Intelligence in distributed lighting control devices

• US 8,364,325 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Adura Technologies (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huizenga, Charles, Do, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US12/156,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295, 700/291, 700/258, 700/259, 700/286, 700/90, 455/4, 340/825.69, 315/152, 315/153
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit

Abstract

Exemplary systems, methods, and apparatuses for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control are provided. A facility lighting system may be organized into multiple control areas, each of which may include one or more component devices. Each lighting control area may be associated with a control apparatus, which controls the operation of the lighting devices of the associated control area based on various types of signal information. Signal information may include information concerning local conditions or environments, as well as information from a centralized control server. Some embodiments further include monitoring the operation and predicting fault states of the lighting control area.

Claims

1. A method for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the method comprising:

storing in memory of a control device a set of guidelines, each guideline indicating one or more tasks to be performed in response to a set of conditions;

receiving signal information sent over a communication network to the control device, the signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of control areas, the lighting control area comprising one or more lighting devices under control of the control device, the signal information including an environmental condition that may impact a measurement of power usage at the control device;

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor of the control device determines a response to the received signal information, wherein the determination of the response includes;

consulting the set of guidelines stored in memory,

identifying a present condition, the present condition not included in the signal information sent over the communication network, where the present condition may be determined based on one of date, time of day, and schedule,

identifying one or more tasks associated with a set of conditions comprising the environmental condition that may impact the measurement of power usage as indicated by the signal information and the identified present condition, the identification of the one or more tasks based on the set of guidelines; and

directing performance of the one or more tasks identified based on the set of guidelines, wherein performance of the one or more tasks includes adjusting load of the one or more lighting devices within the control area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal information further comprises information based on the environmental condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of guidelines comprises rule-based actuation logic.

4. The method of claim 1, where the signal information further comprises information based on the presence of occupants in the lighting control area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal information further comprises information designated by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal information further comprises information from a control server.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an update to the set of guidelines, the update being sent over the communication network to the control device, and automatically updating the set of guidelines stored in memory in accordance with the received update, wherein identification of the one or more tasks is based on the updated set of guidelines.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks includes monitoring operation of the lighting control area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring operation of the control area further comprises detecting a fault state in one of the lighting devices in the lighting control area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting a fault state in one of the lighting devices in the lighting control area is based on characteristics of an electrical load of the lighting device, the characteristics of the electrical load being identified based on analysis of the operation information regarding the monitored lighting control area.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring operation of the lighting control area further comprises predicting failure in one of the lighting devices in the lighting control area, the prediction based on at least operation information regarding the monitored lighting control area.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring operation of the lighting control area further comprises storing operation information associated with the lighting control area.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing operation information regarding the monitored lighting control area, the operation information being stored in memory of the control device;

processing the operation information to determine a metric based on a number of operating hours, the metric selected from the group consisting of minimum, maximum, and average power usage; and

storing the determined metric in memory of the control device.

14. An apparatus for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a set of guidelines, each guideline indicating one or more tasks to be performed in response to a set of conditions;

a communication interface configured to receive signal information sent over a communication network, the signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of control areas, the signal information including an environmental condition that may impact a measurement of power usage at the control device;

a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor determines a response to the received signal information, wherein the determination of the response includes

consulting the set of guidelines stored in memory,

identifying a present condition, the present condition not included in the signal information sent over the communication network, where the present condition may be determined based on one of date, time of day, and schedule,

identifying one or more tasks associated with a set of conditions comprising the environmental condition that may impact the measurement of power usage as indicated by the signal information and the identified present condition, the identification of the one or more tasks based on the set of guidelines; and

a controller configured to adjust load of one or more lighting devices within the lighting control area in accordance with the one or more identified tasks.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive signal information sent over the communication network from a motion sensor configured to provide signal information concerning presence of an occupant.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive signal information sent over the communication network from a control server.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a timekeeper configured to identify the present condition as determined based on one of date, time of day, and schedule.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive signal information sent over the communication network from a light sensor configured to provide signal information based on a level of light.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereupon executable computing instructions for performing a method comprising:

storing a set of guidelines, each guideline indicating one or more tasks to be performed in response to a set of conditions;

receiving signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of control areas, the lighting control area comprising one or more lighting devices under control of the control device, the signal information including an environmental condition that may impact a measurement of power usage at the control device;

determining a response to the received signal information, wherein the determination of the response includes;

consulting the set of guidelines stored in memory,

identifying present condition, the present condition not included in the signal information sent over the communication network, where the present condition may be determined based on one of date, time of day, and schedule,

identifying one or more tasks associated with a set of conditions comprising the environmental condition that may impact the measurement of power usage as indicated by the signal information and the identified present condition, the identification of the one or more tasks based on the set of guidelines; and

directing performance of the one or more tasks identified based on the set of guidelines, wherein performance of the one or more tasks includes adjusting load of the one or more lighting devices within the control area.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the executable instructions further provide for monitoring operation of the lighting control area.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein monitoring operation of the control area further comprises predicting failure of the lighting control area based on at least operation information.

22. A method for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the method comprising:

storing in memory of a control device a set of rules, each rule indicating one or more tasks to be performed in response to a set of conditions;

receiving signal information sent over a communication network to the control device, the signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of control areas, the lighting control area comprising one or more lighting devices under control of the control device, the signal information including an environmental condition that may impact a measurement of power usage at the control device;

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor of the control device determines a response to the received signal information, wherein the determination of the response includes;

consulting the set of rules stored in memory,

identifying a present condition, the present condition not included in the signal information sent over the communication network, where the present condition may be determined based on one of date, time of day, and schedule,

identifying one or more tasks associated with a set of conditions comprising the environmental condition that may impact the measurement of power usage as indicated by the signal information and the identified present condition, the identification of the one or more tasks based on the set of rules; and

directing performance of the one or more tasks identified based on the set of rules, wherein performance of the one or more tasks includes adjusting load of the one or more lighting devices within the control area.

23. A method for distributed intelligence in facility lighting control, the method comprising:

storing in memory of a control device a set of guidelines, each guideline indicating one or more tasks to be performed in response to a set of conditions;

receiving signal information sent over a communication network to the control device, the signal information concerning a lighting control area in a facilities system comprising a plurality of control areas, the lighting control area comprising one or more lighting devices under control of the control device;

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor of the control device determines a response to the received signal information, wherein the determination of the response includes;

consulting the set of guidelines stored in memory,

identifying a present condition, the present condition not included in the signal information sent over the communication network, where the present condition may be determined based on one of date, time of day, and schedule,

identifying one or more tasks associated with a set of conditions comprising the environmental condition that may impact the measurement of power usage as indicated by the signal information and the identified present condition, the identification of the one or more tasks based on the set of guidelines; and

directing performance of the one or more tasks identified based on the set of guidelines, wherein performance of the one or more tasks includes adjusting load of the one or more lighting devices within the control area.