ESTIMATING A HARVESTING TIME FOR A PLANT SECTION BASED ON LIGHT MEASUREMENT INFORMATION

Abstract

A system for estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment is configured to determine a light setting used by one or more light sources (11) to illuminate a section (45) of the plant growing environment with horticulture grow light. The light setting comprises at least a color component associated with the section of the plant growing environment. The system is further configured to obtain light measurement information from one or more color sensors (21) when the one or more color sensors are co-located with the one or more light sources. The system is configured to estimate a harvesting time for the section of the plant growing environment based on the light measurement information, an intensity of the color component in the light setting and a cultivation temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment. The cultivation temperature protocol comprises one or more assumed cultivation temperatures.

Claims

1. A system for estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment, said system comprising: at least one sensor interface; and at least one processor configured to: determine a light setting used by one or more light sources to illuminate a section of said plant growing environment with horticulture grow light that, in terms of light intensity and spectrum, is suitable far growing plants in said plant growing environment, said light setting comprising at least a color component associated with said section of said plant growing environment, obtain, via said at least one sensor interface, light measurement information from one or more color sensors are co-located with said one or more light sources, and estimate a harvesting time for said section of said plant growing environment based on said light measurement information, an intensity of said color component in said light setting and a cultivation temperature protocol for said section of said plant growing environment, said cultivation temperature protocol comprising one or more assumed cultivation temperatures.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is configured to control an environmental parameter based on a difference between said estimated harvesting time and a target harvesting time.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least one output interface, wherein said at least one processor is configured to: determine an adjusted temperature protocol for said section of said plant growing environment based on said cultivation temperature protocol and a difference between said estimated harvesting time and said target harvesting time, said adjusted temperature protocol comprising one or more adjusted cultivation temperatures, and output, via said at least one output interface, a temperature control signal based on said adjusted temperature protocol.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine a percentage of reflected light of said color component based on said light measurement information and said intensity of said color component in said light setting and estimate said harvesting time based on said percentage of reflected light and said cultivation temperature protocol.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one processor is configured to estimate a potential current yield based on said percentage of reflected light and estimate said harvesting time based on a difference between said potential current yield and a desired yield and said cultivation temperature protocol.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one processor is configured to estimate said potential current yield based on said percentage of reflected light and calibration information, said calibration information comprising a user-inputted yield associated with said percentage of reflected lighting.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine one or more parameter values, select calibration data from said calibration information based on said one or more parameter values, and estimate said potential current yield based on said percentage of reflected light and said calibration data.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said one or more parameter values comprise at least one of: position of said one or more light sources with respect to said plants, growth stage of said plants, stem density of said plants and plant density in said section of said plant growing environment.

9. The system as claimed claim 5, wherein said at least one processor is configured to record yield over time at various temperatures and estimate said harvesting time further based on said recorded yield at said one or more assumed cultivation temperatures.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more color sensors comprise a plurality of color sensors and said at least one processor is configured to determine an average light measurement measured by said plurality of color sensors and estimate said harvesting time for said section of said plant growing environment based on said average light measurement and said intensity of said color component in said light setting.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one control interfaced, wherein said at least one processor is configured to control, via said at least one control interfaced, said one or more light sources to illuminate said section of said plant growing environment according to said light setting.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one processor is configured to control, via said at least one control interfaced, said one or more light source according to said light setting while said light sources are positioned within a distance of organs of said plant.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one processor is configured to: control, via said at least one control interface, said one or more light sources to render light with a first light output level during a first moment and light with a second light output level during a second moment, an interval between said first moment and said second moment not exceeding an interval threshold, obtain, via said at least one sensor interface, first light measurement information measured at said first moment and second light measurement information measured at said second moment from at least one of said one or more color sensors, determine a daylight contribution based on a difference between said first light measurement information and said second light measurement information, determine adjusted light measurement information by subtracting said daylight contribution from said light measurement information, and estimate said harvesting time for said section of said plant growing environment based on said adjusted light measurement information.

