US-20260126766-A1 - Context-Aware Automation Systems With Integrated Seamless Control And Adaptive Environmental Adjustments

US20260126766A1US 20260126766 A1US20260126766 A1US 20260126766A1US-20260126766-A1

Abstract

A building automation system includes a ceiling-mounted sensor module comprising a millimeter-wave radar sensor, thermal array sensor, and ambient light sensor. The millimeter-wave radar sensor detects stationary occupants by measuring chest movements corresponding to breathing patterns and generates three-dimensional position coordinates for each detected occupant. A control unit processes sensor data locally and automatically controls a lighting system, window covering system, climate control system, and audio system based on occupancy patterns and environmental conditions. The control unit adjusts lighting brightness and color temperature according to a solar schedule determined from GPS coordinates and time of day, and prevents lighting activation when ambient light levels exceed a predetermined threshold despite detected occupancy. The system operates independently during network disruptions through local data processing within the residential structure.

Inventors

Khalid Hamdon

Assignees

Khalid Hamdon

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251104

Claims (20)

1 . A system, comprising: a sensor module positioned in a wall of a structure, the sensor module comprising: a millimeter-wave radar sensor configured to detect stationary occupants by measuring chest movements corresponding to breathing patterns, wherein the millimeter-wave radar sensor generates three-dimensional position coordinates for each detected occupant; a thermal array sensor having a low resolution configured to generate heat signatures of occupants in the structure; and an ambient light sensor configured to measure ambient light levels; a control unit operatively coupled to the sensor module and configured to receive and process sensor data from the millimeter-wave radar sensor, the thermal array sensor, and the ambient light sensor; a lighting system operatively connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to: adjust brightness and color temperature of the lighting system based on a solar schedule determined from GPS coordinates and time of day; and automatically prevent activation of the lighting system when the ambient light sensor detects ambient light levels exceeding a predetermined threshold despite detecting occupancy via the millimeter-wave radar sensor; a window covering system operatively connected to the control unit and configured to automatically adjust window coverings based on detected user routines and external environmental conditions; a climate control system operatively connected to the control unit and configured to adjust temperature and humidity based on occupancy patterns detected by the millimeter-wave radar sensor; and an audio system integrated with the control unit and configured to play audio notifications selectively in rooms with detected occupancy, wherein the control unit processes sensor data locally within a residential structure, enabling continued operation during network disruptions.
2 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the millimeter-wave radar sensor operates in a frequency range of 57-64 GHz.
3 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal array sensor has a resolution of low resolution pixels.
4 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the ambient light sensor is configured to measure ambient light levels in a range of 1-65,535 lux.
5 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module further comprises a force-sensing resistor integrated into furniture, and wherein the control unit is configured to validate occupancy detected by the millimeter-wave radar sensor using pressure data from the force-sensing resistor.
6 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit initiates pre-conditioning of a designated zone when an authorized device enters a geofence radius and restores a setback state upon departure.
7 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the millimeter-wave radar sensor is further configured to measure breathing rate and heart rate of detected occupants without physical contact, and wherein the control unit is configured to activate a sleep mode when detecting breathing rates in a predetermined sleep range combined with sustained stationary occupancy.
8 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to: track a direction of travel and velocity of a user via geofencing; activate the climate control system to pre-condition the residential structure before the user arrives based on calculated arrival time; and automatically clear any manual overrides to the lighting system, the window covering system, or the climate control system when the user departs the residential structure.
9 . The building automation system of claim 1 , wherein the millimeter-wave radar sensor is configured to distinguish between adults, children, and pets by analyzing radar cross-section signatures, and wherein the audio system is configured to mute audio notifications in rooms where the millimeter-wave radar sensor detects a child-sized radar cross-section combined with breathing patterns indicating sleep.
10 . A method for context-aware building automation, the method comprising: detecting occupancy in a room using a millimeter-wave radar sensor, wherein the detecting includes measuring chest movements corresponding to breathing patterns to detect stationary occupants; generating three-dimensional position coordinates for each detected occupant using the millimeter-wave radar sensor; detecting heat signatures of the detected occupants using a thermal array sensor having a low resolution; determining a current activity state of the detected occupants by analyzing at least: breathing rate measured by the millimeter-wave radar sensor, duration of stationary occupancy measured by the millimeter-wave radar sensor, and movement pattern intensity measured by the millimeter-wave radar sensor; automatically adjusting environmental conditions in the room based on the determined activity state without requiring manual user input, wherein the adjusting includes: activating a sleep mode comprising dimming lights and reducing HVAC activity when the breathing rate is in a predetermined sleep range and the stationary occupancy exceeds a predetermined duration threshold; increasing lighting intensity when the movement pattern intensity in a kitchen area exceeds a predetermined threshold for a predetermined time period indicating cooking activity; and dimming lights and closing window coverings when detecting media playback; and processing all sensor data and automation decisions locally within a residential structure.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the millimeter-wave radar sensor operates in a frequency range of 57-64 GHz.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the thermal array sensor has a resolution of 510 total pixels or less.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined sleep range is 12-15 breaths per minute.
14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: measuring ambient light levels using an ambient light sensor; determining that the ambient light levels exceed a predetermined threshold; and preventing activation of artificial lighting despite detecting occupancy when the ambient light levels exceed the predetermined threshold.
15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: detecting pressure on furniture using a force-sensing resistor integrated into the furniture; detecting breathing vibrations through pressure variations measured by the force-sensing resistor; and validating the occupancy detected by the millimeter-wave radar sensor using pressure data from the force-sensing resistor to eliminate false positive detections.
16 . A method for automated environmental control using sensor fusion, the method comprising: receiving first occupancy data from a millimeter-wave radar sensor positioned in a ceiling, wherein the first occupancy data includes three-dimensional position coordinates generated by detecting chest movements corresponding to breathing patterns; receiving second occupancy data from a thermal array sensor positioned in the ceiling, wherein the second occupancy data includes heat signatures corresponding to human body temperature; receiving third occupancy data from a force-sensing resistor integrated into furniture, wherein the third occupancy data includes pressure measurements and breathing vibrations; receiving environmental data from an environmental sensor cluster positioned in the ceiling, wherein the environmental data includes at least ambient light levels, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration; determining a validated occupancy state by cross-validating the first occupancy data, the second occupancy data, and the third occupancy data, wherein the cross-validating eliminates false positive occupancy detections from pets or inanimate objects; determining an activity classification by analyzing patterns in the first occupancy data, the second occupancy data, the third occupancy data, and the environmental data; automatically generating control commands for at least a lighting system, a climate control system, and a window covering system based on the validated occupancy state, the activity classification, and the environmental data; and executing the control commands locally without cloud processing.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the heat signatures corresponding to human body temperature are within a human-thermal band of approximately 30 to 40° C.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the determining the activity classification comprises: detecting that the first occupancy data indicates a breathing rate in a predetermined sleep range; detecting that the third occupancy data indicates sustained pressure on a bed with breathing vibrations; and classifying the activity as sleep based on the breathing rate and the sustained pressure with breathing vibrations.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the predetermined sleep range is 12-15 breaths per minute.
20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: detecting manual intervention with the lighting system by monitoring for changes in lighting state not initiated by the control commands; suspending generation of lighting control commands for a predetermined time period in response to detecting the manual intervention; tracking user location via geofencing; and resuming generation of lighting control commands when geofencing indicates the user has departed a residential structure, automatically clearing the manual intervention.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/717,202 filed on Nov. 6, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference including all appendices as if fully set forth herein. FIELD The present disclosure relates to building automation and occupancy-aware environmental control systems that employ multi-modal sensing (for example, millimeter-wave radar, thermal, and ambient light) to coordinate lighting, shading, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), audio, and safety functions in residential and commercial spaces. SUMMARY A system of one or more computers can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of them installed on the system that in operation causes or cause the system to perform the actions. One or more computer programs can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of including instructions that, when executed by data processing apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the actions. One general aspect includes a sensor module positioned in a ceiling, the sensor module may include: a millimeter-wave radar sensor configured to detect stationary occupants by measuring chest movements corresponding to breathing patterns, where the millimeter-wave radar sensor generates three-dimensional position coordinates for each detected occupant; a thermal array sensor having a low resolution configured to generate heat signatures of occupants; and an ambient light sensor configured to measure ambient light levels; a control unit operatively coupled to the sensor module and configured to receive and process sensor data from the millimeter-wave radar sensor, the thermal array sensor, and the ambient light sensor; a lighting system operatively connected to the control unit, where the control unit is configured to: adjust brightness and color temperature of the lighting system based on a solar schedule determined from GPS coordinates and time of day; and automatically prevent activation of the lighting system when the ambient light sensor detects ambient light levels exceeding a predetermined threshold despite detecting occupancy via the millimeter-wave radar sensor; a window covering system operatively connected to the control unit and configured to automatically adjust window coverings based on detected user routines and external environmental conditions; a climate control system operatively connected to the control unit and configured to adjust temperature and humidity based on occupancy patterns detected by the millimeter-wave radar sensor; and an audio system integrated with the control unit and configured to play audio notifications selectively in rooms with detected occupancy, where the control unit processes all sensor data locally within a residential structure, enabling continued operation during network disruptions. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems, apparatus, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the methods. Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The building automation system where the millimeter-wave radar sensor operates in a frequency range of 57-64 GHz, with other ranges being contemplated based on the sensor. The thermal array sensor has a resolution of 510 total pixels or less. The ambient light sensor is configured to measure ambient light levels in a range of approximately 1 to 65,535 lux, inclusive. The sensor module further may include a force-sensing resistor integrated into furniture, and where the control unit is configured to validate occupancy detected by the millimeter-wave radar sensor using pressure data from the force-sensing resistor. Pressure sensing can alternatively be achieved with piezoelectric elements, load cells, capacitive sensors, or equivalent transducers. The millimeter-wave radar sensor is further configured to measure breathing rate and heart rate of detected occupants without physical contact, and where the control unit is configured to activate a sleep mode when detecting breathing rates in a predetermined sleep range combined with sustained stationary occupancy. The control unit is further configured to: track a direction of travel and velocity of a user via geofencing; activate the climate control system to pre-condition the residential structure before the user arrives based on calculated arrival time; and automatically clear any manual overrides to the lighting system, the window covering system, or the climate control system when the user departs the residential structure. The millimeter-wave radar sensor is configured to distinguish between adults, children, and pets by analyzing radar cross-section signatures, and where the audio system is configured to mute audio notifications in rooms where the millimeter-wave radar