Sensor device and method for assessing the effects of air flow

Abstract

A sensor device (100) and a method (800) for assessing the effect of air flow on sensor data are provided. The sensor device receives sensor data S d a thermal sensor (130) for detecting the airflow (170) and audio data A generated from the airflow (170) d The system includes a microphone (150) for sensing the thermal sensor and a processor (200) coupled to the thermal sensor and the microphone, the processor obtaining sensed sensor data and sensed audio data, and determining at least one characteristic P of the air flow based on the obtained audio data. i and estimating at least one correlation criterion C between the sensor data and the audio data. c At least one characteristic P of the air flow to the sensor data based on i Impact level L f The method is configured to estimate

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a sensor device and method for assessing the effects of airflow, and more particularly to a sensor device and method capable of detecting "false" triggers due to airflow(s). [Background technology]

[0002] In the prior art, there are many devices and systems that include one or more sensors that can detect the presence and / or movement of people. This type of device is widely used in all kinds of spaces, such as offices, homes, etc., to switch on (or off) lights when one or more people enter the space.

[0003] However, if not placed carefully, these (sensor) devices may respond to "false" triggers, such as switching on lights when no one enters and / or is present in the space. For example, if a device is placed near a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) outlet, false triggers due to airflow are likely. Note, however, that this cannot always be prevented, especially in an office, due to factors such as existing HVAC infrastructure, desk position(s), lighting fixture grids, etc. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is therefore desirable to provide devices and methods that may be able to register sensor data (such as the presence and / or movement of one or more people) and that may evaluate the effect of air flow(s) on the sensor data, for example to detect "false" triggering of the sensor data.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and method that can sense sensor data and evaluate the effect of the existing air flow(s) on the sensor data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This and other objects are achieved by providing a sensor device and a method having the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0007] Therefore, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sensor device for assessing the effect of air flow on sensor data. The sensor device comprises: d A thermal sensor to detect the airflow and audio data A generated from the airflow d and a processor coupled to the thermal sensor and the microphone, the processor obtaining the sensed sensor data and the sensed audio data, and determining at least one characteristic P of the air flow based on the obtained audio data. i The processor is further configured to estimate at least one correlation measure C between the sensor data and the audio data. c At least one characteristic P of the air flow to the sensor data based on i Impact level L f The method is configured to estimate

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for assessing the effect of air flow on sensor data, the method comprising the steps of sensing sensor data, sensing audio data generated from the air flow, obtaining the sensed sensor data and the sensed audio data, and determining at least one characteristic P of the air flow based on the obtained audio data. i and estimating at least one correlation measure C between the sensor data and the audio data. cAt least one characteristic P of the air flow to the sensor data based on i Impact level L f The method includes a step of estimating

[0009] Thus, the present invention is based on the idea of ​​assessing the effect of airflow on sensor data, and thus being able to reveal "false" triggers in sensor data (e.g., presence and / or motion sensor data) due to airflow. The sensor device can derive one or more properties P of airflow from audio data (i.e., sound). i and accordingly, one or more correlations C between the sensed sensor data and the audio data to estimate the effect of the air flow on the sensor data. c Therefore, the present invention uses the audio data and the sensor data and their correlation C in the evaluation of the effect of air flow on the sensor data. i Use (s) efficiently.

[0010] The present invention is advantageous in that the sensor device is particularly effective in detecting airflow and estimating its impact on sensor data. Accordingly, the sensor device is efficient in detecting and / or recognizing false triggers in sensor data (i.e., airflow can affect sensor data, e.g., such that the (false) presence / movement of person(s) can be triggered from airflow despite the absence of person(s) in the space). The sensor device is particularly advantageous when a space or room includes heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) outlets, because airflow from these configurations can result in "false triggers" in the sensor data. Assessment of the impact or influence of airflow on sensor data allows the sensor device to conveniently and efficiently contribute to the management or processing of sensor data, e.g., to compensate and / or ignore portions of the sensor data.

[0011] The present invention is further advantageous in that the ability of a sensor device to estimate the effect of air flow on sensor data, and thus the consequent ability to more accurately determine whether a space or room is occupied, according to one example, can lead to improved energy efficiency and / or the avoidance of unintended lighting. For example, if a space or room is unoccupied but air flow is generated and / or present in the space or room, the sensor device's assessment can be used by a lighting system or configuration coupled to the sensor device to control the lighting accordingly (e.g., keep the lights off). In other words, air flow(s) that trigger a "false" motion event could erroneously lead to a lighting system or configuration turning on light(s) even though the space or room is non-occupied, and the present invention prevents this situation.

