Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Devices, Systems, Architectures, and Methods for Lighting and
other Building
Control applications
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent
Application Nos.
61/814,805 filed April 22, 2013 and a continuation U.S. Patent Application No.
14/214174
filed March 14, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
[0003] Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed generally to building control
devices, systems,
methods, and architectures and, more specifically, to those, systems, methods,
and
architectures that support cost effective installation, maintenance, and
reconfiguration of
lighting and other building controls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Traditionally, building control systems have been more widely
implemented in
large commercial and industrial buildings than in other buildings. These
systems often
included centralized control panels, custom ("built-up") HVAC systems, etc.
that may be
further controlled via customizable building management or automation systems
("BMS",
"BAS"). There are several reasons for the lack of more wide spread adoption of
these systems
including high upfront costs, system complexity, functionality, the need for
control specialists,
maintenance costs, etc.
[0006] The rising cost of energy, government mandates, and advancements
in automation
technology is increasing the adoption of building control systems across all
types of buildings.
Initial mandated requirements for building control systems focused on the use
of unmanaged,
distributed controls, such as motion sensing light switches and programmable
thermostats for
HVAC systems. These unmanaged, distributed controls have provided more local
control over
conditions within building and produced energy savings, but have not provided
system level
visibility or the overall control provided by a centralized panel systems and
BMS that is
needed to actually manage building systems. For example, motion-sensor light
switches are
set to turn off after a fixed time, irrespective of the time of day, while
programmable
thermostat are set to operate at a given temperature at a given day and time,
irrespective of
whether anyone was present in the building. Furthermore, the building operator
has no ability
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to review data about the operation of the building systems and the
effectiveness of their
building control strategies.
[0007] While additional money and energy can be saved by implementing
more advanced
building management systems, the installation and reconfiguration cost of
controllable lighting,
HVAC, and plug devices, and the associated controls can be prohibitive. For
example, highly
skilled and compensated electrical, HVAC, and controls contractors are often
required to
perform high voltage wiring for power and install control wires throughout a
building and to
custom install and program HVAC and building management systems. As such,
building
developers and operators are seeking ways to reduce the overall cost of
procuring, installing,
maintaining, and reconfiguring these systems.
[0008] Wireless building controls have significantly reduced the
installation cost for
building controls by generally eliminating the need to run control wire to
most electrical
devices being controlled. Wireless solutions also enable spaces to be
reconfigured without
having to rewire the building, which provides a further benefit. However, the
flexibility
created by wireless controls does not extend the high voltage wiring required
to deliver power
to lights and other devices throughout the building.
[0009] Others have attempted to reduce cost by delivering power and
control signals to
devices over the same wiring infrastructure, thereby eliminating the material
and labor cost
associated with the second wiring infrastructure. For example, power line
communication
systems ("PLC") deliver control signals over the building electrical power
wiring, which
eliminates control wiring. Others have attempted to provide power over the
centralized panel
control wiring deployed in the building to reduce the amount of high voltage
wiring in the
building. Unfortunately, PLC has not provided the desire reliability, likely
due, at least in part,
to the building electrical power infrastructure not being well suited as a
control infrastructure.
Conversely, providing power over the centralized panel control wiring has also
presented
challenged for several reasons including limitations on the number and type of
devices and the
distances is limited by the amount of power that can be distributed over the
control wiring. As
such, these systems often result in non-standardized, custom wiring systems
that also can
present further challenges for maintenance and reconfiguration. And, in some
instances,
actually increase the amount of wiring, because of the continuing need for
line voltage wiring.
[0010] As technology has advanced, control systems are becoming
increasingly capable of
managing a wide variety of building and building systems, such as HVAC,
lighting, plug loads,
etc. that consume energy, and providing near real time monitoring, control,
and data collection
capabilities. What is needed are control devices, methods, systems and
architectures that
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enable these advanced technologies to be implemented cost effectively and
efficiently in
buildings.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides, among other things, devices,
systems, architectures,
and methods for low voltage lighting and other building control applications
that can be cost
effectively implemented and operated in a wide array of buildings. The systems
provide for
powering low voltage lighting fixtures in an area from an area-based power
distribution panel
that can be further configured to provide oversight and control of the low
voltage lighting
fixtures and other devices in the area. The system can operate as a stand-
alone control system,
as an integrated part of a building management and automation system
(BMS/BAS), or within
a wired and/or wireless building or lighting control/management system.
[0012] The systems and architecture take advantage of the building
electrical power
architecture to deliver line voltage power to discrete areas in the building.
