Automated shade control method and system
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space, said system configured with:
- a motor;
a window covering, wherein said motor is configured to actuate said window covering;
at least one of a radiometer and a photometer to detect lighting information;
a motor controller configured to control said motor using a proactive algorithm, said proactive algorithm incorporating said lighting information;
a first ratio representing the number of said motors to the number of said motor controllers; and
,a second ratio representing the number of said motor controllers to the number of centralized motor controllers, wherein said first ratio includes whole numbers greater than a one-to-one ratio, and said second ratio includes whole numbers greater than a one-to-one ratio.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention generally relates to automated shade systems that employ one or more algorithms to provide appropriate solar protection from direct solar penetration; reduce solar heat gain; reduce radiant surface temperatures; control penetration of the solar ray, optimize the interior natural daylighting of a structure and optimize the efficiency of interior lighting systems. The invention additionally comprises a motorized window covering, radiometers, and a central control system that uses algorithms to optimize the interior lighting of a structure. These algorithms include information such as: geodesic coordinates of a building; solar position; solar angle solar radiation; solar penetration angles; solar intensity; the measured brightness and veiling glare across a surface; time, solar altitude, solar azimuth, detected sky conditions, ASHRAE sky models, sunrise and sunset times, surface orientations of windows, incidence angles of the sun striking windows, window covering positions, minimum BTU load and solar heat gain.
247 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space, said system configured with:
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a motor; a window covering, wherein said motor is configured to actuate said window covering; at least one of a radiometer and a photometer to detect lighting information; a motor controller configured to control said motor using a proactive algorithm, said proactive algorithm incorporating said lighting information; a first ratio representing the number of said motors to the number of said motor controllers; and
,a second ratio representing the number of said motor controllers to the number of centralized motor controllers, wherein said first ratio includes whole numbers greater than a one-to-one ratio, and said second ratio includes whole numbers greater than a one-to-one ratio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space, said system configured with:
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a motor; a window covering, wherein said motor is configured to actuate said window covering, wherein said window covering comprises at least one of;
roller shade, blinds, drapes, shades, Venetian blinds, vertical blinds, at least one of adjustable louvers and panels, at least one of moveable louvers and panels, fabric coverings with low E coatings, fabric coverings without low E coatings, mesh, mesh coverings, window slats, and metallic coverings;at least one of a radiometer and a photometer to detect lighting information; and a motor controller configured to control said motor using a proactive algorithm, said proactive algorithm incorporating said lighting information, wherein said motor controller is configured to facilitate adjustment of said window covering position using shadow information based on at least one of cityscape and topographical conditions.
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12. A system for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space, said system configured with:
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a motor; a window covering, wherein said motor is configured to actuate said window covering; at least one of a radiometer and a photometer to detect lighting information; and a motor controller configured to control said motor using a proactive algorithm, said proactive algorithm incorporating said lighting information, wherein said motor controller is configured to incorporate ASHRAE clear sky algorithms.
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13. A system for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space, said system configured with:
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a motor; a window covering, wherein said motor is configured to actuate said window covering; at least one of a radiometer and a photometer to detect lighting information; and a motor controller configured to control said motor using a proactive algorithm, said proactive algorithm incorporating said lighting information, wherein said motor controller is configured to log information related to a manual override of said system, and wherein said log information is used to modify said proactive algorithm.
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14. A method for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space comprising:
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receiving an input from at least one of a photosensor, a radiometer and a temperature sensor at a motor controller; analyzing said input using a reactive algorithm and an ASHRAE clear sky model to form a movement request; and communicating said movement request to a motor, wherein said motor facilitates automated movement of a window covering. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space comprising:
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receiving an input from at least one of a photosensor, a radiometer and a temperature sensor at a motor controller; analyzing said input using a reactive algorithm to form a movement request; and communicating said movement request to a motor, wherein said motor facilitates automated movement of a window covering; logging information related to manual overrides of said system; and
,modifying said reactive algorithm.
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18. A method for facilitating control of daylighting of an interior space comprising:
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receiving an input from at least one of a photosensor, a radiometer and a temperature sensor at a motor controller; analyzing said input using a reactive algorithm to form a movement request; and communicating said movement request to a motor, wherein said motor facilitates automated movement of a window covering; inputting occupant tracking information into said reactive algorithm to adjust for manual overrides.
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19. A method for facilitating automated shading comprising the steps of:
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reviewing a radiometer value; determining if said radiometer value is in range to form an in-range radiometer value; comparing said in-range radiometer value to an ASHRAE model value to obtain a comparison value; and moving a window covering based upon said comparison value. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An automated shade control system comprising:
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a window covering; a first photo sensor configured to look at a field-of-view from a task surface to develop a first reading; a second photo sensor configured to look through said window covering to develop a second reading; a third photo sensor configured to view and develop a third reading from at least one of;
a wall, a ceiling, an outside a southern side of a structure, an outside a western side of a structure, an east side of a structure, a west side of a structure and a center of said window covering; anda processor configured to analyze said first reading, said second readings and said third reading to facilitate movement of said window covering. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method for controlling a window covering in a building, said method comprising:
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receiving user defined guideline data related to at least one of solar penetration and solar load; incorporating said user defined guideline data into a window management system, wherein said window management system includes data related to at least one of solar heat gain, window profile and sun incident angle associated with said building to enable said window management system to determine a standard window management routine; obtain shadow study data related to said building; incorporate said shadow study data into said window management system; overriding said standard window movement routine; and
,determining whether to move said window covering based upon said shadow study data. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification