and with the OccupiedFlag set.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising changing from the second state to the third state in response to the query response, wherein the query response includes the user generated signal, said third state indicating the subject wishes to remain in the monitored space with the controlled device remaining energized, wherein the third state sets an OccupiedFlag, and wherein the event timer is disabled.

4. The method of claim 2, at the initial state, further comprising changing from the initial state to the third state after receiving the user generated signal or after receiving the motion signal event with the passageway traversal sensor connected to the controller, wherein the controlled device is energized, wherein a combination of the received motion signal event with the passageway traversal sensor connected to the controller provides a certainty that the subject is in the monitored space.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising, while in the third state, energizing the controlled device in response to receiving the user generated signal.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising changing from the third state to the second state in response to receiving another user generated signal.

7. The method of claim 2, while in the third state, further comprising changing to the first state in response to receiving the motion signal without the passageway traversal sensor connected or in response to receiving the passageway signal.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising changing from the first state to the third state in response to receiving the motion signal while the passageway traversal sensor is connected to the controller.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing from the second state to the first state in response to receiving one or more of the following query response signal:

the motion signal, with the passageway traversal sensor disconnected;

the user generated signal; and

the passageway signal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring the received event if the received event is received by a plurality of sensors simultaneously or substantially simultaneously.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, while in the second state, initiating a query response timer set to expire after a second delay, and wherein issuing the query challenge comprises issuing the query challenge before the expiration of the query response timer.

12. An apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor for generating an event signal indicating a possible presence of a subject within a monitored space;

an output device for sending a signal to energize or de-energize a controlled device;

a processor configured to enable the apparatus in a plurality of states, including an initial state, a first state, a second state, and a third state;

changing from the initial state in which the controlled device is de-energized to a first state in which the controlled device is energized in the first state and in response to the received event, said first state indicating that the subject may be in the monitored space;

while in the first state;

initiating an event timer set to expire after a pre-determined duration;

remaining in the first state in response to receiving a signal indicating a detection of additional events before the expiration of the event timer, said the remaining further resetting the event timer; and

upon expiration of the event timer, changing from the first state to a second state;

while in the second state;

issuing a query challenge;

responsive to the issued query challenge, detecting a query response signal;

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the first state and resetting the event timer when the query response signal indicates the subject may still provisionally be in the monitored space; and

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the initial state in which the controlled device is de-energized when the query response signal fails to indicate the subject responded to the query challenge.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the events or the additional events comprises at least one of the following:

a motion signal, a user generated signal, and a passageway signal, said passageway signal being generated from a passageway traversal sensor connected to the controller, sad user generated signal includes at least one of the following;

wireless transmission signal, infrared signal, a noise, a sequence of noises, and a specific tone, and wherein the issued challenge comprises an audio challenge or a visual challenge, and further comprising an OccupiedFlag, said OccupiedFlag having at least one of the following characteristics;

the OccupiedFlag being set at any time when the controller enters a third state;

the OccupiedFlag being cleared at any time the controller enters the first state;

the OccupiedFlag is set while the processor changes from the first state to the second state in response to receiving the user generated signal, and, the processor changes to the third state from the second state and de-energizing the controlled device while in the second state and upon an expiration of the query response timer without receiving the query response and with the OccupiedFlag set.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor further changes from the second state to the third state in response to the query response, wherein the query response includes the user generated signal, said third state indicating the subject wishes to remain in the monitored space with the controlled device remains energized, wherein the third state sets an OccupiedFlag, and wherein the event timer is disabled.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, at the initial state, wherein the processor further changes from the initial state to the third state after receiving the user generated signal or after receiving the motion signal event with the passageway traversal sensor connected to the controller, wherein the controlled device is energized.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controlled device, while in the third state, is energized in response to receiving the user generated signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor further changes from the third state to the second state in response to receiving another user generated signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, while in the third state, wherein the processor further changes to the first state in response to receiving the motion signal without the passageway traversal sensor connected or in response to receiving the passageway signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor further changes from the first state to the third state in response to receiving the motion signal while the passageway traversal sensor is connected to the controller.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor further changes from the second state to the first state in response to receiving one or more of the following query response signal:

the motion signal, with the passageway traversal sensor disconnected;

the user generated signal; and

the passageway signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor further ignores the received event if the received event is received by a plurality of sensors simultaneously or substantially simultaneously.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, while in the second state, wherein the processor further initiates a query response timer set to expire after a second delay, and wherein issuing the query challenge comprises issuing the query challenge before the expiration of the query response timer.

