Lutron Technology Company LLC

Craig Alan Casey

Brent Protzman

James P Steiner

Thomas M Shearer

Rhodes B Baker

Galen Edgar Knode

Mark Stephen Taipale

Venkatesh Chitta

Ethan Charles Biery

Erica L Clymer

Benjamin F Bard

Sanjeev Kumar

John B Nill

Neil R Orchowski

Christina Evans

Christoper Matthew Jones

Yogesh Venkata Gopalan

Richard S Camden

Jordan H Crafts

Ankit Bhutani

Vidur Garg

Christopher Matthew Jones

Prasad Pramod Kulkarni

John F Yamrick

Rangasayee Sapthasayee

Yogesh Gopalan

Roopshree Das Gupta

Brian A Jay

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.

Measuring lighting levels using a visible light sensor

A device located within a user environment comprises plurality of sensors to measure one or more environmental conditions within the user environment. A first sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to measure an environmental condition on a first plane and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to measure an environmental condition on a second plane. For example, the sensor device may measure the temperature, humidity, light intensity, color temperature, and/or the like. The sensor device may periodically measure the environmental conditions, and may periodically transmit the values of the measured environmental conditions to a computing device. A mobile device associated with a user may receive the measured values from the sensor device when the mobile device is within range of the sensor device, and may present a survey to the user that includes one or more questions that prompt the user to report their comfort level with respect to the measured environmental conditions. The mobile device and/or another computing device may build a profile for the location and/or the user based on the values and the user's reported comfort levels.

Sensor for measuring environmental conditions in a user environment

A sensor and/or system controller may process an image multiple times at multiple resolutions to detect glare conditions. A glare condition threshold used to determine whether a glare condition exists may be based on the resolution of the image. When the resolution of the image is higher, the glare condition threshold may be higher. The sensor and/or system controller may organize one or more adjacent pixels having similar intensities into pixel groups. The pixel groups may vary in size and/or shape. The sensor and/or system controller may determine a representative group luminance for the pixel group (e.g., an average luminance of the pixels in the group). The sensor and/or system controller may determine a group glare condition threshold, which may be used to determine whether a glare condition exists for the group of pixels and/or may be based on the size of the group.

Visible light sensor configured for glare detection and controlling motorized window treatments

One or more devices of a lighting control system may be configured to generate a custom CCT dimming curve for a lighting load. The device may receive, via a user selection, a high-end correlated color temperature (CCT) value, where the high-end CCT value is associated with a high-end intensity level of the lighting load. The device may receive, via a user selection, a CCT dimming curve from a plurality of selectable curve shapes. The device may determine a bend value and a CCT range based on the selected curve shape. The device may determine a low-end CCT value based on the high-end CCT value and the CCT range, where the low-end CCT value is associated with a low-end intensity level of the lighting load. The device may determine the custom CCT dimming curve based on the high-end CCT value, the low-end CCT value, and the bend value.

System and methods for generating customized color temperature dimming curves for lighting devices

Configuration of a visible light sensor to control an electrical load in response to detection of an environmental characteristic

A load control environment may be controlled by adjusting load control devices, such as a lighting intensity level, a level of the covering material for a motorized window treatment, and/or a temperature level to reduce and/or optimize the consumption of power. The optimization of power may include reducing the total cost and consumption of power, while maintaining a target or minimum level of comfort for occupants and/or a net monetary gain. The optimization of power consumption may be performed by adaptively controlling the load control devices to reduce the total power consumption of the load control environment, while maintaining a minimum level for comfort metrics indicating a level of occupant comfort and/or the net monetary gain associated with the comfort metrics.

Optimization of load control environments

Sensor for detecting glare conditions

A load control system may be configured using a graphical user interface (GUI) software. The GUI software may be implemented to collect control devices and add the control devices to the load control system for configuration. Programming data may be automatically determined for the added control devices based on the type of control device, the location of the control device, and/or the load type controlled by the control device. The programming data may include control settings for a scene, a schedule, or an automated control feature. The programming data may be displayed for being viewed and/or adjusted by a user. The programming data may be transmitted to the control devices and/or a system controller for being implemented in performing load control.

Configuring a load control system

A visible light sensor (VLS) may be configured to sense environmental characteristics using images of a space. The VLS 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 VLS may be configured to decrease or eliminate glares. In the daylighting sensor mode and/or color sensor mode, the VLS may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the VLS 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.

Load control system having a visible light sensor

Methods and systems may be used for controlling the color temperature of one or more light sources (e.g., discrete-spectrum light sources) based on fixture capability information. Fixture capability information may be obtained using a configuration tool. The fixture capability information may be determined by the configuration tool, and the fixture capability information determined by the configuration tool may be stored and/or processed. The fixture may have a memory for storing the fixture capability information. The fixture capability information may also be stored in a remote network device. A system controller may obtain the fixture capability information from the fixture or the remote control device. The system controller may generate control instructions based on the fixture capability information and send the control instructions to the fixtures.

Systems and methods for controlling color temperature

Controlling lighting loads to achieve a desired lighting pattern

Color temperature in a space may be adjusted by controlling one or more lighting control devices (e.g., which control one or more lighting fixtures). Light may enter the space through a window. As a result of daylight control devices associated with the window, the color temperature of light that is entering the space may not be equal to a color temperature of light from outside of the space. A desired color temperature for the space may be input. The color temperature of light emitted by one or more lighting fixtures (e.g., controlled by one or more lighting control devices) may be adjusted to attain the desired color temperature.

Control of motorized window treatments and lighting color

Configuration of a visible light sensor

A sensor may detect glare from a recorded image and a shade position of a motorized window treatment may be controlled based on the position of the detected glare in the image. A luminance of a pixel may be calculated in an image and a glare condition may be detected based on the luminance of the pixel. For example, the sensor may start at a first pixel in a bottom row of pixels and step through each of the pixels on the bottom row before moving to a next row of pixels. When the sensor detects a glare condition, the sensor may cease processing the remaining pixels of the image. The sensor may calculate a background luminance of the image by reordering the pixels of the image from darkest to lightest and calculating the luminance of a pixel that is a predetermined percentage from the darkest pixel.

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Coopersburg, PA, United States of America

Craig Alan Casey