Automated shade control in connection with electrochromic glass

• US 8,836,263 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Mechoshade Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Berman, Joel, Berman, Jan, Greenspan, Alex, Hebeisen, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US13/656,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20130057937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 318/480, 318/466, 318/468, 318/445, 318/471, 318/286, 318/455, 160/5
• US Class Current: 318/480
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6818 using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6827 sensing light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/04 involving the use of models or simulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/24 Structural elements or technologies for improving thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/00 Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings

Abstract

Automated shade systems may comprise controllers that use algorithms to control operation of the automated shade control system and components thereof, for example window coverings, glass having variable characteristics, and so forth. These algorithms may include information such as: 3-D models of a building and surrounding structures, shadow information, reflectance information, lighting and radiation information, information regarding one or more variable characteristics of glass, clear sky algorithms, log information related to manual overrides, occupant preference information, motion information, real-time sky conditions, solar radiation on a building, a total foot-candle load on a structure, brightness overrides, actual and/or calculated BTU load, time-of-year information, and microclimate analysis.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a glass controller configured to adjust a variable characteristic of a glass; and

a central controller configured to control the glass controller and a motor associated with a window covering, wherein the central controller utilizes a proactive algorithm, and wherein the proactive algorithm incorporates a clear sky algorithm.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the clear sky algorithm is an ASHRAE clear sky algorithm.

3. A system, comprising:

a glass controller configured to adjust a variable characteristic of a glass; and

a central controller configured to control the glass controller and a motor associated with a window covering, wherein the glass is divided into a plurality of bands, and wherein the variable characteristic of the glass may be adjusted independently in each band.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the bands are horizontal.

5. A system, comprising:

a glass controller configured to adjust a variable characteristic of a glass;

a central controller configured to control the glass controller and a motor associated with a window covering;

the motor associated with the window covering; and

at least one of a radiometer or a photometer to detect at least one of lighting information or radiation information.

6. A method, comprising:

modeling, by an automated shade control system, at least a portion of a building and at least a portion of the surroundings of a building to create a shadow model;

using, by the automated shade control system, the shadow model a first time to calculate the presence of calculated shadow at a first location of interest; and

communicating, to a first glass controller, an instruction configured to adjust a variable characteristic of a first glass responsive to the calculated shadow at the first location of interest.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an automated shade control system, an input from at least one of a photosensor or a radiometer;

generating, responsive to the input, a first instruction to a glass controller, the first instruction configured to cause the glass controller to adjust a variable characteristic of a first glass; and

generating, responsive to the input, a second instruction to a motor controller, the second instruction configured to cause the motor controller to adjust the position of a window covering associated with the glass.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first instruction and the second instruction are generated by the automated shade control system via use of a proactive algorithm incorporating a clear sky model.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first instruction and the second instruction are generated responsive to the automated shade control system determining that at least one of an actual British thermal unit (BTU) load on the glass or a calculated BTU load on the glass exceeds a predetermined value.

10. A method, comprising:

modeling, by an automated shade control system, at least a portion of a building and at least a portion of the surroundings of a building to create a reflectance model;

using, by the automated shade control system, the reflectance model a first time to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light at the first location of interest; and

communicating, to a first glass controller, a first instruction configured to adjust a variable characteristic of a first glass responsive to the calculated reflected light at the first location of interest.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, responsive to the automated shade control system determining the existence of a cloudy sky condition, the first instruction is not communicated to the first glass controller.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first instruction is communicated responsive to a measured solar radiation value exceeding 60% of a theoretical clear sky solar radiation value.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating, to the first glass controller, a second instruction configured to adjust the variable characteristic of the first glass responsive to the reflectance model indicating the presence of calculated reflected light at the first location of interest at the same time that a shadow model indicates the presence of calculated shadow at the first location of interest.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the variable characteristic of the first glass is adjusted to reduce the visible light transmission of the glass.

15. A method for controlling a glass having a variable characteristic, the method comprising:

using, by an automated shade control system, information related to at least one of solar penetration through a window or solar load on the window to establish a standard management routine for a glass having a variable characteristic;

receiving, at the automated shade control system, reflectance information indicating the presence of calculated reflected light on the glass; and

overriding, by the automated shade control system, the standard management routine responsive to the presence of calculated reflected light on the glass.

16. A method, comprising:

communicating, to a first glass controller, a first instruction configured to adjust a variable characteristic of a first glass in a first band; and

communicating, to the first glass controller, a second instruction configured to adjust the variable characteristic of the first glass in a second band.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first instruction and the second instruction are generated responsive to at least one of shadow information or reflectance information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first glass comprises a window, wherein the first band comprises an upper portion of the window, and wherein the second band comprises a lower portion of the window.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the variable characteristic is visible light transmission, and wherein the variable light transmission of the second band is higher than the variable light transmission of the first band.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising communicating, to a first motor controller, a first movement request configured to adjust a first window covering associated with the glass.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first instruction and the second instruction are communicated to the first glass controller responsive to an automated shade control system determining the existence of a clear sky condition.