System for and method of commissioning lighting devices within a wireless network

• US 10,111,308 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huizenga, Charles, Paton, John Douglas, Smith, Zachary, Corr, Michael G., Sudini, Mahathi, Schmuckal, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/827,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20180084628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources

Abstract

A lighting system for and method of commissioning LED light fixtures is disclosed. The LED light fixtures include a controller unit that is programed with lighting firmware and an on-board 5 light sensor that is responsive to visible light signals from a light source. In operation, the light sensor is irradiated visible light signals and/or visible light sequences that instruct the LED light fixture via the controller unit to join a group, be locked into a group, run lighting programs and/or become un-locked from a group.

Claims

1. A method of commissioning lighting devices within a wireless lighting control network, the method comprising:

irradiating a light sensor on a first lighting device with a first visible light signal from a light source, resulting in the first lighting device to create a group and broadcast group information to additional lighting devices within the wireless lighting control network;

irradiating a light sensor on one or more of the additional lighting devices within the lighting control network with a second visible light signal, thereby instructing the at least one or more of the additional lighting devices to join the group; and

irradiating the light sensor on at least one of the first lighting device and the additional lighting devices with a third visible light signal thereby closing the group, such that the first lighting device and the additional lighting devices within the group cooperatively operate in response to a condition.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the lighting devices includes light fixtures and wherein a maximum light output of each of the light fixtures within the group is fixed by actuating a manual switch on one or more of the lighting devices within the group.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and the third visible light signals have different wavelengths.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first, the second and the third visible light signals are generated from a hand-held laser.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising irradiating a light sensor on a lighting device within the group with a visible light sequence from the light source, thereby instructing the lighting devices within the group to run one or more lighting programs stored in memory units on the lighting devices.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lighting devices within the group include one or more motion sensors.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving the group information via radio transceivers on the lighting devices.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first, the second and the third visible light signals are generated from a hand-held light source.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the hand-held light source is a light emitting diode (LED) light.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the hand-held light source is a smart phone.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the hand-held light source is a laser light.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein broadcasting group information over the wireless lighting control network comprises actuating a momentary switch within the wireless lighting control network.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the lighting devices include light fixtures and wherein a maximum light output of each of the light fixtures within the group is fixed by actuating the momentary switch on one or more of the lighting devices within the group.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising irradiating a light sensor on a lighting device within the group with a visible light sequence from the light source thereby instructing the lighting devices within the group to run one or more lighting programs stored in memory units on the lighting devices.

15. A lighting system comprising:

a first light fixture, having a light engine; and

a controller, the controller comprising;

a driver circuit for providing power to the light engine;

a controller circuit with a micro-processor having firmware coded for commissioning the first light fixture to cooperatively operate with a group of additional lighting devices within a wireless lighting control network; and

a light sensor for receiving command signals from a first visible light source and initiating firmware from the micro-processor in response to the command signals to run and commission the first light fixture to create a group and broadcast group information to additional light fixtures within the wireless lighting control network; and

one or more of the additional light fixtures, each of the additional light fixtures includes a controller with a driver circuit for providing power to the light fixture, a controller circuit with a micro-processor, a memory unit and a light sensor for receiving visible light command signals that initiate firmware from the micro-processor to commission the light fixtures having a light sensor for receiving command signals from a second visible light source and initiating firmware from the micro-processor in response to the command signals to instruct the at least one or more of the additional light fixtures to join the group, the light sensors on at least one of the first light fixtures and the at least one or more additional light fixtures further configured to receive a third visible light signal thereby closing the group, such that the first light fixture and the at least one or more additional light fixtures within the group cooperatively operate in response to a condition.

16. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the first light fixture further comprises a motion sensor for controlling power to the light engine based on detected motion.

17. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the first light fixture further comprises a manual switch for initiating firmware from the micro-processor to set a maximum light output of the first light fixture.

18. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the first light sensor of the first light fixture differentiates light of different wavelengths.

19. The lighting system according to claim 18, wherein a first wavelength initiates firmware from the micro-processor to run and instruct the first light fixture to cooperatively operate with the group of lighting devices and a second wavelength initiates firmware from the micro-processor to run and instruct the light fixture to be locked into the group.

20. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the light sensor is further responsive to receiving a light sequence from the visible light source to initiate firmware on the micro-processor to run one or more lighting programs stored on the memory unit of the first light fixture.

21. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the light sensor controls power to the light engine based on ambient light levels.

22. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the first visible light source is a hand-held light emitting diode (LED) light.

23. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the first visible light source is a hand-held smart phone.

24. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein the first visible light source is a hand-held laser light.