LOAD CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING A VISIBLE LIGHT SENSOR

1 . A sensor for measuring a light level in a space, the sensor comprising:

a low-energy occupancy sensing circuit configured to detect infrared energy in the space;

a visible light sensing circuit configured to record an image of the space; and

a control circuit configured to enable the visible lighting sensing circuit in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit detecting an occupancy condition in the space, the control circuit further configured to measure a light level in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit when the visible light sensing circuit is enabled, wherein the control circuit is configured to focus on a region of interest in the image of the space and to measure the light level in the region of interest.

2 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to apply a mask to the image so as to ignore areas of the image outside of the region of interest when measuring the light level in the region.

3 . The sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a communication circuit configured to transmit messages, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

transmit, via the communication circuit, a message indicating the measured light level in the region of interest or comprising control instructions for controlling at least one load control device based on the measured light level in the region of interest.

4 . The sensor of claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit the message to a motorized window treatment or a lighting control device.

5 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:

detect a vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit; and

disable the visible light sensing circuit after detecting the vacancy condition in the space.

6 . The sensor of claim 5 , further comprising a communication circuit configured to transmit messages, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

based on detecting the occupancy condition in the space, transmit, via the communication circuit, a message to a load control device to adjust a light intensity presented by the load control device.

7 . The sensor of claim 5 , further comprising a communication circuit configured to transmit messages, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

transmit a message indicating the occupancy condition via the communication circuit after detecting the occupancy condition in the space in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit; and

transmit a message indicating the vacancy condition via the communication circuit after detecting the vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit.

8 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to detect that the occupancy condition is maintained in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit.

9 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit comprises a passive infrared sensing circuit.

10 . The sensor of claim 9 , wherein the visible light sensing circuit comprises a camera.

11 . A method of measuring a light level in a space with a sensor comprising a low-energy occupancy sensing circuit configured to detect infrared energy in the space and a visible light sensing circuit configured to record images of the space, the method comprising:

detecting an occupancy condition in the space via the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit;

enabling the visible lighting sensing circuit in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit detecting the occupancy condition in the space;

recording an image of the space via the visible light sensing circuit;

focusing on a region of interest in the image of the space; and

measuring the light level in the region of interest in response to the visible light sensing circuit when the visible light sensing circuit is enabled.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the region of interest is focused on by applying a mask to the image so as to ignore areas of the image outside of the region of interest when measuring the light level in the region.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

transmit a message indicating the measured light level in the region of interest or comprising control instructions configured to control at least one load control device based on the measured light level in the region of interest.

14 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:

detecting a vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit; and

disabling the visible light sensing circuit after detecting the vacancy condition in the space.

15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising:

based on detecting the occupancy condition in the space, transmitting a message to a load control device to adjust a light intensity presented by the load control device.

16 . The method of claim 14 , comprising:

transmitting a message indicating the occupancy condition after detecting the occupancy condition in the space in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit; and

transmitting a message indicating the vacancy condition after detecting the vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit.

17 . The method of claim 11 , comprising detecting that the occupancy condition is maintained in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit.

18 . At least one computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions are configured, when executed by at least one control circuit, to cause the at least one control circuit to:

enable a visible lighting sensing circuit in response to a low-energy occupancy sensing circuit detecting an occupancy condition in the space;

retrieve an image of the space recorded via the visible light sensing circuit;

focus on a region of interest in the image of the space; and

measure a light level in the region of interest in response to the visible light sensing circuit when the visible light sensing circuit is enabled.

19 . The least one computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to apply a mask to the image to focus on the region of interest so as to ignore areas of the image outside of the region of interest when measuring the light level in the region.

20 . The least one computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to:

transmit, via a communication circuit, a message indicating the measured light level in the region of interest or comprising control instructions configured to control at least one load control device based on the measured light level in the region of interest.

21 . The least one computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to:

detect a vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit; and

disable the visible light sensing circuit after detecting the vacancy condition in the space.

22 . The least one computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to:

based on detecting the occupancy condition in the space, transmit, via a communication circuit, a message to a load control device to adjust a light intensity presented by the load control device.

23 . The least one computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to:

transmit, via a communication circuit, a message indicating the occupancy condition after the occupancy condition is detected in the space in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit; and

transmit, via the communication circuit, a message indicating the vacancy condition after the vacancy condition is detected in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit.

24 . The least one computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to detect that the occupancy condition is maintained in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit.