Methods and systems for controlling tintable windows based on cloud detection.

The present disclosure relates to a thermal management system configured to control a temperature of a building and having a controller configured to determine an adjustment to a window setting of the building based on current weather data, forecasted weather data, or both. The thermal management system also includes a display configured to display instructions related to the adjustment.

A system includes a window treatment adjacent to a window of a room. At least one motor drive unit is associated with the window treatment, for varying the position of the window treatment. A sensor measures a light level (e.g., an outdoor light level) at the window. A controller provides signals to the motor drive unit to automatically adjust the position of the window treatment so as to control a penetration distance of sunlight into the room when the window treatment is partially opened. The controller is configured to position the window treatment in a bright override position if the measured light level is at least a bright threshold value. The controller is configured to select the bright threshold value from among at least two predetermined values. The selection depends on an angle of incidence between light rays from the sun and a surface normal of the window.

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.

The method comprises determining that the clear day exists in response to the apparent diameter of the solar disc being similar to the expected diameter of the solar disc on the clear day and determining that an overcast condition exists in the camera image in response to the apparent diameter of the solar disc being distorted. The method may further include receiving a camera image of a sky section from a camera at a first location; segmenting the camera image into a first portion around a known position of a solar disc and a second portion of the remainder of the sky section containing an horizon; determining that the solar disc is obstructed by the horizon; and establishing that the first location is experiencing shadow conditions based on the determining.

The present disclosure relates to a transmittance-variable device, a driving method thereof, a method for improving a light shielding ratio, and a use thereof. In some embodiments, a transmittance-variable device includes a transmittance-variable film capable of being switched between a transparent mode and a black mode depending on application of a voltage signal, and a power source for applying a voltage signal such that the intensity of the voltage signal decreases with time to implement the black mode, wherein the transmittance-variable film includes a first electrode substrate, an electrophoretic layer, and a second electrode substrate sequentially arranged. The transmittance-variable device can exhibit an excellent light shielding ratio in the black mode after driving with a voltage signal, and such a transmittance-variable device can be usefully used in a smart window.

A load control system may comprise an electrical load control device and/or a computing device. The electrical load control device may control, for example, motorized window treatments (e.g., shades), lighting controls, and/or sensors (e.g., occupancy, radio window, daylight, etc.). For example, a load control device comprising a motorized window treatment may control the position of a covering material in the window treatment. The computing device may comprise a processor and/or a graphical user interface (GUI). The computing device may be a server and/or a user device, such as a wireless user device (e.g., a cellular phone, tablet, or laptop computer). The computing device may be configured to provide graphical representations that may be displayed on a GUI based on load control information.

A door operating system includes a door operator; a laser transmitter; and an accessory device operatively connected to a laser receiver, the accessory device is powered, at least in part by, energy received by a laser shining at the laser receiver. A method of providing power to accessory devices associated with a door opening system includes: configuring a laser receiver to receive power from a laser; configuring the laser receiver to provide power to an accessory device; configuring a laser transmitter to convert AC power to a laser; controlling the laser transmitter with a controller that also controls a door operator.

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 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.