JP2023113826A - Sensing and communication unit for optically switchable window system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a system enhancing functionality of a communication network that provides optically switchable windows.SOLUTION: A system 100 includes a building 101 that includes a number of electrochromic (EC) windows. In the system, a high-speed data communication network in or on a building includes a plurality of trunk line segments serially coupled to each other by a plurality of passive circuits configured to deliver signals to, and to receive signals from, one or more devices on, in, or outside the building, the signals including data having a transmission rate of greater than 1 Gbps. Each subset of the EC windows is connected to each control panel (CP) 103 by way of EC window power and communication lines, and the CPs are communicatively coupled to an external network 105 by a high bandwidth 10 Gbps backbone.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE This application is based on U.S. Nonprovisional Patent Application No. 16/447,169, filed Jun. 20, 2019, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/688,957, filed Jun. 22, 2018. No. 62/768,775 filed November 16, 2018; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/803,324 filed February 8, 2019; Claiming priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/858,100, filed May 6, 2018 and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/666,033, filed May 2, 2018 This is a continuation-in-part of claimed International Patent Application No. PCT/US19/30467. This application also confers U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/449,251, filed Apr. 17, 2012; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/287,646 filed Oct. 6, 2016 U.S. patent application Ser. Patent Application No. 15/347,677, U.S. Patent Application No. 15/365,685 filed November 30, 2016, International Patent Application No. PCT/US17/31106 filed May 4, 2017 International Patent Application No. PCT/US17/47664, filed Aug. 18, 2017; International Patent Application No. PCT/US17/52798, filed Sep. 21, 2017, Nov. 10, 2017; International Patent Application No. PCT/US17/61054, filed on Jan. 4, 2018; U.S. Patent Application No. 15/742,015, filed Jan. 4, 2018; 15/882,719, International Patent Application No. PCT/US18/29476 filed April 25, 2018, PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US18/29406 filed April 25, 2018, 2019 International Patent Application No. PCT/US19/2219, filed March 13, 2019, and International Patent Application No. PCT/US19/30467, filed May 2, 2019, each in its entirety is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to optically switchable window systems and, more particularly, to communication and sensing technologies associated with optically switchable windows.

Optically switchable windows, sometimes referred to as "smart windows", exhibit controllable and reversible changes in optical properties when appropriately stimulated, for example, by voltage changes. Optical properties are typically color, transmittance, absorbance, and/or reflectance. Electrochromic (EC) devices are sometimes used in optically switchable windows. One well-known electrochromic material, for example, is tungsten oxide ( _WO3 ). Tungsten oxide is a cathodic electrochromic material that undergoes a color transition from transparent to blue upon electrochemical reduction.

Electrically switchable windows, electrochromic or not, sometimes called "smart windows," may be used in buildings to control the transmission of solar energy. Switchable windows can be manually or automatically tinted and cleared to reduce energy consumption by heating, air conditioning, and/or lighting systems while maintaining occupant comfort.

Electrochromic materials can be incorporated into windows for domestic, commercial, and other uses, for example, as thin film coatings on window panes. Applying a small voltage to the electrochromic device of the window darkens the window and reversing the voltage polarity brightens the window. This ability allows control of the amount of light that passes through the window, offering the opportunity to use electrochromic windows as energy saving devices.

Electrochromic devices, particularly electrochromic windows, are gaining acceptance in building design and construction, but have not begun to realize their full commercial potential.

According to some embodiments, a high-speed data communication network in or on a building distributes signals to and from one or more devices on, inside, or outside the building. and the signal includes data having a transmission rate greater than 1 Gpbs.

In some examples, trunk segments may include coaxial cables. In some examples, trunk segments may include twisted pair conductors.

In some examples, the passive circuit may be configured as a bias-T. In some examples, bias T may include an inductor and a capacitor.

In some examples, the passive circuit may be configured as a directional coupler.

In some examples, each passive circuit may include a first conductor having two ends, each end configured to couple to one of the trunk line segments. In some examples, a passive circuit may include a second conductor disposed adjacent to and spaced from the first conductor. In some examples, the first and second conductors may be spaced apart in parallel relationship.

In some examples, at least one of the passive circuits may be configured to distribute signals via inductive coupling.

According to some implementations, a method of installing a high speed data communications network in or on a building includes providing a plurality of trunk segments, providing one or more circuits, and dividing the trunk segments into one circuit. forming a network by coupling one or more circuits to form a daisy-chain trunk topology, wherein the multiple trunk segments comprise coaxial cables, and one or more circuits are on-building or intra-building. , or configured to distribute signals to and receive signals from one or more devices outside the building.

In some examples, one or more devices may include windows. In some examples, the one or more devices may include a controller configured to control functions of at least one window.

In some examples, the one or more devices are devices selected from the group consisting of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, wireless devices, sensors, antennas, 5G devices, millimeter wave devices, microphones, speakers, and microprocessors. can include In some examples, the method may further include installing one or more devices in or on the structural element of the building.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include inductors and capacitors.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include an antenna. In some examples, the antenna may include a 5G antenna.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include one or more connectors. In some examples, the connector may include an RF connector.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include two or more connectors.

In some examples, the signal may include data having a transmission rate greater than 1 Gpbs.

In some examples, the signal may include a power signal. In some examples, the power signal may include a class 2 power signal.

In some examples, the signals may include TCP/IP data and power signals.

In some examples, the daisy chain topology can be coupled to building management control panels.

In some examples, the signal may include wireless data.

In some examples, the method may further include installing at least one window in the building. In some examples, at least one window may include an optically switchable window.

In some examples, at least one window can include an electrochromic window. In some examples, installing at least one window may be performed after forming the network.

In some examples, at least a portion of the main line may be installed within or on the exterior wall of the building. In some examples, one or more devices may include antennas and/or repeaters. In some examples, at least one of the one or more devices may be installed in or on a window of a building. In some examples, the window may include a digital display screen.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include directional couplers.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include a bias-T circuit.

In some examples, forming a network may be performed during construction of a building. In some examples, forming the network may include coupling circuits to windows of a building.

According to some embodiments, a high speed data communication network in or on a building includes a plurality of trunk segments and one or more circuits, the trunk segments being coupled by the one or more circuits to form a daisy chain. Forming a chain trunk configuration, the multiple segments comprise coaxial cable, and one or more circuits distribute signals to and from one or more devices on, within, or outside the building. configured to receive a signal;

In some examples, one or more devices may include windows. In some examples, one or more devices may include a controller configured to control the functionality of the window.

In some examples, the one or more devices may be selected from the group consisting of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, wireless devices, sensors, antennas, 5G devices, microphones, microprocessors, and speakers. In some examples, one or more devices may be in or on a building structure.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include inductors and capacitors.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include an antenna. In some examples, the antenna may be a 5G antenna.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include two or more connectors. In some examples, two or more connectors may be configured to be secured to a coaxial cable and a pair of conductors. In some examples, the connector may include an RF connector. In some examples, the connector may include a terminal block.

In some examples, the signal may include data having a transmission rate greater than 1 Gpbs.

In some examples, the signal may include a power signal. In some examples, the power signal comprises a class 2 power signal.

In some examples, the signals may include TCP/IP data and power signals.

In some examples, the signals may include 5G signals.

In some examples, the signal may include wireless data.

In some examples, one or more devices may include optically switchable windows. In some examples, an optically switchable window can include an electrochromic window. In some examples, the optically switchable window may include digital display technology.

In some examples, at least a portion of the main line may be installed within or on the exterior wall of the building.

In some examples, the one or more devices may include transceivers, antennas, and/or repeaters, and the one or more devices are installed in or on the exterior structure of the building. In some examples, the external structure may include an outer wall.

In some examples, the external structure may include a roof.

In some examples, one or more devices may include antennas.

In some examples, one or more devices may be installed in or on windows of a building.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include transceivers, antennas, and/or repeaters.

In some examples, the one or more circuits may include directional coupler circuits.

In some examples, one or more circuits may include a bias-T circuit.

These and other features and embodiments are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

4 illustrates various linking technologies and topologies that may be used in the present disclosure; 4 illustrates various linking technologies and topologies that may be used in the present disclosure; 4 illustrates various linking technologies and topologies that may be used in the present disclosure; 4 illustrates various linking technologies and topologies that may be used in the present disclosure; 1 illustrates an example of a data communication system capable of providing data to interact with optically switchable windows and for purposes other than windows. 1 illustrates a high bandwidth communication network for buildings, according to some embodiments; 1 illustrates a high bandwidth communication network for buildings, according to some embodiments; 1 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of components that may be present in a particular implementation of a digital building element; FIG. 4 illustrates a comparison between a block diagram of a conventional window controller and a block diagram of a window controller according to some embodiments; 4A-4D illustrate some examples of applications and uses of digital architectural elements and related elements contemplated in this disclosure; 4A-4D illustrate some examples of applications and uses of digital architectural elements and related elements contemplated in this disclosure; 4A-4D illustrate some examples of applications and uses of digital architectural elements and related elements contemplated in this disclosure; 4A-4D illustrate some examples of applications and uses of digital architectural elements and related elements contemplated in this disclosure; 4 illustrates a process flow for measuring multiple building conditions and controlling building operational parameters of multiple building systems in response to the measured building conditions, according to some embodiments. 7 illustrates an example set of functional modules configured to perform the process flow shown in FIG. 6 according to an implementation; 1 illustrates an exemplary physical packaging of digital building elements, according to some implementations. 1 illustrates a trunk line representation of a high-speed network infrastructure, according to some implementations; 1 illustrates a trunk line representation of a high-speed network infrastructure, according to some implementations; 1 illustrates a trunk line representation of a high-speed network infrastructure, according to some implementations; 1 illustrates an exemplary power and data distribution system including control panels, mains, drop lines, and digital building elements, according to some embodiments; 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example trunk circuit; FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view of an exemplary mains line configured to carry a combination of power and data and/or data to and from a control panel; 1 shows an example of a portion of a data and power distribution system having digital building elements (DAEs) coupled via drop lines to combinational modules including directional couplers and bias tee circuits. 1 illustrates a DAE capable of supporting multiple communication types, according to some embodiments; 1 illustrates a system of components that may be incorporated into or associated with a DAE, according to some embodiments; 1 illustrates an example system of components that may be incorporated into or associated with a digital architectural element, according to some embodiments;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following detailed description, for the purpose of describing disclosed aspects, is directed to specific embodiments or implementations. However, the teachings herein can be applied and implemented in many different ways. The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the disclosed implementations have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the implementations, these examples are not limiting and other implementations may be used. It is well understood that changes may be made to the disclosed implementations without departing from their spirit and scope. Furthermore, although the disclosed embodiments focus on electrochromic windows (also called optically switchable windows, tintable and smart windows), the concepts disclosed herein are notably , liquid crystal devices and suspended particle devices. For example, liquid crystal devices or suspended particle devices, rather than electrochromic devices, may be incorporated in some or all of the disclosed implementations. Additionally, the conjunction "or" is intended herein to be inclusive where appropriate, unless otherwise indicated, e.g., the phrases "A, B, or C" , "A", "B", "C", "A and B", "B and C", "A and C", and "A, B, and C" are intended to include the possibilities there is

Enterprise Communications/Network Components The windows system and associated components disclosed in these embodiments can facilitate high-bandwidth (eg, Gigabit) communications and associated data processing. These communications and data processing may employ optically switchable window system components, described herein and in PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US18/29476, filed April 25, 2018. Various windows, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 62/666,033, filed May 2, and PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US18/29406, filed April 25, 2018. and can facilitate non-window functions. Some of the optically switchable window system components are for powering window transitions as described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15/365,685, filed November 30, 2016. Including components of communication networks and power distribution systems.

Examples of components for enhancing the capabilities of communication networks that provide optically switchable windows include (1) high bandwidth switching and/or routing capabilities (e.g., 1 Gigabit or faster Ethernet; (2) a backbone including high-bandwidth links between control panels and control panels (e.g., 10 Gigabit or faster Ethernet capability); (3) Digital elements with sensors, display drivers, and logic for various functions that employ high data rate processing, e.g., digital elements configured as digital building elements such as digital wall interfaces or digital mullions; (4) wireless; Enhanced feature window controller including access points for communication, e.g., Wi-Fi® access points, and (5) high bandwidth data communication links between control panels and digital elements and/or enhanced feature window controllers. , for example, data communication links configured as trunk lines or following paths that at least partially overlap with trunk lines.

1A-1D illustrate various link technologies and topologies adapted to power and control electrochromic (EC) windows or other types of optically switchable windows. FIG. 1A presents a highly simplified top-level diagram of a system 100 including a building 101 containing several EC windows. A subset of the EC windows are connected to a "control panel" (CP) 103 via EC window power and communication lines. The control panel is described in more detail below. In the example shown, three building windows are grouped into three subsets, each connected to a respective CP 103, although there are fewer or more than three CPs for any given building. is contemplated. In the illustrated example, three CPs 103 are communicatively coupled by a high bandwidth 10 Gbps backbone and to external network 105 .

FIG. 1B illustrates a more detailed block diagram of control panel 103 interfacing with multiple EC windows 112 . In the illustrated example, control panel 103 includes master control and power module 104 and network controller (NC) 110 . It will be appreciated that control panel 103 may include fewer or more NCs 110 than shown. Each NC 110 is competitively coupled with two or more window controllers (WC) 111 , each window controller 111 being associated with a respective EC window 112 .

1C and 1D, in certain embodiments, communicative coupling between control panels 103 within window controller 111 may be accomplished in a trunk format. Implementations of Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) lines and/or MoCA (Coaxial Cable and Multimedia Association) data transmission protocols may be integrated into trunk systems or may run parallel to or independent of trunk lines. For example, as shown in FIG. 1C, a coaxial cable is provided within the trunk that can transmit data using MoCA, ie the coaxial cable runs within the trunk architecture. In FIG. 1D, the UTP system is implemented independently and in parallel with the trunk system. In certain embodiments, the UTP cable is incorporated into the trunk line.

