LOAD CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING A VISIBLE LIGHT SENSOR
A sensor for sensing environmental characteristics of a space may include a visible light sensing circuit for recording an image of the space and a control circuit responsive to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may detect an occupancy or vacancy condition in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit, and measure a light level in the space in response to the visible light sensing circuit. The control circuit may also include a low-energy occupancy sensing circuit for detecting an occupancy condition in the space. The control circuit may disable the visible light sensing circuit when the space is vacant. The control circuit may detect an occupancy condition in the space in response to the low-energy occupancy sensing circuit and subsequently enable the visible light sensing circuit. The visible light sensor may be configured in a way that protects the privacy of the occupants of the space.
1 . A sensor comprising:
a visible light sensing circuit configured to record at least one of a space; and
a control circuit configured to:
sense, in the at least one image, the environmental characteristic in a first region of the space at a first sensitivity level;
sense, in the at least one image, the environmental characteristic in a second region of the space at a second sensitivity level, wherein the second sensitivity level is greater than the first sensitivity level; and
transmit at least one message indicating that the environmental characteristic has been sensed in at least one of the first region of the space or the second region of the space.
2 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to apply a first mask to the at least one image to focus on the first region of the space, wherein the first mask is associated with the first sensitivity level, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to apply a second mask to the at least one image to focus on the second region of the space, wherein the second mask is associated with the second sensitivity level,
wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust the first sensitivity level when applying the first mask to focus on the first region of the space, and to adjust the second sensitivity level when applying the second mask to focus on the second region of the space.
3 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first sensitivity level is set based on a size of the first region of interest, and the second sensitivity level is set based on a size of the second region of interest.
4 . The sensor of claim 3 , wherein the second region of interest is smaller than the first region of interest.
5 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one image of the space comprises a first image and a second image, wherein the first region of the space is in the first image, and wherein the second region of the space is in the second image.
6 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the environmental characteristic comprises an occupancy condition or a vacancy condition.
7 . The sensor of claim 6 , wherein the control circuit is configured to determine that the at least one of the occupancy condition or the vacancy condition is detected based on an occupancy threshold, and wherein the occupancy threshold is dependent upon the sensitivity level.
8 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one message includes control instructions for controlling at least one load control device based on the sensed environmental characteristic.
9 . A method comprising:
recording at least one image of a space;
sensing, in the at least one image at a sensor, the environmental characteristic in a first region of the space at a first sensitivity level;
sensing, in the at least one image at the sensor, the environmental characteristic in a second region of the space at a second sensitivity level, wherein the second sensitivity level is greater than the first sensitivity level; and
transmitting, via the sensor, at least one message indicating that the environmental characteristic has been sensed in at least one of the first region of the space or the second region of the space.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
applying a first mask at the sensor to the at least one image to focus on the first region of the space, wherein the first mask is associated with the first sensitivity level; and
applying a second mask at the sensor to the at least one image to focus on the second region of the space, wherein the second mask is associated with the second sensitivity level.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first sensitivity level is set based on a size of the first region of interest, and the second sensitivity level is set based on a size of the second region of interest, wherein the second region of interest is smaller than the first region of interest.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one image of the space comprises a first image and a second image, wherein the first region of the space is in the first image, and wherein the second region of the space is in the second image.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the environmental characteristic comprises an occupancy condition or a vacancy condition, wherein the at least one of the occupancy condition or the vacancy condition is detected based on an occupancy threshold, and wherein the occupancy threshold is dependent upon the sensitivity level.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one message includes control instructions for controlling at least one load control device based on the sensed environmental characteristic.
15 . 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:
record at least one of a space;
sense, in the at least one image, the environmental characteristic in a first region of the space at a first sensitivity level;
sense, in the at least one image, the environmental characteristic in a second region of the space at a second sensitivity level, wherein the second sensitivity level is greater than the first sensitivity level; and
transmit at least one message indicating that the environmental characteristic has been sensed in at least one of the first region of the space or the second region of the space.
16 . The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to apply a first mask to the at least one image to focus on the first region of the space, wherein the first mask is associated with the first sensitivity level, and wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to apply a second mask to the at least one image to focus on the second region of the space, wherein the second mask is associated with the second sensitivity level.
17 . The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first sensitivity level is set based on a size of the first region of interest, and the second sensitivity level is set based on a size of the second region of interest, wherein the second region of interest is smaller than the first region of interest.
18 . The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the at least one image of the space comprises a first image and a second image, wherein the first region of the space is in the first image, and wherein the second region of the space is in the second image.
19 . The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the environmental characteristic comprises an occupancy condition or a vacancy condition, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one control circuit to detect the at least one of the occupancy condition or the vacancy condition based on an occupancy threshold, and wherein the occupancy threshold is dependent upon the sensitivity level.
20 . The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the at least one message includes control instructions for controlling at least one load control device based on the sensed environmental characteristic.