[0012] The present invention is further advantageous in that the sensor device includes relatively few components, which has several beneficial effects, such as easy installation, low profile (due to its relatively small size), and a design that is less prone to malfunction.

[0013] The sensor device for assessing the influence of air flow on sensor data according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises: dThe sensor device further includes a thermal sensor for detecting airflow. Here, "thermal sensor" refers to substantially any thermal sensor, such as, for example, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a thermopile sensor, etc. Accordingly, "sensor data" refers to data detected by the thermal sensor, and the sensor data may result from, for example, a moving person, a moving fan, and / or a combination thereof. The sensor device further includes a microphone for detecting audio data generated from the airflow. Thus, the microphone of the sensor device detects audio data, for example, in the form of noise, generated by the airflow. The sensor device further includes a processor connected to the sensor and the microphone, the processor configured to obtain the detected sensor data and the detected audio data. Thus, the processor, which may be connected to the sensor and the microphone via a wireless or wired connection, obtains or receives the detected sensor data and audio data. Based on the obtained audio data, the processor determines at least one characteristic P of the airflow. i Thus, the processor is configured to estimate one or more characteristics of the existing air flow, P i The term "property" refers to substantially any characteristic or feature of the air flow, such as the magnitude (size, amplitude, or intensity) of the air flow. The processor is further configured to estimate at least one correlation criterion C between the sensor data and the audio data. c At least one characteristic P of the air flow to the sensor data based on i Impact level L f Thus, the processor is further configured to estimate one or more correlation measures C between the sensor data and the audio data. c Based on the sensor data, the air flow characteristics(s) P i Impact level L f , i.e., the air flow characteristic(s) P iThe correlation criterion may be configured to estimate to what degree or extent the sensor data affects the audio data. A "correlation criterion" refers to substantially any criterion regarding the correlation and / or connection between the sensor data and the audio data. The correlation criterion may be predetermined. The correlation criterion may be stored in a memory or a processor.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, audio data A d may include an audio spectrogram of amplitude as a function of frequency. Thus, the audio data A generated from the air flow d is audio data A d The amplitude of the audio data A d The audio data A may include a (frequency) spectrogram, which is a function of frequency of the audio data A. d The spectrogram of may indicate one or more characteristics Pi of the air flow, and in this embodiment, the processor calculates the (these) characteristics P i may be configured to infer and / or estimate the sensor data S d To characteristic(s) P i Impact level L f It should be noted that this is advantageous in improving the estimation of S. For example, the spectrogram may indicate the magnitude of the airflow, and the processor may be configured to infer and / or estimate the magnitude of the airflow based on the spectrogram. Thus, this embodiment provides a method for detecting airflow magnitudes in a sensor device using sensor data S. d This is advantageous in that the influence of air flow on the

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least one characteristic P i may include the magnitude of the airflow. "Magnitude" here means the size, extent, strength, speed, etc. of the airflow. A relatively large airflow magnitude may be detected by the sensor data S dIt should be noted that this embodiment is advantageous in that it increases the efficiency of detecting and / or recognizing false triggers in the sensor data. For example, if the processor estimates a relatively small magnitude of airflow, the processor may use the sensor data S d Relatively low or limited level of influence of airflow on the f In contrast, if the processor is to estimate a relatively large magnitude of airflow, the processor may use the sensor data S d Relatively large or significant level of influence of airflow on f may be estimated.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the thermal sensor may be configured to detect the movement of at least one object in the space, and the processor may generate sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i The estimated impact level L f The processor may be configured to adapt the setting based on the estimated impact level. The setting may be, for example, the sensitivity of a thermal sensor. If the estimated impact level exceeds a predetermined threshold, the processor may control the thermal sensor to reduce its sensitivity.

[0017] For example, in one embodiment, the thermal sensor may have a sensing sensitivity, and the processor may be configured to control the thermal sensor to reduce the sensitivity if the estimated impact level of at least one characteristic exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0018] The setting may be, for example, the detection mode of a thermal sensor.

[0019] For example, if the estimated impact level exceeds a predetermined threshold, the processor may control the thermal sensor to turn off detection, i.e., to operate in a non-detecting detection mode, and / or if the estimated impact level is below a predetermined threshold, the processor may control the thermal sensor to continue detection, i.e., to operate in a detecting detection mode, i.e., with detection turned on.

