Lighting control

• US 8,344,660 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Robotics, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Enlighted, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mohan, Tanuj, Ashar, Premal, Danz, James William
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, JIMMY T
• Application Number:
  US12/639,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20110140612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 315153-159, 315/291, 315/294, 315/307, 315/308, 340/567, 340/691, 340/693
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• 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 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An apparatus and method of controlling a light are disclosed. One method includes detecting a light adjusting trigger event, selecting a random delay time, and adjusting the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a light, comprising:

detecting, by a controller associated with the light, a light adjusting trigger event;

selecting, by the controller, a random delay time;

adjusting by the controller, the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event, and wherein adjusting the light comprises adjusting a light intensity of the light by an increment step, wherein the incremental step is a fraction of a difference between a present light intensity and a target light intensity;

after adjusting the light, checking a measured light level, if the measured light level is still less than the target light intensity, then further adjusting the light, wherein the further adjusting occurs a new random delay time after a fixed adjustment interval after adjusting the light, and repeating this process until the measured light level approximately reaches the target light intensity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the light adjusting trigger event further comprises at least one of sensing a light level different from a target light level by an amount that is greater than a threshold difference, or sensing a change in room occupancy state, user input, or a state of emergency.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a light profile, wherein at least one light parameter is included within the light profile, and wherein the target light level is based on at least one of the light parameters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one light parameter that the target light level is based on is established at least in part by a coordinated configuration sequence across many lights in an area.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a light profile, wherein at least one light parameter is included within the light profile, and wherein the threshold difference is based on at least one of the light parameters.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a light profile, wherein at least one light parameter is included within the light profile, and wherein the light parameters are configured such that a light level higher than the target light level is responded to differently than a light level that is lower than the target light level.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the target light level is established by a coordinated configuration sequence across many lights in an area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the light adjusting trigger event further comprises detecting at least one of a change in time of day, a day of a week, a day of a year, a change in weather.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the light adjusting trigger event further comprises receiving a demand response request or a real-time pricing request.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the light only once per the fixed adjustment interval.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising periodically polling throughout the fixed adjustment interval to confirm that a state change that caused the light adjusting trigger event persists.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein if the state change that caused the trigger no longer persists, then initiating a new light triggering event.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a light profile, wherein at least one light parameter is included within the light profile, and wherein the fixed adjustment interval is based on at least one of the light parameters.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the light comprises adjusting a wavelength of light emitted from the light.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a level of ambient light with a light sensor, and sensing occupancy with a motion sensor.

16. A method of controlling a light, comprising:

detecting, by a controller associated with the light, a light adjusting trigger event, comprising sensing a light level change greater than a threshold change;

selecting, by the controller, a random delay time;

adjusting by the controller, the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event;

receiving a light profile, wherein at least one light parameter is included within the light profile;

wherein the threshold change as either a percentage or an absolute value is based on at least one of the light parameters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the light profile is based at least in part on the type of room or area.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising adaptively updating the light profile based at least in part on at least one of a productivity versus efficiency (PVE) scale, a daylight likelihood assessment, time of day, day of week/holidays, weather, emergency, demand response requests, real-time-pricing events.

19. A method of controlling a light, comprising:

detecting, by a controller associated with the light, a light adjusting trigger event, comprising sensing a light level change greater than a threshold change;

selecting, by the controller, a random delay time;

adjusting the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event;

wherein adjusting the light comprises adjusting a light intensity of the light by an increment step, wherein the incremental step is a fraction of a difference between a present light intensity and a target light intensity; and

further comprising;

if the target light intensity is greater than the present light intensity, then adjusting the light intensity at a faster rate if the present light intensity is below an acceptable level, and at a slower rate if the present light intensity is greater than the acceptable level.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising if the target is less than the present light intensity, then adjusting the light intensity at a slower rate.

21. A method of controlling a light, comprising:

detecting, by a controller associated with the light, a light adjusting trigger event, comprising sensing a light level change greater than a threshold change;

selecting, by the controller, a random delay time;

adjusting the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event;

wherein the light is within a fixture, and wherein adjusting the light optionally comprises powering off or powering on one or more lights in the fixture; and

further comprising accommodating light ballasts that are inefficient below a certain percentage brightness, wherein adjusting the light intensity below the certain percentage brightness comprises dimming off one or more lights gradually simultaneously with brightening the remaining lights to achieve the desired adjustment.

22. An independently controllable light, comprising:

a light;

a light sensor; and

a controller interfaced with the light and the light sensor, the controller operative to;

detect a light adjusting trigger event;

select a random delay time;

adjust the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event, and wherein light adjustment includes adjusting a light intensity of the light by an increment step, wherein the incremental step is a fraction of a difference between a present light intensity and a target light intensity;

check a measured light level after adjusting the light, wherein if the measured light level is still less than the target light intensity, then further adjust the light, wherein the further adjusting occurs a new random delay time after a fixed adjustment interval after adjusting the light, and repeating this process until the measured light level approximately reaches the target light intensity.