GB2525165A

GB2525165A - A lighting control system with data logging

Info

Publication number: GB2525165A
Application number: GB1404291.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Compton; Robert Townsend; Ishit Trivedi
Original assignee: Novar ED&S Ltd
Current assignee: Novar ED&S Ltd
Priority date: 2014-03-11
Filing date: 2014-03-11
Publication date: 2015-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2034-03-11
Also published as: GB201404291D0; GB2525165B

Abstract

A lighting control system comprises a lighting load 3 and a stand-alone sensor unit 1, the sensor unit having a detector element and a control module, the detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on it detecting the presence/absence of a person, and the control module being arranged to control the lighting load in response to the output of the detector element. The system also comprises a hand-held remote device or commissioning tool 9 comprising a display screen 15 and a communication module 11 configured to enable wireless communication with the sensor unit. The sensor unit further comprises a memory 5 arranged to store data relating to the operation of the lighting load, and a communication module configured to enable wireless communication of the data to the remote device such that at least some of the data may be presented on the display screen of the remote device.

Description

A lighting control system with data logging

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a lighting control system with data logging, and a method of logging data from a lighting control system.

Background of the Invention

Many lighting control sysems include a sensor unit having an occupancy sensor, typically in combination with a photosensor. The occupancy sensor detects human motion to trigger a light switching/dimming action and the photosensor, if present, senses the illumination level of an area to make sure reguired level of light intensity is available in the relevant target zone. Such lighting control systems seek to reduce power consumption by ensuring optimum use of the lighting.

Whilst it is commonly recognised that such systems result in energy savings, many of these lighting control systems tend not to provide any feedback to the user regarding the performance of the system. It can therefore be difficult for users (for example a facility manager) to fully understand the benefits of the system and/or justify the capital expenditure of installing a lighting control system.

In networked lighting conrol systems, it is known to provide data logging of some usage information. For example, in a known lighting control system, a plurality of luminaires are arranged in a network, each luminaire comprising a logic circuit configured to log usage information of the lighting fixture into a memory. Whilst, such a system may overcome some of the above-mentioned drawbacks by virtue of it logging some data, the system is thought to be over-complioated and may be liable to communication and/or control failure.

Furthermore, such a system may not make optimal use of the logged data.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a lighting control system comprising: (i) a lighting load (ii) a stand-alone sensor unit, the sensor unit having a detector element and a control module, the detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on it detecting the presence/absence of a person, and the control module being arranged to control the lighting load in response to the output of the detector element, and (iii) a hand-held remote device comprising a display screen, and a communication module configured to enable wireless communication with the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit further comprises a memory arranged to store data relating to the operation of the lighting load, and a communicarion module configured to enable wireless communication of the data to the remote device such that at least some of the data may be presented on the display screen of the remote device. By logging (i.e. storing) data relating to the operation of the lighting load, and communicating that data to the hand-held device for display, the user can readily identify The benefits of the control system and the user can tailor their behaviour and/or re-configure the system accordingly.

The hand-held device preferably comprises a memory (preferably non-volatile memory) for storing the data relating to the operation of the sensor units. The memory may be removable. The remote device is preferably a commissioning tool for commissioning the sensor unit. Thus, the invention enables a user to access data on the operation of the control system using a tool they may already be familiar with from configuring the system.

In principle, the data may relate to any aspect of the operation of the lighting load. The data preferably relates to at least one, and more preferably more than one, and yet more preferably all, of the following: * when the lighting load was controlled (for example what times it was switohed or dimmed) * how the lighting load was controlled (for example was it switched on/off, or dimmed up/down, and if so by how much); * why the lighting load was controlled (for example was t due to a manual swi tcln of the 1 1 ghti ng, or due to the controller in the sensor unit controlling the lighting due to presence/absence detection) * the total time on and off since installation and/or since the most recent data communication to the remote device; * the total time on and off due to each type of control (for example the total time on/off when manually switched and/or when controlled by the controller in the sensor unit controlling the lighting due to presence/absence detection) ; and/or * the total time that the sensor unit detects presence.

