Automated shade control reflectance module

• US 8,120,292 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Mechoshade Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Berman, Joel, Berman, Jan, Greenspan, Alex, Hebeisen, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US12/475,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280, 318/445, 318/466, 318/480, 318/468, 318/471, 318/446, 318/286, 318/484, 160/310
• US Class Current: 318/280
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6827 sensing light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/322 Details of operating devices, e.g. pulleys, brakes, spring drums, drives operating devices E06B9/68 ; devices of general interest specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material B65H75/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/24 Structural elements or technologies for improving thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/00 Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings

Abstract

Automated shade systems comprise motorized window coverings, sensors, and controllers that use algorithms to control operation of the automated shade control system. These algorithms may include information such as: 3-D models of a building and surrounding structures, shadow information, reflectance information, lighting and radiation information, ASHRAE clear sky algorithms, log information related to manual overrides, occupant preference information, motion information, real-time sky conditions, solar radiation on a building, a total foot-candle load on a structure, brightness overrides, actual and/or calculated BTU load, time-of-year information, and microclimate analysis.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

modeling, via an automated shade control system, at least a portion of a reflective surface to create a reflectance model;

querying, via the automated shade control system, the reflectance model a first time to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light at a first location of interest; and

adjusting, via a first motor, a first window covering responsive to the calculated reflected light at the first location of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying, via the automated shade control system, the reflectance model a second time to determine a duration of the calculated reflected light at the first location of interest.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the duration exceeding a default reflectance duration.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the duration exceeding a user-input duration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the automated shade control system, information from a photometer indicating a presence of measured reflected light at the first location of interest.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the measured reflected light.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of reflective surfaces are modeled to create the reflectance model.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the reflectance model a first time further comprises calculating, via the automated shade control system, reflection information for each of the plurality of reflective surfaces.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the calculating reflection information comprises calculating dispersion reflection information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the reflectance model a first time comprises calculating, via the automated shade control system, reflection information for at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces, and calculating, via the automated shade control system, no reflection information for at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying, via the automated shade control system, the reflectance model to calculate an apparent altitude of the calculated reflected light at the first location of interest.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting, via the first motor, the window covering to a fully closed position responsive to the apparent altitude having a negative value.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the reflectance model, via the automated shade control system, to determine a calculated intensity of the calculated reflected light at the first location of interest.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the window covering is in response to the calculated intensity exceeding a default intensity.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying, via the automated shade control system, the reflectance model a second time to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light at a second location of interest;

and

adjusting, via a second motor, a second window covering responsive to the calculated reflected light at the second location of interest.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first motor is part of a first motor zone, and wherein the second motor is part of a second motor zone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first motor zone is associated with a first tenant, and wherein the second motor zone is associated with a second tenant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first tenant is associated with a first floor of a building, and wherein the second tenant is associated with a second floor of the building.

19. A system, comprising:

a motor configured to actuate a window covering associated with a window;

and

a central controller configured with a reflectance program, the central controller configured to control the motor using reflectance information.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the reflectance information is obtained by querying, via the central controller, a reflectance model to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light on the window.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a photometer associated with the window.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the reflectance information is obtained from the photometer.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the central controller uses the reflectance information.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the central controller incorporates the reflectance information.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the central controller is a centralized control system (CCS).

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the central controller controls the motor via a motor controller.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon that, if executed by a system, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

modeling, via an automated shade control system, at least a portion of a reflective surface to create a reflectance model;

querying, via the automated shade control system, the reflectance model a first time to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light at a location of interest; and

adjusting, via a motor, a window covering responsive to the calculated reflected light at the location of interest.