Occupancy determination techniques

Abstract

A technique for determining occupancy data in a building includes collecting IR imaging data with an infrared (IR) detector configured to collect IR imaging data, the IR detector having a field of view. The collected IR imaging data is processed by a controller to determine occupancy data of a space within a building within a field of view of the IR detector. The controller includes circuitry configured to process the collected IR imaging data and determine occupancy data for a space within the field of view of the IR detector, the space within a building, where the determined occupancy data excludes personal identifiable information (PII) for any occupant in the space.

Description

[0001] Incorporation by reference

[0002] The PCT application is filed concurrently with this specification as part of this application. Each application identified in the concurrently filed PCT application to which this application claims the benefit or priority is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to techniques for sensing occupancy within a defined space, such as a room of a building, and more particularly to using an infrared sensing system to determine occupancy data that excludes personally identifiable information of the occupants. Background Art

[0004] Building occupants (whether tenants or invitees) may have an expectation of privacy that conflicts with the building manager's need to accurately understand building occupancy density based on time and location. Technologies for determining building occupancy will be disclosed that enable occupancy data to be determined with the desired temporal and spatial granularity while avoiding the use of occupants' personally identifiable information (PII).

[0005] In some embodiments, the disclosed technology can operate via a network of optically switchable windows, sometimes referred to as "smart windows." A network of smart windows, or "window network," can include a window controller network (WCN) and be communicatively coupled to a building management system (BMS). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figures 1A to 1C Shows various linking techniques and topologies that may be used with the present disclosure.

[0007] Figure 2 Shows an example of a control system architecture consisting of a master controller that controls intermediate controllers, which in turn control local controllers.

[0008] Figure 3 A block diagram is shown that illustrates one example of components that may be present in certain implementations of a digital architecture element (DAE).

[0009] Figures 4A to 4C Several examples are illustrated of applications and uses of the digital architecture elements and related elements contemplated by this disclosure.

[0010] Figure 5 Examples illustrating functionality of digital architecture elements not directly related to controlling windows.

[0011] Figure 6A process flow is illustrated for measuring a plurality of building conditions and controlling building operating parameters of a plurality of building systems in response to the measured building conditions, according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 7 An example of a series of functional modules according to an implementation method, configured to perform Figure 6 Illustrated program flow.

[0013] Figures 8A to 8C A block diagram illustrates a system for determining occupancy data according to various embodiments.

[0014] Figure 9 An exemplary low-resolution IR image of an occupied space is shown.

[0015] Figures 10A to 10D According to various embodiments, an embodiment of an occupancy determination system is illustrated.

[0016] Figure 11 Shown are several occupancy determination systems distributed through a building.

[0017] Figure 12 A plurality of occupancy determination systems coupled to a remote processor are illustrated.

[0018] Figure 13A and 13B A flowchart illustrating a process for determining occupancy data according to one embodiment is shown.

[0019] Figure 14 A DAE that can support multiple communication types according to some embodiments is illustrated.

[0020] Figure 15 Component systems that may be incorporated into or associated with a DAE according to some embodiments are illustrated.

[0021] Figure 16 Examples of component systems that may be incorporated into or associated with digital architecture elements according to some embodiments are illustrated.

[0022] Figure 17 A block diagram illustrates a computer-implemented system operable to determine occupancy data according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following detailed description relates to certain embodiments or implementations for the purpose of illustrating the disclosed aspects. However, the teachings herein can be applied and implemented in many different ways. In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. Although the disclosed implementations are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the implementations, it should be understood that these examples are not limiting; other implementations may be used and changes may be made to the disclosed implementations without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. In addition, although the disclosed embodiments focus on electrochromic windows (also known as optically switchable windows, tintable and smart windows), the concepts disclosed herein may be applicable to other types of switchable optical devices, including, for example, liquid crystal devices and suspended particle devices. For example, a liquid crystal device or a suspended particle device, rather than an electrochromic device, may be incorporated into some or all of the disclosed implementations. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, the conjunction "or" shall, where appropriate, have an inclusive meaning; for example, the phrase "A, B or C" is intended to include the possibilities of "A," "B," "C," "A and B," "B and C," "A and C," and "A, B, and C."

[0024] Occupants of a building (whether tenants or invitees) may have an expectation of privacy that conflicts with the building manager's need to accurately understand occupancy density within the building based on time and location. Techniques for determining occupancy within a building will be disclosed that enable occupancy data to be determined with a desired degree of temporal and spatial granularity, while in some embodiments avoiding the use of personally identifiable information (PII) of the occupants. As used herein, "PII" refers to information that can be used to distinguish or track the identity of an individual. In the technology disclosed in the present invention, depending on the context, "avoiding the use" or "excluding" PII means completely avoiding the collection of PII or preventing the dissemination of PII from the sensor controller to the extent that PII is collected (e.g., by a sensor) and processed (e.g., by a sensor controller).

[0025] In some embodiments, the disclosed technology may be operated through a network of optically switchable windows, sometimes referred to as "smart windows." Such windows exhibit controllable and reversible changes in optical properties when appropriately stimulated, for example, by changes in voltage. The optical properties are typically color, transmittance, absorbance, and / or reflectance. Electrochromic (EC) devices are sometimes used for optically switchable windows. Such windows may be used in buildings to control the transmission of solar energy, may be manually or automatically tinted and cleared to reduce energy consumption by heating, air conditioning, and / or lighting systems, while maintaining the comfort of the occupants. A network of smart windows, i.e., a "window network," may advantageously be communicatively coupled to an occupancy determination system of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the occupancy determination system may be communicatively coupled to one or both of a window controller network (WCN) and a building management system (BMS).

[0026] Using the disclosed technology, building managers, BMSs, and / or WCNs can anticipate current and future occupant needs through accurate and anonymous occupant counting techniques. Near-instantaneous, virtually continuous knowledge of occupancy density enables similarly immediate and continuous operational adjustments to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems, for example, to improve occupant comfort while maintaining occupant privacy expectations. Building security can be enhanced by the ability to promptly detect the presence of people in spaces or times where they may not be authorized to be there. Building owners and / or tenants can gain a deeper understanding of how physical space in a building is used over time and can make proactive space planning decisions.

[0027] Figure 8AAccording to one embodiment, a simplified block diagram of a system for determining occupancy data that excludes personally identifiable information (PII) is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, system 800A includes an infrared (IR) detector 801A configured to collect IR imaging data within the detector's field of view. In some embodiments, IR detector 801A may be a far-infrared thermal array, such as a model available from Melexis NV of Ieper, Belgium. System 800A also includes a controller 813A. Controller 813A includes circuitry configured to process the IR imaging data collected by IR detector 801A and determine occupancy data for spaces within a building within the field of view of IR detector 801A. Advantageously, in this embodiment, the determined occupancy data excludes PII for any occupants of the space. In some embodiments, excluding PII can be achieved by selecting an appropriately low resolution for IR detector 801A. For example, the IR detector 801A may be configured to collect IR imaging data within the field of view at a resolution of no greater than 100 x 100 pixels per 1000 square feet of viewable area. Accordingly, in some such embodiments, the collected IR imaging data does not collect any PII due to the relatively low resolution. In some embodiments, the resolution may be approximately 32 x 24 pixels per 1000 square feet of viewable area. Alternatively or additionally, the exclusion of PII may be achieved by a processing step performed by the controller 813A, wherein the PII collected by the IR detector 801A is scrubbed or masked before being transmitted outside the system 800A. In some implementations, the controller 813A is a single-board computer (SBC).

[0028] In some embodiments, IR detector 801A is an IR thermal sensor array. For example, the IR sensor array may comprise 768 IR sensors arranged in a 32×24 array. In some embodiments, the field of view of IR detector 801A is approximately 110° in a first direction and approximately 75° in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

[0029] Figure 8BAnother example of a system for determining occupancy data that excludes PII is shown. System 800B includes an IR detector 801B and a controller 813B. In the illustrated embodiment, thermal detector 801B is coupled to controller 813B via cable 807 and connectors 803 and 808 (e.g., a USB connector, or any other connector, e.g., as disclosed herein). IR detector 801B has an associated field of view, and controller 813B can be configured to process collected IR imaging data and determine occupancy data for spaces within a building within the associated field of view. Processing the collected IR imaging data can include controller 813B recording the IR imaging data collected by IR detector 801B, as indicated by block 809. The recorded data can be processed as indicated by block 810, and results (e.g., occupancy data or other insights) can be generated as indicated by block 811. Advantageously, the results exclude personally identifiable information (PII) of any occupant of the space. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 813B is connected to a power source 812 and is operatively coupled to a storage (e.g., a database) 815 via a link 814 (e.g., a wired and / or wireless connection, such as a WiFi connection). In the illustrated embodiment, the system 800B and the database 815 are operatively coupled to a network 816 that controls, for example, a building or other facility in which the network control system 800B is located. The database 815 can be located in the facility or can be remote from the facility.

[0030] Figure 8CAnother example of a system for determining occupancy data that excludes PII is shown. System 800C includes two sensors, including an IR detector 801C and an optical camera 854. In the illustrated embodiment, the IR detector 801C and the optical camera 854 are housed in a common housing 852. For example, as described below, the IR detector 801C and the optical camera 854 may be housed in a device ensemble, such as a digital architecture element (DAE). The IR detector 801C and the optical camera 854 may be coupled to at least one processor 803C via a cable. The optical camera may utilize a separate cable from the thermal camera. For example, cable 857 may couple the optical camera to the at least one processor 803C via connector 858, and the thermal detector 801C may be coupled to the at least one processor 803C via cable 855 via connectors 853 and 856. The connectors may be USB connectors or any other connectors (e.g., as disclosed herein). At least one processor 803C can be configured to record the results accumulated by the IR detector 801C and the optical camera 854, as indicated by block 859. The recorded data can be processed as indicated by block 860, and results (e.g., insights) can be generated as indicated by block 861. In the illustrated embodiment, the at least one processor 803C is connected to a power source 862 and operatively coupled to storage (e.g., a database) 865 via a link 864 (e.g., a wired and / or wireless connection, such as a WiFi connection). In the illustrated embodiment, the system 800C and the database 865 are operatively coupled to a network 866, which controls, for example, a building or other facility in which the network control system 800C is located. The database 865 can be located in the facility or remotely from the facility.

[0031] In some embodiments, the IR detectors (801A, 801B, and 801C) are configured to collect IR imaging data within the field of view at a resolution of no greater than 100 x 100 pixels per 1000 square feet of viewable area. In some embodiments, the resolution is approximately 32 x 24 pixels per approximately 500 to 1000 square feet of viewable area. In some embodiments, the viewable area is a planar or substantially planar area disposed between the floor and ceiling of the space. In some embodiments, the planar area may be approximately four feet above the floor. The viewable area may be approximately 500 to approximately 1000 square feet. In some embodiments, the viewable area is approximately 10 feet x 20 feet.

[0032] Processing the results (at blocks 810 and / or 860) may include cleaning noise from the captured sensor measurements and / or calibrating the captured sensor measurements. Noise may be caused by the background environment of the space when occupancy is detected. The generated results (at blocks 811 and / or 861) may constitute definitive occupancy data, excluding PII, and may be stored in a database, for example, as a log file.

[0033] In some embodiments, the power required by processors 803B and 803C (from power supplies 812 and 862, respectively) may include up to 2 V, 4 V, 5 V, or 10 volts (V) and up to 1 A, 2 A, or 3 amps (A). The at least one processor (803B or 803C) may include a CPU or a GPU. The at least one processor may include a media player. The at least one processor may be included in a circuit board. The circuit board may include an NVIDIA® Jetson Nano™ developer kit (e.g., a 2GB or 4GB developer kit) or a Raspberry-Pi kit (e.g., a 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB developer kit). The at least one processor may be operatively coupled to a plurality of ports, including at least one media port (e.g., DisplayPort, HDMI and / or micro HDMI), USB, or audio-video jack, such as may be included in the circuit board. The at least one processor may be operatively coupled to a camera serial interface (CSI) or a display serial interface (DSI), for example, as part of the circuit board. The at least one processor is configured to support communications such as Ethernet (e.g., Gigabit Ethernet). The circuit board may include Wi-Fi functionality, Bluetooth functionality, or a wireless adapter. The wireless adapter may be configured to comply with a wireless networking standard in the 802.11 protocol suite (e.g., USB 802.11 ac). The wireless adapter may be configured to provide high-throughput wireless local area network (WLAN), for example, in a frequency band of at least approximately 5 GHz. The USB port may have a transfer speed of at least approximately 480 megabits per second (Mbps), 4,800 Mbps, or 10,000 Mbps. The at least one processor may include a synchronous (e.g., clocked) processor. The processor may have a clock speed of at least approximately 1.2 gigahertz (GHz), 1.3 GHz, 1.4 GHz, 1.5 GHz, or 1.6 GHz. The at least one processor may include random access memory (RAM). The RAM may include double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM). The RAM may be configured for use in a mobile device (e.g., a laptop, tablet, or mobile phone, such as a cell phone). The RAM may include low power double data rate (LPDDR) RAM. The RAM may be configured to allow channels that are at least about 16, 32, or 64 bits wide.