14. A method of estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment, said method comprising: determining a light setting used by one or more light sources to illuminate a section of said plant growing environment with horticulture grow light that, in terms of light intensify and spectrum, is suitable for growing plants in said plant growing environment, said light setting comprising at least a color component associated with said section of said plant growing environment; obtaining light measurement information from one or more color sensors when said one or more color sensors are co-located with said one or more light sources; and estimating a harvesting time for said section of said plant growing environment based on said light measurement information, an intensity of said color component in said light setting and a cultivation temperature protocol for said section of said plant growing environment, said cultivation temperature protocol comprising one or more assumed cultivation temperatures.

15. A non transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform the method of claim 14.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be further elucidated, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0046] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first example of the system;

[0047] FIG. 2 depicts an example of a plant growing environment in which the system may be used;

[0048] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a second example of the system;

[0049] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a first example of the method;

[0050] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a second example of the method;

[0051] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a third example of the method; and

[0052] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a fourth example of the method; and

[0053] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an exemplary data processing system for performing the method of the invention.

[0054] Corresponding elements in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numeral.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a first example of the system for estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment: a light control computer 1. In the example of FIG. 1, the light conditions (light intensity, spectrum, and their dependence on the time of day and growth stage of the plant) are controlled by the light control computer 1 and the climate (temperature, humidity, CO2 level) is controlled by a climate control computer 25.

[0056] The light computer 1 controls light sources 11-13, e.g. LED modules. The light sources 11-13 may be, for example, top-lighting devices or inter-lighting devices, which typically hang between plants, or part thereof. The climate computer 25 controls a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system 27. Optionally, the climate control computer 25 may receive sensor data from one or more climate sensors (not shown), e.g. including a temperature sensor and/or a CO2 sensor, and control the HVAC system 27 based on this sensor data.

[0057] The light control computer 1 comprises a receiver 3, a transmitter 4, a processor 5, and memory 7. The processor 5 is configured to determine a light setting used by the light sources 11-13 to illuminate a section of the plant growing environment. The light setting comprises at least a color component associated with the section of the plant growing environment. In the example of FIG. 1, the processor 5 is configured to control, via the transmitter 4, the light sources 11-13 to illuminate the section of the plant growing environment according to the light setting.

[0058] The processor 5 is further configured to obtain, via the receiver 3, light measurement information from color sensors 21-23, which are co-located with the light sources 11-13, and estimate a harvesting time for the section of the plant growing environment based on the light measurement information (e.g. a spectral power distribution), an intensity of the color component in the light setting (e.g. a spectral power distribution) and a cultivation temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment.

[0059] The color component is normally associated with a type/variation of the plants in the plant section, e.g. red for tomato plants and bell pepper plants. The cultivation temperature protocol comprises one or more assumed cultivation temperatures. In a simple situation, the one or more assumed cultivation temperatures may correspond to a single, manually configured temperature setting. In a more advanced situation, a temperature schedule for a heating and cooling system may specify a desired temperature for each of a plurality of time periods.

[0060] The invention relies on a simple principle: considering e.g. a fruit lit by a single white light in a dark room, the reflected light will have a different spectrum. From the difference between the white spectrum and the reflected one, it is possible to retrieve the fruit color. It is not necessary to determine the color/fruit ripeness per plant, but it is sufficient to determine the average (fruit) color of the plant section. In practice, the light sources 11-13 might not emit white light, but might emit grow light. For this reason, the light setting used by the light source co-located with the sensor is obtained. In the example of FIG. 1, obtaining this light setting is relatively straightforward, as the light computer 1 controls this light source according to this light setting.

[0061] The processor 5 may be configured to provide the estimated harvesting time to a grower and/or to the climate control computer 25 and/or may be configured to trigger special light protocols for vitamin C enhancement, nitrate reduction, etc. based on a difference between the estimated harvesting time and a target harvesting time, for example.