Although FIGS. 1A-1D show only conventional window controllers, the links may also provide data transmission to other elements such as digital wall interfaces, enhanced function window controllers, digital architectural elements, and the like. FIG. 1E shows an example of a data communication system that can provide data to interact with optically switchable windows and for purposes other than windows. As depicted, the building communication system has multiple Control Panels (CPs) 103, at least one of which is connected to an external network 105, such as the Internet, to provide various access to various services and/or content. Each control panel 103 is a component for powering one or more window controllers and/or other devices in the building, as well as a master or network controller as described elsewhere herein. can include Examples of control panels and features of their components are provided in US Patent Application Serial No. 15/365,685, filed November 30, 2016, previously incorporated by reference. In the depicted embodiment, each control panel 103 also has a high bandwidth data communication switch, such as a 10 gigabit per second (Gbps) Ethernet switch.

Each control panel 103 is linked to one or more other control panels via appropriate cabling 107 to create a data network backbone. In certain embodiments, cabling 107 includes twinax cabling that can employ copper conductors within an insulating shield. Twinax cables are suitable for communication distances of several hundred feet. In certain embodiments, high bandwidth coaxial is used, eg, 2.5 Gbps or higher. Current and evolving implementations of the MoCA data transmission protocol support this. Still further, unshielded twisted pair cables can be used in some cases, especially if only relatively short links are required. Certain embodiments employ high bandwidth (eg, 10 Gbps or higher) wireless connectivity. These embodiments may employ a set of parabolic antennas and parabolic receivers.

Various types of data transmission lines may be employed to provide data communication between the control panel 103 and destination devices within the building, such as optically switchable window and/or non-window devices within the building. . In the depicted embodiment, the data transmission lines 109 and associated interfaces support a controller network protocol, such as the controller area network (CAN) protocol CAN2.0. In the depicted embodiment, transmission lines 109 and associated interfaces provide data communication between conventional window controllers 111 and other types of controllers within control panel 103 . Examples of such other controllers include network and master controllers. Data transmission line 109 may be employed to provide communication to other devices (not shown) that may function using data provided within the bandwidth limitations of the controller area network.

Another type of data transmission line is a high bandwidth network line 113 such as a Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) line, which may be a UTP line (as shown) or a Twinax line. good. High bandwidth lines 113 may provide data links between control panel 103 and one or more types of devices that may require high data rates for specific functions. In the depicted embodiment, such devices include a digital wall interface 115 and an enhanced function window controller 117, both described elsewhere herein. In some implementations, enhanced feature window controller 117 is connected to both the controller network (eg, controller network line/CAN bus 109) and high bandwidth line 113.

In the depicted embodiment, high-bandwidth data transmission may be provided by either or both unshielded twisted wire pairs and one or more coaxial lines 119 supporting Gigabit Ethernet. In some embodiments, data transmission over coaxial line(s) 119 conforms to a protocol such as promulgated by the Coaxial Cable Multimedia Association (MoCA) that functionally combines channels within coaxial cable. , each channel carrying a different frequency band, resulting in a single bonded line with high bandwidth, eg, about 1 Gbps or more. The MoCA protocol is described elsewhere herein. Other link technologies such as wireless may be used instead of or to complement UTP or coaxial.

As depicted, the top control panel 103 provides three digital architectural elements (a digital mullion 121 in this case, one connected to a video display device 122). Either or both of GbE UTP lines 113 and coaxial cables 119 may be employed to provide high bandwidth data communication between control panels and digital building elements.

Figures 2A and 2B illustrate high-bandwidth communication networks for buildings, according to some embodiments. In both figures, control panels that may have similar functionality to CP 103 described in connection with FIGS. 1A-1E are identified as modules labeled CP2 or CP3. In the illustrated example, each control panel includes a master and/or network controller (MC/NC), a control panel monitor (CPM), and a communication network switch 225a or 225b. In certain embodiments, the control panel monitor has one or more of the features presented in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15/365,685, filed November 30, 2016, previously incorporated by reference. . In some implementations, the CP2 network switch 225a includes multiple (eg, two) small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver ports and multiple (eg, four) 100Mb Ethernet ports. One example of a suitable network switch is the IE2000 switch available from Cisco Systems of San Jose, California. SFP ports are plug-ins for fiber optic connections. In certain embodiments, one or more of the SFP ports support 850 nm optical communication, or 1310 nm optical communication, or 1550 nm optical communication.

In the CP3 control panel, network switch 225b can accommodate data rates in excess of those required for optically switchable window systems. As such, the CP3 switch 225b may require more bandwidth than is provided by the window system dedicated components (eg, CP2). In certain embodiments, the high-bandwidth switch of the high-bandwidth control panel (e.g., CP3) includes multiple (e.g., four) SFPs, multiple (e.g., eight) Gb Ethernet ports, and Includes multiple (eg, 8) PoE (Power over Ethernet) Gb Ethernet ports. In particular embodiments, each port can support at least 10Gb lines. In certain embodiments, the switch may be configured to aggregate ports as needed to create up to 40Gb Ethernet ports. One example of a suitable network switch is the IE4000 switch available from Cisco Systems of San Jose, California.

High-bandwidth cabling backbones can be directed upwards through vertical riser conduits in tall buildings. If it is necessary to support high-bandwidth communications across all communication elements of a building (including, for example, all digital building elements and all wall interfaces), high-bandwidth cabling should be installed on one or more floors of the building. may be oriented horizontally to For example, in core and shell buildings, initial construction may include vertical riser ducts, but may not include horizontal ducts, which are installed later when the building is tenanted.

In certain embodiments, control panels and associated links with high bandwidth capabilities are used together as a network backbone. In other words, all components of the backbone have high bandwidth transmission capabilities. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, "high bandwidth" describes network components having a data transmission and/or data processing capability of at least about 0.5 gigabits per second or greater. In particular embodiments, the data transmission network includes a 10Gbps backbone.

In certain embodiments, a network backbone provides connectivity to another network located outside the building containing the backbone. In one example, the other network is a wide area network or simply the Internet. Backbone components may be designed or configured for cloud connectivity, for example, the control panel may include components for connecting to Comcast Business, Level 3 Communications, and the like.

As indicated above, some network configurations include controller network components such as CAN interfaces in window controllers and control panels. Additionally, some network configurations additionally include high bandwidth network components such as Ethernet switches and Ethernet lines from the control panel.

As described above in connection with FIGS. 1A-1E, the controller network may provide data transmission for standard window controllers (WC2) dedicated to controlling optically switchable windows. Additionally, the controller network may provide data transmission to support extended feature window controllers (WC3), which may include Wi-Fi® access points, cellular capabilities, and the like. In certain embodiments, the enhanced function window controller connects to the controller network bus to send and receive data regarding control of optically switchable windows assigned to the window controller. Additionally, the enhanced feature window controller connects to high bandwidth lines, such as Gigabit Ethernet lines, to send and receive data for non-windowed features such as Wi-Fi and/or cellular communications. obtain.

In certain embodiments, the enhanced function window controllers are located within the building where required to provide wireless communication services. As an example, one extended feature window controller may be placed for every 2500 square feet of building space, which may correspond to approximately one extended feature window controller per 50 linear feet. More generally, enhanced function window controllers can be placed in buildings such that adjacent controllers are separated by a distance of about 30 to 100 feet. In certain embodiments, adjacent enhanced feature window controllers are separated along the trunk by about 4-10 IGUs, eg, approximately 6 IGUs.

In certain embodiments, the enhanced function window controller is depicted in FIGS. Receive data via drops from the trunk line, as illustrated in the example discussed in '685. Trunks can be used to carry data transmission cables. Drop lines from the mains can be used to provide data (and power) from the mains to the individual enhanced feature window controllers. In an alternative embodiment, the network topology includes separate data lines running to each of the one or more enhanced function window controllers.

In certain embodiments, the lines that provide data from the control panel to the enhanced feature window controller WC3 (as well as the conventional window controller WC2 in some embodiments) are Gigabit Ethernet lines, unshielded twisted pair (UTP), twinax cable, or the like. In some cases, all or most of the data to the enhanced feature window controller is done entirely over the Gigabit Ethernet UTP line.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the data provided to one or more of the enhanced feature window controllers WC3 is provided over a high bandwidth coaxial cable. In one example, coaxial cables and associated network controllers are designed or configured to transmit data using one of the MoCA standards, which is, at least in part, the Internet protocol envisioned by the cable television industry. Offer a suite. As mentioned above, in some implementations, MoCA provides Gigabit Ethernet bandwidth over coaxial cable.

The MoCA protocol includes a technique known as bonding to provide multiple channels, each with limited bandwidth, so that the channels together provide a much higher bandwidth. In some implementations, each of the combined channels employs a separate frequency band of approximately 155 kB each. In some implementations, 16 coaxial channels are aggregated into a gigabit channel to provide gigabit bandwidth. Fewer channels need to be combined if sub-gigabit bandwidth is required. In some cases, different channels are coupled to different endpoints, thus allowing different bands. A network can segregate traffic to different endpoints, allowing, for example, the implementation of virtual networks. A cable cap may be placed on the coaxial cable to connect with an additional enhanced function window controller. In some embodiments, MoCA or similar bandwidth scalable approaches allow building infrastructure to add and subtract window controllers, including enhanced feature window controllers, relatively seamlessly.

In certain embodiments, trunk lines from the control panel to one or more window controllers and/or digital elements (eg, digital wall interfaces or digital building elements) employ both coaxial and non-coaxial lines. For example, a first portion of the line from the control panel may be a Twinax or UTP line and a second portion of the line connected to the first portion may be used to transmit data using, for example, the MoCA protocol. configured coaxial line. Both the first portion and the second portion of the trunk may be designed or configured to support gigabit transmission speeds. In certain embodiments, the first and second portions of the trunk are connected using a T-connector. For example, a twinax or UTP line runs from the control panel, then connects to a coaxial cable (for MoCA protocol), and then runs to the end where the final window controller (conventional or extended) is located.

In some embodiments, the coaxial cable is configured as or incorporated into a trunk line. In this way, cable drops can be made to the window controller and/or other devices along the length of the trunk as needed. In some cases, no additional lines are required, just one coaxial cable per trunk. In certain embodiments, high-bandwidth data communication lines (coax, UTP, twinax, etc.) may follow a defined trunk path, eg, for power delivery. If desired, such high-bandwidth lines could be installed during construction, but when the digital elements are installed, they should be installed later, rather than during construction of the building. Only used in

In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, a high-bandwidth communication network for buildings incorporates digital mullions 221 or other enhanced digital building elements.

Multi-Component Digital Elements on Building Elements As indicated above, the high-bandwidth networks described herein provide one such as robust sensing and data processing capabilities, and/or data storage and/or user interface capabilities. It may contain multiple digital elements with these additional features. The components that enable these capabilities are described below and may generally be referred to herein as "sensors and other peripherals" components or elements. The uses and functions of the digital elements are also described below.

As explained below, the digital elements allow installation on building structural elements, which are typically permanent elements, and/or building walls, floors, ceilings, or roofs, depending on the purpose. It can be provided in various formats and housings. In various embodiments, the chassis or housing of the digital element is about 5 meters or less in any dimension, or about 3 meters or less in any dimension. In various embodiments, the housing is rigid or semi-rigid and encompasses some or all components of the element. In some cases, the housing provides a frame or scaffolding for mounting one or more components such as speakers, displays, antennas, or sensors. In some embodiments, the housing provides external access to one or more ports or cables, such as ports or cables for attachment to network links, video displays, mobile electronic devices, battery chargers, and the like.

Window controller networks and associated digital elements may be installed relatively early in the construction of office buildings and other types of buildings. Window controller networks are often installed in front of any other networks, e.g. for other building functions such as building management systems (BMS), security systems, tenant information technology (IT) systems, etc. Installed in front of the network.

Without the present teachings, sensors and other peripheral elements can be designed around the walls and ceilings of buildings after construction, resulting in expensive installation, operation, and maintenance. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the high-bandwidth window network and associated digital components are installed early and used to enhance building cladding or structures (e.g., structural building components, particularly walls, partitions, frames, beams). , mullions, transoms, etc.) to provide relevant sensors and peripherals. Installation may occur during construction of the building. The installed network can take advantage of the remote operational capabilities (e.g., sensing, data transmission, processing) of the windows network to reduce the cost of installing and operating currently siled sensors, as well as edge network technology.

Regarding operational costs, managing and operating a siled sensor network is very expensive. In certain embodiments, high-bandwidth building networks and associated digital elements facilitate central monitoring and operation of sensors and other peripherals, thereby significantly reducing operating costs of sensor networks.

In certain embodiments, sensors on the window network are installed near where building occupants spend their time, thereby improving the effectiveness of the sensors in providing occupant comfort. As discussed below, the digital elements described herein connected to a high-bandwidth network may be located at various locations throughout the building. Examples of such locations include building structural elements such as offices, lobbies, mezzanines, bathrooms, stairwells, terraces and the like. Within any of these locations, the digital elements may be positioned and/or oriented proximate to the location of the occupants, thereby facilitating the building to operate in a manner that maintains or enhances the comfort of the occupants. Collect the most appropriate environmental data to trigger the system.

In certain embodiments, the sensing, data processing, and data storage capabilities of high-bandwidth windows networks are used by interactive applications such as Microsoft's Cortana, Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Google's Google Home® or personal Providing infrastructure for building digital assistants. The usefulness of such applications and personal digital assistants is enhanced by the direct interaction between sensor range and building occupants. Such interactions include computer vision, analytics, machine learning, and the like, as described more fully below.