[0034] The at least one processor may comprise a single-board computer (SBC). The at least one processor may be configured to run multiple neural networks in parallel (e.g., for image classification, object detection, segmentation, and / or speech processing). The at least one processor may be powered by a maximum of approximately 10 watts (W), 8 W, 5 W, or 4 W.

[0035] Any of systems 800A, 800B, and 800C may be included in or assembled as a digital architectural element (DAE). A DAE, as that term is used herein and in the claims, refers to an arrangement of one or more sensors and associated electronics packaged or enclosed in a manner that facilitates integration with or mounting on an architectural feature of a building, such as a wall, ceiling, floor, window, window frame, window mullion, or the like.

[0036] Figure 9 An exemplary low-resolution IR image of an occupied space is shown. Referring first to detail A, a stylized stereogram of seven people seated at four tables is presented. Corresponding pairs of individuals are shown occupying tables 901, 902, and 903, while table 904 is shown occupied by an individual facing a running personal electronic device. Detail B illustrates how the features of the illustrated detail B might appear when imaged by a ceiling-mounted, downward-looking, low-resolution IR detector. The output of the IR detector is sufficient to distinguish the presence of individual individuals (as well as other sources of thermal gradients, such as pets or service animals, electronic devices, HVAC registers, work equipment, etc.), but is insufficient to distinguish any PII of the individual occupants.

[0037] It should be understood that detail B may represent one frame of IR imaging data, and that successive frames may be acquired by the IR detector at various frame rates (e.g., 1-60 frames per minute). Thus, a controller processing successive frames of imaging data may be able to readily distinguish between animate and inanimate sources of thermal gradients.

[0038] Additionally, the controller may apply other techniques to more accurately determine occupancy data, including counting the number of individuals within the IR detector's field of view and the density of occupants within the IR detector's visible area. For example, a thermal background signature of an unoccupied space can be obtained by periodically capturing IR data when no occupants are present. The thermal background signature can then be subtracted from the collected IR imaging data to construct a difference image. The controller may also use blob detection techniques on the difference image to detect occupants. In some embodiments, the blob detection technique includes "you only look once" (YOLO) technology.

[0039] As indicated above, in some embodiments, the occupancy data determination systems contemplated by the present disclosure may be configured as a DAE. Figure 10A An example physical package of a DAE according to some implementations is illustrated. Figure 10A It is observed in

[0045] that the functionality of the described sensor controller and associated circuitry can be assembled into a physical package whose size and form factor can be easily accommodated by architectural features such as a typical window mullion.

[0040] See now Figure 10B , provides an external view of another example DAE. In the illustrated implementation, DAE 1000B has characteristic length 'L', width 'W', and height 'H'. Advantageously, L can be less than 12 inches, while W and H can each be less than 3 inches. In some implementations, L is approximately 8 inches, W is approximately 2 inches, and H is approximately 1 inch.

[0041] like Figure 10C As illustrated, the DAE can be mounted on or adjacent to the ceiling, flush mounted (detail C), or pendant mounted (detail D), such that its position is offset from, for example, below the ceiling surface. In other implementations, the DAE can be wall mounted (detail E) or placed on a window frame (detail F).

[0042] See now Figure 10D, illustrating a further example of a DAE. In addition to the IR detectors and controllers considered in the embodiments described above, the DAE 1000D may have components that provide other functionality, such as will now be described. The DAE 1000D includes a housing cover 1050. In the illustrated embodiment, a first portion 1057 of the outer surface of the cover 1050 has a relatively smooth surface finish, while a second portion 1056 has a patterned, relatively rough surface finish. In the illustrated embodiment, the second portion 1056 has a hexagonal (honeycomb) pattern. The second portion 1056 may be configured with a number of holes, including 1051, 1052, 1053, 1054, and 1055. The housing cover 1050 may be positioned to accommodate (and conceal from view) a circuit board (e.g., a printed circuit board) 1060 comprising the device. The device may be the IR detector and controller disclosed above (not shown) and include other sensor(s), transmitter(s), processor(s), network interface(s), memory, transceiver(s), antenna(s), communication and power port(s), and / or any other device disclosed herein. The holes 1051-1052 may be positioned so that they align with the sensor or sensor array. The sensor may be positioned on the front side of the circuit board 1060 facing the observer or occupant of the room, or on the back side of the circuit board 1060 facing away from the observer / occupant. For example, hole 1051 may be aligned with acoustic sensor 1061 positioned on the front side of circuit board 1060, facing the viewer; hole 1052 may be aligned with sensor 1062 positioned on the front side of circuit board 1060, facing the viewer; hole 1053 may be aligned with sensor 1063 positioned on the back side of circuit board 1060, facing away from the viewer; hole 1054 may be aligned with sensor 1064 positioned on the back side of circuit board 1060, facing away from the viewer; and hole 1055 may be aligned with sensor 1065 positioned on the front side of circuit board 1060, facing the viewer. The sensors positioned on the back side of circuit board 1060 may be gas sensors, such as carbon dioxide and / or humidity sensors. The circuit board may have several temperature sensors configured to sense the temperature inside and / or outside the DAE. Sensors configured to sense the DAE may be aligned with holes in device-integrated cover 1050. Examples of sensor and / or transmitter configurations in device integration are disclosed in international patent application serial number PCT / US21 / 30798, filed on May 5, 2021, entitled “DEVICE ENSEMBLESAND COEXISTENCE MANAGEMENT OF DEVICES,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0043] In some implementations, a building may be considered that includes one or more occupancy sensing systems distributed throughout the building. Figure 11, presents an example representation 1100 of an occupiable space 1101. For example, space 1101 may be a floor of a multi-story building. In the illustrated example, an exterior corridor 1102 provides access to an office suite 1103 through a door 1104. The office suite includes interior offices 1105, 1106, and 1107, and a conference room 1108. Door 1109 provides access to interior offices 1105-1107 and conference room 1108, as shown. Finally, the central area of ​​suite 1103 includes a partition 1111 for partitions. In some embodiments, multiple DAEs may be installed throughout or in any portion of office suite 1103. In the illustrated example, some DAEs 1110 may be mounted on the frames or muntins of walls or windows; other DAEs 1112 are mounted on the ceiling. In some spaces (e.g., offices 1106, 1107, cubicle 1111), a single corresponding DAE may be assigned to that space. In larger spaces, such as suite 1103, conference room 1108, and office 1105, it may be advantageous to provide two or more DAEs, as illustrated. Each DAE 1110 or 1112 may include an IR detector and controller as described above, for example, including the relevant Figures 8A-8C and 10A-10C. Each corresponding IR detector of the DAE is capable of low-resolution IR imaging within a corresponding field of view. In a real office corresponding to representation 1100, IR properties can be initially and / or periodically measured while the office is unoccupied to establish a baseline IR image of the office. Subsequent images of the occupied space can be compared to the baseline IR image of the office.

[0044] In some implementations, one or more occupancy sensing systems, whether or not incorporated into a corresponding DAE, are coupled to the processor directly and / or via the cloud. Figure 12, illustrates examples of several DAEs 1205, more specifically, a first DAE 1205(1), a second DAE 1205(2), an i-th DAE 125(i), and an n-th DAE 125(n), where 'n' may be, for example, 10, 100, 1000, or 10000, and 'i' is any integer between 2 and 'n'. Each DAE includes an IR detector 1201, but may optionally include other sensors identified as selective sensors 1210A, 1210B, and 1210C. The other sensors may include, for example, optical sensors / cameras, acoustic sensors / microphones, and / or air quality sensors. Any DAE 1205(i) may include an integration of sensors organized into sensor modules and may include at least 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 50, or 500 sensors. The sensor module may include a number of sensors ranging from, for example, about 1 to about 1000, about 1 to about 500, or about 500 to about 1000. The sensors of the sensor module may include sensors configured or designed to sense parameters including temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, particulate matter (e.g., between 2.5 μm and 10 μm), total volatile organic compounds (e.g., via a change in voltage potential caused by surface adsorption of volatile organic compounds), ambient light, audio noise level, pressure (e.g., gas and / or liquid), acceleration, time, radar, lidar, radio signals (e.g., ultra-wideband radio signals), passive infrared, glass breakage, or motion detectors. Any DAE 1205(i) may also include non-sensor devices (e.g., transmitters) such as buzzers and light-emitting diodes. Examples of sensor integration and its use can be found in U.S. patent application serial number 16 / 447,169, filed on June 20, 2019, entitled “SENSING AND COMMUNICATIONS UNIT FOR OPTICALLY SWITCHABLE WINDOW SYSTEMS,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0045] In some embodiments, DAE 1205(i) may include a transceiver or a sensor coupled to a transceiver. In some embodiments, the transceiver may be configured to transmit and receive one or more signals using a personal area network (PAN) standard such as IEEE 802.15.4. In some embodiments, the signals may include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or EnOcean signals (e.g., wide bandwidth). One or more signals may include ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) signals (e.g., having a frequency in the range of approximately 2.4 to approximately 10.6 gigahertz (GHz), or approximately 7.5 GHz to approximately 10.6 GHz). An ultra-wideband signal may be a signal having a fractional bandwidth greater than approximately 20%. An ultra-wideband (UWB) radio frequency signal may have a bandwidth of at least approximately 500 megahertz (MHz). One or more signals may use very low energy levels for short range. The signal (e.g., having a radio frequency) may use a spectrum capable of penetrating solid structures (e.g., walls, doors, and / or windows). The low power may be up to approximately 25 milliwatts (mW), 50 mW, 75 mW, or 100 mW. The low power may be any value between the aforementioned values ​​(e.g., 25 mW to 100 mW, 25 mW to 50 mW, or 75 mW to 100 mW). The sensor and / or transceiver may be configured to support a wireless technology standard used to exchange data between fixed and mobile devices, for example, over short distances. The signal may include ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio waves, such as approximately 2.402 gigahertz (GHz) to approximately 2.480 GHz. The signal may be configured to establish personal area networks (PANs).

[0046] In some embodiments, the device is configured to enable geolocation technology (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS), Bluetooth (BLE), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and / or dead reckoning). Geolocation technology can facilitate determining the location of a signal source (e.g., the location of a tag) to an accuracy of at least 100 centimeters (cm), 75 mm, 50 cm, 25 cm, 20 cm, 10 cm, or 5 cm. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation of the signal comprises ultra-wideband (UWB) radio waves, ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio waves, or radio waves used in the Global Positioning System (GPS). In some embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation comprises electromagnetic waves having a frequency of at least approximately 300 MHz, 500 MHz, or 1200 MHz. In some embodiments, the signal comprises location and / or time data. In some embodiments, the geolocation technology comprises Bluetooth, UWB, UHF, and / or Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. In some embodiments, the signal has a spatial capacity of at least approximately 1013 bits / second / square meter (bit / s / m²).

[0047] In some embodiments, pulse-based ultra-wideband (UWB) technology (e.g., ECMA-368 or ECMA-369) is a wireless technology for transmitting large amounts of data over short distances (e.g., up to approximately 300 feet ('), 250', 230', 200', or 150') at low power (e.g., less than approximately 1 milliwatt (mW), 0.75 mW, 0.5 mW, or 0.25 mW). UWB signals can occupy at least approximately 750 MHz, 500 MHz, or 250 MHz of bandwidth spectrum, and / or at least approximately 30%, 20%, or 10% of the center frequency. UWB signals can be transmitted using one or more pulses. Component broadcast digital signal pulses can be timed (e.g., precisely) on a carrier signal across multiple frequency channels simultaneously. Information can be sent, for example, by modulating the timing and / or positioning of the signal (e.g., the pulses). Signal information can be transmitted by encoding the signal's polarity (e.g., pulses), its amplitude, and / or by using orthogonal signals (e.g., pulses). UWB signals can be a low-power information transmission protocol. UWB technology can be used for (e.g., indoor) location applications. The wide range of the UWB spectrum includes low frequencies with long wavelengths, which allow UWB signals to penetrate various materials, including various building structures (e.g., walls). The wide frequency range, such as including low penetration frequencies, can reduce the chance of multipath propagation errors (without wishing to be bound by theory, as some wavelengths may have line-of-sight). UWB communication signals (e.g., pulses) can be short (e.g., up to about 70 cm, 60 cm, or 50 cm for pulses of approximately 600 MHz, 500 MHz, or 400 MHz width; or up to about 20 cm, 23 cm, 25 cm, or 30 cm for pulses with bandwidths of approximately 1 GHz, 1.2 GHz, 1.3 GHz, or 1.5 GHz). Short communication signals (eg, pulses) may reduce the chance that reflected signals (eg, pulses) will overlap with the original signal (eg, pulses).

