Load control system having an energy savings mode

• US 9,141,093 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• 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): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US13/848,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 700/278, 160/5, 318/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6818 using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/02 Shutters, movable grilles, or other safety closing devices, e.g. against burglary louvre windows or grilles E06B7/08; lamellar blinds E06B9/26
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/40 Roller blinds usable only as awnings E04F10/06
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/20 Sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/40 Damper positions, e.g. open or closed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• 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 heating and cooling system and a window located in a space of the building is operable to control a motorized window treatment in order to attempt to reduce the power consumption of the heating and cooling system. When the window may be receiving direct sunlight, the motorized window treatment closes a fabric covering the window when the heating and cooling system is cooling the space, and opens the fabric when the heating and cooling system is heating the space. In addition, when the space is unoccupied and the heating and cooling system is heating the space, the motorized window treatment may open the fabric if the window may be receiving direct sunlight, and may close the fabric if the window may not be receiving direct sunlight.

Claims

1. A load control system for a building having a heating and cooling system and a window located in a space of the building, the load control system comprising:

a motorized window treatment comprising a window treatment fabric for covering the window, the motorized window treatment configured to move the fabric;

a controller configured to determine whether the heating and cooling system is heating or cooling the space, the motorized window treatment responsive to the controller;

wherein, when a calculated position of the sun relative to the window defined by a solar elevation angle (θ

_S) above the horizon and a solar azimuth angle (φ

_S) with respect to true north, the position calculated based on the building latitude and longitude and present date and time, indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, the motorized window treatment moves the fabric towards a closed position when the heating and cooling system is cooling the space, and adjusts the fabric to limit a sunlight penetration depth in the space to a maximum penetration depth when the heating and cooling system is heating the space.

2. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the calculated position of the sun, to determine whether the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, and to transmit digital messages to the motorized window treatment, so as to move the fabric of the motorized window treatment towards a closed position when the heating and cooling system is cooling the space and the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, and to move the fabric of the motorized window treatment towards an open position when the heating and cooling system is heating the space and the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight.

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

an occupancy sensor for detecting whether the space is occupied or unoccupied, the controller configured to control the motorized window treatment in response to the occupancy sensor.

4. The load control system of claim 3, wherein, when the space is occupied, the motorized window treatment is configured to move the fabric according to a predetermined timeclock schedule in order to limit the sunlight penetration depth in the space to the maximum penetration depth.

5. The load control system of claim 3, wherein, when the heating and cooling system is cooling the space, the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, and the space is occupied, the motorized window treatment is configured to move the fabric to the fully-closed position.

6. The load control system of claim 3, wherein, when the space is unoccupied and the heating and cooling system is heating the space, the motorized window treatment moves the fabric to the fully-open position when the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, and moves the fabric to the fully-closed position when the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is not receiving direct sunlight.

7. The load control system of claim 3, wherein, when the space is unoccupied, the motorized window treatment is configured to move the fabric to the fully-closed position when the heating and cooling system is cooling the space.

8. The load control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine the calculated position of the sun in response to the present time of the day.

9. The load control system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to determine the calculated position of the sun using the longitude and latitude of the location of the building and an angle of a faç

ade in which the window is located with respect to true north.

10. A method of controlling a motorized window treatment comprising a window treatment fabric for covering a window in a space of the building, the building having a heating and cooling system, the method comprising:

calculating a position of the sun relative to the window defined by a solar elevation angle (θ

_S) above the horizon and a solar azimuth angle (φ

_S) with respect to true north, the step of calculating based on the building latitude and longitude and present date and time;

determining if the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight;

determining whether the heating and cooling system is heating or cooling the space;

adjusting the fabric to limit a sunlight penetration depth in the space to a maximum penetration depth when the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is not receiving direct sunlight and the heating and cooling system is heating the space; and

adjusting the fabric to limit the sunlight penetration depth in the space to an increased maximum penetration depth when the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight and the heating and cooling system is heating the space.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting whether the space is occupied or unoccupied;

moving the fabric to the fully-open position when the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, the heating and cooling system is heating the space, and the space is unoccupied; and

moving the fabric to the fully-closed position when the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is not receiving direct sunlight, the heating and cooling system is heating the space, and the space is unoccupied.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting whether the space is occupied or unoccupied;

opening the fabric when the space is occupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the space, and the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight; and

moving the fabric to the fully-closed position if the heating and cooling system is consuming more energy after the step of opening the fabric in response to the demand response command.

13. A load control system for a building having a heating and cooling system and a window located in a space of the building, the load control system comprising:

a motorized window treatment comprising a window treatment fabric for covering the window, the motorized window treatment configured to move the fabric;

a controller configured to determine whether the heating and cooling system is heating or cooling the space; and

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

wherein, when the space is unoccupied and the heating and cooling system is heating the space, the motorized window treatment moves the fabric towards an open position if a calculated position of the sun relative to the window defined by a solar elevation angle (θ

_S) above the horizon and a solar azimuth angle (φ

_S) with respect to true north, the position calculated based on the building latitude and longitude and present date and time, indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, and moves the fabric towards a closed position if the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is not receiving direct sunlight, and

when the space is occupied, the motorized window treatment is configured to move the fabric according to a predetermined timeclock schedule in order to limit a sunlight penetration depth in the space to a maximum penetration depth.

14. The load control system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to determine the calculated position of the sun, to determine whether the window is receiving direct sunlight, and to transmit digital messages to the motorized window treatment, so as to open the fabric of the motorized window treatment when the space is unoccupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the space, and the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, and to close the fabric of the motorized window treatment when the space is unoccupied, the heating and cooling system is heating the space, and the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is not receiving direct sunlight.

15. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the load control system is responsive to a demand response command.

16. The load control system of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to receive the demand response command and to transmit digital messages to the motorized window treatment in response to receiving the demand response command, so as to close the fabric of the motorized window treatment when the heating and cooling system is cooling the space and the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight, and to open the fabric of the motorized window treatment when the heating and cooling system is heating the space and the calculated position of the sun indicates that the window is receiving direct sunlight.

17. The load control system of claim 15, further comprising:

a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to a lighting load, the lighting control device configured 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.