Techniques are described for generating power from airflow powered smart vents associated with security and automation systems. One method includes monitoring a rate of airflow through an air vent in a centralized heating and cooling system, generating, at a sensor at the air vent, power based at least in part on the rate of airflow through the air vent, storing the generated power in the sensor at the air vent, providing the stored power to one or more motors associated with the sensor at the air vent, and utilizing the stored power to perform communication between the sensor at the air vent and a control panel of the home automation system, wherein the control panel is located at a location different from a location of the sensor.

A visible light sensor may be configured to sense environmental characteristics of a space using an image of the space. The visible light sensor may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to decrease or eliminate glare within a space. In the daylighting sensor mode and the color sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.

To provide a system that collects data from each sensor (airflow, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, illuminance, and air pollution) that measures an environmental factor and can evaluate an environment in a factory in a complex manner. Environmental sensors that measure environmental elements including at least airflow from among the airflow, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, illuminance, and a degree of air pollution, which are the environmental elements in a factory where a machining operation is performed, a display unit that visualizes and displays measurement results of a plurality of environmental elements measured by the environmental sensors, an evaluation and determination unit that evaluates and determines at least one of machine accuracy, work environment, and image accuracy based on the measurement results of the plurality of environmental elements, and a control unit that controls in-factory equipment so that an environment in the factory becomes a preset environment based on results of evaluation and determination by the evaluation and determination unit are included.

A visible light sensor may be configured to sense environmental characteristics of a space using an image of the space. The visible light sensor may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to decrease or eliminate glare within a space. In the daylighting sensor mode and the color sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.

A luminaire for lighting and for distribution of conditioned air within a space includes a housing having a lighting element, a duct opening, and at least one air vent coupled to the duct opening. The at least one air vent is configured to deliver conditioned air to the space. A method of controlling light and conditioned air delivery within a space, by a single combined lighting and conditioned air fixture, includes providing control and power signals to a controller coupled to the single combined lighting and conditioned air fixture, controlling lighting functions via the controller, and controlling conditioned air functions via the controller.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of an occupancy monitoring system. The occupancy monitoring system includes a thermal sensor configured to monitor a gate (e.g., entry way) to a space. The thermal sensor includes a pixel array that generates a pixel value for each pixel in the pixel array, and the pixel value corresponds to a quantity of heat or thermal information detected by a pixel. The occupancy monitoring system acquires pixel values for the pixels of the pixel array. The occupancy monitoring system determines whether there is a change in occupancy of the space based on changes to a first region (or first pixel cluster) of the pixel array and a second region (or second pixel cluster) of the pixel array over time. The occupancy monitoring system may adjust lighting, temperature, and/or security systems for the space as the occupancy changes.

A visible light sensor may be configured to sense environmental characteristics of a space using an image of the space. The visible light sensor may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to decrease or eliminate glare within a space. In the daylighting sensor mode and the color sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.

Environmental condition controller and method for controlling an environmental condition in an area of a building. The controller stores a predictive model generated by a neural network training engine, and a previously calculated environmental condition adjustment value (y.sub.n1). The controller receives an environmental condition target value (x.sub.ref), and an environmental condition measured value (x). The controller recursively calculates an environmental condition adjustment value (y.sub.n) by executing a neural network inference engine using the predictive model for inferring the environmental condition adjustment value (y.sub.n) based on the previously calculated environmental condition adjustment value (y.sub.n1), the environmental condition target value (x.sub.ref), the environmental condition measured value (x), and an adaptive proportionality value (k). The controller also generates and transmits a command based on the environmental condition adjustment value (y.sub.n). The controller further stores the calculated environmental condition adjustment value (y.sub.n) as the previously calculated environmental condition adjustment value (y.sub.n1).

Systems and methods are provided for determining an ambient temperature in a volume using a lighting based sensor. A status of a light with which a temperature sensor is associated is determined. A correction factor is accessed from a computer-readable medium based on the status of the light. A measured temperature is received via the temperature sensor. The measured temperature is transformed based on the correction factor, and the transformed temperature is transmitted from the light to a remote location.

An HVAC system and method for digital communication timing discovery over a two wire connection. The HVAC system comprises a thermostat and at least one remote sensor unit comprising at least one sensor with an associated memory. The thermostat comprises a communication interface adapted to be connected to the remote sensor unit via a two-wire connection over a communication channel. The thermostat further comprises a controller adapted to perform a communication timing discovery to determine a communicating timing value that minimizes communication error rates for each sensor of the remote sensor unit by performing an iterative communication error rate detection operation over a range of timing values. The thermostat controller uses the determined communication timing value for communicating with the respective sensor during normal operation to receive sensor information.