[0048] In some embodiments, increasing the number and / or types of sensors can be used to increase the probability that one or more measured properties are accurate and / or that a specific event measured by one or more sensors has occurred. In some embodiments, sensors of a sensor integration can cooperate with each other. In one example, a radar sensor of a sensor integration can determine the presence of multiple individuals in a housing. A processor (e.g., processor 915) can determine that detecting the presence of multiple individuals in a housing is positively correlated with an increase in carbon dioxide concentration. In one example, a processor-accessible memory can determine that an increase in detected infrared energy is positively correlated with an increase in temperature detected by a temperature sensor. In some embodiments, a network interface (e.g., 1250) can communicate with other sensor integrations similar to the sensor integration. The network interface can additionally communicate with a controller.

[0049] Each DAE 1205 (i) may include a respective dedicated controller 1215 to which the IR detector 1201 is operatively coupled. As illustrated with respect to DAE (1), when the DAE 1205 (i) includes one or more other sensors (e.g., sensors 1210A, 1210B, 1210C), such sensors may also be operatively coupled to respective controllers 1215. Alternatively or additionally, one or more sensors may utilize a remote processor (e.g., 1254) utilizing wireless and / or wired communication links. Similarly, one or more sensors may utilize at least one processor (e.g., processor 1252), which may represent a cloud-based processor coupled to the DAE 1205 (i) via the cloud. The processors (e.g., 552 and / or 554) may be located in the same building, in different buildings, in buildings owned by the same or different entities, in a facility owned by the manufacturer of the window / controller / DAE, or in any other location. The processors (e.g., 552 and / or 554) may be communicatively coupled to the DAEs 1205(i) via respective network interfaces 1250. In some embodiments, onboard processing and / or memory of one or more DAEs 1205(i) may be used to support other functions (e.g., via integrated memory and / or processing power distributed to a building's network infrastructure).

[0050] As noted above, the present occupancy determination technique does not require a high-resolution IR detector. Furthermore, it is preferred that occupancy data (e.g., as determined by controller 1215) exclude personally identifiable information (PII) of occupants. To this end, IR detector 1201 may be selected to have a low resolution, e.g., no more than 100 x 100 pixels per 1000 square feet of visible area within the field of view of IR detector 1201. Alternatively or additionally, controller 1215 may be configured to identify PII detected by a higher-resolution IR detector and / or any of sensors 1210A, 1210B, or 1210C. In such embodiments, controller 1215 may be further configured to delete, mask, or otherwise prevent PII from being forwarded from DAE 1205(i) to an external processor, e.g., processor 1254 or 1252.

[0051] One or both of the processors 1254, 1252 may be part of or coupled to a building management system (BMS), not shown. The BMS may be configured to receive and process determined occupancy data from any number of DAEs 1205 in order to monitor the occupancy of multiple spaces within a building and manage other building systems (e.g., lighting, HVAC, security) in response to the received occupancy data. For example, increased occupancy may be associated with a need to increase airflow and / or lower thermostat settings. As a further example, in one use case scenario, because room cleanliness may have an inverse relationship with the number of person-hours accumulated between room cleanings, it may be determined that the frequency of cleaning of spaces found to exhibit relatively high occupant density should be increased.

[0052] Figure 13A and 13B A flowchart illustrating a process for determining occupancy data according to one embodiment is shown. Figure 13A According to the illustrated example method 1300, infrared (IR) imaging data is collected from an IR detector having a field of view at block 1310. At block 1320, the collected IR imaging data is processed. The collected IR imaging data may be processed by a controller associated with the IR detector as described above. Furthermore, the IR detector and associated controller may be included in a digital architecture component.

[0053] At block 1330, occupancy data for a space within a building within the field of view of the IR detector may be determined. Advantageously, the determined occupancy data excludes personally identifiable information (PII) of any occupant of the space.

[0054] See now Figure 13B , determining block 1330, which in some embodiments includes subroutines identified as blocks 1331, 1333, and 1335. At block 1331, a thermal background signature for the space can be determined by periodically capturing IR data when no occupants are present. At block 1333, the thermal background signature can be subtracted from the collected IR imaging data to construct a difference image. At block 1335, speckle detection techniques can be applied to the difference image to detect occupants.

[0055] Enterprise communications / network components

[0056] As noted above, the disclosed occupancy determination techniques can be advantageously used in connection with window systems and associated components. Such window systems and associated components can be configured to facilitate high-bandwidth (e.g., gigabit) communications and associated data processing. These communications and data processing can employ optically switchable window system components and facilitate various window and non-window functions, as described herein and in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 447,169, filed June 20, 2019, PCT / US18 / 29476, filed April 25, 2018, U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 666,033, filed May 2, 2018, and PCT Patent Application No. PCT / US18 / 29406, filed April 25, 2018, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0057] Example components for enhancing the functionality of a communications network serving optically switchable windows may include digital elements having sensors, display drivers, and logic for various functions employing high data rate processing, the digital elements being configured as, for example, a digital wall interface or a digital architecture element such as a digital mullion; and an enhanced function window controller including an access point for wireless communications, such as, for example, a Wi-Fi access point.

[0058] Figures 1A to 1C Various link technologies and topologies suitable for powering and controlling electrochromic (EC) windows or other types of optically switchable windows are shown. Figure 1A A highly simplified top-level view of a system 100 is presented, comprising a building 101 that includes a plurality of EC windows. A subset of the EC windows is connected to a "control panel" (CP) 103 via EC window power and communication lines. The control panel is described in greater detail below. In the illustrated example, the building's three windows are grouped into three subsets, each connected to a corresponding CP 103, but it should be understood that fewer or more than three CPs may be considered for any given building. In the illustrated example, the three CPs 103 are communicatively coupled via a high-bandwidth 10 Gbps backbone and are communicatively coupled to an external network 105.

[0059] Figure 1B A more detailed block diagram illustrates a control panel 103 interfaced with a plurality of EC windows 112. In the illustrated example, the control panel 103 includes a master control and power module 104 and a network controller (NC) 110. It should be understood that the control panel 103 may include fewer or more NCs 110 than illustrated. Each NC 110 is competitively coupled to two or more window controllers (WCs) 111, each of which is associated with a respective EC window 112.

[0060] Although Figure 1A and 1B Only a conventional window controller is shown, but the link can also provide data transmission to other components such as digital wall interfaces, enhanced function window controllers, digital frame components and the like. Figure 1C An example of a data communication system that can provide data for interaction with optically switchable windows and for non-window purposes is shown. As shown, a building's communication system has multiple control panels (CPs) 103, at least one of which is connected to an external network 105, such as the Internet, which can allow access to various services and / or content, such as cloud-based services and / or content. Each control panel 103 can contain components for delivering power to one or more window controllers and / or other devices in the building, as well as a master or network controller as described elsewhere herein. Example features of the control panel and its components are provided in U.S. patent application No. 15 / 365,685, filed on November 30, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the illustrated embodiment, each control panel 103 also has a high-bandwidth data communication switch, such as a 10 Gigabit per second (Gbps) Ethernet switch.

[0061] Each control panel 103 is linked to one or more other control panels via appropriate cabling 107 to create a data network backbone. In some embodiments, cabling 107 comprises twinaxial cable, which may employ copper conductors within an insulated shield. Twinaxial cable is suitable for communication distances of hundreds of feet. In some embodiments, the high bandwidth of coaxial, such as 2.5 Gbps and above, is used. Current and evolving implementations of the MoCA data transmission protocol support this. Still further, in some cases, particularly those requiring only relatively short links, unshielded twisted-pair cable may be used. Some embodiments employ high-bandwidth (e.g., 10 Gbps or greater) wireless connections. Such embodiments may employ a combination of parabolic antennas and parabolic receivers.

[0062] Various types of data transmission lines can be used to provide data communication between the control panel 103 and target devices in the building (such as optically switchable windows and / or non-window devices in the building). In the illustrated embodiment, the data transmission line 109 and associated interface support a controller network protocol, such as the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol CAN 2.0. In the illustrated embodiment, the data transmission line 109 and associated interface provide data communication between a conventional window controller 111 and other types of controllers in the control panel 103. Examples of such other controllers include network and master controllers. The data transmission line 109 can be used to provide communication to other devices (not shown) that can operate using the data provided within the bandwidth limitations of the CAN.

[0063] Another type of data transmission line is a high-bandwidth network line 113, such as a Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) line, which can be a UTP line (as illustrated), a twinax line, or the like. The high-bandwidth line 113 can provide a data link between the control panel 103 and one or more types of devices that may require a high data rate for certain functions. In the illustrated embodiment, such devices include a digital wall interface 115 and an enhanced function window controller 117, both of which are described elsewhere herein. In some implementations, the enhanced function window controller 117 is connected to both a controller network (e.g., a controller network line / CAN bus 109) and a high-bandwidth line 113.

[0064] In the illustrated embodiment, high-bandwidth data transmission can be provided via either or both of one or more of unshielded twisted pair cables and coaxial cables 119 supporting Gigabit Ethernet. In some embodiments, data transmission via coaxial cable(s) 119 can be based on a protocol, such as that promulgated by the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), which functionally combines channels in a coaxial cable (each carrying a different frequency band) into a single combined line with high bandwidth (e.g., approximately 1 Gbps or higher). The MoCA protocol is described elsewhere herein. Other link technologies, such as wireless, can be used in place of or in addition to UTP or coaxial cables.

[0065] As shown, the top control panel 103 serves three digital infrastructure elements (in this case, digital mullions 121, one of which is connected to a video display device 122). Either or both GbE-UTP lines 113 and coaxial cables 119 may be employed to provide high-bandwidth data communications between the control panel and the digital infrastructure elements.

[0066] Figure 2 An example of a control system architecture 200 is shown, including a master controller 208 that controls intermediate (e.g., floor) controllers 206, which in turn control local controllers 204. In some embodiments, the local controllers control one or more integrated glass units (IGUs), one or more sensors, one or more output devices (e.g., one or more transmitters), one or more antennas, or any combination thereof. Figure 2 An example of a configuration is shown in which the master controller is operatively coupled (eg, wirelessly and / or wired) to a building management system (BMS) 224 and a database 220 . Figure 2The arrows in represent communication paths. The controller may be operatively coupled (e.g., directly / indirectly and / or wired and wirelessly) to an external source 210. The external source may include a network. The external source may include one or more sensors or output devices. The external source may include a cloud-based application and / or database. Communication may be wired and / or wireless. The external source may be located outside the facility. For example, the external source may include one or more sensors and / or antennas located, for example, on a wall or on a ceiling of the facility. The communication may be one-way or two-way. Figure 2 In the example shown, all communication arrows are bidirectional.

[0067] Multi-component digital elements on building elements

[0068] As noted above, a high-bandwidth network such as that described herein may include a number of digital components with robust sensing and data processing capabilities and / or one or more additional features, such as data storage and / or user interface capabilities. The components that enable these capabilities are described below and are generally referred to herein as "sensors and other peripheral" components or elements. The uses and functions of the digital components are also described below.

[0069] As explained below, digital components can be provided in various formats and housings, which allow installation on the building structure elements that are typically permanent elements and / or on building walls, base plates, ceilings or roofs according to purpose. In various embodiments, the chassis or housing of the digital component are no more than about 5 meters in any dimension, or no more than about 3 meters in any dimension. In various embodiments, the housing is rigid or semi-rigid and covers some or all of the components of the component. In some cases, the housing provides a frame or support for attaching one or more components (such as speakers, displays, antennas or sensors). In some embodiments, the housing provides external access to one or more ports or cables, such as, for attaching to ports or cables of network links, video displays, mobile electronic devices, battery chargers, etc.

[0070] Window controller networks and associated digital components can be installed relatively early in the construction of office buildings and other types of buildings. Typically, the window controller network is installed before any other networks, for example, before networks for other building functions such as building management systems (BMSs), security systems, tenants' information technology (IT) systems, and the like.

[0071] Without the present teachings, the sensors and other peripheral elements are designed to wrap around the walls and ceiling of the building after construction and, therefore, can be expensive to install, operate, and maintain. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a high-bandwidth window network and associated digital components are installed early, and associated sensors and peripheral devices are provided on the surface or structure of the building (e.g., structural building components, particularly those around the perimeter of a building or room, such as walls, partitions, frames, beams, trusses, muntins, beams, and the like). This installation can occur during building construction. The installed network can leverage the remote operational capabilities (e.g., sensing, data transmission, processing) of a window network and edge network technologies to reduce the installation and operating costs of current siloed sensors.

[0072] Regarding operating costs, managing and operating isolated sensor networks is very expensive. In certain embodiments, a high-bandwidth building network and associated digital components facilitate central monitoring and operation of sensors and other peripheral devices, thereby significantly reducing the operating costs of the sensor network.

