Load control system having an energy savings mode

• US 8,901,769 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Altonen, Gregory, Fricke, William Bryce, Jacoby, Elliot G., Pessina, Michael W., Zaharchuk, Walter S., Spira, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/845,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20110031806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 307/31, 307/32
• US Class Current: 307/31
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A load control system for a building having a lighting load, a window, and a heating and cooling system comprises a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, a daylight control device, such as a motorized window treatment, for adjusting the amount of natural light to be admitted through a window, and a temperature control device for controlling a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building. The load control system may also comprise a controllable electrical receptacle for turning on and off a plug-in electrical load connected thereto. The lighting control device, the daylight control device, the temperature control device, and the controllable receptacle are controlled so as to decrease a total power consumption of the load control system in response to a received demand response command.

Claims

1. A load control system for a building having a lighting load located in a space of the building, a heating and cooling system, and a window located in the space of the building, the load control system responsive to a demand response command, the load control system comprising:

a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, the lighting control device operable to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the lighting load;

a daylight control device for controlling the amount of natural light to be admitted through the window, the daylight control device operable to decrease the amount of natural light admitted through the window in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system; and

a temperature control device for controlling a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building, the temperature control device operable to adjust the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system;

further comprising a controller coupled to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via a communication link, the controller operable to receive the demand response command and to transmit at least one digital message to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via the communication link in response to receiving the demand response command;

wherein the lighting control device decreases the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, the daylight control device decreases the amount of natural light admitted through the window, and the temperature control device adjusts the setpoint temperature in the building in response to receiving the at least one digital message from the controller;

wherein the temperature control device, in response to the at least one digital message, automatically increases the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system, and decreases the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system;

further wherein, immediately after the load control system is installed and powered for the first time, the lighting control device is operable to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load by a predetermined percentage in response to the at least one digital message, the daylight control device is operable to move to a fully-closed position whereby the window is covered in response to the at least one digital message, and the temperature control device is operable to increase the setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building, and to decrease the setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently building.

2. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the daylight control device comprises a motorized window treatment having a window treatment fabric for covering the window, the motorized window treatment operable to move the fabric between a fully-open position in which the window is not covered and a fully-closed position in which the window is covered, the motorized window treatment operable to adjust the position of the fabric in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system.

3. The load control system of claim 2, further comprising:

an occupancy sensor for detecting whether the space is occupied or unoccupied.

4. The load control system of claim 3, wherein, when the space is unoccupied and the heating and cooling system is heating the building, the motorized window treatment moves the fabric to the fully-open position if the window may be receiving direct sunlight, and moves the fabric to the fully-closed position if the window may not be receiving direct sunlight.

5. The load control system of claim 4, wherein the motorized window treatment lowers the fabric to the fully-closed position when the space is unoccupied and the heating and cooling system is cooling the building.

6. The load control system of claim 3, wherein the motorized window treatment moves the fabric according to a predetermined timeclock schedule in order to limit a sunlight penetration depth in the space to a maximum penetration depth when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is cooling the building, and the window may not be receiving direct sunlight.

7. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the motorized window treatment moves the fabric to the fully-closed position when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is cooling the building, and the window may be receiving direct sunlight.

8. The load control system of claim 3, further comprising:

a daylight sensor for measuring an ambient light intensity in the space;

wherein, when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the room may not be receiving direct sunlight, the controller is operable to;

control the motorized window treatment to move the fabric to a position above the fully-closed position in response to the demand response command;

determine if the lighting load is consuming less energy when the fabric of the motorized window treatment is at the position above the fully-closed position than the lighting load would consume if the motorized window treatment was at the fully-closed position; and

move the fabric to the fully-closed position if the lighting load is not consuming less energy when the fabric of the motorized window treatment is at the position above the fully-closed position.

9. The load control system of claim 3, wherein, when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the room may be receiving direct sunlight, the motorized window treatment is operable to raise the fabric from an initial position to allow more sunlight to enter the space in response to the demand response command when the heating and cooling system is heating the building, the motorized window treatment operable to lower the fabric if the heating and cooling system is consuming more energy than when the fabric was in the initial position.

