Goal-based control of lighting

• US 8,706,310 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WTEC GmbH
• Original Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barrilleaux, Jonathan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US12/815,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295, 700/9, 700/295.9, 700/291, 362/552, 362/576, 362/466, 362/85
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters

Abstract

A goal-based control system may be provided that controls lighting based on high-level management goals for the operation of a lighting system. The system may include a lighting system model. The system may convert the high-level management goals into low-level device control parameters that include a power level for each respective one of the light fixtures, where the system determines that a modeled operation of each respective one the light fixtures at the power level meets the management goals based on the lighting system model. The system may cause each respective one of the light fixtures to operate at the power level. The system may determine a likelihood of satisfying the management goals.

Claims

1. A goal-based lighting controller, the goal-based lighting controller comprising:

a network interface;

a lighting system model of a lighting system, the lighting system comprising a plurality of individual light fixtures that light a site;

a graphical user interface configured to concurrently graphically display a plurality of management goals for operation of the lighting system, wherein the plurality of management goals that are concurrently graphically displayed comprise two or more of a productivity, maintenance, energy or aesthetics management goal, wherein the plurality of management goals that are concurrently graphically displayed do not identify operational parameters of the individual light fixtures that light the site, the graphical user interface further configured to receive a respective management goal value for a respective one of the two or more management goals for operation of the lighting system, and wherein the respective management goal values also do not identify operational parameters of the individual light fixtures that light the site;

a goal module configured to receive the respective two or more management goal values from the graphical user interface;

a demand model configured to convert the two or more management goal values into a power level for at least one of the individual light fixtures, wherein the demand model determines that a modeled operation of the at least one of the individual light fixtures at the power level indicates the two or more management goal values would be met if the at least one of the individual light fixtures was operated at the power level; and

a hardware interface module in communication with the network interface, wherein the hardware interface module is configured to cause the at least one of the individual light fixtures to operate at the power level.

2. The goal-based lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the management goals include a productivity goal and an energy consumption goal.

3. The goal-based lighting controller of claim 1, further comprising a reverse conversion module configured to determine a likelihood of meeting at least one of the management goals.

4. The goal-based lighting controller of claim 1, further comprising a reverse conversion module configured to determine an actual performance of the lighting system for at least one of the management goals based on sensor data received via the hardware interface module from at least one sensor in the lighting system.

5. The goal-based lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the lighting system model of the lighting system is updated in response to sensor data received from at least one sensor in the lighting system.

6. The goal-based lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the lighting system model of the lighting system determines a value for at least one of the management goals from the power level for at least one of the light fixtures applied to a corresponding goal function, and the management goals are met when the value generated from the corresponding goal function is within a range included in the at least one of the management goal values.

7. The goal-based lighting controller of claim 6, wherein the range included in the at least one of the management goals is based on a maximum of the corresponding goal function.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions executable with a processor, the computer-readable medium comprising:

at least one model of a lighting system, wherein the lighting system includes a plurality of individual light fixtures that light a site;

instructions executable to concurrently graphically display a plurality of management goals for operation of the lighting system, wherein the plurality of management goals that are concurrently graphically displayed comprise two or more of a productivity, maintenance, energy or aesthetics management goal, wherein the plurality of management goals that are concurrently graphically displayed do not identify operational parameters of the individual light fixtures that light the site, the instructions further executable to receive a respective management goal value for a respective one of the two or more management goals for operation of the lighting system, and wherein the respective management goal values also do not identify operational parameters of the individual light fixtures that light the site;

instructions executable to receive the two or more respective management goal values from a user interface;

instructions executable to convert the two or more management goal values into a power level for at least one of the individual light fixtures based on a modeled operation of the lighting system with the at least one model of the lighting system, wherein the instructions executable to convert the two or more management goals are further executable to determine the power level for the at least one of the individual light fixtures such that the two or more management goal values for the modeled operation of the lighting system are satisfied when the at least one of the individual light fixtures is operated at the power level in the modeled operation of the lighting system; and

instructions executable to cause the at least one of the individual light fixtures to be powered at the power level.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one model of the lighting system is executable to predict a plurality of future power levels for the at least one of the individual light fixtures that satisfy the management goal values.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions executable to determine a likelihood that operation of the at least one of the individual light fixtures at the future power levels satisfies the management goal values.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one model of the lighting system includes a business model for at least one of the management goals, a physical model, and a demand model, wherein the physical model includes a model of the site lit by the lighting system and a model of a plurality of devices in the lighting system, and the demand model is executable with the processor to determine when and where in the site light is demanded based on when and where occupants are in the site and on an output of the at least one business model for the at least one of the management goals.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one model of the lighting system includes an adaptive model executable with the processor to determine at least one occupant pattern based on sensor data received from sensors in the lighting system over a period of time, wherein the instructions executable to convert the management goals are further executable to alter conversion of the management goals based on the at least one occupant pattern.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions executable to update the at least one model of the lighting system in response to data received from sensors and input devices in the lighting system.

14. A computer-implemented method to control lighting, the computer-implemented method comprising:

concurrently graphically displaying a plurality of management goals for operation of a lighting system that lights a site, wherein the plurality of management goals that are concurrently graphically displayed comprise two or more of a productivity, maintenance, energy or aesthetics management goal and wherein the plurality of management goals that are concurrently graphically displayed do not identify operational parameters of individual light fixtures that light the site;

receiving a respective management goal value for a respective one of the two or more management goals for operation of the lighting system, wherein the respective management goal values also do not identify operational parameters of the individual light fixtures that are associated with the site;

providing at least one predictive model configured to convert the two or more management goal values into a power level for at least one of the individual light fixtures;

converting the two or more management goal values into the power level for the at least one of the individual light fixtures with a processor, wherein converting the two or more management goal values includes determining the at least one predictive model indicates the two or more management goal values are met with a modeled operation of the at least one of the individual light fixtures at the power level; and

causing the at least one of the individual light fixtures to be powered at the power level with the processor.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising determining a likelihood of satisfying at least one of the management goal values with the processor and causing the likelihood of satisfying the at least one of the management goal values to be displayed.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising receiving a change to at least one of the management goal values and re-converting the management goal values into an updated power level for at least of the individual light fixtures.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining at least one occupancy pattern over time based on sensor data received from the lighting system;

transmitting a pattern log determined from the at least one occupancy pattern to a system supplier model; and

updating the at least one predictive model from an updated predictive model received from the system supplier model.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, the at least one predictive model including an aesthetic model and a maintenance model.