Artificial light source based messaging platform

• US 10,193,622 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Walma, Jr., Kenneth Dale, Elwell, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thuy Vinh
• Application Number:
  US15/830,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20180152243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 315149, 315150, 315308
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/502 LED transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• 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 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A processor receives data associated with a device. On the basis of the data associated with the device, the processor modulates a light from the artificial light source at a rate imperceptible to a human eye while detectable by a light sensor device. The modulated light is representative of the data associated with the device. The modulated light is detected, demodulated, and decoded by the light sensor device to retrieve the data associated with the device. Further, the data associated with the device is presented by the light sensor device to a user. In addition, the light sensor device is configured to receive input data from the user and communicate the input data to the processor via a wireless link. The processor is configured to receive the input data from the light sensor device and effect a change in a characteristic of the device based on the received input data.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting, using a light sensor coupled to the processor, a modulated light from an artificial light source in an area,

wherein the modulated light is representative of data associated with the artificial light source, and

wherein the artificial light source is associated with a first group of artificial light sources in the area, each artificial light source of the first group of artificial light sources being associated with each other;

decoding the modulated light to retrieve the data associated with the artificial light source; and

visually presenting, via a display coupled to the processor, a first visual identifier overlaid over the first group of artificial light sources in the area and a second visual identifier overlaid over a second group of artificial light sources in the area to visually distinguish the first group of artificial light sources from the second group of artificial light sources in the area.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first visual identifier is a first color and the second visual identifier is a second color.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the artificial light sources of the first group have a common characteristic.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the common characteristic is a group identifier.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the processor is associated with an optical head mounted display device, wherein the area is an area of vision of a user donning the optical head mounted display device, and wherein the display is associated with the optical head mounted display device and is disposed in a user'"'"'s line of sight to the area comprising the first group of artificial light sources and the second group of artificial light sources.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the processor is associated with a hand-held computing device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the processor is associated with a wearable computing device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

detecting a modulated light from an artificial light source using a light sensor associated with the computer, wherein the modulated light is representative of data associated with a device coupled to the artificial light source;

decoding the modulated light to retrieve the data associated with the device;

communicating at least a portion of the data associated with the device and a user profile to a server; and

receiving, from the server, additional data associated with the device based on the portion of data associated with the device and the user profile.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the data associated with the device is a digital address of the device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the data associated with the device is settings data.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the operations performed by the computer when the plurality of instructions are executed further comprise:

receiving user input data associated with effecting a change in at least one characteristic of the device; and

transmitting the user input data to a receiver unit coupled to the artificial light source over a wireless communication link.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the device is a light fixture and the at least one characteristic of the device is a brightness of light emitted by the light fixture.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the device is an electronic lock and the at least one characteristic of the device is a user identifier.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a modulated light from an artificial light source using a light sensor associated with the processor, wherein the modulated light is representative of data associated with a device coupled to the artificial light source;

decoding the modulated light to retrieve the data associated with the device;

communicating at least a portion of the data associated with the device and a location associated with the processor to a server;

receiving, from the server, additional data associated with the device based on the portion of the data associated with the device and the location associated with the processor;

presenting the additional data via a user interface associated with the processor;

responsive to presenting the additional data, receiving a user input via the user interface associated with the processor; and

transmitting the user input to the server that is communicatively coupled to a control system that is configured to control the device, wherein the server is configured to communicate the user input to the control system to effect a change in a non-modulation related setting of the device based on the user input.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the data associated with the device is a digital address of the device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the data associated with the device is settings data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a change in a non-modulation related setting of the device comprises a change from a present setting to a new setting.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a change in a non-modulation related setting of the device comprises a change from a default setting to a new setting.