Occupancy Sensing for Adaptive Lighting Timeout Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing occupancy sensors face challenges in adjusting lighting fixture timeout periods based on actual occupancy patterns, leading to inefficient energy use and potential safety issues due to fixed or hard-coded settings that do not account for varying occupancy behaviors.
Innovation Solution
An occupancy sensing unit that includes a processor, memory, and sensors to detect and analyze occupancy events, allowing for adjustable sensing parameters, timeout periods, and lighting levels based on logged data, enabling adaptive responses to occupancy patterns and behaviors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a long timeout period is set for the lighting fixture, then the light remains on longer to ensure safety and comfort, but energy is wasted and the lighting fixture's useful life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the timeout period adjustable and adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically modifies the timeout duration based on detected occupancy patterns, allowing it to extend the timeout when occupancy is detected and reduce it when no occupancy is present, thus balancing reliability and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through occupancy sensors that continuously monitor the area and provide information back to the lighting control system. This feedback loop enables the system to adjust the timeout period in real-time based on actual occupancy conditions, preventing both premature light-off and unnecessary energy consumption.
2Loss of energy
If a short timeout period is set for the lighting fixture, then energy consumption is reduced, but the light may turn off prematurely causing annoyance and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the timeout period based on real-time occupancy detection. When the sensor detects movement or presence, the timeout is extended to ensure the light remains on, preventing premature shutdown and maintaining reliability while still allowing for energy efficiency during unoccupied periods.
Solution Approach 2:
Occupancy sensors provide continuous feedback about the presence of people in the area. This feedback enables the control system to make informed decisions about when to maintain or reduce the timeout period, ensuring the light stays on during occupancy and turns off efficiently during unoccupied periods.
3Device complexity
If fixed timeout settings are used in occupancy sensors, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot adapt to varying occupancy behaviors leading to inefficient energy use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from fixed to dynamic timeout settings. The system automatically adjusts the timeout period based on detected occupancy patterns without requiring complex manual configuration, achieving adaptability while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through automated decision-making algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system performs self-adjustment by automatically modifying its own timeout settings based on sensor input. This self-service capability eliminates the need for complex external configuration or manual intervention, allowing the system to adapt to varying occupancy behaviors autonomously while maintaining energy efficiency.
4Measurement precision
If occupancy sensors require clear line of sight, then detection accuracy is improved, but the sensor cannot detect occupancy through obstacles limiting coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing technologies or multiple sensors with different detection methods to overcome the limitations of single-technology sensors. By merging complementary sensing approaches, the system achieves both accurate detection and the ability to sense through or around obstacles, enhancing both precision and coverage flexibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for optimized energy consumption and enhanced safety by dynamically adjusting lighting fixture behavior according to actual occupancy patterns, reducing unnecessary energy use and ensuring appropriate lighting levels based on detected activities.
Implementation Method 1
Occupancy sensors sense radiation at different wavelengths, including infrared, ultrasonic, visible, and/or radio-frequency wavelengths
Implementation Method 2
Passive infrared (PIR) sensors sense the difference in heat emitted by humans in motion from that of the background space
Implementation Method 3
Ultrasonic sensors use the Doppler principle to detect occupancy by emitting an ultrasonic high-frequency signal
Implementation Method 4
Passive infrared (PIR) sensors sense the difference in heat emitted by humans in motion from that of the background space
Implementation Method 5
Ultrasonic sensors use the Doppler principle to detect occupancy by emitting an ultrasonic high-frequency signal (e.g., 32-40 kHz) throughout a space, sensing the frequency of a signal reflected by a moving object, and interpreting a change in frequency as motion
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for adjusting illumination of a lighting fixture illuminating an environment, the apparatus may include: at least one occupancy sensor to provide sensor data representing at least one occupancy event in the environment illuminated by the lighting fixture; a memory, operatively coupled to the at least one occupancy sensor, to log the sensor data provided by the at least one occupancy sensor; and at least one processor, operatively coupled to the lighting fixture and the memory, to: partition the logged sensor data into a plurality of clusters based on at least one Classification parameter; generate at least one output state based on at least one characteristic of each duster of at least a subset of the plurality of clusters; and adjust the illumination of the lighting fixture based on the at least one output state.