WIRELESS AUTONOMOUS SOLAR-POWERED OUTDOOR LIGHTING AND ENERGY AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT NETWORK

• US 20100029268A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solarone Solutions, Inc. (Reden Solar SAS)
• Original Assignee: Ming Solar, Inc. (Reden Solar SAS)
• Inventors: GONZALEZ, DAVID, COOPERRIDER, PAUL H., MYER, SETH JAMISON
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/083 of bollard type, i.e. with lighting fixture integrated into the standard or mounted on top of it and having substantially the same diameter
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/085 of high-built type, e.g. street light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/088 with lighting device mounted on top of the standard, e.g. for pedestrian zones
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/035 the solar unit being integrated within the support for the lighting unit, e.g. within or on a pole
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/043 driven by wind power, e.g. by wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/03 Ceiling bases, e.g. ceiling roses F21V21/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/71 using a combination of separate elements interconnected by heat-conducting means, e.g. with heat pipes or thermally conductive bars between separate heat-sink elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0521 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• 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 20/30 : Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 : in street lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making

Abstract

An array of outdoor lighting operates mainly in independent mode wherein sensing, communication, and control processes take place between the various lights of the array. Additional communication and control may occur between the array and a control station by means of a master/coordinating node that transmits and receives signals to the control station via call phone and/or satellite. The system may be tied to the internet for dissemination of data and/or data analysis gathered by means of the multiple poles/devices of the array. The independent-array and/or the master-to-station network and communications may be adapted for energy-saving processes; power-receiving from or power-providing to the grid, renewable power production and storage by means of solar panels and/or wind turbines and associated batteries or other storage equipment; and/or to Wi-Fi hot-spots, public safety alarms, information, or advertising to the public or information/data-analysis to customers. Preferred members of the array have solar-panel-powered lights, which may charge batteries and optionally supply energy to an electrical grid. In arrays cooperating with the grid, the grid may optionally charge the batteries of the array during off-peak hours. The preferred lights include LED modules that may be aimed to establish desired light patterns.

Claims

1. A wireless communications channel system for outdoor lighting comprising:

a control station in a first geographic region and having an internet connection;

multiple slave poles installed in a second geographic region, a plurality of said slave poles each having an outdoor light;

a master pole in said second geographic region that is adapted to transmit data by cellular phone or satellite radio to said control station;

wherein each of said multiple slave poles are adapted to wirelessly communicate data to said master pole that is then transmitted by said master pole to the control station, and wherein none of said multiple slave poles communicates data to said control station except through said master pole.

2. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, comprising both a high bandwidth channel and a low bandwidth channel of data transmission between slave poles.

3. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, comprising both a high bandwidth channel and a low bandwidth channel of communication of data between slave poles and said master pole.

4. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 2, wherein said low bandwidth channel is used to conserve energy of the system until an event occurs that switches at least one of said slave poles to communicate in the high bandwidth channel.

5. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 4, wherein at least one of said slave poles comprises a motion sensor and a camera, and said event comprises said motion sensor becoming activated and said high bandwidth channel is used in turning on said camera and communicating data from said camera.

6. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein a first slave pole of said multiple slave poles communicates to a second slave pole of said multiple slave poles and said second slave pole communications date to said master pole.

7. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, comprising only a single one of said master poles.

8. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein each of said multiple slave poles comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:

solar collection data, motion sensor data, wind speed, barometric pressure, and temperature, and wherein data from said at least one sensor is communicated to said master pole.

9. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein communication between said master pole and said control station is two-way, and communication between said master pole and said multiple slave poles is also two-way, so that said control station is adapted to transmit data to said master pole, and said master pole is adapted to transmit data to said multiple slave poles.

10. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 9, wherein said data transmitted to the master pole from the control station and from the master pole to the slave poles is selected from the group consisting of:

new programming, firmware upgrades, troubleshooting, repair and system reset.

11. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein each of said multiple slave poles has a solar-panel and an electrical energy storage system.

12. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein said multiple slave poles and said master pole are not operatively connected to an electrical grid.

13. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein said multiple slave poles and said master pole are operatively connected to an electrical grid and electrical power from said solar-panel is sent to the electrical grid during at least some peak electricity consumption hours.

14. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 13, wherein electricity from said electrical grid charges said energy storage system of said slave poles during at least some non-peak electrical consumption hours.

15. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein said outdoor light on a plurality of said slave poles comprises multiple LED modules, each module comprising at least one light emitting diode and said modules being moveable to aim LED light in multiple directions to create a lighting pattern.

16. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 15, wherein said modules are movable by panning and by tilting and are lockable in adjusted positions that result in said lighting pattern.

17. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein multiple of said slave poles comprise a motion sensor and a first slave pole sensing movement at or near the first slave pole transmits data to a second slave pole causing said second slave pole to increase lighting of an area around said second slave pole.

18. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein additional slave poles are wirelessly connected to the system after a quarantine period wherein said system monitors data from said additional slave poles.

19. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein a plurality of said slave poles further comprise an electrical device selected from the group consisting of a motion sensor, a camera, and a WI-FI system, and wherein said electrical device is powered by said solar-panel and electrical energy storage system.

20. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein said solar-panel is attached to a surface of a housing of said outdoor light.

21. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein said solar-panel is attached to a surface of a housing of said outdoor light and said electrical energy storage system is provided in a portion of said housing of said outdoor light.

22. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 21, wherein said outdoor light on a plurality of said slave poles comprises multiple LED modules, each module comprising at least one light emitting diode and said modules being moveable to aim LED light in multiple directions to create a lighting pattern.

23. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 22, wherein said modules are movable by panning and by tilting and are lockable in adjusted positions that result in said lighting pattern.

24. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein each of said slave poles is adapted to transmit data to at least two adjacent slave poles so that, if one slave pole to which data is transmitted is not functional, said data will reach a second slave pole that is functioning.

25. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein each of said slave poles is adapted to transmit data to at least two adjacent slave poles so that, if one slave pole to which data is transmitted is not functional, said data will reach a second slave pole that is functioning.

26. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein data is transmitted in a route from a first slave pole to at least one other slave pole before being transmitted to said master pole, wherein said route is determined by quality of wireless connection between the slave poles.

27. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein data is transmitted in a route from a first slave pole to at least one other slave pole before being transmitted to said master pole, wherein said route is determined by quality of wireless connection between the slave poles.

28. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 1, wherein data is transmitted from a first slave pole of said multiple slave poles to a second slave pole of said multiple slave poles, wherein said second slave pole is the slave pole having the strongest wireless signal connection with said first slave pole compared to any other of said multiple slave poles.

29. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 11, wherein data is transmitted from a first slave pole of said multiple slave poles to a second slave pole of said multiple slave poles, wherein said second slave pole is the slave pole having the strongest wireless signal connection with said first slave pole compared to any other of said multiple slave poles.

30. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 10, wherein data transmitted between said multiple slave poles comprises mesh network self-organizing of the multiple slave poles and self-recognizing of new slave poles for improving the mesh network of the array.

31. A wireless communications channel system as in claim 10, wherein data transmitted between said multiple salve poles is selected from the group consisting of:

weather data, motion alerts, pole malfunction alerts, solar-panel operation data, battery charging data, financial transactions, security camera photography, energy supply to electrical grid data, and battery life data.