[0073] In certain embodiments, sensors on the window network are installed close to where building occupants spend time, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the sensors in providing occupant comfort. As described below, digital components as described herein, connected to a high-bandwidth network, can be deployed in a variety of locations throughout a building. Examples of such locations include building structural elements in offices, lobbies, mezzanines, restrooms, stairwells, terraces, and the like. Within any of these locations, the digital components can be positioned and / or oriented close to occupant locations, thereby collecting environmental data that is most suitable for triggering building systems to act in a manner that maintains or enhances occupant comfort.

[0074] Digital Architecture Elements

[0075] As described above, a digital architecture element (DAE) may include various sensors, a processor (e.g., a microcontroller), a network interface, and one or more peripheral interfaces. For example, a DAE may include an IR detector and controller configured to determine occupancy data, as described above. DAE sensors may also include light sensors, which optionally include image capture sensors such as cameras; audio sensors such as voice coils or microphones; air quality sensors; and proximity sensors (e.g., certain IR and / or RF sensors). The network interface may be a high-bandwidth interface such as a Gigabit (or faster) Ethernet network interface. Examples of DAE peripherals include video display monitors, additional speakers, mobile devices, battery chargers, and the like. Examples of peripheral interfaces include standard Bluetooth modules, ports such as USB ports and network ports, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the ports include any of a variety of proprietary ports for third-party devices.

[0076] In some embodiments, the digital architecture element operates with other hardware and software provided for an optically switchable window system (e.g., a display on a window). In some embodiments, the digital architecture element includes a window controller or other controller, such as a master controller, a network controller, etc.

[0077] In some embodiments, the digital architecture element includes one or more signal generating devices, such as a speaker, a light source (e.g., and an LED), a beacon, an antenna (e.g., a Wi-Fi or cellular communication antenna), and the like. In some embodiments, the digital architecture element includes energy storage components and / or power harvesting components. For example, the element may contain one or more batteries or capacitors as energy storage devices. Such components may also include photovoltaic cells. In one example, the digital architecture element has one or more user interface components (e.g., a microphone or speaker), one or more sensors (e.g., a proximity sensor), and a network interface for high-bandwidth communication.

[0078] In various embodiments, digital architectural elements are designed or configured to be attached to or otherwise coordinate with structural elements of a building. In some cases, digital architectural elements have an appearance that blends in with their associated structural elements. For example, digital architectural elements may have a shape, size, and color that blends in with the associated structural elements. In some cases, digital architectural elements are not readily visible to building occupants; for example, the element may be fully or partially obscured. However, such elements may interface with other, non-integrated components such as video display monitors, touchscreens, projectors, and the like.

[0079] The building structural elements to which digital architectural elements can be attached include any of a variety of building structures. In certain embodiments, the building structure to which the digital architectural elements are attached is a structure installed during the building's construction, in some cases, early in the building's construction. In certain embodiments, the building structural elements used for digital architectural elements are elements that serve a structural function in the building. These elements can be permanent, meaning they are not easily removed from the building. Examples include walls, partitions (e.g., office space partitions), doors, beams, stairs, facades, moldings, muntins, and beams. In various examples, the building structural elements are located around the perimeter of a building or room. In some cases, the digital architectural elements are provided as individual modular units or boxes that are attached to the building structural elements. In some cases, the digital architectural elements are provided as facades for the building structural elements. For example, the digital architectural elements can be provided as coverings for a portion of a muntin, beam, or door. In one example, the digital architectural elements are assembled into muntins or positioned within or on muntins. If it is attached to the muntin, it can be bolted to or otherwise attached to the rigid portion of the muntin. In some embodiments, the digital architectural element can snap onto a building structural element. In some embodiments, the digital architectural element serves as a decorative molding, such as a roof molding. In some embodiments, the digital architectural element is modular; that is, it serves as a module for use as part of a larger system, such as a communications network, a power distribution network, and / or a computing system that employs an external video display and / or other user interface components.

[0080] In some embodiments, the digital infrastructure element is designed to deploy digital mullions on some, but not all, mullions in a room, floor, or building. In some cases, digital mullions are deployed in a regular or periodic manner. For example, a digital mullion may be deployed on every sixth mullion.

[0081] In some embodiments, in addition to the high-bandwidth network connection (ports, switches, routers, etc.) and the housing, the digital infrastructure elements include multiple of the following digital and / or analog components: cameras, proximity or motion sensors, occupancy sensors, color temperature sensors, biometric sensors, speakers, microphones, air quality sensors, hubs for power and / or data connections, display video drivers, Wi-Fi access points, antennas, location services via beacons or other mechanisms, power supplies, light sources, processors and / or auxiliary processing devices.

[0082] The camera or cameras may include sensors and processing logic for imaging features in the visible, IR (see use of thermal imagers below), or other wavelength regions; various resolutions are possible, including HD and greater.

[0083] One or more proximity or motion sensors may include an infrared sensor, such as an IR sensor. In some embodiments, the proximity sensor is a radar or radar-like device that uses ranging functionality to detect the distance to and between objects. Radar sensors can also be used to distinguish between closely spaced occupants by detecting their biometrics (e.g., detecting their distinct breathing movements). When using a radar or radar-like sensor, optimal operation can be facilitated when it is unobstructed or placed behind the plastic housing of the digital architecture component.

[0084] As described above, a DAE can be or include an occupancy sensor, including an IR detector, which, when processed by an appropriate computer-implemented algorithm, can use the data to detect and / or count the number of occupants in a room. In one embodiment, data from a thermal imager or thermal camera is correlated with data from a radar sensor to provide greater confidence in the specific determinations made. In one embodiment, thermal imager measurements can be used to assess other thermal events in a particular location, such as changes in airflow caused by open windows and doors, the presence of intruders, and / or fire.

[0085] One or more color temperature sensors may be used to analyze the spectrum of lighting present in a particular location and provide an output that may be used to effectuate lighting changes as needed or desired, for example, to improve the health or mood of occupants.

[0086] One or more biometric sensors (eg, for fingerprint, retinal, or facial recognition) may be provided as a standalone sensor or integrated with another sensor such as a camera.

[0087] One or more speakers and associated power amplifiers can be included as part of the digital architecture or separately. In some embodiments, two or more speakers and amplifiers can be combined to form a soundbar; that is, a bar-shaped device containing multiple speakers. Such a device can be designed or configured to provide high-fidelity sound.

[0088] One or more microphones and logic for detecting and processing sound may be provided as part of the digital architecture element or separate therefrom. The microphones may be configured to detect either or both internally and externally generated sounds. In one embodiment, the processing and analysis of sound is performed by logic implemented as software, firmware, or hardware in one or more digital architecture elements and / or by logic in one or more other devices coupled to the network (e.g., one or more controllers coupled to the network). In one embodiment, based on the analysis, the logic is configured to automatically adjust the sound output of one or more speakers to mask and / or eliminate sounds detected by the one or more microphones, frequency variations, echoes, and other factors that negatively impact (or may negatively impact) occupants at a particular location within the building. In one embodiment, sounds include, but are not limited to, sounds generated by: indoor machinery, indoor office equipment, outdoor structures, outdoor traffic, and / or aircraft.

[0089] In one embodiment, one or more microphones are located on or near windows of a building; on the ceiling of the building; and / or other interior structures of the building. Logic can be configured singly or in arrays to analyze and determine the type, intensity, spectrum, location, and / or direction of interior sounds present in a building. In one embodiment, the logic is functionally connected to other fixed or mobile network-connected devices that may be used in the building, such as devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and the like, and configured to receive and analyze sounds or related signals from such devices.

[0090] In one embodiment, the logic is configured to measure and analyze instantaneous delays in signals from microphones to predict the amount and type of sound required to mask or cancel unwanted external and / or internal sounds present at a specific location in a building. In one embodiment, the logic is configured to detect changes in the level and / or location of unwanted external and / or internal sounds, where, for example, the changes may be caused by the movement of objects and people within and outside the building, and dynamically adjust the amount of masking and / or cancellation of sound based on the changes. In one embodiment, the logic is configured to use signals from tracking sensors within the building and, based on the signals, cause masking and / or cancellation of sound at a specific location in the building to be increased or decreased based on the presence and / or location of one or more occupants. In one embodiment, one or more of the speakers are positioned to produce masking and / or cancellation of sound that propagates substantially in a propagation plane, including unwanted sound that propagates in a horizontal plane, a vertical plane, and / or a combination of both.

[0091] In one embodiment, the logic includes an algorithm designed to acoustically map a building interior to locate noise sources within offices and improve voice privacy. In one embodiment, after installing a speaker and microphone array in a building, the logic can be used to perform an acoustic scan, causing each speaker to generate sound that is detected by each microphone. In one embodiment, time delays, sound level reductions, and spectral differences in the detected sounds are used to calculate and map the effective acoustic distances between speakers, microphones, and each other. In one embodiment, an acoustic transfer function for the building interior map can be derived from the acoustic scan. Using this acoustic map and set of transfer functions for one or more spaces within the building, the logic can make appropriate masking and / or cancellation level determinations when unwanted sound sources are present in the space. If necessary, the logic can adjust the sound generated by the speakers to correct for absorption by certain absorptive surfaces. For example, sounds that might otherwise sound muffled after bouncing off soft partitions can be made crisp again. Acoustic mapping of the space can also be used to determine what constitutes direct versus indirect sound and adjust the time delays for masking and / or canceling sounds so that they arrive at the desired locations simultaneously.

[0092] One or more air quality sensors (optionally capable of measuring one or more of the following air constituents: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide, temperature, humidity) may be used with the HVAC to improve air circulation control.

[0093] One or more hubs may be provided for power and / or data connectivity for sensor(s), speakers, microphones, and the like. The hub may be a USB hub, a Bluetooth hub, or the like. The hub may include one or more ports, such as a USB port, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port, or the like. Alternatively or additionally, the element may include connector docking for external sensors, lighting fixtures, peripherals (e.g., cameras, microphones, speaker(s), network connections, power supplies, and the like.

[0094] One or more video drivers may be provided for a display (e.g., a transparent OLED device) on or near an integrated glass unit (IGU) associated with the architectural element. The driver may be wired or optically coupled; for example, an optical signal may be transmitted into the window via optical transmission; for example, see a switchable Bragg grating, including a display having a light engine and a lens focused on a glass waveguide transmitted through the glass and running perpendicular to the line of sight.

[0095] One or more Wi-Fi access points and antennas, which may be part of the Wi-Fi access point or used for a different purpose. In some embodiments, the architectural element itself or a panel covering all or a portion of the architectural element acts as the antenna. Various methods can be used to isolate the architectural element and enable directional transmission or reception. Alternatively, prefabricated antennas or window antennas as described in PCT Patent Application No. PCT / US17 / 31106, filed May 4, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, can be used.

[0096] One or more power sources may be provided, such as energy storage devices (e.g., rechargeable batteries or capacitors), and the like. In some implementations, a power collection device is included; for example, a photovoltaic cell or panel. This allows the device to be standalone or partially standalone. The light collection device may be transparent or opaque, depending on where the light collection device is attached. For example, a photovoltaic cell may be attached to the exterior of a digital mullion and partially or completely cover the exterior of the digital mullion, while a transparent photovoltaic cell may cover a display or user interface (e.g., dials, buttons, etc.) on a digital structural element.

[0097] One or more light sources (e.g., light emitting diodes) configured with a processor to emit light under certain conditions, such as to signal when the device is active.

[0098] One or more processors can be configured to provide a variety of embedded or non-embedded applications. The processor can be a microcontroller. In some embodiments, the processor is a low-power mobile computing unit (MCU) with memory and is configured to run a lightweight, secure operating system that hosts applications and data. In some embodiments, the processor is an embedded system, a system-on-chip, or an expansion.

[0099] One or more auxiliary processing devices, such as a graphics processing unit, or an equalizer or other audio processing device, are configured to interpret the audio signal.

[0100] A digital architecture element or a building structure element associated with a digital architecture element may have one or more antennas. These may be pre-configured and attached to the element or embedded within the element, either on a surface within the element or within the element. Alternatively or additionally, the antenna may be configured so that the structure of the digital architecture element or building structure element serves as an antenna component. For example, a conductive metal piece of a muntin may serve as an antenna element or ground plane. In some embodiments, a portion of the digital architecture element or building structure element is removed (or added) so that the remaining portion serves as a tuned antenna element. For example, a portion of a muntin may be punched out to provide a tuned antenna element. By attaching a coaxial or other cable to the element and an RF transmitter or receiver, the building structure element and / or associated digital architecture element may serve as an antenna element. The antenna component may be designed, for example, to have an impedance that matches the RF transmitter (e.g., approximately 50 ohms).

