ENHANCED LIGHTING FIXTURE

• US 20150008831A1
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trainor, John J., Chobot, Joseph P., Carrigan, Brian, Deese, Matthew, Bryan, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 9,717,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/153
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/355 Power factor correction [PFC]; Reactive power compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• 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 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/187 using power over ethernet [PoE] supplies
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/198 Grouping of control procedures or address assignation to light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1985 Creation of lighting zones or scenes
• 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

A lighting fixture having a light source, a light sensor, a communication interface, and circuitry is described. In addition to controlling the light source, the circuitry is adapted to monitor for a light signal provided from a handheld device via the light sensor; upon receiving the light signal, measure a signal level associated with the light signal; and effect transmission of the signal level to the handheld device via the communication interface. In one embodiment, the circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction to monitor for the light signal from the handheld device via the communication interface such that the circuitry begins monitoring for the light signal upon receiving the instruction.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

a light source;

a light sensor;

a communication interface; and

circuitry adapted to;

control the light source;

monitor for a light signal provided from a handheld device via the light sensor;

upon receiving the light signal, measure a signal level associated with the light signal; and

effect transmission of the signal level to the handheld device via the communication interface.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction to monitor for the light signal from the handheld device via the communication interface such that the circuitry begins monitoring for the light signal upon receiving the instruction.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light signal is a strobed light signal.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 3 wherein the light signal is strobed at a frequency that is not humanly perceptible.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the lighting fixture is associated with an identifier and the circuitry is further adapted to effect transmission of the identifier to the handheld device in association with the transmission of the signal level to the handheld device.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 5 wherein the signal level and the identifier are transmitted wirelessly to the handheld device.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 5 wherein the identifier is an address.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the signal level is transmitted wirelessly to the handheld device.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to effect transmission of information toward an associated lighting fixture via the communication interface.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the lighting fixture comprises an occupancy sensor and the information relates to an output of the occupancy sensor.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the light sensor is further configured to monitor an ambient light level of an area in which the lighting fixture resides and the information relates to the ambient light level.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive information from an associated lighting fixture via the communication interface and control the light source based at least in part on the information.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 12 wherein the information relates to an output of an occupancy sensor of the associated lighting fixture.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 12 wherein the information relates to an output of an ambient light sensor of the associated lighting fixture.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light sensor is further configured to monitor an ambient light level of an area in which the lighting fixture resides and the circuitry is further configured to control the light source based at least in part on the ambient light level.

16. A lighting fixture comprising:

a light source;

a light sensor;

a communication interface; and

circuitry adapted to;

control the light source;

monitor for a light signal provided from a handheld device via the light sensor;

upon receiving the light signal, effect transmission of an identifier, which is associated with the lighting fixture, to the handheld device via the communication interface.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the identifier is transmitted wirelessly to the handheld device.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the identifier is an address associated with the lighting fixture.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the circuitry is further configured to effect transmission of information toward an associated lighting fixture via the communication interface.

20. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive information from an associated lighting fixture via the communication interface and control the light source based at least in part on the information.

21. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the light signal is a strobed light signal.

22. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction to monitor for the light signal from the handheld device via the communication interface such that circuitry begins monitoring for the light signal upon receiving the instruction.

23. A switch module for controlling lighting fixtures in a lighting network comprising:

a user interface configured to receive input from a user;

a communication interface configured to communicate with at least one lighting fixture; and

circuitry configured to;

receive a first instruction from a handheld device via the communication interface to monitor for a switch selection input to be received from the user via the user interface;

monitor for the switch selection input;

upon receiving the switch selection input, provide an identifier for the switch module to the handheld device; and

provide lighting control information to the at least one lighting fixture via the communication interface, the lighting control information configured to control light output levels of the at least one lighting fixture.

24. The switch module of claim 23 wherein the identifier is an address for the switch module.

25. The switch module of claim 23 wherein the communication interface is a wireless communication interface.

26. The switch module of claim 23 further comprising a light source, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to drive the light source to provide visible feedback to the user that the switch module has been selected.

27. The switch module of claim 26 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive a second instruction from the handheld device via the communication interface to provide the visible feedback, such that the circuitry drives the light source to provide the visible feedback upon receiving the second instruction.

28. The switch module of claim 27 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive a third instruction from the handheld device via the communication interface to stop providing the visible feedback, such that the circuitry stops driving the light source to provide the visible feedback upon receiving the third instruction.

29. The switch module of claim 26 wherein, when driven to provide the visible feedback, the light source is pulsed on and off.

30. The switch module of claim 23 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive group information from the handheld device via the communication interface, the group information associating the switch module with the at least one lighting fixture.

31. The switch module of claim 23 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive group information from the handheld device via the communication interface, the group information associating the switch module with a plurality of lighting fixtures, including the at least one lighting fixture, and at least one other switch module.

32. The switch module of claim 23 wherein the lighting control information is determined based on lighting control input that is received from the user via the user interface.

33. The switch module of claim 23 further comprising an ambient light sensor, wherein the lighting control information is a function of an output of the ambient light sensor.

34. The switch module of claim 23 further comprising an occupancy sensor, wherein the lighting control information is a function of an output of the occupancy sensor.

35. The switch module of claim 23 further comprising a sensor and wherein the lighting control information is determined based on either lighting control input that is received from the user via the user interface or an output of the sensor.