Device and method for controlling a node of a wireless network

• US 20140192723A1
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Schenk, Tim Corneel Wilhelmus, Grgen, Daniel Martin, Espina Perez, Javier, Garcia Morchon, Oscar, Aoun, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 10,219,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

In order to increase transmission reliability and transmission efficiency in the presence of interference at a transmitting or receiving node of a wireless network a device for controlling the node of the wireless network is provided, wherein the node is associated to at least one load unit. The device comprises a control unit that is adapted to adjust a communication mode of the node based on an operation state of the load unit.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a node of a wireless network, the node being associated to at least one load unit, comprising:

a control unit adapted to adjust a communication mode of the node based on an operation state of the load unit.

2. Device of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a mesh-network, a star-network or a point to point communication between two nodes communicating with each other wirelessly.

3. Device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment of the communication mode of the node is performed before and/or during and/or after a change of the operation state of the load unit.

4. Device of claim 3, wherein the change of the operation state of the load unit includes at least one of switching on the load unit, switching off the load unit and gradually changing the operation state of the load unit.

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the load unit comprises at least a switchable and/or variable load.

6. Device of claim 5, wherein the load unit comprises further at least a switchable and/or variable load driver.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is adapted to determine the operations state of the load unit by determining a power consumption of the load unit and/or a type of the load unit and/or the operation state of at least one neighboring node in the wireless network, and is further adapted to adjust the communication mode based on the determined power consumption of the load unit and/or said determined operation state of the at least one neighboring node and/or said type of the load unit.

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment of the communication mode of the node includes at least one of resetting and/or updating of at least one routing table stored in the node, increasing and/or decreasing a beaconing frequency of the node for a predetermined time and/or increasing or decreasing a transmit power of the node for transmitting messages.

9. Device of claim 8, wherein different routing tables are activated within the node depending on the operation state of the load unit.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein after the change of the operation state of the load unit a different communication mode of the node is activated for a predetermined time.

11. Device according to claim 10, which is operatively coupled to or integrated in the node.

12. Device according to claim 11, wherein the device is used in a lighting control system, wherein the load unit comprises a light source or a light source and a light source driver for controlling the light source.

14. System for controlling a node of a wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of nodes, at least one of them being associated to a load unit and at least one of them being coupled to a device according to claim 12,

wherein messages are transmitted between the nodes via the wireless network.

13. Method for controlling a node of a wireless network, the node being associated to at least one load unit, comprising the steps of:

determining an operation state of the load unit; and

adjusting a communication mode of the node for communication with other nodes of the wireless network based on the determined operation state of the load unit.

15. System for controlling a node of a wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of nodes, at least one of them being associated to a load unit;

a central controlling device communicating with at least one of the nodes via the wireless network, wherein the central controlling device is adapted to adjust a communication mode of at least one node based on an operation state of the load unit associated to the node.