Smart Bulb System

• US 20130211613A1
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anycomm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anycomm Corporation
• Inventors: Rumbaugh, Stephen R., Praske, Robert M., Hardesty, Grant E., Hamilton, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• 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

A method and system for using smart bulbs is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes providing applications to both the consumer and the utility to monitor and control the bulbs and provide an audit trail.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for using a smart bulb system, the computer-implemented method comprising:

allowing a consumer associated with the smart bulb system to communicate with a back office server, wherein the back office server;

enables the consumer to control smart bulbs associated with the consumer; and

enables the consumer to communicate with one or more business entities associated with the smart bulb system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing consumer related information at the back office server and associated database.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the consumer related information includes at least a subset of:

consumer ID, business channel ID, offer codes, information on promotional campaigns, type of smart meter wireless protocols, and rate schedules.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing the consumer access to applications to control the smart bulbs associated with the consumer.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the consumer power consumption information associated with the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the consumer billing information associated with the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the consumer information related to characteristics and functionality of the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling discovery of peripherals connected to a given smart bulb of the consumer.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling network topology identification including grouping and zoning of the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling determination and sharing of smart bulb configuration information among the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling one or more sensors on a given consumer'"'"'s smart bulb to report information on the smart bulb'"'"'s functions and conditions to the back office server.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the information on the smart bulb'"'"'s functions and conditions include functional irregularities, bulb hue, bulb lumen, and bulb temperature.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing the consumer access to applications to implement an emergency alert notification system using the smart bulbs associated with the consumer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the emergency alert notification system is personal to the consumer.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the emergency alert notification system is part of a community wide alert system.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling multidimensional grouping of the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs for programmatic control and monitoring of the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling illumination control of the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs through a non-intrusive dimming control application.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling luminance or hue aging compensation of the consumer'"'"'s smart bulbs.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling external devices to be connected to a given smart bulb of the consumer.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising supplying an auxiliary power to external devices connected to the given smart bulb of the consumer.