Method and apparatus for the zonal transmission of data using building lighting fixtures
First Claim
1. A system providing bidirectional communication with remote devices comprising a plurality of lamp fixtures in fixed positions, each lamp fixture having unique identification information;
- power lines connected to each fixture for supplying AC electrical energy for each lamp fixture; and
a base station coupled to the power lines;
each fixture comprising;
one or more lamps;
a power supply comprising a rectifier, a filter, and a dual voltage power supply, the power lines electrically connected to the power supply to provide AC electrical energy;
a power line carrier transceiver connected to the power lines adapted to receive a variable message including lamp fixture identification information transmitted by the base station over the power lines;
a radio transceiver;
a microprocessor control circuit having memory circuitry and programmed with lamp fixture identification information, the microprocessor control circuit coupled to the power line carrier transceiver and the radio transceiver, the microprocessor control circuit receiving the variable message from the power line carrier transceiver, the microprocessor capable of decoding the variable message, and, in response to identifying the lamp identification information and the decoded variable message, encoding a second variable message, including at least one remote device address and the identification information of the fixture, and activating the radio transceiver to transmit a radio signal with the second variable message; and
the radio transceiver adapted to receive modulated radio signals from a remote device positioned to receive the second variable message transmitted by one or more radio transceivers of the fixtures, the remote device capable of decoding the second variable message encoded in the radio signal and responding to its address and the second variable message in the decoded radio signal by transmitting a second radio signal to the radio transceiver, the second radio signal including the identification information of the fixture from which the remote device received the radio signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to the zonal transmission of data by radio means and optionally by optical means through the modulation of light from common building light fixtures, including the light output of fluorescent, mercury vapor, and other arc or discharge lamps and fixtures; a system for the reuse of radio frequencies by smart radios, and the accurate locating and tracking of objects or persons as they move through a building; by means of creating a communications system which exploits the existing infrastructure of a building to facilitate the transmission of relatively secure control and communications data via creation of a multiplicity of area-limited interference-free communication zones. The system facilitates the transmission of wide-area as well as zonal-specific data. The system facilitates the creation of a database that contains present location and history location and movement data of persons and objects as they move through a building.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system providing bidirectional communication with remote devices comprising a plurality of lamp fixtures in fixed positions, each lamp fixture having unique identification information;
- power lines connected to each fixture for supplying AC electrical energy for each lamp fixture; and
a base station coupled to the power lines;
each fixture comprising;one or more lamps; a power supply comprising a rectifier, a filter, and a dual voltage power supply, the power lines electrically connected to the power supply to provide AC electrical energy; a power line carrier transceiver connected to the power lines adapted to receive a variable message including lamp fixture identification information transmitted by the base station over the power lines; a radio transceiver; a microprocessor control circuit having memory circuitry and programmed with lamp fixture identification information, the microprocessor control circuit coupled to the power line carrier transceiver and the radio transceiver, the microprocessor control circuit receiving the variable message from the power line carrier transceiver, the microprocessor capable of decoding the variable message, and, in response to identifying the lamp identification information and the decoded variable message, encoding a second variable message, including at least one remote device address and the identification information of the fixture, and activating the radio transceiver to transmit a radio signal with the second variable message; and the radio transceiver adapted to receive modulated radio signals from a remote device positioned to receive the second variable message transmitted by one or more radio transceivers of the fixtures, the remote device capable of decoding the second variable message encoded in the radio signal and responding to its address and the second variable message in the decoded radio signal by transmitting a second radio signal to the radio transceiver, the second radio signal including the identification information of the fixture from which the remote device received the radio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- power lines connected to each fixture for supplying AC electrical energy for each lamp fixture; and
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20. A method for locating a remote device, comprising:
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transmitting a command signal with unique identification information for one or more lamp fixtures to a plurality of lamp fixtures; receiving and decoding the command signal in the lamp fixtures with the unique identification information and encoding a message in a first radio signal, the first radio signal transmitted from radio transceivers in the lamp fixtures in response to the command; receiving the first radio signal from at least one of the lamp fixtures by a movable remote device, the radio signal received by the remote device including the encoded message in the radio signal responsive to the command and including the address of the remote device and the identification information of the lamp fixture from which the remote device receives the radio signal; and transmitting a second radio signal from the remote device to the radio transceivers in the lamp fixtures with the unique identification information, the second radio signal including the identification information of the lamp fixture transmitting the first radio signal received by the remote device to thereby identify the lamp fixture.
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Specification