Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates generally to device control and more specifically to an architecture for implementing circadian lighting in a home automation system having diverse lighting devices with different capabilities and manners of control.

Research shows that humans and other animals have evolved "built-in clocks" that regulate the timing of biological processes relative to a day/night cycle. These "clocks" are known as circadian rhythms. While circadian rhythms are self regulating in the natural environment, modem lighting has been shown to disrupt them, delaying the production of melatonin and having other adverse health effects. Research shows that intense light from lighting devices, especially blue light that is found in high Kelvin (e.g. <NUM>-<NUM>) "daylight" lighting, disrupts circadian rhythms. Intense light in this range may mimic sunlight in the middle of the day, confusing the body's perception of the day/night cycle.

To address this issue, there have recently been a number of efforts to implement circadian lighting in structures (e.g., residential or commercial structures), where the intensity (i.e. brightness) and/or color temperature of lighting devices is modulated through the day to mimic a day/night cycle. This sort of circadian lighting may minimize disruption of circadian rhythms and avoid adverse health effects. However, implementing circadian lighting poses a number of challenges.

One challenge is that many existing structures possess a diverse collection of lighting devices that have differing capabilities, and different manners in which they can be controlled. For example, some lighting devices may have both controllable color temperate and intensity. Other lighting devices may have only controllable intensity. Similarly, some lighting devices may be controllable via digital lighting control protocols (e.g., Digital Multiplex (DMX)). Other lighting devices may be controllable via a simple DC voltage control signal (e.g., <NUM>-<NUM> volt (V)). Other lighting devices may rely on an external device to change their output, for example, an external device that implements cut phase dimming of the high-voltage power supplied to the lighting device. It may be cost prohibitive or otherwise impractical to replace all lighting devices in a structure with ones having identical capabilities. Often, the practical result is that circadian lighting is only implemented on a portion of the lighting devices in the structure, and the remainder are left unchanged. This greatly reduces the benefit of implementing circadian lighting on the others.

Another challenge is that many existing efforts to implement circadian lighting are largely static, being unresponsive to current lighting conditions in the outdoor environment. Some simple systems may be completely unresponsive to seasonal changes in lighting conditions, such as changes in the time of sunrise and sunset. More sophisticated systems may account somewhat for such seasonal changes, but only approximately. For example, a user may be prompted to enter date and latitude and longitude data, which may be used to access a table of approximate sunrise and sunset times for the general region. However, such approximations are not tailored to the precise location of the structure and the local conditions (e.g., tall trees, mountains, etc.) there that may affect perceived sunrise or sunset times (e.g., cause lighting to perceivably increase or diminish at a time somewhat different than the official sunrise or sunset time). Still further, existing systems generally do not account for changes in current lighting conditions in the outdoor environment independent of seasonal changes. For example, current weather (e.g., cloud cover, rain, fog, etc.) may considerably change lighting conditions in the outdoor environment. Existing systems are typically unresponsive to such changes. As a result, existing systems often produce affects that appear unnatural and decoupled from the external world, diminishing the user experience, likelihood of adoption and thereby the benefits of circadian lighting.

<CIT> discloses the adjustment of color and intensity of lighting devices.

Accordingly, there is a need for an architecture for implementing circadian lighting in a home automation system having diverse lighting devices with different capabilities and manners of control that is more responsive and dynamic.

In various embodiments, an architecture is provided for implementing circadian lighting in a home automation system having diverse lighting devices of different capabilities and manners of control. The architecture utilizes an outdoor sensor to capture current intensity and color temperature data for the outdoor environment. Color temperature and intensity from a user-created circadian lighting curve are dynamically adjusted based on the current intensity and color temperature data for the outdoor environment to approximate changes that are occurring. The diverse lighting devices are controlled based on the dynamically adjusted temperature and intensity.