At those discrete
areas, area controllers are introduced to communicate with and control
peripheral devices
performing building control functions and to convert line voltage power to a
lower voltage
power that can be used to power the peripheral devices in the area, such as
lighting, sensors,
device controllers, etc. For example, the area controller can include an AC-DC
converter that
converts line voltage (e.g., 120V-347V) AC power to DC power (e.g., 48V, 24V,
etc.) that can
be used to power low voltage light fixtures, such as LEDs, fluorescents, etc.
and controls
devices, such as 0-10V & 4-20mA dimming light and monitoring controls,
occupancy, contact,
daylight, and other sensors, switches, etc. Low voltage power as used herein
generally refers
to electrical power where the wiring and distribution infrastructure can be
handled by
personnel that are not electricians in a non-residential setting, e.g.,
Isolated Low Voltage
Limited Energy (LVLE) circuit such as NEC class 2. Whereas, high or line
voltage power
require an electrician to perform such tasks in a non-residential setting,
such as NEC Class 1.
[0013] In various embodiments, the area controller is fed off a branch to
the line voltage
power source, where the line voltage is fed to various other points in the
area, such as to power
electrical plug outlets and provide critical power. The area controller
converts the line voltage
to a lower voltage that is used to power various control devices, light
fixtures, etc. The use of
lower voltage power for various devices and fixtures lowers the wiring and
installation cost for
the system, and is generally considered safer.
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[0014] In various embodiments, the system includes wireless control
devices that
communicate with the area controller via wireless communication signals, such
as Zigbee,
other 802.x formats, proprietary protocols such as EnOcean, Zwave, etc. The
system can
include control devices and fixtures, e.g. lights, that can operate on line
voltage power or lower
voltage power provided by the area controller and control communications can
be provided via
control or power wiring or wirelessly.
[0015] The present invention provides an opportunity for a building
owner/operator to pre-
wire at least the line/high voltage wiring in a portion or all of a building
in a generic
configuration, e.g., grid, to support multiple arrangements for ceiling
lighting and perhaps
other electrified areas including walls and floors to support plug loads, wall
lighting, HVAC,
etc. For example, during a build-out, the electrical contractor can install
electrical outlets in a
desired spacing in the area above where a removable panel ceiling is or will
be installed. The
area controller can be configured as a panel in a removable panel ceiling
(also, referred to as a
"reflected ceiling" or "drop ceiling"). The area controllers can be positioned
in a desired
location in the removable panel ceiling grid, which is typically proximate to
an area and
lighting that is to be controlled by the area controller, such that wiring can
be performed over
relatively short, i.e., manageable, distances. The area controllers are
plugged into one or more
of the electrical outlets above the ceiling. Wiring suitable for low voltage
power and
communication is connected between the area controller and the lights and
other devices to be
controlled and/or powered, as well as the wired switches, sensors, etc.
powered by and
communicating with the controller.
[0016] Among other things, the present invention enables a low voltage
reconfigurable
lighting system. The system includes an area controller configured to receive
power from an
electrical plug outlet and provide power and control signals to one or more
lights. As such, the
system can be reconfigured at will by a building operator, because the area
controller and lights
are low voltage and are only tied to the line/high voltage electrical
infrastructure via an
electrical plug. In practice, a building operator can reconfigure a space by
unplugging the area
controller from electrical plug outlet, disconnecting the low voltage power
lines from the area
controller and/or the light(s) to be moved, relocating the area controller
and/or the light(s),
reconnecting the low voltage power lines between the light(s) and the area
controller, and
plugging the area controller back into the plug outlet. The plug on the area
controller can
generally be a standard plug, preferably 3-prong, and can include a fastener
to reduce the
likelihood that the plug will be inadvertently pulled out.
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[0017] The system can be implemented in various ways. For example, line
voltage can be
supplied to the area controller, where is converted to lower voltage direct
current power that is
used to power dimming light controllers and LED fixtures in the area. The area
controller can
be connected to the electrical infrastructure through a plug outlet or a
junction box.
[0018] The area controller can communicate wirelessly with switches, plug
load
controllers, sensors, and other devices as desired. Communication with the
control devices and
fixtures can be wireless or via the low voltage power lines. Traditional wired
switches and
dimmer can be reused to communicate with the area controller or other control
devices
installed in the area and used to control the same lights as in prior
configurations or other
devices via the area controller. As used herein, low voltage power lines,
wires, or wiring
includes any wiring that is suitable for use with low voltage power including
wiring that may
also be suitable for high voltage applications as discussed above.
