Configurable light sensor comprising a photocell array

A method comprising:

• measuring, at a first node, light levels sensed by photocells in a photocell array when a light source is off at a first time, resulting in a plurality of first measurements, wherein the first measurements are made from illuminance signals that represent the light levels sensed by the photocells at the first time;
• generating a first signal level to turn on the light source;
• measuring, at the first node, light levels sensed by the photocells when the light source is on at a second time, resulting in a plurality of second measurements, wherein the second measurements are made from illuminance signals that represent the light levels sensed by the photocells at the second time;
• measuring, at the first node, light levels sensed by a nonempty first subset of the photocells at a third time, resulting in a plurality of third measurements, wherein the third measurements are made from illuminance signals that represent the light levels sensed by the photocells at the third time, wherein the first time, second time, and third time are different from one another, wherein the first subset is a proper subset of the photocells in the photocell array, and wherein the first subset of photocells comprises at least one photocell whose second measurement is greater than the corresponding first measurement;
• calculating a first value that is determined from at least one measurement in the plurality of third measurements;
• and
• transmitting an output signal that represents the first value.

A first node comprising:

• a photocell array comprising a plurality of photocells configured to sense light levels and to provide the plurality of illuminance signals that represent the light levels;
• a controller configured to:
• i) provide a control signal to a light source via a first signal path, wherein the control signal is effective to control the light level emitted by the light source,
• ii) measure light levels sensed by a nonempty first subset of the photocells in the photocell array at a third time, resulting in a plurality of measurements, wherein the measurements are made from illuminance signals received via a second signal path and that represent the light levels sensed by the photocells at the third time, wherein the first subset of photocells determined is based on light levels sensed by the photocells in the photocell array at a first time and at a second time, wherein the first, second, and third times are different from one another, and wherein the light source is on during at least one of the first, second, and third times;
• iii) calculate the first value, wherein the first value is determined from a nonempty proper subset of the measurements, in the plurality of measurements, wherein the proper subset of the measurements is determined based on closeness in value of the measurements to one another;
• and
• a communication interface configured to transmit an output signal that represents the first value.

A method comprising:

• measuring, at a first node, light levels sensed by a nonempty first subset of the photocells in a photocell array at a third time, resulting in a plurality of measurements, wherein the measurements are made from illuminance signals that represent the light levels sensed by the photocells at the third time, wherein the first subset of photocells is determined based on light levels sensed by the photocells in the photocell array at a first time and at a second time, wherein the first, second, and third times are different from one another, and wherein the light source is on during at least one of the first, second, and third times;
• calculating a first value, wherein the first value is determined from a nonempty proper subset of the measurements, in the plurality of measurements, wherein the proper subset of the measurements is determined based on closeness in value of the measurements to one another;
• and
• transmitting an output signal that represents the first value.