LIGHT TIMEOUT OPTIMIZATION

A lighting controller may optimize a timeout value of a lamp based on the goals of saving energy and providing occupant comfort. The lamp may illuminate a lighting area. The lighting controller may determine a false-negative rate for the lamp from sensor data that represents a frequency at which the lamp is timed out while the lighting area is occupied. The lighting controller may adjust the timeout value of the lamp over time so that the false-negative rate approaches a threshold false-negative rate. The false-negatives and occupancy periods may be detected from spikes in time distributions of motion data. The amount of energy that the lamp would consume at an increased timeout value of the lamp may be determined from motion data stored while the timeout value of the lamp is at an initial timeout value.