Electric load control system including remote override function

• US 8,796,610 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell Lighting Incorporated (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Jonathan D., Hartnagel, Thomas J., Martin, Robert A., Bender, R. Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, THANH X
• Application Number:
  US13/873,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/214.AL, 340/541, 340565-567, 362/641, 362/642
• US Class Current: 250/214.AL
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0403 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements; Scanning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0448 Adjustable, e.g. focussing
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/084 Adjustable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0896 using a light source, e.g. for illuminating a surface
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• 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: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An occupancy sensor with a separable override unit can selectively override the operation of the occupancy sensor at designated times and for selected time intervals. The occupancy sensor includes a light sensor to actuate the occupancy sensor and a light assembly when the ambient light is below a predetermined level and to deactivate the occupancy sensor when the ambient light is above a threshold level. The override unit is provided with a light source, such as an LED, to emit light to actuate the light sensor of the occupancy sensor, thereby controlling the occupancy sensor, such as by preventing the occupancy sensor from being actuated. The occupancy sensor includes a cavity for receiving the override unit with the LED aligned with the light sensor: A control unit is operatively connected to one or more override units for selectively controlling the normal operation of the occupancy sensor.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling at least one electrical load, the control system comprising:

an occupancy sensor unit for detecting motion or presence of an object within a field of view;

a light sensor unit for detecting light;

a sensor processor for operating at least one load in response to the detecting by at least one of the light sensor unit and the occupancy sensor unit;

an override system for transmitting remote signals to the sensor processor according to a communication protocol, the remote signals originating remotely from the occupancy sensor unit, the light sensor unit and the sensor processor, and comprising at least one of command information and data information, wherein the override system comprises an override unit operatively connected to the sensor processor, the override unit transmitting at least one of the remote signals to the sensor processor; and

a control unit in communication with the override unit, wherein the remote signals comprising the at least one of command information and data information are communicated via the override unit from the control unit to the sensor processor,

wherein the control unit is operatively connected to a second light sensor for detecting ambient light and wherein the control unit outputs the remote signal to the override unit to control the sensor processor to operate the at least one load in response to an ambient light level detected by the second light sensor, and

the sensor processor is responsive to at least one of the remote signals for operating the at least one load independent of the detecting by the light sensor unit and the occupancy sensor unit.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein said load comprises a lighting assembly.

3. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensor systems each comprising the sensor processor, the override unit, and at least one of the occupancy sensor unit and the light sensor unit, wherein

said override system further comprises a control unit remote from and in communication with the override unit of at least one of the plurality of sensor systems, and

said remote signals comprising the at least one of command information and data information are communicated from the control unit to the sensor processor via the override unit.

4. A control system of claim 3, wherein

said control unit is in communication with said plurality of sensor systems for selectively sending said remote signals to one or more of the sensor systems, or receiving from one or more of the sensor systems output signals indicative of operation of at least one of the occupancy sensor unit, light sensor unit, and the load, or sending said remote signals to and receiving said output signals from one or more of the sensor systems.

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein

said control unit is in communication with said plurality of sensor systems for selectively sending the remote signals to one or more of the sensor systems.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the sensor systems operates a lighting fixture load, and the sensor processor of the at least one sensor system is configured to selectively turn on, turn off, or not fully energized the lighting fixture load based on the remote signal received from the control unit.

7. A control system of claim 1, wherein

the override unit transmits the at least one of the remote signals to the sensor processor, or receives from the sensor processor at least one output signal indicative of operation of at least one of the occupancy sensor unit, light sensor unit, and the load, or transmits the remote signals to and receives the output signal from the sensor processor.

8. A control system for a load control device comprising:

a housing;

an occupancy sensor unit associated with said housing and adapted for sensing the presence of an object;

a light sensor associated with said housing and adapted for detecting ambient light level;

a first processor associated with said housing and adapted for operating at least one load in response to at least one of the sensing by the occupancy sensor unit and the detecting by the light sensor; and

an override unit operatively connected to the first processor, said override unit configured to receive remote signals originating externally of the housing and comprising at least one of command information and data information, and to output at least one of the remote signals to the first processor,

wherein the override unit includes a second processor configured to receive the remote signals via wired or wireless communication, and to output at least one of the remote signals to the first processor to control actuation of the at least one load,

wherein the override unit further includes an ambient light sensor disposed remotely from the housing, and the second processor outputs a signal indicative of light ;

level detected by the ambient light sensor, and

wherein the first processor is responsive to the at least one of the remote signals for operating the at least one load independent of the sensing by the occupancy sensor unit and the detecting by the light sensor.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein

said override unit is used to deactivate said load.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein

said override unit is removably coupled to said housing.

11. The control system of claim 8, wherein

said override unit is configured to control actuation of said at least one load at selected times and for selected periods of time based on at least one of the remote signals.

12. The control system of claim 8, further comprising

a remote control device located remotely with respect to said housing and said override unit and in communication with said override unit;

wherein

said override unit is configured to receive from the first processor information indicative of an operation of at least one of the occupancy sensor unit, the light sensor, and the at least one load, and

said remote control device is configured for selectively sending said remote signals to said override unit, or selectively receiving output signals from said override unit indicative of said information received from the first processor, or selectively sending said remote signals to and receiving said output signals from said override unit.

13. A control system for a load control device comprising:

a housing;

an occupancy sensor unit associated with said housing and adapted for sensing the presence of an object;

a light sensor associated with said housing and adapted for detecting ambient light level;

a first processor associated with said housing and adapted for operating at least one load in response to at least one of the sensing the occupancy sensor unit and the detecting by the light sensor;

an override unit operatively connected to the first processor, said override unit configured to receive remote signals originating externally of the housing and comprising at least one of command information and data information, and to output at least one of the remote signals to the first processor, wherein the override unit includes a second processor configured to receive the remote signals via wired or wireless communication, and to output at least one of the remote signals to the first processor to control actuation of the at least one load;

a remote control device located remotely with respect to the housing and the override unit and in communication with the override unit, wherein the override unit is configured to receive from the first processor information indicative of an operation of at least one of the occupancy sensor unit, the light sensor, and the at least one load, and the remote control device is configured for selectively sending the remote signals to the override unit, or selectively receiving output signals from the override unit indicative of the information received from the first processor, or selectively sending the remote signals to and receiving the output signals from the override unit; and

a remote ambient light sensor connected to the remote control device and located remotely with respect to the override unit, the remote control device being configured to communicate with the control device to selectively control the actuation of the at least one load in accordance with output signals from the remote ambient light sensor,

wherein the first processor is responsive to the at least one of the remote signals for operating the at least one load independent of the sensing by the occupancy sensor unit and the detecting by the light sensor.