PRIORITY DATA

An Application Data Sheet is filed concurrently with this specification as part of the present application. Each application that the present application claims benefit of or priority to as identified in the concurrently filed Application Data Sheet is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Electrically tintable windows such as electrochromic windows, sometimes referred to as “smart windows,” have been deployed in limited installations. As such windows gain acceptance and are more widely deployed, they may require increasingly sophisticated control and monitoring systems, as there may be a various systems interacting with smart windows for the benefit of buildings and associated infrastructure. Improved techniques for managing interacting building systems are necessary.

SUMMARY

Certain aspects of the disclosure pertain to a plurality of interacting systems including a window control system and at least one other system which may be a lighting system, an HVAC systems, a security system, and/or a home appliance control system. The window control system and the at least one other system are configured to communicate via an application programming interface (API). The window control system is configured to control the optical state of one or more optically switchable windows.

In certain embodiments, the window control system includes a window controller configured to control transitions of at least one optically switchable window. In certain embodiments, the window control system includes a plurality of electrochromic windows in electrical communication with one or more window controllers configured to communicate over a network.

In certain embodiments, the at least one other system is the home appliance control system. In certain embodiments, the at least one other system is the HVAC system. In some implementations, the interacting systems additionally include a building management system configured to control the HVAC system. In such cases, the API may be configured to permit the window control system and the building management system to communicate. In certain embodiments, the at least one other system is the lighting system.

In some implementations, the window control system and the at least one other system are configured to provide data obtained or generated by the window control system to the at least one other system. In some implementations, the window control system and the at least one other system are configured such that the window control system controls one or more devices of the at least one other system.

In certain embodiments, the window control system and the at least one other system are configured such that the at least one other system controls one or more devices of the window control system. In such embodiments, the at least one other system is the HVAC system or the lighting system. As an example, the devices of the window control system include a sensor and/or an optically switchable window.

Another aspect of this disclosure pertains to methods of communicating among a plurality of interacting systems, which may be a window control system and at least one other system selected from the group consisting of a lighting system, an HVAC systems, a security system, and a home appliance control system. In some embodiments, the method is characterized by the following operations: (a) receiving a communication from the window control system or from the at least one other system and addressed to the other of the window control system and the at least one other system, wherein the communication has a format specified by an applications program interface (API) for communicating between the window control system and the at least one other system; (b) providing instructions and/or data contained in the communication to the addressed window control system or at least one other system; and (c) performing, at the addressed window control system or at least one other system, one or more operations using the instructions and/or data contained in the communication.

In certain embodiments, the window control system includes a window controller configured to control transitions of at least one optically switchable window. The window control system may also include a plurality of electrochromic windows in electrical communication with one or more window controllers configured to communicate over a network.

In certain embodiments, the at least one other system is the home appliance control system. In certain embodiments, the at least one other system is the HVAC system. In some such embodiments, a building management system is configured to control the HVAC system, and the HVAC system receives the communication from the window control system via the API. In certain embodiments, the at least one other system is the lighting system.

In some implementations, the at least one other system receives the communication from the window control system, and the communication includes data obtained or generated by the window control system. In some implementations, the at least one other system receives the communication from the window control system, and the communication includes instructions from the window control system for controlling one or more devices of the at least one other system.

In some implementations, the window control system receives the communication from the at least one other system, and the communication includes instructions from the at least one other system for controlling one or more devices of the window control system. As an example, the devices controlled on the window control system include a sensor and/or an optically switchable window. As further examples, the at least one other system is the HVAC system and/or the lighting system.

These and other features and advantages will be described in further detail with reference to the associated drawings.

