Wireless lighting control system

• US 10,172,219 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2018
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Turvy, Jr., Larry D., Scrimgeour, John W., Fultz, Tyler B., Roquemore, III, John Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fernandez, Pedro C
• Application Number:
  US16/018,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20180310387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A networked lighting control system includes a variety of lighting control devices, including intelligent luminaires, standalone intelligent control nodes, plug load controllers, and power packs that communicate over a wireless control network and a commissioning network. Each lighting control device includes a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system. The dual-band wireless radio communication interface system is configured for unicast and multicast communication over a first of two different wireless communication bands as well as point-to-point communication over a second wireless communication band. The standalone intelligence control node can be a wall switch or detector. Commissioning and provisioning of the lighting control system is performed over the second communication band via communications with a mobile device and lighting controls are carried out over the first communication band. The lighting control devices may be divided into light control groups or zones.

Claims

1. A lighting system, comprising:

a lighting control group including lighting control group members that are connected together over a lighting control network, one of the members being designated as a lighting control group monitor;

some of the lighting control group members are luminaires, each respective one of the luminaires comprising;

(a) a light source;

(b) a driver circuit coupled to the light source;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the driver circuit and configured to control light source operation via the driver;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system for communicating over two different wireless communication bands, including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network over a first wireless communication band of the two different wireless communication bands, related to light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via a second network, over a second of the two different wireless communication bands, related to commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations;

wherein respective frequencies of the two different wireless communication bands differ by at least a factor of two (2);

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor to control operations of the respective luminaire, including the communications over the two different wireless communication bands via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system;

wherein at least one of the lighting control group members or the lighting control group monitor is a control node, comprising;

(a) a switch or a detector;

(b) a sense circuit responsive to the switch or the detector to generate a sensing signal;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the sense circuit and configured to receive and respond to the sensing signal;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network of light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via the second network of commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations, over the second wireless communication band; and

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor of the control node; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor of the control node to transmit information based on the sensing signal for the light source control operations over the first communication band via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein:

the first transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a first processor and a first memory;

the second transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a second processor and a second memory;

the respective luminaire includes a micro-control unit having a third processor and a third memory;

processing of the light source control operations over the first wireless communication band occurs via the third processor and the third memory of the micro-control unit; and

the respective luminaire includes a total of three processors and three sets of memory.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein:

the first transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a first processor and a first memory;

the second transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a second processor and a second memory;

processing of the light source control operations over the first wireless communication band occurs via the first processor and the first memory of the first transceiver for wireless communication via the lighting control network; and

the respective luminaire includes a total of two processors and two sets of memory.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein:

each respective luminaire include a dual-band system on chip;

the dual-band system on chip includes the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system and a micro-control unit that includes one processor and one set of memory integrated in a combined chipset; and

the respective luminaire includes a total of one processor and one set of memory.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein:

the first transceiver is a sub-gigahertz band radio transceiver for the wireless communications over the first wireless communication band; and

the second transceiver is a two gigahertz or higher band radio transceiver for the wireless communications over the second wireless communication band.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a gateway connected to both the lighting control network and a third network of light source control operations, the third network separate from the lighting control network and the second network;

wherein the lighting control group monitor is one of the luminaires and further includes programming in the at least one memory of the one luminaire which configures the at least one processor of the one luminaire to;

receive, over the first communication band, a wireless message for lighting control network operation indicating a lighting control event from another of the lighting control group members;

send, over the first communication band, the indication of the lighting control event to other lighting control group members over the first communication band;

determine whether the lighting control event is a global adjustment;

in response to determining the lighting control event is the global adjustment, create a gateway notification; and

transmit, over the first communication band, the gateway notification.

7. The lighting system of claim 6, wherein the third network is a wide area network (WAN).

8. The lighting system of claim 6, wherein programming in the at least one memory of the one luminaire further configures the at least one processor of the lighting control group monitor to transmit the gateway notification to the gateway via reliable unicast.

9. The lighting system of claim 6, wherein:

programming in the at least one memory of the one luminaire further configures the at least one processor of the lighting control group monitor to determine whether the lighting control event is a sensor state change or a switch state change related to lighting control; and

the gateway notification indicates the sensor state change or the switch state change to lighting related control.