Digital Building Elements Digital Building Elements (DAEs) can include various sensors, processors (eg, microcontrollers), network interfaces, and one or more peripheral interfaces. Examples of DAE sensors include optical sensors, optionally image capture sensors such as cameras, audio sensors such as voice coils or microphones, air quality sensors, and proximity sensors (e.g., specific IR and/or RF sensors) are included. The network interface can be a high bandwidth interface such as a Gigabit (or faster) Ethernet interface. Examples of DAE peripherals include video display monitors, add-on speakers, mobile devices, battery chargers, and the like. Examples of peripheral interfaces include ports such as standard Bluetooth® modules, USB ports and network ports. Additionally or alternatively, ports include any of a variety of proprietary ports for third party devices.

In certain embodiments, the digital building element works in conjunction with other hardware and software provided for optically switchable window systems (eg, displays on windows). In certain embodiments, the digital building element includes a window controller or other controller such as a master controller, network controller, or the like.

In certain embodiments, the digital building element is one or more signal generating devices such as speakers, light sources (eg, and LEDs), beacons, antennas (eg, Wi-Fi or cellular communication antennas), etc. including. In certain embodiments, digital building components include energy storage components and/or power harvesting components. For example, an element may include one or more batteries or capacitors as energy storage devices. Such elements may additionally include solar cells. In one example, a digital building element has one or more user interface components (e.g., microphones or speakers) and one or more sensors (e.g., proximity sensors) as well as a network interface for high-bandwidth communications.

In various embodiments, the digital building element is designed or configured to be attached to or otherwise juxtaposed to a structural element of a building. In some cases, the digital architectural element has an appearance that matches the structural element with which it is associated. For example, a digital architectural element may have a shape, size, and color that matches the structural element with which it is associated. In some cases, digital architectural elements may not be easily visible to building occupants, for example, the elements may be fully or partially camouflaged. However, such elements can interface with other incompatible components such as video display monitors, touch screens, projectors, and the like.

Building structural elements to which digital building elements can be attached include any of a variety of building structures. In certain embodiments, the building structure to which the digital building element is attached is a structure that is installed during construction of the building, possibly early in the construction of the building. In certain embodiments, building structural elements for digital building elements are elements that serve as building structural features. Such elements can be permanent, meaning they are not easily removed from the building. Examples include walls, partitions (eg, office space partitions), doors, beams, stairs, facades, moldings, mullions, transoms, and the like. In various examples, building structural elements are located on a building or room perimeter. In some cases, digital building elements are provided as separate modular units or boxes that attach to building structural elements. In some cases, digital architectural elements are provided as facades for building structural elements. For example, the digital building element may be provided as a mullion, a transom, or a cover for part of a door. In one example, the digital building element is configured as a mullion or arranged in or on a mullion. If attached to a mullion, it may be bolted or otherwise attached to a rigid portion of the mullion. In certain embodiments, digital architectural elements can snap to building structural elements. In certain embodiments, the digital building element functions as a molding, eg a crown molding. In certain embodiments, the digital building element is modular, i.e., it can be used in larger applications such as communication networks, power distribution networks, and/or computing systems that employ external video displays and/or other user interface components. Acts as a module for part of the system.

In some embodiments, the digital building element is a digital mullion designed to be placed on some, but not all, mullions in a room, floor, or building. In some cases, the digital cubics are arranged regularly or periodically. For example, a digital cubic can be placed every 6 cubics.

In certain embodiments, in addition to high-bandwidth network connections (ports, switches, routers, etc.) and housing, digital building elements include the following digital and/or analog components: cameras, proximity or movement sensors, occupancy sensors, Via color temperature sensors, biometric sensors, speakers, microphones, air quality sensors, hubs for power and/or data connections, display video drivers, Wi-Fi access points, antennas, beacons or other mechanisms Including multiple of location-based services, power sources, light sources, processors, and/or auxiliary processing devices.

One or more cameras may include sensors and processing logic for imaging features in the visible, IR (see use of thermal imager below), or other wavelength regions, with various resolutions including HD and higher is possible.

One or more proximity or movement sensors may include infrared sensors, eg, IR sensors. In some embodiments, the proximity sensor is a radar or radar-like device that uses ranging capabilities to detect distances from and between objects. Radar sensors can also be used to distinguish closely spaced residents through detection of biometric features, such as detection of different breathing movements. When using radar or radar-like sensors, better operation may be facilitated when placed in the clear or behind the plastic casing of the digital building element.

The one or more occupancy sensors may include multi-pixel thermal imagers, which when configured with suitable computer-implemented algorithms may be used to detect and/or count the number of occupants in the room. . In one embodiment, data from a thermal imager or thermal camera is correlated with data from a radar sensor to provide a better level of confidence in the particular decisions being made. In embodiments, thermal imager measurements are used to assess other thermal events at a particular location, such as changes in airflow caused by open windows and doors, the presence of intruders, and/or fires be able to.

One or more color temperature sensors can be used to analyze the spectrum of lighting present in a particular location and, for example, to modify the lighting as needed or desired to improve the health or mood of the occupants. It can provide output that can be used for implementation.

One or more biometric sensors (eg, for fingerprint, retina, or facial recognition) may be provided as standalone sensors or integrated with another sensor, such as a camera.

One or more speakers and associated power amplifiers may be included as part of the digital building element or may be included separately therefrom. In some embodiments, two or more speakers and an amplifier may collectively be configured as a soundbar, a bar-shaped device containing multiple speakers. Devices may be designed or constructed to provide high fidelity sound.

One or more microphones and logic for detecting and processing sound may be provided as part of the digital building element or separately. A microphone may be configured to detect one or both of internally or externally generated sounds. In one embodiment, sound processing and analysis is performed by logic embodied as software, firmware, or hardware within one or more digital structural elements and/or one or more other devices coupled to a network. Performed by logic within the device, for example, by one or more controllers coupled to a network. In one embodiment, based on the analysis, the logic automatically adjusts the audio output of one or more speakers to adversely affect (or potentially adversely affect) occupants in particular locations within the building. It is configured to mask and/or cancel sounds, frequency fluctuations, echoes, and other factors detected by one or more microphones that may cause noise. In one embodiment, sounds include, but are not limited to, sounds produced by indoor machinery, indoor office equipment, outdoor construction, outdoor traffic, and/or airplanes.

In embodiments, one or more microphones are positioned on or next to the windows of the building, on the ceiling of the building, and/or other internal structures of the building. Logic may be configured in a single or arrayed fashion to analyze and determine the type, intensity, spectrum, location and/or direction of interior sounds present within the building. In one embodiment, the logic is functionally connected to other fixed or mobile network-connected devices that may be used within the building, such as computers, smart phones, tablets, etc., and is capable of listening or listening to sounds from such devices. configured to receive and analyze relevant signals;

In one embodiment, the logic measures and analyzes real-time delays in the signal from the microphones to provide the necessary sound to mask or cancel unwanted external and/or internal sounds present at specific locations within the building. is configured to predict the amount and type of In one embodiment, the logic is configured to detect changes in the level and/or location of undesirable external and/or internal sounds, which may be caused by, for example, movement of objects and people inside or outside a building, and based on the changes. dynamically adjust the amount of sound to mask and/or cancel. In one embodiment, the logic is configured to use signals from tracking sensors within the building, and according to the signals, at particular locations within the building depending on the presence and/or location of one or more residents. It is configured to increase or decrease sound masking and/or canceling. In one embodiment, one or more loudspeakers produce masking and/or canceling sound that propagates substantially in planes of travel of undesired sound, including horizontal planes, vertical planes, and/or combinations of the two. positioned to

In one embodiment, the logic includes algorithms designed to acoustically map the interior of a building, locate noise sources within an office, and improve speech privacy. In one embodiment, after an array of speakers and microphones is installed in a building, logic is used to perform an acoustic sweep to cause each speaker to produce a sound that is then detected by each microphone. obtain. In one embodiment, time delays, sound level drops, and spectral differences in detected sounds are used to calculate and map effective acoustic distances between and between speakers and microphones. In one embodiment, the acoustic transfer function inside the building map can be obtained from an acoustic sweep. Using such an acoustic map and a set of transfer functions for one or more spaces within the building, the logic can determine appropriate masking and/or Cancellation level decisions can be made. If necessary, logic can adjust the sound produced by the speaker to compensate for the absorption of certain absorbing surfaces, e.g. sounds that might otherwise be muffled bouncing off soft partitions become crisp again. It can be adjusted to be audible. An acoustic map of the space can be used to determine direct and indirect sounds and adjust time delays to mask and/or cancel the sounds so that they reach the destination at the same time.

Using one or more air quality sensors (optionally capable of measuring one or more of the following air constituents: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide temperature, humidity) in combination with the HVAC , can improve air circulation control.

One or more hubs may be provided for power and/or data connections to sensor(s), speakers, microphones, and the like. The hub may be a USB hub, a Bluetooth(R) hub, or the like. A hub may include one or more ports such as a USB port, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, and the like. Alternatively or additionally, elements may include connector docks for external sensors, lighting fixtures, peripherals (eg, cameras, microphones, speaker(s)), network connections, power supplies, and the like.

One or more video drivers can be provided for displays (eg, transparent OLED devices) on or near integrated glass units (IGUs) associated with architectural elements. The driver may be wired or optically coupled, e.g., an optical signal is launched into the window by optical transmission, e.g., through glass and focused onto a glass waveguide traveling perpendicular to the line of sight. See switchable Bragg gratings including displays with light engines and lenses.

One or more Wi-Fi® access points and antenna(s), which may be part of a Wi-Fi® access point or serve different purposes. In certain embodiments, the building element itself, or a faceplate covering all or part of the building element, functions as an antenna. Various approaches can be taken to isolate and directionally transmit or receive architectural elements. Alternatively, a prefabricated antenna may be used, or a window antenna as described in PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US17/31106, filed May 4, 2017. , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

One or more power sources may be provided, such as energy storage devices (eg, rechargeable batteries or capacitors). Some implementations include power harvesting devices, such as solar cells or panels of solar cells. This allows the device to be self-contained or partially self-contained. Light collection devices can be transparent or opaque, depending on where they are mounted. For example, solar cells may be attached to the exterior of a digital mullion and may be partially or completely covered, while transparent solar cells may be used for displays or user interfaces (e.g., dials) on digital architectural elements. , buttons, etc.).

One or more light sources (eg, light emitting diodes) are configured in the processor to emit light under certain conditions, such as signaling when the device is active.

One or more processors may be configured to serve a variety of embedded or non-embedded applications. The processor may be a microcontroller. In particular embodiments, the processor is a low-power mobile computing unit (MCU) with memory configured to run a lightweight, secure operating system that hosts applications and data. In particular embodiments, the processor is an embedded system, system-on-chip, or extension.

One or more auxiliary processing devices, such as graphical processing units, or equalizers or other audio processing devices, are configured to interpret the audio signal.

A digital building element or a building structural element associated with a digital building element may have one or more antennas. These can be pre-built, attached to the element, or built into the element, either on the surface or inside the element. Alternatively, or in addition, the antenna may be configured such that the structure of the digital building element or building structural element serves as the antenna component. For example, cubic conductive metal strips can serve as antenna elements or ground planes. In some embodiments, a portion of the digital architectural or building structural element is removed (or added) so that the remaining portion functions as a tuned antenna element. For example, a portion of the mullion can be stamped out to provide a tuned antenna element. By connecting coaxial or other cables to the elements and RF transmitters or receivers, building structural elements and/or associated digital architectural elements can serve as antenna elements. Antenna components can be designed, for example, with an impedance that matches the impedance of the RF transmitter (eg, about 50 ohms).

Depending on the structure, the antenna elements can be Wi-Fi® antennas, Bluetooth® antennas, cellular communication antennas, and the like. In certain embodiments, the antenna transmits and/or receives in the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Antennas can be patch antennas, monopole antennas, dipole antennas, and the like. It may be configured to transmit or receive electromagnetic signals in any suitable wavelength range. Examples of antenna components that may be employed in an optically switchable window system are found in PCT Patent Application No. PCT/ It is described in US 17/31106.

In various embodiments, the camera of the digital building element is configured to capture images in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. In some cases, the camera provides high resolution images, such as at least about 720p or at least about 1080p high definition images. In certain cases, the camera may also capture images with information about the intensity of wavelengths outside the visible range. For example, a camera may be able to capture infrared signals. In certain implementations, the digital building element includes a near-infrared device, such as a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera or a near-infrared (NIR) camera. Examples of suitable infrared cameras include the Boson™ or Lepton™ from FLIR Systems of Wilsonville, Oregon. Such infrared cameras can be employed to augment the visible cameras of digital building elements.

In certain embodiments, the camera can be configured to map the thermal properties of a room, thereby acting as a temperature sensor with three-dimensional perception. In some implementations, such cameras on digital building elements provide occupant detection, a quantitative measurement of solar heat that extends visible cameras to facilitate detection of humans instead of hot walls ( For example, you can image the floor or desk and see what the sun is actually shining on).

In certain embodiments, speakers, microphones, and associated logic are configured to use acoustic information to characterize air quality or conditions. As an example, an algorithm can emit an ultrasound pulse and detect transmitted and/or reflected pulses back to a microphone. Algorithms may be configured to analyze the detected acoustic signals, possibly using transmit versus receive differential audio signals, to determine air density, particulate bias, etc. to characterize air quality. can be done.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrating examples of components that may be present in a particular implementation of a Digital Building Element (DAE). In the illustrated example, configuration 300 includes DAE 330 and computer or processor 340 . Computer processor 340 is connected to the Internet and optionally to external networks such as cloud-based content and/or service providers. Connections may include suitable modems, routers or switches, and may include high bandwidth backbones such as the 10G backbones described above. Computer or processor 340 is also connected to video display 309 via an HDMI® link in this example. Additionally, computer 340 is connected to port 311 (USB, Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, or other) to enable additional internal or external resources for DAE 330 . As noted above, a DAE may include various sensor and peripheral elements. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, DAE 330 includes speaker 317 , microphone 319 , and various sensors 321 . Any one or more of these components may be coupled to computer or processor 340 via port 311 .

