Light bulb, intelligent lighting device and method and system for use in configuring same

• US 10,582,595 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Inventors: Brochu, Christian, Laflamme, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US16/108,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20180359841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 315294
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/124 using tapes, cards or discs with optically sensed marks or codes G05B19/128, G05B19/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25112 Using firmware stored in processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3577 Emulating the dimming characteristics, brightness or colour temperature of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/29 Circuits providing for substitution of the light source in case of its failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An intelligent light bulb is provided as well as a method, devices and computer program product of configuring such an intelligent light bulb. The intelligent light bulb comprises an LED lighting element and a programmable controller. The programmable controller comprises a memory module having stored therein firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, where the memory module including a passive memory on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored. The passive memory component of the memory module is responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal. The programmable controller also includes a processing unit in communication with the memory module for operating the LED lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware. Advantageously, the proposed intelligent light bulb can be configured using the signal carrying the firmware update information. In some embodiments, this may allow modifications of certain operating characteristic of the intelligent light bulb to be performed after manufacturing, including modifications pertaining to light color emitted and/or manner of operating the light bulb.

Claims

1. An intelligent lighting device comprising:

a) a lighting element configured for generating a plurality of distinct light colors;

b) a programmable controller in communication with said lighting element, said programmable controller comprising;

i) a first wireless communication interface;

ii) a memory module in communication with said first wireless communication interface, said memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the lighting element;

iii) a second wireless communication interface different from the first wireless communication interface;

iv) a processing unit in communication with said memory module and said second wireless communication interface, said processing unit being responsive to instruction signals received via said second wireless communication interface for operating the lighting element at least in part by processing the instructions in the memory module and control instructions carried by the instruction signals, wherein the instructions in the memory module are configured for causing the processing unit to control operations of the lighting element so that the intelligent lighting device is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color from said plurality of distinct light colors;

v) said memory module being configured to be responsive to a firmware update signal received via the first wireless communication interface, the firmware update signal including program code conveying a specific lighting device configuration for modifying the instructions stored on the memory module to modify the corresponding specific light color generated by the lighting device according to the specific lighting device configuration conveyed by the program code.

2. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 1, wherein the lighting element comprises multiple light components characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the light components allows the respective distinct light colors to be generated by the lighting device.

3. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 2, wherein the multiple light components include a plurality of LED light components, wherein the specific lighting device configuration conveyed by the program code is associated with at least one specific distinct subset of the LED light components so that the intelligent lighting device is caused to generate the corresponding specific light color.

4. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 1, wherein said distinct light colors include at least a first white light associated with a first specific color temperature and a second white light color associated with a second specific color temperature.

5. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 1, wherein the firmware update signal is received from a device external to the intelligent lighting device, and the memory module is configured for communicating with the device external to the intelligent lighting device, via the first wireless communication interface, over a radio frequency (RF) communication link established between the memory module and the device external to the intelligent lighting device.

6. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication interface comprises a near field communication (NFC) interface.

7. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 1, wherein the memory module is configured to be responsive to the firmware update signal received via the first wireless communication interface for:

(1) drawing energy from the firmware update signal to activate the memory module; and

(2) causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions stored on the memory module based on the program code conveying a specific lighting device configuration carried by the firmware update signal, at least part of said firmware update process being performed while the memory module remains activated using energy drawn from said firmware update signal as a source of electrical energy.

8. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 7, wherein said memory module is configured to be responsive to the firmware update signal for causing at least part of the firmware update process to be performed in the absence of electrical power being supplied to the programmable controller.

9. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 7, wherein at least part of the firmware update process is performed while the memory module remains activated using the energy drawn from said firmware update signal as its sole source of electrical energy.

10. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 1, wherein:

a) the instruction signals received via the second wireless communication interface are received from a user operable control device external to the intelligent lighting device, and

b) the processing unit is configured for communicating with the user operable control device over a wireless communication link established between the processing unit and the user operable control device via the second wireless communication interface.

11. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured for operating the lighting element at least in part by processing the control instructions carried by the instruction signals received via the second wireless communication interface to control at least one of:

a) activation of the intelligent lighting device,

b) dimming intensity of the intelligent lighting device and

c) activation of a special lighting effect.