10. The load control system of claim 2, wherein, when the window may be receiving direct sunlight, the motorized window treatment lowers the fabric in response to the demand response command when the heating and cooling system is cooling the building, and raises the fabric in response to the demand response command when the heating and cooling system is heating the building.

11. The load control system of claim 2, the motorized window treatment operable to move the fabric to the fully-closed position in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system.

12. The load control system of claim 2, the motorized window treatment comprises one of a motorized roller shade, a tensioned roller shade system, a motorized drapery, and a motorized roman shade.

13. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the demand response command comprises one of a plurality of demand response levels, the controller responsive to the demand response levels to provide a respective plurality of energy savings levels of the load control system.

14. The load control system of claim 13, wherein each successive demand response level further causes the controller to reduce the total power consumption of the load control system.

15. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the demand response command comprises a planned demand response command indicating an upcoming planned demand response event, and the controller transmits the digital messages to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming demand response event.

16. The load control system of claim 15, wherein the controller is operable to decrease the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming planned demand response event when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building, and increase the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming planned demand response event when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building.

17. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the demand response command comprises an immediate demand response command, and the controller transmits the digital messages to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device immediately after receiving the immediate demand response command.

18. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the communication link comprises a wireless communication link.

19. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the communication link comprises a wired communication link.

20. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the demand response command comprises one of a plurality of energy-savings presets, the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device responsive to the plurality of energy-savings presets to provide a respective plurality of energy savings levels of the load control system.

21. The load control system of claim 20, further comprising:

a button adapted to be actuated by a user for manually selecting one of the plurality of energy-saving presets.

22. The load control system of claim 21, wherein the button is provided on the lighting control device.

23. The load control system of claim 21, wherein the button is provided on the temperature control device.

24. The load control system of claim 21, wherein the button is provided on a keypad coupled to the communication link.

25. The load control system of claim 21, further comprising:

a demand response orchestrating device for receiving the demand response command, the button provided on the demand response orchestrating device for selecting one of the plurality of energy-saving presets.

26. The load control system of claim 20, further comprising:

an occupancy sensor for detecting an occupancy condition in the building;

wherein the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device are adapted to operate according to one of the energy-saving presets in response to the occupancy sensor.

27. The load control system of claim 20, further comprising:

a daylight sensor for measuring an ambient light intensity in the building;

wherein the daylight control device is adapted to adjust the amount of natural light to be admitted through the window in response to the daylight sensor as part of one of the energy-saving presets.

28. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control device, in response to the demand response command, automatically increases the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system during a first portion of a year so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system, and decreases the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system during a second portion of the year so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system.

29. The load control system of claim 28, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via a communication link, the controller operable to receive the demand response command and to transmit digital messages to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via the communication link in response to receiving the demand response command;

wherein the lighting control device decreases the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, the daylight control device controls the amount of natural light to be admitted through the window, and the temperature control device adjusts the setpoint temperature in the building in response to receiving the digital messages from the controller.

30. The load control system of claim 29, wherein the controller comprises an astronomical timeclock for determining whether a present time of the year is during the first portion of the year or the second portion of the year.

31. The load control system of claim 29, wherein the controller is coupled to the Internet for determining whether a present time of the year is during the first portion of the year or the second portion of the year.

32. The load control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controllable switching device for turning an electrical load on and off, the controllable switching device operable to turn off the electrical load in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the load control system.

33. The load control system of claim 32, wherein the electrical load comprises a plug-in load and the controllable switching device comprises a controllable electrical receptacle having an electrical output adapted to have the plug-in load connected thereto, the controllable electrical receptacle operable to turn off the plug-in load in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the load control system.

34. The load control system of claim 32, wherein the electrical load comprises a plug-in load and the controllable switching device comprises a plug-in load control device adapted to be plugged into a standard electrical receptacle, the plug-in load control device having an electrical output adapted to have the plug-in load connected thereto, the plug-in load control device operable to turn off the plug-in load in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the load control system.

35. The load control system of claim 32, wherein the controllable switching device comprises a controllable circuit breaker.

