Commission of distributed light fixtures of a lighting system

• US 8,994,295 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Robotics, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Enlighted, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mohan, Tanuj, Ashar, Premal, Gupta, Saurabh
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, AN T
• Application Number:
  US13/691,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20130088168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 315/294, 315/299, 315/301, 315307-308, 315316-318
• US Class Current: 315/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for commissioning a light fixture are disclosed. One method includes receiving, by the light fixture, a message from a central controller, wherein reception of the message puts the light fixture into a known condition, establishing communication between the light fixture and a user, and communicating, by either the light fixture or the user, a location of the user at a time of the established communication, to the central controller, thereby allowing the central controller to record a location of the light fixture.

Claims

1. A method of commissioning a light fixture, comprising:

receiving, by the light fixture, a message from a central controller, wherein reception of the broadcast message puts the light fixture into a known condition;

establishing communication between the light fixture and a user; and

communicating, by either the light fixture or the user, a location of the user at a time of the established communication, to the central controller, thereby allowing the central controller to record a location of the light fixture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein putting the light fixture in the known condition communicates to the user that the light fixture is prepared for commissioning.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a communication link quality between the light fixture and one or more lighting system devices.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising estimating a location of at least one of the lighting system devices based on the location of the light fixture and the communication link quality between the light fixture and the at least one lighting system device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising estimating the location of the at least one lighting system device based on locations of a plurality of lighting fixtures, and link qualities between the at least one lighting system device and each of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more lighting system devices comprise one or more gateways, and further comprising discovering the one or more gateways, comprising:

providing, by the central controller, the one or more gateways with IP addresses;

determining a location of each of the gateways, comprising each gateway notifying the central controller when the gateway has received a message from at least one light fixture, wherein the message received from the at least one light fixture indicates that the at least one light fixture has received communication from the user, wherein the central controller determines the location of the gateway based on the location of the light fixture.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein if multiple gateways receive the message, a signal quality of the message is used to determine which of the gateways is closest to the at least one light fixture, and therefore determines the location of the gateway that is the closest.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing, by the light fixture, a presence of a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communication link comprises the light fixture providing the user with an indicator that the light fixture has received an initial communication from the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communication link between the fixture and the user comprises the light fixture modulation light emitting from the fixture with information that provides identification of the light fixture.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is established between the light fixture and the user through an RF signal.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the user communicating the location of the light fixture directly to the central controller.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the light fixture communicating the location of the light fixture directly to the central controller.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of other light fixtures automatically determining their location based on the location of the light fixture.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light fixtures, wherein each light fixture automatically establishing communication between the light fixture and the user as the user travels in a structure that includes the plurality of light fixtures, wherein each light fixture automatically determines its location based on the established communication.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising aiding the location determination of each light fixture based on a map of mapped locations of the plurality of light fixture.

17. A light fixture, comprising:

a light;

a controller, wherein the controller is interfaced with the light, wherein the controller is operative to;

receive a broadcast message from a central controller, wherein reception of the broadcast message puts the light fixture into a known condition;

establish communication between the light fixture and a user; and

wherein

at least one of the controller or the user communicates a location of the user at a time of the established communication, to the central controller, thereby allowing the central controller to record a location of the light fixture.

18. A light system, comprising:

a plurality of light fixtures; and

a central controller, wherein the central controller is operable to communicate with each of the plurality of light fixtures;

wherein

each light fixture comprises;

a light; and

a controller, wherein the controller is interfaced with the light, wherein the controller is operative to;

receive a broadcast message from the central controller, wherein reception of the broadcast message puts the light fixture into a known condition;

establish communication between the light fixture and a user; and

wherein

at least one of the controller or the user communicates a location of the user at a time of the established communication, to the central controller, thereby allowing the central controller to record a location of the light fixture.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising at least one of the controller or a device controller operative to:

determine a communication link quality between at least one of the plurality of the light fixtures and one or more lighting system devices, wherein the one or more lighting system devices comprises the device controller.

estimate a location of at least one of the lighting system devices based on the location of the light fixture and the communication link quality between the light fixture and the at least one lighting system device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising estimating the location of the at least one lighting system device based on locations of a plurality of lighting fixtures, and link qualities between the at least one lighting system device and each of the plurality of lighting fixtures.