[0101] Depending on the configuration, the antenna element may be a Wi-Fi antenna, a Bluetooth antenna, a cellular communication antenna, or the like. In certain embodiments, the antenna transmits and / or receives in the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The antenna may be a patch antenna, a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, or the like. It may be configured to transmit or receive electromagnetic signals in any suitable wavelength range. An example of an antenna assembly that may be used in an optically switchable window system is described in PCT Patent Application No. PCT / US17 / 31106, filed May 4, 2017, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0102] In various embodiments, the camera of the digital architecture element is configured to capture images in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. In some cases, the camera provides images at a high resolution (e.g., high definition) of at least about 720p or at least about 1080p. In some cases, the camera can also capture images with intensity information about wavelengths outside the visible range. For example, the camera may be able to capture infrared signals. In some implementations, the digital architecture element includes a near infrared device, such as a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera or a near infrared (NIR) camera. Examples of suitable infrared cameras include the FLIR Camera from FLIR Systems of Wilsonville, OR. or Such infrared cameras can be used to augment visible cameras in digital architecture components.

[0103] In some embodiments, cameras can be configured to map the thermal signature of a room, allowing them to act as a temperature sensor with 3D perception. In some implementations, such cameras in a digital architectural element can perform occupancy detection, augment visible cameras to facilitate detecting people rather than hot walls, provide quantitative measurements of solar heating (e.g., imaging a floor or table and seeing what the sun is actually illuminating), etc.

[0104] In certain embodiments, speakers, microphones, and associated logic are configured to use acoustic information to characterize air quality or air conditions. For example, an algorithm may emit ultrasonic pulses and detect transmitted and / or reflected pulses returning to the microphone. The algorithm may be configured to analyze the detected acoustic signals, sometimes using differential audio signals between transmitted and received signals, to determine air density, particle deflection, and the like to characterize air quality.

[0105] Figure 3 A block diagram is illustrated showing examples of components that may be present in certain implementations of a digital architecture element (DAE). In the illustrated example, arrangement 300 includes a DAE 330 and a computer or processor 340. The computer processor 340 is connected to an external network, such as the Internet, and optionally to a cloud-based content and / or service provider. The connection may include an appropriate modem, router, or switch, and may include a high bandwidth backbone, such as the 10G backbone described above. The computer or processor 340 is also connected to a video display 309 in this example via an HDMI link. Further, the computer 340 is connected to a port 311 (USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other) to make additional internal or external resources available to the DAE 330. As indicated above, the DAE may include various sensors and peripheral components. In Figure 3 In the illustrated example, DAE 330 includes a speaker 317, a microphone 319, and various sensors 321. Any one or more of these components may be coupled to a computer or processor 340 via port 311.

[0106] In the illustrated example, the equalizer 313 can be configured to provide tone control to adjust the room's acoustics. In some cases, the equalizer 313 uses, for example, a prompt and delayed reflection method to facilitate adjustment of the room's acoustics. Thus, the equalizer and associated components can compensate for unwanted audio artifacts caused by the interaction of sound waves with objects in the room or otherwise in close proximity to occupants. In certain embodiments, a signal pulse is generated by a speaker associated with the digital architecture element, and one or more microphones pick up the pulse directly, as well as the pulse's reflection and attenuation by objects in the room. Based on the time delay between the transmitted and detected pulses and the tonal quality of the detected pulses, the system can infer room boundaries, etc. In certain embodiments, the user's smartphone further enables optimization of speaker output for the acoustic environment at various locations in the room. During setup mode, the user, who activates the phone, can move around the room and use the phone to detect the acoustic response. Based on this position and the detected acoustic response, the digital architecture element can determine how to optimize the speaker output. After mapping the room's acoustic profile, the digital architecture element is programmed to tune its speaker output based on various factors, such as the user's location in the room. In some embodiments, the element can use any of several proximity technologies to detect the user's location, such as those described in PCT Patent Application No. PCT / US17 / 31106, filed May 4, 2017, which was previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0107] Digital Wall Interface

[0108] Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a digital wall interface that contains some or all of the components used in a digital architectural element and is configured to include a chassis or housing designed to be mounted on a wall or door of a partially or fully constructed building. The wall interface can be constructed to provide a user interface that is easily visible to the user. It can have a relatively small footprint (e.g., up to about 500 square feet of user surface area) and be circular or polygonal. In certain embodiments, the digital wall interface approximates the shape and size of a tablet.

[0109] In some embodiments, a digital wall interface has the same or similar features as a digital architecture element, but is a wall-mounted device. For example, a digital wall interface may include the sensors and peripheral components described for the digital architecture element. Furthermore, such components may be included in a bar or similar chassis.

[0110] In various embodiments, digital architectural elements are provided in the building while the building is being constructed, while digital wall interfaces are installed in the building after construction of the building is complete or nearly complete. In one approach to building construction, several digital architectural elements are installed during the construction of the basic building structure—walls, partitions, doors, muntins, and beams, for example—while one or more digital wall interfaces are installed, for example, shortly before or upon occupancy by a tenant. Of course, once installed, the digital wall interfaces and digital architectural elements can operate in conjunction, for example, as part of a mesh network, by sharing sensing results, analysis, and control logic.

[0111] In many embodiments, the digital wall interface includes a built-in display configured to provide a user interface and, optionally, a touch-sensitive interface. In some, but not all, embodiments, the digital architecture element does not include a display or a touch interface. Note that in some embodiments, the digital architecture element does not include a built-in display, but rather has an associated display, such as a display connected to the element via an HDMI cable, or a projector configured to project video controlled by the element. Similarly, the digital wall interface can be configured to operate with a standalone display, such as a window display or a projection display.

[0112] Although much of the discussion herein regarding the uses, components, and functionality of digital devices uses digital architectural elements as examples, in most cases, digital wall interfaces can serve similar or identical purposes. Therefore, unless the discussion focuses on a building structural element to which a digital device is attached or associated with, the discussion applies equally to both digital wall interfaces and digital architectural elements.

[0113] Applications and uses

[0114] Figures 4A to 4C Several examples illustrate the applications and uses of the digital architecture elements and related elements contemplated by the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that the network and high-bandwidth backbone described herein can be used for a variety of functions, some of which are not directly related to control windows. Figure 5 Here are a few examples of these capabilities. One such capability provides internet, local network, and / or computing services to tenants or other building occupants, on-site construction personnel during building construction, and the like. During construction, the network and computing resources provided by the backbone and digital components can be used for more than just debugging windows. For example, they can be used to provide architectural information, construction instructions, and the like. In this way, construction personnel are readily accessible to the construction information they need via a high-bandwidth on-site network.

[0115] In some cases, the network, communication, and / or computing services provided by the network and computing infrastructure described herein are utilized in multi-tenant buildings or shared workspaces, such as those provided by WeWork.com. For example, a shared workspace building may only need to provide temporary connectivity and processing power as needed. A building network such as that described herein provides central control and flexible assignment of computing resources to specific building locations. This flexibility allows different resources to be assigned to different tenants.

[0116] Readings from sensors in digital elements (e.g., digital wall interfaces or digital architectural elements) can provide information about the environment near the digital architectural elements. Examples of such sensors include sensors for any one or more of temperature, humidity, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide, dust, light levels, glare, and color temperature. In certain embodiments, readings from one or more of these sensors are input into an algorithm that determines actions that other building systems should take to offset deviations in the measured readings so that these readings reach target values ​​for occupant comfort or building efficiency, based on contextual indices of occupant presence and other signals.

[0117] In certain embodiments, a digital element may be provided on the roof of a building, optionally in conjunction with a sky sensor or a ring sensor, such as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0122802, published on May 4, 2017. Such an element may be adapted with some or all of the features presented elsewhere herein for digital architecture elements. Examples include sensors, antennas, radios, radars, air quality detectors, and the like. In some implementations, a digital element on a roof or other building exterior location provides information about air quality; in this way, the digital element can provide information about both interior and exterior air quality. This allows decisions regarding window tinting status and other environmental conditions to be made using a complete set of information (e.g., a decision to prohibit exhausting air from outside a building when conditions outside the building are unhealthy (or at least worse than those inside the building) can be made).

[0118] In some cases, the light level, glare, color temperature, and / or other characteristics of ambient or artificial light in a building area are used to determine whether to change the tinting state of the electrochromic device. In certain embodiments, these decisions utilize one or more algorithms or analyses described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 347,677, filed on November 9, 2016, and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 742,015 (National Phase Application filed on January 4, 2018), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In one example, tinting decisions are made using a solar calculator and / or reflectance model in conjunction with an algorithm for interpreting light information from sensors of a digital architectural element. In some cases, the algorithm can use information about the presence, number, and / or location of occupants (data available from the digital architectural element) to assist in making decisions about whether to tint a window and which tinting state should be selected. In some cases, digital architectural elements are used in place of or in addition to a sky sensor for the purpose of determining the appropriate shading state, such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 287,646, filed Oct. 6, 2016, and previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0119] As an example of tinting and glare control, sensors in a digital device can provide feedback regarding the local light, temperature, color, glare, etc., of a room or other portion of a building. Logic associated with the digital device can then determine whether the light intensity, direction, color, etc., of the room or portion of the building should be changed, and can also determine how to achieve such a change. A change may be necessary for user comfort (e.g., reducing glare at a user's workspace, increasing contrast, or correcting a color profile for a sensitive user) or for privacy or security. Assuming the logic determines that a change is necessary, it can then send instructions to change one or more lighting or solar components, such as the state of an optically switchable window tinting, the output of a display device, switching the state of a particle device film (e.g., transparent, translucent, opaque), light projection onto a surface, artificial light output (color, intensity, direction, etc.), and the like. All of these decisions may be made with or without the assistance of building-wide shading state processing logic, such as described in U.S. patent application No. 15 / 347,677, filed on November 9, 2016, and U.S. patent application No. 15 / 742,015 (national phase application filed on January 4, 2018), and previously incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0120] An array of digital architecture elements in a building can form a mesh edge access network that enables interaction between building occupants and the building or machines within it. When equipped with appropriate network interfaces, digital architecture elements and / or digital wall interfaces and / or enhanced function window controllers can be used as digital computing mesh network nodes, providing connectivity, communication, application execution, etc. within building structural elements (e.g., mullions) for ambient computing processing. They can be powered, monitored, and controlled in a manner similar to or identical to edge sensor nodes in a mesh network setup within a building. They can also serve as gateways for other sensor nodes.

[0121] A non-exhaustive list of functions or uses of high bandwidth window networks and associated digital elements contemplated for this disclosure includes: (a) speakerphone Digital wall interfaces or digital infrastructure elements can be configured to provide all the functionality of a speakerphone; (b) spatial personalization The preferences and / or roles of an occupant can be stored and then implemented in a specific location where the occupant is present. In some cases, the preferences and / or roles are only temporarily implemented while the user is in a specific location. In some cases, the preferences and / or roles remain in effect as long as the occupant is assigned a workspace or activity space; (c) Security Tracking assets, identifying unauthorized presence of individuals in defined locations, locking doors, tinting windows, untinting windows, sounding alarms, etc.; (d) controlling HVAC, air quality; (e) communicating with occupants, including public address notifications for occupants during emergencies; information can be delivered via speakers in digital elements; (f) collaboration between occupants using real-time video; (g) noise cancellation For example, a microphone detects white noise and a soundbar cancels the white noise; (h) connecting to, streaming, or otherwise delivering video or other media content such as a television; (i) enhancing personal digital assistants such as Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana, Google's Google Home, Apple's Siri, and / or other personal digital assistants; (j) facial or other biometric recognition enabled by, for example, a camera and associated image analysis logic Determine the identity of people in a room, not just count them; (k) Detect color (1) Detected and / or adjusted local environmental conditions. Conditions may be determined using one or more of the following types of sensed conditions, such as temperature and humidity, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), , dust, smoke and lighting (light level, glare, color temperature).

[0122] Computing system and memory device

[0123] The logic and computational processing resources disclosed herein may be provided within a digital element such as a digital wall interface or digital architecture element as described herein, and / or they may be provided via a network connection to a remote location, such as another building using the same or similar resources and services, a server on the Internet, cloud-based resources, etc.

[0124] Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems for generating and / or using building functionality, such as the uses described in the "Applications and Uses" section above. A programmed or assembled system for performing the functionality and uses can be assembled to (i) receive inputs, such as sensor data representing conditions within a building, occupancy details, and / or external environmental conditions, and (ii) execute instructions to determine the impact of such conditions or details on the building environment, and optionally take actions to maintain or change the building environment.

[0125] Many types of computing systems, with any of a variety of computer architectures, can be used as the disclosed system for implementing the functions and uses described herein. For example, the system can include software components that execute on one or more general-purpose processors or specially designed processors, such as programmable logic devices (e.g., field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)). Furthermore, the system can be implemented on a single device or distributed across multiple devices. The functions of the computing elements can be combined with each other or further divided into multiple submodules. In some embodiments, the computing system includes a microcontroller. In some embodiments, the computing system includes a general-purpose microprocessor. Often, the computing system is configured to run an operating system and one or more application programs.

[0126] In some embodiments, the code for performing the functions or uses described herein may be embodied in the form of software components that may be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as an optical disk, flash memory device, removable hard disk, etc.). At one level, a software component is implemented as a set of commands prepared by a programmer / developer. However, modular software that can be executed by computer hardware is executable code submitted to memory using "machine code" selected from a specific machine language instruction set or "native instructions" designed into the hardware processor. The machine language instruction set or native instruction set is known to the hardware processor and is essentially built into the hardware processor. This is the "language" by which system and application software communicate with the hardware processor. Each native instruction is a discrete code recognized by the processing architecture and may specify a specific register for arithmetic, addressing, or control functions; a specific memory location or offset; and a specific addressing mode for interpreting operands. More complex operations are constructed by combining these simple native instructions, which are executed sequentially or according to other instructions of control flow instructions.

[0127] The relationship between executable software instructions and hardware processors is structural. In other words, the instructions themselves are a series of symbols or values. They inherently convey no information. It is the processor that is pre-configured to interpret the symbols / values ​​that gives the instructions meaning.

[0128] The algorithms used herein can be configured to execute on a single machine at a single location, on multiple machines at a single location, or on multiple machines at multiple locations. When multiple machines are employed, each machine can be customized for its specific task. For example, operations requiring large code blocks and / or significant processing capacity can be performed on large and / or fixed machines.

[0129] Additionally, certain embodiments relate to tangible and / or non-transitory computer-readable media or computer program products that include program instructions and / or data (including data structures) for performing various computer-implemented operations. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, semiconductor memory devices, phase-change devices, magnetic media (such as disk drives), magnetic tape, optical media (such as CDs), magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as read-only memory devices (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). Computer-readable media can be directly controlled by an end user or the media can be indirectly controlled by the end user. Examples of directly controlled media include media located at the user's facility and / or media that is not shared with other entities. Examples of indirectly controlled media include media that is indirectly accessed by a user via an external network and / or via a service that provides shared resources, such as the "cloud." Examples of program instructions include both machine code (e.g., code generated by a compiler) and files containing higher-level code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter.

[0130] The data or information used in the disclosed methods and apparatus are provided in a digital format. Such data or information may include sensor data, building architecture information, floor plans, operating or environmental conditions, schedules, and the like. As used herein, data or other information provided in a digital format can be stored on a machine and transmitted between machines. Traditionally, data can be stored in the form of bits and / or bytes in various data structures, lists, databases, and the like. Data can be embodied electronically, optically, or in other ways.

[0131] In some embodiments, the algorithms used to implement the functions and uses described herein can be viewed as application software that interfaces with user and system software. System software typically interfaces with computer hardware and associated memory. In some embodiments, system software includes operating system software and / or firmware, as well as any middleware and drivers installed in the system. System software provides the basic, non-task-specific functionality of the computer. In contrast, modules and other application software are used to implement specific tasks. Each native instruction of a module is stored in a memory device and represented by a numerical value.

[0132] Integrated environmental monitoring and control

[0133] As described above, the technology disclosed in the present invention contemplates a network of digital architectural elements (DAEs) that are capable of collecting a rich data set related to environmental, occupancy, and security conditions of the interior and / or exterior of a building. The digital architectural elements may include optically switchable windows and / or muntins or other architectural features associated with optically switchable windows. Advantageously, the digital architectural elements may be widely distributed throughout all or at least most of the perimeter of a building. Thus, the data collected may provide a highly refined, detailed representation of the environmental, occupancy, and security conditions associated with most or all of the interior and / or exterior of a building. For example, many or all of a building's windows may include, or be associated with, a digital architectural element that includes a series of sensors, such as light sensors and / or cameras (visible and / or IR); acoustic sensors, such as microphone arrays, temperature and humidity sensors; and air quality sensors that detect VOCs, , carbon monoxide (CO) and / or dust.

[0134] In some implementations, automated or semi-automated techniques, including machine learning, are contemplated, whereby the building's environmental control, communication, and / or security systems intelligently react to changes in collected data. As one example, the occupancy of a room in a building can be determined, as described above, using a low-resolution IR detector, a light sensor, a camera, and / or an acoustic sensor, and specific changes in occupancy can be correlated with desired changes in HVAC functionality. For example, increased occupancy may be associated with a need to increase airflow and / or lower thermostat settings. As another example, data from an air quality sensor that detects dust levels can be correlated with the need to perform building maintenance or to introduce or remove outside air from interior spaces. In one use case scenario, for example, dust levels within a room may be observed to rise as occupants move around the room, while dust levels decrease as occupants take their seats. In this case, a need for baseboard maintenance (mopping, vacuuming) can be determined. In another use case scenario, upon opening a window, the measured interior air quality may be observed to (i) improve or (ii) degrade. In case (i), it may be determined that the air circulation ducts or filters of the HVAC system should be maintained. In case (ii), it may be determined that the outside air quality is poor and the windows of the building should preferably be maintained in the closed position. In yet another use case scenario, the number of occupants in a conference room may be correlated with whether the doors and / or windows are open or closed, and the number of people in the conference room may be correlated with whether the doors and / or windows are open or closed. Level and / or Establish a relationship between the rate of change of the level.

[0135] More generally, the present technology contemplates measuring a number of "building conditions" and controlling a number of "building operating parameters" of "building systems" in response to the measured building conditions, such as Figure 6As illustrated in . As used herein, "building conditions" may refer to physically measurable conditions in a building or a portion of a building. Examples include temperature, air flow rate, light flux and color, occupancy, air quality and composition (particle count, gas concentration of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water (i.e., humidity)). As used herein, "building systems" may refer to systems that can control or adjust building operating parameters. Examples include HVAC systems, lighting systems, security systems, window optical condition control systems. Building operating parameters may refer to parameters that can be controlled by one or more building systems to adjust or control building conditions. Examples include heat flux from or to a heater or air conditioner, heat flux from a window or lighting in a room, air flow through a room, and light flux from artificial light or natural light through an optically switchable window.

[0136] Still see Figure 6 , method 600 may include block 610, collecting inputs from a plurality of sensors. Some or all of the sensors may be positioned on or associated with a corresponding window and / or a corresponding digital architectural element associated with the window and / or digital wall interface. The sensors may include, for example, visible and / or IR light sensors or cameras, acoustic sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, and air quality sensors. It will be appreciated that the collected inputs may represent various environmental condition measurements that vary in time and space. In some implementations, at least some of the inputs may include a combination of sensors. For example, one may consider a sensor dedicated to Separate sensors for respective measurements of air quality, CO, dust, and / or smoke may be used, and the combination of inputs from the separate sensors may be analyzed (block 620) for use in determining air quality control. As another example, related inputs collected from separate sensors measuring optical and acoustic signals may be analyzed to determine the occupancy level in a room (block 620). As yet another example, inputs may be received nearly simultaneously from spatially distributed sensors. For example, the sensors may be spatially distributed relative to a given room or distributed across several rooms and / or floors of the building.

[0137] In some implementations, at block 620, the analysis of the measured data may take into account certain "contextual information" not necessarily obtained from the sensors. As used herein, contextual information may include time of day and time of year, as well as local weather and / or climate information, as well as information regarding the building layout and usage parameters for various parts of the building. This contextual information may be initially input by a user (e.g., a building manager) and updated from time to time, manually and / or automatically. Examples of usage parameters may include a building's operating schedule and identification of the intended and / or permitted / authorized use of individual rooms or larger portions of a building (e.g., floors). For example, certain portions of a billing may be identified as lobby spaces, restaurant / cafeteria spaces, conference rooms, open plan areas, private office spaces, etc. Contextual information may be used to determine whether or how to modify building operating parameters, block 630, and also to calibrate and optionally adjust sensors. For example, based on contextual information, certain sensors may be optionally disabled in certain parts of the building to meet occupant privacy expectations. As another example, sensors used in a room where a large number of people are expected to gather (e.g., an auditorium) may advantageously be calibrated or adjusted differently than sensors used in a room expected to have fewer occupants (e.g., a private office).

[0138] At block 620, the goal of the analysis may be to determine that a particular building condition exists or is predictable to exist. As a simple example, the analysis may include comparing sensor readings, such as light flux or temperature measurements, to threshold values. As another more complex example, when the occupancy load in a room undergoes a change (e.g., because a meeting in a conference room opens or adjourns), the analysis of block 620 may first directly identify the change as a result of input from acoustic and / or optical sensors associated with the room; and second, the analysis may predict environmental parameters that may be expected to change as a result of the change in occupancy load. For example, an increase in occupancy load may be expected to result in an increase in ambient temperature and Advantageously, the analysis at block 620 can be performed automatically, periodically or continuously, using models or other algorithms that can improve over time using, for example, machine learning techniques. In some implementations, the analysis may not be able to clearly identify a specific building condition (or combination of conditions) for determining that a building operating parameter should be adjusted.

[0139] Referring again to block 630, a determination may be made as to whether or how to modify building operating parameters based on the analysis results of block 620. Depending on the determination, building conditions may or may not be changed. When it is determined that the building operating parameters are not to be modified, the method may return to block 610. When it is determined that the list of operating parameters is to be modified, at block 640, one or more building conditions may be adjusted to, for example, improve occupant comfort or safety and / or reduce operating costs and energy consumption. For example, in rooms determined to be unoccupied, lighting and / or HVAC services may be set to a low power condition. As another example, it may be determined that a fault or problem has occurred that requires attention from building management, maintenance, or security personnel.

[0140] The determination may be made on a passive and / or active basis. For example, the determination may be made in response to a change in a measured parameter, e.g. Alternatively or additionally, this determination can be made on a proactive basis, that is, building operating parameters can be adjusted in anticipation of environmental changes before the changes are actually measured. For example, an observed change in occupancy load can lead to a decision to increase HVAC flow regardless of whether the environmental or a corresponding rise in temperature.

[0141] In some implementations, the determination may involve building operating parameters associated with HVAC (e.g., air flow rate and temperature settings), which may be based on measured temperature, The system may also be used to control the air quality of a building by measuring the air level, humidity, and / or local occupancy in one or more locations. In some implementations, the determination may relate to building operating parameters related to building security. For example, in response to abnormal sensor readings, a security system alarm may be triggered, selected doors and windows may be locked or unlocked, and / or the tinting state of all or some windows may be changed. Examples of security-related building conditions include detecting broken windows, detecting unauthorized personnel in controlled areas, and detecting unauthorized movement of equipment, tools, electronic devices, or other assets from one location to another.

[0142] Other types of security-related building condition information may include information related to the occurrence of detection of sounds outside and / or inside the building. In one embodiment, the detected sounds are analyzed for sound type. In some embodiments, the analysis is initiated via hardware, firmware, or software that is onboard one or more digital structural elements or elsewhere in the building, or even off-site. In some embodiments, sound outside or inside the building causes a conductive layer deposited on the window glass of an electrochromic window to vibrate, causing a change in capacitance between the conductive layers, and the capacitance change is converted into a signal indicative of the sound. Thus, some windows of the present invention may inherently provide sound and / or vibration sensor functionality, however, in other embodiments, the sound and / or vibration sensor functionality may be provided by sensors added to the window with or without a conductive layer and / or by one or more sensors in the digital structural element.

[0143] In one embodiment, the source location of a sound can be determined by analyzing the differences in sound amplitude and / or sound time delay experienced by different sound and / or vibration sensors. The types of sounds detected and analyzed include, but are not limited to, the sound of a window breaking, voices (e.g., the voice of a person entering an area with or without authorization), sounds caused by movement (of people, machines, air flow), and sounds caused by the discharge of a firearm. In one embodiment, depending on the type of sound detected, one or more appropriate security or other actions are initiated by one or more systems within the building. For example, upon determining that a firearm has been discharged from a location outside or inside the building, the building management system may automatically call 911 to summon emergency responders to the location.

[0144] In the event of a sound caused by a gunshot within a building, knowing the precise location of the sound and the shooter (e.g., room, floor, and building information) is crucial for an appropriate emergency response. However, in buildings with large, open floor plans and / or corridors, requiring textual location information based on a specific building floor plan can delay response. In one embodiment, visual location information is provided rather than just textual location information. Visual location information of the sound can be provided by a mounted camera system, if so equipped, but in one embodiment, it is provided by causing the tint state of one or more windows determined to be closest to the sound caused by the gunshot or shooter to change to a unique tint state. For example, in one embodiment, upon sensing a sound of interest, the tint of the tintable windows closest to the sound of interest is caused to change to a darker tint than windows farther away from the sound, or vice versa. In this way, if responders are unable to quickly locate a specific room on a specific floor of a specific building, they may be able to do so by visually identifying windows that are uniquely tinted darker or lighter than other windows.

