Occupancy Sensor Automated Hysteresis for Daylighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Occupancy sensors in high-intensity and low-intensity light configurations face issues with low-intensity light failures, which can lead to safety hazards due to unlit areas, and require manual configuration and external interfaces for building management systems, limiting remote accessibility and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A load control system with an occupancy sensor that automatically detects low-intensity light failures, ensuring primary lighting remains on, and includes a wireless transceiver for remote configuration, integrating with building management systems to override normal operations during emergencies, and active temperature compensation for accurate occupancy detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high-intensity light and low-intensity light configuration is used to provide safety illumination, then energy savings are achieved and safety is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to failure when the low-intensity light malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The occupancy sensor incorporates a light sensor that continuously monitors the ambient light level in the monitored space. This feedback mechanism detects when the low-intensity light fails by measuring insufficient light levels, automatically triggering the high-intensity light to provide safe illumination without requiring manual intervention or complex additional hardware
2Measurement precision
If occupancy sensors are positioned in elevated locations for optimal coverage, then monitoring effectiveness is improved, but configuration becomes difficult and hazardous requiring ladder access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote device as an intermediary between the user and the occupancy sensor. This intermediary communicates wirelessly with the sensor, allowing configuration and monitoring without physical contact with the elevated device, thereby eliminating the need for ladder access while maintaining full configuration capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration access is required for occupancy sensors, then configuration control is maintained, but remote configuration capability is lost and energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical configuration approach (physical access to buttons or switches on the sensor) with a wireless electronic configuration system. The remote device communicates configuration data wirelessly to the occupancy sensor, eliminating the need for physical access while maintaining full configuration control and enabling remote operation
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method provide fail-safe operation of a lighting system. A lighting level detector is used to obtain a baseline lighting level for a low-intensity light. If the detector measures less than the baseline level when an occupancy sensor determines the space is unoccupied, a high-intensity light is energized and an indication is provided to a user that the low-intensity light has failed. A method provides daylighting operation of a lighting system. An occupancy sensor can have Wi-Fi functionality to enable remote configuration of the sensor. A line voltage occupancy sensor can include an interface with low voltage devices. An occupancy sensor can include an integral interface to enable an external control system to override the sensor's normal logic under emergency conditions. An occupancy sensor can include an active temperature compensation feature. An occupancy sensor can also incorporate an automatically adjustable coverage area.