[0020] For example, in different embodiments, the processor is configured to control the thermal sensor to stop sensing sensor data, or temporarily stop sensing sensor data, or stop sensing, if the estimated impact level of at least one characteristic exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0021] Such an embodiment reduces false triggering because the thermal sensor is turned off or has reduced sensitivity so that the thermal sensor is not falsely triggered by detected airflow, for example, caused by HVAC.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor device may further include at least one element including at least one of an opening, a cavity, and a recess configured to generate an audible resonance in response to the air flow, and the obtained audio data may include the audible resonance. Thus, the element(s) of the sensor device may generate the audible resonance in response to the air flow due to standing waves in the opening, cavity, and / or recess. This embodiment is also advantageous in that the sensor device may measure one or more properties P of the air flow as a function of the properties of the audible resonance, such as, for example, the magnitude of the air flow. i This is advantageous in that the sensor data S d Air flow impact level L f This leads to a much improved estimation of

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor device further comprises: a first vibration data V generated from the air flow; d1 a first accelerometer for detecting a first vibration data V, and a processor connected to the first accelerometer for detecting the first vibration data V d1 The processor may be further configured to obtain the first vibration data V d1 At least one correlation criterion C between d Based on the sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i Impact level L f In this embodiment, the sensor device is configured to estimate first vibration data V generated from the air flow. d1 Advantageously, one or more characteristics of the air flow can be conveniently detected based on the sensor data S d Characteristics of air flow to(s) P i Impact level L f An even more improved estimation of can be achieved by the sensor device.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the processor further comprises: d The processor is further configured to determine operation of the at least one fan based on the sensor data S d and at least one correlation criterion C between the operation of at least one fan c2 Based on the sensor data S d Air flow impact level L f Thus, the sensor device determines and / or estimates that the airflow is being generated by one or more fans (as opposed to airflow generated by other means, events, etc., such as a moving person), and accordingly estimates the level of influence L of the airflow characteristic(s) on the sensor data. f The present embodiment may estimate the sensor data S as a result of the air fan operation. d Advantageously, a more accurate estimation of the effect of air flow on the temperature can be achieved.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor device further comprises: a sensor for detecting magnetic data M generated from the operation of at least one fan; d The processor may further include a magnetometer for detecting the magnetic field, the processor being connected to the magnetometer and configured to obtain the detected magnetic data. The processor may further include a correlation criterion C between the sensor data and the magnetic data. e Based on the sensor data S d Impact level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow to f The processor may then determine the operation of one or more fans, and since the operating fan(s) may generate a magnetic field, the sensor device may estimate the effect of air flow on the sensor data based on the correlation between the sensor data and the magnetic data. This allows the sensor device to take into account the correlation between the sensor data and the magnetic data, in addition to the correlation between the sensor data and the audio data, when estimating the effect of air flow on the sensor data. This embodiment is advantageous in that the sensor device may achieve even more accurate estimation of the effect of air flow on the sensor data.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor device may further include a first temperature sensor for detecting temperature data, the first temperature sensor being disposed within a predetermined distance d1 from the thermal sensor and connected to the processor, the processor further being configured to obtain the detected temperature data and, based on the obtained temperature data, generate sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i Impact level L f The expression "arranged within a predetermined distance, d1" here means within a relatively small distance d1 or radius from the thermal sensor. Thus, the first temperature sensor may sense a temperature of the sensor device, or at least a temperature near the sensor device, that correlates with the ambient temperature. This embodiment utilizes the sensor data Sd Characteristics of air flow to(s) P i Impact level L f This has the advantage of providing a more accurate estimate of

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor device may further include a second temperature sensor for detecting ambient temperature data, the second temperature sensor being located at a predetermined distance d2 from the thermal sensor and connected to the processor. The processor may further obtain the detected ambient temperature data and, based on the obtained ambient temperature data, generate sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i Impact level L f The expression "arranged beyond a predetermined distance, d2" here means beyond a relatively large distance d2 or radius from the thermal sensor. Thus, in addition to the audio data and the sensor data, the processor of the sensor device may also estimate the sensor data S d (Ambient) temperature data may also be taken into account for estimation of the effect of airflow on P. For example, airflow may be assumed or expected to affect temperature (e.g., by increasing, decreasing, and / or varying). This embodiment may consider the airflow characteristic(s) P i can be achieved, so that by means of the sensor device of the present invention, the sensor data S d Characteristics of air flow to(s) P i This has the advantage that it leads to a more accurate estimation of the impact of

