Networked, wireless lighting control system with distributed intelligence
First Claim
1. A lighting control system comprising:
- an occupancy sensor or a daylight sensor located at a first physical location and operative to automatically control the on/off state of lighting by causing line voltage to be connected/disconnected to/from the lighting via a relay;
a bridge connected to the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor and operative to route communications to and from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor, the bridge located at a second physical location different than the first physical location;
a gateway in communication with the bridge, the gateway having an input/output interface operative to receive inputs from a user for controlling or receiving information from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor;
a communications network connected to the gateway; and
a host computer or server connected to the communications network and operative to receive information from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor and the gateway via the communications network and to program the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor via the communications network, the host computer or server located at a third physical location different than the first physical location and the second physical location;
wherein;
the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor is operative to automatically control the on/off state of the lighting independently of the host computer, the gateway, and the bridge should the host computer, the gateway, or the bridge become inoperative or disconnected from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A programmable lighting control system integrates time-based, sensor-based, and manual control of lighting and other loads. The system includes one or more groups of controlled lighting areas, which may be, e.g., floors of a building. Each group may have one or more lighting zones, which may be, e.g., individual rooms or offices on a building floor. Each lighting zone includes occupancy and/or daylight sensors that may be wirelessly coupled to a gateway of the group. Each gateway is coupled to a network, such as, e.g., a local area network (LAN). Control software, residing on a computer (e.g., a personal computer or a server) coupled to the network and accessible via the network, remotely communicates with and controls the lighting zones either individually, groupwise, or globally. Each lighting zone can also be locally controlled at the gateway and can function independently of the control software and the gateway.
42 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A lighting control system comprising:
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an occupancy sensor or a daylight sensor located at a first physical location and operative to automatically control the on/off state of lighting by causing line voltage to be connected/disconnected to/from the lighting via a relay; a bridge connected to the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor and operative to route communications to and from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor, the bridge located at a second physical location different than the first physical location; a gateway in communication with the bridge, the gateway having an input/output interface operative to receive inputs from a user for controlling or receiving information from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor; a communications network connected to the gateway; and a host computer or server connected to the communications network and operative to receive information from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor and the gateway via the communications network and to program the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor via the communications network, the host computer or server located at a third physical location different than the first physical location and the second physical location;
wherein;the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor is operative to automatically control the on/off state of the lighting independently of the host computer, the gateway, and the bridge should the host computer, the gateway, or the bridge become inoperative or disconnected from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of controlling the on/off state of lighting, comprising:
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controlling the on/off state of lighting via a host computer or server connected to a communications network, the communications network connected to a gateway, the gateway connected to a bridge, the bridge connected to an occupancy sensor or daylight sensor, the occupancy sensor or daylight sensor connected to the lighting and operative to change the on/off state of the lighting by causing line voltage to be connected/disconnected to/from the lighting via a relay; and controlling the on/off state of the lighting via the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor automatically and independently of the host computer, the gateway, and the bridge should the host computer, the gateway, or the bridge become inoperative or disconnected from the occupancy sensor or the daylight sensor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A lighting control system comprising:
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a first lighting control zone located at a first physical location, the first lighting control zone comprising a first plurality of daisy-chain wired lighting control devices operative to automatically control the on/off state of first lighting in the first lighting control zone by causing line voltage to be connected/disconnected to/from the first lighting via a relay; a second lighting control zone located at a second physical location different than the first physical location, the second lighting control zone comprising a second plurality of daisy-chain wired lighting control devices operative to automatically control the on/off state of second lighting in the second lighting control zone; a bridge connected the first plurality of daisy-chain wired lighting control devices and to the second plurality of daisy-chain wired lighting control devices; a communications network operative to receive and transmit communications to and from the bridge; and a host computer or server located at a third physical location different than the first physical location and the second physical location, the host computer or server connected to the communications network and storing a first lighting control profile for controlling the first lighting control zone and a second lighting control profile for controlling the second lighting control zone;
wherein;the first plurality of daisy-chain wired lighting control devices are operative to automatically control the on/off state of the first lighting should one or more of the host computer or server, the bridge, and the communications network become inoperative or disconnected from the first lighting control zone; and the second plurality of daisy-chain wired lighting control devices are operative to automatically control the on/off state of the second lighting should one or more of the host computer or server, the bridge, and the communications network become inoperative or disconnected from the second lighting control zone. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification