Light fixture management system

• US 7,284,689 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffery R. Clark
• Original Assignee: Jeffery R. Clark
• Inventors: Jeffery, R. Clark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koyama; Kumiko C.
• Application Number:
  US10/812,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20040178257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 235/462.01, 235/470, 235/487, 702/182
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/40 Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L

Abstract

A light fixture management system which tracks the location, history and operating characteristics of light fixtures in a structure or a group of structures and surrounding premises. Each light fixture is assigned indicia, for example a bar code, which is stored in a database in association with details of the light fixture. An observer charged with identifying light fixtures in need of repair carries a portable scanner. The observer scans the bar code associated with any light fixture in need of repair and optionally enters into the bar code scanner any observable problem. The scanned information is downloaded into a computer, which may be programmed to establish a repair route for fixtures identified as being in need of repair, based on the locations of the light fixtures and types of problems identified by the observer. Reports can be generated as required with any other desired information. The invention considerably simplifies the task of tracking light fixtures and substantially increases the efficiency and effectiveness of repair personnel. The master database may also contain the location of the circuit breaker which controls power to each fixture, to enable repair personnel to quickly locate and deactivate the circuit if necessary for a particular type of repair.

Claims

1. A light fixture management system, comprising

a plurality of labels each containing unique indicia,

a portable reader for reading the indicia on the labels,

a microprocessor appliance comprising a database, for receiving information collected by the reader corresponding to indicia read by the reader, and associating the received information with corresponding information in the database, the database comprising information relating to a plurality of light fixtures comprising the locations of the plurality of light fixtures and supplies relating to the plurality of light fixtures,

wherein when the plurality of labels are each physically associated with one of the plurality of light fixtures and the labels physically associated with light fixtures identified as being in need of repair or maintenance are read by the reader, the microprocessor appliance is configured to generate a report with information specific to the identified light fixtures the report comprising a repair task route based on relative locations of the identified light fixtures, specifying a sequence of light fixture maintenance based on the relative locations of the identified light fixtures and further identifying supplies required for the identified light fixtures.

2. The light fixture management system of claim 1 wherein the report further comprises information relating to special requirements relating to specific ones of the identified light fixtures.

3. The light fixture management system of claim 1 in which the report further comprises information relating to a circuit breaker controlling power to each identified light fixture.

4. The light fixture management system of claim 1 in which the portable reader comprises a bar code scanner.

5. The light fixture management system of claim 4 in which the bar code scanner comprises a keypad for manually entering information into the scanner.

6. The light fixture management system of claim 1 wherein the light fixtures identified as being in need of repair or maintenance are identified by an observer operating the reader.

7. The light fixture management system of claim 1 in which the information in the database further comprises repair history information for each light fixture.

8. The light fixture management system of claim 1 in which the information in the database further comprises warranty information for each light fixture.

9. The light fixture management system of claim 1, wherein the supplies relating to the plurality of light fixtures comprised in the database includes a fixture type and a bulb type for each of the plurality of light fixtures, and the supplies identified in the report generated by the microprocessor appliance include a fixture type and a bulb type for each of the identified light fixtures.

10. A method of managing a plurality of light fixtures, each light fixture being physically associated with one of plurality of labels, each label containing unique indicia, comprising the steps of:

reading the indicia on the labels physically associated with light fixtures observed to be in need of repair or maintenance and storing information corresponding to the indicia,

conveying the stored information corresponding to the indicia to a microprocessor appliance comprising a database, wherein the database comprises information relating to the plurality of light fixtures comprising the locations of the plurality of light fixtures and supplies relating to the plurality of light fixtures, and

generating a report using the microprocessor appliance with information specific to light fixtures physically associated with the labels thus read, the report comprising a repair task route based on relative locations of the light fixtures physically associated with the labels thus read, the report specifying a sequence of fixture maintenance based on the relative locations of the light fixtures and further identifying supplies required for the light fixtures associated with the labels thus read.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the report further comprises information relating to special requirements relating to specific ones of the light fixtures physically associated with the labels thus read.

12. The method of claim 10 in which the report contains information relating to a circuit breaker controlling power to each light fixture physically associated with the labels thus read.

13. The method of claim 10 in which the indicia on the labels is read by a bar code scanner.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the bar code scanner comprises a keypad an further comprising the step of manually entering information into the scanner relating to an observed repair requirement.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the light fixtures observed to be in need of repair or maintenance are identified by an observer carrying out the step of reading the indicia.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the database further comprises repair history information for each light fixture.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the database further comprises warranty information for each light fixture.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the supplies relating to the plurality of light fixtures comprised in the database includes a fixture type and a bulb type for each of the plurality of light fixtures, and the supplies identified in the report generated using the microprocessor appliance includes a fixture type and a bulb type for each of the light fixtures associated with the labels thus read.

19. The method of claim 10 including, after the step of conveying the stored information, the step of downloading the conveyed information from the database to a master database at another geographic location.