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a sensor arrangement for detecting the movement of at least one object in a space, the sensor arrangement comprising a sensor device according to any of the previous embodiments. The processor further comprises: d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i The estimated impact level L fThe sensor data S is configured to detect the movement of at least one object in a space based on the sensor data S. The term "object" here generally refers to one or more people. This embodiment is particularly advantageous in terms of the revelation of "false" triggers of sensor data (e.g., object(s) presence and / or movement sensor data) due to airflow. For example, the sensor data S d Characteristics of air flow to(s) P i The estimated impact level L f If is relatively high, the sensor device may estimate or determine that the possibility of the presence or movement of an object (person) in the space is relatively low. In contrast, the sensor data S d Characteristics of air flow to(s) P i The estimated impact level L f If σ is relatively low, the sensor device may estimate or determine that the likelihood of the object(s) (person(s)) in the space is high.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a sensor arrangement including at least one fan is provided, which receives audio data A. d Further provided is a sensor arrangement generated from an audible sound produced by operation of at least one fan.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor arrangement further comprises: d2 a second accelerometer for detecting second vibration data V, and a processor connected to the second accelerometer for detecting second vibration data V d2 and the processor is further configured to obtain the sensor data S d and the second vibration data V d2 At least one correlation criterion C between g Based on the sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i Impact level L fThus, the fan(s) may generate vibrations during operation, which may be sensed by a second accelerometer, for example through the ceiling, and the processor may calculate sensor data S based on these vibrations. d The first vibration data V generated from the air flow may be configured to estimate the effect of the air flow on the d1 a first accelerometer for detecting vibration data V generated from the fan(s); d2 The second accelerometer for sensing may be a different accelerometer, or alternatively may constitute one (single) accelerometer. It should be noted that if the (second) accelerometer of this embodiment is combined with a magnetometer embodiment of the sensor device, vibrations causing vibration / movement of the fan(s) may cause a varying magnetic field relative to the static magnetic field.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor arrangement may further include a storage medium connected to the microphone and the processor, the storage medium being configured to store the sensed audio data. The processor is configured to determine a disrupted operation of the at least one fan based on the stored audio data. This embodiment is further characterized in that the sensor arrangement may detect a malfunction and / or breakdown of the fan(s), and this information is transmitted by the sensor arrangement to one or more airflow characteristics P i Advantageously, it can be used to estimate the effect of

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a lighting system comprising at least one light source and a sensor arrangement according to one or more of the previous embodiments. The sensor device is connected to the at least one light source, and the sensor device generates sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i The estimated impact level L fand activating the at least one light source based on the movement of at least one object in the space detected based on the sensor data S. It will be appreciated that this embodiment is advantageous, among other things, in terms of energy efficiency. For example, when no person is present in the space or room, but air flow is generated and / or present in the space or room, the sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i The relatively high estimated impact level L f The sensor device's evaluation of may be used by the lighting system to control the lighting accordingly (e.g., keep the lights off). In other words, air flow(s) that trigger a "false" motion event may lead the lighting system or arrangement to erroneously turn on the light(s) even though the space or room is unoccupied.

[0033] Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon review of the following detailed disclosure, drawings, and appended claims. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various features of the present invention can be combined to create embodiments other than those described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] This and other aspects of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiment(s) of the invention are shown. [Figure 1a] FIG. 1a illustrates schematically a sensor device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. [Figure 1b] FIG. 1b illustrates schematically the operation of a sensor device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. [Figure 1c] FIG. 1c illustrates a schematic representation of a sensor device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2a-b schematically illustrate correlation between sensor data and audio data according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]3a-f illustrate schematically the correlation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of a lighting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 illustrates a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] FIG. 1a schematically illustrates a sensor device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that characteristics of the sensor device 100 in FIG. 1a, such as its component arrangement, format apportionment, size, etc., are provided by way of example only, and that the disclosed sensor device 100 constitutes merely one example. The sensor device 100 includes a thermal sensor 130 for detecting sensor data, which may result from, for example, a moving person, a moving fan, and / or a combination thereof. While only a single thermal sensor 130 is shown, it should be understood that the sensor device 100 may alternatively include multiple thermal sensors 130. The thermal sensor 130 may be or include, for example, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a thermopile sensor, etc. The thermopile sensor may be a single-element thermopile sensor or a multi-element (array / matrix) thermopile sensor. The sensor device 100 is preferably positioned in a space or room such that the thermal sensor 130 can conveniently detect its sensor data therein. The sensor device 100 further includes a microphone 150 for detecting audio data. While only a single microphone 150 is shown, it should be understood that the sensor device 100 may alternatively include multiple microphones 150. The audio data may be in the form of noise generated by an air flow 170, for example, which is illustrated in FIG. 1a as an air flow 170 generated by a fan or HVAC outlet 180 during operation. However, it should be understood that the air flow 170 may be generated from virtually any other factor and / or situation, such as a window and / or door being slightly ajar and / or opening. The audio data may include, for example, a spectrogram of amplitude as a function of frequency. Thus, the audio data generated from the air flow 170 may include a (frequency) spectrogram in which the amplitude of the audio data is a function of the frequency of the audio data.