In the illustrated example, equalizer 313 may be configured to provide tone controls for adjusting the acoustics of the room. In some cases, equalizer 313 facilitates tuning room acoustics, for example, using real-time time-delayed reflectometry. This allows the equalizer and related components to compensate for unwanted audio artifacts produced by the interaction of sound waves with items in the room or otherwise in close proximity to the occupants. In certain embodiments, signal pulses are generated by speakers associated with digital building elements, and one or more microphones pick up the pulses directly and those reflected and attenuated by items in the room. Based on the time delay between pulse emission and detection, as well as the sound quality of the detected pulses, the system can infer room boundaries and the like. In certain embodiments, the user's smart phone further enables the speaker output to be optimized for the acoustic environment of different locations in the room. During setup mode, a user with the phone enabled can move around the room and use the phone to detect acoustic responses. Based on the location and detected acoustic response, the digital building element can decide how to optimize the speaker output. After the room's acoustic profile is mapped, the digital building element is programmed to adjust the speaker output based on various factors such as where the user is in the room. This element, in some embodiments, is described in PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US17/31106, filed May 4, 2017, previously incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. User location can be detected using any of a number of proximity techniques, such as those that are located.

Digital Wall Interface Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a digital wall interface that includes some or all of the components used in digital building elements, where the digital wall interface is a partially or fully constructed wall of a building. or configured to include a chassis or housing designed to be mounted on a door. The wall interface can be constructed to provide a user interface that is easily viewable by the user. It has a relatively small footprint (eg, a maximum user-facing surface area of about 500 square inches) and can be circular or polygonal in shape. In certain embodiments, the digital wall interface is approximately the shape and size of a tablet.

In certain embodiments, a digital wall interface has the same or similar characteristics as a digital building element, but it is a wall-mounted device. For example, a digital wall interface may include sensors and peripheral elements as described for digital building elements. Additionally, such elements may be included in a bar or similar chassis.

In various embodiments, the digital building element is provided to the building as it is being constructed, while the digital wall interface is installed in the building after construction of the building is completed or nearly completed. In one approach to building construction, multiple digital architectural elements are installed during the construction of basic building structures such as walls, partitions, doors, mullions, transoms, etc., while one or more digital wall interfaces are It is installed by the tenant, for example, just before moving in or at the time of moving in. Of course, once installed, the digital wall interface and the digital building element work together, e.g. by sharing detected results, by sharing analysis and control logic, etc. as part of a mesh network. can function.

In many embodiments, the digital wall interface includes an embedded display configured to provide a user interface and optionally a touch sensitive interface. In some but not all embodiments, the digital building element does not include a display or touch interface. In some embodiments, the digital building element does not include an embedded display, but an associated display, such as a display connected to the element by an HDMI cable or to project video controlled by the element. Note that we have a projector configured. Similarly, a digital wall interface can be configured to work with a separate display such as a window display or projection display.

Although much of the discussion herein regarding the uses, components, and functions of digital devices uses digital building elements as an example, in most cases a digital wall interface can serve a similar or identical purpose. Therefore, unless the discussion focuses on building structural elements to which digital devices are connected or associated, the discussion applies equally to digital wall interfaces and digital architectural elements.

Extended function window controller (WC3)
As noted above, in certain embodiments the enhanced feature window controller (WC3) may include a Wi-Fi® access point and optionally may also have cellular communication capabilities. They are often configured to connect to multiple networks (eg, CAN bus and Ethernet).

In some embodiments, an enhanced function window controller may have the basic structure and functionality as previously described herein, but with an added Gigabit Ethernet interface and a processor with enhanced computing power. Prepare. As with conventional window controllers, enhanced function window controllers may have a CAN bus interface or similar controller network. In some embodiments, the controller may be video capable and/or include features described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15/287,646, filed Oct. 6, 2016; is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In certain embodiments, the enhanced feature window controller includes (i) a processor with sufficiently high processing power to handle video and other functions requiring significant processing power, (ii) an Ethernet connection , (iii) optionally video processing capabilities, (iv) optionally Wi-Fi access points or other wireless communication capabilities. This module can be attached to a baseboard with other more conventional window controller functions, such as a power amplifier or another baseboard used with a ring sensor. The resulting device can be used to control an optically switchable window, or simply be related to wireless communication, video, and/or controlling the state of an optically switchable window. It can be used to provide other functionality that it does not.

In certain embodiments, the enhanced function window controller is provided, controlled, alarmed, etc. by a CAN bus or similar controller network protocol, similar to the conventional window controllers described herein, but additionally: Offer video, Wi-Fi, and/or other additional features.

FIG. 4 shows a comparison of a block diagram of WC2 (detail A) and a block diagram of WC3 (detail B) according to some implementations. The WC2 block diagram is available from View, Inc. of Milpitas, CA. 1 is an example of a conventional window controller such as that available from . Some of the depicted components include at least one voltage regulator 441, controller network interface, CAN 442, processing unit (microcontroller) 443, and various ports and connectors. Some of these components and exemplary architectures are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/449,251, filed Apr. 17, 2012 and U.S. /334,835, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Detail B depicts an example extension window controller WC3. In the depicted embodiment, the conventional window controller (WC2) and the enhanced functionality window controller (WC3) have similar architectures and some common components. The enhanced function window controller WC3 includes a higher performance microcontroller 453, a Gigabit Ethernet interface 454, a wireless (eg, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cellular) interface 455, and an optional MoCA interface. 456. The Gigabit Ethernet interface can be a conventional unshielded twisted pair (eg, UTP/CAT5-6) interface and/or a MoCA (GbE over coaxial cable) interface. In certain embodiments, connection to the enhanced function window controller is through a conventional RJ45 modular connector (jack). In certain embodiments that support MoCA, the controller includes a separate adapter to power the jack. As an example, such an adapter is an Actiontec (Actiontec Electronics, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif.) adapter, such as the ECB6250 MoCA2.5 network adapter, e.g., an adapter that provides data communication speeds of up to about 2.5 Gbps. could be.

Applications and Uses FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate some examples of applications and uses of digital architectural elements and related elements contemplated by this disclosure. It will be appreciated that the networks and high-bandwidth backbones described herein can be used for a variety of functions, some of which are not related to window control. One such function is to provide Internet, local network, and/or computing services to tenants or other building residents, construction personnel on site during building construction, and the like. During construction, the network and computing resources provided by the backbone and digital elements can be used for purposes other than window alignment testing. For example, they can be used to provide building information, construction instructions, and the like. In this way, construction personnel have immediate access to the construction information they need over a high-bandwidth on-site network.

In some cases, the network, communication, and/or computing services provided by the network and computing infrastructure described herein are WeWork. Used in multi-tenant buildings or shared workspaces such as those offered by com. For example, a shared workspace building only needs to provide temporary connectivity and processing power as needed. A building network as described herein provides central control and flexible allocation of computing resources to specific building locations. This flexibility allows allocation of different resources to different tenants.

Readings from sensors within a digital element (eg, a digital wall interface or a digital building element) can provide information about the environment near the digital building element. Examples of such sensors include any one or more of temperature, humidity, volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon dioxide, dust, light level, glare, and color temperature sensors. In certain embodiments, readings from one or more such sensors are used to offset deviations in the measured readings in response to the presence of occupants and other signal contextual indices, resulting in The values are input to algorithms that determine actions to be taken by other building systems to bring the values to occupant comfort or building efficiency targets.

In certain embodiments, the digital element may be provided on the roof of a building, optionally a sky sensor as described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0122802, published May 4, 2017. Or it can be collocated with a ring sensor. Such elements may be equipped with some or all of the features presented elsewhere herein for digital architectural elements. Examples include sensors, antennas, radio receivers, radars, air quality detectors, and the like. In some implementations, digital elements at exterior locations on roofs or other buildings provide information about air quality, and thus digital elements provide information about both interior and exterior air quality. obtain. This allows decisions about the tint condition of windows and other environmental conditions to be made using the complete set of information (e.g. if the exterior condition of a building is hazardous to health (or At least if it is worse than inside the building), a decision can be made to prohibit air ventilation from outside).

In some cases, the light level, glare, color temperature, and/or other characteristics of the ambient or artificial light within the area of the building are used to determine whether to change the tint state of the electrochromic device. In certain embodiments, these determinations are based on U.S. patent application Ser. 15/742,015, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In one example, coloration determinations are made by using solar calculators and/or reflection models in combination with algorithms for interpreting light information from sensors of digital building elements. Algorithms, in some cases, use information about the presence, number, and/or location of occupants (data available with digital building elements) to determine whether windows should be tinted, and what tint status. Helping you decide which to choose. In some cases, U.S. patent application Ser. Digital building elements are used instead of or in combination with sky sensors as described in '646.

As an example of tint and glare control, digital element sensors can provide feedback on local light, temperature, color, glare, etc. in a room or other part of a building. The logic associated with the digital element then determines that the intensity, direction, color, etc. of the light should be changed in the room or part of the building, and also how such changes are brought about. obtain. Changes may be necessary for user comfort (eg, reduce glare in the user's workspace, increase contrast, or modify color profiles for sensitive users), or for privacy or security. Assuming the logic determines that a change is needed, it then determines the optically switchable window tint state, display device output, switched particle device film state (e.g., transparent, translucent, opaque ), light projection onto a surface, artificial light output (color, intensity, direction, etc.), etc., to change one or more lighting or solar components. All such determinations are in accordance with U.S. Patent Application No. 15/347,677, filed November 9, 2016, and previously incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, January 4, 2018. This can be done with or without the assistance of whole-building tint state processing logic, such as that described in US patent application Ser.

A series of digital building elements within a building may form a mesh edge access network that enables interaction between the building's occupants and the building or machines within the building. Digital building elements and/or digital wall interfaces and/or extension window controllers, when equipped with appropriate network interfaces, connect and communicate within building structural elements (e.g., mullions) for ambient computing processing. , as a digital compute mesh network node that provides application execution, etc. It can be powered, monitored, and controlled in a similar or identical manner to edge sensor nodes in an in-building mesh network setting. It can also be used as a gateway for other sensor nodes.

A non-exhaustive list of features or uses of the high-bandwidth window networks and associated digital elements contemplated by this disclosure include: (a) the speakerphone-to-digital wall interface or digital building element has all the features of a speakerphone; (b) space personalization—resident preferences and/or roles can be saved and then implemented at specific locations where residents are located; In some cases, preferences and/or roles are only temporarily implemented when the user is at a particular location. In some cases, preferences and/or roles remain in effect as long as the resident is assigned a work or living space; Identifies presence, locks doors, tints windows, dims windows, sounds alarms, etc. (d) controls HVAC, air quality; Communicating with residents, including messages, may be communicated via digital element speakers; (f) collaboration between residents using live video; (h) connect, stream, or otherwise deliver other media content such as video or television; (i) Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana, Google enhancements to personal digital assistants, such as Google Home®, Apple's Siri, and/or other personal digital assistants; (j) facial or other biometric authentication enabled by cameras and associated image analysis logic; (k) color detection - color balance with room lighting and window tint conditions; including local environmental conditions. Conditions may be determined using one or more of the following types of sensed conditions, e.g., temperature and humidity, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), CO2, dust, smoke, lighting (light levels, glare, color temperature).

Computing Systems and Memory Devices The logic and computational processing resources of the present disclosure may be provided within digital elements, such as the digital wall interfaces or digital building elements described herein, and/or it may be the same or similar resources and The service may be provided via a network connection to a remote location, such as another building, a server on the Internet, or a cloud-based resource.

Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems for generating and/or using building features, such as the applications described in the "Applications and Uses" section above. Systems programmed or configured to perform functions and uses receive inputs such as (i) sensor data characterizing conditions within the building, occupant details, and/or external environmental conditions; may be configured to determine the impact of such conditions or details on the , and optionally execute instructions to take action to maintain or modify the building environment.

Many types of computing systems having any of a variety of computer architectures can be employed as the disclosed system for implementing the functions and uses described herein. For example, a system may include software components that run on one or more general purpose processors or specially designed processors such as programmable logic devices (eg, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)). Further, the system can be implemented in a single device or distributed across multiple devices. The functionality of the computational elements can be merged together or even split into multiple sub-modules. In certain embodiments, a computing system includes a microcontroller. In particular embodiments, the computing system includes a general purpose microprocessor. Computing systems are often configured to run an operating system and one or more applications.

In some embodiments, code to perform functions or uses described herein is in the form of software elements that can be stored on non-volatile storage media (such as optical discs, flash storage devices, mobile hard disks, etc.). can be embodied. At one level, software elements are implemented as sets of commands prepared by programmers/developers. However, modular software that can be executed on computer hardware is stored in memory using "machine code", or "native instructions", chosen from a particular machine language instruction set designed into the hardware processor. It is committed executable code. The machine language instruction set, or native instruction set, is known to and inherently built into the hardware processor(s). It is the "language" for system and application software to communicate with hardware processors. Each native instruction is a separate code that can be recognized by the processing architecture and can specify a particular register for arithmetic, addressing, or control functions, a particular memory location or offset, and a particular addressing mode to be used in interpreting the operands. be. More complex operations are built by combining these simple native instructions, which are executed sequentially or otherwise directed by control flow instructions.

The interrelationship between executable software instructions and hardware processors is structural. In other words, the instruction itself is a series of symbols or numbers. They do not inherently convey information. It is the processor preconfigured by design to interpret the symbols/numbers that gives the instructions meaning.

The algorithms used herein may be configured to run on a single machine at a single location, multiple machines at a single location, or multiple machines at multiple locations. Where multiple machines are employed, individual machines can be adapted to their specific tasks. For example, operations requiring large blocks of code and/or significant processing power may be implemented on large and/or stationary machines.

In addition, certain embodiments relate to tangible and/or non-transitory computer-readable media or computer program products that contain program instructions and/or data (including data structures) for performing various computer-implemented operations. . Examples of computer readable media include semiconductor memory devices, phase change devices, magnetic media such as disk drives, optical media such as magnetic tapes, CDs, magneto-optic media, and read-only memory devices (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). ), hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions. Computer readable media may be controlled directly by an end user, or media may be controlled indirectly by an end user. Examples of directly controlled media include media located at the user's premises and/or media not shared with other entities. Examples of indirectly controlled media include media that users can access indirectly through external networks and/or through services that provide shared resources such as the "cloud." Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter.

The data or information employed in the disclosed methods and apparatus are provided in digital form. Such data or information may include sensor data, building construction information, floor plans, operating or environmental conditions, schedules, and the like. As used herein, data or other information provided in digital form is available for storage on machines and transmission between machines. Conventionally, data may be stored as bits and/or bytes in various data structures, lists, databases, and the like. Data may be embodied electronically, optically, and the like.

In certain embodiments, algorithms for implementing the functions and uses described herein can be viewed as a form of application software that interfaces with user and system software. System software typically interfaces with computer hardware and associated memory. In particular embodiments, system software includes operating system software and/or firmware, as well as any middleware and drivers installed within the system. System software provides the basic, non-task specific functions of the computer. In contrast, modules and other application software are used to accomplish specific tasks. Each native instruction of a module is stored in a memory device and represented by a number.

Integrated Environmental Monitoring and Control As noted above, the currently disclosed technology is a digital building element capable of collecting rich data sets related to building interior and/or exterior environmental, occupancy and security conditions. (DAE) network. Digital architectural elements may include optically switchable windows and/or mullions or other architectural features associated with optically switchable windows. Advantageously, the digital building elements can at least be widely distributed all or most of the perimeter of the building. As a result, the aggregated data can provide a highly granular and detailed representation of the environmental, habitation, and security conditions associated with most or all of the interior and/or exterior of the building. For example, many or all of the windows in a building are equipped with light sensors and/or cameras (visible and/or IR), acoustic sensors such as microphone arrays, temperature and humidity sensors and VOC, CO2, carbon monoxide (CO) and/or It may include or be associated with a digital building element that includes a suite of sensors such as air quality sensors that detect dust.

Some implementations contemplate automated or semi-automated techniques, including machine learning, in which building environmental control, communications, and/or security systems intelligently adapt to changes in collected data. react. As an example, the level of occupancy of rooms within a building may be determined by an optical sensor camera and/or an acoustic sensor, and correlations may be made between specific changes in occupancy levels and desired changes in HVAC performance. For example, increased occupancy levels may correlate with the need to increase airflow and/or lower thermostat settings. As a further example, data from air quality sensors that detect dust levels may be correlated with the need to perform building maintenance or the need to introduce or exclude outside air from interior spaces. For example, in one use case scenario, dust levels in a room have been observed to rise when the occupant is moving around the room, and have been observed to decrease when the occupant is seated. In such a scenario, it may be determined that the floor covering needs to be serviced (mopped, vacuumed). In another use case scenario, the measured indoor air quality may be observed to (i) improve or (ii) degrade when the windows are opened. In case (i), it may be determined that the air circulation ducts or filters of the HVAC system need to be serviced. In case (ii), it may be determined that the outdoor air quality is poor and the windows of the building should be preferentially kept in the closed position. In still further use case scenarios, Co2 levels and/or the rate of change in Co2 levels are used to correlate the number of occupants in a conference room with whether doors and/or windows are open or closed. can draw

More generally, the technique measures multiple "building conditions" and generates "building operating parameters" for multiple "building systems" in response to the measured building conditions, as shown in FIG. is intended to control As used herein, "building condition" may refer to the physical and measurable condition of a building or part of a building. Examples include temperature, airflow, luminous flux and color, occupancy, air quality and composition (particle count, gas concentration of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water (humidity)). As used herein, "building system" may refer to a system capable of controlling or regulating building operational parameters. Examples include HVAC systems, lighting systems, security systems, window optical state control systems. Building operational parameters may refer to parameters that can be controlled by one or more building systems to regulate or control the condition of a building. Examples include heat flux to and from a heater or air conditioner, heat flux from windows or room lighting, airflow through a room, and light flux from artificial or natural light through optically switchable windows. .

Still referring to FIG. 6, method 600 may include gathering inputs from multiple sensors, block 610 . Some or all of the sensors are disposed on or associated with each window and/or associated with each digital building element associated with the window and/or digital wall interface. can be set. Sensors may include, for example, visible and/or IR light sensors or cameras, acoustic sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, and air quality sensors. It will be appreciated that the aggregated inputs may represent a variety of temporally and spatially diverse environmental condition measurements. In some implementations, at least some of the inputs may include a combination of sensors. For example, separate sensors dedicated to measuring each of CO ₂ , CO, dust and/or smoke may be contemplated, and a combination of inputs from the separate sensors may be analyzed for air quality control determinations ( block 620). As a further example, inputs related to determining the occupancy level of a room collected from separate sensors that measure light and acoustic signals, respectively, can be analyzed (block 620). As a still further example, inputs may be received from spatially distributed sensors nearly simultaneously. For example, the sensors may be spatially distributed with respect to a given room, or distributed among multiple rooms and/or floors of a building.

In some implementations, the analysis of measurement data at block 620 can take into account certain "contextual information" that is not necessarily obtained from sensors. Contextual information as used herein may include information regarding the time of day and time of day, local weather and/or climate information, and building layout, usage parameters of various parts of the building. The contextual information is initially entered by the user (eg, building manager) and manually and/or automatically updated from time to time. Examples of usage parameters may include the operational schedule of the building and the identification of expected and/or permitted/approved uses of individual rooms or larger portions of the building (eg, floors). For example, specific portions of billing may be identified as lobby spaces, restaurant/cafeteria spaces, conference rooms, open plan areas, private office spaces, and the like. The contextual information may be utilized in determining whether or how to modify building operational parameters, block 630, and also for calibration and optionally sensor adjustment. For example, based on contextual information, certain sensors can optionally be disabled in certain parts of a building to meet occupant privacy expectations. As a further example, sensors in rooms expected to have a significant number of people (e.g., auditoriums) are advantageous in different ways than sensors in rooms expected to be lightly occupied (e.g., private offices). can be calibrated or adjusted.

The purpose of the analysis at block 620 may be to determine whether a particular building condition exists or can be predicted to exist. As a simple example, analysis may include comparing sensor readings, such as flux or temperature measurements, to thresholds. As a further, more sophisticated example, when the room occupancy load changes (e.g., because a meeting in a conference room is calling or adjourning), the analysis at block 620 first looks at the acoustics associated with the room. and/or directly recognize changes as a result of input from optical sensors; second, the analysis may predict environmental parameters that may be expected to change as a result of changes in occupied loads. For example, an increase in occupancy load can be expected to lead to increased ambient temperature and increased _CO2 levels. Advantageously, the analysis at block 620 can be performed automatically on a regular or continuous basis using models or other algorithms that can be improved over time using, for example, machine learning techniques. In some implementations, the analysis may not explicitly identify a particular building condition (or combination of conditions) to determine if building operational parameters need to be adjusted.

Referring again to block 630 , a decision as to whether or how to modify the building operation parameters may be made based on the results of analysis block 620 . Depending on the decision, the state of the building may or may not change. Once a decision is made not to modify the building operational parameters, the method may return to block 610 . When a decision is made to modify billing for operational parameters, e.g., to improve occupant comfort or safety and/or to reduce operational costs and energy consumption, at block 640 one You can adjust the condition of the above buildings. For example, lights and/or HVAC services may be set to a low power state in rooms determined to be vacant. As a further example, a determination may be made that a fault or problem has occurred that requires the attention of building management, maintenance, or security personnel.

Decisions can be made on a reactive and/or proactive basis. For example, the decision can be responsive to changes in measured parameters, eg, a decision to increase HVAC flow rate can be made when ambient _CO2 rise is measured. Alternatively, or in addition, decisions can be made on a proactive basis, ie, building operational parameters can be adjusted in anticipation of environmental changes before changes are actually measured. For example, an observed change in occupancy load may result in a decision to increase HVAC flow, whether or not a corresponding increase in ambient _CO2 or temperature is measured.

In some implementations, the determination is made based on measured temperature, _CO2 levels, humidity, and/or local occupancy at one or more locations, and building operational parameters associated with HVAC (e.g., , airflow and temperature settings). In some implementations, the determination may relate to building operational parameters associated with building security. For example, security system alarms may be triggered, selected doors and windows may be locked or unlocked, and/or the tint status of all or some windows may be changed in response to an unusual sensor reading. Examples of security-related building conditions include detection of broken windows, detection of unauthorized persons in controlled areas, and movement of equipment, tools, electronic devices, or other assets from one location to another. Includes unauthorized movement detection.

Other types of security-related building status information may include information related to detecting the occurrence of sound detection outside and/or inside the building. In one embodiment, the detected sounds are analyzed for sound type. In some embodiments, analysis is initiated via hardware, firmware, or software installed on one or more digital structural elements or elsewhere in the building, or offsite. In some embodiments, sound outside or inside a building vibrates a conductive layer deposited on the glazing of an electrochromic window, and the vibration causes a change in capacitance between the conductive layers, resulting in a capacitance changes in are converted into signals indicative of sound. Thus, some windows of the present invention may inherently provide sound and/or vibration sensor functionality; however, in other embodiments the sound and/or vibration sensor functionality may be performed by and/or may be provided by one or more sensors implemented on the digital structural element.

In one embodiment, the location of sound origination can be determined by analyzing differences in sound amplitude and/or sound time delay experienced by different sound and/or vibration sensors. Types of sounds that are detected and analyzed include the sound of broken windows, voices (e.g. the voices of people who are or are not allowed to be in a particular area), motion (human, mechanical, air current). including, but not limited to, sound induced, and sound induced by firing a gun. In one embodiment, depending on the type of sound detected, one or more appropriate security or other actions are initiated by one or more systems within the building. For example, if it is determined that a gun has been fired at a location outside or inside a building, the building management system will place an automatic 911 call to alert emergency responders to that location.

In the case of sounds produced by guns inside buildings, knowing the exact location of the sound (eg, room, floor, building information) as well as the shooter that produced the sound is essential for proper emergency response. However, in buildings with large open space floor plans and/or corridors, textual location information that requires reference to a particular building floor plan can delay response. Rather than just textual location information, in one embodiment visual location information is provided. Visual localization of sounds can be provided by an installed camera system if so equipped, but in one embodiment was determined to be the closest to sounds produced by guns or shooters. Provided by changing the tint state of one or more windows to a unique tint state. For example, in one embodiment, upon sensing a sound of interest, the tint of tintable windows closest to the sound of interest is changed to a darker tint than the tint of windows farther from the sound, or vice versa. In this modality, if the respondent was unable to quickly locate a particular room on a particular floor of a particular building, they could visually identify a window that was clearly colored to be darker or lighter than other windows. You may be able to find it by searching.

In one embodiment, a person's current location associated with a particular sound may differ from their initial location, in which case the change in location was caused by another sound or person in the environment. Can be updated via change detection. For example, in the case of an active shooter situation, digital building elements or other in-place gas sensors could be used to monitor changes in air quality caused by the presence of detonated gunpowder, thereby giving responders the ability to shoot. can provide up-to-date information about the location of Sound or other sensors can also be used to obtain the location of a person quietly hiding from an active shooter (eg, via infrared detection of their location). In one embodiment, to confuse the active shooter, a sound is generated by a speaker on the digital building element or other speaker at the shooter's location to distract the shooter or to hide the hostage from the shooter. It is possible to mask the noise caused by . In one embodiment, a digital building element or other device's speaker and/or microphone can be selectively activated to communicate with a person trying to hide from an active shooter. Apart from having one or more window shades differentiated to help identify the location of the sound, some embodiments facilitate the entry and exit of one or more people from a particular location, for example. The unique tint of the window may need to be changed to something else to provide more light for viewing or to provide less light to block visibility in certain areas. .

Still referring to FIG. 6, at block 640 one or more building parameters may be modified in response to the determination made at block 630 . Modification of building parameters may, in some embodiments, be implemented under the control of a building management system, implemented by one or more of the building's systems such as, for example, HVAC, lighting, security, and window controller networks. obtain. It will be appreciated that building parameter modifications can be selectively made on a global (building-wide) basis or on a localized area basis (eg, individual rooms, suites of rooms, floors, etc.).

As previously mentioned, building systems that determine how to modify building operational parameters may use machine learning. This means that machine learning models are trained using training data. In certain embodiments, the process begins by training an initial model through supervised or semi-supervised learning. Models can be refined through ongoing training/learning provided by field use (eg, during operation in a functioning building). Examples of training data (where building conditions interact with each other and/or with building operational parameters) include sensory or contextual data (X or input) and building operational parameters or tags (Y or output). (a) [X = occupancy (measured with IR or camera/video), context, flux (internal + sun); Y = ΔT/time (no cooling)], (b) [ X = occupancy (measured by IR or camera/video), context; Y = _ΔCO2 /time (with nominal ventilation)], and (c) [X = occupancy (measured by IR or camera/video), context; temperature, external relative humidity (RH); Y=ΔRH/hour (with nominal ventilation)]. Part of the goal of machine learning is to identify unknown or hidden patterns or relationships, so learning typically uses multiple inputs (X) for each possible output (Y).

