Tiered sensing and resource allocation system for energy use optimization in commercial buildings

• US 8,981,651 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Askin, Amanda C., Law, Kincho H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zweizig, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/543,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 983 Days
• Field of Search: 315/149, 315/150, 315/151, 315/152, 315/153, 315/155, 315/158, 315/291
• US Class Current: 315/151
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A building lighting control system includes a central building server, distributed zone controllers, and light sensors and control units in each zone. Using occupant lighting preferences, occupancy state, and light levels, each zone controller computes a utility curve which represents the relationship between energy use and service level in the zone. The building server zone receives utility curves from all the zones and allocates energy units to the zones based on the utility curves using a utility-based trading algorithm in order to optimize service levels with minimal energy. Each zone controller then distributes energy to lights in its zone based on energy units allocated to the zone by the building server and based also on influence matrices representing the influences of the lights in the zone upon the sensors in the zone. The building server may also compute and output long-term operational information of the building.

Claims

1. A method for lighting control of a building, the method comprising:

collecting by a zone controller occupant lighting preferences and light levels from light level sensors distributed in a zone;

computing by the zone controller a utility curve for the zone, wherein the utility curve represents the relationship between energy use and service level provided to occupants of the zone;

receiving by a building server zone utility curves from zone controllers distributed throughout the building, wherein the utility curves comprise the utility curve and the zone controllers comprise the zone controller;

allocating energy units by the building server to the zones based on the utility curves using a utility-based trading algorithm in order to optimize service levels with minimal energy;

distributing by the zone controller energy to lights in the zone based on energy units allocated to the zone by the building server and on influence matrices representing the influences of the lights in the zone upon the sensors in the zone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supervising by the building server trading of energy units between the zones as the dynamics of the building change over time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the allocating energy units by the building server to the zones based on the utility curves uses a modified greedy algorithm for an initial allocation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing and outputting by the building server long-term operational information of the building.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing by the building server from the allocated energy units a building energy use utility curve for lighting of the building.