Occupancy-based operating state determinations for sensing or control systems

A method for using a system for sensing or control, the method comprising:

• operating at least one infrared sensor of the system that is configured to detect a person within a range of least a portion of the system;
• operating an energy-consuming lighted screen of the system;
• storing, in one or more memory devices of the system, indications of occupancy detected by the at least one infrared sensor in time buckets, wherein each of the time buckets represent at least 1 minute;
• causing, by one or more processors of the system, the system to operate in one of a plurality of states, wherein the plurality of states comprises:
• an away state that is entered after away-state criteria are met based at least in part on the indications of occupancy detected by the at least one infrared sensor;
• an arrival state that is entered from the away state when at least two of the time buckets that are time-wise adjacent are populated with at least some of the indications of occupancy;
• and
• a wake-on-approach state in which the lighted screen is activated when at least one of the indications of occupancy is detected by the at least one infrared sensor.