TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a method of automatically controlling a sun protecting arrangement. The present disclosure is specifically focusing on ensuring that a portion of a user environment inside of an architectural opening is automatically shaded using a motorized covering comprised with the sun protecting arrangement, while another portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening is provided with as much sun as is currently available. The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding sun protecting arrangement and a computer program product.

BACKGROUND

A variety of automated systems currently exist for controlling blinds, drapery, and other types of window coverings. These systems often employ photo sensors to detect the visible light (daylight) entering through a window. The photo sensors may be connected to a computer and/or a motor that automatically opens or closes the window covering based upon the photo sensor and/or temperature read-out.

While photo sensors and temperature sensors may be helpful in determining the ideal shading for a window or interior, these sensors may not be entirely effective. As such, some shade control systems employ other criteria or factors to help define the shading parameters. For example, some systems employ detectors for detecting the angle of incidence of sunlight. Other systems use rain sensors, artificial lighting controls, geographic location information, date and time information, window orientation information, and exterior and interior photo sensors to quantify and qualify an optimum position for a window covering.

A problem with relying on photo sensors is that it potentially may result in quick adjustments to the window covering, which can be perceived as disturbing to persons inside of the window due to constantly changing lighting conditions. An improvement with the intention to manage this problem is presented in US8973303, implementing an ambient light prediction unit that is adapted to predict how ambient light will develop over time. Making use of such a scheme may greatly improve the user environment covered by the window covering.

However, even though US8973303 provides an interesting approach to control of a window covering, it may be desirable to not just optimize the user environment to reduce any form of unwanted sunlight. Rather, it may be desirable to take into account e.g. environmental effects to effectively limit the need for artificial lighting.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the above is at least partly met by a method of automatically controlling a sun protecting arrangement, the sun protecting arrangement comprising a motorized covering arranged to adjustably cover an architectural opening from sunlight entering the architectural opening from an outside of the architectural opening to a user environment inside of the architectural opening, wherein the method comprises the steps of selecting a shade volume, the shade volume defined as being a portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening, defining a non-shade volume as a remaining portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening not including the selected shade volume, providing present information relating to the sun’s path at an approximate geographical installation location of the sun protecting arrangement, and repeatedly at a predetermined time interval determining, based on the sun’s path in combination with an approximate compass direction of the architectural opening, an amount of the architectural opening to be covered to ensure that no portion of the shade volume is illuminated by the sunlight, while ensuring that sunlight is allowed to illuminate the nonshade volume, and controlling the motorized covering according to the determined amount of the architectural opening to be covered.

By means of the present disclosure, there is provided a novel control scheme for sun protection in relation to an architectural opening, inside of which there is provided a user environment. The user environment may for example be a defined indoor area, such as the user’s home or office. However, the user environment may also partly comprise an outdoor area, such as a patio. As such, while the architectural opening generally is a window, it may in specific embodiment of the present disclosure be other openings, such as in relation to the mentioned outdoor area, that may benefit from being partly covered.

The novel control scheme focuses on ensuring that a defined shade volume of the user environment is kept shaded by an automatically controlled motorized covering, while a defined non-shade volume of the user environment is provided with as much sun as is currently available. An advantage following this approach is the possibility to ensure that the user environment is provided with as much natural light as possible (thus reducing the need for artificial lighting) while at the same time ensuring that the user is not disturbed by unwanted sunlight in defined areas, such as in a computer screen, a TV-set, an office desk, etc.

It should be understood that the shade volume does not necessarily include a floor surface area but may be defined away from the floor within the user environment. Correspondingly, the shade volume does not necessarily include a ceiling surface area within the user environment. As such, the shade volume should be seen as freely defined within the user environment. Accordingly, since the non-shade volume is defined as the remaining portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening not including the selected shade volume, it will be possible to in an improved manner ensure that as much natural light as possible is provided within the user environment inside of the architectural opening.

As indicated above, the motorized covering is automatically controlled to archive the desired effect as is provided by means of the present disclosure. This is in line with the suggested control scheme achieved by repeatedly at a predetermined time interval take into account an installation direction (compass direction) for the motorized covering (or the architectural opening, which typically is the same) and the sun’s path for a present time. Accordingly, the control scheme will thus continuously take into account how the sun is changing over a day (and over the year) to ensure that no portion of the shade volume is illuminated by the sunlight, while at the same time ensuring that sunlight is allowed to illuminate the non-shade volume.

