Building Optimization System And Lighting Switch With Adaptive Blind, Window And Air Quality Controls

• US 20120239202A1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genea Energy Partners
• Original Assignee: Genea Energy Partners
• Inventors: Voysey, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,958,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/401 characterised by control arrangements for measuring, e.g. calibration and initialisation, measuring workpiece for machining purposes G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36073 Display original and modified part in different colour, highlight, shading, filling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• 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

A building optimization system for optimizing an environment of a building is disclosed. The building optimization system includes a number of building optimization switches for controlling the environment of a corresponding space in a building according to a plurality of operation modes, as well as any number of modular, interchangeable binary controllers for controlling various environmental factors of a number of zones of a building. The building optimization includes switch an A/B lighting switch having lighting controls and a graphical display. The A/B lighting switch is further connected to one or more sensors for sensing and measuring environmental data of at least one zone of the building. The building optimization switch further includes a binary controller connected with the A/B lighting switch to control an environmental variable of the zone based on user input or the environmental data.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A building optimization system comprising:

a binary controller to receive user input for communicating control signals to a mechanical device in a zone of the building; and

an A/B lighting switch connected with the binary controller for controlling least first and second lighting banks of a zone, the A/B lighting switch having a motion sensor for detecting occupancy of the space, logic responsive to input signals from the first and second lighting controls or the motion sensor for controlling the first and second lighting banks, and a graphical display screen adapted to display a graphical user interface to provide information related to each of the plurality of operation modes, each of the plurality of operation modes being related to the first and second lighting banks and/or an air quality of the zone of the building, the graphical user interface further configured to display a state of the binary controller.

9. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the binary controller is a window control to control the opening or closing of one or more windows associated with the zone.

10. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the binary controller is a blinds control to control the opening or closing of one or more blinds associated with the zone.

11. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the binary controller is adapted for automatic operation under instruction of the building optimization switch.

12. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the A/B lighting switch is connected with a temperature sensor.

13. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the automatic operation of the binary controller is based at least in part on a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

14. A building optimization system comprising:

a building optimization switch comprising an A/B lighting switch having lighting controls and a graphical display, the A/B lighting switch being further connected to one or more sensors for sensing and measuring environmental data of at least one zone of the building;

a master controller connected with the building optimization switch for tracking energy usage and generating reports based on activities of the building optimization switch, at least a portion of the reports being displayed in the graphical display; and

a binary controller connected with the A/B lighting switch to control an environmental variable of the zone based on user input, the environmental data, and/or the energy usage tracked by the master controller.

15. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the binary controller is a window control to control the opening or closing of one or more windows associated with the zone.

16. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the binary controller is a blinds control to control the opening or closing of one or more blinds associated with the zone.

17. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the binary controller is adapted for automatic operation under instruction of the building optimization switch.

18. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 17, wherein the A/B lighting switch is connected with a temperature sensor.

19. The building optimization system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the automatic operation of the binary controller is based at least in part on a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

20. A method comprising:

measuring, by a sensor connected with a building optimization switch having lighting controls and a graphical display, environmental data of at least one zone of the building;

controlling, by the building optimization switch, one or more lighting banks based on the environmental data;

tracking, by a master controller connected with the building optimization switch, energy usage within the at least one zone of the building; and

generating, by the master controller, a report based on activities of the building optimization switch, at least a portion of the reports being displayed in the graphical display of the building optimization switch.