IP Library Granted Patent US 9,938,765
Granted Patent B2
US 9,938,765 · App. 14/692,868 · Granted Apr 10, 2018

Automated shade control system interaction with building management system

Inventors: Joel Berman (Hewlett, NY); Jan Berman (Wilton, CT); Alex Greenspan (Hempstead, NY); Stephen P. Hebeisen (Somers, NY); Muthukumar Ramalingam (Phoenix, AZ)
Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, LLC
E06B9/68F24F11/006G05B17/02H04L12/2827H05B37/0218E06B2009/2464E06B2009/6818E06B2009/6827Y02B80/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,938,765
App. No.
14/692,868
Granted
Apr 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Automated shade systems comprise motorized window coverings, sensors, and controllers that use algorithms to control operation of the automated shade control system. These algorithms may include information such as: 3-D models of a building and surrounding structures, shadow information, reflectance information, lighting and radiation information, ASHRAE clear sky algorithms, log information related to manual overrides, occupant preference information, motion information, real-time sky conditions, solar radiation on a building, a total foot-candle load on a structure, brightness overrides, actual and/or calculated BTU load, time-of-year information, and microclimate analysis. Modeled brightness information may be utilized to control shades.

Claims (46)

1. A method, comprising:

modeling, by an automated control system, at least a portion of a building and at least a portion of the surroundings of a building to create a shadow model;

using, by the automated control system, the shadow model to calculate the presence of calculated shadow at a location of interest;

communicating, by the automated control system and to a building management system, the information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest,

wherein the building management system adjusts interior environment settings associated with the location of interest based on the information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating, to an artificial lighting control system, the information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest is communicated to the building management system in advance of when the calculated shadow is calculated to be present at the location of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest impacts instructions for the building management system to adjust the interior environment settings associated with the location of interest.

5. A method, comprising:

modeling, by an automated control system, at least a portion of a building and at least a portion of the surroundings of a building to create a reflectance model;

using, by the automated control system, the reflectance model to calculate the presence of calculated reflected light at a location of interest; and

communicating, by the automated control system and to a building management system, the information regarding the presence of calculated reflected light at the location of interest,

wherein the building management system adjusts interior environment settings associated with the location of interest based on the information regarding the presence of calculated reflected light at the location of interest.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising communicating, to an artificial lighting control system, the information regarding the presence of calculated reflected light at the location of interest.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the information regarding the presence of calculated reflected light at the location of interest impacts instructions for the artificial lighting control system to modify an artificial lighting setting associated with the location of interest.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the information regarding the presence of calculated reflected light at the location of interest is communicated to the building management system in advance of when the calculated reflected light is calculated to be present at the location of interest.

9. A method, comprising:

comparing, by an automated control system, a measured radiation value obtained from a radiometer to a predicted radiation value generated by a clear sky algorithm to obtain a comparison value; and

communicating, by the automated control system and to a building management system, an instruction associated with the comparison value,

wherein the building management system adjusts interior environment settings based on the information regarding the comparison value.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising communicating, by the automated control system and to an artificial lighting system, an instruction associated with the comparison value.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the instruction associated with the comparison value is configured to instruct the artificial lighting control system to modify an artificial lighting setting associated with the location of interest.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the clear sky algorithm is an ASHRAE clear sky algorithm.

13. A method, comprising:

using, by an automated control system, information related to at least one of solar penetration through a window or solar load on the window to establish a standard management routine for the window; and

communicating, by the automated control system and to a building management system, information regarding a deviation from the standard management routine arising from an override condition,

wherein the building management system adjusts interior environment settings based on the information regarding the deviation.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising communicating, by the automated control system and to an artificial lighting control system, the information regarding the deviation from the standard management routine arising from the override condition.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the override condition is at least one of:

determining, by the automated control system, the presence of calculated reflected light on the window;

determining, by the automated control system, the presence of calculated shadow on the window;

determining, by the automated control system, a modelled brightness value indicating the presence of excessive brightness at the window; or

determining, by the automated control system, that at least one of an actual load on the window or a calculated load on the window exceeds a predetermined value.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the communicating to the building management system is performed in advance of a change in the environment of the window.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the communicating to the building management system impacts instructions for the building management system to adjust interior environment settings associated with the window.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating, to the building management system, information regarding the solar load on a building associated with the building management system.

