Distributed intelligence automated lighting systems and methods

• US 8,214,061 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Norton, Mark, Westrick, Rich L. Jr., Lydecker, Stephen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US11/753,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/11, 700/12, 700 14- 20, 700/23, 700/24, 700/27, 700/28, 700/275, 315312-315, 315/317, 315/318, 315323-325
• US Class Current: 700/9
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A distributed intelligence lighting system is comprised of a global controller, one or more local controllers, wall stations, sensors and lighting fixtures. In one aspect, the lighting system provides schedule-based, occupancy-based, and/or daylight-responsive automated control and multi-level or ON/OFF manual control of lighting loads. System components communicate over a topology-free and polarity-free modular low voltage digital network that combines power and control wiring in an easily installed labeled and keyed cable. Embodiments according to the system do not require any components to be addressed, manually configured, or programmed (beyond setting the project location and current time and date) for energy code compliance. Manual and after-hours override control is accomplished via local low voltage wall stations or occupancy sensors. Global controllers generally each incorporate an onboard modem and user interface with LCD display, both permitting programming of advanced features, override, system monitoring, and diagnostics.

Claims

1. A distributed intelligence lighting system, comprising:

a global controller having at least one processor operably coupled to a global bus;

a first local controller having a first processor, wherein the first local controller is operably coupled to the global bus and a local bus, and wherein the first local controller receives a first group of control signals from the global controller through the global bus, and further wherein the first group of control signals configure the first local controller in a first operational state;

a second local controller having a second processor operably coupled to the local bus, wherein the second local controller receives a second group of control signals from the first local controller, wherein the second group of control signals configure the second local controller in a second operational state, and wherein the second local controller transmits a third group of control signals to the first controller, and further wherein the second local controller controls at least one lighting fixture in accordance with at least the second operational state;

modular wiring comprising power wiring and control wiring in interlocking sections, wherein the modular wiring forms at least in part the global bus and the local bus, the modular wiring operably coupling a power supply and the global controller with at least the first local controller and the second local controller, the at least one lighting fixture, at least one sensor, and at least one wall station; and

wherein the first local controller operates the at least one lighting fixture coupled to the local bus in accordance with one or more of the first group of control signals or the third group of control signals.

2. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first operational state or the second operational state comprises adaptive control.

3. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 2, wherein an ON time interval or an OFF time interval for the distributed intelligence lighting system is automatically adjusted by override of a first control signal from the first local controller or a second control signal from the second local controller by the at least one wall station.

4. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first operational state or the second operational state comprises manually-programmed time-of-day control.

5. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more photocells, and wherein the at least one sensor is operably coupled to the first local controller.

6. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 5, wherein the at least one lighting fixture is dimmed or brightened by the first local controller or the second local controller based at least on signals received from the one or more photocells.

7. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more occupancy sensors, wherein the at least one sensor is operably coupled to the first local controller.

8. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 7, wherein the first operational state or the second operational state is adaptive control, and an ON time interval or an OFF time interval for the distributed intelligence lighting system is automatically adjusted by the first local controller or the second local controller via detection of occupancy by the one or more occupancy sensors.

9. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more photocells and one or more occupancy sensors, wherein the at least one sensor is operably coupled to the first local controller.

10. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first local controller, the at least one lighting fixture operably connected to the local bus, the at least one sensor, and the at least one wall station operably coupled to the local bus comprise a first zone, and the distributed intelligence lighting system is comprised of a plurality of zones.

11. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 10, wherein one zone provides lighting in a single room.

12. The distributed lighting system of claim 10, wherein more than one zone provides lighting in a single room.

13. The distributed lighting system of claim 10, wherein the distributed lighting system is comprised of at least the first zone and a second zone, the first local controller of the first zone is operably connected to the global bus and the second local controller of the second zone is operably connected with the local bus of the first zone.

14. The distributed lighting system of claim 10, wherein the distributed lighting system is comprised of at least a first zone and a second zone, the first local controller of the first zone is operably connected to the global bus and the second local controller of the second zone is operably connected with the global bus.

15. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting fixture comprises ballasts configured to communicate in accordance with Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) protocol, and wherein at least a fourth group of control signals from the first local controller control the at least one lighting fixture.

16. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall station is configured to adjust light output of the at least one lighting fixture in accordance with the DALI protocol, and further configured to override automated control of the at least one lighting fixture.

17. The distributed intelligence lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first local controller further operates the at least one lighting fixture coupled to the local bus in accordance with one or more of signals received from at least one sensor, or inputs received from at least one wall station.

18. A method of operating a distributed intelligence lighting system comprising:

providing global control signals from a global controller to one or more first local controllers through a global bus;

receiving by the one or more first local controllers the global control signals and sensor signals from one or more sensors operably coupled with the one or more first local controllers; and

controlling by the one or more first local controllers one or more respective lighting devices and one or more respective second local controllers, wherein the one or more respective lighting devices and the one or more respective second local controllers are operably coupled with the one or more first local controllers via a local bus, wherein the controlling comprises exchanging a group of local control signals amongst at least one first local controller of the one or more first local controllers and at least one second local controller of the one or more second local controllers,

wherein the global bus and the local bus are comprised of modular wiring comprised of power wiring and control wiring in interlocking sections, the modular wiring operably connects (I) a power supply and the global controller with the one or more first local controllers, and (II) the one or more first local controllers with the respective lighting devices, the one or more sensors, and the one or more respective second local controllers,

