Light controller

• US 9,609,721 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2016
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hutz, David James, Lutes, Robert Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Don
• Application Number:
  US15/178,031
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 315/294
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• 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: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for performing actions based on a determined relative composition of light. In some implementations, data representing an amount of ambient light detected within the portion of the property by a light sensor located at the portion of the property is initially obtained. Data indicating (i) a shape of an optical spectra for a natural light source, and (ii) a shape of an optical spectra for a non-natural light source is then obtained. A relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property is determined. An estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property is then determined. In response, the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property is adjusted.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more computers, the method comprising:

obtaining data representing an amount of ambient light detected within the portion of the property by a light sensor located at the portion of the property;

obtaining data indicating (i) a shape of an optical spectra for a natural light source, and (ii) a shape of an optical spectra for a non-natural light source;

determining a relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based at least on (i) the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source;

determining an estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property based on the amount of ambient light detected within the portion of the property and the determined relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property;

determining to adjust an amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property based on the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property; and

in response to determining to adjust the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property based on the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property, adjusting the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-natural light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED), a high-intensity discharge (HID) bulb, an incandescent bulb, or a fluorescent bulb.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to adjust an amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises determining that the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property satisfies a predetermined threshold for amount of natural light within the portion of the property.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises transmitting an instruction to turn off at least one of the one or more light sources.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises transmitting an instruction to reduce the amount of light output at least one of the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property without turning off the one or more light sources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based at least on (i) the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source comprises:

generating an intensity spectrum for the ambient light detected within the portion of the property by the light sensor located at the portion of the property;

computing one or more characteristics for the generated intensity spectrum;

comparing values of the computed one or more characteristics to threshold values based at least on (i) signature peaks in the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the signature peaks in the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source; and

determining the relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based on the values of the computed one or more characteristics to threshold values.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more characteristics for the generated intensity spectrum comprises a peak intensity point within the generated intensity spectrum, and one or more slope measurements for particular pixel offsets from the peak intensity point within the generated intensity spectrum.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises transmitting an instruction to a light controller to adjust the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property.

9. A electronic system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

obtaining data representing an amount of ambient light detected within the portion of the property by a light sensor located at the portion of the property;

obtaining data indicating (i) a shape of an optical spectra for a natural light source, and (ii) a shape of an optical spectra for a non-natural light source;

determining a relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based at least on (i) the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source;

determining an estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property based on the amount of ambient light detected within the portion of the property and the determined relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property;

determining to adjust an amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property based on the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property; and

in response to determining to adjust the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property based on the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property, adjusting the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the non-natural light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED), a high-intensity discharge (HID) bulb, an incandescent bulb, or a fluorescent bulb.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein determining to adjust an amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises determining that the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property satisfies a predetermined threshold for amount of natural light within the portion of the property.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein adjusting the amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises transmitting an instruction to turn off at least one of the one or more light sources.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein adjusting the amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises transmitting an instruction to reduce the amount of light output at least one of the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property without turning off the one or more light sources.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein determining a relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based at least on (i) the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source comprises:

generating an intensity spectrum for the ambient light detected within the portion of the property by the light sensor located at the portion of the property;

computing one or more characteristics for the generated intensity spectrum;

comparing values of the computed one or more characteristics to threshold values based at least on (i) the signature peaks in the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the signature peaks in the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source; and

determining the relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based on the values of the computed one or more characteristics to threshold values.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

obtaining data representing an amount of ambient light detected within the portion of the property by a light sensor located at the portion of the property;

obtaining data indicating (i) a shape of within an optical spectra for a natural light source, and (ii) a shape of an optical spectra for a non-natural light source;

determining a relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based at least on (i) the signature peaks within the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the signature peaks within the optical spectra for the non-natural light source;

determining an estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property based on the amount of ambient light detected within the portion of the property and the determined relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property;

determining to adjust an amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property based on the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property; and

in response to determining to adjust the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property based on the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property, adjusting the amount of light output by one or more light sources located at the portion of the property.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the non-natural light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED), a high-intensity discharge (HID) bulb, an incandescent bulb, or a fluorescent bulb.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein determining to adjust an amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises determining that the estimated amount of natural light within the portion of the property satisfies a predetermined threshold for amount of natural light within the portion of the property.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein adjusting the amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises transmitting an instruction to turn off at least one of the one or more light sources.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein adjusting the amount of light output by the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property comprises transmitting an instruction to reduce the amount of light output at least one of the one or more light sources located at the portion of the property without turning off the one or more light sources.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein determining a relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based at least on (i) the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source comprises:

generating an intensity spectrum for the ambient light detected within the portion of the property by the light sensor located at the portion of the property;

computing one or more characteristics for the generated intensity spectrum;

comparing values of the computed one or more characteristics to threshold values based at least on (i) signature peaks in the shape of the optical spectra for the natural light source, and (ii) the signature peaks in the shape of the optical spectra for the non-natural light source; and

determining the relative composition of the ambient light detected within the portion of the property based on the values of the computed one or more characteristics to threshold values.