Light bulb, intelligent lighting device and method and system for use in configuring same

• US 10,085,330 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Inventors: Brochu, Christian, Laflamme, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US15/611,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20170273166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 315294, 315131, 315297
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/124 using tapes, cards or discs with optically sensed marks or codes G05B19/128, G05B19/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25112 Using firmware stored in processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3577 Emulating the dimming characteristics, brightness or colour temperature of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/29 Circuits providing for substitution of the light source in case of its failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An intelligent light bulb is provided as well as a method, devices and computer program product of configuring such an intelligent light bulb. The intelligent light bulb comprises an LED lighting element and a programmable controller. The programmable controller comprises a memory module having stored therein firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, where the memory module including a passive memory on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored. The passive memory component of the memory module is responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal. The programmable controller also includes a processing unit in communication with the memory module for operating the LED lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware. Advantageously, the proposed intelligent light bulb can be configured using the signal carrying the firmware update information. In some embodiments, this may allow modifications of certain operating characteristic of the intelligent light bulb to be performed after manufacturing, including modifications pertaining to light color emitted and/or manner of operating the light bulb.

Claims

1. An intelligent light bulb comprising:

a) a light bulb body having;

i) a translucent envelop; and

ii) a connector for securing the light bulb body to an external electrical socket, the connector including an electrical contact for establishing an electrical connection with a source of electrical power through the external electrical socket;

b) an LED lighting element encapsulated within said light bulb body, wherein in operation light generated by the LED lighting element shines through the translucent envelop of the light bulb body;

c) a programmable controller encapsulated within said light bulb body and in communication with said LED lighting element, said programmable controller comprising;

i) a passive memory component configured to be responsive to a signal received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for;

(1) drawing energy from said signal to activate the passive memory component; and

(2) causing an update process to be performed to modify information stored on said passive memory component based on update information carried by the signal, at least part of said update process being performed while the passive memory component remains activated using energy drawn from said signal;

ii) a processing unit in communication with said passive memory component, said processing unit being programmed for operating the LED lighting element at least in part in accordance with the information stored on said passive memory component.

2. The intelligent lightbulb defined in claim 1, wherein the passive memory component includes a near field communication memory (NFC memory).

3. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 1, wherein said passive memory component is configured to be responsive to the signal carrying update information received from the external device for causing at least part of the update process to be performed in the absence of electrical power being supplied to the light bulb by a source of electrical power external to the intelligent light bulb.

4. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 3, wherein said passive memory component is configured to be responsive to the signal carrying update information received from the external device for causing at least part of the update process to be performed using said signal as the sole source of electrical energy.

5. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 4, wherein the update information includes program code for implementing one of a first light bulb configuration and a second light bulb configuration.

6. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 5, wherein said LED lighting element comprises multiple LED light components characterized in that:

a) operating in a specific manner a first subset of said LED light components allows a first light color to be generated by the light bulb; and

b) operating in a specific manner a second subset of said LED light components causes a second light color to be generated by the light bulb, wherein said first light color is visually distinguishable from said second light color.

7. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 6, wherein said first light color is a first white light color associated with a first color temperature and where said second light color is a second white light color associated with a second color temperature.

8. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 5, wherein said processing unit is programmed for:

a) operating the first subset of the LED light components of the intelligent light bulb when operating the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the first configuration; and

b) operating the second subset of the LED light components when operating the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the second configuration.

9. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 1, wherein the information stored in the passive memory component includes program code implementing a set of light bulb configurations, said set of light bulb configurations including at least a first light bulb configuration and a second light bulb configuration.

10. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 9, wherein the update information conveys an access code, the access code being associated with a specific light bulb configuration from said set of light bulb configurations, and wherein, following the performance of the update process, the processing unit operates the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the specific light bulb configuration associated with the access code.

11. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 10, wherein the processing unit is programmed for selecting the specific configuration from said set of light bulb configurations at least in part by processing the access code to select a portion of the information stored on the passive memory component, where the selected portion of the information includes instructions for implementing the specific light bulb configuration.

12. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 11, wherein said LED lighting element comprises multiple LED light components characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the LED light components allow respective distinct light colors to be generated by the light bulb and wherein the instructions enable operating at least one specific subset of the LED light components in at least one specific manner.

13. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 12, wherein at least some light bulb configurations in said set of light bulb configurations are associated with respective subsets of the LED light components.

14. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 13, wherein:

a) the update process includes storing the update information carried by the signal on the passive memory component; and

b) wherein the processing unit of the controller is programmed for;

i) selecting a specific configuration from the set of configurations implemented by the program code at least in part by processing the update information stored on the passive memory component; and

ii) operating the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the selected specific configuration implemented by the program code.

15. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 1, wherein the passive memory component is configured for communicating with the device external to the intelligent light bulb over a short range radio frequency (RF) communication link established between the passive memory component and the device external to the intelligent light bulb.

16. An auxiliary device suitable for configuring an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising a plurality of LED light components and a programmable controller, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the plurality of LED light components, said memory module including a memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the programmable controller being programmed for operating the intelligent light bulb at least in part in accordance with the instructions stored on the memory module, said auxiliary device comprising:

a) a communication interface suitable for communicating with the programmable controller over a wireless communication link;

b) a processing unit in communication with the communication interface programmed for transmitting a signal over the wireless communication link to the intelligent light bulb carrying firmware update information, the signal being configured for;

causing a firmware update process to be performed by the programmable controller to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the firmware update information carried by the signal, the firmware update information carried by the signal including program code implementing a specific light bulb configuration, wherein the plurality of LED light components are characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the plurality of LED light components allow respective distinct light colors to be generated by the intelligent light bulb and wherein the specific light bulb configuration implemented by the firmware update information is associated with at least one specific distinct subset of the LED light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.

17. The auxiliary device defined in claim 16, wherein the auxiliary device is embodied in an NFC enabled smartphone and wherein the memory component including a near field communication memory (NFC memory).

18. The auxiliary device defined in claim 16, wherein the firmware update process causes the program code implementing the specific light bulb configuration to be stored on the memory module of the controller to enable the controller of the intelligent light bulb to operate the intelligent light bulb based on the specific light bulb configuration implemented by the program code.

19. A method for configuring an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising a plurality of LED light components and a programmable controller, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the plurality of LED light components, said memory module including a memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the programmable controller being programmed for operating the intelligent light bulb at least in part in accordance with the instructions stored on the memory module, said method comprising:

a) using an auxiliary device, obtaining firmware update information associated with the intelligent light bulb;

b) using the auxiliary device, transmitting a signal carrying the firmware update information to the intelligent light bulb over a wireless communication link, the signal being configured for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal, the firmware update information carried by the signal including program code implementing a specific light bulb configuration, wherein the plurality of LED light components are characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the plurality of LED light components allow respective distinct light colors to be generated by the intelligent light bulb, wherein the specific light bulb configuration implemented by the firmware update information is associated with at least one specific distinct subset of the LED light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein said memory module is responsive to the signal carrying firmware update information received over the wireless communication link from the auxiliary device for:

(1) drawing energy from said signal to activate the memory component; and

(2) causing the firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal, at least part of said firmware update process being performed while the memory component remains activated using energy drawn from said signal.

21. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the auxiliary device is embodied in an NFC enabled computing device.

22. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein said distinct light colors include at least a first white light associated with a first specific color temperature and a second white light color associated with a second specific color temperature.

23. An intelligent light bulb comprising:

a) a lighting element comprising multiple light components characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the light components allows respective distinct light colors to be generated by the light bulb;

b) a programmable controller in communication with said lighting element, said programmable controller comprising;

i) a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the lighting element, said memory module including a passive memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the passive memory component of the memory module being configured to be responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal;

ii) a processing unit in communication with said memory module, said processing unit being programmed for operating the lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware, wherein the instructions of the firmware enable the processing unit to control operations of specific subsets of the light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.

24. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 23, wherein said distinct light colors include at least a first white light associated with a first specific color temperature and a second white light color associated with a second specific color temperature.

25. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 23, wherein said processing unit is programmed to control the lighting element to achieve a corresponding specific lighting intensity.

26. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 23, wherein the memory module is configured for communicating with the device external to the intelligent light bulb over a radio frequency (RF) communication link established between the memory module and the device external to the intelligent light bulb.

27. The intelligent light bulb defined in claim 23, further comprising a light bulb body having:

i) a translucent envelop; and

ii) a connector for securing the light bulb body to an external electrical socket, the connector including an electrical contact for establishing an electrical connection with a source of electrical power through the external electrical socket,

wherein the lighting element and the programmable controller are encapsulated within said light bulb body, and wherein in operation light generated by the lighting element shines through the translucent envelop of the light bulb body.