Sunlight illuminating the architectural opening at a given time will as discussed above be dependent on the sun’s path, in turn being dependent on the azimuth angle which defines the compass direction from which the sunlight is coming. Additionally, the elevation angle (used interchangeably with altitude angle) is the angular height of the sun in the sky measured from the horizontal. The elevation angle varies throughout the day. It also depends on the latitude of a particular location and the day of the year. When taking both into account, in combination with the compass direction for the motorized covering, it will be possible to determine how the sunlight will impinge at the architectural opening. Based on a definition of which volume that should be covered and which volume that should not be covered it will be possible to control how the motorized covering should be controlled.

The present disclosure is generally applicable to any form of motorized covering, such as in relation to any form of motorized Venetian blinds, curtains, shades or the like. However, in a preferred embodiment the motorized covering is selected as a motorized roller blind, having a fixed end and a movable end. In line with the present disclosure the movable end will be “rolled up and down” to achieve the effect according to the present control scheme.

In the most preferred embodiment is it desirable to optimize and/or maximize an amount of sunlight illuminating the non-shade volume, with the above-mentioned focus on making the most use of all the sunlight that is presently available while not e.g. disturbing persons present within the user environment inside of the architectural opening.

Within the context of the present disclosure the expression “presently available” should generally be interpreted as the amount of sunlight that is presently available at the approximate geographical installation location of the sun protecting arrangement. This may be determined through general estimation, possibly based on historical data. However, it could also be possible to determine the presently available sunlight using e.g. a light sensor (or lux sensor) or using e.g. an online weather service. Possibly and within the scope of the present disclosure, it could be possible to take an amount of presently available light into account when operating the motorized covering. As an example, in case no sunlight is presently available (by estimation or determination) such as due to a rainy day, then it may be possible to refrain from covering the architectural opening.

Preferably, the predetermined time interval is selected to be within the range of 1 - 60 minutes. Other time intervals are of course possible and in line with the present disclosure. With the desire to maximize the amount of sunlight that is illuminating the nonshade volume it may be desirable to rely on a shorter time interval between adjustments of the motorized covering.

At the same time, for optimizing the amount of sunlight illuminating the nonshade volume it is also desirable to take into account perceived user effects from operating the motorized covering. That is, if the motorized covering is adjusted too often this could potentially be perceived as disturbing. Accordingly, in the embodiment where the amount of sunlight illuminating the non-shade volume is optimized also this effect is desirably taken into account. Increasing the predetermined time interval to be slightly higher will also reduce the computational burden when determining the amount of the architectural opening to be covered.

As discussed above, a shade volume is selected as a portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening. This may in some embodiments be achieved simply by defining a virtual line a predefined vertical and horizontal distance from the architectural opening, preferably from an upper end of the architectural opening and parallel to the upper end of the architectural opening. This virtual line will then in such an embodiment effectively define a “bottom edge” of the shade volume. In the simplest embodiment the shade volume is thus a cuboid, where the virtual line defines the bottom edges at the face of the cuboid facing the architectural opening.

The virtual line may as an alternative be set by arranging the lower end of the motorized covering at a position that the user finds desirable for a specific time of the day (on a specific day of the year). That is, the motorized covering is to be lowered to a specified position thereby shading everything above a “shade line” (i.e. coinciding with the virtual line), in turn thus defining the above discussed shade volume for that specific time of the day (on that specific day of the year) provided a set distance from the architectural opening. The control scheme according to the present disclosure will then “follow” this shade/virtual line at other times (of different days of the year), based on the knowledge of the sun’s path at an approximate geographical installation location of the sun protecting arrangement and the approximate compass direction of the architectural opening. As an alternative, multiple definitions of the same shade lines at different times of the day may also be possible and within the scope of the present disclosure. However, the virtual line must not necessarily be defined as exactly parallel to the upper end of the architectural opening but could potentially be slightly angled to the upper end of the architectural opening. Additionally, the shade volume is not limited to being a cuboid. Rather, the shade volume may take any form, e.g. being defined as a sphere, etc.

In an embodiment a mobile electronic device may be used for defining the virtual line and/or the shade volume. Possibly, the mobile electronic device may be arranged to allow for a user to define the virtual line and/or the shade volume in an augmented reality environment and thus possibly overlaid to an image or video of the user environment. The selected shade volume will then be provided for use by the control scheme according to the present disclosure.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a sun protecting arrangement, comprising a motorized covering arranged to adjustably cover an architectural opening from sunlight entering the architectural opening from an outside of the architectural opening to a user environment inside of the architectural opening, wherein the sun protecting arrangement comprises or is arranged in communication with a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is adapted to receive information defining a shade volume, the shade volume defined as being a portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening, define a non-shade volume as a remaining portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening not including the selected shade volume, provide present information relating to the sun’s path at an approximate geographical installation location of the sun protecting arrangement, and repeatedly at a predetermined time interval determine, based on the sun’s path in combination with an approximate compass direction of the architectural opening, an amount of the architectural opening to be covered to ensure that no portion of the shade volume is illuminated by the sunlight, while ensuring that sunlight is allowed to illuminate the non-shade volume, and control the motorized covering according to the determined amount of the architectural opening to be covered. This aspect of the present disclosure provides similar advantages as discussed above in relation to the previous aspect of the present disclosure.

As indicated above, the processing unit may be arranged as a component of the sun protecting arrangement or remotely from the sun protecting arrangement. Accordingly, when the processing unit is arranged as a component of the sun protecting arrangement the sun protecting arrangement could essentially function autonomously without any continuous communication with external devices. However, when the processing unit is arranged remotely from the sun protecting arrangement such communication will generally be necessary and in such an embodiment it is desirable to further equip the sun protecting arrangement with a transceiver. The transceiver is preferably (but not necessarily) a wireless transceiver allowing control commands for controlling the motorized covering according to the present control scheme.

When the transceiver is a wireless transceiver, it may be desirable to select the wireless transceiver to communicate using e.g. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

According to a still further aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer program means for operating a sun protecting arrangement, the sun protecting arrangement comprising a motorized covering arranged to adjustably cover an architectural opening from sunlight entering the architectural opening from an outside of the architectural opening to a user environment inside of the architectural opening, wherein the computer program product comprises code for selecting a shade volume, the shade volume defined as being a portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening, code for defining a non-shade volume as a remaining portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening not including the selected shade volume, code for providing present information relating to the sun’s path at an approximate geographical installation location of the sun protecting arrangement, and code for repeatedly at a predetermined time interval determining, based on the sun’s path in combination with an approximate compass direction of the architectural opening, an amount of the architectural opening to be covered to ensure that no portion of the shade volume is illuminated by the sunlight, while ensuring that sunlight is allowed to illuminate the non-shade volume, and controlling the motorized covering according to the determined amount of the architectural opening to be covered. Also this aspect of the present disclosure provides similar advantages as discussed above in relation to the previous aspects of the present disclosure.

A software executed by the server for operation in accordance to the present disclosure may be stored on a computer readable medium, being any type of memory device, including one of a removable nonvolatile random access memory, a hard disk drive, a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a USB memory, an SD memory card, or a similar computer readable medium known in the art.

Further features of, and advantages with, the present disclosure will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled addressee realize that different features of the present disclosure may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various aspects of the present disclosure, including its particular features and advantages, will be readily understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a sun protecting arrangement according to a currently preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2A - 2C shows a conceptual installation of the sun protecting arrangement within a user environment, and

Fig. 3 shows a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which currently preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. This present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the skilled addressee. Like reference characters refer to like elements throughout.

Referring now to the drawings and to Fig. 1 in particular, there is depicted a sun protecting arrangement 100 according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the sun protecting arrangement comprises a processing unit 102, driver circuitry 104, an electrical motor 106 and a roller blind 108.

The processing unit 102 is arranged in communication with the driver circuitry 104, where the driver circuitry 104 in turn is connected to the electrical motor 106. The electrical motor 106 is in turn connected to the roller blind 108 for rolling a fabric 110 of the roller blind 108 up and down. Control commands generates by the processing unit 102, in line with the control scheme according to the present disclosure, will thus propagate through the drive circuitry 104 and the electrical motor 106 such that the fabric 110 will cover different amounts of a window 204 (as shown in Figs. 2A - 2C) where the sun protecting arrangement 100 has been installed.

Further to the above, the processing unit 102 may include a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable digital signal processor or another programmable device. The control unit 102 may also, or instead, each include an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array or programmable array logic, a programmable logic device, or a digital signal processor. Where the processing unit 102 includes a programmable device such as the microprocessor, microcontroller or programmable digital signal processor mentioned above, the processor may further include computer executable code that controls operation of the programmable device.

