Outdoor lighting system controlled using motion sensor interface

• US 9,888,542 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wagner, Phillip Ryan, Burt, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Jimmy
• Application Number:
  US15/581,427
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 315151-158, 315224-226, 315291, 315307, 315308, 315312
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• 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

Aspects are provided for controlling outdoor lighting systems using a photocontrol interface that can be connected to a motion sensor and a luminaire driver or ballast. In some aspects, a dimming control node is electrically and communicatively coupled to a motion sensor via wired connections to a photocontrol interface. The dimming control node is also communicatively coupled to a luminaire ballast or driver. The dimming control node receives sensor data from the motion sensor via one of the wired connections and provides power to the motion sensor via another one of the wired connections. The dimming control node can determine a sensor output state of the motion sensor from the received sensor data, and can select a dim-level configuration corresponding to the determined sensor output state. The dimming control node can configure the luminaire ballast or driver in accordance with the selected dim-level configuration.

Claims

1. A dimming control node comprising:

a photocontrol interface comprising;

a sensor power terminal that is electrically couplable to a motion sensor and configured for providing power to the motion sensor via a first wired connection to the motion sensor,

a sensor input terminal that is communicatively couplable to the motion sensor and configured for receiving sensor data via a second wired connection to the motion sensor, and

a communication terminal that is communicatively couplable to a luminaire ballast or luminaire driver; and

a processing device communicatively coupled to the sensor input terminal and the communication terminal, wherein the processing device is configured for;

determining a sensor output state of the motion sensor from the sensor data received via the first wired connection,

selecting a dim-level configuration corresponding to the sensor output state of the motion sensor, and

causing the dimming control node to transmit, via the second wired connection, a control signal to the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver, the control signal configured for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the selected dim-level configuration.

2. The dimming control node of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured for:

determining, from the sensor data, that the sensor output state indicates a motion duration greater than or equal to a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width and less than a minimum response duration, wherein the dim-level configuration comprises;

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on the motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a low dim-level state after the minimum response duration has elapsed and based on the motion duration being less than the minimum response duration; and

generating the control signal for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the high dim-level state in accordance with selected the dim-level configuration and for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the low dim-level state in accordance with the selected dim-level configuration.

3. The dimming control node of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured for:

determining, from the sensor data, that the sensor output state indicates a motion duration that is (i) greater than or equal to a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width and (ii) greater than or equal to a minimum response duration, wherein the dim-level configuration comprises;

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on the motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) a subsequent dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being synchronized with a subsequent sensor output state based on the motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum response duration; and

generating the control signal for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the high dim-level state in accordance with selected the dim-level configuration and for synchronizing the subsequent dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the sensor output state in accordance with the selected dim-level configuration.

4. The dimming control node of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured for:

receiving, via the sensor input terminal, additional sensor data;

determining, from the additional sensor data, that an additional sensor output state has a duration less than a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width; and

maintaining, based the duration being less than the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, a low dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver.

5. The dimming control node of claim 1, wherein the dim-level configuration comprises:

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on a motion duration, as indicated by the sensor output state, being greater than or equal to a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a low dim-level state after a minimum response duration has elapsed and based on the motion duration being less than the minimum response duration,

wherein the processing device is further configured for;

determining an additional sensor output state of the motion sensor from additional sensor data received via the first wired connection,

selecting an additional dim-level configuration corresponding to the additional sensor output state, wherein the additional dim-level configuration comprises;

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on an additional motion duration, as indicated by the additional sensor output state, being greater than or equal to the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) a subsequent dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being synchronized with a subsequent sensor output state based on the additional motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum response duration; and

and

causing the dimming control node to transmit, via the second wired connection, an additional control signal to the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver, the additional control signal configured for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the selected additional dim-level configuration.

6. The dimming control node of claim 1, further comprising a hardware filter configured to prevent additional sensor data, which indicates a sensor output duration less than a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, from being provided to the processing device.

7. The dimming control node of claim 1, wherein the photocontrol interface further comprises a sensor power terminal, a line terminal, a low-voltage common terminal, and a neutral terminal,

wherein the sensor power terminal and the low-voltage common terminal are configured to form a first electrical connection providing power to the motion sensor,

wherein the line terminal and the neutral terminal are configured to form a second electrical connection providing power to the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver.

8. A method comprising:

providing, by a dimming control node, power to a motion sensor via a first wired connection to a sensor power terminal of a photocontrol interface;

receiving, by the dimming control node, sensor data from the motion sensor via a second wired connection to a sensor input terminal of the photocontrol interface;

determining, by the dimming control node, a sensor output state of the motion sensor from the sensor data received via the first wired connection;

selecting, by the dimming control node, a dim-level configuration corresponding to the sensor output state of the motion sensor; and

configuring, by the dimming control node, a luminaire ballast or luminaire driver with the selected dim-level configuration.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, by the dimming control node and from the sensor data, that the sensor output state indicates a motion duration greater than or equal to a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width and less than a minimum response duration, wherein the dim-level configuration comprises;

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on the motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a low dim-level state after the minimum response duration has elapsed and based on the motion duration being less than the minimum response duration;

generating, by the dimming control node, a control signal for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the high dim-level state in accordance with selected the dim-level configuration and for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the low dim-level state in accordance with the selected dim-level configuration; and

transmitting the control signal from the dimming control to the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, by the dimming control node and from the sensor data, that the sensor output state indicates a motion duration that is (i) greater than or equal to a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width and (ii) greater than or equal to a minimum response duration, wherein the dim-level configuration comprises;

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on the motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) a subsequent dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being synchronized with a subsequent sensor output state based on the motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum response duration;

generating, by the dimming control node, a control signal for setting the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the high dim-level state in accordance with selected the dim-level configuration and for synchronizing the subsequent dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the sensor output state in accordance with the selected dim-level configuration; and

transmitting the control signal from the dimming control to the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the dimming control node, additional sensor data via the sensor input terminal;

determining, by the dimming control node and from the additional sensor data, that an additional sensor output state has a duration less than a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width; and

maintaining, by the dimming control node, a low dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver based the duration being less than the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width.

12. The method of claim 8,

wherein the dim-level configuration comprises:

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on a motion duration, as indicated by the sensor output state, being greater than or equal to a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a low dim-level state after a minimum response duration has elapsed and based on the motion duration being less than the minimum response duration,

wherein the method further comprises;

determining, by the dimming control node, an additional sensor output state of the motion sensor from additional sensor data received via the first wired connection,

selecting, by the dimming control node, an additional dim-level configuration corresponding to the additional sensor output state, wherein the additional dim-level configuration comprises;

(i) the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being set to a high dim-level state based on an additional motion duration, as indicated by the additional sensor output state, being greater than or equal to the minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, and

(ii) a subsequent dim-level state of the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver being synchronized with a subsequent sensor output state based on the additional motion duration being greater than or equal to the minimum response duration; and

and

transmitting, by the dimming control node and via the second wired connection, an additional control signal to the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver that sets the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver to the selected additional dim-level configuration.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising preventing, with a hardware filter, additional sensor data, which indicates a sensor output duration less than a minimum occupancy-detection pulse width, from being provided to a processing device of the dimming control node.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the photocontrol interface further comprises a sensor power terminal, a line terminal, a low-voltage common terminal, and a neutral terminal,

wherein the sensor power terminal and the low-voltage common terminal form a first electrical connection providing power to the motion sensor,

wherein the line terminal and the neutral terminal form a second electrical connection providing power to the luminaire ballast or luminaire driver.