Method and apparatus for adjusting an ambient light threshold

• US 9,084,310 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Bedell, Ryan S., Steiner, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US13/492,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• 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

A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load includes a controller, an actuator for turning the electrical load on and off, an occupancy detection circuit, and an ambient light detector. The load control device automatically turns on the electrical load in response to the presence of an occupant only if the detected ambient light is below a predetermined ambient light level threshold. After first detecting the presence of an occupant, the load control device monitors actuations of the actuator to determine whether a user has changed the state of the load. The load control device automatically adjusts the predetermined ambient light level threshold in response to the user actuations that change the state of the load.

Claims

1. A method for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the method comprising:

detecting an occupancy condition;

comparing a measured ambient light level to a first value of an ambient light level threshold;

controlling the power delivered to the electrical load in response to detecting the occupancy condition and comparing the measured ambient light level;

receiving an actuation to change a state of the electrical load after controlling the power; and

adjusting the ambient light level threshold to a second value in response to receiving the actuation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the measured ambient light level exceeds the first value of the ambient light level threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the power further comprises:

maintaining the electrical load in an off state.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

turning the electrical load on in response to receiving the actuation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting the ambient light level threshold further comprises:

increasing the ambient light level threshold from the first value to the second value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the measured ambient light level does not exceed the first value of the ambient light level threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein controlling the power further comprises:

automatically turning the electrical load on.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

turning the electrical load off in response to receiving the actuation.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein adjusting the ambient light level threshold further comprises:

decreasing the ambient light level threshold from the first value to the second value.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a second occupancy condition; and

comparing the measured ambient light level to the second value of the ambient light level threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the ambient light level threshold further comprises:

calculating a difference between the measured ambient light level and the first value of the ambient light level threshold; and

using the calculated difference to adjust the ambient light level threshold from the first value to the second value.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

multiplying the calculated difference by a scaling factor; and

adjusting a value of the measured ambient light level by the product of the calculated difference and the scaling factor to generate an adjusted value of the ambient light level threshold;

wherein the adjusted value of the ambient light level threshold is used to adjust the ambient light level threshold from the first value to the second value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjusted value of the ambient light level threshold is the second value of the ambient light level threshold.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

digitally filtering the adjusted value of the ambient light level threshold to generate the second value of the ambient light level threshold.

15. A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling power delivered to the load, the load control device comprising:

a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled between the source and the load for controlling the power delivered to the load;

a controller operatively coupled to the controllably conductive device for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive;

an actuator operatively coupled to the controller such that the controller is operable to render the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive in response to actuations of the actuator;

an occupancy detection circuit for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant, the occupancy detection circuit operatively coupled to the controller; and

an ambient light detector for measuring an ambient light level, the ambient light detector operatively coupled to the controller, the controller operable to compare a measured ambient light level to an ambient light level threshold, the controller further operable to render the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive in response to the occupancy detection circuit and the comparison of the measured ambient light level to the ambient light level threshold;

wherein the controller is further operable to automatically adjust the ambient light level threshold in response to detecting an actuation of the actuator that occurs after detecting the presence of an occupant.

16. The load control device of claim 15, wherein the controller is operable to render the controllably conductive device conductive in response to detecting the presence of an occupant and determining that a measured ambient light level does not exceed a first value of the ambient light level threshold.

17. The load control device of claim 16, wherein in response to receiving an actuation to render the controllably conductive device non-conductive, the controller is operable to decrease the ambient light level threshold to a second value less than the first value.

18. The load control device of claim 15, wherein the controller is operable to maintain the controllably conductive device non-conductive in response to detecting the presence of an occupant and determining that the measured ambient light level does exceed a first value of the ambient light level threshold.

19. The load control device of claim 18, wherein in response to receiving an actuation to render the controllably conductive device conductive, the controller is operable to increase the ambient light level threshold to a second value greater than the first value.

20. A load control system for controlling power delivered to a load, the load control system comprising:

at least one actuator operable to receive actuations to turn the load on or off in response to the actuations;

an occupancy detector for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant;

an ambient light detector for measuring an ambient light level;

a controller operable to respond to actuations of the actuator, the controller configured to compare a measured ambient light level to an ambient light level threshold; and

a load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and the load for controlling the power delivered to the load in response to the controller;

wherein the controller is operable to control the load control device in response to the occupancy detector and the comparison of the measured ambient light level to the ambient light level threshold, the controller further operable to automatically adjust the ambient light level threshold in response to detecting an actuation of the actuator that occurs after detecting the presence of an occupant.

21. The load control system of claim 20, wherein the controller is operable to control the load control device to deliver power to the load in response to detecting the presence of an occupant and determining that a measured ambient light level does not exceed a first value of the ambient light level threshold.

22. The load control system of claim 21, wherein in response to receiving an actuation to turn off the load, the controller is operable to decrease the ambient light level threshold to a second value less than the first value.

23. The load control system of claim 20, wherein the controller is operable to control the load control device to maintain the load off in response to detecting the presence of an occupant and determining that the measured ambient light level does exceed a first value of the ambient light level threshold.

24. The load control system of claim 23, wherein in response to receiving an actuation to turn on the load, the controller is operable to increase the ambient light level threshold to a second value greater than the first value.