Smart light automation using a PID controller and LED
technology oriented to home and industrial applications
Hctor Effioa, Emilio Galloa, Csar Zapataa
a Facultad de Ingeniera, Programa acadmico de Ing. Mecnico-Elctrica
Universidad de Piura, Per.
Abstract Domotics, or house automation,
is whole that involve techniques about
automation of some house processes in
order to improve security systems,
energetic consumption, comfort, ON/OFF
optimized control of domestic appliances,
and the most important: doing life easier for
the customer at home, or workers in an
office or industrial plant. [1]
The purpose of this paper is to develop a
smart automatic light system oriented to
increment energy efficiency and
independence (without a person help) using
advanced control techniques as a PID
controller algorithm and avaible
technologies in Per as presence sensors,
relays and arduino microcontrollers.
The prototype has been implemented in an
experimental module to test all our
investigation about light automation before
a real installation in a house, office or
another industrial place.
I- INTRODUCTION
The growing technological advancement that
occurred in recent years has contributed
positively in peoples life, basically making
easier daily work, for example: automating
processes, more advanced and effective
communication, even in the comfort at home.
Today it can be said that there is no person in
the world who not use technology in any
situation.
Techniques that involve the application of
technology at home, also called domotics,
integrates new technologies guided to
effectively improvement about everyday
aspects, such as lighting system , energy
management, security,
air conditioning, so on. The implementation of
home automation provides intelligent
management, including the control and
automation of what the house includes,
increasing efficiency and comfort, which is
what is required mostly at home.
In the coming years, its expected to expand
domotics application because it's easy to use,
affordable and generates comfort at home, in
fact, at this moment we have companies in our
country that perform smart houses making
studies according to the number and age of
people living at, and making possible some
functions that years ago seemed impossible,
for example: open doors via internet and
simulate the presence of people (this helps the
safety part).
This article proposes the implementation of an
automatic light system using LED technology,
based on PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
control, turning lights on/off with a presence
sensor and regulation of light intensity setting a
set point according by Peruvian normative (500
lux average measured from the work space)
with a PID controller algorithm, helping us to
increase energy efficiency making not
necessary to use 100% of light output.
II- SMART LIGHT AUTOMATION SYSTEM
Nowadays, light automation are installed in
some applications, for example in offices of
important enterprises, meeting halls, houses,
universities, so on. But, this systems mainly
works with incandescent or saver bulbs with
alternant current (AC); and we know according
to research that this type of bulbs are inefficient
[2] if we compare with LED lights as shown in
Fig. 1.