The sensor unit preferably comprises at least one additional detector element, the additional detector element being arranged to detect an additional property, and the control module being arranged cc control the lighting load in response to the output of the additional detector element.

The additional detector elemenc is preferably a photosensor for detecting the light level in the field of view (FOV) of the sensor unit. Such an arrangement is especially beneficial because it enables the total light level to be controlled (for example to maintain a constant light level) . It is also useful to measure the light level for data analysis purposes (described in more detail below) The hand-held device is preferably configured to connect to the internet. The communications module may be arranged to communicate the data relating co the operation of the lighting load to an internet-based facility. The internet-based facility (for example a web-page) is preferably arranged to analyse the data. Thus, the present invention recognises that data can be communicated to a relatively simple hand-held device, but the data analysis can be conducted using the greater computing power available via the internet.

The internet-based facility may be configured to provide recommendations on how to re-configure the control system, based on the analysed data. By providing such a system, the user is able to be presented with recommendations on how to improve the system and can decide to act, or not act, accordingly. This approach of providing recommendations of proposed actions, but leaving The user to decide whether to take those actions, is thought to be attractive to many users who may find automatic changes to be frustrating.

The internet-based facility is preferably arranged to display the data relating to the operation of each lighting load. The internet-based facility is preferably arranged to display data relating to the operation of each lighting load that is unable to be displayed on the remote device.

Thus, the present invention recognises that whilst at least some data (for example basic text data) can be displayed on the relatively simple hand-held remote device, an internet-based facility can be used to present more data, and/or present the data using more complex display tools/graphics.

The data relating to the operacion of the light load may include any, some, or all of: * the average (mean) time the lighting loads are on due to a manual switch on; * profiles of the on/off time of the lighting loads; * profiles of the diim-aing levels of the lighting loads; * the average dimming level of the lighting loads (5 output) * hours of wasted power (in which the lights are on (sensed by the photosensor) , but there is no occupancy (sense by the presence detector) * Number of walk through' or pop-in' events (where occupancy durations was very short but lights were nevertheless switched on) ; and * Number of rescue attempts' where the lights went out but there was immediate movement (like hand waving) to re-trigger them.

The lighting control system may comprise a plurality of stand-alone sensor units with which the remote device is arranged to wirelessly communicate, and a plurality of respective lighting loads. Each sensor unit may have a detector element and a control module, the detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on it detecting the presence/absence of a person, and the control module being arranged to control the respeccive lighting load in response to the output of the detector element. Each sensor unit may further comprise a memory arranged to store data relating to the operation of the respective lighting load, and a communication module configured to enable wireless communication of the data to the remote device such that the data may be presented on the display screen of the remote device. Locally storing data on each stand-alone sensor unit, reduces the risk of data loss in the event of a failure in the system (compared, for example, to a networked system in which the data is stored centrally) . The memory is preferably non-volatile. The memory may be removable. The sensor units are preferably not networked. Each sensor unit may be arranged to wirelessly communicate directly to the remote device, such that communication from each sensor unit is independent of the other sensor units. Providing such a lighting control system has been found to be especially beneficial because it ensures there is no single point of failure that could prevent communication (as could otherwise occur in a networked system) According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a stand-alone sensor unit for use as the senor unit described herein. The sensor unit comprises a detector element and a control module, The detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on It detecting the presence/absence of a person, and the control module being arranged to control the lighting load in response to the output of the detector element, and wherein the sensor unit further comprises a memory arranged to store data relating to the operation of the lighting load, and a communications module configured to wirelessly communicate the data with a remote device.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a hand-held remote device for use as the hand-held remote device described herein. The remote device comprises a communication module having a wireless transceiver configured to enable wireless communication with a sensor unit, a memory for storing data relating to the operation of the lighting load communicated from the sensor unit, and a display screen for displaying the data relating to the operation of the lighting load. The hand-held device may also be configured to connect to the internet, and the communications module may be arranged to communicate the daca relating to the operation of the lighting load to an internet-based facility that is arranged to analyse the data.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of logging data from a lighting control system conprising a plurality of lighting loads and a plurality of stand-alone sensor units, each for controlling a respective lighting load in response to the output of a detector element in the respecnive sensor unit. The method comprises the steps of: (i) wirelessly communicating directly with a first sensor unit in the plurality of sensor units, to obtain data from that sensor unit on the operation of its respective lighting load; (ii) storing that data on a remote hand-held device; (iii) wirelessly communicating directly with a second sensor unit in the plurality of sensor units, to obtain data from that sensor unit on the operation of its respective lighting load; (iv) storing that data on a remote hand-held device; and (v) repeating steps (iii) and (iv) for each of the remaining sensor units; and (vi) displaying the data obtained from each sensor unit on a display of the hand-held device.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program product arranged, when executed upon one or more processors of a remote device, to provide a remote hand-held device as described above.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program product arranged, when executed upon one or more processors of a sensor unit, to provide a sensor unit as described herein.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program product arranged, when executed on one or more processors of a remote device and one or more processors of a sensor unit, to perform a method as described herein.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program product arranged, when executed upon a renote computer, to provide an internet-based facility as described herein.