[0036] Sensor device 100 further includes a processor 200 connected to thermal sensor 130 and microphone 150. It should be noted that although processor 200 is merely indicated schematically by dashed lines in Figure 1a, processor 200 may be integrated into sensor device 100 or, alternatively, may be located remotely from the housing of sensor device 100. Thus, processor 200 may be connected to sensor 130 and microphone 150 by wireless or wired connections.

[0037] 1b shows a schematic diagram of the operation of the sensor device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1a according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the leftmost portion of FIG. 1b, the sensor data S sensed by the thermal sensor 130 is d and audio data A detected by microphone 150. d is acquired or received by the processor 200. The obtained audio data A d Based on this, the processor 200 determines at least one characteristic P of the air flow. i For example, the processor 200 may be configured to estimate the magnitude (size, intensity) of the air flow. The processor 200 further d and Audio Data A d At least one correlation criterion C between c Based on the sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i Impact level L f Thus, the processor 200 is configured to estimate one or more air flow properties P i and the sensor data S d and Audio Data A d One or more correlation criteria C between c Based on the sensor data S d Characteristics of air flow to(s) P i Impact level L f , i.e., the air flow characteristic(s) P iis the sensor data S d We estimate the impact of audio data A on d If σ contains a spectrogram of amplitude as a function of frequency, the spectrogram may be used to measure one or more properties P of the air flow 170. i , which allows the processor 200 to extract the sensor data S d To characteristic(s) P i Impact level L f For the estimation of this (these) characteristics P i For example, the spectrogram may indicate a magnitude of air flow 170, and processor 200 may be configured to infer and / or estimate the magnitude of air flow 170 based on the spectrogram.

[0038] FIG. 1c schematically illustrates a sensor device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the sensor device 100 in FIG. 1c has many features in common with the sensor device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1a and related text, and its operation illustrated in FIG. 1b and related text, and reference should be made to this text and / or figures for a better understanding. The sensor device 100 in FIG. 1c further includes a first temperature sensor 300 for detecting temperature data. The first temperature sensor 300 is illustrated as being disposed on the housing of the sensor device 100. Alternatively, the first temperature sensor 300 may be disposed within a (first) predetermined distance d1 from the thermal sensor 130. This allows the processor 200 to obtain temperature data detected by the first temperature sensor 300, and based on this, to calculate the sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i Impact level L fThe sensor device 100 may further include a second temperature sensor 310 for sensing ambient temperature data, which may be located at a (second) predetermined distance d2 or more from the thermal sensor 130. This allows the processor 200 to obtain the sensed ambient temperature data and, based thereon, to estimate the sensor data S d At least one characteristic P of the air flow to i Impact level L f When the sensor device 100 has a first temperature sensor 300 and a second temperature sensor 310, the first temperature sensor 300 may be located near the thermal sensor 310, and the second temperature sensor 310 may be located remotely from the thermal sensor 310 such that d2 >> d1.

[0039] 1c further includes a storage medium 620 connected to the microphone 150 and the processor 200. The storage medium 620 is configured to store the sensed audio data, and the processor 200 is configured to determine an operation fault of the fan(s) based on the stored audio data.