wherein the global control signals comprise control signals that place the one or more first local controllers in an operational state, and

wherein the one or more first local controllers operate the one or more respective lighting devices and the one or more respective second local controllers in accordance with one or more of the global control signals received from the global controller and from sensor signals received from the one or more sensors.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling by the one or more first local controllers of one or more respective lighting devices comprises controlling at least one lighting fixture having a ballast configured to communicate in accordance with the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) protocol.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising providing at least one wall station operably connected with the local bus, wherein the at least one wall station are configured to adjust a scene setting of the respective lighting devices connected to the local bus in accordance with the DALI protocol and to override automated control of the lighting devices.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising automatically adjusting an ON time interval or an OFF time interval for the distributed intelligence lighting system by override of local control signals from the one or more first local controllers by the at least one wall station.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein placing the one or more first local controllers in an operational state comprises placing at least one of the one or more first local controllers in adaptive control.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein placing the one or more first local controllers in an operational state comprises placing at least one of the one or more first local controllers in manually-programmed time-of-day control.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving by the one or more first local controllers sensor signals from one or more sensors operably connected with the one or more first local controllers comprises receiving sensor signals from one or more photocells.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting the respective lighting devices by the one or more first local controllers based up sensor signals received from the one or more photocells.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting the one or more respective second controllers by said one or more first local controllers based up sensor signals received from said one or more photocells.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving by the one or more first local controllers sensor signals from one or more sensors operably connected with the one or more first local controllers comprises receiving sensor signals from one or more occupancy sensors.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising adjusting the respective lighting devices by the one or more first local controllers based up sensor signals received from the one or more occupancy sensors.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising adjusting the one or more respective second controllers by said one or more first local controllers based up sensor signals received from said one or more occupancy sensors.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein placing said one or more first local controllers in an operational state comprises placing at least one of said one or more first local controllers in adaptive control and an ON time interval or an OFF time interval for the distributed intelligence lighting system is automatically adjusted by the one or more first local controllers via detection of occupancy by the one or more occupancy sensors.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving by the one or more first local controllers sensor signals from one or more sensors operably connected with the one or more first local controllers comprises receiving sensor signals from one or more photocells or one or more occupancy sensors.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling by the one or more first local controllers of one or more respective second local controllers comprises the respective second local controller receiving control signals from the one or more first local controllers and controlling a set of one or more lighting fixtures in accordance with the control signals.

33. A lighting control system, comprising:

a global controller for controlling at least one zone of lighting with global digital signals, wherein each zone of the at least one zone of lighting comprises a first set of one or more light fixtures;

a converter that collects power from a power supply and global digital signals from the global controller, wherein the converter directs the global digital signals to control wires in a modular cable coupled to the converter, and the power to power wires in the modular cable, the power wires and the control wires configured in interlocking sections;

a first local controller coupled to the modular cable and having as inputs the global digital signals and sensor signals from at least one sensor, wherein the first local controller is configured to control at least one light fixture of the first set of one or more light fixtures with first local digital signals in accordance with the global digital signals and the sensor signals;

a second local controller coupled to the modular cable and having as inputs control signals from the first local controller, wherein the second local controller receives the global digital signals from the first local controller that configure the second local controller in an operational state, and transmits second local digital signals to the first local controller, and wherein the second local controller controls a second set of one or more light fixtures in accordance with at least the global digital signals;

a switch that is configured to send digital signals to at least one light fixture of the first set of one or more light fixtures and override the local digital signals; and

a modular connector for connecting the switch to the modular cable;

wherein the modular cable connects to the at least one light fixture of the first set of one or more light fixtures to provide power and to control the operation of the at least one light fixture.

34. An adaptive lighting control system, comprising:

power control equipment to supply power to at least one zone of lighting, wherein each zone of lighting of the at least one zone of lighting comprises a first set of one or more light fixtures comprised of one or more lights;

a first local controller associated with each zone of lighting of the at least one zone of lighting;

a global controller in communication with the first local controller and a timing device, wherein the global controller controls power supply to each zone of lighting of the at least one zone of lighting, and wherein the global controller is programmed to direct the first local controller to;

associate a time-out period with each zone of lighting, the time-out period is restarted each time a light control is activated;

associate two states with each zone of lighting with associated start times and stop times on the timing device, wherein;

in a first state of the two states the first local controller turns on at least one light in a zone when a first light control associated with the zone is activated, and turns off the at least one light in the zone either when the first light control in the zone is deactivated or when a stop time for the first state occurs, and

in a second state of the two states the first local controller turns on the at least one light in the zone when a second light control associated with the zone is activated, and turns out the at least one lights in the zone either when the second light control in the zone is deactivated or when the time-out period associated with the zone expires, and

the first local controller adjusts the start times and the stop times associated with the two states for the zone based on activation of the first light control or the second light control;

a second local controller in communication with the first local controller, wherein the second local controller receives global control signals from the first local controller that configure the second local controller in a first operational state and conveys first local control signals to the first controller, and wherein the second local controller controls at least one light fixture in accordance with the global control signals; and

a third local controller in communication with the second local controller, wherein the third local controller receives the global control signals from the second local controller and conveys second local control signals to the second local controller, wherein the global control signals configure the third local controller in a second operational state.