Aspects of the present invention may also be beneficial in lighting control systems in which the sensor unit comprises a detector element arranged to generate an output dependent on the light level detected in the FCV (for example the amount of natural light in a room in which the sensor unit is installed) . Thus, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a lighting control system comprising (i) a lighting load, (ii) a stand-alone sensor unit, the sensor unit having a detector element and a control module, the detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on the light level detected in the FGV, and the control module being arranged to control the lighting load in response to the output of the detector element, and (iii) a hand-held remote device comprising a display screen, and a coimnunication module configured to enable wireless communication with the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit further comprises a memory arranged to store data relating to the operation of the lighting load, and a coinmunicacion module configured to enable wireless communication of the data to the remote device such that at least some of the data may be presented on the display screen of the remote device. The detector element is preferably a photodetector.

Any features described wich reference to one aspect of the invention are equally applicable to any other aspect of the invention, and vice versa. For example, features described with reference to the lighting control system of the first aspect may be applicable to the method according to another aspect. Furthermore, features described with reference to aspects having a sensor unit comprising a detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on it detecting the presence/absence of a person, may be equally applicable to aspects of the invention having a sensor unit comprising a detecor element arranged to generate an output dependent on the light level detected in the FEW.

Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing of which: Figure 1 is a schematic of a lighting control system according to a first embodimen of the invention.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows part of a lighting control system according to a first erWodimen of the invention. The lighting control system includes a multiplicity of stand-alone sensor units 1, 1' (only two of which are shown in Figure 1 for clarity), respective lighting loads 3, 3', and a hand-held commissioning tool 9.

-10 -In common with known sensor units, each unit comprises a passive infra-red (PIR) detector and a photosensor (not shown) . The FIR is arranged to detect the presence/absence of a person in a room, as the phocosensor is arranged to detect the light level in a field of view (FOV) . In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) , the presence detection may instead be implemented using ultrasonic or microwave sensing technologies.

Each sensor unit also comprises a controller (not shown) for controlling the respective lighting load 1, 1' in dependence on the output of the P1k and photosensor. For example, the controller may be arranged to switch the lighting load on when a person enters the room, and the controller may seek to maintain a constant light level in the room (for example by dimming or switching off the lighting load if the room is illuminated by natural light through a window) . The above-described features are known in sensor units per se and will not be described further.

The sensor units 1, 1' are all stand-alone sensor units and are not networked. Thus, each sensor unit is arranged to control its respective lighting load, and is independent of the other sensor units in the lighting control system.

