Light management system having networked intelligent luminaire managers with enhanced diagnostics capabilities

• US 20070085700A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Acuity Brands, Inc.
• Inventors: Henderson, David, Walters, Jeff, Darnell, Charles, Holland, William, Gibler, Zachary, Minarczyk, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A network operation center for a light management system having networked intelligent luminaire managers. A plurality of networked luminaire managers, each collocated with a respective luminaire, monitor the status of their respective luminaires. The luminaire managers include transmitters for transmitting status information about their respective luminaires and third-party devices to a network server. The network server forwards the received status information from the networked luminaire managers to a computer of an owner/operator of the plurality of luminaires and/or a third-party user. The luminaire managers communicate with each other, whereby they form a network.

Claims

1. An intelligent luminaire manager, comprising:

a voltage sensor for measuring a voltage provided to a luminaire;

a current senor for measuring a current provided to the luminaire;

a controller coupled to the voltage sensor and the current sensor; and

a luminaire diagnostic program stored in a memory of the controller,

wherein the luminaire diagnostic program calculates real power for the luminaire and apparent power for the luminaire and generates a lamp cycling message if the calculated real power divided by the calculated apparent power is less than a first threshold value.

2. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 1, wherein the lamp cycling message is generated only if a current measured by the current sensor is greater than a second threshold value.

3. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 2, wherein the lamp cycling message is generated if a change in the current is greater than a third threshold value.

4. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 1, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates a bad lamp message if real power continues to change during a specified period of time.

5. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 1, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates a bad fixture message if the calculated real power is less than a second threshold value.

6. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 5, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates the bad fixture message if a current measured by the current sensor is less than a third threshold value.

7. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 1, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates a predicted lamp failure message if the calculated real power is not changing after a first specified time.

8. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 7, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates the predicted lamp failure message if the calculated real power is changing after a second specified time.

9. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 8, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates the predicted lamp failure message if the calculated real power is less than a second threshold value after a third specified time.

10. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 9, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates the predicted lamp failure message if a DC component of a voltage measured by the voltage sensor is greater than a selected percentage of the voltage.

11. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 9, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates the predicted lamp failure message if a DC component of a current measured by the current sensor is greater than a selected percentage of the current.

12. A method for monitoring and diagnosing a luminaire, comprising:

measuring an AC voltage provided to a luminaire;

measuring an AC current provided to the luminaire;

calculating real power for the luminaire;

calculating apparent power for luminaire; and

generating a lamp cycling message if calculated real power divided by calculated apparent power is less than a first threshold value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the generating step comprises:

generating the lamp cycling message only if the measured current is greater than a second threshold value.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a bad lamp message if calculated real power changes during a specified period of time.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a bad fixture message if calculated real power is less than a second threshold value.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a bad fixture message if the measured current is less than a second threshold value.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a predicted lamp failure message if the calculated real power is not changing after a first specified time.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating the predicted lamp failure message if the calculated real power is changing after a second specified time.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating the predicted lamp failure message if the calculated real power is less than a third threshold value after a third specified time.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

generating the predicted lamp failure message if a DC component of the measured voltage is greater than a selected percentage of the measured voltage.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

generating the predicted lamp failure message if a DC component of the measured current is greater than a selected percentage of the measured current.

22. An intelligent luminaire manager, comprising:

a controller coupled to a voltage sensor and a current sensor;

a luminaire diagnostic program stored in a memory of the controller,

wherein the luminaire diagnostic program calculates real power for a luminaire and apparent power for the luminaire, based on voltage and current measurements, and generates a lamp cycling message if the calculated real power divided by the calculated apparent power is less than a first threshold value; and

an enclosure that houses the controller, the enclosure having a three-prong plug for attaching to a streetlight fixture.

23. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 22, wherein the lamp cycling message is generated only if a current measured by the current sensor is greater than a second threshold value.

24. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 22, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates a bad lamp message if real power continues to change during a specified period of time.

25. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 22, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates a bad fixture message if real power is less than a second threshold value.

26. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 22, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates a bad fixture message if a current measured by the current sensor is less than a second threshold value.

27. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 22, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates a predicted lamp failure message if real power is not changing after a first specified time.

28. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 27, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates the predicted lamp failure message if real power is changing after a second specified time.

29. The intelligent luminaire manager of claim 28, wherein the luminaire diagnostic program generates the predicted lamp failure message if real power is less than a second threshold value after a third specified time.