36. A load control system for a building having a lighting load located in a space of the building, a heating and cooling system, and a window located in the space of the building, the load control system responsive to a demand response command, the load control system comprising:

a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, the lighting control device operable to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the lighting load;

a daylight control device for controlling the amount of natural light to be admitted through the window, the daylight control device operable to decrease the amount of natural light admitted through the window in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system; and

a temperature control device for controlling a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building, the temperature control device operable to adjust the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system in response to the demand response command so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system;

wherein the temperature control device, in response to the demand response command, automatically increases the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system, and decreases the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system;

further comprising;

a controller coupled to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via a communication link, the controller operable to receive the demand response command and to transmit at least one digital message to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via the communication link in response to receiving the demand response command;

wherein the lighting control device decreases the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, the daylight control device decreases the amount of natural light admitted through the window, and the temperature control device adjusts the setpoint temperature in the building in response to receiving the at least one digital message from the controller;

wherein the daylight control device comprises a motorized window treatment having a window treatment fabric for covering the window, the motorized window treatment operable to move the fabric between a fully-open position in which the window is not covered and a fully-closed position in which the window is covered, the motorized window treatment operable to adjust the position of the fabric in response to the at least one digital message so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system;

further wherein, immediately after the load control system is installed and powered for the first time, the lighting control device is operable to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load by approximately 20% in response to the at least one digital message, the motorized window treatment is operable to move the fabric to the fully-closed position in response to the at least one digital message and the temperature control device is operable to increase the setpoint temperature by approximately 2°

F. in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building, and to decrease the setpoint temperature by approximately 2°

F. in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building.

37. A load control system for a building having a lighting load, a window, and a heating and cooling system, the load control system comprising:

a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load;

a motorized window treatment comprising a window treatment fabric for covering the window, the motorized window treatment operable to move the fabric between a fully-open position in which the window is not covered and a fully-closed position in which the window is covered;

a temperature control device for controlling a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building; and

a controller coupled to the lighting control device, the motorized window treatment, and the temperature control device via a communication link, the controller operable to receive a demand response command and to transmit at least one digital message to the lighting control device, the motorized window treatment, and the temperature control device via the communication link in response to receiving the demand response command;

wherein the lighting control device is operable to automatically decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load so as to decrease the power consumption of the lighting load in response to receiving the at least one digital message from the controller, the motorized window treatment is operable to automatically move the fabric to the fully-closed position so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to receiving the at least one digital message from the controller, and the temperature control device is operable to automatically increase the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system during a first portion of the year and decrease the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system during a second portion of the year so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to receiving the at least one digital message from the controller;

further wherein, immediately after the load control system is installed and powered for the first time, the lighting control device is operable to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load by a predetermined percentage in response to the at least one digital message, the motorized window treatment is operable to move the fabric to the fully-closed position in response to the at least one digital message, and the temperature control device is operable to increase the setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building, and to decrease the setpoint temperature by the predetermined amount in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building.

38. A method of controlling the amount of power delivered to a lighting load located in a space of a building, the amount of natural light admitted through a window located in the space, and a setpoint temperature of a heating and cooling system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a load control system that receives a demand response command and controls a lighting control device that controls the lighting load, a motorized window treatment for the window and a temperature control device to get the set-point temperature of the heating and cooling system;

receiving the demand response command at the load control system;

adjusting the amount of power delivered to the lighting load with the lighting control device so as to decrease the power consumption of the lighting load in response to receiving the demand response command;

decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window with the motorized window treatment so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to receiving the demand response command; and

adjusting the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system with the temperature control device so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to receiving the demand response command;

further comprising installing and powering the load control system, and immediately after being installed and powered for the first time, operating the load control system so as to control the lighting control device to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load by a predetermined percentage in response to the demand response command, control the motorized window treatment to move the fabric to the fully-closed position in response to the demand response command, and control the temperature control device to increase the setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount in response to the demand response command when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building, and to decrease the setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount in response to the demand response command when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

detecting whether the space is occupied or unoccupied; and

determining if the window may be receiving direct sunlight;

wherein decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window further comprises decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window in response to whether the space is occupied or unoccupied, or whether the window may or may not be receiving direct sunlight.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

increasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window when the space is unoccupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the window may be receiving direct sunlight; and

decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window when the space is unoccupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the window may not be receiving direct sunlight.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window when the space is unoccupied and the heating and cooling system is cooling the building.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

controlling the amount of natural light admitted through the window according to a predetermined timeclock schedule in order to limit a sunlight penetration depth in the space to a maximum penetration depth when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is cooling the building, and the window may not be receiving direct sunlight.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is cooling the building, and the window may be receiving direct sunlight.

44. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

measuring an ambient light intensity in the space;

allowing some amount of natural light admitted through the window in response to the demand response command when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the room may not be receiving direct sunlight;

determining if the lighting load is consuming less energy when some amount of natural light is allowed to be admitted through the window than the lighting load would consume if no natural light was admitted through the window; and

allowing no natural light admitted through the window if the lighting load is not consuming less energy when some amount of natural light is allowed to be admitted through the window.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

increasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window in response to the demand response command when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the window may be receiving direct sunlight; and

decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window if the heating and cooling system is consuming more energy after the step of increasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window in response to the demand response command.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the demand response command comprises a planned demand response command indicating an upcoming planned demand response event, the method further comprising the steps of:

decreasing the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming planned demand response event when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building; and

increasing the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming planned demand response event when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the setpoint temperature is increased or decreased to pre-condition the building immediately after receiving the planned demand response command.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the setpoint temperature is increased or decreased to pre-condition the building at a pre-condition time after the time when the planned demand response command.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

adjusting the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window, and adjusting the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system so as to decrease the power consumption of the load control system at a start time after the time at which the planned demand response command is received by the controller.

50. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

increasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window when the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the window may be receiving direct sunlight; and

decreasing the amount of natural light admitted through the window when the heating and cooling system is heating the building, and the window may not be receiving direct sunlight.

51. The method of claim 38, further comprising the steps of:

providing a motorized window treatment having a window treatment fabric adapted to hang in front of the window, so as to control the amount of natural light to be admitted through the window; and

moving the fabric of the motorized window treatment to a fully-closed position so as to decrease the amount of natural light to be admitted through the window and to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to receiving the demand response command.

52. The method of claim 38, wherein adjusting the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system further comprises automatically increasing the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system, and automatically decreasing the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system.

53. A load control system for a building having a lighting load located in a space of the building, a heating and cooling system, and a window located in the space of the building, the load control system responsive to a demand response command, the load control system comprising:

a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load;

a motorized window treatment comprising a window treatment fabric for covering the window;

a temperature control device for controlling a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building; and

a controller coupled to the lighting control device, the motorized window treatment, and the temperature control device via a communication link, the controller operable to receive the demand response command and to transmit at least one digital message to the lighting control device, the motorized window treatment, and the temperature control device via the communication link in response to receiving the demand response command;

wherein, immediately after the load control system is installed and powered for the first time, the lighting control device is operable to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load by a predetermined percentage in response to the at least one digital message, the motorized window treatment is operable to move the fabric to the fully-closed position in response to at least one digital message, and the temperature control device is operable to increase the setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building, and to decrease the setpoint temperature by the predetermined amount in response to the at least one digital message when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building;

further wherein the demand response command comprises a planned demand response command indicating an upcoming planned demand response event, the controller transmitting the at least one second digital message to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming demand response event in response to the planned demand response command.

54. The load control system of claim 53, wherein the controller is operable to decrease the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming planned demand response event when the heating and cooling system is presently cooling the building, and increase the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building prior to the upcoming planned demand response event when the heating and cooling system is presently heating the building.

55. The load control system of claim 54, wherein the controller adjusts the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building immediately after receiving the planned demand response command.

56. The load control system of claim 54, wherein the controller adjusts the setpoint temperature to pre-condition the building at a pre-condition time after the time when the planned demand response command.

57. The load control system of claim 54, wherein the planned demand response event begins at a start time after the time at which the planned demand response command is received by the controller, the controller operable to transmit digital messages to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device to reduce the total power consumption of the load control system at the start time after the time at which the planned demand response command is received by the controller.