Occupancy sensors programmed to determine loss of lamp life as lamp is used
First Claim
1. An occupancy sensor comprising:
- a counter operative to count the number of times a lamp turns on;
a first timer operative to activate upon the lamp turning on and deactivate upon the lamp turning off;
a register coupled to the first timer and operative to store a cumulative amount of time the lamp has been on as timed by the first timer; and
a hardware processor operative to calculate at least one of a loss of lamp life or an amount of energy used by the lamp based on the number of times the lamp turned on, the cumulative amount of time the lamp was on, or both.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Programmable occupancy sensors that control the on/off operation of a fluorescent lamp automatically determine loss of lamp life as the lamp is used. The programmable occupancy sensors can provide lamp life status and can automatically alert a user when a lamp is nearing its end of life and should be replaced. The occupancy sensors are also programmable to automatically improve lamp life and energy savings by selecting an optimal time delay from among a number of selectable time delays at which to operate the sensor. The selection is based on an occupancy pattern sensed by the sensor over a given period of time. The optimal time delay, which prevents the lamp from turning off immediately after last sensing occupancy, extends lamp life by limiting the number of lamp off/on transitions, which shortens lamp life, in view of overall energy usage and lamp usage.
25 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An occupancy sensor comprising:
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a counter operative to count the number of times a lamp turns on; a first timer operative to activate upon the lamp turning on and deactivate upon the lamp turning off; a register coupled to the first timer and operative to store a cumulative amount of time the lamp has been on as timed by the first timer; and a hardware processor operative to calculate at least one of a loss of lamp life or an amount of energy used by the lamp based on the number of times the lamp turned on, the cumulative amount of time the lamp was on, or both. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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- 7. An occupancy sensor comprising a hardware processor operative to simulate on/off operation of a lamp as controlled or monitored by the sensor for each of a plurality of selectable sensor time delays to estimate a loss of lamp life or an amount of energy used by the lamp for each of the plurality of selectable sensor time delays.
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13. A method of determining a loss of lamp life or an amount of energy used by a lamp, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving at a hardware processor an indication that a lamp has turned on; (b) the hardware processor determining a first loss of lamp life based on the indication that the lamp has turned on; (c) receiving at the hardware processor an indication that the lamp has turned off; (d) the hardware processor determining an amount of time the lamp has been on based on the received indications that the lamp has turned on and has turned off; and (e) the hardware processor determining a second loss of lamp life or an amount of energy used by the lamp based on the amount of time the lamp has been on. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling the on/off state of a lamp, the method comprising:
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preventing a turned-on lamp from turning off during a first time delay regardless of whether or not occupancy is sensed in a defined area by an occupancy sensor during the first time delay, the first time delay commencing in response to the lamp turning on; and preventing the turned-on lamp from turning off during a second time delay, the second time delay commencing in response to no occupancy being sensed in the defined area by the occupancy sensor. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of controlling the on/off state of a lamp, the method comprising:
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an occupancy sensor causing a lamp to turn on in response to sensing occupancy; the occupancy sensor causing the lamp to turn off in response to sensing no occupancy for longer than a first period of time; and the occupancy sensor calculating a loss of lamp life or an amount of energy used by the lamp based on the sensor causing the lamp to turn on and the sensor causing the lamp to turn off one or more times over a second period of time. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of selecting a time delay for an occupancy sensor, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving at a hardware processor an indication that a lamp has turned on; (b) activating a first timer set to a first time delay in response to receiving an indication that no occupancy is being sensed; (c) receiving at the hardware processor an indication that the lamp has turned off in response to the first time delay expiring and no occupancy being sensed; (d) the hardware processor determining a loss of lamp life based on the received indications that the lamp has turned on at (a) and turned off at (c); (e) the hardware processor determining whether and when the lamp would have turned off had the first timer been set to a second time delay; (f) the hardware processor estimating a loss of lamp life based on the received indication that the lamp has turned on at (a) and the determined whether and when the lamp would have turned off had the first timer been set to a second time delay; and (g) the hardware processor determining whether to set the first timer to the second time delay based on the lower of the determined loss of lamp life at (d) and the estimated loss of lamp life at (f). - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method of alerting a user that a lamp is near burnout, the method comprising:
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a hardware processor determining a loss of lamp life as a lamp is being used; a hardware processor determining remaining lamp life based on the determined loss of lamp life as the lamp is being used; and an occupancy sensor activating one or more components to alert a user that a lamp is near burnout in response to the hardware processor determining that remaining lamp life is less than or equal to a preset amount. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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- 27. An occupancy sensor that controls the on/off state of a lamp, the sensor comprising a hardware processor operative to calculate in real time at least one of a loss of lamp life or an amount of energy used by a lamp based on operation of the lamp as controlled by the sensor.
Specification