LIGHTING FIXTURE FOR AUTOMATED GROUPING

• US 20140167620A1
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chobot, Joseph P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,155,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/153
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/40 Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32257 the layer connector connecting to a bonding area disposed in a recess of the surface of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 47/155 : Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 : via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 : Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Control of lighting fixtures in a lighting network may be distributed among the lighting fixtures. The lighting fixtures may be broken into groups that are associated with different lighting zones. At least some of the lighting fixtures will have or be associated with one or more sensors. Within the overall lighting network or the various lighting zones, the lighting fixtures may share sensor data from the sensors. Each lighting fixture processes sensor data provided by its own sensor, a remote standalone sensor, or lighting fixture, and processes the sensor data according to the lighting fixture'"'"'s internal logic to control operation of the lighting fixture. The lighting fixtures may also receive control input from other lighting fixtures, control nodes, light switches, and commissioning tools. The control input is processed along with the sensor data according to the internal logic to enhance control of the lighting fixture.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

a light sensor;

a light source; and

circuitry adapted to;

determine that a given lighting fixture of a plurality of lighting fixtures is entering a lightcast mode;

via the light sensor, monitor for a first lightcast signal provided by the given lighting fixture; and

effect generation of grouping data for the given lighting fixture based on receipt of the first lightcast signal.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the grouping data is used, at least in part, for grouping the lighting fixture with one or more of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 2 wherein, for grouping the lighting fixture with one or more of the plurality of lighting fixtures, the circuitry is adapted to send the grouping data to a remote entity, which will determine how to group the plurality of lighting fixtures, and receive information identifying a group to which the lighting fixture belongs.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 2 wherein, for grouping the lighting fixture with one or more of the plurality of lighting fixtures, the circuitry is adapted to send the grouping data to one of the plurality of lighting fixtures that will determine how to group the plurality of lighting fixtures.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 2 wherein, for grouping the lighting fixture with one or more of the plurality of lighting fixtures, the circuitry is adapted to process the grouping data along with other grouping data received from one or more of the plurality of lighting fixtures to determine a group of the plurality of lighting fixtures in which the lighting fixture belongs.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further adapted to:

enter the lightcast mode;

drive the light source to provide a second lightcast signal to be monitored by the plurality of lighting fixtures.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 6 wherein the circuitry is further adapted to send, to the plurality of lighting fixtures, an instruction to begin monitoring for the second lightcast signal.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein, if the first lightcast signal is detected, the grouping data is indicative of a relative signal strength of the first lightcast signal.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further adapted to:

receive remote sensor data from at least one of the plurality of lighting fixtures; and

drive the light source based on the remote sensor data.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein:

the circuitry is further adapted to determine local sensor data from the light sensor or another local sensor of the lighting fixture; and

the light source is driven by the circuitry based on both the remote sensor data and the local sensor data.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 10 wherein the circuitry is further adapted to send the local sensor data to at least one of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein:

the circuitry is further adapted to;

determine local sensor data from the light sensor or another local sensor of the lighting fixture; and

send the local sensor data to at least one of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry comprises:

a driver module that is adapted to drive the light source; and

a communications module that is adapted to communicate with the plurality of lighting fixtures and control the driver module.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 13 wherein the driver module and the communications module communicate with one another over a communications bus.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further adapted to identify a group of the plurality of lighting fixtures to which the lighting fixture has been assigned and drive the light source in response to an instruction intended for the group.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further adapted to identify at least two groups of the plurality of lighting fixtures to which the lighting fixture has been assigned and drive the light source in response to instructions intended for the at least two groups.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light source is a solid-state light source.

18. A lighting network comprising a plurality of lighting fixtures that have light sensors and each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is adapted to:

during a monitor mode;

determine that a given lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures is entering a lightcast mode;

via the light sensor, monitor for a lightcast signal provided by the given lighting fixture; and

effect generation of grouping data for the given lighting fixture based on receipt of the lightcast signal; and

during a receive mode, drive an associated light source to provide the lightcast signal for monitoring by others of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

19. The lighting network of claim 18 wherein each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is automatically assigned to at least one of a plurality of groups based on the grouping data.

20. The lighting network of claim 19 wherein the grouping data associated with any two of the plurality of lighting fixtures indicates whether the lightcast signal provided by a first of the two was received by a second of the two.

21. The lighting network of claim 19 wherein the grouping data associated with any two of the plurality of lighting fixtures indicates a relative magnitude of the lightcast signal provided by a first of the two and received by a second of the two.

22. The lighting network of claim 18 wherein each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is adapted to exchange the grouping data that is gathered for others of the plurality of lighting fixtures and automatically assign itself to a particular group of a plurality of groups based on the grouping data, such that each of the plurality of groups comprises those lighting fixtures that were able to detect the lightcast signal from other lighting fixtures in the particular group.

23. The lighting network of claim 18 wherein each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is adapted to exchange the grouping data that is gathered for others of the plurality of lighting fixtures and automatically assign itself to a particular group of a plurality of groups based on the grouping data, such that each of the plurality of groups comprises those lighting fixtures that were able to detect, at a magnitude above a set threshold, the lightcast signal from other lighting fixtures in the particular group.

24. The lighting network of claim 18 wherein the grouping data gathered by each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is sent to a remote entity, which assigns the plurality of lighting fixtures to groups based on the grouping data.

25. The lighting network of claim 18 wherein the grouping data gathered by each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is sent to one of the plurality of lighting fixtures, which assigns the plurality of lighting fixtures to groups based on the grouping data.

26. The lighting network of claim 18 wherein each lighting fixture is further adapted to:

share sensor data from the light sensor or another associated sensor with others of the plurality of lighting fixtures; and

control light output based on the sensor data in view of its own internal logic, wherein the internal logic is configured such that each of the plurality of lighting fixtures operates independently from one another while providing light in a concerted fashion.

27. The lighting network of claim 18 wherein the light source is a solid-state light source.

28. A lighting network comprising a group of lighting fixtures that have sensors and light sources, wherein each lighting fixture of the group of lighting fixtures is adapted to:

coordinate with at least one of the of the group of lighting fixtures to determine a light output level;

drive the light source to provide light output, wherein at least certain of the group of lighting fixtures will concurrently provide a different light output level.

29. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein different subgroups of the group of lighting fixtures provides different light output levels.

30. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein the light output levels are graduated among the group of lighting fixtures.

31. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein the light output level for each lighting fixture is determined, at least in part, on ambient light.

32. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein the light output level for each lighting fixture is determined, at least in part, on an amount of ambient light detected via the sensor of the lighting fixture.

33. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein the light output level for each lighting fixture is determined, at least in part, on an amount of ambient light detected via the sensor of another lighting fixture of the group of lighting fixtures.

34. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein the light output level for each lighting fixture is determined, at least in part, on an amount of ambient light detected via the sensor of the lighting fixture and the sensor of another lighting fixture of the group of lighting fixtures.

35. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein each of a plurality of lighting fixtures, including the group of lighting fixtures, is further adapted to, during a monitor mode:

determine that a given lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures is entering a lightcast mode;

via the sensor, monitor for a lightcast signal provided by the given lighting fixture; and

effect generation of grouping data for the given lighting fixture based on receipt of the lightcast signal.

36. The lighting network of claim 35 wherein each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is further adapted to, during a receive mode, drive an associated light source to provide the lightcast signal for monitoring by others of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

37. The lighting network of claim 35 wherein each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is automatically assigned to at least one of a plurality of groups based on the grouping data, such that one of the plurality of groups is the group of lighting fixtures.

38. The lighting network of claim 28 wherein the light source is a solid-state light source.