University of California

Erik Page & Associates, Inc.

Finelite Inc.

Other

Nev Electronics LLC

Benya Lighting Design

Erik R Page

Michael Jay Siminovitch

Konstantinos Papamichael

Keith E Graeber

Walter Blue Clark

Douglas Joseph Scott Bourne

Kevin Wayne Gauna

Carl T Gould

Joel Snook

James R Benya

Don Aumann

A daylight harvesting system includes a daylight harvester device that distinguishes the natural and artificial contributions to the light in a workspace. Distinguishing the contributions allows the values of the contributions to be combined in ways other than linearly summing them to obtain the total light. For example, when the natural light increases, the artificial light may be reduced by less than the natural-light increase to mitigate glare and/or shadows and other artifacts that might otherwise be present and objectionable. The daylight harvesting system can include a human-based sensor located in a workspace, e.g., on or close to a user, so the measurements it takes are not adversely affected by spatial variations across a room in the natural and artificial lighting.

Daylight harvesting to exceed artificial light maximum

Multivariate daylight harvesting

A modular lighting system for lighting a work area is disclosed. The system includes a power supply with power outlets for powering LED fixtures. The power supply preferably operates at or below a fixed power output level, such as to illuminate the work area using less than 0.2 Watts per square foot of energy. The lighting system also includes an occupancy sensor and/or a light level sensor for controlling lighting levels in the work area in response to detection of a person, ambient light levels and/or a combination thereof. The lighting system can also include computer unit with a micro-processor and a memory unit for running software or firmware the executes lighting programs, stores light usage histories and/or provides system reports to a remote computer by a wireless means and/or over a computer network.

Workspace lighting system

A lighting system including fixture lamps, e.g., ceiling mounted, and movable light sources, e.g., task lamps. The task lamps include illuminance sensors arranged to detect ambient light including light emitted by one or more fixture lamps and available daylight. Control data is generated based at least in part on the illuminance data. The resulting control data is transmitted from the task lamp to a fixture lamp and a window system so that it can be used to control the amount of light emitted by the fixture lamp and amount of daylight transmitted through the window system. This arrangement allows daylight harvesting while ensuring that the amount of light provided to workspaces (at which task lamps are located) is satisfactory.

Movable illuminance sensors for fixture light sources

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses power-line phase-cut signaling to change energy usage for one or more devices that share a common power signal. During operation, the system receives a request to change power usage. In response to the request, the system inserts a phase-cut notch into the common power signal. A device that is located downstream from the inserted phase-cut notch detects this notch in the common power signal, and in response triggers a power-state change. For instance, the device may trigger a reduced-power state when it detects a phase-cut notch.

Method and apparatus for using power-line phase-cut signaling to change energy usage

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for calibrating a lighting control system. The lighting control system is a daylight-harvesting system that controls the output of the lighting system based on available daylight and/or other light sources to reduce energy usage while providing lighting for an area. The lighting system includes multi-level lighting capabilities for one or more light sources. First, the system measures the light levels for the area when the lighting system: is turned on at a high energy-level; is turned on at an intermediate energy-level; and is turned off. The system determines from these measured light levels the light output of the lighting system in the different states. Then, during operation, the system measures a present light level for the area. The system then adjusts the light output of the lighting system for the area based on a lighting control parameter (e.g an on set-point and an off set-point pair), the present light output of the lighting system, and the present light level for the area.

Method for calibrating a lighting control system that facilitates daylight harvesting

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for preventing incorrect lighting changes in a daylight-harvesting system, which controls the output of a lighting system based on the presence of daylight and/or other light sources to reduce energy usage. During operation, the system measures a first light level using a first sensor. Next, the system measures a second light level for a different field-of-view using a second sensor. When the system detects through the first sensor a change in the first light level, the system determines from the second sensor whether the second light level has also changed. If the first sensor and the second sensor both detect a change (in the same direction) in the measured light levels, the system adjusts the light output of the lighting system to maintain target light levels for the area.

Method for preventing incorrect lighting adjustment in a daylight harvesting system

A photosensor with customizable angular-response characteristics is presented. This photosensor includes a light-modifier located between the photosensor and a target area to be monitored by the photosensor, wherein the light-modifier provides a customizable angular response for light received at the photosensor from the target area.

Photosensor with customizable angular-response characteristics

A double lamp table or floor lamp lighting system has a pair of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or other lamps arranged vertically, i.e. one lamp above the other, with a reflective septum in between. By selectively turning on one or both of the CFLs, down lighting, up lighting, or both up and down lighting is produced. The control system can also vary the light intensity from each CFL. The reflective septum ensures that almost all the light produced by each lamp will be directed into the desired light distribution pattern which is selected and easily changed by the user. In a particular configuration, the reflective septum is bowl shaped, with the upper CFL sitting in the bowl, and a luminous shade hanging down from the bowl. The lower CFL provides both task lighting and uniform shade luminance. Planar compact fluorescent lamps, e.g. circular CFLs, particularly oriented horizontally, are preferable. CFLs provide energy efficiency. However, other types of lamps, including incandescent, halogen, and LEDs can also be used in the fixture. The lighting system may be designed for the home, hospitality, office or other environments.

Table lamp with dynamically controlled lighting distribution and uniformly illuminated luminous shade

A double lamp table or floor lamp lighting system has a pair of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) arranged vertically with a reflective septum in between. By selectively turning on one or both of the CFLs, down lighting, up lighting, or both up and down lighting is produced. The control system can also vary the light intensity from each CFL. The reflective septum insures that almost all the light produced by each lamp will be directed into the desired light distribution pattern which is selected and easily changed by the user. Planar compact fluorescent lamps, e.g. circular CFLs, particularly oriented horizontally, are preferable. CFLs provide energy efficiency. The lighting system may be designed for the home, hospitality, office or other environments.

Portable lamp with dynamically controlled lighting distribution

Disclosed herein is a reflector system for a lighting fixture having a illumination source surrounded by an envelope. The reflector system includes a first reflector surrounding the illumination source. The reflector system also includes a second reflector which is non-contiguous with the first reflector and which surrounds the illumination source. The illumination source creates light rays which are reflected by the first and second reflectors. The first reflector directs light rays toward the center line of the fixture. However, the reflected rays despite being so reflected do not substantially intersect the envelope. The reflected light rays from the second reflector being directed so that they diverge from the center line of the fixture avoiding intersection with the semi-transparent envelope.

Growing community of inventors

Winters, CA, United States of America

Erik R Page