Control System and Method for Managing Wireless and Wired Components

• US 20120136485A1
• Filed: 11/17/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell Lighting Incorporated (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Weber, Theodore E., Crane, Michael D., Hartnagel, Thomas J., Martin, Robert A., Arbouw, Terrence R., Bender, Ronald K., Cummings-Kralik, Ronald J., Moyle, Peter A., Smith, Gregory F., Zitz, Stephan K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,564,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

System and method provide wireless distributed lighting control systems implementing a secure peer-to-peer, self-organizing and self-healing mesh network of actuators and system inputs. The system and method can be designed specifically for indoor and outdoor lighting where actuators include in-fixture, on-fixture and circuit control modules with ON/OFF and full range dimming capabilities, and system inputs include occupancy/vacancy sensors, daylight sensors and switches. A unique messaging protocol facilitates wireless and wired communication between actuators and system inputs, and provides web-based commissioning and monitoring of the lighting control system using a wireless access point accessible from a local network or Internet which can provide an intuitive and easy to use Graphical User Interface (GUI).

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a plurality of luminaires for illuminating a space;

a plurality of actuators respectively associated with said luminaires to selectively control illumination output by said respective luminaires; and

a plurality of input modules, each configured to process information associated with at least a portion of said space and to communicate results of said processing to at least one of said plurality of actuators,

wherein at least one selectively designated input module of said plurality of input modules is associated with an identifier indicative of a control perimeter within said space,

at least one selectively designated actuator of said plurality of actuators is associated with said identifier,

said selectively designated input module wirelessly communicates said results of said processing to said selectively designated actuator, and

said selectively designated actuator controls illumination output of at least one of said luminaires associated therewith based on said wirelessly communicated results of said processing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each actuator of said plurality of actuators comprises

a microprocessor;

a radio module connected to said microprocessor to communicate received wireless communication to said microprocessor and transmit wireless communication from said microprocessor; and

at least one relay connected to said microprocessor for selectively controlling power to at least one of said luminaires associated with said actuator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein

said plurality of actuators comprises at least one of an in-fixture module (IFM), an on-fixture module (OFM), and a smart pack (SP);

and

said plurality of input modules comprises at least one of an occupancy or vacancy sensor (OS), daylight sensor (DS), and a switch (SW),

each of the IFM, OFM and SP comprising a radio module (RM), said IFM, OFM and SP communicating wirelessly via the RM.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein

at least one actuator of said plurality of actuators forms a node in a wireless self-healing self-forming mesh network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein

said node further comprises at least one input module of said input modules in wired communication with said at least one actuator;

and

said results of said processing by said at least one input module are communicated wirelessly to at least one other actuator forming another node in said mesh network via said radio module of said at least one actuator.

6. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein

at least one of said actuators further comprises a dimming circuit for controlling variable light output by at least one of said luminaires associated therewith.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein

the at least one of said input modules comprises a sensor for monitoring changes in at least one of occupancy, vacancy and daylight within at least a portion said space.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein

said plurality of actuators form a corresponding plurality of nodes in a wireless self-healing self-forming mesh network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein

said space comprises a plurality of control perimeters,

said system comprises a plurality of identifiers respectively indicative of said plurality of control perimeters, and

each of said plurality of actuators and each of said plurality of input modules is associated with at least one of said respective plurality of identifiers.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein

said space comprises a plurality of areas,

each of said areas comprises a plurality of zones,

each of said zones comprises a plurality of groups,

each of said control perimeters is associated with one of said areas, one of said zones, and at least one of said groups, and

each of said plurality of identifiers comprises information indicative of said one of said areas, said one of said zones, and said at least one of said groups.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

at least one of said areas, zones or groups is indicative of a location within said space.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a wireless server module for at least one of commissioning, monitoring and controlling said actuators and said input modules, said service module communicating wirelessly with said actuators and said input modules and connecting via a TCP/IP to a server in a local area network.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising

a controlling user interface (UI) deployed for said commissioning, monitoring and controlling said actuators and said input modules via said wireless service module,

said UI including web pages that reside on a web server accessible by a web browser.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein

said controlling user interface and said wireless service module are configured to selectively designate at least one said actuators and at least one of said input modules with said identifier.

15. A system comprising:

a plurality of lighting devices;

a plurality of wireless modules;

a plurality of environmental sensors;

a wireless access point; and

a controller,

wherein at least one of said wireless modules controls light output of at least one of said lighting devices based on an output of at least one of said environmental sensors associated with said at least one of said wireless modules by a selectively defined identifier,

said output of said at least one environmental sensor comprising information indicative of said selectively defined identifier, and

said controller communicates via said access point with said at least one of said wireless modules and said at least one of said environmental sensors to associate said selectively defined identifier with said at least one of said wireless modules and said at least one of said environmental sensors.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein

said wireless modules include at least one of an in-fixture module (IFM), and an on-fixture module (OFM);

said wireless access point comprises a web-based interface for commissioning and monitoring at least one of said plurality of wireless modules;

said wireless access point communicates with at least one of a local area network and the Internet, over a wired connection;

said wireless access point communicates wirelessly with at least one of the wireless modules using radio frequency communication; and

said controller comprises at least one computer in communication with at least one of said local area network and the Internet.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein

said plurality of wireless modules form a wireless mesh network;

and

communication among said plurality of said wireless modules and said access point is in accordance with a communication protocol having a packet format.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication protocol comprises

first messages from the access point to the wireless modules Broadcast for reply by said wireless modules, or Multicast for reply by certain of said modules, said first messages comprising a from address of said access point;

second messages in reply to said first message by each of the addressed wireless modules, said second messages comprising at least one of a from address and configuration parameters of said wireless modules;

third messages from the access point to a specific one of said plurality of wireless modules Unicast for reply by said specific one of said plurality of wireless modules, said third message comprising the from address of the access point; and

fourth messages in reply to said third messages, whereby said specific one of said plurality of wireless modules sends said fourth message comprising data from said at least one environmental sensor associated with said specific one of said plurality of wireless modules.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said first, second and third messages do not include data from said environmental sensors.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said fourth messages do not include a from address of said specific one of said plurality of wireless modules.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of lighting devices comprises a light fixture.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said plurality of environmental sensors comprises an occupancy sensor, a temperature sensor, a power consumption sensor, or a daylight sensor.

23. An actuator comprising:

a microprocessor;

a radio module connected to said microprocessor to communicate received wireless communication to said microprocessor and transmit wireless communication from said microprocessor;

at least one relay connected to said microprocessor for selectively controlling power to at least one load associated with said actuator;

at least one port configured to receive input from an input device plugged into said at least one port;

at least one interface providing communication between said input device plugged into said at least one port and said microprocessor to enable the plug and play support for said input device; and

a power module supplying voltage to power to said microprocessor, said radio module, and said interface,

wherein said plug and play support includes said microprocessor automatically

recognizing said input device,

adapting input and output processing to receive input information from said input device, and

based on said input information selectively modifying said wireless communication from said microprocessor or selectively modifying said power to said at least one load.

24. The actuator of claim 23, wherein

said input device comprises one of an occupancy sensor, a vacancy sensor, a daylight sensor, or a switch.

25. The actuator of claim 23, further comprising

a plurality of ports,

wherein said interface comprises a bus providing said communication between one or more input devices plugged into said plurality of ports and said microprocessor,

said microprocessor automatically

recognizing said input devices,

adapting input and output processing to receive input information from each of said input devices, and

based on said input information selectively modifying said wireless communication from said microprocessor or selectively modifying said power to said at least one load.

26. The actuator of claim 23, wherein

said power module supplies voltage to said port to power said input device.

27. A method for controlling lighting, the method comprising

configuring a plurality of luminaires for illuminating a space;

associating a plurality of actuators with said luminaires, each of said actuators selectively controlling illumination output by at least one of said luminaires;

configuring a plurality of input modules to process information associated with at least a portion of said space and to communicate results of said processing to at least one of said plurality of actuators;

associating at least one selectively designated input module of said plurality of input modules with an identifier indicative of a control perimeter within said space;

associating at least one selectively designated actuator of said plurality of actuators with said identifier;

wirelessly communicating said results of said processing by said selectively designated input module to said selectively designated actuator; and

controlling illumination output of at least one of said luminaires associated with said selectively designated actuator based on said wirelessly communicated results of said processing.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein

at least one of said input modules comprises a sensor for monitoring changes in at least one of occupancy, vacancy and daylight within at least a portion said space.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising

configuring said plurality of actuators to form a corresponding plurality of nodes in a wireless self-healing self-forming mesh network.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising

defining a plurality of control perimeters within said space;

defining a plurality of identifiers respectively indicative of said plurality of control perimeters; and

associating each of said plurality of actuators and each of said plurality of input modules with at least one of said respective plurality of identifiers.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising

defining a plurality of areas associated with said space;

defining a plurality of zones associated with each of said areas,

defining a plurality of groups associated with each of said zones,

associating each of said control perimeters with one of said areas, one of said zones, and at least one of said groups, and

defining each of said plurality of identifiers to include information indicative of said one of said areas, said one of said zones, and said at least one of said groups.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising

configuring a controller to communicate with said actuators and said input modules via an access point,

wherein wireless communication between said access point, said actuators and said input modules comprises

first messages from the access point to the said actuators and said input modules Broadcast for reply by said actuators and said input modules, or Multicast for reply by certain of said actuators and said input modules, said first messages comprising a from address of said access point;

second messages in reply to said first message by each of said addressed actuators and input modules, said second messages comprising at least one of a from address and configuration parameters of said addressed actuators and said input modules;

third messages from the access point to a specific one of said actuators and said input modules Unicast for reply by said specific one of said actuators and said input modules, said third message comprising the from address of said access point; and

fourth messages in reply to said third messages, whereby said specific one of said actuators and said input modules sends said fourth message comprising data from said one of said input modules.

33. A system comprising:

a plurality of luminaires for illuminating a space;

a plurality of actuators respectively associated with said luminaires to selectively control illumination output by said respective luminaires;

a plurality of input modules, each configured to process information associated with at least a portion of said space and to communicate results of said processing to at least one of said plurality of actuators;

a wireless access point; and

a controller,

wherein each of said plurality of input modules and said plurality of actuators is associated with at least one of a plurality of identifiers each indicative of a control perimeter within said space,

each of said actuators controls said illumination output by at least one of said respective luminaires based on said results of said processing by those of said input modules associated with the same one of said plurality of identifiers as said each of said actuators, and

said controller communicates via said access point with said at least one of said actuators and said input modules to associate at least one of said identifiers with each of said actuators and said input modules.