Apparatus and method of energy efficient illumination

• US 8,987,992 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2014
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Imaging Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Express Imaging Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Reed, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMMOND, DEDEI KHALIEAH
• Application Number:
  US14/329,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 315/152
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An illumination system correlates solar time to a clock and controls lighting or illumination based on time. The illumination system may turn ON light source(s) at a first level at a turn ON time, correlated to be around or at dusk, and turn OFF light source(s) at a turn OFF time, correlated to be around or at dawn. The illumination system may reduce a level of light output, and hence power consumption, at a time after turning ON a light source, and increases the level of light output at a time prior to turning OFF the light source. Turn ON, turn OFF, decrease and increase times may be determined based on recent levels of light or illumination in the environment, for example via average or median levels over a number of previous daily cycles. Filtering may eliminate aberrant events.

Claims

1. A method of operating an illumination system, the method comprising:

processing by at least one control system a plurality of samples, each sample including at least information representative of a level of illumination in an environment sensed by at least one sensor at a respective one of a number of times for each of two or more daily cycles prior to a current daily cycle, the processing by the at least one control system including;

determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a first solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on information stored in a nontransitory storage media, the information including;

a first plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a second plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determining, by the control system, an expected time of occurrence of the first solar event for the current daily cycle based at least in part on the determined actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

determining a first illumination adjustment time at which to make a first adjustment to a luminous output provided by at least one illumination source during the current daily cycle, the first illumination adjustment time determined with reference to at least one persistent timekeeping circuit of the at least one control system and the expected time of occurrence of the first solar event for the current daily cycle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle comprises:

determining, by the control system, the actual time of occurrence of at least one of;

a dawn solar event or a dusk solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle comprises:

determining, by the control system, the actual time of occurrence of a solar noon solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle comprises:

determining, by the control system, the actual time of occurrence of a solar midnight solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a second solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles based at least in part on information stored in the nontransitory storage media, the information including;

a third plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a fourth plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determining, by the control system, an expected time of occurrence of the second solar event for the current daily cycle based at least in part on the determined actual time of occurrence of the second solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

determining a second illumination adjustment time at which to make a second adjustment to the luminous output provided by the at least one illumination source during the current daily cycle, the second illumination adjustment time determined with reference to the at least one persistent timekeeping circuit of the at least one control system and the expected time of occurrence of the second solar event for the current daily cycle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle comprises:

determining, by the control system, the actual time of occurrence of at least one of;

a dawn solar event or a dusk solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle comprises:

determining, by the control system, the actual time of occurrence of a solar noon solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle comprises:

determining, by the control system, the actual time of occurrence of a solar midnight solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a first solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on information stored in a nontransitory storage media, the information including:

a first plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a second plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle comprises;

determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a first solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on information stored in a nontransitory storage media, the information including;

a first plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination between an occurrence of a second solar event and the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a second plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination between an occurrence of the first solar event and the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

10. An illumination system, comprising:

an illumination source;

at least one sensor that provides at least one output representative of a level of illumination about the at least one sensor;

at least one control system operably coupled to the illumination source and the at least one sensor;

at least one nontransitory storage media communicably coupled to the at least one control system, the nontransitory storage media including machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the control system, cause the at least one control system to;

store data from a number of samples, each sample including information representative of the level of illumination in an environment sensed by the at least one sensor at a respective one of a number of times for each of two or more daily cycles prior to a current daily cycle, the information including;

a first plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to a first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a second plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determine an actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on the first plurality of samples and the second plurality of samples;

determine an expected time of occurrence of the first solar event for the current daily cycle based at least in part on the determined actual times of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determine an illumination adjustment time at which to adjust a luminous output provided by at least one illumination source during the current daily cycle, the illumination adjustment time determined with reference to at least one persistent timekeeping circuit of the at least one control system and the expected time of occurrence of the first solar event for the current daily cycle.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one control system to determine the actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle cause the at least one control system to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of at least one of;

a dawn solar event or a dusk solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one control system to determine the actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle cause the at least one control system to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of a solar midnight solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one control system to determine the actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle cause the at least one control system to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of a solar noon solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one control system to:

store, in the nontransitory storage media, data from a number of samples, each sample including information representative of the level of illumination in the environment sensed by the at least one sensor at a respective one of a number of times for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle, the information including;