[0062] The color sensors 21-23 may comprise one or more single-pixel sensors and/or one or more multi-pixel sensors (e.g. cameras), for example. Typically, each pixel of a multi-pixel sensor will be ‘looking’ at a (slightly) different location within the section (as would be the case when using a camera). In one mode of operation, the readings of the individual pixels could simply be averaged to, in the end, obtain a single measurement value.

[0063] In another mode of operation, the readings of the individual pixels are processed (e.g. averaged) with different weights per pixel to again obtain a single measurement value (for example, some regions in the field of view of a multi-pixel sensor are more likely to contain tomatoes than other regions; it might be beneficial to give these regions a different weight).

[0064] If the light measurements are performed in the absence of daylight (during the night), then having every color sensor regularly take a single measurement suffices. If the light measurements are performed in a greenhouse during the day, then additional measures need to be taken. Knowledge of the amount of daylight entering the greenhouse does not suffice in this case, as it does not indicate how much daylight remains low in the canopy and illuminates the plant and fruits. The spectrum of the light illuminating the plants and fruits is therefore basically unknown and moreover varying in time. As a result, it will not be possible to derive properties such as the average color of fruits (being an indication of the fruit ripeness of the plant section) from the color sensors' light measurements.

[0065] To solve this problem, the processor 5 may be configured to determine a daylight contribution, determine adjusted light measurement information by subtracting the daylight contribution from the light measurement information, and estimate the harvesting time for the section of the plant growing environment based on the adjusted light measurement information.

[0066] The processor 5 may be configured to determine this daylight contribution by controlling, via the transmitter 4, the light sources 11-13 to render light with a first light output level during a first moment and light with a second light output level during a second moment and obtain, via the receiver 3, first light measurement information measured at the first moment and second light measurement information measured at the second moment from the color sensors 21-23. In order to obtain a reliable result, the interval between the first moment and the second moment should not exceed an interval threshold. Optimal results are obtained when only the light output level of the artificial light changes and not the daylight level. The first measurement information and the second measurement information may be measured successively, for example. The spectrum of the light should preferably not change between the first and second moments.

[0067] The processor 5 may be configured to then determine the daylight contribution based on a difference between the first light measurement information and the second light measurement information. Thus, by taking the difference of the measurements, the daylight contribution is filtered out. The filtered result comprises information on the color of the fruits in the plant section. To get accurate values for the degree of ripeness, the filtered result is correlated with actual measured ripeness values (e.g. yield in kg/m.sup.2) and the colors associated with these values.

[0068] In the example of the computer 1 shown in FIG. 1, the computer 1 comprises one processor 5. In an alternative example, the computer 1 comprises multiple processors. The processor 5 may be a general-purpose processor, e.g. from Intel or AMD, or an application-specific processor. The processor 5 may run a Windows or Unix-based operating system for example. The memory 7 may comprise one or more memory units. The memory 7 may comprise one or more hard disks and/or solid-state memory, for example. The memory 7 may be used to store an operating system, applications and application data, for example.

[0069] The receiver 3 and the transmitter 4 may use one or more wired and/or wireless communication technologies to communicate with the light sources 11-13 and the color sensors 21-23, for example. In an alternative example, multiple receivers and/or multiple transmitters are used in computer 1 instead of a single receiver and a single transmitter. In the example shown in FIG. 1, separate receivers and separate transmitters are used. In an alternative example, the receiver 3 and the transmitter 4 are combined into a transceiver. The computer 1 may comprise other components typical for a computer such as a power connector and a display. The invention may be implemented using a computer program running on one or more processors.

[0070] In the example of FIG. 1, the system of the invention is a computer. In an alternative example, the system of the invention is a different device. In the example of FIG. 1, the system of the invention comprises a single device. In an alternative example, the system of the invention comprises a plurality of devices. In the example of FIG. 1, the computer 1 uses a transmitter to control the light sources. In an alternative example, the computer 1 uses only analog wires to control the light sources.

