Building automation system control with motion sensing

• US 9,690,266 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Songkakul, Pornsak
• Primary Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US13/236,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,108 Days
• Field of Search: 700276, 700277, 700278, 700282, 700300
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25011 Domotique, I-O bus, home automation, building automation

Abstract

An arrangement configured to control an environmental parameter in a building space includes a building automation system. The building automation system includes a plurality of field devices configured to control the environmental parameter within the building space. The arrangement further includes a motion detector configured to determine a number of humans within the building space and a measure of movement for the number of humans. The building automation system is configured to control the field devices based at least in part on the determined number of humans and the measure of movement for the number of humans.

Claims

1. An arrangement configured to control an environmental parameter in a building space, the arrangement comprising:

a building automation system including at least one field device configured to control the environmental parameter within the building space; and

a motion detector configured to detect a plurality of humans within the building space and to determine a measurement of movement for each of the detected humans;

wherein the building automation system is configured to;

determine a respective comfort level for each respective detected human based at least in part on the measurements of movement for the detected humans;

determine an overall thermal comfort level based at least in part on the determined comfort levels for the detected humans; and

control the at least one field device based at least in part on the determined overall comfort level.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameter is a temperature in the building space, wherein the determined comfort levels correspond to comfort temperatures.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the building automation system is configured to determine the overall thermal comfort level for the building space based on a median or mean of the determined comfort levels.

4. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the motion detector includes a camera, wherein the motion detector includes a motion sensing processor configured to send signals to a controller of the building automation system.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the motion detector includes an infrared light emitter.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the building automation system is configured to determine an activity level for each of the detected humans based on the measurements of movement determined by the motion detector that correspond to rates of movement, and wherein the building automation system is configured to control the at least one field device based at least in part on the determination which is based on at least two different activity levels for the detected humans.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the determined comfort level are based at least in part on the determined activity levels for the detected humans.

8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein the building automation system is configured to control the at least one field device to maintain a neutral thermal comfort condition.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the motion detector is configured to determine a spacing between at least two humans that are detected within the same building space at the same time, and wherein the building automation system is configured to control the at least one field device based at least in part on the spacing between the detected at least two humans.

10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the building automation system is configured to control the at least one field device based at least in part on a clothing level of the detected humans, wherein the clothing level is determined based at least in part on a date and location.

11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the motion detector is configured to determine a portion of the building space in which the detected humans are located, and wherein the building automation system is configured to control different field devices depending at least in part on the portion of the building space in which the detected humans are located.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the field devices include a first damper actuator configured to regulate air flow to a first portion of the building space and a second damper actuator configured to regulate air flow to a second portion of the building space, and wherein the building automation system controls the first damper actuator differently from the second damper actuator depending at least in part on the portion of the building space in which the detected humans are located.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the building space is less than half the space within a room of a building.

14. A method of controlling an environmental parameter in a building space, the method comprising:

through operation of a building automation system;

detecting a plurality of humans in the building space;

determining an activity level of each of the detected humans that are in the building space;

determining a respective comfort level for each respective detected human based at least in part on the determined activity levels of the detected humans;

determining an overall thermal comfort level for the building space based at least in part on the determined comfort levels; and

controlling an operation of at least one field device of the building automation system based at least in part on the determined overall thermal comfort level.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising through operation of the building automation system, determining the spacing of the detected humans, wherein controlling the operation of the at least one field device is based at least in part on the determined spacing of the detected humans.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising through operation of the building automation system, determining the overall thermal comfort level for the building space based on a median or mean of the determined comfort levels.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the operation of the at least one field device includes changing the operation of the at least one field device if the determined overall thermal comfort level changes from a first state to a second state and remains in the second state for a predetermined period of time.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the environmental parameter includes a temperature in the building space, wherein the determined comfort levels correspond to comfort temperatures.

19. A control system for a building comprising:

a motion detector configured to detect a plurality of humans and to determine a measurement of movement for each of the detected humans in a room of the building;

at least one field device configured to control a flow of air into the room of the building; and

a controller configured to receive data from the motion detector related to the detected humans and the determined measurements of movement for the detected humans, the controller further configured to determine an activity level for each of the detected humans based on the respective measurement of movement for each of the detected humans, the controller further configured to determine a respective comfort level for each respective detected human based at least in part on the determined activity levels for the detected humans, the controller further configured to determine an overall thermal comfort level based at least in part on the determined comfort levels, and the controller further configured to send control signals to the at least one field device based at least in part on the determined overall thermal comfort level.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein the determined comfort levels correspond to comfort temperatures.

21. The control system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to determine the overall thermal comfort level for the room based on a median or mean of the determined comfort levels.