Abstract: A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.

Abstract: A system and method for commissioning a lighting system is provided in which signals from light sensors are filtered in order to determine whether light is received from light fixtures in the lighting system or from external light sources. Alternatively or in addition, signals from light sensors may be filtered to determine the amount of light from external light sources. By filtering the signals from the light sensors, an identification of which light fixtures are colocated with which light sensors may be made even in the presence of light received from external light sources or light from multiple light fixtures in the lighting system. Physical locations of light fixtures and/or sensors may be determined based on detecting the amount of light received from external light sources.

Abstract: A system and method for daylight harvesting and/or light management is provided in which a signal from a light sensor is filtered in order to determine the amount of light received from a light fixture in a lighting system and/or from an external light source, such as sunlight even if light is received from multiple light sources. By filtering the signals from the light sensor, an amount of light received from each light source may be determined, and correspondingly controlled to reach a target light level and/or a target balance of light from the multiple light sources.

Abstract: A system to detect occupants is provided. The system may rotate the field of views of multiple sensors in order to scan an area. The system may scan the area multiple times. The system may determine the number of occupants in the area based on a comparison of a scan of the area with a scan of the area when the area is determined to be unoccupied. The system may determine the number of occupants in the area based on a maximum number of occupants detected by any of the sensors. The system may also determine a location of an object or an occupant from scans of the area obtained from multiple sensors.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a circuit coupled to a line, where the circuit may power a device, and where the power is transmitted to the device over the line as a pulse-width modulated signal. The circuit may set a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal in order to transmit a determined power level to the device. The apparatus may vary a frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal to transmit data to the device while the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal is fixed in order to continue to transmit the determined power level to the device. A variation in the frequency of the pulse-width modulated signal may be detectable by the device and represents at least a portion of the data.

Abstract: A system for auto-commissioning a light fixture may position the light fixture based on sensor data received from at least one sensor. In order to focus the light fixture on a target location, the system may vary the position of the light fixture and determine a position of the light fixture where the light level received by the photosensor reaches a determined light level. The system may adjust a light characteristic of light emitted by the light fixture so that the color of light received by the photosensor at the target location matches a target light characteristic, such as color or intensity. The system may determine a focus position and a light characteristic for multiple target locations. The system may auto-commission multiple light fixtures.

Abstract: A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.

Abstract: A lighting system is disclosed wherein each fixture in the lighting system includes a permanently attached radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Each fixture also includes either a matching hardwired identification chip or an RFID reader capable of reading the RFID tag. The tags can be used for commissioning the lighting system by reading the tags with a portable reader and assigning or removing fixtures from groups. The tags can also be used for other tasks requiring identification and tracking of specific fixtures.

Abstract: A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.

Abstract: A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.

Abstract: A lighting system for areal illumination is disclosed which may include a remote driver and a plurality of fixtures including luminaires. The luminaires may include a light source whose output light level can be adjusted, a light sensor co-located therewith adapted to measure light received from adjacent fixtures. The remote driver may provide power for the light sources of the luminaires.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting and processing interrupts by embedding interrupt information into a serial data stream are disclosed. An event is detected and converted into an interrupt signal. The interrupt signal is converted into a special interrupt character or symbol sequence. The special interrupt character or symbol sequence is embedded into a serial data stream at the next available character or symbol boundary and transmitted to a receiving controller. The receiving controller strips the special interrupt character or symbol sequence from the serial data stream and raises a corresponding interrupt. The receiving controller processes the interrupt by interrupting normal processing to run an interrupt subroutine. Once the receiver has detected and raised an interrupt, it can return an acknowledgement character or symbol sequence by the same mechanism.

Abstract: A system for determining operating points of a photovoltaic array may power a load with the photovoltaic array and an alternate power source concurrently. One or more operating points of the photovoltaic array may be detected by adjusting the amount of power that the alternate power source supplies to the load while continuing to power the load with the alternate power source and the photovoltaic array. The operating points may be stored in a calibration table. Alternatively or in addition, the operating points may be detected by altering the amount of power that a battery charger receives from a photovoltaic array while the photovoltaic array powers the battery charger and the load concurrently.

