# US 12,222,444 B2 · Side looking occupancy sensor

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,222,444 B2
- Document ID: US12222444B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/531,377
- Filed: 2023-12-06
- Published: 2024-03-28
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15
- Applicants: The Watt Stopper, Inc.
- Inventors: Louia Weidman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222444B2

## CPC

- G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements}
- G01S 17/04: Systems determining the presence of a target
- G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
- H05B 47/105: in response to determined parameters
- H05B 47/13: by using passive infrared detectors
- H05B 47/125: by using cameras
- Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A side looking occupancy sensor is incorporated in a conventional wall switch mounted into a switch box adjacent to a door. The side-looking proximity sensor preferably is mountable to either side of the doorjamb to make the side-looking proximity sensor face the door opening. During operation, the side-looking sensor monitors the door movement or senses the passage of a person for indication that a person is entering or leaving the space. Entry and exit determination is made based on activation of the side-looking sensor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An occupancy sensor system for controlling the application of electrical power to electric loads in a room with a doorway having an opening comprising:
a wall switch mounted into a switch box adjacent to the door opening, the wall switch having a controller; and
a first proximity sensor mounted to either side of a doorjamb so that the first proximity sensor is facing the door opening, wherein the first proximity sensor has two zones of monitoring, a first zone is adjacent to the door opening, and a second zone at a distance away from the door opening into the room;
wherein the controller is programmed to receive signals and determine direction, so when the first zone is activated before the second zone it denotes that a person enters the room and the controller applies power to the electrical load, and when the second zone is activated before the first zone it denotes that a person is exiting the room and the controller disconnects power upon receipt of a signal transmission from the first proximity sensor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The occupancy sensor system of claim 1 further including a counter programmed to receive signals and transmit the signals to the controller wherein the counter is incremented when the signal denotes a person enters the room and decremented when the signal denotes a person exits the room and when the counter goes to zero the connected loads are powered off.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The occupancy sensor system of claim 1 wherein the wall switch is installed within one foot of the doorway opening.