[0071] FIG. 2 depicts an example of a plant growing environment in which the system of FIG. 1 may be used. In the example of FIG. 2, a first section 45 and a second section 46 of the plant growing environment are moving on a conveyer belt 41. A subset of the light sources 11-13 is controlled to illuminate the first section 45 of the plant growing environment according to a light setting associated with this first section 45. This light setting may specify light with a red component when the plants in the first section 45 are tomato plants, for example. Each plant section comprises multiple containers, e.g. plant pots or plant trays. A container may comprise a single plant 43, but typically comprises multiple plants 43. Typically, more plants are conveyed over the conveyor belt 41 than represented in FIG. 2.

[0072] The processor 5 of the light control computer 1 of FIG. 1 is configured to control each of the light sources 11-13 according to a light setting that is associated with a plant section in which the plants' organs are within a distance of the respective light source. At the moment depicted in FIG. 2, the light source 11 is controlled according to the light setting associated with the first section 45 and the light source 13 is controlled according to the light setting associated with a second section 46. If the plant sections 45 and 46 comprise the same plants in the same growth stage, light source 12 may be controlled according to the light settings associated with the first and second sections 45 and 46.

[0073] In the example of FIG. 2, the first section 45 of the plant growing environment is covered by color sensor 21 and the second section 46 of the plant growing environment is covered by color sensor 23. The first section 45 and the second section 46 may also be covered by color sensor 22. For example, color sensor 22 may be a multi-pixel sensor of which some pixels cover the first section 45 and other pixels cover the second section 46.

[0074] If so, the processor 5 of the light control computer 1 of FIG. 1 may be configured to determine a first average light measurement measured by both sensors 21 and 22 and estimate the harvesting time for the section 45 of the plant growing environment based on the first average light measurement and the intensity of the color component in the light setting used by light source 11 and may be configured to determine a second average light measurement measured by both sensors 22 and 23 and estimate the harvesting time for the section 46 of the plant growing environment based on the second average light measurement and the intensity of the color component in the light setting used by light source 13.

[0075] FIG. 3 shows a second example of the system for estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment: a climate control computer 61. In the example of FIG. 3, the climate (temperature, humidity, CO2 level) is controlled by the climate control computer 61 and the light conditions (light intensity, spectrum, and their dependence on the time of day and growth stage of the plant) are controlled by a light control computer 71. The light computer 71 controls light sources 11-13, e.g. LED modules. The climate computer 61 controls the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system 27.

[0076] The climate control computer 61 comprises a receiver 63, a transmitter 64, a processor 65, and memory 67. The processor 65 is configured to determine a light setting used by the light sources 11-13 to illuminate a section of the plant growing environment. This light setting comprises at least a color component associated with the section of the plant growing environment. In the example of FIG. 3, the processor 65 is configured to receive, via the receiver 63, the light settings used by the light sources 11-13 from the light control computer 71.

[0077] The processor 65 is further configured to obtain, via the receiver 63, light measurement information from color sensors 21-23, which are co-located with the light sources 11-13, and estimate a harvesting time for the section of the plant growing environment based on the light measurement information, an intensity of the color component in the light setting and a cultivation temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment. The cultivation temperature protocol comprises one or more targeted cultivation temperatures. The color sensors 21-23 may be cameras, for example.

[0078] In the example of FIG. 3, the processor 65 is configured to determine an adjusted temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment based on the cultivation temperature protocol and a difference between the estimated harvesting time and the target harvesting time. The adjusted temperature protocol comprises one or more adjusted cultivation temperatures. The processor 65 is further configured to output, via the transmitter 64, a temperature control signal based on the adjusted temperature protocol to the HVAC system 27.

[0079] Thus, once the estimated harvesting time has been determined, it can be used as an input for control. Given the target harvesting time, the system can use the current status to steer it towards the target one. Such a system could for example increase temperature to accelerate ripening or decrease temperature to postpone ripening. As a result, the harvest from week to week can be influenced, for example to achieve a harvest that is more stable from week-to-week or to aim for a certain harvest in a certain week.

[0080] The climate control computer 61 may additionally receive sensor data from one or more climate sensors (not shown), e.g. including a temperature sensor and/or a CO2 sensor, and control the HVAC system 27 based on this sensor data to achieve the adjusted temperature protocol.

[0081] In the example of the computer 61 shown in FIG. 3, the computer 61 comprises one processor 65. In an alternative example, the computer 61 comprises multiple processors. The processor 65 may be a general-purpose processor, e.g. from Intel or AMD, or an application-specific processor. The processor 65 may run a Windows or Unix-based operating system for example. The memory 67 may comprise one or more memory units. The memory 67 may comprise one or more hard disks and/or solid-state memory, for example. The memory 67 may be used to store an operating system, applications and application data, for example.

[0082] The receiver 63 and the transmitter 64 may use one or more wired and/or wireless communication technologies to communicate with the HVAC system 27 and the color sensors 21-23, for example. In an alternative example, multiple receivers and/or multiple transmitters are used in computer 61 instead of a single receiver and a single transmitter. In the example shown in FIG. 3, separate receivers and separate transmitters are used. In an alternative example, the receiver 63 and the transmitter 64 are combined into a transceiver. The computer 61 may comprise other components typical for a computer such as a power connector and a display. The invention may be implemented using a computer program running on one or more processors.

[0083] In the example of FIG. 3, the computer 61 uses a transmitter to control HVAC system 27. In an alternative example, the computer 61 uses only analog wires to control HVAC system 27. In the example of FIG. 3, the climate control computer 61 and the light control computer 71 are separate computers, each with its own processor. In an alternative example, the climate control computer 61 and the light control computer 71 are the same computer or share the same processor.

[0084] A first example of estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment is shown in FIG. 4. A step 101 comprises determining a light setting used by one or more light sources to illuminate a section of the plant growing environment. The light setting comprises at least a color component associated with the section of the plant growing environment. A step 103 comprises obtaining light measurement information from one or more color sensors when the one or more color sensors are co-located with the one or more light sources.

[0085] A step 105 comprises estimating a harvesting time for the section of the plant growing environment based on the light measurement information, an intensity of the color component in the light setting and a cultivation temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment. The cultivation temperature protocol comprises one or more targeted cultivation temperatures. An environmental parameter may be controlled based on a difference between the estimated harvesting time and a target harvesting time.

[0086] A second example of estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment is shown in FIG. 5. This second example is based on the first example of FIG. 4. A step 121 is performed after step 105. Step 121 comprises determining an adjusted temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment based on the cultivation temperature protocol and a difference between the estimated harvesting time and the target harvesting time. The adjusted temperature protocol comprises one or more adjusted cultivation temperatures. A step 123 comprises outputting a temperature control signal based on the adjusted temperature protocol.

[0087] A third example of estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment is shown in FIG. 6. A step 101 comprises determining a light setting used by one or more light sources to illuminate a section of the plant growing environment. The light setting comprises at least a color component associated with the section of the plant growing environment. A step 103 comprises obtaining light measurement information from one or more color sensors when the one or more color sensors are co-located with the one or more light sources.

[0088] A step 141 comprises determining a percentage of reflected light of the color component based on the light measurement information and the intensity of the color component in the light setting. A step 143 comprises obtaining calibration information. The calibration information comprises user-inputted yields that are each associated with a percentage of reflected lighting. Yield may be expressed as kg/m.sup.2, for example. A user may input a yield of 2 kg/m.sup.2, for example.

[0089] A step 144 comprises determining one or more parameter values, e.g. based on user input or from a memory. The one or more parameter values comprise, for example, position of the one or more light sources with respect to the plants, growth stage of the plants, stem density of the plants and/or plant density in the section of the plant growing environment.

