Location-based provisioning of wireless control systems

• US 7,925,384 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Adura Technologies (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mooney, Josh, Fong, Dale, Do, Alex, Huizenga, Charles A., Corr, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Douglas S
• Application Number:
  US12/690,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295, 700/2, 700/3, 700/4, 700/9, 700/11, 700/275, 700/277, 315/149, 315/150, 315/152, 315/156
• US Class Current: 700/277
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

Exemplary systems and methods for provisioning wireless control of facilities systems are provided. A message is broadcast to a network that includes one or more control devices, which may be associated with one or more control points (e.g., lights in lighting systems). The control device responds with information concerning the control device and/or any associated control points. A scene including at least one specification for operation the control point is assigned to the control device. A corresponding scene command may be generated and sent to the control device. Provisioning may further include generating a visual display of the various control devices and associated control points (e.g., lights) in the facilities system.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning a wireless control system, the method comprising:

broadcasting a message from a computing device to a wireless communications network comprising one or more control devices, each control device controlling an associated electrical load;

receiving a response at the computing device from one of the control devices in the network, the response including information regarding the control device;

executing instructions stored in memory of the computing device, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor of the computing device;

determines a physical location for the control device based on the received response, and

generates a command based on the determined physical location, the command indicating specifications and conditions for operation of the electrical load associated with the control device; and

sending the command from the computing device to the control device, wherein the command is stored in a memory of the control device and execution of the command by a processor of the control device controls the operation of the associated electrical load according to the indicated specifications and conditions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a visual display illustrating the physical location determined for each control device that responded to the broadcasted message and the associated electrical load.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the visual display includes mapping the physical location of each control device that responded to the broadcasted message, and wherein the mapping is based on a pre-existing floor plan.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving user input regarding creation or customization of a command, wherein the user input refers to the visual display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical load includes one or more lighting devices and further comprising determining a distribution of light based on a spatial distribution of the physical locations of the one or more control devices and the associated lighting devices, wherein generation of the command is further based on the determined distribution of light.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the physical location is further based on information provided by a location-aware device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the location-aware device is a barcode scanner configured to scan the control device upon installation of the control device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the physical location is further based on radio-signal triangulation relative to a transmitter with a known physical location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the physical location is further based on an ultrasound transmitter.

10. A system of provisioning a wireless control system, the system comprising:

a communications interface of the computing device, the communications interface configured to;

broadcast a message to a wireless communications network comprising one or more control devices, each control device controlling an associated electrical load, and

receive a response from one of the control devices in the network, the

response including information regarding the control device; and

a processor of the computing device, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to;

determine a physical location for the control device based on the received response, and

generate a command based on the determined physical location, the command indicating specifications and conditions for operation of the electrical load associated with the control device,

wherein the command is stored in a memory of the control device and execution of the command by a processor of the control device controls operation of the associated electrical load according to the indicated specifications and conditions.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further executable to generate a visual display illustrating the physical location of the control device and the associated electrical load and further comprising a display device configured to display the visual display generated by the processor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein generating the visual display includes mapping the physical location of each of the one or more control devices, and wherein the mapping is based on a pre-existing floor plan.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the communications interface is further configured to receive user input regarding creation or customization of the command, wherein the user input refers to the visual display.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the electrical load includes one or more lighting devices and wherein the processor is further executable to determine a distribution of light based on the location of the control device and the associated lighting devices, wherein generation of the command is further based on the determined distribution of light.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the determination of the physical location is further based on information provided by a location-aware device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the location-aware device is a barcode scanner configured to scan the control device upon installation of the control device.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the determination of the physical location is further based on radio-signal triangulation relative to a transmitter with a known physical location.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the determination of the physical location is further based on an ultrasound transmitter.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method of provisioning a wireless control system, the method comprising:

broadcasting a message to a wireless communications network comprising one or more control devices, each control device controlling an associated electrical load;

receiving a response from one of the control devices in the network, the response including information regarding the control device;

determining a physical location for the control device based on the received response;

generating a command based on the determined physical location, the command indicating specifications and conditions for operation of the electrical load associated with the control device; and

sending the command to the control device, wherein the command is stored in a memory of the control device and execution of the command by a processor of the control device controls the operation of the associated electrical load according to the indicated specifications and conditions.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the electrical load includes one or more lighting devices and further comprising instructions executable to determine a distribution of light based on the location of the control device and the associated lighting devices, wherein generation of the command is further based on the determined distribution of light.