Motion activated off grid LED light

• US 9,342,967 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Environment LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Recker, Michael V., Levine, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, QUANG
• Application Number:
  US13/469,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 340/13.24, 340/13.25, 340/13.26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/045 the sensor receiving a signal from a remote controller
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate remotely controlling a wireless lighting module. The wireless lighting module can include a power source such as a battery, a solar cell, and the like as well as an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The LEDs can be controlled based upon a received input (e.g., communicated by way of a radio frequency signal, an infrared signal, . . . ). For example, the input can be obtained from a remote control, a sensor, a differing wireless lighting module, an radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and so forth. The input can be utilized to switch one or more LEDs on or off, change the intensity or color of illumination, modulate illumination, alter the direction of illumination, etc.

Claims

1. A wireless lighting module comprising:

at least one light emitting diode (LED) configured to output light in a first illumination state and a second illumination state different from the first illumination state;

a wireless transceiver;

a timing component;

an interface component configured to receive a lighting coordination input signal from a first disparate wireless lighting module and an environmental signal from an environmental sensor while the at least one LED is in the first illumination state, wherein the lighting coordination input signal received from the first disparate wireless lightning module is configured for use in controlling illumination of the wireless lighting module, and the environmental signal is indicative of a detected proximity of an object or a detected motion;

a battery configured to supply power to the at least one LED; and

a controller configured to;

change an illumination state of the at least one LED of the wireless lighting module from the first illumination state to the second illumination state and initiate timing by the timing component in response to a received environmental signal indicating a detected proximity of an object or a detected motion;

cause generation of a first illumination state control signal in response to the received environmental signal indicating a detected proximity of an object or a detected motion and cause transmission of the first illumination state control signal, via the wireless transceiver, to one or more disparate wireless lighting modules to change an illumination state of an LED of the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules from their first illumination state to their second illumination state;

change the illumination state of the at least one LED of the wireless lighting module from the second illumination state to the first illumination state after the timing component indicates that a predetermined time period has elapsed and during which no additional environmental signal is received indicating a detected proximity of an object or a detected motion;

cause generation of a second illumination state control signal in response to the timing component indicating that the predetermined time period has elapsed and cause transmission of the second illumination state control signal, via the wireless transceiver, to the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules to change the illumination state of the LED of the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules from their second illumination state to their first illumination state;

change the illumination state of the at least one LED of the wireless lighting module from the first illumination state to the second illumination state and initiate timing by the timing component in response to a received first lighting coordination input signal from the first disparate wireless lighting module;

change the illumination state of the at least one LED of the wireless lighting module from the second illumination state to the first illumination state after the timing component indicates that an elapsed amount of time has passed subsequent to the received first lighting coordination input signal from the first disparate wireless lighting module and during which no additional lighting coordination input signals are received;

change the illumination state of the at least one LED of the wireless lighting module from the second illumination state to the first illumination state in response to receipt of a second lighting coordination input signal from the first disparate wireless lighting module; and

change the illumination state of the at least one LED of the wireless lighting module from the second illumination state to the first illumination state in response to the second lighting coordination signal being received from any of the one or more disparate wireless lighting control modules;

wherein the predetermined time period and the elapsed amount of time constitute different lengths of time;

wherein the first disparate wireless lighting module is included within the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules; and

wherein in the first illumination state, the at least one LED is powered off, and in the second illumination state, the at least one LED is powered on.

2. The wireless lighting module of claim 1, wherein the interface component is configured to receive a remote control signal from a remote control, and the controller is configured to change the illumination state of the at least one LED of the wireless lighting module from the first illumination state to the second illumination state, initiate timing by the timing component in response to the received remote control signal, and change the illumination state of the at least one LED from the second illumination state to the first illumination state after the timing component indicates that the predetermined time period has elapsed.

3. The wireless lighting module of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to cause generation of a third illumination state control signal in response to the received remote control signal and cause transmission of the third illumination state control signal, via the wireless transceiver, to the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules to change the illumination state of the LED of the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules from their first illumination state to their second illumination state.

4. The wireless lighting module of claim 1, wherein the wireless lighting module is included in at least one of a spotlight, a ceiling light, a path light, and a stair light housing.

5. The wireless lighting module of claim 1, wherein the interface component is configured to receive a remote control signal from a remote control, the remote control signal including a channel number, wherein the channel number identifies a group including the wireless lighting module and the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules, and the remote control is configured to receive the channel number via a dip switch.

6. The wireless lighting module of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to switch between a hibernation mode and an activated mode, and wherein the controller is configured to be activated and enter into the activated mode for a predetermined number of times per second, the controller is configured to monitor the wireless transceiver during the activated mode, and if the controller does not detect an output signal from the wireless transceiver during the activated mode, the controller is configured to return to the hibernation mode.

7. A method of operating a coordinated lighting unit, the coordinated lighting unit comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED), a wireless transceiver, a timing component, an interface component, a controller, and a battery, wherein the battery is configured to supply power to the at least one LED, the method comprising:

receiving, at the interface component of the coordinated lighting unit, an environmental sensor signal from an environmental sensor of the coordinated lighting unit while at least one LED of the coordinated lighting unit is in a first illumination state, wherein the environmental sensor signal is indicative of a detected proximity of an object or a detected motion;

changing an illumination state of the at least one LED of the coordinated lighting unit from the first illumination state to the second illumination state in response to the received environmental sensor signal;

initiating a timing component in response to the received environmental signal;

generating an illumination state control signal in response to the received environmental signal indicating a detected proximity of an object or a detected motion and transmitting the illumination state control signal, via a wireless transceiver of the coordinated lighting unit, to one or more disparate wireless lighting modules to change an illumination state of an LED of the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules from their first illumination state to their second illumination state;

changing the illumination state of the at least one LED of the coordinated lighting unit from the second illumination state to the first illumination state after the timing component indicates that a predetermined time period has elapsed and during which no additional environmental signal is received indicating a detected proximity of an object or a detected motion;

generating another illumination state control signal in response to the timing component indicating that the predetermined time period has elapsed;

transmitting the another illumination state control signal, via the wireless transceiver, to the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules to change an illumination state of an LED of the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules from their second illumination state to their first illumination state;

receiving a lighting coordination input signal from a first disparate wireless lighting module, via the interface component, while the at least one LED of the coordinated lighting unit is in the first illumination state;

changing the illumination state of the at least one LED of the coordinated lighting unit from the first illumination state to the second illumination state and initiating timing by the timing component in response to the received lighting coordination input signal from the first disparate wireless lighting module;

changing the illumination state of the at least one LED of the coordinated lighting unit from the second illumination state to the first illumination state after the timing component indicates that an elapsed amount of time has passed subsequent to the received lighting coordination input signal from the first disparate wireless lighting module and during which no additional lighting coordination input signals are received;

changing the illumination state of the at least one LED of the coordinated lighting unit from the second illumination state to the first illumination state in response to receipt of a second lighting coordination input signal from the first disparate wireless lighting module [prior to the timing component indicating that the elapsed amount of time has passed]; and

wherein the predetermined time period and the elapsed amount of time constitute different lengths of time;

wherein the first disparate wireless lighting module is included within the one or more disparate wireless lighting modules; and

wherein in the first illumination state, the at least one LED is powered off, and in the second illumination state, the at least one LED is powered on.