[0145] In one embodiment, the current location of a person associated with a particular sound may differ from their initial location, in which case the change in their location may be updated by detecting other sounds or changes to the environment caused by the person. For example, in the event of an active shooter, gas sensors in the digital architecture element or other predetermined locations can be used to monitor changes in air quality caused by the presence of explosives, thereby providing responders with updates on the shooter's location. Sound and other sensors can also be used to determine the location of individuals attempting to evade an active shooter (e.g., by detecting their location via infrared). In one embodiment, to confuse an active shooter, sounds can be generated by speakers in the digital architecture element or other speakers in the shooter's location to distract the shooter or mask noises generated by hostages attempting to evade him. In one embodiment, speakers and / or microphones in the digital architecture element or other devices can be selectively activated to communicate with individuals attempting to evade an active shooter. In addition to giving one or more windows a unique tint to help identify the location of a sound, in some embodiments, the unique tint of the windows may need to be changed to some other tint, for example, to provide more light to facilitate the entry or exit of one or more individuals from a particular location, or to provide less light to obstruct visibility of a particular location.

[0146] Still see Figure 6At block 640, one or more building parameters may be modified in response to the determination made at block 630. In some embodiments, the building parameter modifications may be performed under the control of a building management system and may be performed by, for example, one or more building systems (such as HVAC, lighting, security, and window controller networks). It will be appreciated that the building parameter modifications may be selectively performed on a global (building-wide) basis or on a localized basis (e.g., individual rooms, suites, floors, etc.).

[0147] As mentioned, building systems that determine how to modify building operating parameters may employ machine learning. This means that a machine learning model is trained using training data. In certain embodiments, the process begins by training an initial model through supervised or semi-supervised learning. The model may be refined through ongoing training / learning provided by field use (e.g., while operating in a functional building). Examples of training data (building conditions that interact with each other and / or with building operating parameters) include the following combinations of sensory or contextual data (X or inputs) and building operating parameters or labels (Y or outputs): (a) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context, light flux (interior + solar); Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (b) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context; Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (c) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context; Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (d) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context; Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (e) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context; Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (e) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context; Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (f) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context; Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (g) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context; Y = ΔT / time (no cooling)]; (h ... / time (with nominal ventilation)]; and (c) [X = occupancy (as measured by IR or camera / video), context, temperature, outside relative humidity (RH); Y = ΔRH / time (with nominal ventilation)]. Part of the goal of machine learning is to identify unknown or hidden patterns or relationships, so learning typically uses a large number of inputs (X) for each possible output (Y).

[0148] In some embodiments, Figure 6 Execution of the program flow illustrated in the figure can be achieved by providing digital architecture elements with a series of functional modules for collecting and analyzing environmental data, communication and control. Figure 7 An example of a series of such functional modules according to one implementation is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, digital architecture element 700 includes power and communication module 710, audio-visual (A / V) module 720, environment module 730, computation / learning module 740, and controller module 750.

[0149] The power and communication module 710 may include one or more wired or wireless interfaces for transmitting and receiving communication signals and / or power. Examples of wireless power transmission technologies suitable for use with the technology disclosed herein are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 642,478, filed on March 13, 2018, entitled “WIRELESSLY POWERED AND POWERING ELECTROCHROMIC WINDOWS,” International Patent Application No. PCT / US17 / 52798, filed on September 21, 2017, entitled “WIRELESSLY POWERED AND POWERING ELECTROCHROMIC WINDOWS,” and U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 962,975, filed on December 8, 2015, entitled “WIRELESS POWERED ELECTROCHROMIC WINDOWS,” each of which is assigned to any of the assets of this application and the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this application. The power and communication module 710 can communicatively couple and distribute power to each of the audio-visual (A / V) module 720, the environmental module 730, the computing / learning module 740, and the controller module 750. The power and communication module 710 can also be communicatively coupled with one or more other digital architecture elements (not shown) and / or with a power and / or control distribution node interface of the building.

[0150] The A / V module 730 may include one or more of the A / V components described above, including a camera or other visual and / or IR light sensor, a visual display, a touch interface, a microphone or microphone array, and a speaker or speaker array. In some embodiments, the "touch" interface may additionally include gesture recognition capabilities that are operable to detect, recognize, and respond to non-touch movements of a person's appendage or handheld object.

[0151] The environmental module 730 may include one or more of the environmental sensing components described above, including temperature and humidity sensors, acoustic light sensors, IR sensors, particle sensors (e.g., for detecting dust, smoke, pollen, etc.), VOC, CO, and / or Sensors. Environment module 730 may functionally incorporate a range of audio and / or electromagnetic sensors, which may partially or completely overlap with the sensors described above with respect to A / V module 730 (e.g., microphones, visual and / or IR light sensors). In some embodiments, the term "sensor," as used herein, may include some processing capabilities, for example, to determine, for example, occupancy (or the number of occupants) in a particular area. Cameras, particularly those that detect IR radiation, can be used to directly identify the number of people in an area. Alternatively, sensors may provide raw (unprocessed) signals to computation / learning module 740 and / or controller module 750.

[0152] The compute / learning module 740 may include processing components (including general-purpose or specialized processors and memory) as described above for the digital architecture elements, digital wall interface, and / or enhanced function window controller. Alternatively or in addition, it may include specially designed ASICs, digital signal processors, or other types of hardware, including processors designed or optimized to implement models such as machine learning models (e.g., neural networks). Examples include Google's "Tensor Processing Units," or TPUs. Such processors may be designed to efficiently compute the startup functions, matrix operations, and / or other mathematical calculations required for neural networks or other machine learning calculations. For some applications, other specialized processors may be employed, such as graphics processing units (GPUs). In some cases, the processors may be provided in a system-on-chip architecture.

[0153] The controller module 750 may be or include a window control module, which is incorporated by reference in U.S. patent application No. 15 / 882,719, filed on January 29, 2019, entitled “CONTROLLER FOR OPTICALLY-SWITCHABLE WINDOWS”, U.S. patent application No. 13 / 449,251, filed on April 17, 2012, entitled “CONTROLLER FOR OPTICALLY-SWITCHABLE WINDOWS”, International Patent Application No. PCT / US17 / 47664, filed on August 18, 2017, entitled “ELECTROMAGNETIC-SHIELDING ELECTROCHROMIC WINDOWS”, U.S. patent application No. 15 / 334,835, filed on October 26, 2016, entitled “CONTROLLERS FOR One or more features described in International Patent Application No. PCT / US17 / 61054, filed on November 10, 2017, entitled “POWERDISTRIBUTION NETWORKS FOR ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICES,” each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present application, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this application.

[0154] For the sake of clarity, Figure 7 The digital architecture element 700 is presented as comprising separate and distinct modules 710, 720, 730, 740, and 750. However, it should be understood that two or more modules may be structurally combined with each other and / or with the features of the digital wall interface described above. Furthermore, it is contemplated that in a building installation comprising several digital architecture elements, not each digital architecture element will necessarily include all of the described modules 710, 720, 730, 740, and 750. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the described modules 710, 720, 730, 740, and 750 may be shared by multiple digital architecture elements.

[0155] Figure 14 、 15 Block diagrams of versions of a digital architecture element, digital wall interface, or similar device are presented in Figures 16. For convenience, the following discussion will refer to a digital architecture element (DAE). Figure 14DAE 1430 is illustrated, which can support multiple communication types, including, for example, Wi-Fi communication with its own antenna 1437. Alternatively or additionally, DAE 1430 can include or be coupled to cellular communication infrastructure, such as a baseband radio, amplifiers, and antennas in the illustrated embodiment. Similarly, although not explicitly shown here, digital architecture element 1530 can support Citizens Band Radio System (CBRS) using a similar baseband radio. From a communications and data processing perspective, the digital architecture element in this figure has the same general architecture as a full-featured digital architecture element. However, it does not include sensors and may not include auxiliary components such as a display, microphone, and speaker.

[0156] In some embodiments, the digital architecture element supports a modular sensor assembly that allows sensors to be individually upgraded and replaced via plug-and-play insertion into a backbone-type circuit board having a set of slots or sockets. In one embodiment, sensors used in the digital architecture element can be installed perpendicular to the backbone in one of a number of standardized slots / sockets to maximize flexibility and functionality. In some embodiments, the sensors are modular and can be replaced by removing and inserting them through openings in the housing of the digital architecture element. Faulty sensors can be replaced or functionality / capabilities modified as needed. In one embodiment, in which the digital architecture element is installed during the construction phase of a project / building, the use of plug-and-play sensors allows the digital architecture element to be customized with one or more sensors that may not be needed when the project / building is ready for occupancy. For example, during construction, sensors can be installed to track construction assets on site or monitor unsafe (OSHA+) noise or air quality levels and / or nighttime cameras can be installed to monitor movement on the construction site when the site is not typically occupied by workers. As desired or needed, these or other sensors may be removed after construction and quickly and easily replaced or supplemented during the occupancy phase or at a subsequent phase when upgrades or sensors with new capabilities are needed or become available.

[0157] Figure 15 System 1500 illustrates components that may be incorporated into or associated with a DAE. System 1500 may be configured to receive and transmit data wirelessly (e.g., Wi-Fi communications, cellular communications, Citizens Band Radio System communications, etc.), transmitting data upstream and receiving data downstream via, for example, a coaxial drop line. Figure 15 , the elements of system 1500 are presented at a relatively high level. Figure 15The illustrated embodiment includes circuitry that functions similarly to the combining module 1380 (described above with respect to FIG. 13 ) at the interface between the trunk and the drop. Specifically, the module 1580, including the bias tee circuit 1584, takes power and data from separate conductors (the trunk) and places them on a single cable (the drop 1513). Thus, for downstream transmission, the coaxial drop may deliver power and data to the MoCA interface 1590 of the digital infrastructure components on the same conductors.

[0158] As illustrated, the system 1500 includes the bias-T circuit 1584 coupled to a MoCA interface 1590 via the drop line 1513. The MoCA interface 1590 is configured to convert downstream data signals provided in the MoCA format on the coaxial cable (in this case, the drop line) into conventionally formatted data for processing. Similarly, the MoCA interface 1590 can be configured to format upstream data for transmission on the coaxial cable (drop line 1513). For example, packetized Ethernet data can be formatted for MoCA for upstream transmission on the coaxial cable.

[0159] In the illustrated example, the DC-DC power supply 1501 receives DC power from the bias T circuit 1584 and converts this relatively high voltage power to a lower voltage power suitable for powering the processing components and other components of the digital architecture element 1530. In some implementations, the power supply 1501 includes a buck converter. The power supply can have various outputs, each with a power or voltage level suitable for the component it powers. For example, one component may require 12 volts of power and a different component may require 3.3 volts of power.

[0160] In some approaches, the bias-T circuit 1584, the MoCA interface 1590, and the power supply 1501 are provided in a module (or other combined unit) used across multiple designs of digital architecture elements or similar network devices. This module can provide data and power to one or more downstream data processing, communication, and / or sensor devices in the digital architecture element. In the illustrated embodiment, the processing block 1503 provides processing logic for cellular (e.g., 5G) or other wireless communication functions, which are enabled by the transmit (Tx) antenna and associated RF power amplifier and by the receive (Rx) antenna and associated analog-to-digital converter. In certain embodiments, the antenna and associated transceiver logic are configured for broadband communication (e.g., approximately 800 MHz-5.8 GHz). The processing block 1503 can be implemented as one or more distinct physical processors. Although the block shows a separate microcontroller and digital signal processor, both can be combined in a single physical integrated circuit such as an ASIC.

[0161] Although Figure 15 The embodiment depicted in FIG provides separate transmit and receive antennas, but other embodiments employ a single antenna for both transmission and reception. Furthermore, if the digital architecture element supports multiple wireless communication protocols, such as one or more cellular formats (e.g., 5G for Sprint, 5G for T-Mobile, 4G / LTE for AT&T, etc.), it may include separate hardware, such as antennas, amplifiers, and analog-to-digital converters, for each format. Furthermore, if the digital architecture element supports non-cellular wireless communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Citizens Band Radio System, etc., it may require separate antennas and / or other hardware for each protocol. However, in some embodiments, a single power amplifier may be shared by the antennas and / or other hardware for multiple wireless communication formats.

[0162] In the illustrated embodiment, processing block 1503 may implement communications-related functions, such as, for example, a baseband radio for cellular or citizen's band radio communications. In some cases, a different physical processor is employed for each supported wireless communication protocol. In some cases, a single physical processor is configured to implement multiple baseband radios, which optionally share some additional hardware such as power amplifiers and / or antennas. In such cases, the different baseband radios may be defined in software or other configurable logic.