[0019] The area controller can also provide an interface to other systems
depending upon
the building in which it is deployed. For example, in hospitality
applications, the area
controller and/or the building automation controller may interface with a
guest
reservation/check-in system. In hospital applications, a nurse call system may
be interfaced
with the system. Security systems can be interfaced with the system in a
variety of building
types.
[0020] In hospitality, patient care (e.g., hospitals), and other
applications, the area
controllers may be deployed in each room and in zones in the common areas.
Other
applications may not require a room level granularity for area control, so the
area controllers
may be deployed in a variety of zones tailored to a specific application or
area configuration.
[0021] By eliminating the need for control wire to be wired back to a
centralized control
location, i.e., wiring home-runs, while at the same time eliminating the power
restrictions on
devices and non-standard wiring layouts, the present invention provides
reliable devices,
methods, systems and architectures for power delivery and device control that
addresses many
limitations of the prior art as will become further apparent from the
specification and drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0022] The accompanying drawings are included for the purpose of
exemplary illustration
of various aspects of the present invention, and not for purposes of limiting
the invention,
wherein:
[0023] FIGS. 1-3 show embodiments of automation systems;
[0024] FIGS. 4-5C shows exemplary area/room control architectures
[0025] FIGS. 6A-6C show a building and an area controller (AC) as a
replacement panel in
a removable panel ceiling grid; and,
[0026] FIGS. 7A-7C show exemplary area controller housings.
[0027] It will be appreciated that the implementations, features, etc.
described with respect
to embodiments in specific figures may be implemented with respect to other
embodiments in
other figures, unless expressly stated, or otherwise not possible.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] FIG. 1 depicts an automation system 10 embodiment of the present
invention that
includes an area controller 14 providing communication to and control over one
or more
peripheral devices 161_õ in an area of a building. The area controller 14
further provides low
voltage power to one or more of the peripheral devices 16 in the area, such as
low voltage
lighting and various control devices including dimming light controllers,
sensors, switches,
thermostats, protocol translators, etc. The area controller 14, generally
speaking is a specific
purpose computer including processing, storage, and i/o capabilities suitable
sized for the
desired performance with wireless and/or wired transceivers for communication
with the
peripheral devices 16 and one or more automation controllers 12. The area
controllers 14
further include one or more power conversion units that convert the line
voltage from the
building electrical system to a lower voltage that can be used to power
various devices in the
area, such as lighting, sensors, etc. For example, the area controller 14 can
include an AC-DC
converter that converts line voltage (e.g., 120V-347V, NEC Class 1) AC power
to DC power
(e.g., 48V, 24V, NEC Class 2) that can be used to power low voltage light
fixtures, such as
LEDs, fluorescents, etc., controls devices, such as light dimming and
monitoring controls (e.g.,
0-10V & 4-20mA), occupancy, contact, daylight, and other sensors, etc., and
other low power
devices that may be in the area.
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[0029] The use of lower voltage power for various devices and fixtures
lowers the overall
cost of the system and is generally considered safer than line voltage power
wiring, devices,
and fixtures. For example, class 2 wiring can be used for the lower voltage
applications, which
can be installed and reconfigured by personnel qualified for lower voltage
applications.
Another benefit of the architecture is that existing high voltage wiring in
the building can be
reused and reconfigured to carry lower voltage power when buildings are being
retrofit.
[0030] In various embodiments, the area controller 14 is fed off a branch
to the line voltage
power source, where the line voltage may fed to various other points in the
area, such as to
power electrical plug outlets. In applications, such as patient care
facilities, it may be desirable
to have one branch of line voltage power dedicated to critical power systems
and another
branch dedicated to normal power systems. Critical power systems may have
additional back-
up power supplies and power conditioning equipment that may be needed or
desirable when
supplying power to critical equipment, such as for medical applications,
information
technology, security, etc.
[0031] In various embodiments, the system 10 includes wireless peripheral
control devices
16 that communicate with the area controller 14 via wireless protocols, such
as Zigbee, other
802.xx based formats, proprietary protocols (e.g., EnOcean, Zwave), etc. The
system 10 can
also include control devices and fixtures, e.g. lights, that can operate on
line voltage power or
lower voltage power provided by the area controller 14, which are configured
to communicate
with the area controller 14 and/or automation controller 12 via control or
power wiring or
wirelessly.
[0032] The system 10 can be implemented in various ways. For example,
line voltage can
be supplied to the area controller 14, where is converted to lower voltage
direct current power
that is used to power LED fixtures in the area. The area controller 14
communicates wirelessly
with switches, plug load controllers, sensors, and other devices as desired.
