Method for calibrating a lighting control system that facilitates daylight harvesting
First Claim
1. A method for continuously calibrating a lighting system that facilitates daylight-harvesting, which involves combining the output of the lighting system with daylight and/or other light sources to reduce energy usage while providing lighting for an area, where the lighting system includes multi-level lighting capabilities for one or more light sources, the method comprising:
- determining a target light level for the area;
performing the following operations;
(a) measuring the light levels for the area when the lighting system is turned on at a high energy-level, is turned on at an intermediate energy-level, and is turned off;
(b) determining from the measured light levels the light output of the lighting system for the different energy-levels;
(c) measuring a present light level for the area; and
(d) adjusting the light output of the lighting system based on the target light level, a lighting control parameter, the light output of the lighting system, and the present light level for the area;
wherein determining a target light level for the area involves determining a minimum amount of light for the area based on the measured light levels output by the lighting system;
repeating operations (a)-(d) during operation of the lighting system to ensure that the area receives the minimum amount of light over time without human intervention.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for calibrating a lighting control system. The lighting control system is a daylight-harvesting system that controls the output of the lighting system based on available daylight and/or other light sources to reduce energy usage while providing lighting for an area. The lighting system includes multi-level lighting capabilities for one or more light sources. First, the system measures the light levels for the area when the lighting system: is turned on at a high energy-level; is turned on at an intermediate energy-level; and is turned off. The system determines from these measured light levels the light output of the lighting system in the different states. Then, during operation, the system measures a present light level for the area. The system then adjusts the light output of the lighting system for the area based on a lighting control parameter (e.g an on set-point and an off set-point pair), the present light output of the lighting system, and the present light level for the area.
62 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for continuously calibrating a lighting system that facilitates daylight-harvesting, which involves combining the output of the lighting system with daylight and/or other light sources to reduce energy usage while providing lighting for an area, where the lighting system includes multi-level lighting capabilities for one or more light sources, the method comprising:
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determining a target light level for the area; performing the following operations; (a) measuring the light levels for the area when the lighting system is turned on at a high energy-level, is turned on at an intermediate energy-level, and is turned off; (b) determining from the measured light levels the light output of the lighting system for the different energy-levels; (c) measuring a present light level for the area; and (d) adjusting the light output of the lighting system based on the target light level, a lighting control parameter, the light output of the lighting system, and the present light level for the area; wherein determining a target light level for the area involves determining a minimum amount of light for the area based on the measured light levels output by the lighting system; repeating operations (a)-(d) during operation of the lighting system to ensure that the area receives the minimum amount of light over time without human intervention. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus that continuously calibrates a lighting system to facilitate daylight-harvesting, which involves combining the output of the lighting system with daylight and/or other light sources to reduce energy usage while providing a lighting for an area, where the lighting system includes multi-level lighting capabilities for one or more light sources, comprising:
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a determining mechanism configured to determine a target light level for the area, wherein determining a target light level for the area involves determining a minimum amount of light for the area based on the measured light levels output by the lighting system; a measurement mechanism configured to measure the light levels for the area when the lighting system is at a high energy-level, is at an intermediate energy-level, and is turned off; wherein the determining mechanism is further configured to determine from the measured light levels the light output of the lighting system for the different energy-levels; wherein the measurement mechanism is further configured to measure a present light level for the area; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the light output of the lighting system based on the target light level, a lighting control parameter, the light output of the lighting system, and the present light level for the area; wherein the measurement mechanism, the determining mechanism, and the adjustment mechanism are configured to repeat some or all of their operations during operation of the lighting system to ensure that the area receives the minimum amount of light over time without human intervention.
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Specification