23. A system comprising:

a controlled device;

at least one sensor for receiving an event signal indicating a possible presence of a subject within a monitored space, said at least one sensor including a passageway traversal sensor for receiving a passage signal indicating the subject traversing a passageway to the monitored space, said at least one sensor transmits the received event signal to a processor;

a switch, being connected with the controlled device, for energizing or de-energizing the controlled device;

wherein the processor, being connected to the at least one sensor and the switch, is configured to enable the system transitioning between a plurality of states, said plurality of states including;

an initial state, a first state, a second state, and a third state;

changing from the initial state in which the switch de-energized the controlled device to a first state in which the switch energizes the controlled device in the first state and in response to the received event from the at least one sensor or the passageway signal from the passageway traversal sensor, said first state indicating that the subject may be in the monitored space;

while in the first state;

initiating an event timer set to expire after a pre-determined duration;

remaining in the first state in response to receiving another signal from the at least one sensor or another passageway signal, said the remaining further resetting the event timer; and

upon expiration of the event timer, changing from the first state to a second state;

while in the second state;

issuing a query challenge;

responsive to the issued query challenge, detecting a query response signal;

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the first state and resetting the event timer when the query response signal indicates the subject may still provisionally be in the monitored space; and

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the initial state in which the controlled device is de-energized when the query response signal fails to indicate the subject responded to the query challenge.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the events or the additional events comprises at least one of the following:

a motion signal, a user generated signal, and a passageway signal, said passageway signal being generated from a passageway traversal sensor connected to the controller, sad user generated signal includes at least one of the following;

wireless transmission signal, infrared signal, a noise, a sequence of noises, and a specific tone, and wherein the issued challenge comprises an audio challenge or a visual challenge, and further comprising an OccupiedFlag, said OccupiedFlag having at least one of the following characteristics;

the OccupiedFlag being set at any time when the controller enters a third state;

the OccupiedFlag being cleared at any time the controller enters the first state;

the OccupiedFlag is set while the processor changes from the first state to the second state in response to receiving the user generated signal, and, the processor changes to the third state from the second state and de-energizing the controlled device while in the second state and upon an expiration of the query response timer without receiving the query response and with the OccupiedFlag set.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor further changes from the second state to the third state in response to the query response, wherein the query response includes the user generated signal, said third state indicating the subject wishes to remain in the monitored space with the controlled device remains energized, wherein the third state sets an OccupiedFlag, and wherein the event timer is disabled.

26. The system of claim 24, at the initial state, wherein the processor further changes from the initial state to the third state after receiving the user generated signal or after receiving the motion signal event with the passageway traversal sensor connected to the controller, wherein the controlled device is energized.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the controlled device, while in the third state, is energized in response to receiving the user generated signal.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor further changes from the third state to the second state in response to receiving another user generated signal.

29. The system of claim 24, while in the third state, wherein the processor further changes to the first state in response to receiving the motion signal without the passageway traversal sensor connected or in response to receiving the passageway signal.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor further changes from the first state to the third state in response to receiving the motion signal while the passageway traversal sensor is connected to the controller.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor further changes from the second state to the first state in response to receiving one or more of the following query response signal:

the motion signal, with the passageway traversal sensor disconnected;

the user generated signal; and

the passageway signal.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor further outputs at least the following information of the system:

a state of the controlled device, the states of the system, a state of the at least one sensor, and one or more paths showing the transitions of the system between the plurality of states.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor further ignores the received event if the received event is received by a plurality of sensors simultaneously or substantially simultaneously.

34. The system of claim 23, while in the second state, wherein the processor further initiates a query response timer set to expire after a second delay, and wherein issuing the query challenge comprises issuing the query challenge before the expiration of the query response timer.

35. A method for managing energy use associated with a monitored space, said method comprising:

defining a plurality of states of the controller controlling a controlled device associated with the monitored space;

at an initial state, receiving an event indicating a possible presence of a subject within the monitored space;

changing from the initial state in which the controlled device is de-energized to a first state in which the controlled device is energized in the first state and in response to the received event, said first state indicating that the subject can provisionally be in the monitored space;

while in the first state;

initiating an event timer set to expire after a first delay;

resetting the event timer in response to receiving a signal indicating a detection one or more additional events before the expiration of the event timer thereby remaining in the first state;

upon expiration of the event timer, changing from the first state to a second state;

while in the second state;

issuing a query challenge;

responsive to the issued query challenge, detecting a query response signal;

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the first state and resetting the event timer when the query response signal indicates the subject may still provisionally be in the monitored space; and

responsive to the query challenge, changing from the second state to the initial state in which the controlled device is de-energized when the query response signal fails to indicate the subject responded to the query challenge.