19. The method of claim 3 , wherein the information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest is configured to be utilized by the building management system to facilitate optimum interior lighting and climate control at the location of interest.

20. The method of claim 8 , further comprising utilizing, by the building management system, the information regarding the presence of calculated reflected light at the location of interest to modify a start time for adjusting the interior environment settings in a building.

21. The method of claim 9 , further comprising utilizing, by the building management system, the instruction associated with the comparison value to modify the interior environment settings associated with a location of interest in a building.

22. The method of claim 9 , wherein the instruction associated with the comparison value is configured to instruct the artificial lighting control system to modify an artificial lighting setting associated with a location inside a building associated with the lighting control system.

23. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a building management system and from an automated control system, information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at a location of interest; and

adjusting, by the building management system, interior environment settings associated with the location of interest based on information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest,

wherein the information regarding the presence of calculated shadow at a location of interest was created by the automated control system by:

modeling, by the automated control system, at least a portion of a building and at least a portion of the surroundings of a building to create a shadow model; and

using, by the automated control system, the shadow model to calculate the presence of calculated shadow at the location of interest.

Assignments (17)
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT AT R/F 057723/0699 Recorded Jan 3, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 069817/0073 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC; MARIAK INDUSTRIES, INC.; HORIZONS HOLDINGS, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071382/0587 →
SUPER-PRIORITY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069743/0233 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2022
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; HORIZON HOLDINGS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061875/0413 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2022
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; HORIZON HOLDINGS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061448/0246 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT R/F 047433/0256 Recorded Oct 7, 2021
From: BARCLAYS BANK, PLC AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; SPRINGS INDUSTRIES, INC.; SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; HORIZONS HOLDINGS, LLC; MARIAK INDUSTRIES, INC.; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057747/0469 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT R/F 047433/0431 Recorded Oct 7, 2021
From: BARCLAYS BANK, PLC AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SPRINGS INDUSTRIES, INC.; SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; HORIZONS HOLDINGS, LLC; MARIAK INDUSTRIES, INC.; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 057747/0896 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 6, 2021
From: SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC; MARIAK INDUSTRIES, INC.; HORIZONS HOLDINGS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057822/0694 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 6, 2021
From: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057723/0699 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 6, 2018
From: SPRINGS INDUSTRIES, INC.; SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; HORIZIONS HOLDINGS, LLC; MARIAK INDUSTRIES, INC.; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047433/0256 →
SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 6, 2018
From: SPRINGS INDUSTRIES, INC.; SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; HORIZIONS HOLDINGS, LLC; MARIAK INDUSTRIES, INC.; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047433/0431 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Jun 15, 2018
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL
To: SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED; HORIZONS HOLDINGS, LLC; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, INC.; MARIAK INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 047269/0428 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ZIP CODE OF THE NEWLY MERGED ENTITY'S ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 044691 FRAME 0949. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Apr 19, 2018
From: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 045977/0486 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 22, 2018
From: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, INC.; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS EAST, LLC
To: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 044691/0949 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 29, 2016
From: SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; HORIZONS HOLDINGS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 039384/0228 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2016
From: SPRINGS WINDOW FASHIONS, LLC; SUNSETTER PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; HORIZONS HOLDINGS, LLC; MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037515/0183 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2015
From: BERMAN, JOEL; BERMAN, JAN; GREENSPAN, ALEX; HEBEISEN, STEPHEN P.; RAMALINGAM, MUTHUKUMAR
To: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 035467/0039 →
Continuity (16)
Continuation PCTUS2013066316 · Oct 23, 2013
Continuation 13671018 · Nov 7, 2012
Continuation In Part 13556388 · Jul 24, 2012
Continuation 13343912 · Jan 5, 2012
Continuation 14692868
Continuation In Part 14461619 · Aug 18, 2014
Continuation 13656401 · Oct 19, 2012
Continuation In Part 13359575 · Jan 27, 2012
Continuation In Part 13343912 · Jan 5, 2012
Continuation 12475312 · May 29, 2009
Continuation In Part 12421410 · Apr 9, 2009
Continuation In Part 12197863 · Aug 25, 2008
Continuation In Part 11162377 · Sep 8, 2005
Continuation In Part 10906817 · Mar 8, 2005
Provisional Application 60521497 · May 6, 2004
Related Publication 20150225999A1 · Aug 13, 2015