[0163] Figure 16 An example of a system 1600 is shown that illustrates components that may be incorporated into or associated with a digital architecture element. As shown, the system 1600 includes components that may operate as described above (e.g., similar to Figure 15 1584 in the embodiment of the present invention. The data from the bias-T circuit 1684 is provided to a MoCA front-end module 1690, which works in conjunction with at least a portion of the processing block 1640 (e.g., a coaxial network controller system on a chip, such as the MxL3710, available from MaxLinear Inc. of Carlsbad, California) to provide high-speed data to one or more components of the system 1600.

[0164] Power (eg, 24 VDC) from the bias T circuit 1584 is provided to one or more voltage regulators in the power supply 1601, at least some of which may collectively act as Figure 15The processing block 1640 may include, as generally indicated at block 1642, general purpose microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, and integrated circuits, some or all of which may include multiple cores or embedded processors with various processing capabilities. In certain embodiments, the processing block 1640 acts as Figure 15 As an example, processing block 1640 may provide CAN bus functionality for one or more window controllers.

[0165] In the illustrated example, processing block 1640 includes a network switch 1643, which can be, for example, a five-port Ethernet switch, such as the SJA 1105 available from NXP Semiconductors of the Netherlands. MoCA encoded data from the MoCA front end can be decoded to provide data in a conventional Ethernet format. The data can then be provided to the network switch, where it can be distributed to various data processing components of the system 1600.

[0166] In one embodiment, modular electrical connector 1604, such as the illustrated RJ45 connector, can provide data for any purpose an occupant or building owner may have, such as user laptops or data center connections. In one example, connector 1604 provides Gigabit Ethernet connectivity via twisted pair copper wiring.

[0167] Figure 16 Block 1610 includes Figure 15 16. Examples of additional components not illustrated in the embodiments of FIG. 16. In some embodiments, these are provided together in a single chassis housing or box, or otherwise provided as modules. In other embodiments, they are provided separately and each may be integrated into a digital architecture element. As shown, block 1605 includes a sensor module 1611, a video module 1612, an audio module 1613, and a window controller element, including window controller logic 1614 and window controller power circuit 1615. In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality of window controller 1614 may be implemented in processing block 1640, thereby minimizing or eliminating the need for a separate logic element such as window controller logic 1614.

[0168] In some embodiments, 5G infrastructure can replace both Wi-Fi and 4G through a single service agreement and associated infrastructure. For example, one or more 5G antennas and associated components in a building area can provide all the necessary services, effectively replacing the need for Wi-Fi for wireless communication functions. In certain embodiments, the digital architecture elements utilize the Citizens Band Radio System (CBRS), which does not require separate licenses from the FCC or other regulatory agencies.

[0169] In some embodiments, a computer system may be configured to perform one or more operations of any of the methods provided herein. Figure 17 A schematic example of such a computer system 1700 is shown, which may include a processing unit 1706 (also referred to herein as a "processor," "computer," and "computer processor"). Computer system 1700 may include memory or memory locations 1702 (e.g., random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory), an electronic storage unit 1704 (e.g., a hard disk), a communication interface 1703 (e.g., a network adapter) for communicating with one or more other systems, and peripheral devices (e.g., 1705) such as cache, other memory, data storage, and / or an electronic display adapter. Figure 17 In the example shown, memory 1702, storage unit 1704, interface 1703, and peripheral devices 1705 communicate with processing unit 1706 via a communication bus (solid line), such as a motherboard. The storage unit may be a data storage unit (or data repository) for storing data. The computer system may be operatively coupled to a computer network ("network") 1701 via communication interface 1703. The network may be the internet, the internet and / or an external network, or an internal network and / or an external network in communication with the internet. In some cases, the network is a telecommunications and / or data network. The network may include one or more computer servers, which may implement distributed computing, such as cloud computing. In some cases, the network may implement a peer-to-peer network, which may enable devices coupled to the computer system to behave as clients or servers, using the computer system.

[0170] The processing unit can execute a sequence of machine-readable instructions, which can be embodied in a program or software. The instructions can be stored in a memory location such as memory 1702. The instructions can be directed to a processing unit, which can then be programmed or otherwise configured to implement the methods of the present disclosure. Examples of operations performed by a processing unit may include fetching, decoding, executing, and writing back. The processing unit can interpret and / or execute instructions. The processor may include a microprocessor, a data processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a system on a chip (SOC), a coprocessor, a network processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP), a controller, a programmable logic device (PLD), a chipset, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or any combination thereof. The processing unit may be part of a circuit such as an integrated circuit. One or more other components of system 1700 may be included in the circuit.

[0171] The storage unit can store files, such as drivers, libraries, and saved programs. The storage unit can store user data (e.g., user preferences and user programs). In some cases, the computer system may include one or more additional data storage units that are external to the computer system, such as located on a remote server that communicates with the computer system via an intranet or the Internet.

[0172] The computer system can communicate with one or more remote computer systems via a network. For example, the computer system can communicate with a remote computer system of a user (e.g., an operator). Examples of remote computer systems include a personal computer (e.g., a portable PC), a tablet or tablet PC (e.g., an Apple® iPad, a Samsung® Galaxy Tab), a phone, a smartphone (e.g., an Apple® iPhone, an Android-enabled device, a Blackberry®), or a personal digital assistant. A user (e.g., a client) can access the computer system via a network.

[0173] The methods described herein may be performed by machine (e.g., computer processor) executable code stored on an electronic storage location of a computer system, such as, for example, memory 1702 or electronic storage unit 1704. The machine executable or machine readable code may be provided in the form of software. During use, the processor 1706 may execute the code. In some cases, the code may be retrieved from a storage unit and stored on the memory ready for access by the processor. In some cases, the electronic storage unit may be eliminated, and the machine executable instructions may be stored on the memory.

[0174] The code may be pre-compiled and assembled for use with a machine having a processor adapted to execute the code or may be compiled during runtime. The code may be supplied in a programming language that may be selected to enable the code to be executed in a pre-compiled or compiled manner.

[0175] In some embodiments, the processor includes code. The code may be program instructions. The program instructions may cause the at least one processor (e.g., a computer) to direct a feedforward and / or feedback control loop. In some embodiments, the program instructions cause the at least one processor to direct a closed-loop and / or open-loop control scheme. The control may be based at least in part on one or more sensor readings (e.g., sensor data). A controller may direct multiple operations. At least two operations may be directed by different controllers. In some embodiments, different controllers may direct at least two of operations (a), (b), and (c). In some embodiments, different controllers may direct at least two of operations (a), (b), and (c). In some embodiments, non-transitory computer-readable media cause different computers to direct at least two of operations (a), (b), and (c). In some embodiments, different non-transitory computer-readable media cause different computers to direct at least two of operations (a), (b), and (c). The controller and / or computer-readable medium may direct any device or component thereof disclosed herein. The controller and / or computer-readable medium may direct any operation of the method disclosed herein.

[0176] in conclusion

[0177] In this description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. The disclosed embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, the operation of well-known processes has not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosed embodiments. Although the disclosed embodiments are described in conjunction with specific examples, it should be understood that the specific examples are not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. A system comprising: an infrared (IR) detector configured to collect IR imaging data, the IR detector having a field of view; A controller comprising circuitry configured to process the collected IR imaging data and determine occupancy data for a space within the field of view of the IR detector, the space being within a building; wherein, The identified occupancy data excludes personally identifiable information (PII) of any occupant of the space.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the IR detector is configured to collect IR imaging data within the field of view at a resolution of no greater than 100 x 100 pixels per 1000 square feet of viewable area.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the resolution is approximately 32 x 24 pixels per 1000 square feet of viewable area.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a digital architecture element (DAE) including the IR detector and the controller.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the DAE is configured to be mounted on a ceiling of the space within the building.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the DAE is configured to be flush mounted on a ceiling.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the DAE is configured to be suspended and mounted on a ceiling.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the imaging area within the field of view is approximately four feet above the floor of the space.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the imaging area within the field of view is approximately 10 feet by 20 feet.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the DAE is coupled in network communication with the window controller.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the DAE is communicatively coupled to a building management system (BMS).

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the DAE is communicatively coupled to the BMS via a window controller network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the DAE is communicatively coupled to the BMS only through the window controller network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the DAE is wirelessly coupled to the window controller network.

15. The system of claim 4, wherein the perimeter of the space within the building includes a window and the DAE is positioned on a mullion or frame of the window.

16. The system of claim 4, wherein the perimeter of the space within the building includes tintable windows having window controllers, and the DAE is communicatively connected to the window controllers.

17. The system of claim 4, wherein the DAE is communicatively coupled to a peer system via an application programming interface.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the peer system is a lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning or security system.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the occupancy data substantially continuously in real time.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to determine the occupancy data at least once per minute.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to determine the occupancy data at intervals of about 10 to about 30 seconds.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the determined occupancy data includes a count of occupants within the space and / or a trajectory of the occupants.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a single board computer.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising an optical camera operatively coupled to the single board computer.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the IR detector is an IR thermal sensor array.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the IR thermal sensor array is comprised of 768 IR sensors arranged in a 32 x 24 array.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the field of view is approximately 110° in a first direction and approximately 75° in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected IR imaging data includes PII.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the controller is configured to process the collected IR imaging data, determine occupancy data of a space, and forward the determined occupancy data, excluding PII, to a building management system (BMS) and / or a window controller network.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected IR imaging data does not include PII.

31. A building comprising: a plurality of defined spaces; at least some of said defined spaces comprising: corresponding infrared (IR) detectors, arranged to collect IR imaging data, each IR detector having a corresponding field of view; as well as a respective controller comprising circuitry configured to process the collected IR imaging data and determine occupancy data for a respective defined space; wherein, The identified occupancy data excludes personally identifiable information (PII) of any occupant of the space.

32. The building of claim 31 , further comprising a window controller network (WCN) and / or a building management system (BMS), wherein each respective IR detector and controller is included in a respective digital architecture element (DAE) communicatively coupled to the window controller network (WCN) and / or the building management system (BMS).

33. The building of claim 32, wherein the perimeter of at least one of the defined spaces includes a window, and the respective DAE is positioned on a mullion or frame of the window.

34. The building of claim 32, wherein: A perimeter of at least one of the defined spaces includes a tintable window having a window controller, and the respective DAE is communicatively connected to the window controller.

35. The building of claim 32, wherein the window controller network (WCN) and / or the building management system (BMS) are configured to receive corresponding determined occupancy data from each DAE.

36. The building of claim 35, wherein the WCN and / or the BMS are configured to modify building operating parameters in response to received occupancy data.

37. The building of claim 36, wherein the modified building operating parameters include one or more of lighting, temperature, ventilation, or security settings.

38. The building of claim 31, wherein the determined occupancy data includes occupant counts within the space and / or occupant trajectories.

39. The building of claim 31, wherein the collected IR imaging data includes PII.

40. The building of claim 39, wherein the respective controller is configured to process the collected IR imaging data, determine occupancy data of the respective defined spaces and forward the determined occupancy data, excluding PII, to a building management system (BMS) and / or a window controller network.

41. The building of claim 31 , wherein the collected IR imaging data does not include PII.

42. A method comprising: collecting infrared (IR) imaging data from an IR detector, the IR detector having a field of view; processing the collected IR imaging data by a controller including circuitry; and The controller determines occupancy data of a space within the field of view of the IR detector, the space being within a building; wherein, The identified occupancy data excludes personally identifiable information (PII) of any occupant of the space.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein determining the occupancy data comprises: Determine the thermal background signature of the space by periodically capturing IR data when no occupants are present; subtracting the thermal background signature from the collected IR imaging data to construct a difference image; and The occupant is detected using a blob detection technique on the difference image.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein: The blob detection technology includes You Only Look Once (YOLO) technology.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the IR detector is configured to collect IR imaging data within the field of view at a resolution of no greater than 100 x 100 pixels per 1000 square feet of viewable area.

46. ​​The method of claim 45, wherein the resolution is approximately 32 x 24 pixels per 1000 square feet of viewable area.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the IR detector and the controller are included in a digital architecture element (DAE).

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the DAE is communicatively coupled to a window controller network (WCN) and / or a building management system (BMS).

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising the WCN and / or the BMS receiving determined occupancy data from each DAE.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising the WCN and / or the BMS modifying building operating parameters in response to the received occupancy data.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the modified building operating parameters include one or more of lighting, temperature, ventilation, or security settings.

52. The method of claim 42, wherein determining occupancy data is performed substantially continuously in real time.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein determining occupancy data occurs at least once per minute.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein determining occupancy data occurs at intervals of at least about 10 to about 30 seconds.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein: For each of a number of frames, the occupancy data includes a count of occupants within the space and / or a trajectory of the occupants.

56. The method of claim 42, wherein the IR detector is an IR thermal sensor array.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the IR thermal sensor array is comprised of 768 IR sensors arranged in a 32 x 24 array.

58. The method of claim 42, wherein the collected IR imaging data includes PII.

59. The method of claim 42, wherein the collected IR imaging data does not include PII.

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