Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110057581 | Floor Plan Deduction Using Lighting Control and Sensing - An apparatus and method of deducing building floor plan information are disclosed. One method includes changing an intensity of light generated from a plurality of lights within a building. A plurality of light sensors senses an intensity of light received from at least one of the plurality of lights. A distance between at least one light sensor and at least one of the plurality of lights is estimated based on the sensed intensity of light. | 03-10-2011 |
20110140612 | Lighting Control - An apparatus and method of controlling a light are disclosed. One method includes detecting a light adjusting trigger event, selecting a random delay time, and adjusting the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event. | 06-16-2011 |
20120032599 | Intelligent Light Retrofit - An apparatus and method of retrofitting a light fixture are disclosed. One method includes interfacing a retrofit controller with a dimming ballast of the light fixture, connecting the retrofit controller to at least one sensor, and connecting the retrofit controller to a power supply and a network. Another embodiment includes a light fixture retrofit controller and a separate sensor unit. The combination of the retrofit controller and a separate sensor unit are operative to provide power and dimming control of a dimming ballast of an existing light fixture. The dimming control is base on at least one of a signal sensed by the separate sensor unit and control information received from a network. | 02-09-2012 |
20120062125 | Distributed Lighting Control of a Corridor or Open Areas - Methods and apparatuses of distributed lighting control are disclosed. One method includes a sensor sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold. If a light associated with the sensor is within a corridor and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, then the light is activated at a preselected corridor light intensity. If the light associated with the sensor is not within a corridor and the sensed change of light per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, then the light is activated at a preselected non-corridor light intensity. For an embodiment, the preselected corridor light intensity is greater than the preselected non-corridor light intensity. | 03-15-2012 |
20120112667 | Controlling Intensity of a Light Through Qualified Motion Sensing - Methods and apparatuses for controlling light intensity of a light through motion sensing are disclosed. One method includes sensing a first instance of motion. The light is activated only if consecutive instances of motion are sensed, wherein each instance is sensed within a gap of time of a previously sensed instance of motion, and the consecutive instances of motion being sensed span an entire window of time after sensing the first instance of motion. One apparatus includes a motion sensor for sensing a first instance of motion. The apparatus further includes a controller interfaced to the motion sensor and the light, the controller operative to activate the light only if consecutive instances of motion are sensed, wherein each instance is sensed within a gap of time of a previously sensed instance of motion, and the consecutive instances of motion being sensed span an entire window of time after sensing the first instance of motion. | 05-10-2012 |
20120130544 | Logical Groupings of Intelligent Building Fixtures - Methods, apparatuses and systems of building control, are disclosed. One system includes a plurality of building fixtures and at least one sensor interfaced with at least one of the plurality of building fixtures. Further, each building fixture includes a communication port and a controller. For this embodiment, each controller is configured to independently control at least one of an environmental load or a security device, either receive or help designate the building fixture as belonging to a logical group of building fixtures, and share at least one of sensor or state information with other building fixtures within the logical group of building fixtures, through the communication port. | 05-24-2012 |
20120229049 | Lighting Control With Automatic and Bypass Modes - Methods, systems and apparatuses for controlling a light through an automatic mode and a bypass mode are disclosed. One method includes receiving physical signaling. Detection of a predetermined sequence of the physical signaling is used to determine whether to control the light in the automatic mode or the bypass mode. The automatic mode provides network control of the light, and the bypass mode bypasses the network control of the light. One lighting system includes a light, a sensor for receiving and sensing the physical signaling, and a controller detecting a predetermined sequence of the physical signaling. Detection of a predetermined sequence of the physical signaling is used to determine whether to control the light in the automatic mode or the bypass mode. The automatic mode provides network control of the light, and the bypass mode bypasses the network control of the light. | 09-13-2012 |
20120299485 | Distributed Lighting Control - Apparatuses, methods and systems for controlling a luminaire are disclosed. One embodiment includes a lighting control sub-system. The lighting control sub-system includes a luminaire, a controller coupled to the luminaire, and a sensor coupled to the controller. The sensor generates a sensed input. The lighting control sub-system further includes a communication interface, wherein the communication interface couples the controller to an external device. The controller is operative to control a light output of the luminaire based at least in part on the sensed input, and to communicate at least one of state or sensed information to the external device. | 11-29-2012 |