Reference will now be made to one of the sensor units 1, although the features are egually applicable to the other sensor unit 1' : The sensor unit 1 comprises a memory module 5 which is configured to store data relating to the lighting load 3. In the first embodiment of the invention, the sensor unit 1 is configured to store data relating to: * when the lighting load 3 was controlled (including what times it was switched or dimmed) * how the lighting load 3 was controlled (including whether it was switched on/off, or dimmed up/down, and if so by how much);

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* why the lighting load 3 was controlled (including whether it was due to a manual switch of the lighting, or due to the controller in the sensor unit controlling the lighting due to presence/absence detection) * the total time on and off of the lighting load 3 since installation and/or since the most recent data communication to the remote commissioning devIce 9; * the total time on and off due to each type of control (including the total time on/off when manually switched and/or when controlled due to presence/absence detection) ; and * the total time that the sensor unit 1 detects presence in the room.

The sensor unit 1 also comprises a communications module 7 configured to enable wireless (infra-red) communication of this data directly (i.e. not via a network) to the commissioning tool 9.

The commissioning tool 9 is a hand-held device that is arranged to configure the lighning control system. Such devices are well-known per se. However, in contrast to known commissioning tools, the commissioning tool 9 of the first embodiment comprises a communications module 11 configured to receive the above-described dana from the sensor unit, together with a non-volatile memory 13 to store that data.

Furthermore, the commissioning tool comprises a simple LCD display screen 15 for displaying some of that data.

Logging (i.e. storing) data relating to the operation of the lighting load 1, and communicating that data to the hand-held device 9 for display, enables the user to readily identify the benefits of the control system, thereby enabling the user to tailor their behaviour and/or re-configure the system accordingly. Furthermore, by providing stand-alone -12 - (i.e. non-networked) sensor units 1, 1', the risk of system-wide data loss, and/or communication disruption, In the event of a failure in one of the sensor-units is reduced (because there is no single point of failure that oould cause such failure) The commissioning tool 9 provides a basic (text) display.

However, to enable more detailed data display and analysis, the communications module 11 of the commissioning tool 9 is configured to connect to the internet. The data relating to the operation of the lighting load can then be provided to an internet-based facility (web-page 17) The web-page 17 provides two functions: firstly, the web-page 17 provides a more advanced display than the commissioning device 9 (for example, graphical representations) ; secondly the web-page 17 is configured to analyse the data and display that analysis.

In the first embodiment, the web-page 17 has an advanced display 19 that is arranged to display: * the average (mean) time the lighting loads 3, 3' are on due to a manual switch on; * profiles of the on/oft time of the lighting loads 3, 3.' * profiles of the dimming levels of the lighting loads 3 3.' * the average dimming level of the lighting loads 3,3' (I output) * hours of wasted power (in which the lighting loads 3, 3' are on (sensed by the photosensor) , but there is no occupancy (sense by the presence detector) ) * Number of walk through' or pop-in' events (where occupancy durations was very short but lighting loads 3, 3' were nevertheless switched on) ; and -13 - * Number of rescue attempts' where the lighting loads 3, 3' went out but there was immediate movement (like hand waving) to re-trigger them.

The present invention recognises that data can be communicated to a relatively simple hand-held device, but the data analysis can be conducted using the greater computing power available via the internet.

The web-page 17 is also configured to provide recommendations on how to re-configure the control system, based on the analysed data. By providing such a system, the user is able to be presented with recommendations on how to improve the system and can decide to act, or not act, accordingly. This approach of providing recommendations of proposed actions, but leaving The user to decide whether to take those actions, is thought to be attractive to many users who may find automatic changes to be frustrating.

In the first embodiment of the invention, the energy savings are calculated from a baseline energy usage. This is obtained by disabling occupancy detection in each sensor unit 1, 1' and recording a baseline for load duty cycle with no automatic control. Data is then collected to establish the baseline energy usage. Each sensor unit 1, 1' is operable to a baseline mode in which the baseline data can be obtained.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable eguivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining -14 -the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims.

