Controlling parking lighting

• US 20080030988A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Williams
• Original Assignee: James Williams
• Inventors: Williams, James
• Application Number:
  US11/890,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030988A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/234
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A lighting control system to control parking lot lighting during off hours includes a wireless remote module, a wireless base module, and a control unit. The wireless remote module is installed in each light tower of a set of light towers in a parking lot. Each light tower has a set of light bulbs. The wireless remote module includes an antenna and a set of switches. Each light bulb in the set of light bulbs is connected to a switch in the set of switches. The wireless base module is configured to communicate wirelessly with each wireless remote module. The control unit is configured by a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions to communicate with the wireless base module. The control unit is configured to send instructions to the wireless remote modules through the base transceiver to individually control light bulbs in the light towers.

Claims

1. A lighting control system to control parking lot lighting during off hours, the system comprising:

a set of light towers, each light tower having a set of light bulbs;

connected to each light tower, a wireless remote module,

wherein the wireless remote module comprises;

an antenna; and

a set of switches, wherein each light bulb in the set of light bulbs is connected to a switch in the set of switches;

a wireless base module configured to communicate wirelessly with each wireless remote module; and

a computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions to communicate with the wireless base module, the instructions comprising;

sending instructions to individually control light bulbs in at least one light tower with the set of light switches, wherein the instructions are sent to the wireless remote module through the wireless base module.

2. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the wireless remote module further comprises:

a transceiver logic connected to the antenna; and

a control logic connected to the set of switches.

3. The lighting control system of claim 2, wherein the wireless remote transceiver is retrofitted on a light tower.

4. The lighting control system of claim 2, wherein the wireless remote module transmits operational information from each light bulb in the set of light bulbs in the light tower.

5. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the wireless base module comprises:

a data port;

a control logic connected to the data port;

an antenna; and

a transceiver logic connected to the antenna.

6. The lighting control system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises:

the computer readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions;

a user interface;

a data port;

a secure internet connection;

a user database having authorized user information stored thereon; and

a lighting system database having operational information stored thereon.

7. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions, further comprises instructions for receiving operational information.

8. The lighting control system of claim 6, wherein the operational information includes light bulb usage time.

9. The lighting control system of claim 6, wherein the operational information is light bulb failure.

10. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to individually control each light bulb comprises turning on one light bulb in the set of light bulbs for a predetermined amount of time.

11. A lighting control system to control parking lot lighting during off hours, the system comprising:

a set of wireless remote modules, wherein the set of wireless remote modules are configured to be retrofitted onto a set of light towers in a parking lot, each wireless remote module comprising;

an antenna; and

a set of switches, wherein each switch in the set of switches is configured to be connected to an individual light bulb in a set of light bulbs on a light tower in the set of light towers;

a wireless base module configured to communicate wirelessly with each wireless remote module; and

a computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions to communicate with the wireless base module, the instructions comprising;

sending instructions to individually control light bulbs in at least one light tower with the set of light switches, wherein the instructions are sent to the wireless remote module through the wireless base module.

12. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the wireless remote module further comprises:

a transceiver logic connected to the antenna; and

a control logic connected to the set of switches.

13. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the wireless base module comprises:

a data port;

a control logic connected to the data port;

an antenna; and

a transceiver logic connected to the antenna.

14. The lighting control system of claim 11, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises:

the computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions;

a user interface;

a data port;

a secure internet connection;

a user database having authorized user information stored thereon; and

a lighting system database having operation information stored thereon.

15. A method of controlling parking lot lighting during off hours, the method comprising:

transmitting instructions from a computer readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions to a wireless base module, the instructions comprising;

sending instructions to individually control light bulbs in at least one light tower with the set of light switches, wherein the instructions are sent to the wireless remote module through the wireless base module;

transmitting the instructions wirelessly from the wireless base module to at least one wireless remote module installed on a light tower of a parking lot; and

at the at least one wireless remote module,

receiving the instructions using an antenna in the wireless remote module; and

controlling individually light bulbs in a set of light bulbs on the light tower using a set of switches in the wireless remote module in response to the received instructions, wherein each light bulb in the set of light bulbs is connected to a switch in the set of switches.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a control unit comprises the computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting operational information about each light bulb in the set of light bulbs in the light tower from the wireless remote module to the wireless base module;

transmitting the operational information from the wireless base module to the control unit;

receiving the operational information at the control unit; and

analyzing the received operational information at the control unit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a control unit comprises the computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving instructions to receive operational information; and

processing instructions to analyze the operational information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the operational information includes light bulb usage time.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the operational information includes light bulb failure.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the instructions include turning on one light bulb in the set of light bulbs for a predetermined amount of time.

22. A method of retrofitting a lighting control system to control parking lot lighting during off hours onto a set of light towers in a parking lot, the method comprising:

installing a set of wireless remote modules, wherein each wireless remote module is installed onto one light tower in the set of light towers, and wherein each wireless remote module comprises;

an antenna; and

a set of switches;

at each light tower, connecting each switch in the set of switches of the wireless remote module to an individual light bulb in a set of light bulbs on the light tower;

installing a wireless base module configured to communicate wirelessly with each wireless remote module; and

installing a computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions to communicate with the wireless base module, the instructions comprising;

sending instructions to individually control light bulbs in at least one light tower with the set of light switches, wherein the instructions are sent to the wireless remote module through the wireless base module.