LIGHTING CONTROL APPARATUS, LIGHTING CONTROL METHOD, AND LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20140015415A1
• Filed: 07/12/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LIM, Won Taek, KU, Ja Hong
• Granted Patent: US 9,357,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/131
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Disclosed are a lighting control apparatus, a lighting control method, and a lighting control system. The lighting control apparatus makes communication with lighting devices, registers at least one of the lighting devices according to received signal strengths of the lighting devices, and controls the registered lighting device. The lighting control apparatus easily registers and controls the lighting devices.

Claims

1. A lighting control system comprising:

lighting devices; and

a lighting control apparatus to register at least one of the lighting devices according to received signal strengths of the lighting devices and to control the registered lighting device.

2. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control apparatus transmits registration request signal to the lighting devices,

receives response message corresponding to the registration request signal from at least one of the lighting devices, and

registers at least one of the lighting devices according to received signal strength of the response message.

3. The lighting control system of claim 2, wherein the lighting control apparatus registers at least one of the lighting devices if the received signal strength exceeds a previously-stored received signal strength.

4. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control apparatus registers one of the lighting devices as a reference lighting device, and

registers at least one of other lighting devices as a peripheral lighting device by controlling the reference lighting device.

5. The lighting control system of claim 4, wherein the reference lighting device transmits peripheral search signal to the other lighting devices according to a command of the lighting control apparatus, and

receives a response message corresponding to the peripheral search signal from at least one of the other lighting devices to notify the lighting control apparatus of the response message.

6. The lighting control system of claim 5, wherein the response message includes a received signal strength of the peripheral search signal.

7. The lighting control system of claim 1, further comprising a relay device to relay communication between the lighting devices and the lighting control apparatus.

8. A lighting control apparatus comprising:

a communication module to make communication with lighting devices; and

a control module to register at least one of the lighting devices according to received signal strengths of the lighting devices and to control the registered lighting device.

9. The lighting control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control module transmits registration request signal to the lighting devices and receives response message corresponding to the registration request signal from at least one of the lighting devices by controlling the communication module, and

registers at least one of the lighting devices according to received signal strength of the response message.

10. The lighting control apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control module registers at least one of the lighting devices if the received signal strength exceeds a previously-stored received signal strength.

11. The lighting control apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a display module to display a display screen image including a registration request key and an input window, under a control of the control module,

wherein the control module transmits the registration request signals to the lighting devices if the registration request key is selected, and

registers identification data corresponding to at least one of the lighting devices if the identification data is input into the input window.

12. The lighting control apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a display module to display a display screen image including a switch to turn on/off the registered lighting device and a control unit to control a dimming operation of the registerted lighting device under a control of the control module,

wherein the control module controls the registered lighting device by detecting a command according to the switch or the control unit.

13. The lighting control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control module registers one of the lighting devices as a reference lighting device, and registers at least one of other lighting devices as a peripheral lighting device by controlling the reference lighting device.

14. A lighting control method comprising:

making communication between a lighting control apparatus and lighting devices; and

registering at least one of the lighting devices according to received signal strengths of the lighting devices to control the registered lighting device, by the lighting control apparatus.

15. The lighting control method of claim 14, wherein the making communication between the lighting control apparatus and the lighting devices comprises:

transmitting registration request signal to the lighting devices by the lighting control apparatus; and

receiving response message corresponding to the registration request signal from at least one of the lighting devices by the lighting control apparatus.

16. The lighting control method of claim 15, wherein the registering at least one of the lighting devices comprises registering at least one of the lighting devices by the lighting control apparatus if the received signal strength exceeds a previously-stored received signal strength.

17. The lighting control method of claim 15, wherein the transmitting of the registration request signals comprises:

displaying a display screen image comprising a registration request key by the lighting control apparatus, at a registration mode; and

transmitting the registration request signal to the lighting devices by the lighting control apparatus, if the registration request key is selected.

18. The lighting control method of claim 17, wherein the display screen image further comprises an input window, and wherein the registering at least one of the lighting devices comprises registering identification information corresponding to at least one of the lighting devices by the lighting control apparatus if the identification information is input into the input window.

19. The lighting control method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying a display screen image comprising a switch to turn on/off the registered lighting device and a control unit to control a dimming operation of the registered lighting device by the lighting control apparatus, at a control mode; and

controlling the registered lighting device by the lighting control apparatus by detecting a command according to the switch or the control unit.

20. The lighting control method of claim 14, wherein the registering at least one of the lighting devices comprises:

registering one of the lighting devices as a reference lighting device by the lighting control apparatus; and

registering at least one of other lighting devices as a peripheral lighting device by controlling the reference lighting device by the lighting control apparatus.