Modular centralized lighting control system for buildings

• US 9,173,267 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Esi Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Esi Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Picco, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rao, Sheela S
• Application Number:
  US13/065,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20110245938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/28, 700/83, 700/276, 700/277, 700/278, 700/299, 700/302
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting control system for controlling lights of buildings includes a computer server communicating with programmable master interfaces through an Ethernet communication link. The server is programmed to establish control commands responsive to environment status information. The master interfaces communicate through a primary communication link with programmable input devices which include input interfaces and smart switches, and with programmable output devices. The output devices communicate with a master interface through its primary communication link and also communicate with programmable relay/dimmer devices through a secondary communication link. The relay/dimmer devices control building lights responsive to control commands. The input interfaces communicate with a master interface through its primary communication link and also communicate with ambient light/occupancy sensor devices through a secondary communication link. The ambient light/occupancy sensor devices monitor building zones and establish environment status information. The smart switches include a touch screen LCD used by building occupants for also establishing environment status information. The environment status information and control commands are communicated through the interfaces for thereby controlling the building lights. Each of the interfaces and devices are identified with a unique ID established and maintained by the server. Each unique ID is linked to a virtual graphical representation by the server and displayed on a monitor.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling lights within buildings, said control system comprising:

a programmable lighting control server adapted to interface with a user, said server programmed to establish desired control commands, said control commands selected from the group consisting of on, off, dim, and brighten, said control commands adapted to be responsive to user inputs and environment status information, said environmental status information selected from the group consisting of ambient light and room occupancy;

a master interface including at least one programmable microcontroller connected to and communicating with said server;

means for communicating said environment status information and said control commands between said master interface and said server, said master interface connected to and adapted to communicate through a primary communication link;

a configurable input device, said configurable input device selected from the group consisting of a configurable touch screen LCD switch, occupancy sensors, and ambient light sensors, said configurable input device comprising a programmable microcontroller connected to said primary communication link and adapted to communicate with said master interface, said configurable input device further comprising means for monitoring the environment status of a building zone and establishing environment status information, said configurable input device further comprising means for communicating said environment status information between said master interface and said configurable input device through said primary link;

a configurable output device, said configurable output device selected from the group consisting of relays and dimmers, said configurable output device further comprising a programmable microcontroller connected to said primary communication link and adapted to communicate with said master interface, said configurable output device further adapted to control the light in said zone in response to a control command, said control command being communicated between said master interface and said output device through said primary link; and

means to communicate said building zone environment status information between said configurable input device and said master interface and between said master interface and said server, said server further adapted to establish a desired control command responsive to said environment status information; and

means to communicate said control command between said server and said master interface and between said master interface and said configurable output device whereby said light and said zone is controlled in response to said control command.

2. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said output device comprises:

an output interface having a programmable microcontroller connected to said primary communication link and adapted to communicate with said master interface, said control commands being communicated between said output interface and said master interface through said primary link;

said output interface connected to and adapted to communicate through a secondary communication link;

one of a relay or dimmer device having a programmable microcontroller connected to said secondary communication link and adapted to communicate with said output interface, said one of a relay or dimmer device being capable of controlling a light in said zone in response to a control command, said control command being communicated between said output interface and said one of a relay or dimmer device through said secondary link.

3. The lighting control system of claim 2 wherein said output interface includes a touch screen LCD connected to and being controlled by said output interface microcontroller to display information about said one of a relay or dimmer, touch screen input buttons and button descriptions, and wherein said output interface microcontroller is capable of monitoring the status of said input buttons status information being communicated between said output interface and said master interface through said primary link.

4. The lighting control system of claim 2 wherein said output interface includes an LCD connected to and being controlled by said output interface microcontroller to display information about said one of a relay or dimmer, including address information associated with said one of a relay or dimmer.

5. The lighting control system of claim 4, wherein said address information associated with said one of a relay of dimmer is established and maintained by said server, said address information being communicated between said server and said master interface and between said master interface and said output interface through said primary link.

6. The lighting control system of claim 2 wherein each of said master interface, output interface and said one of a relay or dimmer device are identified in the control system with a unique address, said unique addresses being established and maintained by said server and wherein unique addresses are communicated between said server and said master interface, between said master interface and said output interface through said primary link and between said output interface and said of a relay or dimmer device through said secondary link.

7. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said input device comprises:

an input interface having a programmable microcontroller connected to said primary communication link and adapted to communicate with said master interface, said environment status information being communicated between said input interface and said master interface through said primary link;

said input interface connected to and adapted to communicate through a secondary communication link;

an ambient light and occupancy sensor device having a programmable microcontroller connected to said secondary communication link and adapted to communicate with said input interface, said sensor device being capable of monitoring the ambient light and motion in said building zone and establishing environment status information therefrom, said environment status information being communicated between said input interface and said sensor device through said secondary link.

8. The lighting control system of claim 7 wherein said input interface includes a touch screen LCD connected to and being controlled by said input interface microcontroller to display information about said ambient light and occupancy sensor device, touch screen input buttons and button descriptions, and wherein said input interface microcontroller is capable of monitoring the status of said input buttons and establishing environment status information therefrom, said environment status information being communicated between said input interface and said master interface through said primary link.

9. The lighting control system of claim 7 wherein said input interface includes an LCD connected to and being controlled by said input interface microcontroller to display information about said ambient light and occupancy sensor device, including address information associated with said ambient light and occupancy sensor device.

10. The lighting control system of claim 9, wherein said address information associated with said ambient light and occupancy sensor device is established and maintained by said server, said address information being communicated between said server and said master interface and between said master interface and said output interface through said primary link.

11. The lighting control system of claim 7 wherein each of said master interface, input interface and said ambient light and occupancy sensor device are identified in the control system with a unique address, said unique addresses being established and maintained by said server and wherein said unique addresses are communicated between said server and said master interface, between said master interface and said input interface through said primary link and between said input interface and said ambient light and occupancy sensor device through said secondary link.

12. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said input device comprises a smart switch having a programmable microcontroller connected to said primary communication link and adapted to communicate with said master interface, said smart switch having a touch screen LCD connected to and being controlled by said smart switch microcontroller to display touch screen input buttons and button descriptions, and wherein said smart switch microcontroller is capable of monitoring the status of said input buttons and establishing environment status information therefrom, said environment status information being communicated between said smart switch and said master interface through said primary link.

13. The lighting control system of claim 12 wherein each of said master interface and said smart switch are identified in the control system with a unique address, said unique addresses being established and maintained by said server and wherein said unique addresses are communicated between said server and said master interface and between said master interface and said smart switch through said primary link.

14. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said master interface includes a power source connected to and providing power to each of said input device and output device through said primary link in a daisy chain, wherein each of said input device and output device include a voltage monitor capable of monitoring the voltage level and wherein each of said input and output devices monitors its voltage monitor and establishes voltage level information, said voltage level information being communicated between said input devices and said master interfaces through said primary link and between said master interface and said server, and wherein said server creates a graphical representation of the location of said input and output devices by using said voltage level information.

15. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein each of said master interface, input device and said output device are identified in the control system with a unique address, said unique addresses being established and maintained by said server and wherein said unique addresses are communicated between said server and said master interface and between said master interface and said input and output devices through said primary link.

16. The lighting control system of claim 15 wherein said unique addresses are linked to a virtual graphical representation at said server, and said virtual graphical representations are displayed on a monitor connected to said server.

17. The lighting control system of claim 15 wherein said master interface includes a power source connected to and providing power to each of said input device and output device through said primary link in a daisy chain, wherein each of said input device and output device include a voltage monitor capable of monitoring the voltage level and wherein each of said input and output devices monitors its voltage monitor and establishes voltage level information, said voltage level information being communicated between said input devices and said master interfaces through said primary link and between said master interface and said server, and wherein said server creates a graphical representation of the location of said input and output devices by using said voltage level information and said unique addresses of said input and output devices.

18. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said connection and communication between said master interface and said server is via an Ethernet TCP/IP protocols.

19. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said primary link connection and communication between said master interface and said input output devices is via an RS-485 multi drop addressable protocol.

20. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said master interface includes an Ethernet microcontroller and a master microcontroller connected and communicating with each other through a dedicated serial communication link, said Ethernet microcontroller being connected to and communicating with said server through an Ethernet TCP/IP protocol link and said master microcontroller being connected to and communicating with said input and output devices through said primary communication link.