Tandem, Visible Light and RF Communication System

• US 20150326314A1
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Addy, Kenneth L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,596,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2581 Multimode transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers

Abstract

A system having first and second different communication system can include a plurality of illumination devices having modulatable optical output signals. A plurality of building control units are in wireless communications with one another. Representative units could include ambient condition detectors, intrusion detectors, output devices or actuators. At least some of the units include optical sensors responsive to the modulatable optical output signals, and, wherein in responsive to received, modulated optical output signals, the respective control unit carries out a predetermined function.

Claims

1. A multi-mode communication system comprising:

a plurality of devices;

a radio frequency communications system which provides wireless communications between members of the plurality of devices; and

a visible light communications system which provides different communications than provided by the radio frequency system between at least some of the devices of the plurality, and, wherein the two systems operate in tandem to implement selected functionality.

2. A system as in claim 1 where the devices are selected from a class which includes at least manually operable light switches, ambient condition detectors, intrusion detectors, building control devices, regional access control equipment, actuation units and audio output devices.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein the visible light communications system includes visible light transmitters which can also illuminate regions in the vicinity of respective ones of the transmitters.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein at least some of the devices include at least one visual light sensor and at least one of a radio frequency receiver, or transmitter.

5. A system as in claim 1 where at least one device includes at least one light emitting diode to provide local illumination and to provide modulated optical outputs.

6. A system as in claim 2 wherein at least some of the devices include at least one visual light sensor and at least one of a radio frequency receiver, or transmitter, and, which includes at least one light emitting diode to provide local illumination and to provide modulated optical outputs.

7. A system as in claim 2 where the visible light communication system provides synchronization signals to at least some of the devices.

8. A system as in claim 7 where in the event that the visible light communication system is not available, the radio frequency communications system provides at least some synchronizing signals.

9. A system as in claim 7 where at least some of the devices include light emitting diodes which are modulated to generate visible beams of control signals as well as providing local illumination.

10. A system comprising:

a plurality of illumination devices having modulatable visible output signals;

a plurality of building control units which are in wireless communications with one another, and wherein at least some of the units include optical sensors responsive to the modulatable visible output signals, and, wherein in responsive to received, modulated, visible, output signals, the respective control unit carries out a predetermined function.

11. A system as in claim 10 wherein in the absence of the visible output signals at least some of the control units communicate via radio frequency signals.

12. A system as in claim 11 where the control units are selected from a class which includes at least manually operable light switches, ambient condition detectors, intrusion detectors, building control equipment, regional access control equipment, actuation units and audio output devices.

13. A system as in claim 11 wherein the illumination devices emit a change of state message when illumination is being terminated.

14. A system as in claim 13 wherein a second change of state message is emitted when illumination is being enabled.

15. A system having first and second different, wireless, communication systems comprising a plurality of illumination devices having modulatable optical output signals, a plurality of building control units in wireless communications with one another, via non-optical signals, wherein representative units are selected from a class which includes at least ambient condition detectors, intrusion detectors, output devices or actuators wherein at least some of the units include optical sensors responsive to the modulatable optical output signals, and, wherein in responsive to received, modulated optical output signals, the respective control unit carries out a predetermined function and communicates non-optically in connection therewith.

16. A system as in claim 15 where in the absence of modulated optical signals, the units communicate via non-optical signals.

17. A system as in claim 16 wherein the illumination devices also provide local illumination.

18. A system as in claim 17 where the non-optical signals comprise radio frequency signals.

19. A system as in claim where the optical output signals provide synchronization signals.

20. A system as in claim 19 where in the absence of optical output signals, at least some synchronization signals are provided via radio frequency signals.