In some embodiments, execution of the process flow shown in FIG. 6 is facilitated by provisioning a digital building element with a suite of functional modules for environmental data collection and analysis, communication, and control. can be FIG. 7 illustrates an example set of such functional modules, according to one implementation. In the illustrated embodiment, digital building element 700 includes power and communications module 710 , audiovisual (A/V) module 720 , environment module 730 , computation/learning module 740 , and controller module 750 .

Power and communication module 710 may include one or more wired or wireless interfaces for transmission and reception of communication signals and/or power. An example of a wireless power transfer technology suitable for use in connection with the presently disclosed technology is the US Patent Application entitled WIRELESSLY POWERED AND POWERING ELECTROCHROMIC WINDOWS® filed March 13, 2018. Patent Application No. 62/642,478, International Patent Application No. PCT/US17/52798, entitled WIRELESSLY POWERED AND POWERING ELECTROCHROMIC WINDOWS®, filed September 21, 2017, and December 2015; U.S. patent application Ser. , which is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application. Power and communication module 710 may be communicatively coupled to each of audiovisual (A/V) module 720, environmental module 730, computational/learning module 740, and controller module 750 to distribute power. Power and communication module 710 may also be communicatively coupled to one or more other digital building elements (not shown) and/or interface with a building's power and/or control distribution node.

A/V module 730 may include one or more of the A/V components described above, including a camera or other visual and/or IR light sensor, visual display, touch interface, microphone or microphone array, and speaker. or including speaker arrays. In some embodiments, the "touch" interface may additionally include gesture recognition functionality operable to recognize and respond to non-contact movements of a human appendage or hand-held object.

Environmental module 730 may include one or more of the environmental sensing components described above, including temperature and humidity sensors, acoustooptic sensors, IR sensors, particle sensors (eg, for detecting dust, smoke, pollen, etc.), VOC , CO, and/or CO2 sensors. Environmental module 730 features a suite of audio and/or electromagnetic sensors that may partially or fully overlap the sensors described above in connection with A/V module 730 (e.g., microphone, visual and/or IR light sensors). can be incorporated effectively. In some embodiments, "sensor" as the term is used herein, uses some processing power to make decisions such as, for example, occupancy (or number of residents) in an area. can contain. Cameras, especially cameras that detect IR radiation, can be used to directly identify the number of people in an area. Additionally, sensors may alternatively provide raw (unprocessed) signals to computation/learning module 740 and/or controller module 750 .

Compute/learn module 740 may include processing components (including general-purpose or special-purpose processors and memory) such as those described above for digital architectural elements, digital wall interfaces, and/or enhanced function window controllers. Alternatively or additionally, it may include specially designed ASICs, digital signal processors, or other types of hardware to implement models such as machine learning models (e.g., neural networks). Including designed or optimized processors. Examples include Google's "tensor processing unit" or TPU. Such processors may be designed to efficiently compute activation functions, matrix operations, and/or other mathematical operations required for neural networks or other machine learning computations. For some applications, other dedicated processors such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) may be used. In some cases, processors may be provided in a system-on-chip architecture.

Controller module 750 is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. U.S. patent application Ser. U.S. Patent Application No. 15/334,835, entitled "CONTROLLERS FOR OPTICALLY-SWITCHABLE DEVICES," filed Oct. 26, 2016; and in INTERNATIONAL PATENT APPLICATION NO. or may include, each assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

For clarity of explanation, FIG. 7 presents the digital architectural element 700 as incorporating separate distinct modules 710, 720, 730, 740, and 750. As shown in FIG. However, it should be understood that two or more modules may be structurally combined with each other and/or with the digital wall interface features described above. Further, in building installations that include some digital building elements, it is contemplated that not all digital building elements will necessarily include all illustrated modules 710, 720, 730, 740, and 750. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the modules 710, 720, 730, 740, and 750 described may be shared by multiple digital building elements.

FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary physical packaging of digital architectural elements, according to some implementations. As observed in FIG. 8, the functions of modules 710, 720, 730, 740, and 750 described have sizes and form factors that can be easily accommodated by architectural features such as typical window sills. It is contemplated that it may be configured in a physical package.

Trunk Lines for High Speed Network Infrastructure The continued increase in the use and implementation of Internet of Things (IOT) devices requires communication networks capable of supporting data throughput. Contests of previously constructed buildings are increasingly finding that the existing installed network infrastructure cannot support this data throughput. Implementing or retrofitting a building network infrastructure according to the present invention enables faster communication between far more devices than was previously possible.

9A-9C show representations of trunk lines for high-speed network infrastructure, according to some implementations. Referring first to FIG. 9A, in one embodiment, a high speed network infrastructure 900a is implemented with at least one trunk 901 including at least one trunk segment 902 and at least one or more circuits 903. As described in more detail below, one or more of circuits 903 may be disposed within or otherwise associated with respective digital building elements. In some embodiments, the network 900a has 500 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, for example as envisioned by MoCA 2.0, MoCA 2.0 Combined, MoCA 2.5 and MoCA 3.0 respectively. It is configured to transfer signals to and/or from the device at a throughput of 10 Gbps.

Referring now to FIG. 9B, in one embodiment, a network infrastructure 900b includes a serial connection of trunk segments 902 daisy-chained together, one end of a first segment 902(1) being a control panel (CP ) 920 and the second end of the first segment 902(1) is coupled via trunk circuit 903 to the second segment 902(i). In one embodiment, the second segment 902(i) includes two or more conductors (902(2) and 902(3) in the illustrated example). In one embodiment, some or all of trunk segments 902 include twisted pair conductors configured to transfer power signals. In one embodiment, the DC power signal comprises a Class 2 power signal. In one embodiment, the end of at least one segment 902 comprises an RF connector 905 . In one embodiment, RF connector 905 comprises an F-type connector.

In one embodiment, each trunk circuit 903 is configured to pass signals between two trunk segments 902 and is further configured to couple signals between the segments and connectors 908 . In one embodiment, at least one trunk circuit 903 is carried by connector 908, at least one connector 906 configured to mate with connector 905 at the end of segment 202, and conductors 902(2,3). It includes at least one connector 907 configured to mate with a power signal. In one embodiment, connector 906 is or comprises an F-type connector configured to mate with connector 905 of segment 902, and connector(s) 907 includes at least one fastener, e.g. , including but not limited to terminal block type fasteners configured to secure the conductive ends of conductors.

In one embodiment, trunk circuit 903 includes one or more passive circuits. Referring now to FIG. 9C, in the illustrated embodiment, trunk circuit 903 includes directional coupler circuit 909 coupled to bias tee circuit 940 . In one embodiment, directional coupler 909 is proximate first conductor 911 and includes second conductor 912 . When first conductor 911 is configured to conduct a signal between segments 902 , the signal on first conductor 911 is inductively coupled to second conductor 912 . In one embodiment, bias-T circuit 940 includes inductor 941 and capacitor 942, with a first end of inductor 941 coupled to connector 907 and a second end of inductor 941 coupled to capacitor 942 and connector 908. It is In one embodiment, the power signal at connector 207 is combined with the signal provided by directional coupler circuit 909 by bias-T circuit 940 and the combined signal is coupled to connector 908 by bias-T circuit 940. . In one embodiment, connector 908 is or includes an RF connector. In one embodiment, connector 908 is or includes an F-type connector. In one embodiment, connector 908 is coupled to drop line 913 that can be configured to transfer both power and high speed/high bandwidth data signals to one or more devices 914 . In one embodiment, drop line 913 is or includes a coaxial cable conductor.

In one embodiment, high speed network 900 is installed on or on a building under construction. In some embodiments, at least a portion of network 900 is removed from the building's structural elements, such as unfinished or exposed interior and exterior facing walls, ceilings, and/or prior to the building being opened for occupancy. Installed on or within a structural element such as a floor. In some embodiments, at least a portion of network 200 is installed during or after installation of the building's electrical infrastructure under construction. In other embodiments, one or more portions of network 900 are installed before or during the installation of windows in a building under construction. Early installation of network 900, before final finishing work is completed, allows previously unavailable functionality to be utilized during building construction. In one embodiment, if windows are installed at the same time as or after network 900 is installed, some or all of the network and/or window processing power is made available to contractors and other field personnel. be able to. For example, in one embodiment, when windows with digital display screen technology are installed at the same time as or after installation of network 900, electronic versions of construction plans are displayed to architects and contractors on site. It can be displayed on the screen.

Furthermore, it is known that certain materials within a building, during or after construction, may interfere or block the transmission of certain frequencies, the blocking of which depends on such frequencies. can interfere with the device. For example, metallic structures that may be present on the interior and/or exterior walls of a building (such as, but not limited to, metal girders and metallic window glass coatings) may interfere with the operation of certain wireless devices. Are known. Such devices include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, IOT devices, 5G, and mmWave enabled devices. In one embodiment, trunk 901 comprises or is configured to be connected to one or more devices such as transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters to avoid such interruptions. . Appropriate placement of one or more transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters in or on building structures can be used to facilitate communications across and around such structures. In one embodiment, during or after construction of a building, one or more transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters are coupled to trunk line 901 to facilitate communication between devices within the building. In one embodiment, one or more transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters are positioned within the building according to their connection and/or routing to trunk line 901 . For example, in one embodiment, trunk 901 is installed on or within the exterior wall of a building during or after construction, and transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters are installed as part of one or more trunk circuits 903, or provided separately. In one embodiment, routing trunk 901 along the exterior of the building can be used to improve wireless connectivity to devices residing outside the building. In embodiments, one or more building elements may comprise transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters. In one embodiment, transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters may be provided in or on windows or window frames. In one embodiment, transceivers, antennas, and/or signal repeaters may be coupled to trunk 901 via drop lines 913 or via connections to trunk 901 at some other point along the trunk. In one embodiment, one or more of the transceivers, antennas and/or signal repeaters are located on an exterior wall or roof or building, and main line 901 is coupled to the transceivers, antennas and/or signal repeaters.

Main-Drop Line Interface FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary power and data distribution system including control panels, mains, drop lines, and digital building elements, according to some embodiments. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, control panel 1020 provides power and data to multiple digital building elements 1030 .

Conductors (power insert lines) 1002 ( 2 ), power injectors 1070 and power segments 1090 are provided to carry power from the control panel 1020 to the digital building element 1030 . A power distribution system including mains, power inserts, and power injectors is described in PCT Publication No. 2018/102103 (P085X1WO) filed November 10, 2017, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. incorporated into.

In certain embodiments, power insertion lines and power segments include one or more twisted pair conductors, such as pairs of 12 or 14 AWG conductors. In one example, one or both of these types of current carrying lines include two pairs of 2x14 AWG conductors. In certain embodiments, one or both of these types of power carrying cables are designed for Class 2 power (eg, <4 amps and <30 volts DC).

In the depicted embodiment, power from control panel 1020 is delivered first through power insert line 1002(2), then from power injector 1070, and finally through power segment 1090 to bias tee 1040. be. Bias tees 1040 couple power and data to drop lines 1013 connected to a plurality of digital building elements 1030 .

In the depicted embodiment, data is provided between a control panel 1020 (or more specifically, for example, a master controller or network controller provided within the control panel) and a plurality of digital building elements 1030. be. Data is conveyed from cable 1002(1), which is connected to control panel 1020, to directional coupler 1009, to bias tee 1040, and finally to drop line 1013.

In certain embodiments, data carrying cable 1002(1) and drop line 1013 are coaxial cables. In certain embodiments, one or both of these coaxial cables are RG6 coaxial cables. As described elsewhere herein, the system may include hardware and/or software logic for delivering high bandwidth data over coaxial cable. In particular embodiments, the system employs components configured to deliver data using one or more MoCA standards.

In various embodiments, data from the control panel is captured by the individual digital building elements 1030 by intercepting a portion of the carrier signal from the data carrier cable 1002(1) using a directional coupler 1009. delivered to those of As an example, the directional coupler can direct a small portion of the data signal from data carrying cable 1002(1) and direct the extracted signal toward the bias tee. As an example, the data signal received at the directional coupler has a first signal strength, the digital coupler extracts a small portion of the signal due to the bias tee, and the slightly reduced strength signal follows. continue to flow downstream towards the directional coupler of

Upstream data from digital building element 1030 passes through drop line 1013 to bias tee 1040 and directional coupler 1009, and finally to control panel 1020 (or, in many cases, more precisely, control panel data carrier cable 1002(1) for delivery) to a network within or to a master controller. A directional coupler 1009, as depicted in this exemplary system, directs particular data in only one direction. For example, upstream data from digital building element 1030 passing through directional coupler 1009 is directed upstream only to control panel 1020 on data carrying cable 1002(1).

In the example of FIG. 10, any one or more of the digital building elements 1030 may include any one or more of the modules or provide one or more of the functions described elsewhere herein. obtain. For example, although directional couplers 1009 and bias tees 1040 are shown outside their respective digital building elements 1030 for clarity of illustration, in some embodiments at least some digital building elements 1030 are contemplated to include respective directional couplers 1009 and/or respective bias tees 1040 . In certain embodiments, at least one of digital building elements 1030 lacks sensor, audio, and/or video capabilities. For example, digital building element 1030 may include only communication capabilities, such as Wi-Fi®, cellular, and/or wired network capabilities.

In some cases, one or more digital architectural elements include modules or other components for controlling one or more electrically tintable windows. In some cases, the digital building element includes or communicates with one or more window controllers. To this end, one or more digital building elements may include components such as gateways for implementing controller area network (eg, CAN bus) functionality. In such cases, the system depicted in FIG. 10 may have CAN bus cable connections provided via mains or other components.

