CONTROLLING LIGHTING LOADS TO ACHIEVE A DESIRED LIGHTING PATTERN

• US 20180168020A1
• Filed: 12/11/2017
• Published: 06/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Casey, Craig Alan, Protzman, Brent, Steiner, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,278,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/30 Artificial light
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/20 using multiple transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20224 Image subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/10 Image acquisition document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/235 : based on user input or interaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 : Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40012 : Conversion of colour to monochrome
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 : Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 : Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 : Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 : Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 : using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• 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 47/125 : by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 : by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 : Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A visible light sensor may be configured to sense environmental characteristics of a space using an image of the space. The visible light sensor may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to decrease or eliminate glare within a space. In the daylighting sensor mode and the color sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a plurality of lighting fixtures to obtain a predefined light profile across a surface, the method comprising:

retrieving an image of the space;

determining a lighting level for a first sub-area within the space;

determining a lighting level for a second sub-area within the space;

determining a first lighting fixture that affects the lighting level for the first sub-area;

determining a second lighting fixture that affects the lighting level for the second sub-area; and

adjusting the first lighting fixture and the second lighting fixture to achieve a first target light level in the first sub-area and a second target light level in the second sub-area, wherein the first lighting fixture affects the lighting level for the second sub-area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, during a configuration procedure prior to an operation for performing load control, a light contribution for each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures that affects the lighting level for the first sub-area and for each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures that affects the lighting level for the second sub-area.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the first lighting fixture has a greatest impact on the lighting level of the first sub-area; and

determining that the second lighting fixture has a highest contribution on the lighting level of the second sub-area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first intensity to which to control the first lighting fixture to control the lighting level of the first sub-area to be greater than or equal to the first target light level; and

determining a second intensity to which to control the second lighting fixture to control the lighting level of the second sub-area to be greater than or equal to the second target light level.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether the lighting level for the first sub-area is greater than an upper-limit lighting level that is equal to the first target light level plus an offset amount; and

adjusting the first intensity level for the first lighting fixture for the first sub-area to reduce the lighting level for the first sub-area below the upper-limit lighting level without reducing the lighting level for the first sub-area below the target light level.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, after determining the first and second intensities, controlling the first lighting fixture to the first intensity and controlling the second lighting fixture to the second intensity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the first and second target light levels from the predefined light profile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined light profile is a uniform light profile, and the first and second target light levels are the same.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined light profile is a gradient profile, and the first and second target light levels are the different.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sub-area and the second sub-area are adjacent sub-areas.

11. A method of controlling a plurality of lighting fixtures to obtain a uniform lighting level across a surface, the method comprising:

retrieving an image of the space;

determining a lighting level for a first sub-area within the space;

determining a lighting level for a second sub-area within the space;

determining a first lighting fixture that affects the lighting level for the first sub-area;

determining a second lighting fixture that affects the lighting level for the second sub-area; and

adjusting the first lighting fixture and the second lighting fixture to achieve a uniform lighting level across the first sub-area and the second sub-area.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, during a configuration procedure prior to an operation for performing load control, a light contribution for each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures that affects the lighting level for the first sub-area and for each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures that affects the lighting level for the second sub-area.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that the first lighting fixture has a greatest impact on the lighting level of the first sub-area; and

determining that the second lighting fixture has a highest contribution on the lighting level of the second sub-area.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a first intensity to which to control the first lighting fixture to control the lighting level of the first sub-area to be greater than or equal to the uniform lighting level; and

determining a second intensity to which to control the second lighting fixture to control the lighting level of the second sub-area to be greater than or equal to the uniform lighting level.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether the lighting level for the first sub-area is greater than an upper-limit lighting level that is equal to the uniform lighting level plus an offset amount; and

adjusting the first intensity level for the first lighting fixture for the first sub-area to reduce the lighting level for the first sub-area below the upper-limit lighting level without reducing the lighting level for the first sub-area below the uniform lighting level.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising, after determining the first and second intensities, controlling the first lighting fixture to the first intensity and controlling the second lighting fixture to the second intensity.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first sub-area and the second sub-area are adjacent sub-areas.