20120326608 | Intelligent and Emergency Light Control - Methods, apparatuses and systems of an intelligent light controller controlling a light, are disclosed. One method includes interpreting a switch from a normal power supply to an emergency power supply. Upon interpreting the switch from the normal power supply to the emergency power supply, the intelligent light controller controllably powers the light for a predetermined period of time. Further, the intelligent light controller executes an energy-savings behavior control of the light. | 12-27-2012 |
20130020949 | LIGHTING CONTROL - An apparatus and method of controlling a light are disclosed. One light apparatus includes a light and a controller. The controller is operative to detect a light adjusting trigger event, select a random delay time, and adjust the light, wherein the light adjustment occurs the random delay time after detecting the light adjusting trigger event. | 01-24-2013 |
20130088168 | COMMISSION OF DISTRIBUTED LIGHT FIXTURES OF A LIGHTING SYSTEM - Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for commissioning a light fixture are disclosed. One method includes receiving, by the light fixture, a message from a central controller, wherein reception of the message puts the light fixture into a known condition, establishing communication between the light fixture and a user, and communicating, by either the light fixture or the user, a location of the user at a time of the established communication, to the central controller, thereby allowing the central controller to record a location of the light fixture. | 04-11-2013 |
20130184892 | BUILDING LOAD REDUCTION DURING DEMAND RESPONSE - Apparatuses, methods and systems for managing a building load reduction of a plurality of loads within a building are disclosed. One method includes assigning one or more loads of the plurality of loads to logical groups, assigning a sensitivity coefficient to each of the logical groups, wherein the sensitivity coefficient is directly proportional to an impact on occupants in the building to load changes, determining the baseline load for each of the logical groups, receiving a power reduction demand response, and reducing a load of each logical group based upon the sensitivity coefficient. | 07-18-2013 |
20130200807 | LIGHTING FIXTURE THAT SELF-ESTIMATES ITS POWER USAGE AND MONITORS ITS HEALTH - Apparatuses, methods and systems for lighting fixture determining its power usage and monitoring its operational health are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method of a lighting fixture determining its power usage. The method includes sensing, by an ambient light sensor, an intensity of light emitted from the lighting fixture, and estimating power usage of the lighting fixture based on the sensed intensity of light. | 08-08-2013 |
20130221860 | CONTROLLING A PARAMETER OF A DEVICE THROUGH QUALIFIED MOTION SENSING - Methods and apparatuses for controlling a parameter of a device through motion sensing are disclosed. One apparatus includes a motion sensor for sensing a first instance of motion. The apparatus further includes a controller interfaced to the motion sensor and the device, wherein the controller is operative to activate the light only if consecutive instances of motion are sensed, wherein each instance is sensed within a gap of time of a previously sensed instance of motion, and the consecutive instances of motion being sensed span an entire window of time after sensing the first instance of motion. | 08-29-2013 |
20130257296 | Distributed Lighting Control of an Area - Methods and apparatuses of distributed lighting control are disclosed. One embodiment includes a lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus includes a light, a sensor associated with the light for sensing a change of light intensity per unit of time greater than a sense threshold, and a controller. The controller is operative to determine if the light is within an area, activate the light at a preselected area light intensity if a light associated with the sensor is within the area and the sensed change of light intensity per unit of time is greater than the sense threshold, and if the light is not within the area, then the light only activates if motion is additionally detected, thereby increasing light intensity over a target area. | 10-03-2013 |
20130320859 | INTELLIGENT LIGHT RETROFIT - An apparatus and method of retrofitting a light fixture are disclosed. One method includes interfacing a retrofit controller with a dimming ballast of the light fixture, connecting the retrofit controller to at least one sensor, and connecting the retrofit controller to a power supply. Another embodiment includes a light fixture retrofit controller and a separate sensor unit. The combination of the retrofit controller and a separate sensor unit are operative to provide power and dimming control of a dimming ballast of an existing light fixture. The dimming control is base on at least one of a signal sensed by the separate sensor unit and control information received from a network. | 12-05-2013 |