Claims

-15 -Claims 1. A lighting control system comprising: (i) a lighting load (ii) a stand-alone sensor unit, the sensor unit having a detector element and a control module, the detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on it detecting the presence/absence of a person, and the control module being arranged to control the lighting load in response to the output of the detector element, and (iii) a hand-held remote device comprising a display screen, and a communication module configured to enable wireless communication with the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit further comprises a memory arranged to store data relating to the operation of the lighting load, and a communication module configured to enable wireless communication of the data to the remote device such that at least some of the data may be presented on the display screen of the renote device.
2. A lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the remote device is a commissioning tool for commissioning the sensor unit.
3. A lighting control system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the data relating to the operation of the lighting load includes data relating to: when the lighting load was controlled; how the lighting load was controlled; and why the lighting load was controlled.
4. A lighting control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensor unit comprises a photosensor for detecting -16 -the light level in the field of view (FOV) of the sensor unit, and, the control module is arranged to control the lighting load in response to the output of the photosensor.
5. A lighting control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the hand-held device is configured to connect to the internet, and the communications module is arranged to communicate the data relating c the operation of the lighting load to an internet-based facility that is arranged to analyse the data.
6. A lighting control system according to claim 5, wherein the internet-based facility is configured to provide recommendations on how to re-configure the control system, based on the analysed data.
7. A lighting control system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the internet-based facility is arranged to display the data relating to the operation of each lighting load.
8. A lighting control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the system comprises a plurality of stand-alone sensor units with which the remote device is arranged to wirelessly communicate, and a plurality of respective lighting loads, each sensor unit having a detector element and a control module, the detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on it detecting the presence/absence of a person, and the control module being arranged to control the respective lighting load in response to the output of the detector element, and wherein each sensor unit further comprises a memory arranged to store data relating to the operation of the respective lighting load, and a communication module -17 -configured to enable wireless communication of the data to the remote device such that the daia may be presented on the display screen of the remote device.
9. A lighting control system according to claim 8, wherein each sensor unit is arranged to wirelessly communicate directly to the remote device, such that communication from each sensor unit is independen of the other sensor units.
10. A stand-alone sensor unit for use as the senor unit in any preceding claim, the sensor unit comprising a detector element and a control module, The detector element being arranged to generate an output dependent on it detecting the presence/absence of a person, and the control module being arranged to control the lighting load in response to the output of the detector element, and wherein the sensor unit further comprises a memory arranged to store data relating to the operation of the lighting load, and a communications module configured to wirelessly communicate the data with a remote device.
11. A hand-held remote device for use as the hand-held remote device in any of claims 1 to 9, the remote device comprising a communication module having a wireless transceiver configured to enable wireless communication with a sensor unit, a memory for storing data relating to the operation of the lighting load communicated from the sensor unit, and a display screen for displaying the data relating to the operation of the lighting load.
12. A hand-held remote device according to claim 11, wherein the hand-held device is also configured to connect to the internet, and the communications module is arranged to -18 -communicate the data relating cc the operation of the lighting load to an internet-based facility that is arranged to analyse the data.
13. A method of logging data from a lighting control system comprising a plurality of lighcing loads and a plurality of stand-alone sensor units, each for controlling a respective lighting load in response to the output of a detector element in the respective sensor unit, the method comprising the steps of: (i) wirelessly communicacing directly with a first sensor unit in the plurality of sensor units, to obtain data from that sensor unit on the operation of its respective lighting load; (ii) storing that data on a remote hand-held device; (iii) wirelessly coromunicacing directly with a second sensor unit in the plurality of sensor units, to obtain data from that sensor unit on the operation of its respective lighting load; (iv) storing that data on a remote hand-held device; and (v) repeating steps (iii) and (iv) for each of the remaining sensor units; and (vi) displaying the data obtained from each sensor unit on a display of the hand-held device.
14. A computer program product arranged, when executed upon one or more processors of a remote device, to provide a remote hand-held device as claimed in claim 11 or 12.
15. A computer program product arranged, when executed upon one or more processors of a sensor unit, to provide a stand-alone sensor unit as claimed in claim 10.

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16. A computer program product arranged, when executed on one or more processors of a remote device and one or more processors of a sensor unit, to perform a method as claimed in claim 13.
17. A computer program product arranged, when executed upon a remote computer, to provide the imternet-based facility of claims 5 to 7.
18. A lighting control system, sensor unit, remote device, and method of logging data as herein described with reference to the Figures.