Communication
with the devices, e.g., LED lights and controllers, to provide control signals
and information,
status, etc. can also be wireless or via the low voltage power lines.
Traditional wired switches
can be reconfigured to communicate with the area controller 14 or other
control devices
installed in the area and used to control the same lights as in prior
configurations or other
devices via the area controller 14.
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[0033] FIG. 2 depicts embodiments of the system 10 that include at least
one automation
controller 12 that communicates with a plurality of area controllers 14 in
communication with
various peripheral devices 16. In these embodiments, the automation controller
12, generally
speaking is a specific purpose computer including processing, storage, and i/o
capabilities
suitable sized for the desired performance with wireless and/or wired
transceivers for
communication with the peripheral devices 16, area controllers 14, and often
one or more
external networks.
[0034] Communication between the automation controller 12, area
controller 14, and the
peripheral devices 16 can be wired and/or wireless depending upon the
particular
implementation. Wired communication can make use of the power and control
lines, local area
networks, or direct links between communication ports, such as USB, RS-232 and
485, etc.
Wireless communications can employ one or more wireless technologies based on
various
protocols, such as Zigbee, Z-wave, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and/or other proprietary
and/or open
standard, e.g., IEEE 802.x, EnOcean, for transmitting signals in the infrared
and/or radio
frequency spectrum. Zigbee may be preferentially employed as a basis for a
wireless
communication protocol used in the system 10 as it is based on open standard
IEEE 802.15.4
for low power, reliable, non-line of sight communication for automation
systems. However,
the skilled artisan can select a protocol suitable to desired systems and
applications.
[0035] The automation controller 12 interacts with an area controller 14
coordinating the
peripheral devices 16 within an area. For example, the area controller 14 can
include or be
associated with various sensors, such as temperature, light intensity, and
motion, in the area,
which provide local information used to control the area environment, as well
as for use by the
automation controller 12. In some instances, the area controller 14 could be
used merely to
provide a single point of contact for a given area to the automation
Controller 12 or could be
configured to control various actions of the peripheral devices 16 in the
area. In various
embodiments, the area controller 14 can be used to turn power on and off to an
area, which can
be triggered manually, flipping a switch, inserting a card, etc. or upon
detection of a person,
via RFID or otherwise, in addition to being automatically controlled by the
automation
controller 12.
[0036] It will be appreciated that while the peripheral devices 16 and area
controllers 14
within each room can operate separately from the peripheral devices 16 and
area controllers 14
in other rooms, while simultaneously operating as part of a larger overall
network, such that
devices 16 and area controllers 14 can serve as repeaters for signals being
sent from other areas
or devices, such as wireless sensors, etc., within the room. It will be
further appreciated that it
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may be desirable to architect the overall network into sub-networks to reduce
the amount of
traffic being repeated in a larger network, while still maintaining a device
16 and controller 14
density to enable reliable wireless sub-networks.
[0037] For example, it may be desirable to disable the repeater
functionality on various
peripheral devices 16 in the network, which will enable those devices to
perform the assigned
function in the system. The disabling of repeater functionality can be
performed on a number
of bases as decided by the skilled artisan. For example, if a particular
device or device class is
particularly consumed performing its system function, e.g., controlling a
thermostat, dimming
lights, processing sensor data, then repeater functionality can be disabled on
those devices.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, the system 10 can be connected to external
networks to enable
remote monitoring and control of the system 10. The area controller 14 can be
configured to
be accessible directly via computer or another input/output device, locally
via wired or wireless
local area networks, and/or remotely via a wide area area network, such as a
wired or wireless
telephone network and Internet.
[0039] The automation controller 12 can be in the form of one or more
premise-based
management devices that oversee and control the operation of the system 10 and
may be
locally and/or remotely accessed. Alternatively, it may be desirable in some
instances for the
automation controller 12 to be off-site (e.g., "in the cloud" or merely
remote) and communicate
with and control the system 10 via one or more gateways that are provided on
the premise or
via a virtual private network ("VPN"). In various embodiments, the gateway may
be built into
the area controller 14, such that each area controller 14 communicates with
the automation
controller 12 via an external network.
[0040] The automation controller 12 can be configured to communicate
directly with
peripheral devices 16 that, during normal operation, communicate with and are
controlled by
one of the area controller 14. In this manner, the automation controller 12
can step in for an
area controller 14 that becomes unavailable to communicate with or control the
peripheral
devices 16. Other override functionality can be also be implemented by direct
control from the
automation controller 12, such as implementing a demand-response override that
changes the
light level (intensity), the heating/cooling set points, etc. during peak
energy cost or
consumption periods, emergencies, etc.
