Light fixture adapter (LFA) security monitoring

• US 9,335,750 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Jin, Cheung, Lee, Kelly, Todd Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US13/909,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20130261774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 315/291
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A security monitoring system/method implementing distributed Internet-based environmental monitoring and control is disclosed. The system utilizes a smart gateway power controller (SGPC) configured for new/retrofit installation into electrical power distribution networks to allow controlled connection of an AC power source to a customer load device under direction of local or remote Internet direction. The SGPC may also be configured with sensors to detect motion, audio, video, visual images, smoke, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, light/darkness, and other environmental data. The SGPC may be configured using a local web-based graphical user interface (GUI) to relay collected sensor information to a remote web browser hosted on a remote computing device. The GUI may incorporate a configuration/setup interface allowing mapping of sensor data to information associated with the sensor location and triggered security reports to occur based on collected sensor data.

Claims

1. A security monitoring system comprising a light fixture adapter (LFA) further comprising:

(a) source electrical input connector (SEIC);

(b) sink electrical output connector (SEOC);

(c) lamp dimmer control (LDC);

(d) integrated computing device (ICD);

(e) light fixture adapter sensor (LFAS); and

(f) wireless communication interface (WCI);

wherein;

said SEIC, said SEOC, said LDC, said ICD, said LFAS, and said WCI are contained within a cylindrical housing configured to be installed between an existing electrical lamp and an existing electrical lamp fixture;

said LDC is configured to control the flow of electrical current from said SEIC to said SEOC under direction of said ICD;

said LFAS comprises an imaging sensor;

said ICD is configured to monitor said LFAS;

said ICD is configured to control said LDC in response to inputs from said LFAS;

said ICD is configured to monitor said WCI;

said ICD is configured to control said LDC in response to inputs from said WCI;

said ICD is configured with a web-browser interface permitting remote monitoring of said LFAS is said WCI;

said ICD is configured with a web-browser interface permitting remote control of said LDC via said WCI;

said ICD is configured to execute instructions stored in a lamp fixture adapter program (LFAP);

said LFAP is configured to allow local control and monitoring of said LDC in response to inputs from said LFAS;

said LFAP is configured to allow local control and monitoring of said LFAS in response to inputs from said WCI;

said LFAP is configured to allow said LFAS to be monitored and controlled by said web-browser interface;

said LFAP is configured to allow reporting of LFAS detected events to said WCI;

said LFAP is configured to be remotely programmable via said WCI via said web-browser interface; and

said ICD is configured to collect data from said LFAS based on configuration information defined by a web-browser interface hosted by said ICD and transmit said collected data to a remote computing device via said WCI thru a wireless router.

2. The security monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said SEIC comprises an E26 light bulb socket and said SEOC comprises an E26 light bulb receptacle.

3. The security monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said data collection is determined by data read from said LFAS by said ICD.

4. The security monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said WCI is configured to communicate with other light fixture adapters (LFAs) via a wireless communication network.

5. The security monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said WCI is configured to operate as a router within a group of light fixture adapters (LFAs).

6. The security monitoring system of claim 1 wherein operation of said LDC is determined by the state of a wall mounted electrical switch that is sensed by an ICD in a remote LFA.

7. A security monitoring method, said method operating in conjunction with a security monitoring system comprising a light fixture adapter (LFA) comprising:

(a) source electrical input connector (SEIC);

(b) sink electrical output connector (SEOC);

(c) lamp dimmer control (LDC);

(d) integrated computing device (ICD);

(e) light fixture adapter sensor (LFAS); and

(f) wireless communication interface (WCI);

wherein;

said SEIC, said SEOC, said LDC, said ICD, said LFAS, and said WCI are contained within a cylindrical housing configured to be installed between an existing electrical lamp and an existing electrical lamp fixture;

said LDC is configured to control the flow of electrical current from said SEIC to said SEOC under direction of said ICD;

said LFAS comprises an imaging sensor;

said ICD is configured to monitor said LFAS;

said ICD is configured to control said LDC in response to inputs from said LFAS;

said ICD is configured to monitor said WCI;

said ICD is configured to control said LDC in response to inputs from said WCI;

said ICD is configured with a web-browser interface permitting remote monitoring of said LFAS via said. WCI;

said ICD is configured with a web-browser interface permitting remote control of said LDC vie said WCI;

said ICD is configured to execute instructions stored in a lamp fixture adapter program (LFAP);

said LFAP is configured to allow local control and monitoring of said LDC in response to inputs from said LFAS;

said LFAP is configured to allow local control and monitoring of said LFAS in response to inputs from said WCI;

said LFAP is configured to allow said LFAS to be monitored and controlled by said web-browser interface;

said LEAP is configured to allow reporting of LFAS detected events to said WCI;

said LFAP is configured to be remotely programmable via said CI via said web-browser interface; and

said ICD is configured to collect data from said LFAS based on configuration information defined by a web-browser interface hosted by said ICD and transmit said collected data to a remote computing device via said WCI thru a wireless router

