Lighting devices configurable for generating a visual signature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10757307-B2
Application number	US-201815965224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	Aug 24, 2016
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A lighting device includes a light source, an image sensor, a controller, a memory, and a wireless transceiver. The light source is configured to emit light for general illumination. The image sensor is configured to acquire an image of an area illuminated by the light source. The controller is coupled to control the image sensor and to receive the acquired image of the illuminated area from the image sensor. The controller is configured to operate the wireless transceiver to receive identification information from a wireless device in the illuminated area. The controller is further configured to automatically generate a visual signature based on image information of a person or object, obtained from the image of the illuminated area. The controller also is configured to store the visual signature of the person or object in the memory in association with the wireless device identification information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of lighting devices, each lighting device comprising:
a light source configured to emit light for an area;
an image sensor configured to acquire an image of the area;
a controller coupled to receive the acquired image of the area from the image sensor;
a first wireless transceiver coupled with the controller, the controller being configured to operate the first wireless transceiver to receive identification information from a wireless device in the area; and
a second transceiver coupled with the controller, the controller being configured to operate the second transceiver to transmit information between the plurality of lighting devices,
wherein the controller of one of the plurality of lighting devices is configured to:
generate a visual signature of a person or object in the area using the image responsive to receiving the wireless device identification information, associate the visual signature with wireless device identification information obtained via the first wireless transceiver of the one lighting device, and
transmit the visual signature and the wireless device identification information to at least one other of the plurality of lighting devices via the second transceiver.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller of the one of the plurality of lighting devices is configured to:
Identify a portion of the image containing the wireless device, and
generate the visual signature using the portion of the image containing the wireless device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the visual signature comprises at least one physical feature of the person or object extracted from the image of the area, the at least one physical feature being sufficient to adequately distinguish the person or object from another person or object.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller of the one of the plurality of lighting devices is configured to associate the visual signature with the wireless device identification information.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each lighting device further comprises:
a memory coupled with the controller,
wherein the at least one other of the plurality of lighting devices stores the visual signature and the wireless device identification information in memory.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller of the at least one other lighting device is configured to track the person or object by:
determining whether the visual signature matches a portion of the image of the area acquired by the at least one other lighting device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller of the at least one other lighting device is configured to track the wireless device by:
determining whether the identification information transmitted with the visual signature matches the identification information received via the wireless transceiver of the at least one other lighting device.

Assignees

• Abl Ip Holding Llc

Inventors

• Megginson Daniel M
• White Sean P
• Kastee Jenish S
• Aggarwal Januk S
• Ramer David P

Classifications

• H04N7/183 Primary

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/661

  Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet · CPC title

• H04N23/61

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• H04N23/57 Primary

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title