System and method for streetlight monitoring diagnostics

• US 8,594,976 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorogi, Michael, English, James, Walters, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundu, Sujoy
• Assistant Examiner(s): BETSCH, REGIS J
• Application Number:
  US12/395,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/44 Testing lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• 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

One or more example diagnostics may be performed by a network server for a network of intelligent luminaire managers or other radio frequency (RF) devices. The network server may receive messages or information from one or more of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers or RF devices. The network server may perform diagnostics based upon the received messages or information from one or more of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers or RF devices. The network server may also leverage knowledge of respective statuses of at least a portion of the plurality of the networked intelligent luminaire managers or RF devices to determine a system-level status.

Claims

1. A network server, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;

a processor configured to access the memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

store at least one operating specification for a first equipment coupled to a networked intelligent luminaire manager;

receive, via a network of intelligent luminaire managers, operational information transmitted wirelessly from the networked intelligent luminaire manager, wherein the operational information is associated with an operation of the first equipment coupled to the networked intelligent luminaire manager; and

generate a system-wide status indicative of a system malfunction for a system that includes the first equipment and a second equipment from two or more networks based on (i) comparing a first operational status of the first equipment with the at least one operating specification, (ii) comparing a second operational status of the second equipment with the at least one operating specification, (iii) a geographic proximity between the first equipment and the second equipment, and (iv) a comparison of the first operational status with the second operational status.

2. The network server of claim 1, wherein the stored at least one operating specification for the first equipment is based upon activation information obtained during installation of the first equipment.

3. The network server of claim 2, wherein the activation information is obtained during installation using a PDA-hosted field unit.

4. The network server of claim 2, wherein the activation information either (i) includes the at least one operating specification, or (ii) an identification of the first equipment for use in determining the at least one operating specification.

5. The network server of claim 1, wherein the first equipment is a luminaire.

6. The network server of claim 5, wherein the operational status of the luminaire is determined to be a malfunction indicating that the luminaire is drawing an undesirable amount of power based upon the predetermined instances of the received power information exceeding a maximum power specification associated with the luminaire in an OFF state.

7. The network server of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine a power consumption associated with the first equipment based upon the received operational information, wherein the first operational status of the first equipment is determined to be an excessive power consumption condition based upon a comparison of the power consumption to a power consumption threshold value.

8. The network server of claim 1, wherein the operational information includes current information associated with the first equipment, wherein the first operational status of the first equipment is determined to be a high current condition based upon a comparison of the current information to a current threshold value.

9. The network server of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the first operational status of the first equipment based upon a comparison of the operational information to the stored at least one operating specification.

10. The network server of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate the system wide status to a central network operation center and to communicate data directing one or more operations or services from the central network operation center to the network of intelligent luminaire managers.

11. A network server, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;

a processor configured to access the memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

receive respective messages from a respective one of a plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers, wherein each networked intelligent luminaire manager monitors respective equipment;

determine, based upon comparing the receipt or absence of the respective messages during a pre-determined amount of time with an expected number of messages to be received during the pre-determined amount of time, a respective status of each of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers; and

generate a system-wide status indicative of a system malfunction for a system that includes at least two of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers from two or more networks based upon an analysis of respective statuses of the at least two of the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers and a comparison of the respective statuses with one another.

12. The network server of claim 11, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a first intelligent luminaire manager, and wherein a first no-communication status for the first intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor not receiving any messages from the first intelligent luminaire manager for the predetermined period of time.

13. The network server of claim 12, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a second intelligent luminaire manager and wherein a second no-communication status for the second intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor not receiving any messages from the second intelligent luminaire manager for the predetermined period of time, and wherein the system wide status indicates a system failure based at least upon the determined first and second no-communication status and a proximity of the first intelligent luminaire manager and the second intelligent luminaire manager.

14. The network server of claim 13, wherein the system failure is a power distribution outage.

15. The network server of claim 11, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a first intelligent luminaire manager, and wherein a first potential group control status for the first intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving messages from the first intelligent luminaire manager for a first period of time but not a second period of time.

16. The network server of claim 15, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes a second intelligent luminaire manager, wherein a second potential group control status for the second intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving messages from the second intelligent luminaire manager for the first period of time but not the second period of time, wherein the system wide status indicates a group control configuration based upon at least the determined first and second potential group control status and a proximity of the first and second intelligent luminaire managers.

17. The network server of claim 11, wherein the respective messages comprise operational information associated with the respective equipment.

18. The network server of claim 17, wherein at least one of the respective equipment includes a first luminaire, wherein the operational information includes a plurality of instances of voltage information associated with the first luminaire that is received by the processor, and wherein a first respective status for a first luminaire indicates a high voltage, low voltage, or an excessive change in voltage over a period of time based on a comparison of an output voltage to a voltage threshold value.

19. The network server of claim 18, wherein the first respective status indicates the excessive change in voltage over the period of time, wherein at least one of the respective equipment includes a second luminaire, wherein a second respective status for the second luminaire indicates an excessive change in voltage over the period of time, wherein the system wide status indicates a distribution quality problem based at least upon the first and second respective statuses and a proximity of the first and second luminaires.

20. The network server of claim 11, wherein the plurality of networked intelligent luminaire managers includes at least a first intelligent luminaire manager and a second intelligent luminaire manager, wherein a first power loss status for the first intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving a first message indicating a loss of primary power by the first intelligent luminaire manager, wherein a second power loss status for the second intelligent luminaire manager is determined based upon the processor receiving a second message indicating a loss of primary power by the second intelligent luminaire manager, and wherein the system wide status indicates a system power failure based at least upon the determined first and second power loss status and a proximity of the first intelligent luminaire manager and the second intelligent luminaire manager.

21. A network server, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;

a processor configured to access the memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

store at least one operating specification for a first equipment in communications with an RF device;

receive, via a network of RF devices, operational information transmitted wirelessly from the RF device, wherein the operational information is associated with an operation of the first equipment coupled to a networked intelligent luminaire manager;

determine a first operational status for a pre-determined period of time of the first equipment based upon a comparison of the operational information to the stored at least one operating specification; and

generate a system-wide status indicative of a system malfunction for a system that includes the first equipment and a second equipment from two or more networks based on the first operational status of the first equipment and a second operational status of a second equipment determined for the pre-determined period of time, the second operational status determined based upon a comparison of additional operational information associated with the second equipment to the stored at least one operating specification, the system-wide status generated based on a comparison of the first operational status with the second operational status.