Method of configuration a wireless-controlled lighting system

• US 7,446,671 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wang, Ling, Giannopoulos, Demetri
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Syed; Nabil H
• Application Number:
  US10/539,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20060049935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/310.11, 340/533, 315/291
• US Class Current: 340/12.24
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A method for associating a group of lighting units in a wireless-controlled lighting system to respective buttons or other control elements on a remote control. Each of the lighting units transmits, via modulation of its own illumination light, a unique identification code for the respective unit. The remote control is successively positioned to receive the modulated light from each lighting unit and, at each position, the user activates a respective control element of the remote control for association with the lighting unit. The remote control then transmits to a control master for the group the unique codes and codes identifying the respective control elements with which they have been associated.

Claims

1. In a wireless-controlled lighting system including a control master and a group of lighting units, all communicating via commonly-received wireless transmissions, a method of associating said group of lighting units, each having a unique identification code, with respective control elements of a remote control, said method comprising:

a. each of the lighting units transmitting a modulated light signal carrying the respective identification code;

b. positioning the remote control at a location where it receives the modulated light signal from only one of the lighting units;

c. activating a selected one of the control elements of the remote control to associate said control element with the lighting unit transmitting the modulated light signal being received;

d. transmitting from the remote control to the control master a signal identifying the unique identification code for the lighting unit and the control element with which said lighting unit has been associated;

e. repeating each of steps b through d for each of the remaining lighting units in the group,

where each lighting unit in the group includes an adaptable device which selectively operates as either a control master device or a slave device.

2. A method as in claim 1 where the remote control selects one of the adaptable devices to operate as the control master for the group of lighting units.

3. A method as in claim 1 where the unique identification code is pre-assigned.

4. A method as in claim 1 where the unique identification code is assigned to each lighting unit when the lighting unit is installed in the system.

5. A method as in claim 1 where each of the lighting units transmits the modulated light signal for a predetermined period after said lighting unit is powered up.

6. A method as in claim 1 where the modulated light signal comprises light emitted by the lighting unit for illumination.

7. A method as in claim 1 where the selected control element comprises a button on the remote control.

8. A method as in claim 1 where the selected control element comprises a symbol on a touch screen of the remote control.

9. A method as in claim 1 where the selected control element comprises a sound produced by a user.

10. A method of configuring a wireless-controlled lighting system including a group of lighting units, each having a unique identification code, and a remote control, all communicating via commonly-received wireless transmissions, said method comprising:

using the remote control to select one of the lighting units to be a control master for the system;

a. emission by each of the lighting units of a modulated light signal carrying the respective identification code;

b. positioning of the remote control at a location where it receives the modulated light signal from only one of the lighting units;

c. activation of a selected one of a plurality of control elements of the remote control to associate said selected control element with the lighting unit transmitting the modulated light signal being received;

d. transmission from the remote control to the control master for the system of a signal identifying the unique identification code for the lighting unit and the control element with which said lighting unit has been associated; and

e. repeating each of steps b through d for each of the remaining lighting units in the group.

11. A method as in claim 10 where each lighting unit in the group includes an adaptable device which selectively operates as either a control master device or a slave device.

12. A method as in claim 10 where the unique identification code is preassigned.

13. A method as in claim 10 where the unique identification code is assigned to each lighting unit when the lighting unit is installed in the system.

14. A method as in claim 10 where each of the lighting units transmits the modulated light signal for a predetermined period after said lighting unit is powered up.

15. A method as in claim 10 where the modulated light signal comprises light emitted by the lighting unit for illumination.

16. A method as in claim 10 where the selected control element comprises a button on the remote control.

17. A method as in claim 10 where the selected control element comprises a symbol on a touch screen of the remote control.

18. A method as in claim 10 where the selected control element comprises a sound produced by a user.