More specifically, in one embodiment, a circadian lighting (also referred to as "daylight mode") configuration user interface is provided by a control application (app) executing on a control device (e.g., a remote control, a mobile device, a host controller or other electronic device). Using the configuration user interface, a user selects desired color temperature and intensity for one or more time periods, for example, a different color temperature and intensity for each of a plurality of different predefined time periods (e.g., morning, day, evening and night) defining a circadian lighting curve. An outdoor sensor collects current intensity and color temperature data for lighting in the outdoor environment. The circadian lighting curve color temperature and intensity, the current intensity and color temperature from the outdoor sensor, and current time from a system clock are provided to a dynamic color manager process executing on a host controller. The dynamic color manager process utilizes a research-based lighting algorithm to combine the circadian lighting curve color temperature and intensity applicable to the current time and the current color temperature and intensity from the outdoor sensor to mimic the current color temperature and intensity in the outdoor environment thereby producing an optimal color temperature and dimming value for the current time. As lighting conditions change in the outdoor environment, the dynamic color manager process updates the optimal color temperature and/or dimming value to change dynamically therewith.

The dynamic color manager process provides the optimal color temperature and dimming value to a service request manager process also executing on the host controller. The service request manager process determines whether circadian lighting (aka "daylight mode") is currently enabled in a room, and if so, provides the current optimal color temperature and dimming value to a lighting control process, also executing on the host controller. The lighting control process converts the current optimal color temperature and dimming value to one or more sets of individual lighting commands and sends these to one or more lighting control devices of the room (for example, lighting controllers (e.g., DMX or <NUM>-10v), wireless gateway devices (e.g., Bluetooth low energy (BLE) gateways), non-wireless gateway devices (e.g., wallbox dimmers or plugin dimmers), panel bridge controllers, etc.) and the like. The lighting control devices translate received sets of lighting commands to digital control values, low-voltage analog signals or modulated high-voltage power (e.g., RBGW values, <NUM>-10v dimming and color signals, high-voltage cut phase, etc.) as the case may be given the capabilities of diverse lighting devices in the room (for example, wireless lighting devices (e.g., DMX or <NUM>-10v), line-level lighting devices, etc.), and such commands, values or power are sent to the respective lighting devices. By the conversions performed by the lighting control process, the current color temperature and dimming value for each room is translated into approximations achievable given the different capabilities of the lighting devices in the room.

It should be understood that a variety of additional features and alternative embodiments may be implemented. This Summary is intended simply as a brief introduction to the reader, and does not indicate or imply that the examples mentioned herein cover all aspects of the invention, or are necessary or essential aspects of the invention.

The description below refers to the accompanying drawings of example embodiments, of which:.

As used herein, the term "home automation system" should be interpreted broadly to encompass various types of home control, "smart home", and/or device control systems that may control devices (e.g., lighting devices, display devices, electric window shades, HVAC devices, and/or other types of devices) within a structure, such as a residential dwelling or commercial building.

As used herein, the term "mobile device" refers to an electronic device that executes a general-purpose operating system and is adapted to be transported on one's person. Devices such as smartphones should be considered mobile devices. Desktop computers, servers, or other primarily-stationary computing devices generally should not be considered mobile devices.

As user herein, the term "gateway device" refers to a device of a home automation system that includes multiple wireless interfaces/adaptors that utilize different wireless communication protocols and that is capable of receiving control commands via one wireless communication protocol (e.g., Wi-Fi) and forwarding the control commands via another wireless communication protocol (e.g., BLE).

<FIG> is a block diagram of an example architecture <NUM> of a home automation system implementing circadian lighting with diverse lighting devices of different capabilities and manners of control. At the core of the system is a host controller <NUM> coupled to an in-home wired local area network (LAN) <NUM>, for example, an Ethernet LAN, which is in turn coupled to an AP <NUM>, for example, a Wi-Fi AP, that provides an in-home WLAN.

The host controller <NUM> may include hardware components such as a processor, a memory and a storage device, which collectively store and execute host software (including a dynamic color manager, service request manager, lighting control process, and other software) configured to monitor and control the operations of devices <NUM>-<NUM>; provide UI interpretation, system administration and monitoring; perform synchronization with cloud services <NUM>; provide activity recording services; provide activity prediction services; and/or provide other types of functionality. The host controller <NUM> may also maintain in its storage device a home database that stores configuration information including information regarding devices <NUM>-<NUM> controlled by the home automation system and their capabilities, as well as information about remote controls <NUM>, mobile devices <NUM>, and other electronic devices <NUM> that provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling the devices <NUM>-<NUM>.

