Method and apparatus for controlling light levels to save energy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11212896-B2
Application number	US-202017022634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2020
Priority date	Aug 27, 2012
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An occupancy sensor with integral light level sensors is configured to turn off or disable peripheral circuits and go into a periodic deep sleep mode to reduce phantom loading. Peripheral circuits include occupancy sensor circuits and relay drive circuits, but may include other circuits such as communication circuits. The sensor may be configured to periodically wake itself up, check ambient light conditions to see if lighting is below the set threshold. If it is not, the sensor goes back to sleep. If it is, then the sensor can power up the occupancy sensor circuit to see if the space is occupied; if not, it can go back to sleep. If the space is occupied, it can turn on other peripheral circuits necessary to control the load.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of operating a lighting control system comprising:
providing a lighting control system comprising a lighting control component and a light sensor, the lighting control component operably connected to mains power, the lighting control component having a microprocessor for controlling the application of mains power to loads; and
providing one or more loads operatively connected to the lighting control component;
wherein the light sensor is operatively connected to the lighting control component and produces a first signal when it senses light levels above a predetermined threshold and a second signal when it senses light levels below the predetermined threshold; and
wherein the internal microprocessor disables power to the lighting control system when the first signal is received and enables full power to essential circuits when the second signal is received.

2. The method of operating the lighting control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the lighting sensor with essential and nonessential circuits;
providing a low voltage power and communication network interconnecting the lighting control component and the light sensor; and
wherein the internal microprocessor transmits signals through the low voltage to the one or more lighting or load control sensors to reduce power to essential circuits when the first signal is received and restore full power to essential circuits when the second signal is received.

3. The method of operating the lighting control system of claim 2 , wherein the internal microprocessor also disables power to nonessential circuits when the first signal is received and enables power to the nonessential circuits when the second signal is received.

4. The method of operating the lighting control system of claim 3 , wherein the internal microprocessor transmits signals through the low voltage power and communication network to the light sensor to also disable power to nonessential circuits when the first signal is received and enables power to the nonessential circuits when the second signal is received.

5. The method of operating the lighting control system of claim 3 , wherein the light sensor is wirelessly connected to the lighting control component.

6. The method of operating the lighting control system of claim 2 , wherein the internal microprocessor transmits signals through the low voltage power and communication network to the light sensor to reduce power to essential circuits when the first signal is received and restore full power to essential circuits when the second signal is received.

7. The method of operating the lighting control system of claim 1 , wherein the light sensor is wirelessly connected to the lighting control component.

Assignees

• Watt Stopper Inc

Inventors

• Joyce Jason
• Grey Thomas L

Classifications

• H05B47/195

  the transmission using visible or infrared light · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• Y02B20/40

  Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection · CPC title

• H05B47/11 Primary

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title