NETWORKED LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SENSING APPLICATIONS

• US 20140084795A1
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sensity Systems, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Cumpston, Rusty, Martin, Hugh
• Granted Patent: US 9,374,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A network using existing streetlights is described. Each street light becomes a node in the network, and each includes a power terminal for receiving electrical power, a light source coupled to the power terminal, a processor coupled to the power terminal, a network interface coupled between the processor and the network of lighting systems, and a sensor coupled to the processor for detecting a condition at the node, and in response providing information about that condition to the processor.

Claims

1. A node for a network of lighting systems, the node comprising:

a power input terminal for receiving electrical power;

a light source coupled to the power input terminal;

a processor coupled to the power input terminal;

a network interface coupled between the processor and the network of lighting systems; and

a sensor coupled to the processor for detecting a condition at the node, and in response providing information about that condition to the processor, and wherein the processor executes at least one of a control or application function in response to the information provided by the sensor.

2. A node as in claim 1 further comprising a housing within which each of the power input terminal, the processor, the network interface and the sensor is disposed.

3. A node as in claim 2 further comprising:

a socket for the light source; and

wherein the light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

4. A node as in claim 3 wherein the housing is adapted to be retrofitted into a street light in place of an existing illumination source in the street light.

5. A node as in claim 1 wherein the control or application function executed by the processor in response to the information provided by the sensor comprises a function to control illumination from the light source.

6. A node as in claim 1 further comprising a gateway coupled to the network interface for providing information from the sensor to a service platform.

7. A node as in claim 6 wherein the gateway receives information from the service platform and provides that information to the network interface at the node.

8. A node as in claim 7 wherein the information provided to the network interface at the node from the gateway controls the light source.

9. A node as in claim 7 wherein the information provided to the network interface at the node from the gateway is used by the processor to provide control signals to apparatus coupled to the node.

10. A node as in claim 7 wherein the information provided to the network interface at the node from the gateway is used by the processor to provide control signals to the sensor.

11. A node as in claim 7 wherein the signals from the processor are provided in response to signals received by the processor from the gateway.

12. A node as in claim 7 further comprising a lighting controller coupled to the light source to monitor condition of the light source and provide reports of light source condition to the processor.

13. A node as in claim 12 wherein the gateway reports the light source condition to the service platform.

14. A node as in claim 13 wherein the service platform is coupled to a computing device which executes an applications program using data from the sensors.

15. A node as in claim 14 wherein the computing device in response to the data from the sensors provides control signals to the node to cause a controller at the node to effect a change in apparatus at the node.

16. The node of claim 1 wherein the gateway communicates with the service platform using a cellular telephone interface or a Wi-Fi interface.

17. The node of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a device for detecting at least one of audio, video, motion, light, and weather.

18. A method of using existing lighting systems having a plurality of fixtures, each coupled to a power supply, and each having a light source, to provide a network of sensors for collecting information comprising:

replacing the light source at each of the plurality of fixtures with a module which includes;

a power input terminal adapted to be connected to the power supply;

a replacement light source coupled to the power input terminal;

a processor coupled to the power input terminal;

a network interface coupled to the processor; and

a sensor coupled to the processor for detecting a condition at the node, and in response providing information about that condition to the processor;

coupling the network interface of each of the modules at the plurality of fixtures together using a communications network;

using the communication network, collecting information about the condition at the respective nodes of each module; and

providing the information collected about the condition at the respective nodes of each module to a computing device.

19. A method as in claim 18 wherein the module at each of the plurality of fixtures includes a controller and apparatus coupled to the controller, and the method further comprises using the controller to cause an action to be performed by the apparatus.

20. A method as in claim 19 wherein the method further comprises transmitting signals from the computing device over the communication network to the modules and thereby to the controllers to cause an action to be performed by the apparatus.