Controllers for optically switchable devices
Window controller systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a window controller system for controlling multiple optically switchable devices comprises a printed circuit board comprising a first plurality of footprints to which a first plurality of components is mounted and a second plurality of footprints, wherein a subset of the second plurality of footprints is populated by a second plurality of components. The first plurality of components may comprise: a plurality of insulated glass unit (IGU) controllers, each configured to control an IGU of a corresponding plurality of IGUs operatively coupled to the window controller system; and a processing unit configured to control each of the plurality of IGU controllers. The second plurality of components may be selected based on a cable type and/or a protocol type used to provide power and data signals to the printed circuit board.
1 . A window controller system for controlling multiple optically switchable devices, the window controller system comprising:
a printed circuit board comprising a first plurality of footprints to which a first plurality of components is mounted and a second plurality of footprints, wherein a subset of the second plurality of footprints is populated by a second plurality of components, and wherein the first plurality of components comprises:
a plurality of insulated glass unit (IGU) controllers, each configured to control an IGU of a corresponding plurality of IGUs operatively coupled to the window controller system, and
a processing unit configured to control each of the plurality of IGU controllers,
wherein the second plurality of components is configured to utilize a cable type and/or a protocol type used to provide power and data signals to the printed circuit board;
wherein the processing unit is configured to characterize leakage current from one or more IGUs of the corresponding plurality of IGUs; and
wherein a first IGU controller of the IGU controllers is configured to respond to a leakage current from a first IGU of the IGUs during a hold state by applying a holding voltage periodically to the first IGU, thereby bringing an electrochromic device to a predetermined optical state.
2 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the protocol type comprises at least one of: a home networking protocol, or a power over ethernet (POE) protocol.
3 . The window controller system of claim 2 , wherein the home networking protocol is a Gigabit Home Networking protocol.
4 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the cable type comprises at least one of: a coaxial cable, a powerline cable, or a twisted conductor pair cable.
5 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the protocol type comprises Gigabit Home Networking (“G.hn”), and wherein the second plurality of components comprise one of: (i) a first subset of components configured to utilize a G.hn coaxial input, or (ii) a second subset of components configured to utilize a G.hn powerline input.
6 . The window controller system of claim 5 , wherein the first subset of components configured to utilize the G.hn coaxial input comprise a splitter configured to operatively couple to a trunk line, and a coaxial coupling circuit configured to provide power from the trunk line to an analog front end component.
7 . The window controller system of claim 5 , wherein the second subset of components configured to utilize the G.hn powerline input comprise a powerline coupling circuit configured to operatively couple to an AC power outlet, and an analog front end component.
8 . The window controller system of claim 7 , wherein the second subset of components further comprise an A-to-D converter (ADC) configured to convert AC signals from the AC power outlet to DC signals.
9 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the protocol type comprises Gigabit Home Networking (“G.hn”), and wherein the second plurality of components comprise a third subset of components to be utilized with either a G.hn coaxial input or a G.hn powerline input.
10 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of components further comprises a memory device configured to store an indication of the cable type and/or the protocol type used to provide the power and the data signals.
11 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to communicate with a computing device.
12 . The window controller system of claim 11 , wherein the computing device is a cloud device remote from a premises on which the window controller system is installed.
13 . The window controller system of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:
detect an anomalous event based on the characterized leakage current; and
responsive to detecting the anomalous event, cause data associated with the characterized leakage current to be transmitted to the computing device.
14 . The window controller system of claim 13 , wherein the computing device is one of: a cloud computing device; or is housed in a control panel installed in a facility in which the window controller system is installed.
15 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to:
receive an override to a tint command for at least one IGU of the plurality of IGUs; and
cause the at least one IGU to transition to a tint state based on the received override.
16 . The window controller system of claim 15 , wherein the override is received via at least one of: an application executing on a mobile device; or a local network to which the processing unit is communicatively coupled.
17 . The window controller system of claim 15 , wherein the override is based on information obtained by a sky sensor device configured to measure solar radiation external to a facility in which the window controller system is installed.
18 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause each IGU controller to apply a drive voltage having a ramp rate to the corresponding IGU, wherein a first ramp rate associated with a first IGU of the plurality of IGUs is different than a second ramp rate associated with a second IGU of the plurality of IGUs.
19 . The window controller system of claim 18 , wherein the drive voltage applied to the first IGU is at a time point that is offset from application of the drive voltage to the second IGU.
20 . The window controller system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of components further comprises at least one component configured to provide one or more wireless communications channels.
21 . The window controller system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more wireless communications channels utilize at least one of a Wi-Fi communication protocol or a BLUETOOTH communication protocol.
22 . The window controller system of claim 21 , wherein the processing unit is configured to communicate using the Wi-Fi communication protocol with a cloud device.
23 . The window controller system of claim 22 , wherein the processing unit is configured to receive one or more updates from the cloud device using the Wi-Fi communication protocol.
24 . The window controller system of claim 21 , wherein the processing unit is configured to participate in a mesh network with at least one other processing unit associated with at least one other window controller system.
25 . A window controller system for controlling multiple optically switchable devices, the window controller system comprising:
an enclosure, wherein the enclosure comprises a 3-gang or a 4-gang outlet box and a faceplate; and
a first printed circuit board comprising a plurality of components, the plurality of components comprising: a plurality of insulated glass unit (IGU) controllers, each configured to control an IGU of a corresponding plurality of IGUs operatively coupled to the window controller system; and a processing unit configured to control each of the plurality of IGU controllers and to characterize leakage current from one or more IGUs of the corresponding plurality of IGUs;
wherein a first IGU controller of the IGU controllers is configured to respond to a leakage current from a first IGU of the IGUs during a hold state by applying a holding voltage periodically to the first IGU, thereby bringing an electrochromic device to a predetermined optical state.
26 . The window controller system of claim 25 , further comprising a heat sink disposed in the enclosure.
27 . The window controller system of claim 25 , wherein at least one edge of the faceplate is angled.
28 . The window controller system of claim 25 , wherein the faceplate comprises a plurality of air vents.
29 . The window controller system of claim 25 , further comprising a second printed circuit board configured for providing power and/or data via a powerline system.
30 . The window controller system of claim 29 , wherein the second printed circuit board is disposed above the first printed circuit board and closer to the faceplate than the first printed circuit board.
31 . The window controller system of claim 30 , wherein the first printed circuit board comprises a notch configured to pass through a powerline cable through the notch to the second printed circuit board.
32 . A method for controlling tinting of multiple optically switchable devices, the method comprising:
(a) applying, via a window controller, a drive voltage to two or more optically switchable devices in connection with a tint transition from a first tint state to a second tint state, wherein applying the drive voltage to the two or more optically switchable devices comprises providing a voltage from a power supply common to the two or more optically switchable devices;
(b) monitoring, for each of the two or more optically switchable devices, parameters indicative of a state of the tint transition;
(c) repeating (a) and (b) until it is determined that one or more optically switchable devices have completed the tint transition to the second tint state;
(d) in response to determining at (c) that the one or more optically switchable devices have completed the tint transition to the second tint state, applying hold voltages to the one or more optically switchable devices while concurrently continuing to apply the drive voltage to a remaining one or more optically switchable devices of the two or more optically switchable devices that have not completed the tint transition;
(e) repeating (b)-(d) until the two or more optically switchable devices have completed the tint transition;
(f) characterizing leakage current from one or more of the optically switchable devices; and
(g) responding to a leakage current from an optically switchable device during a hold state by applying a holding voltage periodically to the optically switchable device, thereby bringing the optically switchable device to a predetermined optical state.