Lighting control system with packet hopping communication
First Claim
1. A method of controlling at least one parameter at a plurality of device control points within a building, comprising:
- transmitting a first radio signal, having a first power level sufficient to be received reliably at at least one of the device control points, and insufficient to be received reliably at all device control points within the building, from a master control point, the first radio signal including a digital control signal relating to said parameter,receiving the first radio signal at one of the device control points, andtransmitting a second radio signal, having a second power level sufficient to be received reliably at at least another of the device control points, and insufficient to be received reliably at all device control points within the building, from said one of the device control points, the second radio signal including said digital control signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Building lights are master controlled to reduce power consumption under building master control, or in response to electric utility commands to the building computer. Each lighting wall control unit includes a transceiver which can communicate to at least one neighbor transceiver, thereby forming a distributed communication network extending back to the building computer. The transceivers operate asynchronously with low data rate FSK signals, using carrier frequencies between 900 and 950 MHz. Different communications protocols control packet forwarding and acknowledgement so that messages reach their destination but are not forwarded in endless circles, and so that collisions are minimized.
367 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of controlling at least one parameter at a plurality of device control points within a building, comprising:
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transmitting a first radio signal, having a first power level sufficient to be received reliably at at least one of the device control points, and insufficient to be received reliably at all device control points within the building, from a master control point, the first radio signal including a digital control signal relating to said parameter, receiving the first radio signal at one of the device control points, and transmitting a second radio signal, having a second power level sufficient to be received reliably at at least another of the device control points, and insufficient to be received reliably at all device control points within the building, from said one of the device control points, the second radio signal including said digital control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for controlling at least one parameter at a plurality of device control units within a building comprising
a master control unit for generating control signals which are selectively directed to a particular one, or a group, or all of the individual control units, characterized in that the system comprises a corresponding plurality of low power radio transceivers connected respectively to associated individual control units to form transceiver/control unit combinations, and a low power radio transceiver connected to the master control unit, where each of the transceivers transmits sufficient power to communicate with at least one other of the transceivers, but not all of them; -
the transceiver connected to the master control unit comprises means for transmitting a packet of information including an address of one of said combinations and a control signal, each combination comprises means, responsive to receipt of a packet addressed to said combination, for controlling a respective device according to said control signal, and each combination comprises means, responsive to receipt of a packet addressed to another combination, for controlling said respective device independently of said control signal, and for retransmitting said packet. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for managing a building network control system, the method comprising executing the following steps in a network, the network comprising a master node and at least first and second non-master nodes within a building:
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from the master node, wirelessly transmitting digital control information to the first non-master node at a power which is sufficient to reach the first non-master node, but insufficient to reach the second non-master node; from the first non-master node, wirelessly repeating the digital control information at a power sufficient to reach the second non-master node; and receiving the digital control information at the second non-master node, so that the second non-master node can respond to the control information. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A device control point for use in a building control network the device control point including:
transceiver means suitable for receiving and transmitting wireless communication of control information either from and to other similar device control points; and
/orfrom and to a master node; means, responsive to said control information, for controlling an associated device when said control information specifies control of the associated device; and causing the transceiver to repeat said control information when said control information specifies control of a device not associated with the device control point.
Specification