Distributed light fixture beacon transmission

• US 9,345,115 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, AN T
• Application Number:
  US14/549,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20150076993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 315130-131, 315294-295, 315307-308, 315315-316
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• 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

Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for a light fixture are disclosed. One apparatus of the light fixture includes a sensor unit and a light intensity controller. The sensor unit includes a sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light, wireless communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network, and a controller. The controller is operative to manage communication with the network, manage transmission of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons include information associated with the fixture, and generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network. The light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.

Claims

1. A light fixture comprising:

a sensor unit and a light intensity controller;

wherein

the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor, the sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

communication circuitry, the communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network;

a controller, the controller operative to;

manage communication with the network;

manage transmission of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons include information associated with the fixture, and wherein managing transmission of the beacons comprises transmitting beacon continuously over time;

generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

wherein

the light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.

2. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the fixture includes location information of the fixture.

3. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the fixture includes an identifier of the fixture.

4. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a motion sensor, and wherein managing transmission of the beacons comprises triggering transmission of a beacon upon sensing motion by the motion sensor.

5. The light fixture of claim 4, further comprising a battery, wherein the battery provides electrical power to the light fixture.

6. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the managing the transmission of beacons includes receiving a location request from a mobile device, and responding with transmission of one or more beacons.

7. The light fixture of claim 6, wherein the transmitted beacons include a location of the light fixture, and wherein the mobile device determines its location based on the location information of the light fixture.

8. The light fixture of claim 6, wherein the transmitted beacons include an identifier of the light fixture, and wherein the mobile device determines its location by determining a location of the light fixture based on the identifier.

9. The light fixture of claim 8, further comprising supplementing the location determination with RSSI (receive signal strength indicator) measurements between the mobile device and the light fixture.

10. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture is further operative to:

receive a broadcast message from a central controller, wherein reception of the broadcast message puts the light fixture into a known condition, wherein putting the light fixture in the known condition communicates to a user that the light fixture is prepared for commissioning;

establishing, through the managed transmission of the beacons, communication between the light fixture and a mobile device of the user; and

communicating, by either the light fixture or the mobile device, 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.

11. A light fixture comprising:

a sensor unit and a light intensity controller;

wherein

the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor, the sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

communication circuitry, the communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network;

a controller, the controller operative to;

manage communication with the network;

manage transmission of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons include information associated with the fixture, and wherein managing transmission of the beacons comprises transmitting the beacons with at a transmission signal power level of less than a threshold level, wherein the transmitted beacon cover less than predetermined area;

generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

wherein

the light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.

12. The light fixture of claim 11, wherein a plurality of other light fixtures transmit beacons at a transmission signal power level of less than the threshold, enabling a mobile device to receive beacons from the light fixture and the other light fixtures and estimate a location of the mobile device, wherein estimating the location of the mobile device comprises measuring a receive signal strength of the received beacons, estimating a distance between the mobile device and the light fixture and between the mobile device and each of the other light fixtures, and estimating the location by triangulating the estimated distances.

13. The light fixture of claim 12, wherein each of the light fixture and the other light fixtures transmit the beacons after sensing motion, thereby limiting how many light fixtures transmit beacons.

14. A method of operating a light fixture comprising:

generating, by a sensor of the light fixture, a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

maintaining a communications link between the light fixture and a network;

managing communication with the network;

managing transmission of beacons through wireless communication circuitry of the light fixture, wherein the beacons include information associated with the fixture, and wherein managing transmission of the beacons comprises transmitting beacon continuously over time;

generating dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

adjusting a dimming control line of a luminaire of the light fixture based on the dimming control.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor includes a motion sensor, and wherein managing transmission of the beacons comprises triggering transmission of a beacon upon sensing motion by the motion sensor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the managing the transmission of beacons includes receiving a location request from a mobile device, and responding with transmission of one or more beacons, wherein the transmitted beacons include a location of the light fixture, and wherein the mobile device determines its location based on the location information of the light fixture.

17. A method of operating a light fixture comprising:

generating, by a sensor of the light fixture, a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

maintaining a communications link between the light fixture and a network;

managing communication with the network;

managing transmission of beacons through wireless communication circuitry of the light fixture, wherein the beacons include information associated with the fixture, and wherein managing transmission of the beacons comprises transmitting the beacons with at a transmission signal power level of less than a threshold level, wherein the transmitted beacon cover less than predetermined area;

generating dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

adjusting a dimming control line of a luminaire of the light fixture based on the dimming control.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of other light fixtures transmit beacons at a transmission signal power level of less than the threshold, enabling a mobile device to receive beacons from the light fixture and the other light fixtures and estimate a location of the mobile device, wherein estimating the location of the mobile device comprises measuring a receive signal strength of the received beacons, estimating a distance between the mobile device and the light fixture and between the mobile device and each of the other light fixtures, and estimating the location by triangulating the estimated distances.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the light fixture and the other light fixtures transmit the beacons after sensing motion, thereby limiting how many light fixtures transmit beacons.