10. The lighting system of claim 6, wherein gateway notification further indicates the lighting control group.

11. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control group is subdivided into a plurality of control zones.

12. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control group is defined by a radio frequency (RF) channel.

13. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the respective luminaire subscribes to a multicast group as identified by a lighting control group identifier and reacts to messages on the RF channel of the lighting control group.

14. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control group members include a plug load controller, a power pack, a switch, or a detector.

15. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein each respective one of the luminaires includes:

a detector; and

wherein the at least one processor of the respective luminaire detects a state change of the detector via drive/sense circuitry and then sends a wireless message for lighting control network operation to the lighting control group monitor of the lighting control group indicating the detector state change.

16. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein the detector is an in-fixture daylight sensor, an occupancy sensor, an audio sensor, or a temperature sensor.

17. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control network is defined as a star topology network having the lighting control group monitor at a center of the lighting control group comprised of the lighting control group members.

18. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the communication over the first wireless communication band together implement a non-mesh wireless network topology.

19. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the programming of each respective one of the luminaires includes a real time operating system (RTOS) for control or communication operations of the respective luminaire.

20. A lighting system, comprising:

a lighting control group including lighting control group members that are connected together over a lighting control network, one of the members being designated as a lighting control group monitor;

some of the lighting control group members are luminaires, each respective one of the luminaires comprising;

(a) a light source;

(b) a driver circuit coupled to the light source;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the driver circuit and configured to control light source operation via the driver;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system for communicating over two different wireless communication bands, including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network over a first wireless communication band of the two different wireless communication bands, related to light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via a second network, over a second of the two different wireless communication bands, related to commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations;

wherein respective frequencies of the two different wireless communication bands differ by at least a factor of one and a half (1.5);

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor to control operations of the respective luminaire, including the communications over the two different wireless communication bands via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system;

wherein at least one of the lighting control group members or the lighting control group monitor is a control node, comprising;

(a) a switch or a detector;

(b) a sense circuit responsive to the switch or the detector to generate a sensing signal;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the sense circuit and configured to receive and respond to the sensing signal;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network of light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via the second network of commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations, over the second wireless communication band; and

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor of the control node; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor of the control node to transmit information based on the sensing signal for the light source control operations over the first communication band via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system.

21. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein:

the first transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a first processor and a first memory;

the second transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a second processor and a second memory;

the respective luminaire includes a micro-control unit having a third processor and a third memory;

processing of the light source control operations over the first wireless communication band occurs via the third processor and the third memory of the micro-control unit; and

the respective luminaire includes a total of three processors and three sets of memory.

22. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein:

the first transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a first processor and a first memory;

the second transceiver of the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system includes a second processor and a second memory;

processing of the light source control operations over the first wireless communication band occurs via the first processor and the first memory of the first transceiver for wireless communication via the lighting control network; and

the respective luminaire includes a total of two processors and two sets of memory.

23. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein:

each respective luminaire include a dual-band system on chip;

the dual-band system on chip includes the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system and a micro-control unit that includes one processor and one set of memory integrated in a combined chipset; and

the respective luminaire includes a total of one processor and one set of memory.

24. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein:

the first transceiver is a sub-gigahertz band radio transceiver for the wireless communications over the first wireless communication band; and

the second transceiver is a two gigahertz or higher band radio transceiver for the wireless communications over the second wireless communication band.

25. The lighting system of claim 20, further comprising:

a gateway connected to both the lighting control network and a third network of light source control operations, the third network separate from the lighting control network and the second network;

wherein the lighting control group monitor is one of the luminaires and further includes programming in the at least one memory of the one luminaire which configures the at least one processor of the one luminaire to;

receive, over the first communication band, a wireless message for lighting control network operation indicating a lighting control event from another of the lighting control group members;

send, over the first communication band, the indication of the lighting control event to other lighting control group members over the first communication band;

determine whether the lighting control event is a global adjustment;

in response to determining the lighting control event is the global adjustment, create a gateway notification; and

transmit, over the first communication band, the gateway notification.

26. The lighting system of claim 25, wherein the third network is a wide area network (WAN).

27. The lighting system of claim 25, wherein programming in the at least one memory of the one luminaire further configures the at least one processor of the lighting control group monitor to transmit the gateway notification to the gateway via reliable unicast.

28. The lighting system of claim 25, wherein:

programming in the at least one memory of the one luminaire further configures the at least one processor of the lighting control group monitor to determine whether the lighting control event is a sensor state change or a switch state change related to lighting control; and

the gateway notification indicates the sensor state change or the switch state change to lighting related control.

29. The lighting system of claim 25, wherein gateway notification further indicates the lighting control group.

30. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein the lighting control group is subdivided into a plurality of control zones.

31. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein the lighting control group is defined by a radio frequency (RF) channel.

32. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein the respective luminaire subscribes to a multicast group as identified by a lighting control group identifier and reacts to messages on the RF channel of the lighting control group.

33. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein the lighting control group members include a plug load controller, a power pack, a switch, or a detector.

34. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein each respective one of the luminaires includes:

a detector; and

wherein the at least one processor of the respective luminaire detects a state change of the detector via drive/sense circuitry and then sends a wireless message for lighting control network operation to the lighting control group monitor of the lighting control group indicating the detector state change.

35. The lighting system of claim 34, wherein the detector is an in-fixture daylight sensor, an occupancy sensor, an audio sensor, or a temperature sensor.

36. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein the lighting control network is defined as a star topology network having the lighting control group monitor at a center of the lighting control group comprised of the lighting control group members.

37. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein the communication over the first wireless communication band together implement a non-mesh wireless network topology.

38. The lighting system of claim 20, wherein the programming of each respective one of the luminaires includes a real time operating system (RTOS) for control or communication operations of the respective luminaire.

39. A lighting system, comprising:

a lighting control group including lighting control group members that are connected together over a lighting control network, one of the members being designated as a lighting control group monitor;

some of the lighting control group members are luminaires, each respective one of the luminaires comprising;

(a) a light source;

(b) a driver circuit coupled to the light source;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the driver circuit and configured to control light source operation via the driver;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system for communicating over two different wireless communication bands, including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network over a first wireless communication band of the two different wireless communication bands, related to light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via a second network, over a second of the two different wireless communication bands, related to commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations;

wherein respective frequencies of the two different wireless communication bands are spread apart by at least one (1) gigahertz;

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor to control operations of the respective luminaire, including the communications over the two different wireless communication bands via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system;

wherein at least one of the lighting control group members or the lighting control group monitor is a control node, comprising;

(a) a switch or a detector;

(b) a sense circuit responsive to the switch or the detector to generate a sensing signal;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the sense circuit and configured to receive and respond to the sensing signal;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network of light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via the second network of commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations, over the second wireless communication band; and

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor of the control node; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor of the control node to transmit information based on the sensing signal for the light source control operations over the first communication band via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system.

40. A lighting system, comprising:

a lighting control group including lighting control group members that are connected together over a lighting control network, one of the members being designated as a lighting control group monitor;

some of the lighting control group members are luminaires, each respective one of the luminaires comprising;

(a) a light source;

(b) a driver circuit coupled to the light source;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the driver circuit and configured to control light source operation via the driver;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system for communicating over two different wireless communication bands, including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network over a first wireless communication band of the two different wireless communication bands, related to light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via a second network, over a second of the two different wireless communication bands, related to commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations;

wherein respective frequencies of the two different wireless communication bands are spread apart by at least one and a half (1.5) gigahertz;

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor to control operations of the respective luminaire, including the communications over the two different wireless communication bands via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system;

wherein at least one of the lighting control group members or the lighting control group monitor is a control node, comprising;

(a) a switch or a detector;

(b) a sense circuit responsive to the switch or the detector to generate a sensing signal;

(c) at least one processor coupled to the sense circuit and configured to receive and respond to the sensing signal;

(d) a dual-band wireless radio communication interface system including;

(i) a first transceiver configured for wireless communication via the lighting control network of light source control operations, over the first wireless communication band; and

(ii) a second transceiver configured for wireless communication via the second network of commissioning, configuration, or maintenance operations, over the second wireless communication band; and

(e) at least one memory accessible to the at least one processor of the control node; and

(f) programming in the at least one memory which configures the at least one processor of the control node to transmit information based on the sensing signal for the light source control operations over the first communication band via the dual-band wireless radio communication interface system.