[0041] The automation controller 12 can also receive various inputs from
premise wide
systems, such as access control systems or manually from a front desk or other
check-in
stations, a mobile device, or other notification means that can be used to
change the room from
an unoccupied to an occupied state. While the latency of the system 10 is
likely better with a
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premise-based automation controller 12, the external systems can be interfaced
with an off-site
automation controller 12.
[0042] FIG. 4 show embodiments of the system 10 including an area
controller 14
configured to provide lower voltage power to and control a variety of
peripheral devices
including AC contactors and relays that control circuits in an area, various
sensors (motion,
contact, daylight) and wired and wireless switches, and lower voltage
lighting. In room
applications, such in the hospitality, patient care, and other multi-tenant
facilities, the area
controller 14 can receive input from card switch, as well as the various
sensors, which can be
used to control a thermostat, lighting, and plug loads based on occupancy, as
well as schedules.
[0043] During operation, it may be desirable for the system 10 to begin
transitioning an
area or facility to a different state ahead of the actual occupancy event via
at least one
intermediate state, such as pre-occupied for arriving and pre-unoccupied for
leaving. These
intermediate states can be configured to place the area in a more energy
efficient state until the
occupancy event occurs. If the occupancy event does not occur, then the area
would revert to
its prior state. For example, a room may be transitioned to a pre-occupied
state based on a
schedule arrival time for a guest, a scheduled meeting in a room, input from a
premise access
control system, or notice from a mobile device. Conversely, the area may be
transitioned to a
pre-unoccupied state, when it is scheduled to be unoccupied or upon command,
but revert to
the occupied state, if the area remains occupied for a predetermined period of
time.
[0044] FIGS. 5A-5C show more specific embodiments of the system 10 at the
area
controller 14 level that can be implemented in various architectures with or
without automation
controllers 12 or other high level controllers. The area controller 14
receives line voltage
power (e.g., 120V AC) from the building electrical infrastructure via an
electrical outlet plug
or junction box and converts at least a portion of the line voltage power to a
lower voltage
(e.g., 48V DC) and provide the lower voltage power to a low voltage fixture,
such as a LED or
fluorescent fixture, and/or an associated light dimming control device, such
as a 0-10 V
controller. The area controller 14 can send a control signal to the light
dimming controller to
vary the power delivered by a driver to the light fixture. It will be
appreciated that the area
controller 14 can be configured to control the light intensity output by one
or more the lighting
fixtures separately from the light intensity output by other lighting fixture
controlled by the
area controller. The skilled artisan can also vary the power delivered to the
fixture by varying
the voltage and/or current supplied depending upon the control circuitry used
in lighting
fixture.
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[0045] The skilled artisan will appreciate that while the fixture and
light dimming
peripheral device 16 are shown separately in FIGS. 5A-5B, the light dimming
peripheral
device 16 can be integrated with the fixture and/or with the area controller
14. Also,
communication with the dimming peripheral device 16 can be provided using the
same or
different path, wire or wireless, as is being used to supply power to the
fixture. It will be
appreciated that light dimming control can be integrated with the area
controller 14, as in FIG.
5C, enabling the area controller 14 to vary the power (voltage and/or current)
supplied to the
lighting fixture to control the light intensity output by the fixture using
the same path, i.e.,
wire, or a separate or different path as is being used to supply power to the
fixture. Also, it
may also be desirable for the area controller 14 or light fixture to include a
driver that will turn
off (open the circuit), if the power delivered to the fixture is too low or a
control signal is
below a low-end cut off value and to limit power deliver the fixture, if the
power too high or
control signal above a high-end value.
[0046] Similarly, other peripheral devices 16 depicted in FIG. 5A-5C as
one box may be
integrated or have controllers that are separate from the actual device. For
example, the
wireless thermostat/fan may be configured as an RS-485 or other wired protocol
communicating thermostat that interfaces with a peripheral device configured
to communicate
with the thermostat via RS-485 and the automation controller 12 via Zigbee or
other wireless
protocol. The peripheral device 16 controlling the thermostat and the
thermostat can be
physically housed together or separately.
[0047] Wireless and wired switches can be mapped in the area controller
14 to control
various peripheral devices 16 including light controllers and plug loads that
may or may not be
electrically connected with the switches. The wireless switches can be self-
powered or
powered using batteries or lower voltage power from the area controller 14. In
retrofit or
reconfiguration installations, wired switches that were previously line
voltage switches can be
used as low voltage switches used to control different electrical devices.