In FIG. 10 and other figures depicting systems including digital building elements, the digital building elements are other digital elements that provide any one or more functions that provide control, processing, communication, and/or sensing. It should be understood that they can be replaced. For example, any digital building element can be replaced by a digital wall controller, enhanced function window controller, or the like.

FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example trunk circuit similar to that described above in connection with FIG. 9C. In the illustrated example, the trunk circuit includes a combination of features of both directional coupler 1109 and bias tee circuit 1140, which is sometimes referred to as a multiport coupler or trunk tee. In the depicted example, the directional coupler 1109 is proximate to a first conductor 1111 that includes an upstream segment (entrance) 1111(i) and a downstream segment (outlet) 1111(o). Conductor 1111 may couple to a segment of the trunk line (eg, segment 902 in FIG. 9C and 1002(i) in FIG. 10). Directional coupler 1109 includes a first conductor 1111 and a second conductor 1112 inductively coupled. In the illustrated example, the directional coupler provides tap line 1150 for the data signal extracted from first conductor 1111 . In certain embodiments, a directional coupler includes two parallel conductive elements (eg, two copper traces). These are depicted as (i) a first conductor 1111 connecting two portions of a coaxial or other data carrying line (not shown), and (ii) a second conductor 1112 which is a directional finger. . By inductive coupling, the signal from the main data-carrying line is tapped or extracted for other uses, in which case it is provided to bias-tee circuitry 1140 . The relative lengths of the directional fingers along the path of successive conductive elements and the separation distance between these two conductive elements, among other parameters, determine the strength of the tapped data-carrying signal.

As an example, a data signal arrives at the directional coupler from the control panel and the incoming signal (at 1111(i)) has a signal strength of 25 dB. The directional coupler extracts a small portion of the signal (eg, 2 dB) and the remaining 23 dB of the signal (at 1111(o)) is sent downstream (away from the control panel (not shown)) and For example, it is configured to allow flow to continue towards the next directional coupler (not shown).

Tap 1150 may deliver data to bias-tee circuit 1140 with relatively low signal strength (compared to the signal on first conductor 1111). As shown, bias tee circuit 1140 is the link between inductive element 1141 coupled to a power source (eg, a power segment such as segment 1090) and the node connecting directional coupler 1109 and inductive element 1141. It has a structure including the upper capacitive element 1142 .

In operation, bias-tee circuit 1140 can receive data from directional coupler 1190 via coaxial cable as an RF signal and combine it with DC power from a separate power supply. It sends the combined signal on drop line 1113 for downstream transmission to device 1114, which receives a digital building element (eg, digital building element 1030 in FIG. 10) or other digital element, and /or it may be a window controller and/or an electrically tintable window (eg, in an IGU). The power provided to bias tee 1140 (and inductive element 1141 in particular) can come from any of a variety of sources. In some embodiments, it is provided via a control panel sourced cable connection (eg, a power insertion line such as line 1002(2) or a power segment cable connection such as segment 1090). In some embodiments, it is provided via a battery, storage capacitor, or other form of energy well (not shown). In certain embodiments, a combined trunk tee circuit includes both powerline cables and energy wells. Working in concert under appropriate control logic, these two power supplies can provide load leveling, backup power, etc. in a power distribution system.

In the optional embodiment depicted in FIG. 11, device 1114 is configured as a digital building element including bias-tee circuitry 1160 for accepting data and power provided via drop line 1113 . AC power from drop line 113 is directed to the power supply of the digital building element on the first circuit leg and data is directed to a different leg for processing in block 1161 .

In certain embodiments, a combined trunk tee circuit includes at least five ports: (i) an input data port for receiving data from an upstream source (eg, control panel), (ii) a downstream trunk tee circuit. (and ultimately downstream processing units such as other digital building elements), (iii) an input power port for receiving power from a power supply (e.g., control panel), ( iv) an output power port for transmitting unused power to other devices consuming power downstream, and (iv) for transmitting tapped data and power to devices such as digital building elements on drop lines. drop wire port. In a particular embodiment, ports (i), (ii), and (iv) include connectors for coaxial cables and ports (iii) and (iv) include connectors for twisted pair cables.

In certain embodiments, a directional coupler, such as directional coupler 1109 in trunk tee 1103, is a mechanical component for controlling or adjusting the coupling between traces or other conductive elements included in the directional coupler. or includes a control or adjustment feature such as an electrically controllable knob or dial. For example, a control or adjustment function may provide control of the relative positions and/or overlapping lengths of the traces, thereby allowing different degrees of signal coupling.

Depending on where the directional coupler is located in the communication network (near the control panel or terminus, or somewhere in between), the directional coupler may require different degrees of signal coupling. Adjustable mechanisms may allow varying degrees of signal coupling to suit different locations on the communication network.

In certain embodiments, the main line connects to the control panel and carries both data and power lines. For example, the mains can carry the power insertion line 1002(2) and the data carrying cable 1002(1) from the control panel 1020 of the system of FIG.

FIG. 12 depicts a cross-sectional view of an exemplary trunk line 1200 configured to carry a combination of power and data and/or data to and from a control panel. Trunk 1200 has conductors and shields to carry power and data for both generic network protocols (such as Ethernet) and control area networks, such as CAN bus protocols. As shown in FIG. 12, trunk line 1200 includes an outer jacket 1210 that may be or include an insulator. In the example depicted, the outer jacket consists of an internal coaxial cable 1220 (e.g., RG6 coax) for high bandwidth data communications, two large gauge twisted pair cables 1230 (e.g., 14 AWG non-coaxial) for high wattage power delivery. shielded twisted pair cable), and a CAN bus shielded multi-conductor cable 1240 for interacting with, for example, window controllers, sensors, and the like. Of course, many of these features can be generalized, such as, for example, the number of twisted-pair conductors, the gauge of conductors, and even the type of data-carrying cable (eg, non-coaxial line such as optical fiber). In certain embodiments, the CAN bus cable includes two data conductors that are twisted pairs, has an overall shield (eg, foil shield) covering the pair, and includes two power conductors. The two power conductors may be a single wire and a drain wire (bare wire, no insulation) that electrically connects to the overall shield.

FIG. 13 shows data with a digital building element (such as a “smart frame” or similar communication/processing module) 1330 coupled via a drop line 1313 to a combination module 1380 including a directional coupler 1389 and a bias tee circuit 1384. and an example of part of a power distribution system. Drop lines 1313 can carry both power and data downstream to DAE 1330 and data from DAE 1330 upstream to a control panel (not shown). Data from a control panel (or other upstream source) may be provided via coaxial cable input port 1381 . This data is provided to directional coupler 1389 of combination module 1380 . Directional coupler 1389 extracts a portion of the data signal and transmits it on line 1382, which can be a cable, an electrical trace on a circuit board, etc., depending on the design of combination module 1380. . Data from the control panel that is not intercepted by the combined trunk tee is output via coaxial cable output port 1383 .

Line 1382 connects to bias tee circuit 1384 of combination module 1380 . Two twisted pair conductors (or other power carrying lines) 1385 ( 1 ) and 1385 ( 2 ) are also connected to bias tee circuit 1384 . With these connections, the bias-tee circuit couples power and data to drop line 1313, which may be a coaxial cable. A digital building element or other communication/processing element 1330 includes and/or connects to components for cellular communication (e.g., the antenna shown) and cellular or CBRS processing logic 1335 as depicted. can be done. In some embodiments, processing logic 1335 may be 5G compatible. In certain embodiments, as depicted, a digital architectural element or other communication/processing element 1330 includes one or more CAN bus nodes, such as window controllers, that control the tint state of associated optically controllable windows. provides a CAN bus gateway that provides data and power to

In certain embodiments, during construction of a building, modules such as combination module 1380 illustrated in FIG. can be installed freely throughout the building, including In such embodiments, the combination trunk tee may be used after construction to install digital processing devices when required by the building and/or tenants or other residents.

Digital Building Elements Figures 14, 15, and 16 present block diagrams of versions of digital building elements, digital wall interfaces, or similar devices. For convenience, the following description will refer to Digital Building Elements (DAEs). FIG. 14 illustrates a DAE 1430 capable of supporting multiple communication types, including Wi-Fi® communication with its own antenna 1437, for example. Alternatively or additionally, the DAE 1430 may include or be coupled with cellular communications infrastructure such as baseband radio receivers, amplifiers, and antennas in the illustrated embodiment. Similarly, although not explicitly shown here, digital building element 1530 can support civil band radio systems (CBRS) employing similar baseband radio receivers. From a communication and data processing perspective, the digital building element in this diagram has the same general architecture as the full-featured digital building element. However, it does not include sensors and may not include ancillary components such as displays, microphones, and speakers.

In some embodiments, the digital building element provides a modular style sensor configuration that allows for individual upgrades and replacement of sensors via plug-and-play insertion into a backbone-type circuit board having a set of slots or sockets. to support. In one embodiment, sensors used in digital structural elements can be installed vertically in the backbone of one of many standardized slots/sockets for maximum flexibility and functionality. In some embodiments, the sensors are modular and can be plug-and-play replaced via removal and insertion through openings in the housing of the digital building element. Failed sensors can be replaced or modified in function/capability as required. In one embodiment where digital building elements are installed during the construction phase of a project/building, one or more that may become unnecessary when the project/building is ready for habitation due to the use of plug-and-play sensors sensors to enable customization of digital building elements. For example, during construction, sensors can be installed to track construction assets on site, monitor unsafe (OSHA+) noise and air quality levels, and/or night cameras can be installed. , the movement of the construction site can be monitored when the site is not normally occupied by workers. If desired or necessary, these or other sensors can be removed after construction, and quickly and easily during the move-in phase, or later when an upgrade or sensor with new capabilities is needed or available. can be replaced or supplemented.

FIG. 15 illustrates a system 1500 of components that may be incorporated into or associated with a DAE. System 1500 can transmit and receive data wirelessly (eg, Wi-Fi® communications, cellular communications, citizen band radio system communications, etc.), transmit data upstream, for example, over coaxial drop lines, and transmit data downstream. In FIG. 15, the elements of system 1500 are presented at a relatively high level. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 15 includes circuitry that performs similar functions as combination module 1380 (described above in connection with FIG. 13) at the main-to-drop line interface, specifically , a module 1580 containing a bias tee circuit 1584 takes power and data from separate conductors (trunks) and puts them into one cable (drop line 1513). Thus, for downstream transmission, the coaxial drop line can deliver both power and data on the same conductor to the MoCA interface 1590 of the digital building element.

As shown, system 1500 includes bias-tee circuitry 1584 coupled to MoCA interface 1590 via drop line 1513 . MoCA interface 1590 is configured to convert a downstream data signal provided in MoCA format on a coaxial cable (in this case a drop line) into data in a conventional format that can be used for processing. Similarly, MoCA interface 1590 may be configured to format upstream data for transmission over coaxial cable (drop line 1513). For example, packetized Ethernet data may be MoCA formatted for upstream transmission over coaxial cable.

In the illustrated example, DC-to-DC power supply 1501 receives DC power from bias tee circuit 1584 and uses this relatively high voltage power to power the processing and other components of digital building element 1530 . Convert to a suitable lower voltage power. In certain implementations, power supply 1501 includes a step-down converter. The power supply may have various outputs, each with a power or voltage level suitable for the component it powers. For example, one component may require 12 volts of power and a different component may require 3.3 volts of power.

In some approaches, bias tee circuit 1584, MoCA interface 1590, and power supply 1501 are provided in modules (or other combined units) that are used across multiple designs of digital building elements or similar network devices. . Such modules may provide data and power to one or more downstream data processing, communication, and/or sensing devices within the digital building element. In the depicted embodiment, processing block 1503 performs cellular (e.g., 5G) as enabled by transmit (Tx) antennas and associated RF power amplifiers and by receive (Rx) antennas and associated analog-to-digital converters. or provide processing logic for other wireless communication functions. In certain embodiments, the antenna and associated transceiver logic are configured for wideband communications (eg, approximately 800 MHz to 5.8 GHz). Processing block 1503 may be implemented as one or more separate physical processors. Although the blocks are shown as separate microcontrollers and digital signal processors, the two can be combined in a single physical integrated circuit such as an ASIC.

While the embodiment depicted in FIG. 15 provides separate transmit and receive antennas, other embodiments use a single antenna for transmission and reception. Furthermore, if the digital building element supports multiple wireless communication protocols, such as one or more cellular formats (e.g., 5G for Sprint, 5G for T mobile, 4G/LTE for ATT, etc.), It may contain separate hardware such as antennas, amplifiers, and analog-to-digital converters for each format. Additionally, if the digital building element supports non-cellular wireless communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, civil band radio systems, etc., separate antennas and/or other hardware may be required for each of these. However, in some embodiments, a single power amplifier may be shared by antennas and/or other hardware for multiple wireless communication formats.

In the depicted embodiment, processing block 1503 may implement functionality associated with communications such as, for example, a baseband radio receiver for cellular or citizen band radio communications. In some cases, different physical processors are used for each supported wireless communication protocol. In some cases, a single physical processor is configured to implement multiple baseband radio receivers, optionally sharing certain additional hardware such as power amplifiers and/or antennas. In such cases, different baseband radio receivers may be definable in software or other configurable logic.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example system 1600 of components that can be incorporated into or associated with a digital building element. As shown, system 1600 includes bias-tee circuitry 1684 that may operate as described above (eg, similar to bias-tee circuitry 1584 of FIG. 15). Data from the bias-tee circuit 1684 is passed to a MoCA front-end module 1690 (e.g., an on-chip coaxial network such as the MxL3710 available from MaxLinear, Inc. of Carlsbad, Calif.) that operates in conjunction with at least a portion of the processing block 1640. controller system) to provide high speed data to one or more components of system 1600 .

