Distributed lighting control of an area

• US 8,816,851 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• 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:
  US13/905,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 340/458, 340/539.22, 340/539.26, 340/539.3, 340/540, 340/541, 340/545.3, 340/551, 340/552, 340/555, 340/561, 315/291, 315307-311, 315149-159, 362/1, 362/2, 362 16- 18
• 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 embodiment includes a lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus includes a light, a sensor associated with the light for sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold, and a controller. The controller is operative to determine if the light is within an area, activate the light at a preselected area light intensity if a light associated with the sensor is within the area and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, and if the light is not within the area, then the light only activates if motion is additionally detected, thereby increasing light intensity over a target area.

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 an area and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold , then activating the light at a preselected area light intensity;

wherein

if the light is not within the area, then the light only activating if motion is additionally detected, thereby increasing light intensity over a target area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preselected area light intensity is greater than a preselected non-area 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 an area and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold , then activating the light at a preselected area light intensity;

the light associated with the sensor determining whether or not it is within the area, comprising the light performing a discovery operation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the discovery operation comprises a controller associated with the sensor tracking the sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold followed by a motion detector associated with the sensor sensing motion within a predetermined amount of time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein tracking comprises iteratively incrementing an area variable when the sensor senses a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold followed by a motion detector associated with the sensor sensing motion within a predetermined amount of time, iteratively decrementing the area variable when the sensor senses a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold which is not followed by a motion detector associated with the sensor sensing motion within the predetermined amount of time, and identifying the light as an area light when the area variable exceeds an area threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the area variable is incremented with a greater value than then area variable is decremented.

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 an area, the controller further operative to activate the light at a preselected area light intensity if a light associated with the sensor is within the area and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, wherein if the light is not within the area, then the light only activating if motion is additionally detected, thereby increasing light intensity over a target area.

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

11. 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 an area, the controller further operative to activate the light at a preselected area light intensity if a light associated with the sensor is within the area and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold;

wherein

the sensor determines whether or not it is within the area, comprising the controller performing a discovery operation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the discovery operation comprises the controller tracking the sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold followed by a motion detector associated with the sensor sensing motion within a predetermined amount of time.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein tracking comprises iteratively incrementing an area variable when the sensor senses a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold followed by a motion detector associated with the sensor sensing motion within a predetermined amount of time, iteratively decrementing the area variable when the sensor senses a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold which is not followed by a motion detector associated with the sensor sensing motion within the predetermined amount of time, and identifying the light as an area light when the area variable exceeds an area threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the area variable is incremented with a greater value than then area variable is decremented.