[0090] A step 145 comprises selecting calibration data from the calibration information obtained in step 143 based on the one or more parameter values determined in step 144. The calibration information or the calibration data is typically associated with a certain plant variety. The calibration data comprise user-inputted yields that are each associated with a percentage of reflected lighting. If the calibration information does not comprise calibration data associated with the determined parameter values, calibration data may be selected that can be processed in order to obtain yields that would likely be obtained with an arrangement and/or in circumstances represented by the parameter values determined in step 144.

[0091] A step 147 comprises estimating the potential current yield based on the percentage of reflected light determined in step 141 and the calibration data selected in step 145. If the calibration data is not associated with the determined parameter values, step 147 comprises processing the calibration data selected in step 145 to obtain yields that would likely be obtained with an arrangement and/or in circumstances represented by the parameter values determined in step 144, if possible. Of the selected calibration data, typically only the yield associated with the percentage of reflected light determined in step 141 needs to be used/processed.

[0092] A step 149 comprises determining a difference between the potential current yield determined in step 147 and a desired yield, which may be provided by a user. A step 151, which is an implementation of step 105 of FIG. 4, comprises estimating a harvesting time based on the difference determined in step 149 and the cultivation temperature protocol. The cultivation temperature protocol comprises one or more assumed cultivation temperatures and may be determined, for example, from a grow protocol. The harvesting time may further be estimated in step 151 based on one or more (other) target values specified in a grow protocol, e.g. CO2 levels and/or light levels, which do not influence fruit ripeness, but do influence yield.

[0093] In order to estimate the harvesting time based on the yield difference and the assumed cultivation temperatures, yields previously recorded over time at various cultivation temperatures may be used. By selecting yields associated with the assumed cultivation temperatures from the recorded yields, determining which of those yields corresponds to the potential current yield, determining which of those yields corresponds to the desired yield, and determining a difference between the time stamps associated with these two yields, the harvesting time may be estimated. (Other) measured environmental conditions like CO2 levels and/or light levels, may also be associated with the recorded yields. The recorded yields may be associated with a certain grow protocol, for example. The latter is beneficial, for example, if the measured environmental conditions do not differ (substantially) from the target values specified in the grow protocol. In the example of FIG. 6, step 141 is performed at least partly in parallel with steps 143-145. In an alternative example, step 141 is performed before step 143 or after step 145.

[0094] A fourth example of estimating a harvesting time in a plant growing environment is shown in FIG. 7. A step 171, which is an implementation of step 101 of FIG. 4, comprises controlling one or more light sources to render light with a first light output level during a first moment and light with a second light output level during a second moment, e.g. consecutively. In step 171, a light setting is determined that comprises at least a color component associated with the section of the plant growing environment and the one or more light sources are controlled to illuminate the section of the plant growing environment according to this light setting, normally while the one or more light sources are positioned within a distance of organs of the plant.

[0095] A step 173, which is an implementation of step 103 of FIG. 4, comprises obtaining first light measurement information measured at the first moment and second light measurement information measured at the second moment from at least one color sensor. A step 175 comprises determining a daylight contribution based on a difference between the first light measurement information and the second light measurement information.

[0096] A step 177 comprises determining adjusted light measurement information by subtracting the daylight contribution determined in step 175 from the light measurement information obtained in step 173.

[0097] A step 179, which is an implementation of step 105 of FIG. 4, comprises estimate a harvesting time for the section of the plant growing environment based on the adjusted light measurement information determined in step 177, an intensity of the color component in the light setting and a cultivation temperature protocol for the section of the plant growing environment. The cultivation temperature protocol comprises one or more assumed cultivation temperatures. Step 171 is repeated after step 179, after which the method proceeds as shown in FIG. 7.

[0098] In other words, artificial lighting and daylight illuminate plants (including vegetative parts and fruits), the light reflected from the plants, in particular the fruits, is captured by one or more color sensors (single-pixel or multi-pixel), and a system regularly receives measurements from the color sensor(s). A first measurement is done while light is rendered with a certain light level and a second measurement is done while light is rendered with another light level. The second measurement is performed soon after the first measurement to ensure the daylight conditions have not changed.

