LED luminaire assemblies with Bluetooth capability

• US 10,327,312 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• 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:
  US15/704,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20180077781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 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 retrofit kit for an existing luminaire assembly comprising:

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

a wireless beacon on the beacon support, wherein the wireless beacon comprises;

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 wireless 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 wireless receiver on a user device can receive the signal from the wireless beacon.

2. The retrofit kit of claim 1, 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, and wherein the wireless beacon is on the bracket such that the module and antenna are on the light-emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly when installed.

3. The retrofit kit of claim 1, 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 wireless beacon are positioned within the housing.

4. The retrofit kit of claim 1, wherein the beacon support comprises a bracket that is configured to mount on reflector of the existing luminaire assembly such that the bracket in on a non-light emitting side of the existing luminaire assembly when installed, and wherein the wireless 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.

5. The retrofit kit of claim 1, wherein the wireless beacon is a Bluetooth beacon, wherein the module is a Bluetooth module, and wherein the signal is a Bluetooth signal.

6. A luminaire assembly comprising a wireless beacon on the luminaire assembly, wherein the wireless beacon comprises:

a module; and

an antenna associated with the module,

wherein the luminaire assembly comprises a light-emitting side and a non-light emitting side,

wherein the antenna is communicatively visible from the light-emitting side of the luminaire assembly, and

wherein the wireless beacon is configured to provide a signal extending a predetermined distance from the luminaire assembly such that a wireless receiver on a user device can receive the signal from the wireless beacon.

7. The luminaire assembly of claim 6, wherein the wireless beacon is a Bluetooth beacon, wherein the module is a Bluetooth module, and wherein the signal is a Bluetooth signal.

8. The luminaire assembly of claim 6, wherein the module and antenna are positioned on opposing sides of the luminaire assembly.

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