[0040] FIG. 2a illustrates a block diagram of sensor data S according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. d and Audio Data A d 2a and 2b. In this exemplary setup, a ceiling fan was used and operated. The ceiling fan was switched "on" and "off" six times consecutively for each of the ceiling fan speeds: low setting S1, medium setting S2, and high setting S3, where the "on" and "off" periods were 10 seconds and 5 seconds, respectively. The noise from the airflow generated by the ceiling fan, i.e., audio data A shown at the top of FIG. 2a, was recorded. d was recorded (detected) by the microphone of the sensor device. In addition, the thermal sensor of the sensor device recorded the raw dual-channel data S d The sensor data S resulting from the operation of the ceiling fan, shown at the bottom of Figure 2a as dFigure 2a shows the sensor data S (more clearly shown in the enlarged view of Figure 2b). d and Audio Data A d The correlation between the sensor data S d and Audio Data A d One or more correlation criteria C between c Based on this, the sensor device receives the sensor data S d Impact level L of air flow characteristic(s) on f The method is configured / arranged to estimate the

[0041] 3a-f illustrate schematically a correlation for estimating the level of influence of at least one characteristic of the air flow on sensor data according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 3a shows how the processor of the sensor device of the present invention processes the sensor data S d and Audio Data A d At least one correlation criterion C between c Based on the sensor data S d Impact level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow to f 1 shows an example in which the .times. ...

[0043] In FIG. 3b, the processor further receives the sensor data S d and Audio Data A d The magnitude (size, intensity) of the air flow estimated based on A s Correlation criterion C between c Based on the first correlation criterion Cc1, the sensor data S d Impact level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow to f The method is configured to estimate

[0044] In FIG. 3c, the processor receives the sensor data S according to FIG. d and Audio Data A d Correlation criterion C between c and sensor data S dand the first vibration data V generated from the air flow d1 Correlation criterion C between d The sensor data S d Impact level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow to f The method is configured to estimate

[0045] In FIG. 3d, the processor converts the resulting audio data A d Operation of at least one fan based on L l The processor is further configured to determine the sensor data S d and the determined operation of at least one fan L l At least one correlation criterion C between e Based on the sensor data S d Impact level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow to f The method is configured to estimate

[0046] In FIG. 3e, the processor receives the sensed magnetic data M generated from the operation of the fan(s). d The processor is configured to obtain the sensor data S according to FIG. d and Audio Data A d Correlation criterion C between c and sensor data S d and magnetic data M d Correlation criterion C between f The sensor data S d Impact level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow to f The method is configured to estimate

[0047] In FIG. 3f, the processor receives the sensor data S according to FIG. d and Audio Data A d Correlation criterion C between c and sensor data S d and second vibration data V generated from at least one fan. d2 Correlation criterion C between g The sensor data Sd Impact level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow to f The method is configured to estimate

[0048] 4 schematically illustrates a lighting system 700 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The lighting system 700 includes at least one light source 710, illustrated as a lighting fixture disposed on the ceiling of the space or room 120. The lighting system 700 further includes a sensor arrangement including a sensor device 100 according to any of the previous embodiments of the present invention, connected to the light source(s) 710. It should be understood that the placement of the sensor device 100 on / in the light source 710 is shown only as an example of the lighting system 700, and that the sensor device 100 may alternatively be disposed separately from the light source(s) 710. In accordance with one or more previously described embodiments of the present invention, a processor (not shown) of the sensor device 100 of the sensor arrangement is configured to detect movement 185 of at least one object (person) 110 within the space 120 based on an estimated level of influence of at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data. 4, the sensor configuration may include, for example, an HVAC outlet 180 located in the ceiling of the space or room 120, which generates an air flow 170 during operation. However, it should be understood that the air flow 170 may be generated from virtually any other element and / or situation, such as, for example, an open window and / or an open door in the space or room 120, which generates the air flow 170. This operation of the sensor device 100 to evaluate the effect of the air flow 170 on the sensor data can be described and illustrated as follows: A thermal sensor (not shown) of the sensor device 100 collects sensor data S in the form of presence and / or movement data 185 of a person 110, movement of a ceiling fan 180, etc. d A microphone (not shown) of the sensor device 100 is positioned to detect audio data A generated from the air flow 170. d The sensor device 100 is arranged to detect the sensor data S d and Audio Data A dand the sensor device 100 is further configured to estimate the level of influence of the characteristic(s) of the air flow 170 on the sensor data based on the correlation criterion(s) between the sensor data S d The sensor device 100 is configured to operate the light source(s) 710 based on an estimated level of impact of at least one characteristic of the air flow 170 on the space 120. The sensor device 100 is thus positioned / configured to detect "false" triggers in the sensor data due to the air flow 170 and to compensate for this when detecting movement 185 of the object(s) (person(s)) 110 in the space 120.

