Wirelessly controllable lighting module

• US 10,098,211 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Recker, Michael V., Levine, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAMMOND, DEDEI KHALIEAH
• Application Number:
  US15/876,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20180263098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/375 using buck topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A power management system for a lighting circuit may include a grid shifting controller that includes a processor and a connection to an external power source. The power management system may also include a communication interface associated with the grid shifting controller. The grid shifting controller may be configured to provide control information to a processor of at least one grid shifting electrical fixture over the communication interface, the control information being configured to direct the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture on the use of power from the external power source and an energy storage device associated with the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a housing;

a light source mechanically coupled with the housing and configured to provide, during activation, illumination for an area corresponding to the lighting device;

a camera device mechanically coupled with the housing and configured to capture camera data, the camera data representing one or more images;

a speaker mechanically coupled with the housing and configured to output sound to an environment of the lighting device;

a communication interface disposed within the housing and configured to enable a wireless communication path between the lighting device and a remote intelligent computing device; and

at least one processor disposed within the housing and configured to;

cause transmission of the camera data to the remote intelligent computing device via the wireless communication path; and

cause the speaker to output the sound represented by an audio signal received via the wireless communication path.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the speaker to sound an alarm in response to a control signal received from the remote intelligent computing device.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive at least one of control instructions or programming instructions for the light source from the remote intelligent computing device through the communication path.

4. The lighting device of claim 3, wherein the at least one of control instructions or programming instructions for the light source comprises at least one of:

instructions to switch at least one illuminant of the light source on;

instructions to switch at least one illuminant of the light source off;

instructions to change an intensity of at least one illuminant of the light source;

instructions to change a wavelength of light emitted from at least one illuminant of the light source;

instructions to manipulate a direction of illumination generated by at least one illuminant of the light source;

instructions to move at least one illuminant of the light source;

or

instructions to rotate at least one illuminant of the light source.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor from the group of sensors comprising:

an infrared sensor;

a light sensor;

a proximity sensor;

an acoustic sensor;

a motion sensor;

a passive infrared sensor;

a carbon monoxide sensor;

a smoke detector;

a thermal sensor;

an electromagnetic sensor;

a mechanical sensor;

a pressure sensor; and

a chemical sensor.

6. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a motion sensor, further wherein the processor is configured to activate the light source when motion is detected by the motion sensor.

7. The lighting device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to activate the light source when the motion detected by the motion sensor is determined to be above a predetermined threshold.

8. The lighting device of claim 6, wherein the lighting device further comprises a timing device, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine, based at least in part on inputs from the timing device and the motion sensor, a pattern of sensor data corresponding to one or more times of the day having a higher frequency of motion detected by the motion sensor.

9. The lighting device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically schedule the light source to automatically activate during the one or more times of the day having a higher frequency of motion detected by the motion detector.

10. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit sensor data from the at least one sensor to the remote intelligent computing device through the wireless communication path.

11. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least one lighting fixture from a group of lighting fixtures comprising:

a closet light;

a sconce;

an under-cabinet light;

a pendant light;

a track light;

a night light;

an indoor spotlight;

an outdoor spotlight;

a stair light;

a path light;

a deck light;

a porch light;

an address marker light;

a mailbox light;

a picture light;

a plant light;

a tree light;

a flower bed light;

a cove light;

a light bulb;

a street lamp;

a driveway light;

a reading light;

a pool light;

a waterproof light;

a water-resistant light;

a light-adapted for boating;

a light adapted for water sports;

an LED light configured to be placed by hand;

a camping light;

a warning light;

a campus light;

a parking garage light;

a wall light;

a light adapted for emergency responder applications;

a battery-backed industrial fixture;

a motion-responsive light;

a light adapted for a signage application;

a light for non-automotive vehicles;

a personal vehicle light;

a light adapted for automotive vehicles;

a retrofit light;

a Recreational Vehicle (RV) light;

a bus light;

a light-emitting diode (LED) light source;

a fluorescent light source;

an incandescent light source; and

a light fixture comprising a light bulb.

12. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising at least one power source from the group of power sources comprising:

a wired connection to electrical power;

a non-rechargeable battery;

a rechargeable battery; and

a solar panel.

13. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit the camera data using at least one of a wired connection over a power distribution network or a wireless communication protocol.

14. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the power distribution network comprises at least one of:

an alternating current (AC) power line;

a broadband communication power line;

or

a proprietary communication scheme.

15. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises at least one wireless communication protocol from the group of wireless communication protocols comprising:

a dedicated radio frequency (RF) communication link;

ZIGBEE;

WIFI;

ENOCEAN; and

BLUETOOTH.

16. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the camera device comprises at least one camera from a group of cameras comprising:

a digital camera;

a digital video camera; and

a web camera.

17. A wirelessly controllable lighting module, the wirelessly controllable lighting module comprising:

a light source configured to illuminate an area within an environment of the wirelessly controllable lighting module;

a camera configured to capture one or more images representative of at least a portion of the environment of the wirelessly controllable lighting module;

a microphone configured to capture first sound from the environment of the wirelessly controllable lighting module;

a speaker configured to output second sound to the environment of the wirelessly controllable lighting module;

a motion detector configured to detect motion within the environment of the wirelessly controllable lighting module;

a wireless communication interface configured to enable a wireless communication path between the wirelessly controllable lighting module and an electronic device; and

at least one processor configured to;

cause transmission to the electronic device, over the wireless communication path, first data representing the one or more images captured by the camera;

cause transmission to the electronic device, over the wireless communication path, second data representing the first sound captured by the microphone; and

cause the speaker to output the second sound represented by third data received via the wireless communication path.

18. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive an output of the motion detector and cause transmission to the electronic device, over the wireless communication path, of a motion detection alert indicating a detected motion in the environment of the lighting module.

19. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive an output of the motion detector and cause the light source to turn ON in response to a detected motion in the environment of the lighting module.

20. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust a motion detection sensitivity level associated with the motion detector in response to a control signal received from the electronic device via the wireless communication path.

21. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the light source to turn ON or to turn OFF in response to a control signal received from the electronic device via the wireless communication path.

22. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust at least one aspect of a programmed lighting schedule for the light source in response to a control signal received from the electronic device via the wireless communication path.

23. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive an output of the motion detector;

learn, based at least in part on observation of the output of the motion detector over a period of time, a motion pattern characteristic associated with motion observed within the environment of the wirelessly controllable lighting module during at least a portion of the period of time; and

adjust at least one operational characteristic of the wirelessly controllable lighting module based at least in part on the learned motion pattern characteristic.

24. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 23, wherein adjustment to the at least one operational characteristic of the wirelessly controllable lighting module includes a dynamic change of a lighting schedule for the light source.

25. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the speaker to sound an alarm in response to a control signal received from the electronic device via the wireless communication path.

26. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the one or more images captured by the camera include a video stream.

27. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the motion detector includes at least one infrared sensor.

28. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein the wirelessly controllable lighting module is included as at least part of a porch light fixture.

29. The wirelessly controllable lighting module of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the wireless communication path includes a WiFi link.

30. A lighting system comprising:

a lighting device comprising;

a housing;

a light source mechanically coupled with the housing and configured to provide, during activation, an illumination for an area corresponding to the lighting device;

a camera device mechanically coupled with the housing and configured to generate camera data, the camera data representing one or more images;

a motion sensor configured to detect motion;

a processor disposed within the housing and configured to receive the camera data from the camera device and to activate the light source when motion is detected by the motion sensor; and

a communication interface disposed within the housing and configured to transmit the camera data through a wireless connection.