Configurable light fixture, configurable lighting system and method for configuring a lighting system

• US 9,095,015 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eldoLAB Holding B.V. (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eldoLAB Holding B.V. (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Welten, Petrus Johannes Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US13/059,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,170 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1223- 123, 340 1232- 1239, 340 125- 1251, 340/13.2, 340/13.23, 340 1324- 133, 340 143- 1431, 340/5.23, 340/5.64, 340/5.71, 340/5.2, 340/426.13, 340/12.29, 340/309.16, 340/13.28, 340/870.03, 340/7.25, 340/5.1, 340/533, 340/534, 701/36, 701/49, 341/176, 343/895, 343/853, 315/155, 315/380, 315/134, 315/312, 315/149, 315/154, 315/317, 315/323, 250/205, 250/348
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00238 the transmittted data signal containing a code which is changed
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources

Abstract

A configurable light fixture for a lighting system is described. The light fixture comprising a receiver, wherein the receiver of the light fixture is arranged to, upon receipt of a pairing signal from a transmitter, store a transmitter ID comprised in the pairing signal in a first memory unit when the pairing signal is received within a pairing time window, the pairing time window being opened when the receiver is switched on from an off state, the receiver being arranged to, upon receipt of a control signal, compare a transmitter ID comprised in the control signal with the stored transmitter ID and release the control signal when the stored transmitter ID corresponds with the transmitter ID comprised in the control signal.

Claims

1. A configurable light fixture comprising a receiver for receiving a pairing signal transmitted by a transmitter of a user interface, the pairing signal comprising a receiver independent transmitter ID enabling an identification of the transmitter, the receiver being arranged to:

receive a pairing signal transmitted by the transmitter, the pairing signal comprising the receiver independent transmitter ID, the pairing signal being transmitted by the transmitter during a period T1,

store the received receiver independent transmitter ID comprised in the pairing signal in a first memory unit of the light fixture only when the pairing signal is received within a pairing time window, the pairing time window having a period T2, the period T2 at least partly overlapping the period T1,

open the pairing time window having the period T2 when the receiver is switched on from an off state,

compare, upon receipt of a control signal from a transmitter, a transmitter ID comprised in the control signal with the stored transmitter ID, and

release the control signal when the stored receiver independent transmitter ID corresponds with the transmitter ID comprised in the control signal.

2. The configurable light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the pairing time window has a fixed length.

3. The configurable light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the pairing time window is closed when the transmitter ID has been stored.

4. The configurable light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the receiver is further arranged to store a pairing code of the pairing signal in a second memory unit when the pairing code is received outside the pairing time window, the receiver further being arranged to store the transmitter ID only when the pairing code received within the pairing time window corresponds to the pairing code stored in the second memory unit.

5. The configurable light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the pairing signal further comprises a group ID, the receiver being arranged to store the group ID together with the transmitter ID.

6. The configurable light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the second memory unit comprises a non-volatile memory unit for storing the pairing code.

7. The configurable light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the first memory unit comprises a non-volatile memory unit for storing the transmitter ID.

8. The configurable light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the pairing time window is opened by momentarily interrupting a power supply to the receiver.

9. A configurable lighting system comprising a plurality of configurable light fixtures according to claim 1, and a user interface for controlling one or more configurable light fixtures of the plurality of configurable light fixtures, the user interface comprising the transmitter for transmitting the pairing signal to the receivers of the configurable light fixtures.

10. The configurable lighting system according to claim 9 wherein the pairing signal is transmitted when an on/off button of the user interface is held pushed.

11. The configurable lighting system according to claim 9 wherein the pairing signal comprises an RF signal.

12. The configurable lighting system according to claim 9 wherein the pairing signal comprises an IR signal.

13. The configurable lighting system according to claim 9 wherein the pairing signal is provided by Power Line Communication.

14. The configurable lighting system according to claim 9 wherein the pairing signal comprises a signal ID enabling the receiver to identify the pairing signal.

15. The configurable lighting system according to claim 9 wherein the user interface is provided with a battery or capacitance for powering the transmitter.

16. A method of configuring a light fixture of a lighting system, the method comprising:

receiving, at a receiver in the lighting system, a pairing signal from a transmitter of the lighting system, the pairing signal comprising a receiver independent transmitter ID enabling an identification of the transmitter, the pairing signal being transmitted by the transmitter during a period T1,

opening a pairing time window of the receiver by switching the receiver from an off state to an on state, the pairing window having a period T2, the period T2 at least partly overlapping the period T1,

storing the transmitter ID in a first memory unit of the light fixture when the pairing signal is received within the pairing time window,

compare, upon receipt of a control signal from a transmitter, a transmitter ID comprised in the control signal with the stored transmitter ID, and

release the control signal when the stored transmitter ID corresponds with the transmitter ID comprised in the control signal.