Owner/operator control of a light management system using networked intelligent luminaire managers

• US 7,546,168 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Darnell, Charles J., Gibler, Zachary S., Walters, Jeff D., Henderson, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr.; Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US11/518,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20070091623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/86, 700/19, 700/20, 700/83, 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A plurality of networked luminaire managers, each collocated with a respective luminaire, monitor the status of their respective luminaires. The luminaire managers include transmitters for transmitting status information about their respective luminaires and third-party devices to a network server. The network server forwards the received status information from the networked luminaire managers to a computer of an owner/operator of the plurality of luminaires and/or a third-party user. The luminaire managers communicate with each other, whereby they form a network.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of luminaires, comprising:

receiving information for a plurality of luminaires, including a first luminaire, from a plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers, each networked intelligent luminaire manager coupled to an associated luminaire of the plurality of luminaires, and configured to monitor and communicate a status, including a routine status or an alarm condition status, of the associated luminaire, wherein a first networked intelligent luminaire manager of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers is configured to communicate a routine status associated with the first luminaire according to a routine forwarding schedule and to communicate an alarm condition status associated with the first luminaire according to a high-priority basis apart from the routine forwarding schedule;

recording the status of one or more luminaires of the plurality of luminaires, including the alarm condition status associated with monitoring the first luminaire; and

executing a predetermined program to initiate an action responsive to the received alarm condition status associated with monitoring the first luminaire.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of luminaires includes a second luminaire, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a second networked intelligent luminaire manager and further comprising:

sending a command to turn on or off the second luminaire associated with the second networked intelligent luminaire manager.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the command is to turn on the second luminaire at dusk or at a specified time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the command is to turn off the second luminaire at a specified time, a first specified amount of time after the second luminaire is turned on, or a second specified amount of time after dawn.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm condition is stored in association with location information for the first luminaire.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the location information includes GPS coordinates for the first luminaire.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiated action includes generating a work order for the first luminaire, transmitting an electronic notification to a customer associated with the first luminaire or displaying a map showing a location of at least the first luminaire.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm condition is associated with a likelihood of failure associated with the first luminaire, wherein the likelihood of failure is not an actual failure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm condition associated with the first luminaire includes a bad fixture condition, a bad lamp condition, or a lamp cycling condition.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating bills based on energy usage information received for the plurality of luminaries.

11. A system for managing a plurality of luminaires, comprising:

a plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers, each networked intelligent luminaire manager having a processor, coupled to an associated luminaire of a plurality of luminaires, including a first luminaire, and configured to monitor and communicate a status, including a routine status or an alarm condition status, of the associated luminaire, wherein a first networked intelligent luminaire manager of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers is configured to communicate a routine status associated with the first luminaire according to a routine forwarding schedule and to communicate an alarm condition status associated with the first luminaire according to a high-priority basis apart from the routine forwarding schedule;

a computer that receives information for the plurality of luminaires from the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers, wherein the received information includes the alarm condition status associated with monitoring the first luminaire, and wherein the computer is operative to;

record the status of one or more luminaires of the plurality of luminaires, including the alarm condition status associated with monitoring the first luminaire, and

execute a predetermined program to initiate an action responsive to the alarm condition status associated with monitoring the first luminaire.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is operative to send a first command to turn on a particular luminaire.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is operative to send a second command to turn off the particular luminaire.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is operative to execute a computer program that displays power usage based on information received for the plurality of luminaires.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is operative to execute a computer program for a visual map display to illustrate the status of one or more luminaires of the plurality of luminaires.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is operative to record the alarm condition in association with location information for the first luminaire.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the location information includes GPS coordinates for the first luminaire.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is operative to execute the predetermined program to initiate the action, wherein the action includes generating a work order for the first luminaire, transmitting an electronic notification to a customer associated with the first luminaire, or displaying a map showing a location of at least the first luminaire.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the alarm condition associated with the first luminaire includes a bad fixture condition, a bad lamp condition, or a lamp cycling condition.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is further operative to generate bills based on energy usage information received for the plurality of luminaries.