Selecting a window treatment fabric

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11321617-B2
Application number	US-201816020683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Apr 2, 2014
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A fabric selection tool provides an automated procedure for recommending and/or selecting a fabric for a window treatment to be installed in a building. The recommendation may be made to optimize the performance of the window treatment in which the fabric may be installed. The recommended fabric may be selected based on performance metrics associated with each fabric in an environment. The fabrics may be ranked based upon the performance metrics of one or more of the fabrics. One or more of the fabrics, and/or their corresponding ranks, may be displayed to a user for selection. The recommended fabrics may be determined based on combinations of fabrics that provide performance metrics for various façades of the building. Using the ranking system provided by the fabric selection tool, the user may obtain a fabric sample and/or order one or more of the recommended fabrics.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of comparing at least two fabrics for window treatments to be installed in a building, the method comprising:
receiving input data from a network device, wherein the input data is associated with the building in which the window treatment is to be installed, and wherein the input data comprises a glass type of the windows, wherein the glass type of the windows includes at least one of whether the glass is tinted or a visible transmittance of the glass, and at least one of the following: a location of a façade of the building, an orientation of the façade of the building, or a size of windows that the window treatments are to cover;
accessing fabric data that indicates characteristics of the at least two fabrics;
generating an output screen that includes a comparison of a fabric performance for the at least two fabrics based on the received input data and the fabric data, wherein the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics is generated for a daylight glare associated with each of the at least two fabrics and a view associated with each of the at least two fabrics; and
communicating the output screen that includes the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics for display at the network device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics is generated for an energy savings associated with each of the at least two fabrics.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics is based on a solar heat gain associated with the at least two fabrics.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data comprises a fabric part number for each of the at least two fabrics.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the size of the windows is indicated by a relative amount of the façade that is occupied by the windows.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the size of the windows is indicated by a curtain wall window, a mostly glass wall that indicates greater than half of the façade, and a wall that has some glass that indicates less than half of the façade is occupied by glass.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glass type indicates a number of panels of glass in each of the windows.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input data comprises at least one pre-selected fabric, and wherein the at least two fabrics comprises the at least one pre-selected fabric.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one pre-selected fabric is indicated by a fabric name and a color.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
communicating a compass window to the network device, wherein the compass window is configured to be displayed to provide feedback to a user of the orientation of the façade.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fabric data comprises a unique identifier, an openness factor, a visible light transmittance of the fabric T V-FABRIC , and a color associated with each of the at least two fabrics.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output screen comprises an image of the at least two fabrics that indicates a color and texture associated with the fabric.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output screen comprises an openness factor, a visible light transmittance (T V-FABRIC ), a solar absorptance (A S ), a solar transmittance (T S ), and a solar reflectance (R S ) associated with each of the at least two fabrics.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the view associated with each of the at least two fabrics is based on a respective openness factor associated with each of the at least two fabrics.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison of the fabric performance is based on an openness factor, a color, and a solar heat gain coefficient associated with each of the at least two fabrics.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
installing one of the at least two fabrics in the window treatments; and
automatically controlling the window treatments.

17. A method of comparing at least two fabrics for window treatments to be installed in a building, the method comprising:
receiving input data from a network device, wherein the input data is associated with the building in which the window treatment is to be installed, and wherein the input data comprises a glass type of the windows, wherein the glass type indicates that the glass in each of the windows is tinted, and at least one of the following: a location of a façade of the building, an orientation of the façade of the building, or a size of windows that the window treatments are to cover;
accessing fabric data that indicates characteristics of the at least two fabrics;
generating an output screen that includes a comparison of a fabric performance for the at least two fabrics based on the received input data and the fabric data, wherein the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics is generated for a daylight glare associated with each of the at least two fabrics and a view associated with each of the at least two fabrics; and
communicating the output screen that includes the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics for display at the network device.

18. A network device comprising:
a network communication circuit configured to perform wireless communications; and
a control circuit configured to:
receive input data via the network communication circuit, wherein the input data is associated with a building in which a window treatment is to be installed, and wherein the input data comprises a glass type of the windows, wherein the glass type of the windows includes at least one of whether the glass is tinted or a visible transmittance of the glass, and at least one of the following: a location of a façade of the building, an orientation of the façade of the building, ora size of windows that the window treatments are to cover;
access fabric data that indicates characteristics of the at least two fabrics;
generate an output screen that includes a comparison of a fabric performance for the at least two fabrics based on the received input data and the fabric data, wherein the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics is generated for a daylight glare associated with each of the at least two fabrics and a view associated with each of the at least two fabrics; and
communicate, via the communication circuit, the output screen that includes the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics for display at the network device.

19. The network device of claim 18 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the comparison of the fabric performance for the at least two fabrics for an energy savings associated with each of the at least two fabrics.

20. The network device of claim 18 , wherein the input data is received via a web browser, and wherein the comparison is communicated via the web browser for display on the network device.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive input data via the network communication circuit, wherein the input data is associated with a building in which a window treatment is to be installed, and wherein the input data comprises a glass type of the windows, wherein the glass type of the windows includes at least one of whether the glass is tinted or a visible transmittance of the glass, and at l

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Blair Edward J
• Chambers Samuel F
• Gabriel Laura M
• Greene Michelle L
• Lawler Andrew J
• Parks Joseph Roy
• Protzman Brent
• Quirk Staci L

Classifications

• G06N7/01

  Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks · CPC title

• E06B9/24 Primary

  Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00) · CPC title

• E06B9/32

  Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor (operation of tilting bars E06B9/307) · CPC title

• Y02T10/82

  Elements for improving aerodynamics · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title