Control of networked lighting devices

• US 10,172,216 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Goergen, Daniel Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US15/512,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20170208672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 315312
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A control device for controlling a plurality of lighting devices via a network is disclosed. The control device 100 comprises a receiver (102) for receiving a signal based on a user input related to adjusting a control parameter of the plurality of lighting devices (114, 116). The control device further comprises a processor (104) for generating, based on the received signal, on a predetermined network capacity and on the number of user input commands received within a predetermined time period, one of: a plurality of messages of a first type (108) and a single message of a second type (110). The control device further comprises a transmitter (106) for transmitting the generated plurality of messages of a first type (108) or the single message of a second type (110) via the network (112), thereby adjusting the control parameter of the plurality of lighting devices (114, 116). The control device is able to utilize the network optimally by generating messages based on their impact on the network. This may improve the control of the plurality of lighting devices and provide an optimized user experience.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a plurality of lighting devices via a network, the control device comprising:

a receiver for receiving a signal based on a user input related to adjusting a control parameter of the plurality of lighting devices,

a processor for generating, based on the received signal and on a predetermined network capacity, one of;

a plurality of messages of a first type and a single message of a second type, and

a transmitter for transmitting the plurality of messages of the first type if the plurality of messages of the first type are generated, or the single message of the second type if the single message of the second type is generated, via the network, thereby adjusting the control parameter of the plurality of lighting devices,

wherein the processor is further arranged for determining network utilization relative to the predetermined network capacity,

wherein the generation of the one of;

the plurality of messages of the first type and the single message of the second type is further based on the network utilization and on a characteristic of the user input, which characteristic is related to a number of user input commands received within a predetermined time period, and

wherein the message of the first type is a unicast message addressed to a single lighting device of the plurality of lighting devices and wherein the message of the second type is a multicast message addressed to the plurality of lighting devices.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined network capacity is based on a maximum number of messages of the first type that is configured to be accommodated by the network within a predetermined time period and a maximum number of messages of the second type that is configured to be accommodated by the network within a predetermined time period.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises one of:

a single user input command, a stream of user input commands or the end of a stream of user input commands.

4. The control device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further arranged for determining the network utilization based on the number and/or the type of messages transmitted within a predetermined time period.

5. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control device is further arranged for receiving information about the network utilization from a further device in the network.

6. The control device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further arranged for communicating the plurality of messages of the first type or the single message of the second type to the plurality of lighting devices through an intermediate communication device.

7. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control device further comprises a user interface arranged for receiving the user input comprising at least one of:

adjusting a control parameter of the plurality of lighting devices, selecting the plurality of lighting devices, and grouping/ungrouping of the plurality of lighting devices.

8. The control device of claim 7, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of the group comprising a touch-sensitive device, an audio sensor, a motion sensor and one or more buttons for receiving the user input.

9. A method of controlling a plurality of lighting devices via a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal based on a user input related to adjusting a control parameter of the plurality of lighting devices,

generating, based on the received signal and on a predetermined network capacity, one of;

a plurality of messages of a first type and a single message of a second type,

transmitting the plurality of messages of the first type if the plurality of messages of the first type are generated, or the single message of the second type if the single message of the second type is generated, via the network, thereby

adjusting the control parameter of the plurality of lighting devices, wherein the generation of the one of;

the plurality of messages of the first type and the single message of the second type is further based on a characteristic of the user input, which characteristic is related to a number of user input commands received within a predetermined time period,

wherein the message of the first type is a unicast message addressed to a single lighting device of the plurality of lighting devices and wherein the message of the second type is a multicast message addressed to the plurality of lighting devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of determining network utilization relative to the predetermined network capacity, wherein the generation of the plurality of messages of the first type or the single message of the second type is further based on the network utilization.

11. A non-transitory computer program product for a computing device, the non-transitory computer program product comprising computer program code to perform the method of claim 9 when the non-transitory computer program product is run on a processing unit of the computing device.