Commissioning Coded Light Sources

• US 20120200226A1
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Knibbe, Engel Johannes, Feri, Lorenzo, Schenk, Tim Corneel Wilhelmus
• Granted Patent: US 8,729,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources

Abstract

Commissioning a coded light source in a lighting system is accomplished by using a remote controller. When an identification of a light source is successful, a control message is sent to that light source to at least partly switch off its light emission. Thus the light contribution of the identified light source is suppressed. Thereby the chance of coded light from an already identified light source colliding with identifiers comprised in coded light emitted by other light sources is reduced. When no more coded light is detectable, a sensitivity of the remote controller can be increased until coded light again is detectable. Further light sources can then be identified and commissioned.

Claims

1. A remote controller for commissioning a light source in a coded lighting system comprising a plurality of light sources capable of emitting coded light, comprising:

a light detector;

a processing unit coupled to the light detector and arranged to determine an identifier of the light source based on light detected by the light detector, thereby identifying the light source; and

a transmitter arranged to transmit a command to the identified light source to at least partly switch off its light emission;

wherein the processing unit is configured to instruct the transmitter to transmit the command in response to identifying the light source, thereby commissioning the light source.

2. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to, after instructing the transmitter to transmit the command, determine an identifier of a further light source of the plurality of light sources based on light detected by the light detector after the transmitter has transmitted the command, thereby identifying the further light source.

3. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the command comprises information to switch off a modulated part of the light emitted by the identified light source, the modulated part comprising the identifier of the light source.

4. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the command comprises information to dim the light emission of the identified light source.

5. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the command comprises information to switch off the entire light emission of the identified light source.

6. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising a variable gain amplifier coupled to the light detector and arranged to decrease a sensitivity of the light detector until at most one identifier is detectable in the received light.

7. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising a variable gain amplifier coupled to the light detector and arranged to increase a sensitivity of the light detector until at least one identifier is detectable in the received light.

8. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the processing unit and arranged to store identifiers of the plurality of light sources;

wherein

the processing unit is configured to, during determination of the identifier of the light source, compare the identifier of the light source with the stored identifiers of previously identified light sources; and

the memory is configured to add the identifier of the identified light source to the memory in response to the identified light source having been identified.

9. The remote controller according to claim 8, wherein the remote controller is arranged to successively increase the sensitivity of the light detector, thereby enabling the processing unit to successively identify light sources one by one;

and wherein the memory is configured to store the identifiers of the successively identified light sources one by one into the memory in response to the successively identified light source having been identified.

10. The remote controller according to claim 8, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit, to the identified light source, a further command pertaining to control of a light property of the identified light source, wherein an influence of the control is dependent on at least one from a group of an intensity level or an angle of entry of the detected light associated with the identified light source.

11. The remote controller according to claim 10, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the further command in a case the intensity level is higher than a predetermined threshold and/or the angle of entry is within a predetermined interval.

12. The remote controller according to claim 10, wherein the remote controller is limited to control a subset of light sources in the plurality of light sources in the coded lighting system;

and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the further command exclusively in a case the identified light source is comprised in the subset.

13. The remote controller according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is arranged to determine the identifier of the identified light source by first detecting non-colliding identifier packets of the plurality of light sources within a time frame.

14. The remote controller according to claim 8, further comprising:

a communications interface coupled to the processing unit and, whereby the remote controller is capable of communicating information pertaining to identification of light sources to and/or from at least a second remote controller.

15. A method for commissioning a light source in a coded lighting system, comprising the steps of:

emitting coded light from the light source;

detecting light by a remote controller;

determining, by the remote controller, an identifier of the light source based on the detected light, thereby identifying the light source; and

transmitting, by the remote controller, a command to the identified light source to at least partly switch off its light emission, wherein the command is transmitted in response to identifying the light source, thereby commissioning the light source.