Distributed lighting control of a corridor or open areas

• US 8,493,209 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Robotics, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Enlighted, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mohan, Tanuj, Ashar, Premal
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyet Thi
• Application Number:
  US12/878,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 315/246, 315/247, 315/219, 315/209.R, 315274-289, 315/291, 315307-326, 340/539.3, 340/539.26, 340/541, 340/693.3, 340/693.4
• US Class Current: 340/539.3
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses of distributed lighting control are disclosed. One method includes a sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold. If a light associated with the sensor is within a corridor and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, then the light is activated at a preselected corridor light intensity. If the light associated with the sensor is not within a corridor and the sensed change of light per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, then the light is activated at a preselected non-corridor light intensity. For an embodiment, the preselected corridor light intensity is greater than the preselected non-corridor light intensity.

Claims

1. A method of distributed lighting control, comprising:

a sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold;

if a light associated with the sensor is within a corridor and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, then activating the light at a preselected corridor light intensity;

if the light associated with the sensor is not within a corridor and the sensed change of light per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, then activating the light at a preselected non-corridor light intensity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preselected corridor light intensity is greater than the preselected non-corridor light intensity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the light only activating if within a predetermined amount of time before the sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold, a level light intensity sensed by the sensor is below an initial threshold.

4. A method of distributed lighting control, comprising:

a sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold;

if a light associated with the sensor is within a corridor and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, and if within a predetermined amount of time before the sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold, a level light intensity sensed by the sensor is below an initial threshold, then activating the light at a preselected corridor light intensity;

if the light associated with the sensor is not within a corridor and the sensed change of light per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, then activating the light at a preselected non-corridor light intensity, wherein

the preselected corridor light intensity is greater than the preselected non-corridor light intensity.

5. A system for distributed lighting control, comprising:

a light;

means for the determining if the light is within a corridor;

a sensor associated with the light for sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold;

a controller associated with the light and the sensor, the controller operative to activate the light at a preselected corridor light intensity if a light associated with the sensor is within a corridor and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, and the controller operative to activate the light at a preselected non-corridor light intensity if the light associated with the sensor is not within a corridor and the sensed change of light per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the preselected corridor light intensity is greater than the preselected non-corridor light intensity.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising the controller only activating the light if within a predetermined amount of time before the sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold, a level light intensity sensed by the sensor is below an initial threshold.

8. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a light;

a sensor associated with the light for sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold;

a controller, the controller operative to determine if the light is within a corridor, the controller further operative to activate the light at a preselected corridor light intensity if a light associated with the sensor is within a corridor and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, and the controller operative to activate the light at a preselected non-corridor light intensity if the light associated with the sensor is not within a corridor and the sensed change of light per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the preselected corridor light intensity is greater than the preselected non-corridor light intensity.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising the controller only activating the light if within a predetermined amount of time before the sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold, a level light intensity sensed by the sensor is below an initial threshold.