State-based system for automated shading

• US 7,941,245 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pradeep Pranjivan Popat
• Original Assignee: Pradeep Pranjivan Popat
• Inventors: Popat, Pradeep Pranjivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US12/153,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 135/155, 200/61.84, 340/545.8, 340/545.9
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6827 sensing light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive

Abstract

An automated shading system defines an environmental state as a discrete variable representing a history of values of a second discrete variable representing the ambient environment. The system executes a state-specific automated shading command upon occurrence of each state. Prior to usage, each automated shading command is initialized to one of two types of command, as a function of the corresponding state: an “adjust shading” command that causes an automatic adjustment to a predetermined shading setting, or a “do not adjust” command that causes no shading adjustment. The system also enables a user to directly adjust the shading to a selected setting via deliberate shading commands. After each deliberate shading adjustment, the system updates the automated shading command associated with the current state to an “adjust shading” command that, upon subsequent occurrence of the same state, will cause an automatic adjustment to the same selected setting.

Claims

1. A method of automatically adjusting a window shading device, said method comprising the following steps:

a. characterizing an environmental condition via a discrete condition variable;

said discrete condition variable being a function of at least two environmental characteristics;

b. characterizing an environmental state via a discrete state variable, said discrete state variable being a function of N most recent values of said discrete condition variable, N being at least 2, said discrete state variable thereby representing a history of values of said discrete condition variable; and

c. adjusting said window shading device upon a change in value of said discrete state variable.

2. A method of automatically adjusting a window shading device of a shading system, said shading system capable of user-initiated deliberate shading adjustments in addition to automatic shading adjustments, said method comprising the following steps:

a. characterizing an environmental state via a discrete state variable, said discrete state variable being a function of at least two environmental characteristics;

b. initializing a first automated shading command to a do-not-adjust-command, said first automated shading command corresponding to a first value of said discrete state variable;

c. changing said first automated shading command from said do-not-adjust command to a first adjust shading command upon a deliberate shading adjustment of said window shading device to a first setting when said discrete state variable has said first value; and

d. adjusting said window shading device to said first setting upon a change of value of said discrete state variable to said first value, if and only if said first automated shading command is said first adjust shading command.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the following steps:

a. initializing a second automated shading command to a second adjust shading command, said second automated shading command corresponding to a second value of said discrete state variable, said second adjust shading command specifying a second setting of said window shading device; and

b. adjusting said window shading device to said second setting upon a change of value of said discrete state variable to said second value.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the following steps:

a. initializing a third automated shading command to a daylighting command, said third automated shading command corresponding to a third value of said discrete state variable; and

b. adjusting said window shading device to dynamically regulate admitted daylight when said discrete state variable has said third value.

5. A method of automatically adjusting a window shading device of a shading system, said shading system capable of user-initiated deliberate shading adjustments in addition to automatic shading adjustments, said method comprising the following steps:

a. characterizing an environmental state via a discrete state variable, said discrete state variable being a function of at least two environmental characteristics;

b. initializing a first automated shading command to a do-not-adjust-command, said first automated shading command corresponding to a first value of said discrete state variable;

c. initializing a second automated shading command to an adjust shading command, said second automated shading command corresponding to a second value of said discrete state variable;

d. adjusting said window shading device upon a change of value of said discrete state variable to a new value, said new value corresponding to a new automated shading command, if and only if said new automated shading command is an adjust shading command.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the following steps:

a. initializing a third automated shading command to a daylighting command, said third automated shading command corresponding to a third value of said discrete state variable; and

b. adjusting said window shading device to dynamically regulate admitted daylight when said discrete state variable has said third value.