Methods of operation of smart lighting systems

• US 10,537,003 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Ho-Chan, Kim, Jong-Hyun, You, Sung-Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fernandez, Pedro C
• Application Number:
  US15/601,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20180139815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A method of operating a smart lighting system comprising a first mobile device, a lighting control device and first through nth (n being a positive integer) lighting devices, includes establishing, by the first mobile device, a first wireless connection with the lighting control device; performing, by the lighting control device, a first time synchronization with the first mobile device; providing, by the first mobile device, the lighting control device with a scheduling information representing operation of each of the first through nth lighting devices according to lapse of time; and controlling, by the lighting control device, operation of each of the first through nth lighting devices based on a current time and the scheduling information, wherein the current time is determined based on the time synchronization.

Claims

1. A method of operating a smart lighting system comprising a first mobile device, a lighting control device and first through nth lighting devices, where n is a positive integer greater than 1, the method comprising:

establishing, by the first mobile device, a first wireless connection with the lighting control device;

performing, by the lighting control device, a first time synchronization with the first mobile device;

providing, by the first mobile device, the lighting control device with scheduling information representing operating information of each of the first through nth lighting devices according to a time schedule;

storing, in a memory of the lighting control device, the scheduling information;

calculating, by the lighting control device, a current time;

controlling, by the lighting control device, operation of the first through nth lighting devices based on the current time calculated by the lighting control device and the scheduling information stored in the memory of the lighting control device,

establishing, by a second mobile device, a second wireless connection with the lighting control device;

performing, by the lighting control device, a second time synchronization with the second mobile device;

providing, by the lighting control device, the scheduling information to the second mobile device; and

updating, by the second mobile device, the scheduling information to provide updated scheduling information to the lighting control device,

wherein the current time is determined based on the first time synchronization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing, by the lighting control device, the first time synchronization with the first mobile device comprises:

providing, by the first mobile device, a first master current time to the lighting control device, when the first wireless connection is established between the first mobile device and the lighting control device; and

calculating, by the lighting control device, the current time based on the first master current time and an elapsed time that elapses from a time point at which the lighting control device receives the first master current time from the first mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing, by the lighting control device, the first time synchronization with the first mobile device further comprises:

providing, by the first mobile device, a first master current time to the lighting control device, when a lighting control application is enabled in the first mobile device, wherein the lighting control application executes on the first mobile device to control the lighting control device; and

calculating, by the lighting control device, the current time based on the first master current time and an elapsed time that elapses from a time point at which the lighting control device receives the first master current time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing, by the first mobile device, the lighting control device with the scheduling information comprises:

receiving, by the first mobile device, the scheduling information from an external source, wherein the scheduling information includes a turn-on timing of each of the first through nth lighting devices, an operation scenario of each of the first through nth lighting devices during a period when each of the first through nth lighting devices is turned-on, and a turn-off timing of each of the first through nth lighting devices; and

transmitting, by the first mobile device, the scheduling information to the lighting control device through a wireless communication via the first wireless connection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the operation scenario includes at least one of a luminance change and a color change of each of the first through nth lighting devices according to the time schedule.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling, by the lighting control device, the operation of the first through nth lighting devices comprises:

driving a kth lighting device of the first through nth lighting devices based on a kth operation scenario of the kth lighting device when the current time matches with a kth turn-on timing of the kth lighting device, wherein k is a positive integer smaller than or equal to n, and the kth turn-on timing of the kth lighting device is included in the scheduling information; and

turning-off, by the lighting control device, the kth lighting device, when the current time matches with a kth turn-off timing of the kth lighting device, wherein the kth turn-off timing of the kth lighting device is included in the scheduling information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the first mobile device, the lighting control device with an automatic operation setting information, wherein the automatic operation setting information includes information of at least one lighting device of the first through nth lighting devices to be turned-on automatically and an automatic operation scenario of the at least one lighting device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

driving, by the lighting control device, the at least one lighting device according to the automatic operation scenario when the first wireless connection is established between the first mobile device and the lighting control device and an automatic detection mode is enabled; and

turning-off, by the lighting control device, the at least one lighting device when the first wireless connection is disconnected between the first mobile device and the lighting control device and the automatic detection mode is enabled.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first mobile device determines one of a plurality of operation scenarios as the automatic operation scenario based on a user input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing, by the lighting control device, the second time synchronization with the second mobile device comprises:

providing, by the second mobile device, a second master current time to the lighting control device, when the second wireless connection is established between the second mobile device and the lighting control device; and

determining, by the lighting control device, the current time based on the second master current time and an elapsed time that elapses from a time point at which the lighting control device receives the second master current time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the lighting control device is connected to each of the first through nth lighting devices through a wiring.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device and the lighting control device perform wireless communication with each other according to a Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.

13. A method of operating a smart lighting system including a first mobile device, a lighting control device, and first through nth lighting devices, the method comprising:

establishing a first wireless connection between the first mobile device and the lighting control device;

performing, by the lighting control device, a first time synchronization including;

receiving, from the first mobile device, a first master current time, when the first wireless connection is established between the first mobile device and the lighting control device, and

calculating, by the lighting control device, a current time based on the first master current time and an elapsed time that elapses from a time point at which the lighting control device receives the first master current time;

receiving, by the lighting control device, scheduling information for each of the first through nth lighting devices;

storing, in a memory of the lighting control device, the scheduling information;

controlling, by the lighting control device, operation of the first through nth lighting devices based on the current time calculated by the lighting control device and the scheduling information stored in the memory of the lighting control device,

establishing, by a second mobile device, a second wireless connection with the lighting control device;

performing, by the lighting control device, a second time synchronization with the second mobile device;

providing, by the lighting control device, the scheduling information to the second mobile device; and

updating, by the second mobile device, the scheduling information to provide updated scheduling information to the lighting control device,

wherein n is a positive integer greater than 1.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving, by the lighting control device, the scheduling information further comprises:

receiving, by the lighting control device, the scheduling information through a wireless communication via the first wireless connection.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the scheduling information includes a turn-on timing of each of the first through nth lighting devices, an operation scenario of each of the first through nth lighting devices during a period when each of the first through nth lighting devices is turned-on, and a turn-off timing of each of the first through nth lighting devices.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling, by the lighting control device, the operation of the first through nth lighting devices comprises:

driving a kth lighting device of the first through nth lighting devices based on a kth operation scenario of the kth lighting device when the current time matches a kth turn-on timing of the kth lighting device; and

turning-off, by the lighting control device, the kth lighting device, when the current time matches a kth turn-off timing of the kth lighting device,

wherein the kth turn-on timing and the kth turn-off timing are included in the scheduling information, and

wherein k is a positive integer smaller than or equal to n.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the lighting control device, an automatic operation setting information, wherein the automatic operation setting information includes information of at least one lighting device of the first through nth lighting devices to be turned-on automatically and an automatic operation scenario of the at least one lighting device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

driving, by the lighting control device, the at least one lighting device according to the automatic operation scenario when the first wireless connection is established between the first mobile device and the lighting control device and an automatic detection mode is enabled; and

turning-off, by the lighting control device, the at least one lighting device when the first wireless connection is disconnected between the first mobile device and the lighting control device and the automatic detection mode is enabled.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the performing, by the lighting control device, the second time synchronization with the second mobile device comprises:

providing, by the second mobile device, a second master current time to the lighting control device, when the second wireless connection is established between the second mobile device and the lighting control device; and

determining, by the lighting control device, the current time based on the second master current time and an elapsed time that elapses from a time point at which the lighting control device receives the second master current time.