Automatic configuration systems and methods for lighting and other applications

• US 6,969,954 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyet Thi
• Application Number:
  US10/420,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/316, 315/324, 315149-155, 315/291, 315/307, 315/323, 359/165, 359/167, 359/154, 359/164, 359/152
• US Class Current: 315/155
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A system and method for automatic configuration of devices that comprises a receiver for receiving information from a device that uniquely identifies the device, a controller capable of assigning an address to the device, and a communication link for transmitting said information from the receiver to the controller.

Claims

1. A system of networked illumination devices, comprising:

at least one illumination device configured and arranged to provide at least visible light over an area and to transmit information that uniquely identifies the at least one illumination device;

a receiver configured and arranged to receive the information from the illumination device;

a controller configured and arranged to assign at least one network address to the illumination device in response to the information received from the illumination device; and

a communication link between the receiver and the controller to transmit said information from the receiver to the controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller is a computing device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiver is hand-held.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information includes a serial number of the at least one illumination source.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless communication link.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said illumination device includes at least one LED to provide at least some of the visible light.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one LED is operated so as to generate the information that uniquely identifies the illumination device to the receiver.

8. A method for the configuration of illumination devices, comprising acts of:

projecting at least visible light from at least one illumination device to illuminate an area;

transmitting from the at least one illumination device information that uniquely identifies the at least one illumination device;

generating a network address in response to the information; and

communicating the network address to the at least one illumination device from which the information was communicated.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising an act of:

storing the network address in a memory of the at least one illumination device such that the at least one illumination device will respond to network signals communicated to the address.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one illumination device is an LED lighting device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of transmitting is accomplished through wireless communication.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises a serial number of the at least one illumination device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of communicating the network address comprises projecting radiation, and the method further comprises an act of collecting light using an optic.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising an act of communicating the information from a remote receiver to a controller prior to generating the network address through wireless communication.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of generating a network address comprises selecting a network address.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of generating a network address further comprises incrementing a previously generated and communicated network address.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication is accomplished through visible light producing LEDs.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the LEDs produce red light.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the LEDs are used for both the steps of projecting and transmitting.

20. A method for the configuration of illumination devices, comprising acts of:

projecting at least visible light from a first illumination device to illuminate an area;

transmitting from the illumination device first information that uniquely identifies the first illumination device;

storing the first information in memory in a remote receiving device;

generating a first network address in response to the first information; and

communicating the first network address to the first illumination device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising acts of:

communicating second information from a second illumination device to the remote receiving device;

storing the second information in the memory;

generating a second network address in response to the second information; and

communicating the second network address to the second illumination device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising an act of communicating the first and second information from the memory of the remote receiving device to a controller.