Motorized window treatments may each adjust a position of a covering material to allow light into a space in a building. The control information for controlling the motorized window treatments may be stored and/or accessed to understand how the motorized window treatments are operating. The control information may indicate a control state and/or a position of the covering material when an identified daylight intensity is being received at the space. The control information may inform a user of the operation of the motorized window treatments and allow the user to adjust various control parameters by which the motorized window treatments may be controlled. Recommended adjustments may also be provided to the user based on a user-identified problem with the operation of the motorized window treatments. The recommended adjustments to the control parameters may be accepted by the user and may be stored for being accessed and/or edited.

A method comprises measuring a light intensity at a window; determining if the light intensity exceeds a cloudy-day threshold; operating in a sunlight penetration limiting mode to control the motorized window treatment to control the sunlight penetration distance in the space; enabling the sunlight penetration limiting mode if the light intensity is greater than the cloudy-day threshold; and disabling the sunlight penetration limiting mode if the total lighting intensity is less than the cloudy-day threshold. The cloudy-day threshold is maintained at a constant threshold if a calculated solar elevation angle is greater than a predetermined solar elevation angle, and the cloudy-day threshold varies with time if the calculated solar elevation angle is less than the predetermined solar elevation angle. The cloudy-day threshold is a function of the calculated solar elevation angle if the calculated solar elevation angle is less than the predetermined solar elevation angle.

Intelligent building control systems utilize sky information from a camera or cameras to facilitate control of building systems such as lighting, motorized window coverings, electrochromic glazings, HVAC systems, and so forth. Based on the sky information, interior lighting intensity and/or color temperature may be modified, for example in order to achieve a desired circadian effect for building occupants. In this manner, energy efficiency and occupant comfort and convenience are improved.

An electric light and external light control system for a space with a dual-mode light sensor is proposed. The dual-mode light sensor (106) measures and computes the amount of external light and electrical light incident on its sensing surface. The individual measured light components (total light, electric light and external light) are transmitted to the window treatment controller (103) and the electric light controller (102). The controllers (102, 103) use this information to optimally control the lighting condition to meet user requirements and reduce energy consumption. Both controllers (102, 103) operate concurrently and independently, but are linked via the dual-mode sensor (106).

A sensor and/or system controller may process an image multiple times at multiple resolutions to detect glare conditions. A glare condition threshold used to determine whether a glare condition exists may be based on the resolution of the image. When the resolution of the image is higher, the glare condition threshold may be higher. The sensor and/or system controller may organize one or more adjacent pixels having similar intensities into pixel groups. The pixel groups may vary in size and/or shape. The sensor and/or system controller may determine a representative group luminance for the pixel group (e.g., an average luminance of the pixels in the group). The sensor and/or system controller may determine a group glare condition threshold, which may be used to determine whether a glare condition exists for the group of pixels and/or may be based on the size of the group.

Methods of controlling tint of a tintable window to account for occupant comfort in a room of a building. Some methods include receiving weather feed data from one or more weather services (or other data sources) over a communication network, determining a weather condition based on the weather feed data, and determining a tint level for the tintable window based on the weather condition and based on whether a current time is within a time delay period at sunrise or sunset.

A sun blinds system for light conditions control in a room or space. The space or room with one or more windows may have a set of sun blinds that have a position to cover the whole or part of the window to prevent to an extent, as desired by an occupant or occupants, sunlight from entering the space. Parameters such as space light level, glare, weather conditions, time of year and day, cloud cover, space temperature and occupancy may be entered in a database. A learning supervisor may determine the position of the sun blinds in view of the parameters and previous manual sun blinds' settings by occupants, and provide the position to a sun blinds controller.

Certain aspects pertain to a combination sensor comprising a set of physical sensors facing different directions proximate a structure, and configured to measure solar radiation in different directions. The combination sensor also comprises a virtual facade-aligned sensor configured to determine a combi-sensor value at a facade of the structure based on solar radiation readings from the set of physical sensors.

A retractable privacy system for roll-up walls and doors is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a retractable privacy system includes one or more drums rotated by one or more motors to draw in or let out one or more flexible sheets from the drum. Multiple motors and drums may work in synchronization to achieve a desired result. In certain embodiments, various inputs are used to automatically open or close roll-up walls and doors. In other embodiments, the retractable privacy system interfaces with a thermostat or security system to achieve a desired result.

A retractable privacy system for is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a retractable privacy system includes a drums rotated by one or more motors to draw-in or let-out a flexible sheet from a drum. Multiple motors may work in synchronization to achieve a desired result. In certain embodiments, various inputs are used to automatically open or close privacy sheets. In other embodiments, the retractable privacy system interfaces with a thermostat or security system to achieve a desired result.