[0099] The results of the two measurements are subtracted to filter out the effect of the daylight (preferably, non-linearities in the sensor readings are accounted for). The system computes the average ripeness from this filtered result. The computed ripeness may be used in a feed-back loop to steer environmental factors such as temperature and light (e.g. by a control system such as a climate control system or a lighting control system).

[0100] FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data processing system that may perform the method as described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 8, the data processing system 300 may include at least one processor 302 coupled to memory elements 304 through a system bus 306. As such, the data processing system may store program code within memory elements 304. Further, the processor 302 may execute the program code accessed from the memory elements 304 via a system bus 306. In one aspect, the data processing system may be implemented as a computer that is suitable for storing and/or executing program code. It should be appreciated, however, that the data processing system 300 may be implemented in the form of any system including a processor and a memory that is capable of performing the functions described within this specification.

[0102] The memory elements 304 may include one or more physical memory devices such as, for example, local memory 308 and one or more bulk storage devices 310. The local memory may refer to random access memory or other non-persistent memory device(s) generally used during actual execution of the program code. A bulk storage device may be implemented as a hard drive or other persistent data storage device. The processing system 300 may also include one or more cache memories (not shown) that provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the quantity of times program code must be retrieved from the bulk storage device 310 during execution. The processing system 300 may also be able to use memory elements of another processing system, e.g. if the processing system 300 is part of a cloud-computing platform.

[0103] Input/output (I/O) devices depicted as an input device 312 and an output device 314 optionally can be coupled to the data processing system. Examples of input devices may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, a microphone (e.g. for voice and/or speech recognition), or the like. Examples of output devices may include, but are not limited to, a monitor or a display, speakers, or the like. Input and/or output devices may be coupled to the data processing system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers.

[0104] In an example, the input and the output devices may be implemented as a combined input/output device (illustrated in FIG. 8 with a dashed line surrounding the input device 312 and the output device 314). An example of such a combined device is a touch sensitive display, also sometimes referred to as a “touch screen display” or simply “touch screen”. In such an example, input to the device may be provided by a movement of a physical object, such as e.g. a stylus or a finger of a user, on or near the touch screen display.

[0105] A network adapter 316 may also be coupled to the data processing system to enable it to become coupled to other systems, computer systems, remote network devices, and/or remote storage devices through intervening private or public networks. The network adapter may comprise a data receiver for receiving data that is transmitted by said systems, devices and/or networks to the data processing system 300, and a data transmitter for transmitting data from the data processing system 300 to said systems, devices and/or networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are examples of different types of network adapter that may be used with the data processing system 300.

[0106] As pictured in FIG. 8, the memory elements 304 may store an application 318. In various examples, the application 318 may be stored in the local memory 308, the one or more bulk storage devices 310, or separate from the local memory and the bulk storage devices. It should be appreciated that the data processing system 300 may further execute an operating system (not shown in FIG. 8) that can facilitate execution of the application 318. The application 318, being implemented in the form of executable program code, can be executed by the data processing system 300, e.g., by the processor 302. Responsive to executing the application, the data processing system 300 may be configured to perform one or more operations or method steps described herein.

[0107] Various examples of the invention may be implemented as a program product for use with a computer system, where the program(s) of the program product define functions of the examples (including the methods described herein). In one example, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of non-transitory computer-readable storage media, where, as used herein, the expression “non-transitory computer readable storage media” comprises all computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory, propagating signal. In another example, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of transitory computer-readable storage media. Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: (i) non-writable storage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, ROM chips or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory) on which information is permanently stored; and (ii) writable storage media (e.g., flash memory, floppy disks within a diskette drive or hard-disk drive or any type of solid-state random-access semiconductor memory) on which alterable information is stored. The computer program may be run on the processor 302 described herein.

[0108] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0109] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of examples of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the implementations in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The examples were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles and some practical applications of the present invention, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present invention for various examples with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.