Network Inclusion of a Networked Light Bulb

• US 20120312874A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Greenwave Reality, Pte Ltd. (Greenwave Reality, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jonsson, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 8,893,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A unique identifier may be stored in an RFID chip, a bar code, or other methods of passive storage associated with the networked light bulb. The unique identifier may be accessed while the light bulb is unpowered and before the light bulb is put into service. Information is stored in a database that identifies an association between the unique identifier and a particular network. If the light bulb is put into service, the light bulb may send the unique identifier over the network. A device may receive the unique identifier and query the database for information related to the unique identifier. If the unique identifier is associated with the particular network that the light bulb is connected to, the light bulb may be added as an authorized node on the particular network.

Claims

1. A method of associating a networked light bulb with a particular network, the method comprising:

accessing a unique identifier of the networked light bulb while the networked light bulb is disconnected from a power source capable of powering a lighting element of the networked light bulb and the networked light bulb is not communicating on the particular network;

storing information in a database that identifies an association between the unique identifier and the particular network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the unique identifier comprises reading an RFID tag associated with the networked light bulb.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the unique identifier comprises scanning a bar code associated with the networked light bulb.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the unique identifier of the networked light bulb occurs at a point-of-sale of the networked light bulb and the particular network is identified based on payment information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is stored on a remote server accessible over an internet connection.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the unique identifier of the networked light bulb over the particular network;

querying the database for information related to the unique identifier received from the networked light bulb over the particular network; and

adding the networked light bulb as an authorized node on the particular network if the information from the database identifies an association between the networked light bulb and the particular network.

7. A method of adding a networked light bulb to a particular network, the method comprising:

receiving a unique identifier of the networked light bulb over the particular network;

querying a database for information related to the unique identifier received from the networked light bulb; and

adding the networked light bulb as an authorized node on the particular network if the information from the database identifies an association between the networked light bulb and the particular network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the particular network is a mesh network using radio frequency communication.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the database is stored on a remote server accessible over an internet connection.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

controlling an amount of illumination provided by the networked light bulb by sending commands over the particular network to the networked light bulb.

11. A computer program product for associating a networked light bulb with a particular network, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to access a unique identifier of the networked light bulb while the networked light bulb is disconnected from a power source capable of powering a lighting element of the networked light bulb and the networked light bulb is not communicating on the particular network; and

computer readable program code configured to store information in a database that identifies an association between the unique identifier and the particular network.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program code configured to access the unique identifier reads an RFID tag associated with the networked light bulb.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program code configured to access a unique identifier of the networked light bulb scans a bar code associated with the networked light bulb.

14. A device comprising:

the computer program product of claim 11;

a processor, said processor communicatively coupled to the non-transitory computer readable storage medium and capable of retrieving and executing the computer readable program code.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

an RFID reader;

wherein the computer readable program code configured to access a unique identifier of the networked light bulb uses the RFID reader to read an RFID tag associated with the networked light bulb.

16. A computer program product for adding a networked light bulb to a particular network, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to receive a unique identifier of the networked light bulb over the particular network;

computer readable program code configured to query a database for information related to the unique identifier received from the networked light bulb; and

computer readable program code configured to add the networked light bulb as an authorized node on the particular network if the information from the database identifies an association between the networked light bulb and the particular network.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the particular network is a mesh network using radio frequency communication.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the database is stored on a remote server accessible over an internet connection.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, the computer readable program code further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to access the unique identifier of the networked light bulb while the networked light bulb is disconnected from a power source capable of powering a lighting element of the networked light bulb and the networked light bulb is not communicating on the particular network; and

computer readable program code configured to store information in a database that identifies an association between the accessed unique identifier and the particular network.

20. A device comprising:

the computer program product of claim 16;

a processor, said processor communicatively coupled to the non-transitory computer readable storage medium and capable of retrieving and executing the computer readable program code; and

a network interface communicatively coupled to said processor and capable of sending and receiving data over the particular network.