12. A method for configuring an intelligent lighting device, the intelligent lighting device comprising light emitting components and a programmable controller, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon instructions for controlling operations of the light emitting components, the light emitting components are characterized in that operating in different manners the light emitting components allows respective distinct light colors to be generated by the intelligent lighting device, said method comprising:

a) providing program code conveying a specific lighting device configuration to the intelligent lighting device, the program code being sent in a firmware update signal over a first wireless communication link established with a first wireless communication interface of the programmable controller, the firmware update signal being configured for modifying the instructions stored on the memory module of the programmable controller of the intelligent lighting device, the instructions configuring the intelligent lighting device in accordance with the specific lighting device configuration, wherein the specific lighting device configuration implemented by the program code is associated with at least one specific manner of operating the light emitting components so that the intelligent lighting device is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color;

b) providing control instructions to the intelligent lighting device, the control instructions being sent in an instruction signal over a second wireless communication link established with a second wireless communication interface of the programmable controller, wherein the second wireless communication interface is different from the first wireless communication interface, the programmable controller being responsive to the instruction signal received via said second wireless communication interface for operating the lighting device at least in part by processing the control instructions carried by the instruction signal and instructions stored in the memory module so that the intelligent lighting device operates the light emitting components in accordance with the specific lighting device configuration.

13. The method defined in claim 12, comprising storing at least a portion of the program code implementing the specific lighting device configuration on the memory module of the programmable controller to enable the programmable controller of the intelligent lighting device to operate the intelligent lighting device based on the specific lighting device configuration implemented by the program code.

14. The method defined in claim 12, wherein said distinct light colors include at least a first white light associated with a first specific color temperature and a second white light color associated with a second specific color temperature.

15. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the auxiliary device is embodied in an NFC enabled smartphone.

16. The method defined in claim 12, wherein said program code is configured for controlling the light emitting components of the intelligent lighting device to achieve a corresponding specific lighting intensity.

17. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the light emitting components include a plurality of LED light components.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the plurality of LED light components is characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the plurality of LED light components allow the respective distinct light colors to be generated by the intelligent lighting device, wherein the specific lighting device configuration implemented by the program code is associated with at least one specific distinct subset of the LED light components so that the intelligent lighting device is caused to generate the corresponding specific light color.

19. An intelligent lighting device comprising:

a) a lighting element;

b) a programmable controller in communication with said lighting element, said programmable controller comprising;

i) a first wireless communication interface;

ii) a memory module in communication with said first wireless communication interface, said memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the lighting element, said memory module being configured to be responsive to a firmware update signal carrying update information received over a first wireless communication link established via the first wireless communication interface for modifying the instructions stored in the memory module based on the update information carried by the firmware update signal;

iii) a second wireless communication interface different from the first wireless communication interface; and

iv) a processing unit in communication with said memory module and said second wireless communication interface, said processing unit being responsive to an instruction signal carrying control instructions received over a second wireless communication link established via said second wireless communication interface for operating the lighting element at least in part by processing the instructions stored in the memory module and the control instructions carried by the instruction signals.

20. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 19, wherein the first wireless communication interface comprises a near field communication (NFC) interface.

21. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 19, wherein the memory module is configured to be responsive to the firmware update signal received over the first wireless communication link established via the first wireless communication interface for:

(1) drawing energy from the firmware update signal to activate the memory module; and

(2) causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions stored on the memory module based on the update information carried by the firmware update signal, at least part of said firmware update process being performed while the memory module remains activated using energy drawn from said firmware update signal as a source of electrical energy.

22. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 21, wherein said memory module is configured to be responsive to the firmware update signal for causing at least part of the firmware update process to be performed in the absence of electrical power being supplied to the programmable controller.

23. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 21, wherein at least part of the firmware update process is performed while the memory module remains activated using the energy drawn from said firmware update signal as its sole source of electrical energy.

24. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 19, wherein the instruction signals received over the second wireless communication link are received from a user operable control device external to the intelligent lighting device.

25. The intelligent lighting device defined in claim 19, wherein said processing unit is configured for operating the lighting element at least in part by processing the instructions stored in the memory module and the control instructions carried by the instruction signals to control at least one of:

a) activation of the intelligent lighting device,

b) dimming intensity of the intelligent lighting device,

c) a color of light emitted by the intelligent lighting device, and

d) activation of a special lighting effect.