Method of automatically controlling a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions

A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building, the position of the window treatment controllable between an open-limit position and a closed-limit position to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space;
• building a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including a number of timeclock events that will occur between the start time and the end time;
• receiving a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events;
• determining, for each of the timeclock events, an event time between the start time and the end time, such that at least the minimum time period exists between the event times of any two consecutive timeclock events;
• determining a respective event position for each of the timeclock events to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the respective event time, such that the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for all of the events between the start time and the end time of the timeclock schedule;
• determining if the respective event positions of two consecutive timeclock events are within a minimum position distance of each other;
• eliminating the second of the two consecutive timeclock events if the event positions of the two consecutive timeclock events are within the minimum position distance of each other;
• and
• automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the respective position of each of the timeclock events at the respective event time.

A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building, the position of the window treatment controllable between an open-limit position and a closed-limit position to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space;
• receiving a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive window treatment movements;
• building a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including a number of timeclock events that will occur between the start time and the end time, the timeclock events each having an event time corresponding to the beginning of one of a plurality of consecutive time intervals, the timeclock events each having a respective event position, the time intervals having lengths greater than or equal to the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive window treatment movements;
• calculating optimal positions of the motorized window treatment at a plurality of different times between the start time and the end time, such that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance at the plurality of different times between the start time and the end time;
• calculating the respective event position to which the motorized window treatment should be controlled during each of the plurality of consecutive time intervals of the timeclock schedule, such that the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance during each of the respective time intervals;
• and
• automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the respective event position of each of the timeclock events at the respective event time at the beginning of each time interval, such that the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance during each of the respective time intervals, and the movements of the shades are spaced apart by at least the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive window treatment movements;
• wherein if the optimal positions of the motorized window treatment are characterized by a flat region during which the optimal positions do not change in value for at least the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events, the position of the motorized window treatment is controlled to a constant position for an amount of time greater than the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events.

A load control system comprising a motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building, the position of the window treatment controllable between an open-limit position and a closed-limit position to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space, the load control system comprising:

• a central controller operatively coupled to the motorized window treatment, the central controller operable to transmit digital commands to the motorized window treatment, the controller further operable to
• receive a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive window treatment movements;
• build a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including a number of timeclock events that will occur between the start time and the end time, the timeclock events each having an event time corresponding to the beginning of one of a plurality of consecutive time intervals, the timeclock events each having a respective event position, the time intervals having lengths greater than or equal to the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive window treatment movements;
• calculate optimal positions of the motorized window treatment at a plurality of different times between the start time and the end time, such that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance at the plurality of different times between the start time and the end time;
• calculate the respective event position to which the motorized window treatment should be controlled during each of the plurality of consecutive time intervals of the timeclock schedule, such that the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance during each of the respective time intervals;
• and
• automatically control the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the respective event position of each of the timeclock events at the respective event time at the beginning of each time interval, such that the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance during each of the respective time intervals, and the movements of the shades are spaced apart by at least the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive window treatment movements;
• wherein if the optimal positions of the motorized window treatment are characterized by a flat region during which the optimal positions do not change in value for at least the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events, the position of the motorized window treatment is controlled to a constant position for an amount of time greater than the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events.

A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building, the position of the window treatment controllable between a fully-open position and a fully-closed position to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space;
• building a timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, the timeclock schedule including a number of timeclock events that will occur between the start time and the end time;
• receiving a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule, and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events;
• calculating optimal positions of the motorized window treatment at a plurality of different times between the start time and the end time, such that the sunlight penetration distance will not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance at the plurality of different times between the start time and the end time;
• determining, for each of the timeclock events, an event time between the start time and the end time, such that the number of timeclock events of the timeclock schedule does not exceed the maximum number of movements, and at least the minimum time period exists between the event times of any two consecutive timeclock events;
• determining a respective event position for each of the timeclock events to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the respective event time, such that the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance between the start time and the end time of the timeclock schedule;
• and
• automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the respective position of each of the timeclock events at the respective event time;
• wherein if the optimal positions of the motorized window treatment are characterized by a flat region during which the optimal positions do not change in value for at least the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events, the position of the motorized window treatment is controlled to a constant position for an amount of time greater than the minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events.

A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building, the position of the window treatment controllable between an open-limit position and a closed-limit position to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance;
• building a timeclock schedule including a number of timeclock events, the timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, each timeclock event being characterized by an event time between the start time and the end time, the number of timeclock events not exceeding a maximum number of movements that may occur between the start time and the end time;
• calculating a respective position for each of the timeclock events to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the respective event time, such the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance between the start time and the end time of the timeclock schedule;
• determining if the respective event positions of two consecutive timeclock events are within a minimum position distance of each other;
• and
• eliminating the second of the two consecutive timeclock events if the event positions of the two consecutive timeclock events are within the minimum position distance of each other;
• and
• automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the respective position of each of the timeclock events at the respective event time.

A method of automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment while minimizing occupant distractions, the motorized window treatment adapted to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building, the position of the window treatment controllable between an open-limit position and a closed-limit position to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance;
• building a timeclock schedule including a number of timeclock events, the timeclock schedule having a start time and an end time, each timeclock event being characterized by an event time between the start time and the end time, wherein at least a minimum time period exists between the event times of any two consecutive timeclock events;
• calculating a respective position for each of the timeclock events to which the motorized window treatment will be controlled at the respective event time, such the sunlight penetration distance does not exceed the desired maximum sunlight penetration distance between the start time and the end time of the timeclock schedule;
• determining if the respective event positions of two consecutive timeclock events are within a minimum position distance of each other;
• and
• eliminating the second of the two consecutive timeclock events if the event positions of the two consecutive timeclock events are within the minimum position distance of each other;
• and
• automatically controlling the motorized window treatment according to the timeclock schedule by adjusting the position of the motorized window treatment to the respective position of each of the timeclock events at the respective event time.