System and method for smart building control using directional occupancy sensors

#This disclosure relates generally to sensors and control systems for physical spaces. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a system and method for smart building control using directional occupancy sensing.

#“Smart Buildings,” or buildings comprising physical spaces whose environmental control systems, such as lights, HVAC systems, and physical features (for example, ceiling fans or window shades) operate, at least in part, based on control inputs generated by the computerized application of predetermined rules to sensor data, offer tremendous promise in terms of improving how humans use physical spaces. For example, truly intelligent control of heating and lighting systems offers the possibility of significant improvements in energy efficiency beyond those attainable through passive structural improvements such as better insulation. However, a “smart building” is only as “smart” as the sensors are able to provide accurate and meaningful inputs to the algorithms for controlling parameters of the building's physical spaces. Embodiments according to this disclosure address technical problems associated with generating truly “smart” control inputs for environmental control systems.

#This disclosure provides a system and method for smart building control using directional occupancy sensing.

#For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 illustrates a network context for implementing a system and method for smart building control using directional occupancy sensing according to embodiments of this disclosure;

#FIG. 2 illustrates a network and processing context for implementing a system and method for smart building control using directional occupancy sensing according to embodiments of this disclosure;

#FIGS. 1 through 8I, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of this disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure.

#Embodiments as disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for smart building control using directional occupancy sensing. The advent of the internet of things and development of physical spaces whose environmental control systems (for example, lights and HVAC systems) can be controlled using a broad spectrum of sensor data collected within the physical space presents many opportunities to make buildings “smarter,” in the sense of being attuned with, and responsive to, the needs and priorities of the buildings' human occupants. Effective integration of sensor technology and machine intelligence for processing and understanding the sensor data presents opportunities for meaningful improvements across a wide range of building functionalities. For example, such integration can improve the efficiency of a building (for example, by focusing heating and cooling resources on the regions of a building that have the most people), improve a building's safety (for example, by performing footstep analysis to identify when an occupant of a building has fallen or stopped walking under circumstances suggesting concern, and extend the life cycle of a building (for example, by collecting data as to loading and use stress over a building's lifespan).

#Realizing the full potential of a “smart building” to learn about its occupants and control itself in response to, and in anticipation of, its occupants' needs is enhanced when data regarding a building's utilization is collected from sources that are a constant across the building's lifecycle, and which capture all, or almost all, of the relevant occupant usage data.