Occupancy sensor network

• US 7,486,193 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Elwell, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/347,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20070182580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/933, 340/938, 340/939, 340/943, 340951-952, 340989-992, 701/1, 701/117
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/523 for presence detection burglar, theft or intruder alarms G08B13/00, e.g. G08B13/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An occupancy sensor includes an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver each operably coupled to a controller. The sensor further includes a communication interface operably coupled to the controller and capable of transmitting and receiving communication signals to and from a communication network through the communication interface. The sensor also includes memory for storing operation aspects, such as a network address associated with the sensor, information representative of data corresponding to the defined region monitored by the sensor, an office plan location for the sensor, and an operating schedule for the sensor. One or more operational aspects of the occupancy sensor may be adjusted through the use of a remote control or a local control at the sensor. The occupancy sensor processes acoustic and/or infrared signals to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within a defined region.

Claims

1. An occupancy sensor, comprising:

an acoustic transmitter;

an acoustic receiver;

a communication interface for transmitting and receiving communication signals to and from a communication network;

a memory comprising information representative of a network address for the sensor, information representative of data corresponding to the defined region, information representative of an operating schedule for the occupancy sensor, and information representative of an office plan location assigned to the occupancy sensor; and

a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transmitter, acoustic receiver, the communication interface, and the memory;

wherein the controller is adapted to;

transmit acoustic signals using the acoustic transmitter;

receive acoustic signals using the acoustic receiver;

process the received acoustic signals to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within a defined region;

communicate with the communication network using the communication interface;

permit remote control of the occupancy sensor during a first time period and permit local control of the occupancy sensor during a second time period; and

permit remote updates of the information representative of a network address for the sensor, information representative of data corresponding to the defined region, information representative of an operating schedule for the occupancy sensor, and information representative of an office plan location assigned to the occupancy sensor.

2. The occupancy sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

an infrared sensor; and

wherein the controller is adapted to;

process the signals generated by the infrared sensor to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within a defined region.

3. A method of operating an occupancy sensor, comprising:

transmitting acoustic signals into a defined region;

receiving acoustic signals from the defined region;

processing the received acoustic signals to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within the defined region;

communicating with the occupancy sensor using a network;

assigning a network address to the sensor;

storing information within the sensor that corresponds to the defined region;

remotely controlling one or more operational aspects of the occupancy sensor during a first time period;

locally controlling the one or more operational aspects during a second time period; and

remotely updating the information representative of a data corresponding to the defined region;

wherein the information representative of data corresponding to the defined region comprises information representative of an operating schedule for the occupancy sensor; and

wherein the information representative of data corresponding to the defined region comprises information representative of an office plan location assigned to the occupancy sensor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

monitoring infrared energy within the defined region; and

processing the infrared energy to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within the defined region.

5. A system for operating an occupancy sensor, comprising:

means for transmitting acoustic signals into a defined region;

means for receiving acoustic signals from the defined region;

means for processing the received acoustic signals to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within the defined region;

means for communicating with the occupancy sensor using a network;

means for assigning a network address to the sensor;

means for storing information within the sensor that corresponds to the defined region;

means for remotely controlling one or more operational aspects of the occupancy sensor during a first time period;

means for locally controlling the one or more operational aspects during a second time period; and

means for remotely updating the information representative of a data corresponding to the defined region;

wherein the information representative of data corresponding to the defined region comprises information representative of an operating schedule for the occupancy sensor; and

wherein the information representative of data corresponding to the defined region comprises information representative of an office plan location assigned to the occupancy sensor.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for monitoring infrared energy within a defined region; and

means for processing the infrared energy to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within the defined region.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for operating an occupancy sensor, comprising the steps of:

transmitting acoustic signals into a defined region;

receiving acoustic signals from the defined region;

processing the received acoustic signals to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within the defined region;

communicating with the occupancy sensor using a network;

assigning a network address to the sensor;

storing information within the sensor that corresponds to the defined region;

remotely controlling one or more operational aspects of the occupancy sensor during a first time period;

locally controlling the one or more operational aspects during a second time period; and

remotely updating the information representative of a data corresponding to the defined region;

wherein the information representative of data corresponding to the defined region comprises information representative of an operating schedule for the occupancy sensor; and

wherein the information representative of data corresponding to the defined region comprises information representative of an office plan location assigned to the occupancy sensor.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

monitoring infrared energy in the defined region; and

processing the monitored infrared energy to determine the presence or absence of an occupant within the defined region.

9. A control system, comprising:

one or more occupancy sensors comprising;

corresponding network addresses; and

a memory comprising one or more operational parameters of the corresponding occupancy sensor; and

a communication network operably coupled to the occupancy sensor;

one or more remote controllers operably coupled to the communication network;

wherein one or more of the remote controllers are adapted to;

permit remote control and monitoring of one or more of the occupancy sensors;

display information corresponding to the operational parameters for one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors;

control one or more operational parameters of one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors during a first time period and permit local control of the one or more addressable occupancy sensors during a second time period; and

update one or more of the operational parameters of the corresponding occupancy sensor; and

wherein the operational parameters comprise information representative of an operating schedule and floor plan information for the corresponding occupancy sensor.

10. A method of operating a control system comprising one or more occupancy sensors, comprising:

providing one or more remote controllers;

controlling and monitoring one or more operational aspects of one or more of the occupancy sensors;

assigning network addresses to one or more of the occupancy sensors;

remotely displaying information corresponding to one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors;

remotely controlling one or more operational parameters of one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors during a first time period;

locally controlling the one or more operational parameters of the one or more addressable occupancy sensors during a second time period;

storing one or more operational parameters of the occupancy sensors within the corresponding occupancy sensors; and

remotely updating one or more of the operational parameters of the corresponding occupancy sensors;

wherein the operational parameters comprise information representative of an operating schedule and floor plan information for the corresponding occupancy sensor.

11. A system for operating a control system comprising one or more occupancy sensors, comprising:

means for providing one or more remote controllers;

means for controlling and monitoring one or more operational aspects of one or more of the occupancy sensors;

means for assigning network addresses to one or more of the occupancy sensors;

means for remotely displaying information corresponding to one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors;

means for remotely controlling one or more operational parameters of one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors during a first time period;

means for locally controlling the one or more operational parameters of the one or more addressable occupancy sensors during a second time period;

means for storing one or more operational parameters of the occupancy sensors within the corresponding occupancy sensors; and

means for remotely updating one or more of the operational parameters of the corresponding occupancy sensors;

wherein the operational parameters comprise information representative of an operating schedule and floor plan information for the corresponding occupancy sensor.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for operating a control system comprising one or more occupancy sensors, comprising the steps of:

providing one or more remote controllers;

controlling and monitoring one or more operational aspects of one or more of the occupancy sensors;

assigning network addresses to one or more of the occupancy sensors;

remotely displaying information corresponding to one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors;

remotely controlling one or more operational parameters of one or more of the addressable occupancy sensors during a first time period;

locally controlling the one or more operational parameters of the one or more addressable occupancy sensors during a second time period;

storing one or more operational parameters of the occupancy sensors within the corresponding occupancy sensors; and

remotely updating one or more of the operational parameters of the corresponding occupancy sensors;

wherein the operational parameters comprise information representative of an operating schedule and floor plan information for the corresponding occupancy sensor.