The devices <NUM>-<NUM> controlled by the home automation system may take a number of different forms. The devices <NUM> may include audio devices and video devices <NUM> (collectively A/V devices) (not shown), such as display devices (e.g., televisions, monitors, etc.), A/V device controllers, media servers, audio amplifiers, cable boxes, and the like. The devices <NUM>-<NUM> may also include motor and/or relay operated devices (e.g., shade controllers, electronic shades, electronic door locks, etc.), security devices, heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) devices, etc. (not shown).

The devices <NUM>-<NUM> may further include lighting devices that have a variety of different capabilities and manners of control. Some lighting devices support control of both color temperature and intensity. Such lighting devices may include lighting controllers coupled via wired connections (e.g., Ethernet connections) to the wired LAN <NUM>, which control individual light fixtures and/or lamps by sending them digital control values or low-voltage signals. For example, a DMX lighting controller <NUM> may be coupled via a wired connection (e.g., Ethernet connection) to the wired LAN <NUM> and control individual lighting devices <NUM> (e.g. light fixtures) coupled thereto by wired connections which pass RBGW values. Likewise, a <NUM>-10V lighting controller <NUM> may be coupled via a wired connection (e.g., Ethernet connection) to the wired LAN <NUM> and control individual light fixtures and/or lamps <NUM> coupled thereto by wired connections which pass <NUM>-10v dimming and color signals. Such lighting devices may include lighting controllers that support wireless communication. For example, gateway devices <NUM>, such as a wireless lamp module <NUM> and wireless keypad <NUM>, may receive commands via the WLAN (e.g., Wi-Fi) and control individual wireless light fixtures and/or lamps <NUM> by sending them RBGW values over a wireless personal area network (WPAN) (e.g., BLE).

Other lighting devices may support control of only intensity. Such lighting devices may include lighting controllers coupled via wired connections (e.g., Ethernet connections) to the wired LAN <NUM>, which control individual light fixtures and/or lamps. For example, a panel bridge controller <NUM> and breaker panel <NUM> mounted companion breakers <NUM> may control individual lighting devices <NUM> (e.g., light fixtures) coupled thereto by sending them modulated high-voltage power (e.g., high-voltage cut phase). Between the panel bridge controller <NUM> and the companion breakers <NUM>, a WPAN (e.g., BLE) may be used to pass channel dimming values. Likewise, non-gateway devices <NUM>, such as a wallbox dimmer <NUM> and plugin dimmer <NUM>, may receive control commands via the WLAN (e.g., Wi-Fi) and control individual wireless lighting devices, such as light fixtures <NUM> and lamps <NUM>, by sending them modulated high-voltage power (e.g., high-voltage cut phase).

The lighting devices may be controlled by interface devices, such as keypads <NUM> coupled to a keypad controller <NUM>, or a wireless keypad <NUM>. Also, a remote control <NUM>, mobile device <NUM> or another electronic device <NUM> may be utilized. A remote control <NUM> may include a touch sensitive display screen, physical buttons, a WLAN interface (e.g., a Wi-Fi interface), a WPAN adaptor (e.g., a BLE adaptor), a processor, a memory and a storage device that stores and executes a control app configured to interface with the host controller <NUM> and cloud services <NUM>. The control app on the remote control <NUM> may present a circadian lighting ("daylight mode") configuration user interface with screens for configuring circadian lighting as well as further user interface screens for controlling rooms with configured circadian lighting, among other functionality. In some cases, a remote control <NUM> may communicate with an interconnection device <NUM>, such as an infrared (IR) blaster.

Further, a mobile device <NUM> may include a touch sensitive display screen, a WLAN interface (e.g., a Wi-Fi interface), a WPAN adaptor (e.g., a BLE adaptor), a processor, a memory and a storage device that stores and executes a control app <NUM> configured to interface with the host controller <NUM> and/or cloud services <NUM>. The control app on the mobile device <NUM> may present a circadian lighting ("daylight mode") configuration user interface with screens for configuring circadian lighting as well as further user interface screens for controlling rooms with configured circadian lighting, among other functionality.

