Apparatus

• US 20120163828A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: LINDBERG, Phil, IVASKEVICIUS, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,515,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

An apparatus including a galvanic connector configured to interconnect with a corresponding galvanic connector in an empty light fitting; a network interface configured to operate as a node in a data communications network; and a communications interface for enabling communication between an environment adjacent to the light fitting and the data communications network.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a galvanic connector configured to interconnect with a corresponding galvanic connector in an empty light fitting;

a network interface; and

a communications interface for enabling communication between an environment adjacent to the light fitting and the data communications network.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises an illumination source powered via the galvanic connector.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network interface uses a unique network identifier defined by a replaceable smart card.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network interface comprises a radio transceiver, for wireless communication, powered via the galvanic connector.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network interface is configured to operate as a terminal node in the data communications network.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein network interface is configured to operate as an interconnecting node between different networks forming the data communications network.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications interface is configured to communicate data dependent upon the environment adjacent to the light fitting to the network interface.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications interface is configured to communicate data, for transmission into the environment adjacent to the light fitting, from the network interface.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications interface comprises a radio transceiver, for wireless communication, powered via the galvanic connector.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the galvanic connector is configured to interconnect with an empty light fitting by twisting.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one processor;

and

at least one memory including first computer program code and second computer program code,

the at least one memory and the first computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to control the communications interface to transmit the second computer code to a device, wherein the second computer code enables the device to communicate with the apparatus.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a base unit and an exchangeable unit, wherein the base unit comprises the galvanic connector and the network interface and the exchangeable unit comprises at least part of the communications interface.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the exchangeable unit comprises an illumination source.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the exchangeable unit is configured to provide additional functionality to the base unit wherein the additional functionality may be varied by interchanging the exchangeable unit.

32. A lighting system comprising:

a plurality of fixed light fittings; and

wiring connecting the plurality of fixed light fittings, wherein at least one of the fixed light fittings comprises an apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

33. A system as claimed in claim 32 further comprising, in association with the light fitting to which the apparatus is interconnected, a light and sound reflector.

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34. An apparatus comprising:

a first galvanic connector configured to interconnect with a corresponding galvanic connector in an empty light fitting;

a network interface; and

a second galvanic connector configured to interconnect with an interchangeable unit that provides additional functionality wherein the additional functionality may be varied by interchanging units.

35. An interchangeable unit comprising:

a galvanic connector configured to interconnect with a corresponding galvanic connector of a base unit that is configured to connect to an empty light fitting;

functional circuitry configured to provide additional functionality to the base unit wherein the additional functionality may be varied by interchanging the interchangeable unit, wherein the interchangeable unit and the base unit, when connected, enable communication between an environment adjacent to the light fitting and a data communications network.

36. An interchangeable unit as claimed in claim 35 comprising:

a communications interface for enabling communication between an environment adjacent to the light fitting and the data communications network.

37. An interchangeable unit as claimed in claim 35, further comprising an illumination source powered via the galvanic connector.