Abstract: A lighting system for areal illumination is disclosed which includes a remote driver and a plurality of fixtures including luminaires, control devices, and/or standalone sensors. The luminaires include a light source whose output light level can be adjusted, a light sensor co-located therewith adapted to measure light received from adjacent fixtures, and a microcontroller capable of transmitting the output of the light sensor over wires to the remote driver. The remote driver is capable of bidirectional communication with the luminaires and provides independently controllable power for the light sources of the luminaires. A movable orb region containing luminaires can also be defined and the light levels of individual luminaires can be set according to their location within the orb region.

Abstract: In one example, an electric circuit may be provided that is coupled to a line. The electric circuit may include a switch connected in series with a load, where the switch and the load are in series between two conductors of the line. The line may provide power to the load. The electric circuit may also include a resistive element connected in parallel with the switch and in series with the load. The switch may be configured to short circuit the resistive element when closed such that the voltage on the line varies between two voltage levels when the switch is opened and closed. The line provides power to the load when the switch is opened and when the switch is closed.

Abstract: A lighting controller may optimize a timeout value of a lamp based on the goals of saving energy and providing occupant comfort. The lamp may illuminate a lighting area. The lighting controller may determine a false-negative rate for the lamp from sensor data that represents a frequency at which the lamp is timed out while the lighting area is occupied. The lighting controller may adjust the timeout value of the lamp over time so that the false-negative rate approaches a threshold false-negative rate. The false-negatives and occupancy periods may be detected from spikes in time distributions of motion data. The amount of energy that the lamp would consume at an increased timeout value of the lamp may be determined from motion data stored while the timeout value of the lamp is at an initial timeout value.

Abstract: A system to control power generated by a photovoltaic array is provided that may include multiple distributed power point control (DPPC) units and a distributed power point control (DPPC) controller. The DPPC units may receive power from a photovoltaic array and supply a portion of that power to a corresponding one of multiple loads. The DPPC controller may generate a control signal for each respective one of the DPPC units such that the photovoltaic array generates a target power when the DPPC units power the loads. In addition, the DPPC controller may adjust the loads and the control signal so that the photovoltaic array generates the target power.

Abstract: A lighting system for areal illumination is disclosed which includes a remote driver and a plurality of fixtures including luminaires, control devices, and/or standalone sensors. A method of commissioning a lighting system is also disclosed which includes causing a light source co-located with each luminaire to emit a signal, detecting the signal at light sensors co-located with each luminaire, converting the signals obtained by the light sensors into distance measurements between luminaires, creating a map recording the relative location of luminaires, and assigning luminaires to groups based on their relative locations in the map. A movable orb region containing luminaires can also be defined.

Abstract: A system for auto-commissioning a light fixture may position the light fixture based on sensor data received from at least one sensor. In order to focus the light fixture on a target location, the system may vary the position of the light fixture and determine a position of the light fixture where the light level received by the photosensor reaches a determined light level. The system may adjust a light characteristic of light emitted by the light fixture so that the color of light received by the photosensor at the target location matches a target light characteristic, such as color or intensity. The system may determine a focus position and a light characteristic for multiple target locations. The system may auto-commission multiple light fixtures.

Abstract: A flexible multi-line conductor and multiple luminaire connectors may be provided. Each one of the luminaire connectors may be coupled to a corresponding luminaire and the flexible multi-line conductor. Each of the luminaire connectors may be moveable relative to each other. The flexible multi-line conductor may bend in response to movement of any of the luminaire connectors relative to each other. The flexible multi-line conductor may include multiple conductors. Each one of the luminaire connectors may couple a corresponding one of the luminaires to a different set of the conductors than the other luminaire connectors couple to the other luminaires.