Commissioning and controlling load control devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11438225-B2
Application number	US-202016812167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2020
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A load control system may be commissioned using beacons. The load control system may include control devices that each include a beacon transmitting circuit configured to transmit a beacon that comprises an identifier associated with the control device. A network device, such as a mobile device, may discover a control device based on the beacon received from the control device. In response to discovery of the control device, the control device may be added to a temporary group of control devices for being collectively configured and/or controlled. Control devices may be discovered based on the signal strength at which the beacons are received. The control devices may provide feedback to a user in response to confirmation messages to indicate to a user that the lighting control device has been added to the temporary group. The control devices may stop providing the feedback after they are removed from the temporary group.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for configuring lighting control devices of a load control system installed in a load control environment, the method comprising:
receiving beacons, each beacon comprising a unique identifier associated with one of the lighting control devices of the load control system, wherein the unique identifier is configured to identify the lighting control device in messages transmitted to control an amount of power provided to a lighting load;
determining a configuration identifier based on configuration data associated with the load control system, wherein the configuration identifier identifies one or more of a zone, an area, or a location of one or more lighting loads or fixtures comprising one or more lighting loads;
automatically selecting a first lighting control device to be assigned to the configuration identifier based on received signal strengths of the respective beacons of the lighting control devices;
causing the first lighting control device to provide a first feedback type in response to being automatically selected to be assigned to the configuration identifier;
automatically selecting a second lighting control device to be assigned to the configuration identifier in response to changes in one or more of the received signal strengths of the respective beacons of the lighting control devices;
causing the first lighting control device to stop providing the first feedback type and the second lighting control device to provide the first feedback type in response to automatically selecting the second lighting control device to be assigned to the configuration identifier;
associating the unique identifier of the second lighting control device with the configuration identifier; and
causing the second lighting control device to provide a second feedback type in response to being assigned to the configuration identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the second lighting control device to provide the second feedback type comprises transmitting a second message to cause the second lighting control device to provide the second feedback type in response to being assigned to the configuration identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining received signal strengths of the beacons that exceed a discovery threshold; and
causing the lighting control devices that transmitted the beacons having received signals strengths that exceed the discovery threshold to provide a third feedback type.

4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein automatically selecting a second lighting control device to be assigned to the configuration identifier further comprises unselecting the first lighting control device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a group of lighting control devices comprises the first lighting control device; and
wherein automatically selecting the second lighting control device to be assigned to the configuration identifier further comprises adding a previously unselected lighting control device to the group of lighting control devices to be assigned the configuration identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first lighting control device to be assigned to the configuration identifier based on signal strengths of the respective beacons further comprises:
determining the beacon that was received at the highest signal strength; and
selecting the lighting control device that transmitted the beacon that was received at the highest signal strength as the lighting control device to be assigned the configuration identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first lighting control device to be assigned to the configuration identifier based on signal strengths of the respective beacons further comprises:
determining received signal strengths of the beacons that exceed a discovery threshold; and
selecting the lighting control device that transmitted the beacons having received signals strengths that exceed the discovery threshold the lighting control devices to be assigned the configuration identifier.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an input confirming the assignment of the configuration identifier to the second lighting control device;
wherein associating the unique identifier of the second lighting control device with the configuration identifier further comprises associating the unique identifier of the second lighting control device with the configuration identifier in response to receiving the input confirming the assignment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the unique identifier of the second lighting control device with the configuration identifier further comprises associating the unique identifier of the second lighting control device with the configuration identifier in response to being selected to be assigned to the configuration identifier.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a project code identifier; and
accessing the configuration identifier from a project associated with the project code identifier.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the configuration identifier is generated at a processing device via design software configured to generate a floorplan of a building, and wherein the configuration identifier identifies a location in the floorplan, and wherein the project identifier is received and the configuration identifier is accessed using a mobile device.

12. A load control system comprising:
a mobile device configured to transmit a first beacon; and
a plurality of lighting control devices configured to control an amount of power provided to respective lighting loads, wherein each lighting control device of the plurality of lighting control devices is configured to transmit a respective second beacon in response to the first beacon received from the mobile device, wherein each lighting control device of the plurality of the lighting control devices is configured to:
receive the first beacon from the mobile device; and
transmit the second beacon in response to receiving the first beacon from the mobile device, wherein the second beacon comprises a unique identifier associated with the lighting control device that is configured to identify the lighting control device in messages transmitted to control an amount of power provided to a lighting load;

wherein a first lighting control device of the plurality of the lighting control devices is configured to:
receive an indication that the first lighting control device has been automatically selected to be configured based on a signal strength of the second beacon transmitted by the first lighting control device as received by the mobile device;
provide a first feedback type in response to receiving the indication that the first lighting control device has been automatically selected to be configured;
receive an indication that the first lighting control device has been automatically deselected; and
stop providing the first feedback type in response to receiving the indication that the lighting control device has been automatically deselected; and

wherein a second lighting control device of the plurality of the lighting control devices is configured to:
receive an indication that the second lighting control device has been automatically selected to be configured based on a signal strength of the second beacon transmitted by the second lighting control device as received by the mobile device;
provide the first feedback type in response to receiving the indication that the second lighting control device has been automatically selected to be configured;
receive an indication that a unique identifier of the second lighting control device has

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Anderson Todd G
• Anselm Maxwell
• Garg Vidur
• Karmani Ashok
• Kumar Sanjeev
• Raghuram Sandeep Mudabail
• Rahul Somesh
• Nemmani Ananthanag
• Shukla Jaykrishna A
• Dias Alcides J
• Singh Surjith Bhagavath

Classifications

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/10722

  Photodetector array or CCD scanning · CPC title

• H05B45/22

  using optical feedback · CPC title