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) Determining if a computer network is available, and if not, proceeding to step (5);

(2) Connecting to said computer network;

(3) Establishing a web-based Internet security monitoring and control interface;

(4) Loading said LFAP from a web-server based on a user configuration setup;

(5) Executing LFAP instructions on said ICD to monitor said LFAS and control said LDC;

(6) Determining if a LFAS event has occurred and if not, proceeding to step (8);

(7) Reporting said event and/or sending data to a web-based remote interface;

(8) Determining if LDC control is required by a local or remote control instruction, and if not, proceeding to step (1);

(9) Executing a dimming instruction protocol on said LDC based on LFAS input;

(10) Determining if LFAS data or relayed data from another LFA has been received, and if not proceeding to step (1); and

(11) Forwarding LFAS data to a target data recipient over the Internet and proceeding to step (1).

8. The security monitoring method of claim 7 wherein said SEIC comprises an E26 light bulb socket and said SEOC comprises an E26 light bulb receptacle.

9. The security monitoring method of claim 7 wherein said data collection is determined by data read from said LFAS by said ICD.

10. The security monitoring method of claim 7 wherein said WCI is configured to communicate with other light fixture adapters (LFAs) via a wireless communication network.

11. The security monitoring method of claim 7 wherein said WCI is configured to operate as a router within a group of light fixture adapters (LFAs).

12. The security monitoring method of claim 7 wherein operation of said LDC is determined by the state of a wall mounted electrical switch that is sensed by an ICD in a remote LFA.

13. A tangible non-transitory computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means comprising a security monitoring method wherein said method controls a security monitoring system comprising:

(a) source electrical input connector (SEIC);

(b) sink electrical output, connector (SEOC);

(c) lamp dimmer control (LDC);

(d) integrated computing device (ICD);

(e) light fixture adapter sensor (LFAS); and

(f) wireless communication interface (WCI);

wherein;

said SEIC, said SEOC, said LDC, said ICD, said LFAS, and said WCI are contained within a cylindrical housing configured to be installed between an existing electrical lamp and an existing electrical lamp fixture;

said LDC is configured to control the flow of electrical current from said SEIC to said SEOC under direction of said ICC;

said LFAS comprises an imaging sensor;

said ICD is configured to monitor said LFAS;

said ICD is configured to control said LDC in response to inputs from said LFAS;

said ICD is configured to monitor said WCI;

said ICD is configured to control said LDC in response to inputs from said WCI;

said ICD is configured with a web-browser interface permitting remote monitoring of said LFAS via said WCI;

said ICD is configured with a web-browser interface permitting remote control of said LDC via said WCI;

said ICD is configured to execute instructions stored in a lamp fixture adapter program (LFAP);

said LFAP is configured to allow local control and monitoring of said LDC in response to inputs from said LFAS;

said LFAP is configured to allow local control and monitoring of said LFAS in response to inputs from said WCI;

said LFAP is configured to allow said LFAS to be monitored and controlled by said web-browser interface;

said LFAP is configured to allow reporting of LFAS detected events to said WCI;

said LFAP is configured to be remotely programmable via said WCI via said web-browser interface; and

said ICD is configured to collect data from said LFAS based on configuration information defined by a web-browser interface hosted by said ICC and transmit said collected data to a remote computing device via said WCI thru a wireless router

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) Determining if a computer network is available, and if not, proceeding to step (5);

(2) Connecting to said computer network;

(3) Establishing a web-based Internet security monitoring and control interface;

(4) Loading said LFAP from a web-server based on a user configuration setup;

(5) Executing LFAP instructions on said ICD to monitor said LFAS and control said LCD;

(6) Determining if a LFAS event has occurred and if not, proceeding to step (8);

(7) Reporting said event and/or sending data to a web-based remote interface;

(8) Determining if LDC control is required by a local or remote control instruction, and if not, proceeding to step (1);

(9) Executing a dimming instruction protocol on said LDC based on LFAS input;

(10) Determining if LFAS data or relayed data from another LFA has been received, and if not, proceeding to step (1); and

(11) Forwarding LFAS data to a target data recipient over the Internet, and proceeding to step (1).

14. The computer usable medium of claim 13 wherein said SEIC comprises an E26 light bulb socket and said SEOC comprises an E26 light bulb receptacle.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 13 wherein said data collection is determined by data read from said LFAS by said ICD).

16. The computer usable medium of claim 13 wherein said WCI is configured to communicate with other light fixture adapters (LFAs) via a wireless communication network.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 13 wherein said WCI is configured to operate as a router within a group of light fixture adapters (LFAs).

18. The computer usable medium of claim 13 wherein operation of said LDC is determined by the state of a wall mounted electrical switch that is sensed by an ICD in a remote LFA.