[0049] 5 schematically illustrates a method 800 for assessing the effect of air flow on sensor data. The method 800 includes a step 810 of sensing sensor data and a step 820 of sensing audio data generated from the air flow. The method 800 further includes a step 830 of obtaining the sensed sensor data and the sensed audio data, and a step 840 of estimating at least one characteristic of the air flow based on the obtained audio data. The method 800 further includes determining at least one correlation criterion C between the sensor data and the audio data. c The influence level L of at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data based on f The method includes a step 850 of estimating

[0050] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is by no means limited to the preferred embodiment described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the size, number, positioning, etc. of one or more elements of sensor device 100 may differ from those shown.

Claims

1. 1. A sensor device for assessing the effect of air flow on sensor data, the sensor device comprising: a thermal sensor for detecting sensor data; a microphone for detecting audio data generated from the air flow; a processor connected to the thermal sensor and the microphone; wherein the processor: obtaining the sensed sensor data and the sensed audio data; estimating at least one characteristic of the air flow based on the obtained audio data; and estimating an influence level of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data based on at least one correlation criterion between the sensor data and the audio data; The sensor device is configured to:

2. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the audio data comprises an audio spectrogram of amplitude as a function of frequency.

3. The sensor device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a magnitude of the air flow.

4. 4. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the thermal sensor has a sensing sensitivity, and the processor is configured to control the thermal sensor to reduce the sensitivity when the estimated impact level of the at least one characteristic exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. 4. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the thermal sensor to stop sensing sensor data if the estimated impact level of the at least one characteristic exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. 6. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises at least one element comprising at least one of an opening, a cavity, and a recess configured to generate an audible resonance to the air flow, and wherein the obtained audio data comprises the audible resonance.

7. The sensor device is a first accelerometer for detecting first vibration data generated from the air flow; Including, The processor is coupled to the first accelerometer and configured to obtain the sensed first vibration data, the processor comprising: estimating an influence level of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data based on at least one correlation criterion between the sensor data and the first vibration data; The sensor device according to claim 1 , configured to:

8. The processor: determining operation of at least one fan based on the obtained audio data; The processor is configured to: estimating an influence level of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data based on at least one correlation criterion between the sensor data and operation of the at least one fan; The sensor device according to claim 1 , configured so as to

9. The sensor device includes a first temperature sensor for detecting temperature data, the first temperature sensor being located within a predetermined distance from the thermal sensor and connected to the processor, the processor comprising: obtaining the sensed temperature data; and estimating an influence level of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data based on the obtained temperature data; The sensor device according to claim 1 , configured so as to

10. 1. A sensor arrangement for detecting movement of at least one object in a space, the sensor arrangement comprising: A sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 9. Including, The processor: detecting the movement of at least one object within the space based on the estimated level of influence of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data; The sensor configuration is configured so that

11. The sensor configuration is: At least one fan, Including, The sensor arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the audio data is generated from audible sounds produced by operation of the at least one fan.

12. The sensor configuration is: a second accelerometer for sensing second vibration data generated from the at least one fan; Including, The processor is coupled to the second accelerometer and configured to obtain the sensed second vibration data, and the processor: estimating an influence level of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data based on at least one correlation criterion between the sensor data and the second vibration data; The sensor arrangement of claim 11 , configured to:

13. The sensor configuration is: a storage medium coupled to the microphone and the processor; 13. The sensor arrangement of claim 10, wherein the storage medium is configured to store the sensed audio data, and the processor is configured to determine an operational fault of the at least one fan based on the stored audio data.

14. at least one light source; 14. A sensor arrangement according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the sensor device is connected to the at least one light source, and the sensor device is configured to operate the at least one light source based on a movement of the at least one object in the space detected based on the estimated influence level of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data; and a lighting system, including:

15. 1. A method for assessing the effect of air flow on sensor data, the method comprising: sensing sensor data; detecting audio data generated from the air flow; obtaining the sensed sensor data and the sensed audio data; estimating at least one characteristic of the air flow based on the obtained audio data; estimating an influence level of the at least one characteristic of the air flow on the sensor data based on at least one correlation criterion between the sensor data and the audio data; A method comprising:

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