Control of shadow and light on an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11614724-B2
Application number	US-202217869483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2022
Priority date	Dec 11, 2017
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

To allow more daylighting and protect against direct solar radiation, the system may include a window shading system that impacts an area (or area of interest). The system may adjust different window shades in different ways and for different periods of time to protect against a direct solar radiation onto an area of interest. The system may provide targeted shadows onto the area of interest. The system may also analyze or predict angles of solar rays that comprise the direct solar radiation and determine an impact of the solar rays on the area of interest, wherein the adjusting of window shades is based on the determining.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method, comprising:
adjusting, by a processor and based on sensor data associated with daylight on an area of interest, a first window shade a first adjustment to create a first pattern of shade that protects against direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest;
adjusting, by the processor and based on the sensor data, a second window shade a second adjustment to create a second pattern of shade that protects against the direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest;
adjusting, by the processor and based on the sensor data, a third window shade a third adjustment to create a third pattern of shade that protects against the direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest;
creating, by the processor, an overall pattern of shade by the combination of the first pattern of shade, the second pattern of shade and the third pattern of shade at the area of interest, wherein the overall pattern of shade protects against the direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest; and
communicating, by the processor and to an artificial lighting control system, information regarding at least one of a presence of shadow or reflected light on the area of interest such that the artificial lighting system adjusts the artificial lighting.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the artificial lighting system adjusting the artificial lighting includes adjusting a color on the window shade by the artificial lighting.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the artificial lighting system adjusting the artificial lighting includes adjusting the artificial lighting in advance of the presence of the shadow or the reflected light on the area of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the first window shade allows daylight to enter the area of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protecting against the direct solar radiation includes providing targeted shadows onto the area of interest.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protecting against the direct solar radiation includes restricting targeted sun light from the area of interest.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring at least one of a pattern, a shade material or an openness for at least one of the first window shade or the second window shade.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing, by the processor, angles of solar rays that comprise the direct solar radiation; and
determining, by the processor, an impact of the solar rays on at least one of the area of interest, the first window shade or the second window shade,
wherein the adjusting of at least one of the first window shade or the second window shade is based on the determining.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, the sensor data associated with the daylight on the area of interest.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the processor, the overall pattern of shade that protects against direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modeling, by the processor, at least a portion of a building and at least a portion of the surroundings of a building to create a shadow model;
using, by the processor, the shadow model to calculate a presence of calculated shadow at a location of interest on the building; and
determining, by the processor, an impact of the presence of calculated shadow on the area of interest,
wherein the adjusting of at least one of the first window shade or the second window shade is based on the determining.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating, by the processor and to a building management system, information regarding the adjusting of at least one of the first window shade or the second window shade such that the building management system controls other systems based on the adjusting.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the area of interest includes an object within the area of interest.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the area of interest includes one or more people within the area of interest.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modeling, by the processor, at least a portion of a building and at least a portion of the surroundings of a building to create a reflectance model;
using, by the processor, the reflectance model to calculate a presence of calculated reflected light at a location of interest on the building; and
determining, by the processor, an impact of the presence of calculated reflected light on the area of interest,
wherein the adjusting of at least one of the first window shade or the second window shade is based on the determining.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing, by the processor, a measured radiation value obtained from a radiometer on an outside of a building to a predicted radiation value generated by a clear sky algorithm to obtain a comparison value; and
determining, by the processor, an impact of the comparison value on the area of interest,
wherein the adjusting of at least one of the first window shade or the second window shade is based on the determining.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising implementing an override condition of adjusting at least one of the first window shade or the second window shade, in response to at least one of:
determining, by the processor, the presence of calculated reflected light on at least one of a first window adjacent the first window shade or a second window adjacent the second window shade;
determining, by the processor, the presence of calculated shadow on at least one of the first window or the second window;
determining, by the processor, a modelled brightness value indicating the presence of excessive brightness at least one of the first window or the second window; or
determining, by the processor, that at least one of an actual British thermal unit (BTU) load on the window or a calculated BTU load on the window exceeds a predetermined value.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first adjustment and the second adjustment are different adjustments.

19. A method comprising:
adjusting, by a processor and based on sensor data associated with daylight on an area of interest, a first window shade a first adjustment to create a first pattern of shade that protects against direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest;
adjusting, by the processor and based on the sensor data, a second window shade a second adjustment to create a second pattern of shade that protects against the direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest;
adjusting, by the processor and based on the sensor data, a third window shade a third adjustment to create a third pattern of shade that protects against the direct solar radiation onto the area of interest, while allowing daylight into one or more regions outside the area of interest;
creating, by the processor, an overall pattern of shade by the combination of the first pattern of shade, the second pattern of

Assignees

• Mechoshade Sys Llc

Inventors

• Berman Joel
• Greenspan Alex
• Liarno Xi Ming

Classifications

• Y02B80/00

  Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings · CPC title

• G05B2219/2628

  Door, window · CPC title

• G05B2219/2642

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house · CPC title

• E04H3/06

  Museums; Library buildings · 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