US Patent:
20130038217, Feb 14, 2013
Inventors:
Amanda C. Askin - Dublin CA, US
Kincho H. Law - Cupertino CA, US
International Classification:
H05B 37/02
Abstract:
A building lighting control system includes a central building server, distributed zone controllers, and light sensors and control units in each zone. Using occupant lighting preferences, occupancy state, and light levels, each zone controller computes a utility curve which represents the relationship between energy use and service level in the zone. The building server zone receives utility curves from all the zones and allocates energy units to the zones based on the utility curves using a utility-based trading algorithm in order to optimize service levels with minimal energy. Each zone controller then distributes energy to lights in its zone based on energy units allocated to the zone by the building server and based also on influence matrices representing the influences of the lights in the zone upon the sensors in the zone. The building server may also compute and output long-term operational information of the building.