Lighting fixture that transmits switch module information to form lighting networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11849512-B2
Application number	US-202016993456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2020
Priority date	Jul 1, 2012
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A lighting fixture having a light source, a light sensor, a communication interface, and circuitry is described. In addition to controlling the light source, the circuitry is adapted to monitor for a light signal provided from a handheld device via the light sensor; upon receiving the light signal, measure a signal level associated with the light signal; and effect transmission of the signal level to the handheld device via the communication interface. In one embodiment, the circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction to monitor for the light signal from the handheld device via the communication interface such that the circuitry begins monitoring for the light signal upon receiving the instruction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A switch module comprising:
switch circuitry that is configured to determine a local on or off position for the switch module;
a local ambient light sensor configured to provide one or more local ambient light conditions;
a local occupancy sensor configured to provide local occupancy information; and
a communication interface configured to:
receive a remote switch module information from one or more remote nodes in a lighting network, the remote switch module information comprising one or more of remote ambient light conditions from a remote ambient light sensor and remote occupancy information from a remote occupancy sensor;
receive a first control instruction from a first remote lighting node, wherein the first control instruction is for controlling a second remote lighting node;
modify the first control instruction to generate a second control instruction for controlling the second remote lighting node based on local switch module information and the remote switch module information; and
transmit the second control instruction to the second remote lighting node through the lighting network.

2. The switch module of claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry configured to process the local switch module information before sending the local switch module information to the communication interface.

3. The switch module of claim 2 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive a third instruction from a handheld device via the communication interface to monitor for a switch selection input to be received from a user interface, monitor for the switch selection input, and upon receiving the switch selection input, provide an identifier for the switch module to the handheld device.

4. The switch module of claim 1 , wherein control circuitry is configured to communicate the local switch module information to a controlling node of the one or more remote nodes.

5. The switch module of claim 1 , wherein the local switch module information further comprises a local dimming position for the switch module that is determined by the switch circuitry.

6. The switch module of claim 1 , further comprising a light source that is configured to provide a status indication for the switch module.

7. The switch module of claim 6 , wherein the light source is capable of providing light-based communications with another device.

8. The switch module of claim 1 , wherein the local ambient light sensor is configured to receive light-based communications from another device.

9. The switch module of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is a wireless communication interface.

10. The switch module of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is a wired communication interface.

11. A lighting fixture comprising:
a light source;
a local sensor associated with the light source; and
circuitry adapted to:
receive remote sensor data from a remote sensor;
drive the light source based on the remote sensor data and local sensor data from the local sensor;
receive a first control instruction from a first remote lighting fixture, wherein the first control instruction is for controlling a second remote lighting fixture;
modify the first control instruction to generate a second control instruction for controlling the second remote lighting fixture based on the local sensor data and the remote sensor data; and
send the second control instruction to the second remote lighting fixture.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 11 , wherein the local sensor data comprises one or more of ambient light sensor data and occupancy sensor data.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 11 , wherein the remote sensor is located in a switch module.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 13 , wherein the remote sensor data of the switch module comprises one or more of ambient light sensor data and occupancy sensor data.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is further adapted to receive additional remote sensor data from an additional remote sensor of at least one other lighting fixture and drive the light source based on the remote sensor data of the switch module, the additional remote sensor data of the at least one other lighting fixture, and the local sensor data.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 13 , wherein the circuitry comprises a wireless communications interface to facilitate wireless communications with the switch module.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 13 , wherein the circuitry comprises a wired communications interface to facilitate wired communications with the switch module.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 11 , wherein the light source is a solid-state light source.

19. A lighting network comprising a plurality of lighting fixtures and a plurality of sensors, wherein each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is adapted to:
receive remote sensor data from one or more remote sensors of the plurality of sensors;
share local sensor data from a local sensor of the plurality of sensors with others of the plurality of lighting fixtures, wherein the local sensor data comprises one or more of ambient light conditions provided by an ambient light sensor and occupancy information provided by an occupancy sensor;
control light output based on the remote sensor data and the local sensor data in light of its own internal logic, wherein the internal logic is configured such that each of the plurality of lighting fixtures operates independently from the others while providing light in a concerted fashion;
receive a first control instruction from a first other one of the lighting fixtures, wherein the first control instruction is for a second other one of the lighting fixtures;
modify the first control instruction to generate a second control instruction based on the local sensor data and the remote sensor data, wherein the second control instruction instructs the second other one of the lighting fixtures; and
transmit the second control instruction to the second other one of the lighting fixtures.

20. The lighting network of claim 19 , wherein the local sensor is at least one of the ambient light sensor and the occupancy sensor.

21. The lighting network of claim 19 , wherein the one or more remote sensors comprise at least one of the ambient light sensor and the occupancy sensor.

22. The lighting network of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the one or more remote sensors is located in a switch module.

Assignees

• Ideal Ind Lighting Llc

Inventors

• Carrigan Brian
• Trainor John J
• Chobot Joseph P
• Deese Matthew
• Bryan Keith

Classifications

• H05B47/187

  using power over ethernet [PoE] supplies · CPC title

• H05B47/1965

  using handheld communication devices · CPC title

• H05B47/1985

  Creation of lighting zones or scenes · CPC title

• H05B47/18

  via data-bus transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title