Still further, a tablet computer, a dedicated touch screen unit, or other electronic device <NUM> may be utilized. The electronic device <NUM> may include a display screen (e.g., touch sensitive, non-touch sensitive, etc.), an input device, a WLAN interface (e.g., a Wi-Fi interface), a WPAN adaptor (e.g., a BLE adaptor), a processor, a memory and a storage device that stores and executes a control app <NUM> configured to interface with the host controller <NUM> and/or cloud services <NUM>. The control app on the electronic device <NUM> may present a circadian lighting ("daylight mode") configuration user interface with screens for configuring circadian lighting as well as further user interface screens for controlling rooms with configured circadian lighting, among other functionality.

Some devices (e.g., a host controller <NUM>, a mobile device <NUM>, another electronic device <NUM>, etc.) may communicate via the Internet <NUM> with cloud services <NUM>. Cloud services may include host application program interfaces (APIs) and mobile APIs and provide remote access to home automation control; a persistent backup of the home database, for example, storing data in a configuration database; interfaces to third party infrastructure, for example, via third party adaptors; user profiles and usage tracking, for example, storing data in a user database; a mechanism for over-the-air updates; host crash reporting; license management; as well as a variety of other functionality.

<FIG> is block diagram illustrating an example arrangement for circadian lighting in a home automation system having diverse lighting devices of different capabilities and manners of control. User selections of desired color temperature and intensity for predefined time periods (e.g., morning, day, evening and night) defining a circadian lighting curve are entered in the circadian lighting ("daylight mode") configuration user interface provided by the control app executing on a control device and transmitted to a dynamic color manager process <NUM> executing on the host controller <NUM>. An outdoor sensor <NUM> collects current intensity and color temperature data (e.g., a Kelvin value) for lighting in the outdoor environment, which along with current time from a system clock <NUM>, is also provided to the dynamic color manager process <NUM> executing on the host controller <NUM>. The dynamic color manager process <NUM> utilizes a research-based lighting algorithm to combine color temperature and intensity from the circadian lighting curve applicable to the current time and the current color temperature and intensity from the outdoor sensor <NUM> to mimic the current color temperature and intensity in the outdoor environment, thereby producing an optimal color temperature and dimming value for the current time. For example, if the current color temperature and/or intensity from the outdoor sensor <NUM> is lower than the color temperature and intensity from the circadian lighting curve applicable to the current time, the dynamic color manager process <NUM> may decrease the circadian lighting curve color temperature and/or intensity (e.g., to match the color temperature and/or intensity from the outdoor sensor <NUM> or to move one or more increments closer to the color temperature and/or intensity from the outdoor sensor <NUM>). Likewise, if the current color temperature and/or intensity from the outdoor sensor <NUM> is higher than the circadian lighting curve color temperature and intensity applicable to the current time, the dynamic color manager process <NUM> may increase the circadian lighting curve color temperature and/or intensity (e.g., to match the color temperature and/or intensity from the outdoor sensor <NUM> or to move one or more increments closer to the color temperature and/or intensity from the outdoor sensor <NUM>). Effectively, as lighting conditions change in the outdoor environment, the dynamic color manager process <NUM> updates the optimal color temperature and/or dimming value to change dynamically therewith.

The dynamic color manager process <NUM> provides the optimal color temperature and dimming value to a service request manager <NUM> executing on the host controller <NUM>. For each room, the service request manager <NUM> determines whether circadian lighting (aka "daylight mode") is currently enabled in the room, and if so, provides the optimal color temperature and dimming value to a lighting control process <NUM>, also executing on the host controller <NUM>. The lighting control process <NUM> converts the current optimal color temperature and dimming value to one or more sets of individual lighting commands and sends these to one or more lighting control devices of the room. Depending on the lighting control device, different individual lighting commands may be sent by different means. For example, looking to lighting devices supporting color temperature and intensity: a DMX lighting controller <NUM> and a <NUM>-10v lighting controller <NUM> may be sent a load address, Kelvin value and dimming level by Ethernet, and a gateway device <NUM> may be sent a load address, Kelvin value and RGBW value by Ethernet and WLAN (e.g. Wi-Fi). Looking to lighting devices supporting intensity only: a panel bridge controller <NUM> may be sent a load address and dimming level by Ethernet, and a wallbox dimmer <NUM> and a plugin dimmer <NUM> may be sent a load address and dimming level via Ethernet and WLAN (e.g. Wi-Fi).

The lighting control devices translate received sets of lighting commands into control values, low-voltage signals or modulated high-voltage power, as the case may be given the capabilities of diverse lighting fixtures in each room, that are sent to individual lighting devices. For example, looking to lighting devices supporting color temperature and intensity: a DMX lighting controller <NUM> translates the lighting commands into RGBW values that are sent to DMX lighting devices <NUM> via a wired link, a <NUM>-10v lighting controller <NUM> translates the lighting commands into <NUM>-10v dimming and color signals that are sent to lighting devices <NUM> via a wired link, and a gateway device <NUM> translates the lighting commands into RGBW values that are sent to wireless lighting devices <NUM> over a WPAN (e.g., BLE). Looking to lighting devices supporting intensity only: a panel bridge controller <NUM> translates the lighting commands into a channel dimming value that is sent via a WPAN (e.g., BLE) to a companion breaker <NUM> that provides modulated high-voltage power (e.g., high-voltage cut phase) to a lighting device <NUM>, and a wallbox dimmer <NUM> and a plugin dimmer <NUM> translate the lighting commands into modulated high-voltage power (e.g., high-voltage cut phase) supplied to a lighting device <NUM>. By the conversions performed by the lighting control process, the current color temperature and dimming value are translated into approximations achievable given the different capabilities of the lighting fixtures in the room.

<FIG>, are a series of example screen shots of a configuration user interface that may be provided by the control app executing on a remote control <NUM>, mobile device <NUM> or another electronic device <NUM>. In <FIG>, the configuration user interface prompts a user to select a room to enable circadian lighting (aka "daylight mode"). The user is also promoted to select a desired color temperature and intensity for predefined time periods (e.g., morning, day, evening and night) to define a circadian lighting curve. In <FIG>, the user selects color temperature and intensity for a morning time period. The user may also select a celestial reference and time offset, or a specific clock time, defining when the morning time period begins. In <FIG>, the user selects color temperature and intensity for a daytime period. The user may also select a specific clock time defining when the daytime period begins. In <FIG>, the user selects color temperature and intensity for an evening time period. The user may also select a specific clock time defining when the evening time period begins. In <FIG>, the user selects color temperature and intensity for a nighttime period. The user may also select a celestial reference and time offset, or specific clock time, defining when the nighttime period begins. In some cases, working with the dynamic color manager process <NUM>, the control app may obtain projected optimal color temperatures and dimming values. Such projected optimal color temperatures and dimming values may be based in part on historic or generalized outdoor environment data. In <FIG>, the user is displayed a graph that indicates a preview of projected optimal color temperatures and dimming values throughout the day for a room. The user may also be provided an option to preview projected optimal color temperatures and dimming values for circadian lighting at an accelerated pace (e.g., <NUM> hours condensed to <NUM> minute) in the actual room. In <FIG>, configuration of circadian lighting completes.

Claim 1:
A method for circadian lighting in a home automation system, comprising:
receiving, in a user interface of an electronic device (<NUM>-<NUM>), user selections of color temperature and intensity for a structure having a plurality of rooms that define a circadian lighting curve;
receiving, in the user interface, a user selection of a room of the plurality of rooms in which to activate circadian lighting;
determining a current color temperature and intensity of lighting in an outdoor environment;
calculating, by an algorithm executing on the electronic device or another electronic device, an optimal color temperature and dimming value by combining a color temperature and intensity from the circadian lighting curve and the current color temperature and intensity of lighting in the outdoor environment, the combining to decrease color temperature and/or intensity from the circadian lighting curve or increase the color temperature and/or intensity from the circadian lighting curve to mimic the current color temperature and intensity in the outdoor environment; and
converting the optimal color temperature and dimming value into individual sets of lighting commands that control individual lighting devices (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the room,
wherein the lighting devices of the room include lighting devices with different capabilities, including one or more lighting devices that have controllable color temperature and intensity and one or more lighting devices that have only controllable intensity.