Plug load and circuit
controllers may be configured to operate using line voltage power and
wirelessly communicate
with the area controllers 14 and/or automation controllers 12.
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[0048] The present invention provides flexibility in the installation and
reconfiguration of
low voltage lighting. Generally, a suitable location for one or more
automation controllers to
communicate with, oversee and control area controllers and energy usage in at
least one area is
identified. The skilled artisan can identify any number of suitable locations,
which may
depend upon whether the automation controllers are communicating wirelessly
and/or wired
with the area controllers. It is desirable to install the area controllers 14
proximate areas that
will include at least one low voltage peripheral device 16, such as an LED
lighting fixture, to
be powered by the area controller 14, so as to avoid excessively long wiring
runs between the
area controllers 14 and the low voltage devices in the area. Preferably, a
line voltage power
source is also proximate the location selected for the area controller 14.
Wiring supporting low
voltage power transmission is strung between the area controller 15 and the
low voltage
fixtures. The wiring can be suitable for low voltage transmission only, e.g.,
CAT-5, Class 2,
etc. or can be suitable for both lower and higher voltage power transmission.
[0049] Consistent with the installation, the lighting control system of
the present invention
can operate by converting a line voltage power source input (120V to 347V AC)
to the area
controller into lower voltage power (12VDC-48VDC). The lower voltage power is
provided to
one or more low voltage lighting fixtures in the area. The area controller 14
provides control
signals to vary the light intensity output by the low voltage lighting
fixtures.
[0050] In operation, building controls software can be operating on the
automation
controller 12 and/or directly on the area controller 14 that allows a local
and/or remote user to
configure that the operation of the system 10. The software implements
schedules and device
relationships and operating rules and stores operational data locally and/or
remotely as desired
by the operator. For example, a user can configure dimmable light fixtures to
provide a
maximum light intensity as measured by a photosensor or based on the
controller voltage.
Likewise, a low-end cut-off can be provided at a minimum intensity level,
where the light
fixture is turned off to reduce further energy consumption.
[0051] The area controller 14 can be deployed proximate the devices that
are to be
controlled, such that any desired wiring can be performed over a short
distance. For example,
in various embodiments, the area controller 14 controls a room and is seated
as a panel in a
removable panel ceiling (also, referred to as a "reflected ceiling" or "drop
ceiling") , similar to
lighting and HVAC vents. In other embodiments, the area controller 14 is
deployed above the
removable panel ceiling within or recessed in the walls or floor, as a panel
in a raised floor, or
merely attached to a surface in the area.
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[0052] In many buildings, the area above a removable panel ceiling,
within walls, and
below floors is often unconditioned or conditioned to a lesser extent from a
perspective of
HVAC, air quality, etc., as depicted in FIG. 6A-6C. As such, as used herein, a
building space
may be referenced as a conditioned first area, which is the area of the
building that is intended
to be occupied and used more generally, which heated, cooled, lit, air
filtered, etc. There is
also a lesser conditioned or unconditioned second area of the building, which
is not occupied
or frequently used by occupants, such as the area within the walls, below
flooring, above
removable panel ceilings, crawl spaces, and perhaps basements and attics
depending upon how
a building is configured.
[0053] In various embodiments, the area controller 14 includes a housing 20
configured as
a removable panel ceiling panel replacement, in which some or all of the
electronics are housed
on the side of the housing facing the conditioned space. The housing can be
similar in design
to a lighting troffer, such as in FIGS. 7A-7C and constructed of similar
materials, typically
sheet metal. The controller components can be mounted on the side of the
housing facing the
conditioned space, so the components are exposed to a more conditioned
environment than
devices placed above the removable panel ceiling or within walls and floors,
as shown in
FIGS. 6A-6C. It will be appreciated that the side of the housing facing the
conditioned area
may have a cover 22 for aesthetic and equipment protection purposes.
[0054] The cover 22 preferably supports air flow through the inside of
the housing facing
the conditioned area of the room. The amount of ventilation provided by the
cover 22 from the
conditioned side of the room can be determined as desired by the skilled
artisan. The housing
may include some level of venting through to the side of housing to the
unconditioned area and
include various types of punch-out to enable wired connections to be made on
the side of the
housing facing the unconditioned space and to vent heat generated by
components on the
conditioned side of the housing.
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[0055] In some instances, it may be desirable to be desirable to employ
multiple types of
wireless and wired transceivers in the area controller 14. In addition, it may
be desirable to
mount components in different locations of the housing. For example, it may be
desirable to
mount a wireless transceiver or at least the antenna portion of a wireless
transceiver on the
15 [0056] In addition, it may be desirable to communicate with various
devices in the system
using different protocols, as well as transmission methods, e.g. wired or
wireless. For
example, RS-485 may be used for longer wired communications and RS-232 used
for shorter
communications. Similarly, the area controller 14 may employ various wireless
protocols for
communicating with other wirelessly communicating devices. For example, the
area controller
14
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[0057] Among other things, the present invention enables a low voltage
reconfigurable
lighting system. The system 10 includes an area controller 14 configured to
receive power
from a line voltage power source, e.g., an electrical plug outlet or junction
box, and provide
power to one or more lights and other devices 16. In cases where line voltage
power is
accessed via an electrical plug outlet, the system 10 can be reconfigured at
will by a building
operator, because the area controller 14 and lights are low voltage and are
only tied to the
line/high voltage electrical infrastructure via an electrical plug. In
practice, a building operator
can reconfigure a space by unplugging the area controller 14 from electrical
plug outlet,
disconnecting the low voltage power lines from the area controller 14 and/or
the light(s) to be
moved, relocating the area controller 14 and/or the light(s), reconnecting the
low voltage
power lines between the light(s) and the area controller 14, and plugging the
area controller 14
back into the plug outlet. When the area controllers 14 are connected to the
line voltage power
source via junction boxes, the lighting can still be reconfigured as desired
and additional low
voltage wiring can be strung as needed. High voltage electricians can be
employed to relocate
area controllers 14 as needed.
[0058] The plugs on the area controller 14 can generally be a standard
plug, preferably 3-
prong, and constructed of materials designed to operate in lesser or
unconditioned space. A
fastener can be used to secure plug to the electrical outlet housing to reduce
the likelihood that
the plug will be inadvertently pulled out.
[0059] When deployed as part of a larger system, it may be desirable for
the area controller
14 to communicate wirelessly northbound with a higher level controller 12 and
east/west with
other area controllers 14, which eliminates the need to run or relocate home
run wiring back to
the higher level controller, such as an automation controller 12, centralized
panel, gateway, etc.
However, in retrofit scenarios where home run wiring already exists in the
building or where
wiring is required for safety, security, preference, or otherwise, the area
controllers 14 can be
configured to communicate northbound or east/west over wired connections as
desired.
[0060] Also, the system 10 provides the building operator with increased
flexibility when it
is enabled deployed with wireless light switches, sensors, and other wireless
devices in the
area. In this manner, the wireless devices in the room can be relocated when a
space is
reconfigured. Again, existing and new wired switches, sensors, and other
devices that have
been previously or are currently installed can be used as low voltage devices
communicating
with the area controller 14, instead of directly controlling the power being
provided to the line
voltage devices. When a space is reconfigured that includes wired devices,
additional wiring
may be required to connect the wired devices to the area controller 14 at its
new location.
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[0061] The system 10 of the present invention may be deployed in a stand-
alone lighting
control configuration that includes one area controller 14 and one or more
light(s) being
powered and possibly controlled by the area controller 14 and may include
switches, sensors,
and other devices providing other input/output or system functionality. The
system can be
configured to provide distributed control only, where the switch and sensor
inputs to the area
controller 14 are used to control the operation of lights and the area
controller 14 plays the role
of a centralized control point. The area controller 14 can also be configured
to provide some
level of management of the system based on various parameters, such as
controlling the
response of the lights based on schedules, occupancy, light intensity, etc.,
and data retention
concerning the operation of the lights. Management of the area controller 14
in a stand-alone
configuration can be performed by physically connecting to or operating the
controller 14 or by
providing wired or wireless communication to the controller 14.
[0062] Management software/firmware can run on a processor in the area
controller 14 as
well as in the higher level controllers in the system 10. In a stand-alone
configuration, it may
be desirable to enable a wireless connection to the area controller 14, such
that a management
session can be opened on the area controller 14 from a computer (e.g.,
desktops, laptops, net
books, tablets, smart phones, etc.) over dedicated (e.g., Zigbee, RS-X) or non-
dedicated LAN
and WAN networks (WiFi, mobile). The various stand-along area controllers 14
in the
building can be individually addressed and accessible by a building operator
using a web
browser or other means enabling local or remote control of the device
controlled by the area
controller 14.
