Expert system for prediction of changes to local environment
AssigneeKinestral Technologies, Inc.
InventorChristian Humann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a system, method, and computer program product that employs high dynamic range (HDR) image processing and manipulation algorithms for capturing and measuring real-time sky conditions for processing into control input signals to a building's automated fenestration (AF) system, daylight harvesting (DH) system and HVAC system. The photometer comprises a color camera and a fitted fish-eye lens to capture 360-degree, hemispherical, low dynamic range (LDR) color images of the sky. Both camera and lens are housed in a sealed enclosure protecting them from environmental elements and conditions. In some embodiments the camera and processes are controlled and implemented by a back-end computer.
Claims21
(canceled)
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more cameras to capture one or more images of a sky;
- and
- a processing device, communicatively coupled to the camera, the processing device to:
- process the one or more images of the sky to obtain a radiance map of a region of the sky, wherein the radiance map comprises information about radiance associated with the region of the sky;
- determine, using the radiance map, a plurality of metrics characterizing a distribution of clouds in the sky;
- estimate, using the plurality of metrics, whether the distribution of clouds is to change within a pre-determined period of time;
- and
- generate, based on an estimation, settings for one or more environmental control systems (ECS) of a building, the one or more environmental control systems comprising at least one of an automated fenestration system (AFS), an electric lighting system (ELS), or a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
A method comprising:
- capturing, by one or more cameras, one or more images of a sky;
- processing, by a processing device communicatively coupled to the camera, the one or more images of the sky to obtain a radiance map of a region of the sky, wherein the radiance map comprises information about radiance associated with the region of the sky;
- determining, by the processing device, using the radiance map, a plurality of metrics characterizing a distribution of clouds in the sky;
- estimating, by the processing device, using the plurality of metrics, whether the distribution of clouds is to change within a pre-determined period of time;
- and
- generating, by the processing device, based on the estimating, settings for one or more environmental control systems (ECS) of a building, the one or more environmental control systems comprising at least one of an automated fenestration system (AFS), an electric lighting system (ELS), or a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions that, when accessed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:
- process one or more images of a sky, obtained using one or more cameras, to obtain a radiance map of a region of the sky, wherein the radiance map comprises information about radiance associated with the region of the sky;
- determine, using the radiance map, a plurality of metrics characterizing a distribution of clouds in the sky;
- estimate, using the plurality of metrics, whether the distribution of clouds is to change within a pre-determined period of time;
- and
- generate, based on an estimation, settings for one or more environmental control systems (ECS) of a building, the one or more environmental control systems comprising at least one of an automated fenestration system (AFS), an electric lighting system (ELS), or a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.