SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STREETLIGHT MONITORING DIAGNOSTICS

• US 20090222241A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: English, James, Walters, Jeff, Dorogi, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,594,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/44 Testing lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• 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

One or more example diagnostics may be performed by a network server for a network of intelligent luminaire managers or other radio frequency (RF) devices. The network server may receive messages or information from one or more of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers or RF devices. The network server may perform diagnostics based upon the received messages or information from one or more of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers or RF devices. The network server may also leverage knowledge of respective statuses of at least a portion of the plurality of the networked intelligent luminaire managers or RF devices to determine a system-level status.

Claims

1. A network server, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;

a processor configured to access the memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

store at least one operating specification for an equipment in communications with the networked intelligent luminaire manager;

receive, via a network of intelligent luminaire managers, operational information transmitted wirelessly from the networked intelligent luminaire manager, wherein the operational information is associated with an operation of the equipment in communications with the networked intelligent luminaire manager; and

determine an operational status of the equipment based upon a comparison of the operational information to the stored at least one operating specification.

2. The network server of claim 1, wherein the stored at least one operating specification for the equipment is based upon activation information obtained during installation of the equipment.

3. The network server of claim 2, wherein the activation information is obtained during installation using a PDA-hosted field unit.

4. The network server of claim 2, wherein the activation information either (i) includes the at least one operating specification, or (ii) an identification of the equipment for use in determining the at least one operating specification.

5. The network server of claim 1, wherein the equipment is a luminaire.

6. The network server of claim 5, wherein the received operational information comprises power information associated with an operation of the luminaire, wherein the operational status of the luminaire is determined to be faulty based upon a predetermined number of instances of the received power information not exceeding a power threshold value.

7. The network server of claim 5, wherein the operational status of the luminaire is determined to be a dayburning malfunction based upon the predetermined instances of the received power information exceeding a maximum power specification associated with the luminaire in an OFF state.

8. The network server of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine a power consumption associated with the equipment based upon the received operational information, wherein the operational status of the monitored equipment is determined to be an excessive power consumption condition based upon a comparison of the power consumption to a power consumption threshold value.

9. The network server of claim 1, wherein the operational information includes current information associated with the monitored equipment, wherein the operational status of the monitored equipment is determined to be a high current condition based upon a comparison of the current information to a current threshold value.

10. A network server, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;

a processor configured to access the memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

receive respective messages from a respective one of a plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers, wherein each networked intelligent luminaire manager monitors respective equipment;

determine, based upon the receipt or absence of the respective messages, a respective status of each of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers; and

generate a system-level status based upon an analysis of the respective status of at least a portion of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers.

11. The network server of claim 10, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a first intelligent luminaire manager, and wherein a first no-communication status for the first intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor not receiving any messages from the first intelligent luminaire manager for a predetermined period of time.

12. The network server of claim 11, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a second intelligent luminaire manager and wherein a second no-communication status for the second intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor not receiving any messages from the second intelligent luminaire manager for the predetermined period of time, and wherein the system-level status indicates a system failure based at least upon the determined first and second no-communication status and a proximity of the first intelligent luminaire manager and the second luminaire manager.

13. The network server of claim 12, wherein the system failure is a power distribution outage.

14. The network server of claim 10, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a first intelligent luminaire manager, and wherein a first potential group control status for the first intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving messages from the first intelligent luminaire manager for a first period of time but not a second period of time.

15. The network server of claim 14, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a second intelligent luminaire manager, wherein a second potential group control status for the second intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving messages from the second intelligent luminaire manager for the first period of time but not the second period of time;

and

wherein the system-level status indicates a group control configuration based upon at least the determined first and second potential group control status and a proximity of the first and second intelligent luminaire managers.

16. The network server of claim 10, wherein the respective messages comprise operational information associated with the respective equipment.

17. The network server of claim 16, wherein at least one of the respective equipment includes a first luminaire, wherein the operational information includes a plurality of instances of voltage information associated with the first luminaire that is received by the processor, and wherein a first respective status for a first luminaire indicates a high voltage, low voltage, or an excessive change in voltage over a period of time.

18. The network server of claim 17, wherein the first respective status indicates an excessive change in voltage over the period of time, wherein at least one of the respective equipment includes a second luminaire, wherein a second respective status for the second luminaire indicates an excessive change in voltage over the period of time, wherein the system-level status indicates a distribution quality problem based at least upon the first and second respective statuses and a proximity of the first and second luminaires.

19. The network server of claim 10, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes at least a first intelligent luminaire manager and a second intelligent luminaire manager, wherein a first power loss status for the first intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving a first message indicating a loss of primary power by the first intelligent luminaire manager, wherein a second power loss status for the second intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving a second message indicating a loss of primary power by the second intelligent luminaire manager, and wherein the system-level status indicates a system power failure based at least upon the determined first and second power loss status and a proximity of the first intelligent luminaire manager and the second luminaire manager.

20. A network server, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;

a processor configured to access the memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

store at least one operating specification for an equipment in communications with an RF device;

receive, via a network of RF devices, operational information transmitted wirelessly from the RF device, wherein the operational information is associated with an operation of the equipment in communications with the networked intelligent luminaire manager; and

determine an operational status of the equipment based upon a comparison of the operational information to the stored at least one operating specification.