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[0063] The present invention provides an opportunity for building
owner/operator to pre-
wire the line/high voltage wiring in a portion or all of a building in a
generic configuration,
e.g., grid, to support multiple arrangements for ceiling lighting and perhaps
other electrified
areas including walls and floors to support plug loads, wall lighting, HVAC,
etc. For example,
during a build-out, the electrical contractor can install electrical outlets
and/or junction boxes
in a desired spacing in the area above where a removable panel ceiling is or
will be installed.
The area controllers 14 positioned in a desired location in the removable
panel ceiling grid,
which is typically proximate to an area and lighting that is to be controlled
by the area
controller 14. The area controller 14 is plugged into one the electrical
outlets above the ceiling
or wired to a junction box. Wiring suitable for low voltage, limited energy
applications and
communication is connected between the area controller 14 and the lights and
other devices to
be controlled and/or powered, as well as the wired switches, sensors, etc.
powered by and
communicating with the controller 14. As discussed herein, wired or wireless
interfaces can be
provided to the area controller 14 in a stand-alone or larger system
configuration. However,
wireless communication between the area controllers 14 and northbound
controllers 12, as well
as between various switches and sensors not being powered by the area
controller 14 provides
enhance flexibility when reconfiguring a space. In those wireless
communication
deployments, the reconfiguration of the space accomplished is dramatically
simplified and
more flexible.
[0064] The reconfiguration enabled by the present invention is not limited
to merely
moving lights and other devices with a defined area or even within a given
building. The
building operator can decide to move an area controller 14, lights, and
wireless switches to a
different part of a building or a different building all together. The area
controller 14 is
unplugged from the outlet, lights are disconnected from the area controller
14, switches and
sensors are disconnected, etc. In the new location, the area controller 14
replaces a ceiling
panel that can be redeployed in the old location. The lights are positioned as
desired in the
ceiling grid, switches and sensors positioned accordingly. The area controller
14 is plugged
into an electrical outlet above the removable panel ceiling and the devices
associated with the
area controller 14 are powered up. The building operator access the system
software running
on the automation controller 12 (higher level) and/or the area controller 14
and changes the
location and operational settings, as desired. A similar process is followed
for area controllers
14 that are wired into junction boxes.
[0065] In various embodiments, the system 10 can be configured as a
scalable, room-based
LED lighting control system that replaces line voltage installation with a
distributed system of
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low voltage area controllers and Class 2 wiring. Each controller 14 could be
configured to
support up to multiple zones of LED lighting including one or more LED
fixtures. The area
controller 14 can be configured to include dimming control and control signals
can be sent of
the low voltage wiring along with the low voltage power to drive a driver and
power the LED
fixtures. The system 10 can also include wired or self-powered or battery
operated wireless
switches and sensors. The system can operate as a stand-alone control system,
as an integrated
part of a building management and automation system (BMS/BAS), or within a
wired or
wireless building control/management system.
[0066] While the area controller 14 has generally been described in terms
ofceilingpanelõ
it will be appreciated that it can be deployed above the removable panel
ceiling, recessed or
within in a wall or flooring, as a floor panel, beneath a floor, or surface
mounted. As
mentioned herein, the troffer configuration in the removable panel ceiling
grid provides some
advantages including accessibility to the conditioned side of the housing from
with the room
and access to the unconditioned side of the housing by moving an adjacent
ceiling panel. In
addition, the electronics of the area controller 14 can be positioned on the
conditioned side of
the housing to expose it to room conditions rather than less controlled
conditioned above the
removable panel ceiling or within walls or flooring.
[0067] Also, the area controller 14 has been described predominantly with
respect to
lighting, one of ordinary skill will appreciate that the area controller 14
can provide control for
various of systems and devices. For example, the area controller 14 can be
configured to
control plug load devices, HVAC equipment, computers, etc., as well as
interface with other
building systems as desired. In various embodiments, the area controller 14 is
configured to
turn off a plug load controller or relay circuit in response to an unoccupied
area determination
by the controller and/or based on schedules or other input.
[0068] Similarly, the reconfigurable system described herein can be applied
to the walls,
flooring, etc. in the structure, as well as cubicles deployed in the
structure. For example,
electrical plug outlets in walls and cubes in a room can have wires run
vertically to the space
above the removable panel ceiling or below the flooring, where it could be
connected into the
line voltage infrastructure via an electrical plug outlet or a junction
housing. Similarly,
thermostat and/or other temperature detection and control devices can be
configured to
communicate wirelessly to the HVAC equipment and/or the management system to
eliminate
the need for re-wire the system when a space is reconfigured.
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[0069] These and
other variations and modifications of the present invention are possible
and contemplated, and it is intended that the foregoing specification and the
following claims
cover such modifications and variations.
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