Light fixture as an access point in a communication network

• US 10,194,513 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Jayawardena, Adikaramge Asiri, Manahan, Joseph Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Dedei K
• Application Number:
  US15/933,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20180213630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A light fixture is described herein. The light fixture can include a housing having at least one wall that forms a cavity. The light fixture can also include a controller configured to control and communicate with at least one sensor located outside the housing. The light fixture can further include at least one light fixture component coupled to the controller and disposed within the cavity of the housing, where the controller further controls the at least one light fixture component.

Claims

1. A lighting system, comprising:

a plurality of light fixture components used in an operation of a plurality of light fixtures; and

at least one controller that controls and communicates with the plurality of light fixture components,

wherein the at least one controller, subsequent to initial operation of the plurality of light fixtures, is further communicably coupled with a first independent component, wherein the first independent component is unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures, wherein a first communication transmitted between the at least one controller and the first independent component comprises information that is unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures,

wherein the first independent component, when introduced, is unknown to the at least one controller, and

wherein the first independent component, after being introduced, is known to the at least one controller.

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

at least one sensor communicably coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter, wherein the first communication further includes the at least one parameter measured by the at least one sensor.

3. The lighting system of claim 2, further comprising:

a power module that provides power to the at least one controller and the at least one sensor, wherein the power module comprises an energy storage device.

4. The lighting system of claim 3, wherein the power module enters a reduced power mode when the at least one controller is idle.

5. The lighting system of claim 3, further comprising:

an additional power module disposed within a cavity formed by a housing of a light fixture of the plurality of light fixtures, wherein the additional power module supplies power to the at least one light fixture component.

6. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor is among the plurality of light fixture components.

7. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor is a second independent component.

8. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller comprises a wireless transceiver.

9. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light fixture component is disposed within a housing of a light fixture of the plurality of light fixtures, wherein the housing meets applicable standards for a hazardous environment.

10. The lighting system of claim 9, further comprising:

a safety barrier disposed within the housing, wherein the safety barrier is coupled to at least one electrical conductor that is coupled to another device outside the housing.

11. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller comprises:

a hardware processor;

memory comprising a plurality of instructions;

a control engine that executes the plurality of instructions on the hardware processor to control and communicate with the at least one light fixture component and the first independent component unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures; and

a communication module coupled to the control engine, wherein the communication module transfers communications between the control engine, the at least one light fixture component, and the first independent component unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the communication module transfers the communications between the at least one controller and the first independent component unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures using at least one time-synchronized communication protocol.

13. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives a second communication from a second independent component unassociated with the light fixture.

14. An electrical system, comprising:

at least one independent component;

a lighting system communicably coupled to the at least one independent component, wherein the lighting system comprises;

at least one light fixture component used in operating a light fixture of the lighting system, wherein the light fixture is among a plurality of light fixtures; and

a controller that controls and communicates with the at least one light fixture component,

wherein the controller further communicates with the at least one independent component, wherein the at least one independent component is unassociated with the operation of the light fixture,

wherein the at least one independent component, when introduced, is unknown to the plurality of controllers,

wherein the at least one independent component, after being introduced, is known to the controller, and

wherein communication signals transmitted between the controller and the at least one independent component are unassociated with the operation of the light fixture.

15. The electrical system of claim 14, wherein the controller is an access point with respect to the at least one independent component.

16. The electrical system of claim 14, further comprising:

a network manager communicably coupled to the controller.

17. The electrical system of claim 16, wherein the network manager and the controller are part of a mesh communication network.

18. The electrical system of claim 17, wherein the network manager detects when the light fixture becomes unavailable and instructs another controller to initiate communication with the at least one independent component.

19. The electrical system of claim 14, wherein the light fixture and the at least one independent component are located in a hazardous environment.

20. The electrical system of claim 14, wherein signals are transferred between the controller and the at least one independent component using at least one time-synchronized protocol.