Methods and apparatus for controlling devices in a networked lighting system

• US 20020047628A1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Laszewski, Robert, Morgan, Frederick, Chemel, Brian, Dowling, Kevin, Ducharme, Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 6,608,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for computer-based control of light sources and other devices in a networked lighting system. Conventional light sources may be controlled in combination with LED-based (e.g., variable color) light sources to provide enhanced lighting effects for a variety of space-illumination applications (e.g., residential, office/workplace, retail, commercial, industrial, and outdoor environments). Individual light sources or groups of light sources may be controlled independently of one another based on data transported throughout the network. In one example, one or more other controllable devices (e.g., various actuators, such as relays, switches, motors, etc.) and/or sensors (e.g., heat, light, sound/pressure, or motion sensors) also may be coupled to the network to facilitate automated lighting applications based on a variety of feedback stimuli.

Claims

1. A method, comprising acts of:

A) transmitting data to an independently addressable controller coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device, the data including at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the controller to the at least one other controllable device; and

B) controlling at least one of the at least one led light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data further includes at least one address for the independently addressable controller, and wherein the act B) includes acts of:

selecting at least one of the first control information and the second control information based on the at least one address of the independently addressable controller; and

controlling at least one of the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the selected at least one of the first control information and the second control information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the independently addressable controller includes at least a first output port to output the first control signal, wherein the first control information includes at least a first identifier for the first output port, and wherein the act A) includes an act of:

transmitting at least the first identifier for the first output port to the independently addressable controller.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first control information includes the first identifier for the first output port and a desired parameter of the first control signal, and wherein the act B) includes acts of:

B1) decoding the data based at least on the first identifier for the first output port to obtain the desired parameter of the first control signal; and

B2) outputting the first control signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first control signal includes a pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the act B2) includes an act of:

selecting a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first control signal includes a variable analog voltage signal, and wherein the act B2) includes an act of:

selecting a voltage of the variable analog voltage signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the independently addressable controller includes a second output port to output the second control signal, wherein the second control information includes at least a second identifier of the second output port, and wherein the act A) includes an act of:

transmitting at least the second identifier for the second output port to the independently addressable controller.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second control information includes the second identifier for the second output port and a desired parameter of the second control signal, and wherein the act B) further includes acts of:

B3) decoding the data based at least on the second identifier of the second output port to obtain the desired parameter of the second control signal; and

B4) outputting the second control signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second control signal includes a pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the act B4) includes an act of:

selecting a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the second control signal includes a variable analog voltage signal, and wherein the act B4) includes an act of:

selecting a voltage of the variable analog voltage signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the independently addressable controller includes at least a first output port to output the first control signal and a second output port to output the second control signal, wherein the data corresponds to a desired parameter of the first control signal and a desired parameter of the second control signal, wherein the data is arranged in a particular sequence based on a configuration of the first and second output ports in the independently addressable controller, and wherein the act B) includes acts of:

B1) decoding the data based on the particular sequence to obtain the desired parameters of the first and second control signals, respectively; and

B2) outputting the first and second control signals based on the desired parameters.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the act B1) further includes an act of:

routing the desired parameters of the first and second control signals to the first and second output ports, respectively, based on the configuration of the first and second output ports in the independently addressable controller.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least the first control signal includes a first pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the act B1) includes an act of:

selecting a pulse width of the first pulse width modulated signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least the first control signal includes a first variable analog voltage signal, and wherein the act B1) includes an act of:

selecting a voltage of the first variable analog voltage signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the independently addressable controller includes at least one input port to receive an input signal, and wherein the method further includes acts of:

C) encoding the input signal to provide input data; and

D) transmitting the input data from the independently addressable controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one input port has an input port identifier, and wherein the act C) includes an act of:

encoding the input signal such that the input data is identifiable by the input port identifier.

17. The method of claim 15, further including acts of:

E) receiving the input data transmitted from the independently addressable controller; and

F) transmitting second data to the independently addressable controller based on the input data, the second data including at least one of third control information for the first control signal based on the input data and fourth control information for the second control signal based on the input data.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least on fluorescent light source.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one incandescent light source.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one actuator.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one LED light source includes at least one red LED light source, at least one green LED light source, and at least one blue LED light source;

the first control signal is output by the controller to the at least one red LED light source;

the controller outputs a third control signal to the at least one green LED light source and outputs a fourth control signal to the at least one blue LED light source;

the data includes third control information for the third control signal and fourth control information for the fourth control signal; and

the act B) includes an act of;

controlling the at least one red LED light source, the at least one green LED light source, the at least one blue LED light source, and the at least one other controllable device based on the data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least on fluorescent light source.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one incandescent light source.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one actuator.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the data further includes at least one address for the at least one independently addressable controller, and wherein the act B) includes acts of:

selecting at least the portion of the data based on the at least one address of the at least one independently addressable controller.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one independently addressable controller includes at least a first output port to output the first control signal, wherein the first control information includes at least a desired parameter of the first control signal, and wherein the act C) includes an act of

C1) outputting the first control signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first control signal includes a pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the act C1) includes an act of:

selecting a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the first control signal includes a variable analog voltage signal, and wherein the act C1) includes an act of:

selecting a voltage of the variable analog voltage signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one independently addressable controller includes a second output port to output the second control signal, wherein the second control information includes at least a desired parameter of the second control signal, and wherein the act C) further includes an act of:

C2) outputting the second control signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the second control signal includes a pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the act C2) includes an act of:

selecting a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the second control signal includes a variable analog voltage signal, and wherein the act C2) includes an act of:

selecting a voltage of the variable analog voltage signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the act C) includes an act of:

routing the desired parameter of the first control signal and the desired parameter of the second control signal to the first and second output ports, respectively, based on a configuration of the first and second output ports in the independently addressable controller.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one independently addressable controller includes at least one input port to receive an input signal, and wherein the method further includes acts of:

D) encoding the input signal to provide input data; and

E) transmitting the input data from the at least one independently addressable controller.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the at least one input port has an input port identifier, and wherein the act D) includes an act of:

encoding the input signal such that the input data is identifiable by the input port identifier.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least on fluorescent light source.

37. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one incandescent light source.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one actuator.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the at least one LED light source includes at least one red LED light source, at least one green LED light source, and at least one blue LED light source;

the first control signal is output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one red LED light source;

the at least one independently addressable controller outputs a third control signal to the at least one green LED light source and outputs a fourth control signal to the at least one blue LED light source;

the data includes third control information for the third control signal and fourth control information for the fourth control signal; and

the act C) includes an act of;

controlling the at least one red LED light source, the at least one green LED light source, the at least one blue LED light source, and the at least one other controllable device based on the data.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least on fluorescent light source.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one incandescent light source.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one actuator.

25. A method, comprising acts of:

A) receiving data for a plurality of independently addressable controllers, at least one independently addressable controller of the plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device;

B) selecting at least a portion of the data corresponding to at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one other controllable device; and

C) controlling at least one of the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the selected portion of the data.

43. A lighting system, comprising:

a plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled together to form a network, at least one independently addressable controller of the plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device; and

at least one processor coupled to the network and programmed to transmit data to the plurality of independently addressable controllers, the data corresponding to at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one other controllable device.

44. The lighting system of claim 43, wherein the data further includes at least one address for the at least one independently addressable controller, and wherein the at least one independently addressable controller includes:

a microprocessor to select at least one of the first control information and the second control information based on the at least one address of the independently addressable controller; and

control circuitry, coupled to the microprocessor, to output the first and second control signals so as to control at least one of the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the selected at least one of the first control information and the second control information.

45. The lighting system of claim 44, wherein the first control information includes at least a desired parameter of the first control signal, and wherein the control circuitry outputs the first control signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

46. The lighting system of claim 45, wherein the first control signal includes a pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the control circuitry controls a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

47. The lighting system of claim 45, wherein the first control signal includes a variable analog voltage signal, and wherein the control circuitry controls a voltage of the variable analog voltage signal based on the desired parameter of the first control signal.

48. The lighting system of claim 45, wherein the second control information includes at least a desired parameter of the second control signal, and wherein the control circuitry outputs the second control signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

49. The lighting system of claim 48, wherein the second control signal includes a pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the control circuitry controls a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

50. The lighting system of claim 48, wherein the second control signal includes a variable analog voltage signal, and wherein the control circuitry controls a voltage of the variable analog voltage signal based on the desired parameter of the second control signal.

51. The lighting system of claim 48, wherein the control circuitry routes the desired parameters of the first and second control signals to the first and second output ports, respectively, based on a configuration of the first and second output ports in the at least one independently addressable controller.

52. The lighting system of claim 43, wherein the at least one independently addressable controller includes at least one input port to receive an input signal, and wherein the at least one independently addressable controller encodes the input signal to provide input data and transmits the input data from the independently addressable controller to the network.

53. The lighting system of claim 52, wherein the at least one input port has an input port identifier, and wherein the at least one independently addressable controller encodes the input signal such that the input data is identifiable by the input port identifier.

54. The lighting system of claim 52, wherein the at least one processor receives the input data transmitted from the independently addressable controller and in response transmits second data to the independently addressable controller based on the input data, the second data including at least one of third control information for the first control signal based on the input data and fourth control information for the second control signal based on the input data.

55. The lighting system of claim 43, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least on fluorescent light source.

56. The lighting system of claim 43, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one incandescent light source.

57. The lighting system of claim 43, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one actuator.

58. The lighting system of claim 43, wherein:

the at least one LED light source includes at least one red LED light source, at least one green LED light source, and at least one blue LED light source;

the first control signal is output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one red LED light source;

the at least one independently addressable controller outputs a third control signal to the at least one green LED light source and outputs a fourth control signal to the at least one blue LED light source;

the data includes third control information for the third control signal and fourth control information for the fourth control signal; and

the independently addressable controller controls the at least one red LED light source, the at least one green LED light source, the at least one blue LED light source, and the at least one other controllable device based on the data.

59. The lighting system of claim 58, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least on fluorescent light source.

60. The lighting system of claim 58, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one incandescent light source.

61. The lighting system of claim 58, wherein the at least one other controllable device includes at least one actuator.

62. An apparatus for use in a lighting system including a plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled together to form a network, at least one independently addressable controller of the plurality of independently addressable controllers coupled to at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor having an output to couple the at least one processor to the network, the at least one processor programmed to transmit data to the plurality of independently addressable controllers, the data corresponding to at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the at least one independently addressable controller to the at least one other controllable device.

63. An apparatus for use in a lighting system including at least one LED light source and at least one other controllable device, the apparatus comprising:

at least one controller having at least first and second output ports to couple the at least one controller to at least the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device, respectively, the at least one controller also having at least one data port to receive data including at least one of first control information for a first control signal output by the first output port to the at least one LED light source and second control information for a second control signal output by the second output port to the at least one other controllable device, the at least one controller constructed to control at least one of the at least one LED light source and the at least one other controllable device based on the data.

64. In a lighting system including at least first and second independently addressable devices coupled to form a series connection, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source, a method comprising an act of:

A) transmitting data to at least the first and second independently addressable devices, the data including control information for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices, the data being arranged based on a relative position in the series connection of at least the first and second independently addressable devices.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the control information includes at least one address for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the control information corresponds to at least one desired parameter associated with at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices includes at least one LED light source.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the data includes at least one address for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the first control information corresponds to a desired parameter associated with the first independently addressable devices.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices includes at least one LED light source.

68. In a lighting system including at least first and second independently addressable devices, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source, a method comprising acts of:

A) receiving at the first independently addressable device first data for at least the first and second independently addressable devices;

B) removing at least a first data portion from the first data to form second data, the first data portion corresponding to first control information for the first independently addressable device; and

C) transmitting from the first independently addressable device the second data.

72. A lighting system, comprising:

at least first and second independently addressable devices coupled to form a series connection, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source; and

at least one processor coupled to the first and second independently addressable devices, the at least one processor programmed to transmit data to at least the first and second independently addressable devices, the data including control information for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices, the data arranged based on a relative position in the series connection of at least the first and second independently addressable devices.

73. The lighting system of claim 72, wherein the control information includes at least one address for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices.

74. The lighting system of claim 72, wherein the control information corresponds to at least one desired parameter associated with at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices.

75. The lighting system of claim 72, wherein at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices includes at least one LED light source.

76. An apparatus for use in a lighting system including at least first and second independently addressable devices coupled to form a series connection, at least one device of the independently addressable devices including at least one light source, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor having an output to couple the at least one processor to the first and second independently addressable devices, the at least one processor programmed to transmit data to at least the first and second independently addressable devices, the data including control information for at least one of the first and second independently addressable devices, the data arranged based on a relative position in the series connection of at least the first and second independently addressable devices.

77. An apparatus for use in a lighting system including at least first and second independently controllable devices, at least one device of the independently controllable devices including at least one light source, the apparatus comprising:

at least one controller having at least one output port to couple the at least one controller to at least the first independently controllable device and at least one data port to receive first data for at least the first and second independently controllable devices, the at least one controller constructed to remove at least a first data portion from the first data to form second data and to transmit the second data via the at least one data port, the first data portion corresponding to first control information for at least the first independently controllable device.