Multi-zone closed loop daylight harvesting having at least one light sensor
AssigneeLeviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorsRobert L. Hick, Richard A. Leinen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-zone daylight harvesting method and apparatus having a closed loop system utilizing a single light sensor is disclosed herein. This light control system includes an ambient light sensor connected to a detection circuit for detecting the amount of ambient light within a given zone and converting the light signal to an digital one. A control device couples to receive a predetermined rate of change for each respective zone from a storage unit along with the converted digital signal. The control device connects each zone of a plurality of electrical loads to control the power supplied to the electrical load at the predetermined corresponding rate of change and responsive to the amount of ambient light detected.
Claims17
A method for controlling the brightness of a plurality of electrical loads comprising:
- generating a first signal in response to sensing an ambient light level;
- generating a second signal in response to detecting the first signal;
- and
- controlling the plurality of electrical loads in response to the second signal;
- wherein the plurality of electrical loads includes at least two zones, each of the at least two zones having a different corresponding predetermined rate of change for adjusting the brightness of the corresponding zone of the plurality of the electrical loads responsive to the ambient light level.
A method comprising:
- storing a first rate of change and a second rate of change, wherein the first and second rates of change are different;
- detecting ambient light;
- and
- controlling a first light source in a first zone and a second light source in a second zone in response to the ambient light;
- wherein the brightness of the first light source in the first zone is changed at the first rate of change in response to a change in the ambient light;
- and
- wherein the brightness of the second light source in the second zone is changed at the second rate of change in response to the change in ambient light.
A method for controlling the brightness of electrical loads, each electrical load belonging to one of a plurality of zones, the method comprising:
- receiving a light detection signal;
- adjusting the power supplied to a first electrical load in a first one of the plurality of zones at a first rate of change relative to the light detection signal, and
- adjusting the power supplied to a second electrical load in a second one of the plurality of zones at a second rate of change relative to the light detection signal.
A method for adjusting a plurality of electrical loads in a plurality of zones, comprising:
- determining an ambient light level near the plurality of electrical loads with a light sensor;
- and
- adjusting the light output in each zone at a different predetermined rate of change for each zone responsive to the ambient light level determined by the light sensor.
A method according to 13 wherein:
- the plurality of zones are located in a space that receives light from an external source;
- and
- the zones receive unequal amounts of light from the external source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.