The sun protecting arrangement 100 may optionally be provided with a wireless transceiver 112 that is connected to the processing unit 102, such as for providing the processing unit 102 with information relating to the sun’s path at the geographical location where the sun protecting arrangement 100 has been installed. The wireless transceiver 112 may also be used for receiving information defining a shade volume that should be kept out of the sunlight, as will be further discussed below.

The wireless transceiver 110 is preferably configured for Bluetooth communication. However, other wireless implementations are possible, such as using WLAN, CDMA, GSM, GPRS, 3G mobile communications, 4G mobile communications, Zig-Bee, infrared, or similar. The wireless communication is preferably performed within a radio spectrum comprising frequency bands within the 2.4 GHz range, possibly also or instead at the 5 GHz radio frequency spectrum. In some embodiments, it may be possible to connect the wireless transceiver 112 to a central controller (e.g. “hub”, not shown), where the central controller in turn is connected to e.g. the Internet.

Turning now to Figs 2A - 2C in conjunction with Fig. 3, providing a conceptual installation and use of the sun protecting arrangement 100 for providing partial shade within a user environment 202, such as the user's home environment or an office, from sun entering through an architectural opening. The architectural opening is in Figs. 2A - 2C a window 204.

Figs. 2A - 2C presents the sun protecting arrangement 100 in different control stages for providing partial shade within the user environment 202. The process starts by e.g. a user selecting, SI, (such as using an app, a web GUI, or similar) a shade volume 206 within the user environment 202. The shade volume 206 is in Fig. 2A illustrated as a cuboid that covers an office desk 208 and the environment provided in relation to the office desk 208 (e.g. including the desk itself, a computer monitor, etc.), with the intention ensuring that the space where the user is present when working at the office desk 208 should be shaded from sunlight.

In the illustration provided in Fig. 2A it is sufficient for the user to define a virtual line 210 within the user environment 202. The virtual line 210 will then function as a bottom edge of the cuboid that inherently will form the shade volume 206, since no sunlight is to be allowed to extend “above” the virtual line 210.

The virtual line 210 is defined to be arranged a predetermined horizontal distance, AH, and a predetermined vertical distance, AV, from an upper edge of the window 204. The predetermined horizontal distance, AH, and the predetermined vertical distance, AV are then to be provided to the processing unit 102 of the sun protecting arrangement 100.

Based on the shade volume 206 it is possible to define, S2, a non-shade volume 212 as a remaining portion of the user environment 202 inside of the window 204 and not including the selected shade volume 206. Accordingly, the non-shade volume 212 will be the rest of the user environment 202 that is not selected to be the shade volume 202. Possibly, the processing unit 102 may be used for performing such a definition of the non- shade volume 202.

Further information relating to the sun’s path is needed by the processing unit 102 for performing the control scheme according to the present disclosure. In one embodiment it may therefore be possible to provide, S3, the processing unit 102 with such information to be able to continuously determine the sun’s path at an approximate geographical installation location of the sun protecting arrangement 100, taking into account an approximate compass direction of the window 204.

As an example, the processing unit 102 may be provided with a computer library that is adapted to make such a calculation, where e.g. Pysolar is an example of such a library. Other alternative implementation as also possible, such as by providing the processing unit 102 with a look-up table with adequate information, or by providing the processing unit 102 with the information from a remote source (not shown) through the wireless transceiver 112.

Once this information has been provided to the processing unit 102 it is possible to start control of the roller blind 108. This control comprises to repeatedly and at a predetermined time interval (such as every minute, 10 minutes, etc.) determining, S4, an amount of the window 204 to be covered to ensure that no portion of the shade volume 206 is illuminated by the sunlight, while ensuring that sunlight is allowed to illuminate the nonshade volume 212. This determination is achieved by relating the special relation between the upper edge of the window 204 with the lower edge of the shade volume 206, and at the same time taking into account the sun’s path for the approximate compass direction of the window 204, at that specific point in time.

Accordingly, every time the determination is made the sun’s position is related to the window 204 and the shade volume 206, for determining how far down a lower end of the fabric 110 of roller blind 108 should be arranged to ensure that no portion of the shade volume 206 is illuminated by the sunlight. As defined above, it is also necessary for the processing unit 102 to optimize the position of the lower end of the fabric 110 of roller blind 108 to ensure that e.g. a maximum of available sunlight is allowed to illuminate the nonshade volume 212, thereby maximizing an amount of natural light within the user environment 202.

The processing unit 102 will then generate control commands that are provided to the driver circuitry 104 to control, S5, the electrical motor 106 such that the fabric 110 of roller blind 108 is positioned correctly.

Figs. 2A - 2C presents different stages over a day in relation to the user environment 202 where the sun protecting arrangement 100 has been installed. In Fig. 2A the sun is at a steep angle in relation to the window 204 and thus the processing unit 102 will determine that there is no need to lower the fabric 110 of the roller blind 108, since the position of the sun in relation to the shade volume 206 result in no risk that sunlight will reach the shade volume 202. As can be see, a section of the remaining portion of the user environment 202 (i.e. included in the shade volume 212) is still illuminated with by this sunlight.

Fig. 2B presents a later time of the day when the sun has moved, such that the present position of the sun will pose a risk of forming sunlight that could illuminate the shade volume 206. Thus, the processing unit determines where the lower edge of the fabric 110 of the roller blind 108 should be located to ensure that no portion of the shade volume 206 is illuminated by the sunlight. As will be seen in Fig. 2B, the roller blind 108 has thus been rolled down such that a greater area of the window 204 is covered by the fabric 110. Here, another portion of the remaining portion of the user environment 202 is to be illuminated with the available sunlight.

Fig. 2C presents an even later time of the day when the sun has moved even further. Here an even further amount of the window 204 needs to be covered by the fabric to ensure that no portion of the shade volume 206 is illuminated by the sunlight.

Figs. 2 A - 2C shows three different times of the day and the resulting operation of the sun protecting arrangement 100 to ensure that no portion of the shade volume 206 is illuminated by the sunlight, while ensuring that sunlight is allowed to illuminate the non-shade volume 212. As is obvious from the above, the position of the lower end of the fabric 110 of the roller blind 108 needs to be changed throughout the day, to ensure that this requirement is achieved while still ensuring that e.g. any further sunlight that is not risking of illuminating the shade volume 206 is allowed to enter through the window 204.

The rate of adjusting the lower edge of the fabric 110 is preferably selected such that it is not perceived as disturbing to any users positioned in the user environment 202. Thus, it may be desirable to make these changes stepwise, rather than seamlessly. However, the rate of change may be selected depending on the implementation at hand. Therefore, an optimized amount of cover of the window 204 must not always result in a maximized amount of natural light entering through the window 204 (i.e. while ensuring that the shade volume 206 is staying shaded). It should further be understood that the shade volume 206 is depending on a volume where the user does not want any sunlight. As such, the user may potentially select a slightly smaller volume as compared to the final shade volume 206 that is used by the processing unit 102 for determining how much of the window 204 that is to be covered by the fabric 110.

In summary, the present disclosure relates to a method of automatically controlling a sun protecting arrangement, the sun protecting arrangement comprising a motorized covering arranged to adjustably cover an architectural opening from sunlight entering the architectural opening from an outside of the architectural opening to a user environment inside of the architectural opening, wherein the method comprises the steps of selecting a shade volume, the shade volume defined as being a portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening, defining a non-shade volume as a remaining portion of the user environment inside of the architectural opening not including the selected shade volume, providing present information relating to the sun’s path at an approximate geographical installation location of the sun protecting arrangement, and repeatedly at a predetermined time interval determining, based on the sun’s path in combination with an approximate compass direction of the architectural opening, an amount of the architectural opening to be covered to ensure that no portion of the shade volume is illuminated by the sunlight, while ensuring that sunlight is allowed to illuminate the non-shade volume, and controlling the motorized covering according to the determined amount of the architectural opening to be covered.

By means of the present disclosure, there is provided a novel control scheme for sun protection in relation to an architectural opening, inside of which there is provided a user environment. The user environment may for example be a defined indoor area, such as the user’s home or office. However, the user environment may also partly comprise an outdoor area, such as a patio. As such, while the architectural opening generally is a window, it may in specific embodiment of the present disclosure be other openings, such as in relation to the mentioned outdoor area, that may benefit from being partly covered.

The control functionality of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwire system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine- readable medium for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a machine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data, which cause a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.

Although the figures may show a sequence the order of the steps may differ from what is depicted. In addition, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps and decision steps. Additionally, even though the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific exemplifying embodiments thereof, many different alterations, modifications and the like will become apparent for those skilled in the art.

In addition, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled addressee in practicing the claimed present disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. Furthermore, in the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality.