Integrated occupancy and ambient light sensors

• US 9,693,426 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Van Der Werff, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): JAGER, RYAN C
• Application Number:
  US14/975,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 315151
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• 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 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Technologies are generally described herein for controlling and using integrated occupancy and ambient light sensors. In some examples, a lighting device includes an illumination source, a light sensor, and a transceiver. A determination can be made to determine if the illumination source is operating in an on mode of operation or an off mode of operation. In response to determining that the illumination source is operating in the off mode of operation, an instruction can be received at the lighting device to pulse operation of the illumination source to emit a light pulse. The lighting device can also be configured to receive an instruction to compressively sense, using the light sensor, a light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse. The lighting device can output data indicating the light level compressively sensed by the light sensor.

Claims

1. A method executed on a computing device to control an operation of a lighting device, wherein the lighting device includes an illumination source and a light sensor, the method comprising:

determining a mode of operation of the illumination source, wherein the mode of operation includes one of an on mode of operation and an off mode of operation;

detecting the illumination source as operating in the off mode of operation;

pulsing the illumination source to the on mode of operation to generate a light pulse;

compressively sensing, using the light sensor, a light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse;

sensing a color temperature associated with the area illuminated by the light pulse;

measuring, using the light sensor, an illumination intensity of the illumination source and a color of light to emit from the illumination source; and

activating the illumination source to the on mode of operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a communication to another illumination source of another lighting device to prompt an adjustment of one or more of the illumination intensity and the color of light, wherein the illumination source of the lighting device and the another illumination source of the another lighting device are coupled via wires; and

adjusting one or more of the illumination intensity and the color of light.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a communication to another illumination source of another lighting, device to prompt an adjustment of one or more of the illumination intensity and the color of light, wherein the illumination source of the lighting device is coupled wirelessly to the another illumination source of the another lighting device; and

adjusting one or more of the illumination intensity and the color of light.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying an ambient light algorithm to data associated with the light level to determine if the data is one of at a threshold, below the threshold, or above the threshold;

detecting that the data is below the threshold; and

activating the illumination source to modify the triode of operation of the illumination source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying an ambient light algorithm to data associated with the light level to determine the data is one of at a threshold, below the threshold, or above the threshold;

detecting that the data one of;

meets the threshold or is above the threshold; and

maintaining the mode of operation of the illumination source.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying one or more of an occupancy algorithm and a movement algorithm to data associated with the light level to determine if the data is one of at a threshold, below the threshold, or above the threshold;

detecting that the data is below the threshold; and

activating the illumination source to modify the mode of operation of the illumination source.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying one or more of an occupancy algorithm and a movement algorithm to data associated with the light level to determine if the data is one of at a threshold, below the threshold, or above the threshold;

detecting that the data one of;

meets the threshold or is above the threshold; and

activating the illumination source to modify the mode of operation of the illumination source.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, based on the light level, a presence of an entity in the area illuminated by the light pulse, wherein the light level corresponds to an ambient light level in the area illuminated by the light pulse.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

applying a compressive sensing algorithm to the light level to generate a light level map;

analyzing the light, level map to identify movement vectors of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse; and

determining, based on an analysis of the movement vectors, a movement of the entity and a direction associated with the movement of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

applying a compressive sensing algorithm to the light level to generate a histogram;

analyzing the histogram to identify movement vectors of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse; and

determining, based on an analysis of the movement vectors, a movement of the entity and a direction associated with the movement of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse.

11. A lighting system, comprising:

a lighting device that includes an illumination source and a light sensor;

a controller configured to be in communication with the lighting device, wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine a mode of operation of the illumination source, wherein the mode of operation includes one of an on mode of operation and an off mode of operation;

detect the illumination source as operating in the off mode of operation;

generate a pulse operation of the illumination source, wherein the pulse operation is configured to emit a light pulse;

generate a measure operation of the illumination source, wherein the measure operation is configured to measure, by use of the light sensor, a first light level and a second light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse;

transmit, to the lighting device, the pulse operation of the illumination source and the measure operation of the light sensor;

receive, at the controller, data that indicates one or more of the first light level and the second light level measured by the light sensor;

apply a compressive sensing algorithm to the first light level to generate a first light level map;

apply the compressive sensing algorithm to the second light level to generate a second light level map;

analyze the first light level map and the second light level map to identify movement vectors within the area illuminated by the light pulse;

determine, based on the analysis of the first light level map and the second light level map, a movement of a first emit and a direction associated with the movement of the first emit within the area illuminated by the light pulse;

apply one or more of an occupancy algorithm and a movement algorithm to data associated with the first light level and the second light level to determine if the data is one of at a threshold, below the threshold, or above the threshold;

detect that the data is below the threshold; and

activate the illumination source to modify the mode of operation of the illumination source.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the first light level indicates a presence of a second entity in the area illuminated by the light pulse, and wherein the second light level indicates a presence of the first entity in the area illuminated by the light pulse.

14. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the illumination source is configured to illuminate one or more of an outdoor area, an area of a room, an area of a building, and an area of a landscape.

13. A lighting system comprising:

a lighting device that includes an illumination source and a light sensor;

a controller configured to be in communication with the lighting device, wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine a mode of operation of the illumination source, wherein the mode of operation includes one of an on mode of operation and an off mode of operation;

detect the illumination source as operating in the off mode of operation;

generate a pulse operation of the illumination source, wherein the pulse operation is configured to emit a light pulse;

generate a measure operation of the illumination source, wherein the measure operation is configured to measure, by use of the light sensor, a first light level and a second light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse;

transmit, to the lighting device, the pulse operation of the illumination source and the measure operation of the light sensor;

receive, at the controller, data that indicates one or more of the first light level and the second light level measured by the light sensor;

apply a compressive sensing algorithm to the first light level to generate a first histogram, wherein the first histogram identifies ambient light levels in areas illuminated by the illumination source;

apply the compressive sensing algorithm to the second light level to generate a second histogram, wherein the second histogram identifies additional ambient light levels in the areas illuminated by the illumination source;

perform a pixel-to-pixel comparison of the first histogram and the second histogram to identify movement vectors within the area illuminated by the light pulse;

determine, based on an analysis of the movement vectors, a movement of a first entity and a direction associated with the movement of the first entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse;

apply one or more of an occupancy algorithm and a movement algorithm to data associated with the first light level and the second light level to determine if the data is one of at a threshold, below the threshold, or above the threshold;

detect that the data is below the threshold; and

activate the illumination source to modify the mode of operation of the illumination source.

15. A computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon to control an operation of a lighting device, wherein the lighting device includes an illumination source and a light sensor, the instructions being executable by a processor to perform or cause to be performed operations comprising:

determining a mode of operation of the illumination source, wherein the mode of operation includes one of an on mode of operation and an off mode of operation;

detecting the illumination source as operating in the of mode of operation;

pulsing the illumination source to the on mode of operation to generate a light pulse;

compressively sensing, by use of the light sensor, a light level associated with an area illuminated by the light pulse;

sensing a color temperature associated with the area illuminated by the light pulse;

determining an illumination intensity of the illumination source;

determining a color of light to emit from the illumination source; and

activating the illumination source to the on mode of operation.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to perform or cause to be performed operations that further comprise:

detecting, based on the light level, a presence of an entity in the area illuminated by the light pulse, wherein the light level corresponds to an ambient light level in the area illuminated by the light pulse;

applying a compressive sensing algorithm to the light level to generate a light level map;

analyzing the light level map to identify movement vectors of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse; and

determining, based on an analysis of the movement vectors, a movement of the entity and a direction associated with the movement of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to perform or cause to be performed operations that further comprise:

detecting, based on the light level, a presence of an entity in the area illuminated by the light pulse, wherein the light level corresponds to an ambient light level in the area illuminated by the light pulse;

applying a compressive sensing algorithm to the light level to generate a histogram;

analyzing the histogram to identify movement vectors of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse; and

determining, based on an analysis of the movement vectors, a movement of the entity and a direction associated with the movement of the entity within the area illuminated by the light pulse.