Power (eg, 24 VDC) from bias tee circuit 1584 is supplied to one or more voltage regulators within power supply 1601, at least some of which collectively perform the functions of power supply 1501 of FIG. It may power various components of the 1640. Processing block 1640, as generally represented by block 1642, may include general purpose microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, and multiple core or embedded processors, some or all of which have varying processing capabilities. It may include an integrated circuit. In certain embodiments, processing block 1640 performs the functions of processing block 1503 of FIG. As an example, processing block 1640 may provide CAN bus functionality for one or more window controllers.

In the illustrated example, processing block 1640 includes network switch 1643, which may be, for example, a 5-port Ethernet switch such as the SJA1105 available from NXP Semiconductors of the Netherlands. MoCA encoded data arriving from the MoCA front end can be decoded to provide data in conventional Ethernet format. That data can then be provided to a network switch where it can be distributed to the various data processing components of system 1600 .

In one embodiment, a modular electrical connector 1604, such as the illustrated RJ45 connector, can be used to transfer data for any purpose a resident or building owner might have, e.g., a user's laptop or data center connection. can provide. In one example, connector 1604 provides a connection to Gigabit Ethernet over twisted pair copper wires.

Block 1610 of FIG. 16 includes examples of additional components not shown in the embodiment of FIG. In certain embodiments, they are provided together in a single chassis or case, or otherwise provided as modules. In other embodiments they may be provided separately and each integrated into the digital building element. As shown, block 1605 includes sensor module 1611 , video module 1612 , audio module 1613 , and window controller elements including window controller logic 1614 and window controller power circuit 1615 . In particular embodiments, some or all of the functionality of window controller 1614 may be implemented in processing block 1640 , thereby minimizing or eliminating the requirement of separate logic elements such as window controller logic 1614 .

In some embodiments, 5G infrastructure can replace both Wi-Fi® and 4G via a single service protocol and associated infrastructure. For example, one or more 5G antennas and related components within a building area may provide wireless communication capabilities for all needs, effectively replacing Wi-Fi needs. In certain embodiments, the digital building element uses Citizen's Band Radio System (CBRS), which does not require a separate license from the FCC or other regulatory agency.

CONCLUSION In the description, numerous specific details were set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the presented embodiments. The disclosed embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process operations have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the disclosed embodiments. While the disclosed embodiments have been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments, it will be understood that the specific embodiments are not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments.
According to this specification, configurations described in the following items are also disclosed.
(Item 1)
A high-speed data communication network in or on a building,
serially coupled together by a plurality of passive circuits configured to deliver signals to and receive signals from one or more devices on, within, or outside of said building A network comprising a plurality of trunk segments, wherein the signal contains data having a transmission rate greater than 1 Gpbs.
(Item 2)
2. The network of item 1, wherein the trunk segment comprises a coaxial cable.
(Item 3)
3. The network of item 1 or item 2, wherein the trunk segment comprises twisted pair conductors.
(Item 4)
A network according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the passive circuit is configured as a bias-T.
(Item 5)
5. Network according to item 4, wherein the bias T comprises an inductor and a capacitor.
(Item 6)
A network according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the passive circuit is configured as a directional coupler.
(Item 7)
7. Any one of items 1-6, wherein each passive circuit comprises a first conductor having two ends, each end configured to couple to one of said trunk segments. network described in .
(Item 8)
8. The network of item 7, wherein the passive circuit comprises a second conductor adjacent to and spaced from the first conductor.
(Item 9)
9. The network of item 8, wherein the first and second conductors are spaced in parallel relationship.
(Item 10)
10. The network of any one of items 1-9, wherein at least one of the plurality of passive circuits is configured to distribute signals via inductive coupling.
(Item 11)
A method of installing a high speed data communication network in or on a building, comprising:
providing multiple trunk line segments;
providing one or more circuits;
forming said high speed data communication network by coupling said plurality of trunk segments to said one or more circuits to form a daisy chain trunk topology, wherein said plurality of trunk segments comprise coaxial cables. wherein the one or more circuits are configured to distribute signals to and receive signals from one or more devices on, within, or outside of the building ,Method.
(Item 12)
12. The method of item 11, wherein the one or more devices comprise windows.
(Item 13)
13. The method of item 12, wherein the one or more devices comprise a controller configured to control the function of at least one of the windows.
(Item 14)
Item 11, wherein the one or more devices comprise a device selected from the group consisting of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, wireless devices, sensors, antennas, 5G devices, millimeter wave devices, microphones, speakers, and microprocessors. 14. The method of any one of items 1-13.
(Item 15)
15. The method of item 14, wherein the method further comprises installing the one or more devices in or on a structural element of the building.
(Item 16)
16. The method of any one of items 11-15, wherein the one or more circuits comprise inductors and capacitors.
(Item 17)
17. The method of any one of items 11-16, wherein the one or more circuits comprise an antenna.
(Item 18)
18. The method of item 17, wherein the antenna comprises a 5G antenna.
(Item 19)
19. The method of any one of items 11-18, wherein the one or more circuits comprise one or more connectors.
(Item 20)
20. The method of item 19, wherein the connector comprises an RF connector.
(Item 21)
21. The method of any one of items 11-20, wherein the one or more circuits comprise two or more connectors.
(Item 22)
A method according to any one of items 11 to 21, wherein said signal comprises data having a transmission rate of over 1 Gpbs.
(Item 23)
23. The method of any one of items 11-22, wherein the signal comprises a power signal.
(Item 24)
24. The method of item 23, wherein the power signal comprises a class 2 power signal.
(Item 25)
A method according to any one of items 11 to 24, wherein said signals comprise TCP/IP data and power signals.
(Item 26)
26. The method of any one of items 11-25, wherein the daisy chain topology is coupled to a building management control panel.
(Item 27)
27. The method of any one of items 11-26, wherein the signal comprises wireless data.
(Item 28)
28. The method of any one of items 11-27, further comprising installing at least one window in the building.
(Item 29)
29. Method according to item 28, wherein the at least one window comprises an optically switchable window.
(Item 30)
30. The method of item 29, wherein the at least one window comprises an electrochromic window.
(Item 31)
29. The method of item 28, wherein said step of installing at least one window is performed after forming said high speed data communication network.
(Item 32)
32. A method according to any one of items 11 to 31, wherein at least part of said trunk line segment is installed in or on an outer wall of said building.
(Item 33)
33. The method of item 32, wherein the one or more devices include antennas and/or repeaters.
(Item 34)
34. Method according to item 33, wherein at least one of said one or more devices is installed in or on a window of said building.
(Item 35)
35. The method of item 34, wherein the window comprises a digital display screen.
(Item 36)
36. The method of any one of items 11-35, wherein the one or more circuits comprise directional couplers.
(Item 37)
37. The method of any one of items 11-36, wherein the one or more circuits comprise a bias T circuit.
(Item 38)
38. A method according to any one of items 11 to 37, wherein forming said high speed data communication network is performed during construction of said building.
(Item 39)
39. The method of item 38, wherein forming the high speed data communication network comprises coupling the circuit to a window of the building.
(Item 40)
A high-speed data communication network in or on a building,
a plurality of trunk segments and one or more circuits, the plurality of trunk segments coupled by the one or more circuits to form a daisy chain trunk configuration, the plurality of trunk segments comprising coaxial cables; A network wherein the one or more circuits are configured to distribute signals to and receive signals from one or more devices on, within, or outside the building. .
(Item 41)
41. The network of item 40, wherein the one or more devices comprise windows.
(Item 42)
42. The network of item 41, wherein the one or more devices comprise a controller configured to control the functionality of the window.
(Item 43)
43. Any one of items 40-42, wherein the one or more devices are selected from the group consisting of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, wireless devices, sensors, antennas, 5G devices, microphones, microprocessors, and speakers. network described in .
(Item 44)
44. The network of any one of items 40-43, wherein said one or more devices are in or on a structure of said building.
(Item 45)
45. The network of any one of items 40-44, wherein the one or more circuits comprise inductors and capacitors.
(Item 46)
46. The network of any one of items 40-45, wherein the one or more circuits comprise an antenna.
(Item 47)
47. The network of item 46, wherein said antenna is a 5G antenna.
(Item 48)
48. The network of any one of items 40-47, wherein said one or more circuits comprise two or more connectors.
(Item 49)
49. The network of item 48, wherein the two or more connectors are configured to be secured to a coaxial cable and a pair of conductors.
(Item 50)
50. The network of item 48 or item 49, wherein the connector comprises an RF connector.
(Item 51)
51. The network of any one of items 48-50, wherein the connector comprises a terminal block.
(Item 52)
52. A network according to any one of items 40-51, wherein said signal comprises data having a transmission rate greater than 1 Gpbs.
(Item 53)
53. The network of any one of items 40-52, wherein the signals comprise power signals.
(Item 54)
54. The network of item 53, wherein the power signal comprises a class 2 power signal.
(Item 55)
55. The network of any one of items 40-54, wherein the signals include TCP/IP data and power signals.
(Item 56)
56. The network according to any one of items 40-55, wherein said signals comprise 5G signals.
(Item 57)
57. The network of any one of items 40-56, wherein the signal comprises wireless data.
(Item 58)
58. The network of any one of items 40-57, wherein said one or more devices comprise optically switchable windows.
(Item 59)
59. The network of item 58, wherein said optically switchable window comprises an electrochromic window.
(Item 60)
60. The network of item 58 or item 59, wherein the optically switchable window includes digital display technology.
(Item 61)
61. A network according to any one of items 40 to 60, wherein at least some of said trunk segments are installed within or on an outer wall of said building.
(Item 62)
62. Any one of items 40-61, wherein the one or more devices comprise transceivers, antennas and/or repeaters, and wherein the one or more devices are installed in or on an exterior structure of the building. network as described in section.
(Item 63)
63. The network of item 62, wherein the external structure comprises an outer wall.
(Item 64)
64. The network of item 63, wherein the external structure comprises a roof.
(Item 65)
65. The network of any one of items 40-64, wherein the one or more devices comprise an antenna.
(Item 66)
66. The network of any one of items 40-65, wherein said one or more devices are installed in or on windows of said building.
(Item 67)
67. The network of any one of items 40-66, wherein said one or more circuits comprise transceivers, antennas and/or repeaters.
(Item 68)
68. The network of any one of items 40-67, wherein said one or more circuits comprise directional coupler circuits.
(Item 69)
69. The network of any one of items 40-68, wherein the one or more circuits comprise a bias T circuit.

Claims (20)

Equipped with multiple sensor systems, each sensor system
a housing;
at least one sensor disposed on the housing; and
at least one processor disposed in the housing; and
a network interface;
The system, wherein the plurality of sensor systems are configured to operate as a mesh network using the network interface and the at least one processor of each sensor system. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor systems are configured to receive and transmit communications from occupants of buildings in which each of the plurality of sensor systems is located. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor of each sensor system is configured to perform ambient computing processing. 4. The sensor system of any one of claims 1-3, wherein each sensor system further comprises an antenna disposed within the housing, the antenna being configured to transmit and/or receive cellular communication signals. system. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the cellular communication signals comprise 4G cellular communication signals, 5G cellular communication signals, or LTE cellular communication signals, or any combination thereof. 6. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each sensor system further comprises at least one antenna configured to transmit and/or receive radio signals according to the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi protocol. System as described. 7. The system of any one of claims 1-6, wherein each sensor system is configured to receive a signal comprising a combination of power and data. A system for high bandwidth communication, the system comprising:
a plurality of control panels, each control panel of the plurality of control panels configured to control at least one downstream device, each control panel comprising:
at least one controller;
a plurality of data ports, each data port of the plurality of data ports configured to support transmission of data at a rate of at least 0.5 gigabits per second; ,
a high bandwidth data backbone operably linking the plurality of control panels;
A system with 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the high bandwidth data backbone is configured to transmit data at a rate of at least 10 Gbit/s. 10. The system of claim 8 or 9, wherein at least two control panels of said plurality of control panels are configured to control devices on different floors of a building. 11. The system of any one of claims 8-10, wherein said at least one downstream device is a window controller configured to control at least one optically switchable device. 12. The system of any one of claims 8-11, wherein one control panel of the plurality of control panels is operably coupled to the at least one downstream device via a coaxial cable. 13. Further comprising a network switch communicatively coupled to said plurality of control panels, said network switch configured to support transmission of data at a rate of at least 0.5 gigabits per second. A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3. The one control panel further includes a network switch communicatively coupled to the plurality of control panels, the network switch configured to support transmission of data at a rate of at least 0.5 gigabits per second. 13. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the system comprises: a control panel;
a plurality of window controllers operably coupled to the control panel;
a plurality of optically switchable devices, each optically switchable device operably coupled to one window controller of the plurality of window controllers;
a trunk line connecting the control panel to each window controller of the plurality of window controllers, the trunk line transmitting data and power to each window controller;
each sensor system comprising a plurality of sensors housed within a housing of each sensor system and on a structural element of a building in which said plurality of optically switchable devices are installed or said plurality of optically switchable devices a plurality of sensor systems, each sensor system positioned on a frame component of the optically switchable device of one of
A system with 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the trunkline is configured to transmit sensor data from each of the plurality of sensor systems to the control panel. 17. The system of Claim 16, wherein the sensor data is utilized by a controller to determine modifications to one or more building operational parameters. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said modifications to said one or more building operational parameters comprise modifications to tint status of at least one optically switchable device of said plurality of optically switchable devices. system. 19. A system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the controller is outside a building. 20. A system according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein said system includes at least one additional control panel, said at least one additional control panel being operably coupled to a second plurality of window controllers. System as described.