System and method for bottom-up invocation of control signal repeaters in a mesh lighting network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for organizing lighting nodes in a lighting network, comprising:
- a central management system coupled to a wireless network, the central management system configured to organize and control a large array of lighting nodes;
at least one lighting node in the wireless network, configured to receive a discovery message from another lighting node in the wireless network, and in response thereto, to transmit to the central management system, a request message including information from the discovery message and a request to invoke a repeater function in the at least one lighting node, for forwarding messages from the other lighting node to the central management system;
the central management system configured to receive the request message from the at least one lighting node, to validate the information from the discovery message of the other lighting node, to determine a best path for communication of messages between the other lighting node and the central management system based on the information from the discovery message, and to cause a command to be transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node; and
a repeater approval timer in the central management system, configured to prevent other lighting nodes in the wireless network, from respectively invoking a repeater function in the respective other lighting nodes during a delay interval that the central management system starts when the command is transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Example embodiments of the invention efficiently organize, control and prioritize a distributed lighting network. A mesh lighting network is organized from the bottom up into groups of lighting devices with control signal repeaters fanning out control signals to each group. Each lighting device is capable of forwarding control signals to additional lighting devices. During build-out of the mesh network, as new lighting devices are installed, the control network automatically selects a device whose repeater function will provide the most reliable and efficient distribution of control signals to the new group of devices being installed.
49 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A system for organizing lighting nodes in a lighting network, comprising:
-
a central management system coupled to a wireless network, the central management system configured to organize and control a large array of lighting nodes; at least one lighting node in the wireless network, configured to receive a discovery message from another lighting node in the wireless network, and in response thereto, to transmit to the central management system, a request message including information from the discovery message and a request to invoke a repeater function in the at least one lighting node, for forwarding messages from the other lighting node to the central management system; the central management system configured to receive the request message from the at least one lighting node, to validate the information from the discovery message of the other lighting node, to determine a best path for communication of messages between the other lighting node and the central management system based on the information from the discovery message, and to cause a command to be transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node; and a repeater approval timer in the central management system, configured to prevent other lighting nodes in the wireless network, from respectively invoking a repeater function in the respective other lighting nodes during a delay interval that the central management system starts when the command is transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A central management system for organizing lighting nodes in a lighting network, comprising:
-
a communications unit in the central management system, coupled to a wireless network, configured to communicate with a large array of lighting nodes in the wireless network; the central management system configured to receive a request message from at least one lighting node including information from a discovery message of an initiating lighting node and a request to invoke a repeater function in the at least one lighting node, for forwarding messages from the initiating lighting node to the central management system; the central management system configured to receive the request message from the at least one lighting node, to validate the information from the discovery message of the initiating lighting node, to determine a best path for communication of messages between the initiating lighting node and the central management system based on the information from the discovery message, and to cause a command to be transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node; and a repeater approval timer in the central management system, configured to prevent other lighting nodes in the wireless network, from respectively invoking a repeater function in the respective other lighting nodes during a delay interval that the central management system starts when the command is transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for operating a central management system for organizing lighting nodes in a lighting network, comprising:
-
communicate with a large array of lighting nodes in the wireless network; receive a request message from at least one lighting node including information from a discovery message of an initiating lighting node and a request to invoke a repeater function in the at least one lighting node, for forwarding messages from the initiating lighting node to the central management system; validate the information from the discovery message of the initiating lighting node, to determine a best path for communication of messages between the initiating lighting node and the central management system based on the information from the discovery message, and to cause a command to be transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node; and prevent other lighting nodes in the wireless network from respectively invoking a repeater function in the respective other lighting nodes during a delay interval that the central management system starts when the command is transmitted to the at least one lighting node to invoke the repeater function in the at least one lighting node. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification