LED luminaire assemblies with bluetooth capability

• US 10,219,357 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCanless, Forrest Starnes, Lydecker, Stephen Haight, Tran, Albert, McCane, Stephen Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Monica C
• Application Number:
  US15/705,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/278 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/0426 Collocated with electrical equipment other than beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/08 Systems for determining direction or position line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/01 adapted for specific applications or environments
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A Bluetooth beacon for a luminaire assembly includes a module and an antenna associated with the module. The Bluetooth beacon is monted such that the antenna is communicatively visible from a light emitting side of the luminaire assembly. The Bluetooth beacon is configured to provide a signal extending a predetermined distance from the luminaire assembly such that a Bluetooth receiver on a user device can receive a signal from the Bluetooth beacon.

Claims

1. A luminaire assembly comprising:

a housing;

a light source provided with the housing such that the luminaire assembly comprises a light emitting side and a non-light emitting side; and

a Bluetooth beacon on the luminaire assembly, the Bluetooth beacon comprising a module and an antenna associated with the module, wherein the antenna is communicatively visible from the light emitting side of the luminaire assembly, and wherein the Bluetooth beacon is configured to provide a signal extending a predetermined distance from the luminaire assembly such that a Bluetooth receiver on a user device can receive a signal from the Bluetooth beacon.

2. The luminaire assembly of claim 1, wherein the module and antenna are positioned on opposing sides of the luminaire assembly.

3. The luminaire assembly of claim 2, wherein the module is positioned on the non-light emitting side of the luminaire assembly and the antenna is positioned on the light emitting side of the luminaire assembly.

4. The luminaire assembly of claim 3, wherein the antenna is mounted on one of an inner surface of the housing, an inner surface of an end cap of the luminaire assembly, a channel cover, or a printed circuit board.

5. The luminaire assembly of claim 3, wherein the antenna is positioned under an optic of the luminaire assembly.

6. The luminaire assembly of claim 1, wherein the module and antenna are both positioned on the light emitting side or on the non-light emitting side of the luminaire assembly.

7. The luminaire assembly of claim 6, wherein the antenna is mounted on the module.

8. The luminaire assembly of claim 6, wherein the module and antenna are both positioned on the light emitting side of the luminaire assembly.

9. The luminaire assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

a channel cover;

a printed circuit board;

an optic; and

an end cap positioned at a lateral end of the housing,

wherein the module and antenna are both positioned on the housing, channel cover, printed circuit board, or end cap.

10. The luminaire assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

a channel cover;

a printed circuit board;

an optic; and

an end cap positioned at a lateral end of the housing,

wherein the module is positioned on one of the housing, channel cover, printed circuit board, or end cap, and

wherein the antenna is positioned on a different one of the housing, channel cover, printed circuit board, or end cap.

11. The luminaire assembly of claim 10, wherein the module is positioned on the end cap and the antenna is positioned on the housing.

12. The luminaire assembly of claim 6, wherein the housing comprises a driver door, and wherein the module and antenna are positioned on a beacon support that is mounted on the driver door.

13. The luminaire assembly of claim 12, wherein the beacon support is offset from an axis of the driver door.

14. The luminaire assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna is mounted adjacent a lateral end of the luminaire assembly on the light emitting side.

15. A retrofit kit for an existing luminaire assembly comprising:

a beacon support configured to connect to the existing luminaire assembly; and

a Bluetooth beacon on the beacon support, the Bluetooth beacon comprising a module and an antenna associated with the module, wherein the antenna is communicatively visible from a light emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly when the retrofit kit is installed, and wherein the Bluetooth beacon is configured to provide a signal extending a predetermined distance from the existing luminaire assembly when the retrofit kit is installed such that a Bluetooth receiver on a user device can receive the signal from the Bluetooth beacon.

16. The retrofit kit of claim 15, wherein the beacon support comprises a bracket that is configured to mount on a reflector of the existing luminaire assembly such that the bracket in on a non-light emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly when installed.

17. The retrofit kit of claim 16, wherein the Bluetooth beacon is on the bracket such that the module and the antenna are on the light emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly when installed.

18. The retrofit kit of claim 16, wherein the Bluetooth beacon is on the bracket such that the module is on the non-light emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly and the antenna is on the light emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly when installed.

19. The retrofit kit of claim 15, wherein the beacon support comprises a housing and a pocket, wherein the pocket is configured to receive at least a portion of a driver door of the existing luminaire assembly to mount the beacon support on the existing luminaire assembly when installed, and wherein the module and antenna of the Bluetooth beacon are positioned within the housing.

20. The retrofit kit of claim 19, wherein the housing is offset from the pocket such that the housing and Bluetooth beacon are offset from the driver door when installed.