Fig 1. Comparative table between different
types of luminaires.
LED bulbs, opposite to traditional ones, works
with continuous current (CC) and this detail
makes a little complex the design of the control
circuit, or driver. We have to do this because
its an important step and the only way for
develop and do the PWM control over the
bulb/fluorescent.
III- SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION
After driver design, we have to build an
algorithm for a correct system identification [3]
and it must be in an -all controlled- room, doing
this we have not problems with disturbs, noises
or another obstacles that keep away from the
correct read of parameters the Luxmeter
sensor. That is how we can do a correct system
identification and obtain without problems the
transfer function of our process. We can see
some results in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. Data obtained in Matlab (10000
samples) with a Luxmeter sensor in an all
controlled- room, with a PWM input value= 30.
Identification is a link between real and
mathematic world. System identification
means modeling of dynamic systems from
experimental data. Some identification
methods give model characterized by a
parameter vector: This vector can consist of the
coefficients for a differential equation or
parameters in a transfer function.
The algorithm [3] that was used to do system
identification is Recursive parameter
estimation by Dr. Robin de Keyser,
implemented in a Matlab code. See Fig. 3.
Identification can be applied in offline or online
mode. Our type of process requires online or
recursive mode: data are used as soon as they
are available, parameters can be continuously
estimated during the experiment. Estimated
parameters are recalculated each time new
data becomes available. Thus, when the model
is updated periodically, referenced to its past
values, this is called recursive identification or
recursive parameter estimation.
Fig 3. Transfer function of automatic light
process with a PWM input of value 120
obtained by Robin de Keyser algorithm.
IV- RECURSIVE STIMATOR ALGORITHM
[3] Suppose the relationship between two time
series {y} and {u} is given by a constant gain K
that we want to estimate.
Assuming that the data acquisition takes place
in discrete time, we have at time t received a
sequence of measurements
u(1),y(1),u(2),y(2),...u(i ),y(i ),...u(t ),y(t )}.
As indicated we are dealing with a static
process model, thus ideally
y() = K*u()
To be realistic, this ideal relationship will be
disturbed (measurement errors, modeling
errors, so on) such that we better take into
account with a disturbance term v() in the
model:
y() = K*u() + v()
Due to these errors it would be unwise to
estimate the gain K at time t by K(t) = y(t)/u(t)
To decrease the erroneous effect of
disturbances we could start from:
Summing up all terms we have:
Before this, supposing that the average value
of disturbances is zero, we have the third therm
from the equation equals to zero. With this, we
have a good estimate for K:
Finally, for this method is recommended:
- Store all measured values y and u in a
computer memory.
- Measure the necessary data during a
sufficiently period of time.
- Use the data to identify the unknown K by
the formula.
V- LOOKING FOR A PID CONTROLLER
The next step is building the PID controller [4],
in order to have an automatic regulation close
to a reference, and finally we have a closed-
loop control. We can see closed-loop control
in Fig. 4.
How we set this reference?
According to Peruvian Normative [5]: 500 lux,
average, measured from the work area.
Based on this value, we configure the set
point for our controller.
Fig 4. Closed-Loop system simulated in
SIMULINK
In order to avoid that the integral part of our
PID controller get saturated, we set a reset
anti-windup: it consist in define output limits,
once the process reaches it maximum or
minimum, integral part of PID stops. Doing
this, we still have a problem: Proportional and
derivative part are adding small values,
resulting this in a superior value in the output
of the process, and this is unacceptable. The
solution is that we have to set limits for output
of the process. [4]
The first way to obtain the PID parameters are
with Matlab tool SIMULINK, PID Tuner. In this
tool, all we have to do is simulate the closed
loop system, execute PID Tuner and software
give you the parameters in time (seconds).
(P=0.038822, I=9.6939 and D=-5.4566*e^-5).
It is correct if we consider this as the first try
to control our process.
In order to do a manual tuning for our PID [7],
we use Ziegler-Nichols Open-Loop tuning. In
industries this method is usually done using
trial and error, but using this method can be
dangerous because ignorance can lead the
process to instabilities or unacceptable
overshoots. Also, a tuned process only by trial
and error method does not guarantee a
correct behavior or a good
response affronting suddenly changes in the
disturbance or references.
Steps for doing Z-N open-loop tuning are:
1) The process receives a step input, only
avaible for a system whose derivative is
positive.
2) Register and graphic output time
response y(t) of the process, calculate
maximum slope and make a tangent line
to the curve.
3) In the graphic, we have two important
points: a (intersection with vertical axis)
and L (intersection with x axis). With this
2 parameters we can tune a PID controller
warranting stability.
4) We have to follow PID equation form and
values from tables that are obtained from
different tests.
Fig 5. Response y(t) to step input
Fig 6. Equation form from the PID controller
implemented in arduino code.
Obtained values are: Kp=0.096, Ti=0.01834,
Td= 0.005
Once we closed the loop, system can be more
interesting with the implementation of a PIR
(Passive Infrared Sensor) sensor, it
measures infrared light of objects that appear
around it, and its based in: all bodies that
have a temperature above absolute zero emit
heat, and this radiation can be measured by
this electronic device. Mainly, the use for this
sensor is to turn on/off lights with relay
modules when a person enter to the room
where the smart light system are installed. [6]
VI RESULTS
When we set PID parameters with the values
that we obtained with Tune PID from Matlab,
and Z-N manual tuning, our PID controller
works well and we have a correct control of
this smart light automatic system.
Relays turns on and off the LED tubes
depending if presence sensor detects some
movement around it.
The set point value we have to set manually,
according to the person requirement: if one
LED tube satisfy this condition, only this stays
on, in the opposite case, system turns on the
controlled tube until it reaches the set point
value. Consequently, due for the PID
operation, system error keeps constant: it
warrants the stability in our process.
Fig 7. Experimental module working
obtaining data in Matlab
Fig. 8. Doing some tests in experimental
module using presence sensor. Both LED
tubes turn on, with a set point of 2500 lux.
 VII CONCLUSIONS VIII References

1. Although all automated systems offer a
specific management manually, you cannot
overlook the fact that by automating any
installation creates a greater reliance on
electricity supply, which could be temporarily
replaced using small batteries in most
essential elements.
2. With PWM regulation, is not necessary to
use 100% of light output, while the user gets
the necessary light for his requirements.
Lights are only on if presence sensor detects
some movement in the area. All of this details
finally traduces in an efficient use of power
consumption.
3. LED luminaires are currently used and
known because it has a high efficiency, which
is traduced in a greater level of illumination
(lumens) compared with energy consumption
(watts) required for operation. LED
technology have an efficiency
approximately 80 %, which means that 80 %
of electricity is utilized, while the remaining 20
% is wasted as heat.
4. The LED lights have a life time of
approximately 100,000 hours, if LED have to
work 8 hours a day, it would take 20 years to
replace: it represents a zero maintenance of
lamps.
[1] Albert Hijano Badillo, Proyecto de
instalacin elctrica y domtica en una
vivienda unifamiliar. Thesis. Universitat
Politcnica de Catalunya.
[2] U.S Department of Energy, Energy
Efficiency of LEDs. Link: http://www.hi-
led.eu/wp-
content/themes/hiled/pdf/led_energy_efficienc
y.pdf
[3] Robin de Keyser, Recursive parameter
estimation. Pages 2-11.
[4] Brett Beauregard, Improving the beginners,
PID introduction. Pages 3-28.
[5] Normativa de iluminacin Peruana. Pages
32-44.
[6] Ji Xiong, Fang-Min Li and Jing-Yuan Zhang,
of Human Tracking System Based
on PIR Sensor Network and Video. Pages 1-2
[7] William Ipanaqu Alama, Control
Automtico de Procesos. Pages 166-168

5. High effectiveness should not be the only

factor for choosing a product, also must have
to consider another features such as color
quality and distribution of light intensity.
Although that high efficiency is an important
energy saving attribute, the most important
thing is that this will be imperceptible to users
in a determined room.