a third plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to a second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a fourth plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determine an actual time of occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on the first plurality of samples and the second plurality of samples;

determine an expected time of occurrence of the second solar event for the current daily cycle based at least in part on the determined actual times of occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to a current daily cycle;

determine an illumination adjustment time at which to adjust the luminous output provided by the at least one illumination source during the current daily cycle, the illumination adjustment time determined with reference to the at least one persistent timekeeping circuit of the at least one control system and the expected time of occurrence of the second solar event for the current daily cycle.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one control system to determine the actual time of occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle, cause the at least one control system to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of at least one of;

a dawn solar event or a dusk solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one control system to determine the actual time of occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle, cause the at least one control system to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of a solar midnight solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one control system to determine the actual time of occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle cause the at least one control system to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of a solar noon solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

18. A lighting device control system, comprising:

at least one processor that includes at least one persistent timekeeping circuit;

at least one signal input interface communicably coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one signal input interface to, in operation, receive at least one signal from a sensor, the received signal including information representative of a level of illumination sensed by the at least one sensor;

at least one signal output interface communicably coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one signal output interface to, in operation, provide at least one control output signal to a power source that provides power to at least one illumination source;

at least one machine-readable, nontransitory, storage media communicably coupled to the at least one processor, the nontransitory, storage media including machine-readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

store information, the information including;

a first plurality of samples received from the at least one sensor via the at least one signal input interface, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to an occurrence of a first solar event for each respective one of two or more daily cycles prior to a current daily cycle; and

a second plurality of samples received from the at least one sensor via the at least one signal input interface, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determine an actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on the stored information including the first plurality of samples and the second plurality of samples;

determine an expected time of occurrence of the first solar event for the current daily cycle based at least in part on the determined actual times of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

determine a first illumination adjustment time at which to adjust a luminous output provided by at least one illumination source during the current daily cycle, the illumination adjustment time determined with reference to the at least one persistent timekeeping circuit and the determined expected time of occurrence of the first solar event for the current daily cycle.

19. The lighting device control system of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

generate a first control signal to adjust the luminous output provided by the at least one illumination source; and

provide the first control signal at the signal output interface at the first illumination adjustment time.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one processor to determine the actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle, cause the at least one processor to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of at least one of;

a dawn solar event or a dusk solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least one processor to determine the actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle, cause the at least one processor to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of a solar midnight solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable instructions that cause the at least processor to determine the actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle, cause the at least one processor to:

determine the actual time of occurrence of a solar noon solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

store information, the information including;

a third plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to an occurrence of a second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a fourth plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determine an actual time of occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on the stored information including the third plurality of samples and the fourth plurality of samples;

determine an expected time of occurrence of the second solar event for the current daily cycle based at least in part on the determined actual times of occurrence of the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

determine a second illumination adjustment time at which to adjust the luminous output provided by the at least one illumination source during the current daily cycle, the illumination adjustment time determined with reference to the at least one persistent timekeeping circuit and the determined expected time of occurrence of the second solar event for the current daily cycle.

24. The lighting device control system of claim 23 wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

generate a second control signal to adjust the luminous output provided by the at least one illumination source; and

provide the second control signal at the signal output interface at the second illumination adjustment time.

25. A method of operating an illumination system, the method comprising:

processing by at least one control system a plurality of samples, each sample including information representative of a level of illumination in an environment sensed by at least one sensor at respective ones of a number of times for each of two or more daily cycles prior to a current daily cycle, the processing by the at least one control system including;

determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a first solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle based at least in part on information stored in a nontransitory storage media, the information including;

a first plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a second plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the first solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determining, by the control system, an actual time of occurrence of a second solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles based at least in part on information stored in the nontransitory storage media, the information including;

a third plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination prior to the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

a fourth plurality of samples, each sample including at least data representative of the level of illumination subsequent to the second solar event for each respective one of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle;

determining, by the control system, an expected time of occurrence of the first solar event based at least in part on the determined actual time of occurrence of the first solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle; and

determining, by the control system, an expected time of occurrence of the second solar event for the current daily cycle based at least in part on the determined actual time of occurrence of the second solar event for each of the two or more daily cycles prior to the current daily cycle.