Controllers for optically-switchable devices

• US 10,809,587 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2016
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen Clark, Shrivastava, Dhairya
• Primary Examiner(s): Inoussa, Mouloucoulaye
• Application Number:
  US15/334,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 700 90, 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/247 Electrically powered illumination
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to optically-switchable devices, and more particularly, to systems, apparatus, and methods for controlling optically-switchable devices. In some implementations, the apparatus includes an interface for communicating with window controllers, and the apparatus includes one or more processors. A processor can be configured to cause status information received from a window controller to be processed. The status information can indicate at least a tint status of one or more optically-switchable devices controlled by the window controller. In response to receiving the status information, one or more tint commands can be sent via the interface to the window controller.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a facility, the apparatus comprising:

an interface for communicating with window controllers that are communicatively coupled to a control network configured to control the facility; and

a network controller operatively coupled to the window controllers and to the interface, which network controller is included in the control network, which network controller comprises one or more processors configured to cause;

(i) sending a status request from the network controller to one or more of the window controllers, the status request requesting a tint status of one or more optically switchable devices that are disposed in the facility and that are controlled by one or more of the window controllers, wherein the tint status is a current tint status,

(ii) processing status information received at the network controller from the one or more of the window controllers responsive to the status request, the status information indicating at least the tint status of the one or more optically switchable devices controlled by the one or more of the window controllers, and

(iii) sending, responsive to processing the status information, one or more tint commands via the interface to the one or more of the window controllers,

which control network (A) comprises redundant controllers, (B) is configured to operatively couple to (I) an air flow sensor and/or (II) an occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence, and/or (C) is configured to (a) consider a surface area of the one or more optically switchable devices and (b) adjust power requirements nonlinearly with respect to the surface area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further configured to cause:

sending status requests to the window controllers, which status requests are sent on a sequential basis or on an asynchronous basis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control network comprises redundant controllers.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a physical hardware is configured to operate as the network controller, which physical hardware is configure to additionally or alternatively operate as a master controller that is configured to control one or more network controllers.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to (I) the air flow sensor, and/or (II) the occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to the air flow sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to the occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to a plug-in component that includes a circuitry, a communication module, a non-volatile memory, a processing functionality, controller functionality, and/or an authentication capability.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the which control network is configured to (a) consider the surface area of the one or more optically switchable devices and (b) adjust the power requirements nonlinearly with respect to the surface area.

3. A system for controlling a facility, the system comprising:

window controllers controlling a plurality of optically switchable devices, which window controllers are included in a control network; and

a network controller operatively coupled to the window controllers, which network controller is included in the control network, which network controller is configured to control one or more of the window controllers, the network controller comprising one or more processors configured to cause;

(i) sending a status request from the network controller to one or more of the window controllers, the status request requesting a tint status of one or more optically switchable devices that are disposed in the facility and that are controlled by the one or more of the window controllers, wherein the tint status is a current tint status,

(ii) processing status information received at the network controller from one or more of the window controllers responsive to the status request, the status information indicating at least a tint status of one or more optically switchable devices controlled by the window controller, and

(iii) sending, responsive to processing the status information, one or more tint commands via the interface to the one or more of the window controllers,

which control network (A) comprises redundant controllers, (B) is configured to operatively couple to (I) an air flow sensor, and/or (II) an occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence, and/or (C) is configured to (a) consider a surface area of the one or more optically switchable devices and (b) adjust power requirements nonlinearly with respect to the surface area.

4. The system of claim 3, the one or more processors further configured to cause:

sending status requests to the window controllers, which status requests are sent on a sequential basis or on an asynchronous basis.

6. The system of claim 3, the one or more processors further configured to cause:

sending status requests to the window controllers, which status requests are sent on a sequential basis or on an asynchronous basis.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein the control network comprises redundant controllers.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a physical hardware is configured to operate as the network controller, which physical hardware is configure to additionally or alternatively operate as a master controller that is configured to control one or more network controllers.

16. The system of claim 3, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to (I) the air flow sensor, and/or (II) the occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to the air flow sensor.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to the occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence.

19. The system of claim 3, wherein the control network is configured to operatively couple to a plug-in component comprising a circuitry, a communication module, a non-volatile memory, a processing functionality, a controller functionality, or an authentication capability.

20. The system of claim 3, wherein the control network is configured to (a) consider the surface area of the one or more optically switchable devices and (b) adjust the power requirements nonlinearly with respect to the surface area.

5. A method of controlling a facility, the method comprising:

(1) providing an apparatus comprising;

an interface for communicating with window controllers that arc communicatively coupled to a control network configured to control the facility; and

a network controller operatively coupled to the window controllers and to the interface, which network controller is included in the control network, which network controller comprises one or more processors configured to cause;

(i) sending a status request from the network controller to one or more of the window controllers, the status request requesting a tint status of one or more optically switchable devices that are disposed in the facility and that are controlled by one or more of the window controllers, wherein the tint status is a current tint status,

(ii) processing status information received at the network controller from the one or more of the window controllers responsive to the status request, the status information indicating at least the tint status of the one or more optically switchable devices controlled by the one or more of the window controllers, and

(iii) sending, responsive to processing the status information, one or more tint commands via the interface to the one or more of the window controllers,

which control network (A) comprises redundant controllers, (B) is configured to operatively couple to (I) an air flow sensor and/or (II) an occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence, and/or (C) is configured to (a) consider a surface area of the one or more optically switchable devices and (b) adjust power requirements nonlinearly with respect to the surface area; and

(2) using the apparatus to control the facility.

21. The method of claim 5, wherein the control network comprises redundant controllers.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising using a physical hardware that operates as the network controller, which physical hardware additionally or alternatively operates as a master controller that is configured to control one or more network controllers.

23. The method of claim 5, wherein using the control network comprises considering information from (I) the air flow sensor, and/or (II) the occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein using the control network comprises considering information from the air flow sensor.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein using the control network comprises considering information from the occupancy sensor configured to detect occupant presence.

26. The method of claim 5, wherein using the control network comprises (1) considering information from a plug-in component and (2) using the plug-in component to:

communicate data, store data in its non-volatile memory, process data, control, and/or authenticate.

27. The method of claim 5, wherein using the control network comprises (1) considering the surface area of the one or more optically switchable devices and (2) adjusting the power requirements nonlinearly with respect to the surface area.