20130342111 | User Control of an Environmental Parameter of a Structure - An apparatuses, methods and systems for providing user control of an environmental parameter of a structure are disclosed. One method includes establishing a direct communication link between a user device and a fixture located within the structure, receiving, by a central controller, information of the user device from the fixture through a first communication link, receiving, by the central controller, control information from the user device through a second communication link, and communicating, by the central controller, the control information to the fixture, wherein the fixture controls the environmental parameter based on the control information. | 12-26-2013 |
20140031987 | CONFIGURING A SET OF DEVICES OF A STRUCTURE - Systems, methods and apparatuses for configuring a set of devices of a structure are disclosed. One method includes loading a structure plan to a mobile computing device, wherein the structure plan is associated with the structure, communicating, by the mobile computing device, with one or more of the set of devices, communicating, by each of the one or more of the set of devices, a device identifier and proximity dependent information of the device back to the mobile computing device, wherein the proximity dependent information allows the mobile computing device to estimate a proximate location of the device, and placing, by the mobile computing device, each of the one or more of the set of devices on the structure floor plan based at least in part on the proximity dependent information. | 01-30-2014 |
20140072211 | IMAGE DETECTION AND PROCESSING FOR BUILDING CONTROL - Occupancy detection for building environmental control is disclosed. One apparatus includes at least one image sensor and a controller, wherein the controller is operative to obtain a plurality of images from the at least one image sensor, determine a color difference image of a color difference between consecutive images of the plurality of images, determining an area of the color difference image wherein the color difference is greater than a threshold, create an occupancy candidate based on filtering of the determined area if the determined area is less than light change threshold, generate one or more centroids that represent areas of the occupancy candidate that are greater than a second threshold, track the one or more centroids over a period of time, detect occupancy if one or more of the centroids is detected to have moved more than a movement threshold over the period of time. | 03-13-2014 |
20140103819 | USER CONTROL OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETER OF A STRUCTURE - An apparatuses, methods and systems for providing user control of an environmental parameter of a structure are disclosed. One method includes configuring a one or more units of the lighting system, establishing a local line-of-sight communication link between a user device and at least one sensor unit of the one or more sensor units, receiving, by the at least one sensor unit, a request from the user device, the at least one sensor unit propagating the request to a controller of the lighting system, the controller responding to the request with an operational change of a device associated with the at least one sensor unit, and the at least one sensor unit or the device associated with the at least one sensor unit providing an observable indicator to the user that the request has been addressed. | 04-17-2014 |
20140175990 | AUTOMATICALLY COMMISSIONING LIGHTING CONTROLS USING SENSING PARAMETERS OF THE LIGHTING CONTROLS - Apparatuses, methods, and systems for automatically commissioning lighting controls using sensing parameters of the light controls are disclosed. One embodiment includes a building control system. The building control system includes a plurality of sensors, a plurality of lights associated with the plurality of sensors, and a controller. The controller is operative to receive sense signals from the plurality of sensors, and generate a graph based on the sensed signals, wherein the graph includes nodes that represent light locations, and edges that represent distances between the lights. For an embodiment, the controller further operative to performing inexact graph matching between a floor plan graph and the sensor graph, thereby automatically commissioning the plurality of lights based on the sensed signals of the plurality of sensors. | 06-26-2014 |
20140184083 | DISTRIBUTED LIGHTING CONTROL THAT INCLUDES SATELLITE CONTROL UNITS - Systems, methods and apparatuses of lighting control are disclosed. At least one lighting control system includes a central controller, a plurality of M satellite control units, a plurality of N light fixtures, and a central controller. Each satellite control unit includes an AC to DC converter and a power meter. The plurality of N light fixtures are connected to a one of the plurality of M satellite control units through N power control devices. Further, the central controller is operative to communicate with one or more of the plurality M satellite control units and one or more of the plurality of N light fixtures. | 07-03-2014 |
20140222213 | CONFIGURING A PLURALITY OF SENSOR DEVICES OF A STRUCTURE - Systems, methods and apparatuses for commissioning a set of devices of a structure are disclosed. One method includes communicating, by a mobile computing device, with one or more of the set of devices, communicating, by each of the one or more of the set of devices, a device identifier, and placing each of the one or more of the set of devices on a floor plan of the structure based at least in part on proximity dependent information of the device. One system includes a plurality of sensor units and a mobile device. The system further includes a processor operative to place each of the one or more of the plurality of sensor units on a floor plan of a structure based at least in part on proximity dependent information of the device. | 08-07-2014 |
