System and method for shade selection using a fabric brightness factor

• US 8,482,724 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Mechoshade Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Berman, Joel, Berman, Jan, Ramalingam, Muthukumar
• Primary Examiner(s): LAUCHMAN, LAYLA G
• Application Number:
  US13/684,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20130081767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 225 Days
• Field of Search: 356/73, 356/446, 356/448, 356/402, 356/408, 318/480, 318/466
• US Class Current: 356/73
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6818 using sensors
• 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 9/32 Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor operation of tilting bars E06B9/307
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer

Abstract

Brightness factors associated with shade fabric may be utilized when shading a building. A brightness factor may incorporate an openness factor, a visible light reflectance, a diffusion factor, a color, or other characteristics of the shade fabric. The brightness factor may be utilized when selecting a particular shade fabric for a room, building or other location. Additionally, the brightness factor may be utilized by an automated shade control system. The shade fabric selection may affect the building envelope by facilitating the optimization of daylighting, reduction of artificial electric lighting needs, minimization of glare conditions, and reduction of thermal load.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a shade fabric for use in constructing a window covering, wherein the shade fabric is determined based on a brightness factor of the shade fabric, and wherein the brightness factor is based upon an openness factor, a visible light reflectance, and a diffusion factor of the shade fabric; and

placing the window covering between a window and a light source, wherein the window covering is moveable to modify the brightness in a room associated with the window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the shade fabric based on a brightness factor of the shade fabric comprises:

determining an upper bound for the brightness factor of the shade fabric;

determining a lower bound for the brightness factor of a shade fabric; and

selecting, from a fabric selection guide which provides a listing of brightness factor information for various fabrics, the shade fabric having a brightness factor between the upper bound and the lower bound.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating information about the brightness factor of the shade fabric with an automated shade control system such that the automated shade control system moves the window covering based at least in part on the brightness factor of the shade fabric.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising lowering the window covering to reflect a greater portion of light from the interior of the room back into the room.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising aligning the window covering to reflect a greater portion of light from the exterior of the room onto the ceiling of the room.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the shade fabric is determined based on the visible light transmission of the window glass.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the window glass and the shade fabric are determined to achieve a desired net brightness factor for the glass and fabric pairing.

8. A method, comprising:

determining, by a computer for determining an estimated brightness factor for a fabric, an estimated diffusion factor of the fabric based on a CIE xyY x value of the fabric;

determining, by the computer, an estimated openness factor of the fabric based on a CIE xyY y value of the fabric;

determining, by the computer, an estimated visible light reflectance of the fabric based on a CIE xyY Y value of the fabric; and

determining, by the computer, the estimated brightness factor based upon the estimated openness factor, the estimated visible light reflectance, and the estimated diffusion factor.

9. A method, comprising,

deploying at a window, via an automated shade control system, a first shade fabric having a first brightness factor in order to obtain a first desired brightness in a room;

and

deploying at the window, via the automated shade control system and responsive to an event, a second shade fabric having a second brightness factor in order to obtain a second desired brightness in the room.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the event is at least one of:

direct sunlight falling on the window, a cloud obscuring direct sunlight on the window, shadow from an adjacent building falling on the window, or reflected light from an adjacent building falling on the window.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the event is at least one of:

the presence of calculated reflected light on the window, the presence of calculated shadow on the window, the rising of the sun, the setting of the sun, the activation of an emissive display, or an occupant approaching the window.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first brightness factor and the second brightness factor are different.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first desired brightness and the second desired brightness are different.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining, by a computer for determining an estimated brightness factor for a the first shade fabric, an estimated openness factor of the first shade fabric based on a first component of a color space associated with the color of the first shade fabric;

determining, by the computer, an estimated visible light reflectance of the first shade fabric based on a second component of the color space;

determining, by the computer, an estimated diffusion factor of the first shade fabric based on a third component of the color space; and

determining, by the computer, the estimated brightness factor of the first shade fabric based upon the estimated openness factor, the estimated visible light reflectance, and the estimated diffusion factor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising revising the estimated visible light reflectance of the first fabric shade responsive to determining, using a light meter, a measured visible light reflectance of the first shade fabric.

16. A method, comprising:

analyzing a brightness factor of a shade fabric in a window covering; and

moving, by an automated shade control system and based on the brightness factor, the window covering to modify the brightness in a room associated with the window covering.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the brightness factor of the shade fabric is based upon an openness factor, a visible light reflectance, and a diffusion factor of the shade fabric.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the brightness factor of the shade fabric is based upon color space information of the shade fabric.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the color space is at least one of the Munsell color space, the CIE xyY color space, or the CIELAB color space.