Building lighting and temperature control with an augmented reality system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10146194-B2
Application number	US-201514882941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Oct 14, 2015
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

An augmented reality (AR) system, device, and method for reducing energy usage by monitoring and determining optimal control settings for conditions within a building. Sensors embedded in AR devices worn by workers performing job duties are utilized to detect and measure physical conditions such as visible light intensity and air temperature. Location, time/date, and worker occupancy data is also provided to the AR system. A time- and location-based data profile of environmental conditions within the building is created and regularly updated to track changes in environmental conditions over time. Algorithms running on a processor calculate and provide optimal control settings to building lighting and climate control systems. Optimal control settings take into account energy reduction goals, worker comfort, and regulatory compliance. The system utilizes the data profile to determine initial, reduced-energy control settings based on expected physical conditions within the building.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An augmented reality (AR) systems monitoring and controlling environmental conditions within a building to reduce energy usage, the AR system comprising:
a display displaying AR content to a user;
one or more sensors gathering data of one or more environmental conditions of the building, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one light sensor for gathering light data from light sources in the building;
a location detector detecting location data of the user relative to the building; and
a computing device communicatively coupled to the display, the one or more sensors, and the location detector, the computing device comprising a processor that, when executed, performs to:
develop a time-and location-based profile of the one or more environmental conditions of the building using the data gathered by the one or more sensors at known locations over a period of time,
measure one or more current environmental conditions using the data gathered by the one or more sensors at a known location, wherein the one or more measured environmental conditions comprise at least one of light intensity and frequency,
generate AR content pertaining to the one or more environmental conditions within the building and transmit the AR content to the display,
compare the one or more current environmental conditions at the known location with environmental conditions using the data gathered based on the developed profile,
determine a control setting for the one or more environmental conditions based on the comparison between the one or more current and environmental conditions and the environmental conditions using the data gathered based on the developed profile, and
generate a notification message when at least one of the one or more current environmental conditions is outside a range of a set-point by a predetermined amount.

2. The AR system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor, when executed, further performs to:
update the profile with the one or more current environmental conditions for the known location.

3. The AR system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light sensor comprises a charge-coupled device (CCD).

4. The AR system according to claim 1 , wherein the profile of the one or more environmental conditions includes lighting intensity and the processor, when executed, further performs to:
detect and characterize the light sources in the building using the light data.

5. The AR system according to claim 4 , wherein the notification message includes an indication when the measured lighting intensity deviates from a lighting set-point by an amount indicative of such a condition that at least one of the light sources is burnt out or malfunctioning.

6. The AR system according to claim 5 , wherein the AR content includes at least one of: the measured lighting intensity, lighting set-point, and an indicator of a malfunctioning or burnt-out light source.

7. The AR system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more depth sensors for gathering mapping data of physical objects in the building,
wherein the processor, when executed, further performs to:
detect and track the number of people in the building using the mapping data, and
adjust a control setting to reduce energy usage for at least one of the environmental conditions when no people are detected within one or more zones within the building.

8. The AR system according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more depth sensors comprise at least one optical 3D scanner, and wherein the processor, when executed, further performs to:
construct a three-dimensional (3D) model of the building using the mapping data.

9. The AR system according to claim 8 , wherein the control setting for the intensity of artificial light sources is calculated to supplement natural light sources to maintain the overall building light intensity within a range of the lighting set-point.

10. The AR system according to claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one temperature sensor gathering temperature data from the building and wherein the one or more measured environmental conditions further comprises the ambient temperature.

11. The AR system according to claim 10 , wherein the control settings of the climate-control system are calculated to maintain the ambient temperature inside the building within a range of a temperature set-point.

12. A method for monitoring and controlling one or more environmental conditions within a building using an augmented reality (AR) device, the method comprising:
providing the AR device to be worn by a user and operatively connected to a computing device, the AR device including one or more sensors comprising at least one light sensor for gathering light data from light sources in the building, a location detector, and a display system for presenting AR content generated by the computing device;
identifying, via the location detector, a location of the AR device relative to the building;
measuring an environmental condition of the building using environmental data comprising at least one of light intensity and frequency gathered by the one or more sensors at the identified location;
generating AR content relating to the measured environmental condition of the building and displaying the AR content via the display system;
creating, via the computing device, a time-and location-based data profile of the environmental condition of the building using the environmental data gathered by the one or more sensors at identified locations over a period of time;
comparing, via the computing device, a current measurement of the environmental condition at the identified location with an environmental condition using the environmental data gathered based on the profile;
determining, via the computing device, a control setting for the environmental condition based upon the results of the comparison; and
generating, via the computing device, a notification message in response to determining that the current measurement of the environmental condition is outside of a range of a set-point by a predetermined amount.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the generated AR content comprises indicators of the measured environmental condition and set-point.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the measured environmental condition is one of lighting intensity and ambient temperature.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
displaying AR content instructing the user to move to a location different from the identified location.

16. An augmented reality (AR) system for monitoring and controlling one or more lighting conditions within a building to reduce energy usage, comprising:
a location detector detecting location data of a user relative to the building;
a light sensor gathering light data comprising at least one of light intensity and frequency from light sources in the building;
a display displaying AR content to the user; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the location detector, the light sensor, and the display, the processor, when executed, performs to:
develop a time-and location-based profile of the one or more lighting conditions based upon the data gathered by the light sensor at known locations over a period of time;
measure one or more current lighting conditions of the building at a known location using the light data gathered by the light sensor;
generate and display AR content pertaining to the one or more lighting conditions on the display;
determine a control setting for the one or more lighting condi

Assignees

• Hand Held Prod Inc

Inventors

• Todeschini Erik
• Patel Mehul
• Norton Kent

Classifications

• G05B2219/32014

  Augmented reality assists operator in maintenance, repair, programming, assembly, use of head mounted display with 2-D 3-D display and voice feedback, voice and gesture command · CPC title

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0141

  characterised by the informative content of the display · CPC title

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title