20140235269 | TRACKING LOCATIONS OF A COMPUTING DEVICE AND RECORDING LOCATIONS OF SENSOR UNITS - Systems, methods and apparatuses of tracking locations of a computing device and recording locations of sensor units are disclosed. One method includes tracking a location of a computing device within the area, coupling the computing device with a least one of a plurality of sensor units, and identifying and recording a location of the at least one of the plurality of sensor units based on a tracked location of the computing device and an identifier of the at least one of the plurality of sensor units. | 08-21-2014 |
20140249679 | CONTROLLABLE RECEPTACLE - Methods, apparatuses and systems of a controllable receptacle are disclosed. One apparatus includes a primary switch, a secondary switch, a current sensor, and a controller. The controller is operative to determine that the controllable receptacle is to be activated, close the primary switch while maintaining the secondary switch open when determining the controllable receptacle is to be activated, receive the magnitude of current being conducted through the controllable receptacle from the current sensor for a period of time, close the secondary switch upon determining that the magnitude of the current conducted through the controllable receptacle from the current sensor for a period of time is within a predetermined range. | 09-04-2014 |
20140257572 | LOGICAL GROUPINGS OF MULTIPLE TYPES OF INTELLIGENT BUILDING FIXTURES - Methods, apparatuses and systems of a controllable receptacle are disclosed. One apparatus includes at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch connects an input power connection received by the controllable receptacle to a receptacle output when the at least one switch is closed, a motion sensor for sensing motion, a transceiver for communicating with other devices, and a controller. For an embodiment, the controller operative to determine an association of the controllable receptacle with a motion group, wherein the motion group comprises a plurality of devices, wherein the controller communicates with at least one of the plurality of devices, determines that the controllable receptacle is to be activated based on the motion sensor sensing motion or a motion sensor of a device of the motion group sensing motion, and closes the at least one switch when determining the controllable receptacle is to be activated. | 09-11-2014 |
20140265927 | CONFIGURATION FREE AND DEVICE BEHAVIOR UNAWARE WIRELESS SWITCH - Apparatuses, methods and systems for controlling lighting, an environment factor, or security of a structure are discloses. A lighting control system includes a plurality of lighting devices, a central server and a switch. The central server communicates with each of the plurality of lighting devices, and controls an operating configuration of each of the lighting devices. The switch communicates with at least some of the plurality of lighting devices, wherein the communication includes information, and wherein the at least some of the plurality of lighting devices respond to the information based on the operating configuration of the at least some of the plurality of lighting devices. | 09-18-2014 |
20140362669 | OPERATION OF A STANDALONE SENSOR DEVICE - Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for standalone sensor unit are disclosed. For an embodiment, the standalone sensor unit includes a plurality of sensors and a controller. The controller is operative to detect a presence of a mobile unit, wherein detecting the presence of the mobile unit comprises the controller being operative to sense motion with a motion sensor, and sense a strobe of light, wherein the sensed motion and the sensed strobe of light occur within a predetermined time of each other, and receive a configuration setting from the mobile unit within a window of time after presence of the mobile unit has been detected. | 12-11-2014 |
20150061503 | INTELLIGENT LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) CONTROLLER AND DRIVER - An apparatuses, methods, and systems of light emitting diode (LED) control are disclosed. One embodiment includes an LED control system that includes a sensor unit and a light emitting diode (LED) driver/controller unit. The sensor unit includes a sensor controller and a sensor, wherein the sensor is operative to generate a sensed signal based on at least one of sensed motion or light. The LED driver/controller unit includes an LED driver, and an LED controller. At least one of the sensor controller and the LED controller is operative to generate dimming control of an LED based on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from a network, and adjust a dimming of the LED based on the dimming control. | 03-05-2015 |
20150076993 | Distributed Light Fixture Beacon Transmission - Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for a light fixture are disclosed. One apparatus of the light fixture includes a sensor unit and a light intensity controller. The sensor unit includes a sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light, wireless communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network, and a controller. The controller is operative to manage communication with the network, manage transmission of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons include information associated with the fixture, and generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network. The light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture. | 03-19-2015 |