Device and method for controlling a lighting means

• US 20160095193A1
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart City Factory GmbH
• Original Assignee: ICE Gateway GmbH
• Inventors: Mokhtari, Ramin Lavae, Ascheid, Gerd
• Granted Patent: US 10,098,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/345 Current stabilisation; Maintaining constant current
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/60 Circuit arrangements for operating LEDs comprising organic material, e.g. for operating organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

A device for controlling a lighting means is provided, which comprises at least one communication means, configured to receive first data and transmit second data via at least one wireless communication network and to at least partially forward the first data. The at least partially forwarded first data comprise third data. The device also comprises at least one security means, configured to at least partially decrypt the third data and to at least partially encrypt fourth data. The second data are at least partially based on the at least partially encrypted fourth data. The device also comprises at least one signal processing means, configured to control a lighting means connected to the device at least partially depending on the at least partially encrypted third data, to at least partially generate and/or to receive the fourth data, and to forward the received and/or generated fourth data.

Claims

1. Device for controlling a lighting means, the device comprising:

one or more communication means, which are configured to receive first data via at least one wireless communication network and to transmit second data via the at least one wireless communication network, wherein the communication means are furthermore configured to at least partially forward the first data, wherein the at least partially forwarded first data comprise third data,

one or a plurality of security means, which are configured to at least partially decrypt the third data and to at least partially encrypt fourth data, wherein the second data are at least partially based on the at least partially encrypted fourth data, and

one or more signal processing means, which are configured to control a lighting means connected with the device at least partially depending on the at least partially decrypted third data, wherein the signal processing means are furthermore configured to at least one of generate and receive fourth data and to forward the at least one of received and generated fourth data, and

wherein the communication means, the signal processing means and the security means in each case comprise a different hardware module.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the signal processing means and the security means are furthermore configured to reset the communication means.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the communication means are configured to at least one of regularly transmit a status message to at least one of the signal processing means and the security means and regularly forward first data to the signal processing means, and wherein at least one of the signal processing means and the security means causes or cause a reset of the communication means, if such regular transmission and/or forwarding is absent.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the security means are furthermore configured to at least partially verify the integrity of the third data.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing means are configured to receive sensor data from at least one sensor connected with the device.

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the signal processing means are furthermore configured to control the lighting means connected with the device at least partially depending on the sensor data.

7. Device according to claim 4, wherein the signal processing means are furthermore configured to at least partially process the sensor data so that the sensor data are at least partially at least one of compressed, prepared, and evaluated, and wherein the fourth data at least partially comprise the processed sensor data.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the communication means are furthermore configured to at least partially control the transmission of the second data.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the communication means are furthermore configured to receive the first data via a first wireless communication network and to transmit the second data via the first wireless communication network, and wherein the communication means are furthermore configured to receive fifth data via a second wireless communication network and to transmit sixth data via the second wireless communication network.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the first wireless communication network is part of a machine-to-machine network, and wherein the second wireless communication network is a wireless local network.

11. Device according to claim 9, wherein the second data are at least partially based on the fifth data, and wherein the sixth data are at least partially based on the first data.

12. Device according to claim 9, wherein the communication means are furthermore configured to provide a local access point, in particular a webserver, which can be accessed via the second wireless communication network.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data are at least partially encrypted.

14. Device according to claim 1, wherein the different hardware modules are at least one of an electronic circuit, a processor and a programmable logic circuit respectively.

15. Device according to claim 14, wherein the communication means comprise a first circuit, wherein the signal processing means comprise a second circuit, and wherein the security means comprise a third circuit.

16. Device according to claim 15, wherein the first circuit, the second circuit and the third circuit in each case take the form of an integrated circuit.

17. Device according to claim 14, wherein the communication means comprise a first processor.

18. Device according to claim 14, wherein the signal processing means comprise at least one of a second processor and a FPGA circuit.

19. Device according to claim 14, wherein the security means comprise at least one of an encryption processor and a hardware security module.

20. Device according to claim 14, wherein the communication means, the signal processing means and the security means in each case comprise at least one different circuit block of an integrated circuit, in particular an Application Specific Integrated Circuit.

21. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first data comprise one or more computer programs with program instructions for at least one of the communication means, the signal processing means and the security means.

22. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device furthermore comprises:

one or more energy supply means, which are configured to supply the communication means, the signal processing means and the security means and the lighting means connected with the device with energy, wherein the signal processing means are configured to at least partially control the energy supply of lighting means by the energy supply means.

23. Device according to claim 22, wherein the energy supply means comprise:

a power supply unit configured to supply the device with energy, wherein the output voltage of the power supply unit is a direct voltage in the extra-low voltage range between 0 and 120 Volts, and

a driver circuit configured to provide power for operating the at least one lighting means connected with the device, wherein the input voltage of the driver circuit is the output voltage of the power supply unit, and wherein the driver circuit is controllable by the signal processing means.

26. System, comprising:

at least one central control device, wherein the control device is configured to control at least one device according to claim 1; and

at least one device according to claim 1.

24. Method for controlling a lighting means, comprising:

receiving first data via at least one wireless communication network by one or more communication means,

transmitting second data via the at least one wireless communication network by the communication means,

at least partially forwarding the first data, wherein the at least partially forwarded first data comprise third data,

at least partially decrypting the third data by one or a plurality of security means,

controlling a lighting means at least partially depending on the at least partially decrypted third data by the signal processing means,

at least one of generating and receiving fourth data by the signal processing means,

forwarding the at least one of generated and received fourth data by the signal processing means, and

at least partially encrypting the fourth data by the security means, wherein the second data are at least partially based on the at least partially encrypted fourth data, and wherein the communication means, the signal processing means and the security means in each case comprise a different hardware module.

25. A machine-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored, the computer program comprising:

program instructions, causing a device to perform the steps of the method according to claim 24, if the computer program is run by one or more processors of the device.