Logical groupings of multiple types of intelligent building fixtures

• US 9,927,782 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2014
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Robotics, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Enlighted, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mohan, Tanuj, Billard, Michel, Curasi, Joseph Basil
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/280,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,409 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• 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 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems of a controllable receptacle are disclosed. One apparatus includes at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch connects an input power connection received by the controllable receptacle to a receptacle output when the at least one switch is closed, a motion sensor for sensing motion, a transceiver for communicating with other devices, and a controller. For an embodiment, the controller operative to determine an association of the controllable receptacle with a motion group, wherein the motion group comprises a plurality of devices, wherein the controller communicates with at least one of the plurality of devices, determines that the controllable receptacle is to be activated based on the motion sensor sensing motion or a motion sensor of a device of the motion group sensing motion, and closes the at least one switch when determining the controllable receptacle is to be activated.

Claims

1. A controllable receptacle, comprising:

a primary switch, wherein the primary switch connects an input power connection received by the controllable receptacle to a receptacle output when the primary switch is closed;

a secondary switch, wherein the secondary switch connects the input power connection received by the controllable receptacle to the receptacle output when the secondary switch is closed;

a current sensor, wherein the current sensor senses a magnitude of current conducted through the controllable receptacle;

a motion sensor for sensing motion proximate to the controllable receptacle;

a transceiver for communicating with other devices;

a controller, the controller operative to;

aid in designating the controllable receptacle as belonging to a motion group, wherein the motion group comprises a plurality of devices, wherein the controller communicates with other of the plurality of devices through the transceiver;

receive motion sensor information from at least one of the other devices within the motion group, through the transceiver;

determine that the controllable receptacle is to be activated based on a motion sensor of at least one of the other devices within the motion group sensing motion;

close the primary switch while maintaining the secondary switch open when determining the controllable receptacle is to be activated;

receive the magnitude of current being conducted through the controllable receptacle from the current sensor for a period of time; and

close the secondary switch upon determining that the magnitude of the current conducted through the controllable receptacle from the current sensor for the period of time is within a predetermined range.

2. The controllable receptacle of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor comprises an ambient light sensor.

3. The controllable receptacle of claim 1, further comprising an air quality monitor (AQM).

4. The controllable receptacle of claim 3, wherein the AQM senses a level of CO₂.

5. The controllable receptacle of claim 3, wherein the controller is further operative to identify a likelihood of fire within a structure in which the controllable receptacle is located based on either sensed motion or a lack of sensed motion, and the sensed level of CO2.

6. The controllable receptacle of claim 5, wherein the motion sensor comprises a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, and wherein identifying the likelihood of fire is further dependent on sensing of thermal heat by the PIR sensor.

7. The controllable receptacle of claim 1, wherein the primary switch includes at least one of a triac, set of triacs, thyristors, IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistors), BJTs (bipolar junction transistors), and the secondary switch includes a relay.

8. The controllable receptacle of claim 1, wherein the predetermined range includes the magnitude of the current conducted through the controllable receptacle being below a maximum threshold.

9. The controllable receptacle of claim 8, further comprising opening the primary switch and the secondary switch if the current conducted through the controllable receptacle is above the maximum threshold.

10. The controllable receptacle of claim 9, further comprising maintaining the primary switch and the secondary switch as open for a predetermined period of time after determining that the current conducted through the controllable receptacle is above the maximum threshold.

11. The controllable receptacle of claim 8, wherein the predetermined range further includes the magnitude of the current conducted through the controllable receptacle being below the maximum threshold and above a minimum threshold.

12. The controllable receptacle of claim 1, wherein after the controllable receptacle is activated, a one of the secondary switch or the primary switch remains close until the controller determines that the controller receptacle is to be de-activated, wherein when de-activated, both the secondary switch and the primary switch are opened.

13. The controllable receptacle of claim 1, the transceiver comprises a radio.

14. The controllable receptacle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further operative to communicate with other devices through the radio.

15. The controllable receptacle of claim 14, wherein controller receives a motion indicator through the radio from at least one of the plurality of devices of the motion group.

16. The controllable receptacle of claim 15, wherein the controller is operative to determine that the controllable receptacle is to be activated upon receiving the motion indicator from the at least one of the plurality of devices of the motion group.

17. The controllable receptacle of claim 14, wherein controller is operative to transmit a motion indicator through the radio to the plurality of devices of the motion group when the controllable receptacle senses motion proximate to the controllable receptacle.

18. The controllable receptacle of claim 1, wherein the receptacle output includes a plurality of power outputs, and wherein a power meter monitors a load of at least one of the power outputs.

19. The controllable receptacle of claim 18, wherein the power meter characterized the load over time, and wherein the controller is further operative to identify load types and identify anomalies of load types.

20. A building control system, comprising:

a plurality of building fixtures, wherein at least one of the building fixtures includes a controllable receptacle, and at least one of the building fixtures does not includes the controllable receptacle;

at least one sensor interfaced with at least one of the plurality of building fixtures;

wherein

the at least one of the building fixtures that does not include controllable receptacle comprises;

a communication port;

a controller, the controller configured to;

independently control at least one of an environmental load or a security device;

either receive or help designate the building fixture as belonging to a logical group of the plurality building fixtures;

share at least one of sensor or state information with other building fixtures within the logical group of the plurality of building fixtures, through the communication port;

wherein the at least one controllable receptacle includes;

a primary switch, wherein the primary switch connects an input power connection received by the controllable receptacle to a receptacle output when the primary switch is closed;

a secondary switch, wherein the secondary switch connects the input power connection received by the controllable receptacle to the receptacle output when the secondary switch is closed;

a current sensor, wherein the current sensor sense a magnitude of current conducted through the controllable receptacle;

a transceiver for communicating with other building fixtures;

at least one receptacle sensor;

a receptacle controller, the receptacle controller operative to;

aid in designating the controllable receptacle with the logical group, wherein the receptacle controller communicates with at least one of the building fixtures of the logical group through the transceiver;

receive motion sensor information from at least one of the building fixtures within the logical group, through the transceiver;

determine that the controllable receptacle is to be activated based on a motion sensor of at least one of the building fixtures within the logical group sensing motion;

close the at least one switch when determining the controllable receptacle is to be activated;

close the primary switch while maintaining the secondary switch open when determining the controllable receptacle is to be activated;

receive the magnitude of current being conducted through the controllable receptacle from the current sensor for a period of time;

close the secondary switch upon determining that the magnitude of the current conducted through the controllable receptacle from the current sensor for the period of time is within a predetermined range.

21. The building control system of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an ambient light sensor.

22. The building control system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of building fixtures comprises an air quality monitor (AQM).

23. The building control system of claim 22, wherein the AQM senses a level of CO₂.

24. The building control system of claim 23, wherein the receptacle controller is further operative to identify a likelihood of fire within a structure in which the controllable receptacle is located based on either sensed motion or a lack of sensed motion, and the sensed level of CO2.

25. The building control system of claim 24, wherein the motion sensor comprises a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, and wherein identifying the likelihood of fire is further dependent on sensing of thermal heat by the PIR sensor.