Systems and Methods for Communicating in a Lighting Network

• US 20090284169A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Illumination Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Integrated Illumination Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Valois, Charles Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Systems and methods for communication between devices using a duty cycle of a signal while a device maintains operation responsive to the duty cycle are disclosed. A device receives a signal comprising a duty cycle within a time interval, the duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions and each of the plurality of portions comprising a duration of the duty cycle within the time interval. The device performs an operation responsive to the duty cycle and, in response to a detection of an instruction identified by at least one portion of the duty cycle, performs a function based on the instruction while maintaining the operation responsive to the duty cycle. The device performs operations responsive to duty cycles within time intervals of succeeding signals and performs functions based on instructions from the succeeding signals while maintaining the operation responsive to the duty cycles.

Claims

1. A method of communicating between devices using a duty cycle of a signal while a device maintains operation responsive to the duty cycle, the method comprising steps of:

(a) receiving, by a first device from a second device, a signal comprising a duty cycle within a time interval, the duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

(b) operating, by the first device, responsive to the duty cycle;

(c) detecting, by the first device, an instruction identified by at least one portion of the duty cycle; and

(d) performing, by the first device responsive to the detection, a function based on the instruction while maintaining, by the first device, operating responsive to the duty cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving, by the first device from the second device, a second signal comprising the duty cycle within the time interval, the duty cycle of the second signal comprising the plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

(f) operating, by the first device, responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving, by the first device, a second signal comprising the duty cycle within the time interval, the duty cycle of the second signal comprising the plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

(f) detecting, by the first device, that at least a portion of the duty cycle of the second signal comprises a second instruction; and

(g) performing, by the first device responsive to the detection, a function based on the second instruction while maintaining operating, by the first device, responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving, by the first device from the second device, a second signal comprising a second duty cycle within the time interval, the second duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the second duty cycle comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

(f) operating, by the first device, responsive to the second duty cycle of the second signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving, by the first device, a second signal comprising a second duty cycle within the time interval, the second duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the second duty cycle comprising a duration of the second duty cycle;

(f) detecting, by the first device, that at least a portion of the second duty cycle comprises a second instruction; and

(g) performing, by the first device responsive to the detection, a function based on the second instruction and maintaining operating, by the first device, responsive to the second duty cycle of the second signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving, by the first device, a second signal comprising the duty cycle within a second time interval, the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a plurality of portions of the second signal, each of the plurality of portions of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle of the second signal;

(f) operating, by the first device, responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving, by the first device, a second signal comprising the duty cycle within a second time interval, the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a plurality of portions of the second signal, each of the plurality of portions of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle of the second signal;

(f) detecting, by the first device, that at least a portion of the duty cycle of the second signal comprises a second instruction; and

(g) performing, by the first device responsive to the detection, a function based on the second instruction and maintaining operating, by the first device, responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a sum of durations of each of the plurality of portions is within a predetermined threshold of the duration of the duty cycle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a sum of durations of each of the plurality of signals is equal to the duration of the duty cycle.

10. A method of communicating to a lighting device using a duty cycle of a signal while maintaining operations of the lighting device responsive to the duty cycle, the method comprising steps of:

(a) receiving, by a lighting device from a device, a signal to control intensity of light, the signal comprising a duty cycle within a time interval, the duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

(b) controlling, by the lighting device, intensity of light responsive to the duty cycle;

(c) detecting, by the lighting device, an instruction identified by at least a portion of the duty cycle; and

(d) performing, by the lighting device responsive to the detection, a function based on the instruction while maintaining the controlling the intensity of light responsive to the duty cycle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(e) receiving, by the lighting device, a second signal to control intensity of light, the second signal comprising a second duty cycle within a second time interval, the second duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the second duty cycle comprising a duration of the second duty cycle;

(f) detecting, by the lighting device, that a second duty cycle comprises a second instruction;

(g) performing, by the lighting device responsive to the detection, a function based on the second instruction; and

(h) controlling, by the lighting device, intensity of light responsive to the second duty cycle.

19. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

the first device receiving a second signal comprising the duty cycle within a second time interval, the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle; and

the controller operating the first device responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

20. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

the first device receiving a second signal comprising the duty cycle within a second time interval the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

the controller detecting that at least a portion of the duty cycle of the second signal comprises a second instruction; and

the controller performing, in response to the detection, a function based on the second instruction and maintaining the operating responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

12. A system of communicating between devices using a duty cycle of a signal while a device maintains operation responsive to the duty cycle, the system comprising:

a first device receiving from a second device, a signal comprising a duty cycle within a time interval, the duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

a controller operating responsive to the duty cycle;

the controller detecting an instruction identified by a first portion of the duty cycle; and

the controller responsive to the detection performs a function based on the instruction while maintaining the operating by the first device responsive to the duty cycle.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first device is a lighting device emitting light and wherein the operating responsive to the duty cycle comprises emitting light having an intensity, the intensity responsive to the duty cycle.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second device is a lighting device emitting light.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

the first device receiving a second signal comprising the duty cycle within the time interval, the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle; and

the controller operating the first device responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

the first device receiving a second signal comprising the duty cycle within the time interval, the duty cycle of the second signal comprising the plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the duty cycle of the second signal comprising a duration of the duty cycle;

the controller detecting that the duty cycle of the second signal comprises a second instruction; and

the controller, in response to the detection, performing a function based on the second instruction while maintaining the operating responsive to the duty cycle of the second signal.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

the first device receiving a second signal comprising a second duty cycle within the time interval, the second duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the second duty cycle comprising a duration of the second duty cycle; and

the controller operating the first device responsive to the second duty cycle of the second signal.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

wherein the first device;

the first device receiving a second signal comprising a second duty cycle within the time interval, the second duty cycle comprising a plurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions of the second duty cycle comprising a duration of the second duty cycle;

the controller detecting that at least a portion of the second duty cycle comprises a second instruction; and

the controller performing, in response to the detection, a function based on the second instruction and maintaining the operating by the first device responsive to the second duty cycle.