Method of automatically controlling a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions
First Claim
1. A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a faç
- ade of the building to control a sunlight penetration distance in the space, the method comprising;
building a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including at least first and second consecutive timeclock events having respective first and second event times spaced apart by at least a desired minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events;
calculating optimal positions of the motorized window treatment at a plurality of different times between the start time and the end time that will ensure that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance at the plurality of different times between the start time and the end time;
using the optimal positions to determine, for the first timeclock event, a first event position to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the first event time, such that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance between the first and second event times;
using the optimal positions to determine, for the second timeclock event, a second event position to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the second event time; and
automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the first and second event positions at the first and second event times, respectively;
wherein the first and second event positions are the same position if the first and second timeclock events are located within a flat region of the optimal positions during which the optimal positions do not change in value for at least the minimum time period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A load control system provides for automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building in order to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space and minimize occupant distractions. The load control system automatically generates a timeclock schedule having a number of timeclock events for controlling the position of the motorized window treatment during the present day. A user is able to select a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. In addition, a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule may also be entered. The load control system uses these inputs to determine event times and corresponding positions of the motorized window treatment for each timeclock event.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a faç
- ade of the building to control a sunlight penetration distance in the space, the method comprising;
building a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including at least first and second consecutive timeclock events having respective first and second event times spaced apart by at least a desired minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events; calculating optimal positions of the motorized window treatment at a plurality of different times between the start time and the end time that will ensure that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance at the plurality of different times between the start time and the end time; using the optimal positions to determine, for the first timeclock event, a first event position to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the first event time, such that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance between the first and second event times; using the optimal positions to determine, for the second timeclock event, a second event position to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the second event time; and automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the first and second event positions at the first and second event times, respectively; wherein the first and second event positions are the same position if the first and second timeclock events are located within a flat region of the optimal positions during which the optimal positions do not change in value for at least the minimum time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- ade of the building to control a sunlight penetration distance in the space, the method comprising;
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9. A load control system comprising a motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a faç
- ade of the building to control a sunlight penetration distance in the space, the load control system comprising;
a central controller operatively coupled to the motorized window treatment, the central controller operable to transmit digital commands to the motorized window treatment, the controller further operable to build a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including at least first and second consecutive timeclock events having respective first and second event times spaced apart by at least a desired minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events; calculate optimal positions of the motorized window treatment at a plurality of different times between the start time and the end time to ensure that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance at the plurality of different times between the start time and the end time; use the optimal positions to determine, for the first timeclock event, a first event position to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the first event time, such that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance between the first and second event times; and automatically adjust the position of the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the first and second event positions at the first and second event times, respectively; wherein if the first and second timeclock events are located within a flat region of the optimal positions during which the optimal positions do not change in value for at least the minimum time period, the central controller maintains the position of the motorized window treatment at the first event position at the second event time. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- ade of the building to control a sunlight penetration distance in the space, the load control system comprising;
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21. A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a faç
- ade of the building to control a sunlight penetration distance in the space, the method comprising;
receiving a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a desired minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events; building a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including a number of timeclock events having respective event times spaced apart such that at least the minimum time period exists between the event times of any two consecutive timeclock events; calculating optimal positions of the motorized window treatment at a plurality of different times between the start time and the end time that ensure that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance at the plurality of different times between the start time and the end time; using the optimal positions to determine for each of the timeclock events a respective event position to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the respective event time, such that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for all of the events between the start time and the end time; and automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the respective position of each of the timeclock events at the respective event time; wherein if the optimal positions of the motorized window treatment are characterized by a flat region during which the optimal positions do not change in value for at least the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events, the position of the motorized window treatment is controlled to a constant position for an amount of time greater than the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- ade of the building to control a sunlight penetration distance in the space, the method comprising;
Specification