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.

A device may be configured to detect a glare condition and may comprise a photo sensing circuit and a visible light sensing circuit. The photo sensing circuit may be configured to periodically generate an illuminance signal that indicates an illuminance value. The visible light sensing circuit may be configured to periodically record images of the space at an exposure time. The device may receive an illuminance signal from the photo sensing circuit and determine a present illuminance based on the illuminance signal. The device may adjust the frequency at which the visible light sensing circuit records images based on the present illuminance. The exposure time may be determined based on the present illuminance and a glare condition type. An image recorded at a respective exposure time may wash out pixels above a certain illuminance value. The device may detect a glare condition at the location of washed out pixels.

Methods and systems for determining tint of at least one tintable window when the outside temperature is greater than a first threshold and/or less than a second threshold value.

A method, system, and/or computer program product are described for generating a graphical user interface for providing information and controlling optically switchable windows connected by a network. Windows are graphically represented using interactive smart objects placed within views of the graphical user interface in a manner corresponding to their physical location. A method, system, and/or computer program product are described for associating network IDs of optically switchable windows with the locations at which the windows are installed. Window locations are determined by analyzing received wireless transmissions that are sent from transmitters associated with each of the optically switchable windows. The determined locations are then compared with a representation of the building that provides the window locations. Upon comparison, the network ID of each window, which is communicated through the window transmissions, is associated with the appropriate window location on the representation of the building.

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.

An indoor environment control system using smart windows includes at least two smart windows of which colors change in accordance with the intensity of supplied voltages, an internal illuminance sensor disposed inside each of the smart windows and configured to measure internal illuminance, an external illuminance sensor disposed outside each of the smart windows and configured to measure external illuminance, a main controller configured to calculate transmittance of each of the smart windows using internal illuminance and external illuminance provided from the internal illuminance sensor and the external illuminance sensor, and to calculate the intensity of a voltage that is supplied to each of the smart windows such that a difference of the calculated transmittances is a setting value (N) or less, and unit controllers configured to supply the voltages having the intensity supplied from the main controller to the smart windows, respectively.

A manufacturing method for a light modulating device includes preparing a first laminated body including a first glass sheet, preparing a second laminated body in which a second glass sheet, a second interlayer, and a light modulating cell are laminated, and bonding the first laminated body and the second laminated body.

Methods of making thermal insulation products that may be usable to provide insulation in high temperature applications. One method includes sealing a support material (e.g., a nanoporous core such as fumed silica, an aerogel powder, etc.) and at least one vapor within an interior portion of a substantially gas-impermeable envelope (e.g., a metallic and/or polymeric film), and then condensing at least a portion of the vapor after the sealing step to reduce the pressure within the gas-impermeable envelope from a first pressure before the condensing to a lower second pressure after the condensing. The disclosed methods limit or eliminate the need for pumping mechanisms to draw the vacuum within the products, drying of the core before the sealing, and the like.

A device comprising a dimmable panel comprising a plurality of individually dimmable cells attached to a window glass, an optical sensor to detect an image of one or more objects, a computation unit, communicably coupled to the dimmable panel and the optical sensor, to: i) cause to darken one or more cells of the plurality of individual dimmable cells of the dimmable panel, ii) cause the optical sensor to capture an image of the one or more objects, and, iii) determine, based on the image, whether a shadow is cast on the one or more objects due to the one or more darkened cells.

The invention is related to window blind automation and provides a removable device for blind control and automation. The invention is also related to a method for blind control and automation. The device is attached to window blinds headrail with magnets, hooks or other means and the tilter or the cords are put inside the mechanism. The device has a hole where the adaptor is inserted. There are different types of small adaptors for different types of tilters. There is a light sensor for ambient light which might be hidden under semi-transparent plastic or be visible on the enclosure. In the lower part of the drawing the version for vertical blinds is shown. At the side of the verticals there is a metal shaft and the device connects to it with a gear wheel. For verticals, the device is attached to the side of the headrail.