Method and apparatus for a customizable lighting controller

• US 9,386,662 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Carle, Andrew Jacob, Hoddie, J. Peter, Krueger, Chris, Soquet, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Anh
• Application Number:
  US14/528,845
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• 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 present disclosure describes techniques and apparatuses for a customizable lighting controller. In some aspects a lighting controller is described that includes a display device to display selectable lighting functions, switches that each correspond to one of the selectable lighting functions, and a lighting controller manager to receive an input of a selectable lighting function at one of the switches of the lighting controller. The lighting controller manager can then initiate a display of the selected lighting level on the display device of the lighting controller. The lighting controller manager can also control a dimming module to set the selected lighting level.

Claims

1. A lighting controller configured to set a lighting level of a light, the lighting controller comprising:

a display device configured to display a plurality of selectable lighting functions;

a proximity sensor configured to sense a proximity of a user to the lighting controller;

a processor and memory system to implement a lighting controller manager, wherein the lighting control manager is configured to;

receive an input of a first selectable lighting function of the plurality of selectable lighting functions;

initiate a display, on the display device, of the lighting level selected by the input;

determine a distance of the user from the lighting controller based on the sensed proximity; and

reduce an amount of information that is displayed on the display device based on a determination that the determined distance of the user is greater than a distance threshold;

or

increase the amount of information that is displayed on the display device based on a determination that the determined distance of the user is less than the distance threshold.

4. The lighting controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of switches each corresponding to a selectable lighting function of the plurality of selectable lighting functions; and

the lighting control manager is configured to;

receive an input of a first selectable lighting function of the plurality of selectable lighting functions at a switch corresponding to the first selectable lighting function effective to select the lighting level for the light; and

control a dimming module to set the light to the lighting level selected by the input.

7. The lighting controller of claim 4, wherein the lighting controller manager is further configured to:

receive an additional input at another switch of the plurality of switches; and

initiate scrolling the selectable lighting functions that are displayed on the display device.

8. The lighting controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a network interface; and

the lighting controller manager is configured to receive a command via the network interface from a companion device, the command effective to set the lighting level.

9. The lighting controller of claim 8, further comprising:

a microphone configured to receive an audio signal emitted from an audio speaker of the companion device;

the lighting controller manager is configured to;

decode the audio signal to determine network configuration information; and

join a network using the decoded network configuration information to configure the lighting controller for control by the companion device over the network.

10. The lighting controller of claim 9, wherein the companion device includes the network configuration information and is configured to encode the network configuration information into the audio signal that is emitted from the audio speaker of the companion device.

11. The lighting controller of claim 8, wherein the lighting controller manager is configured to:

receive content for display on the display device; and

animate transitions between the content that is displayed on the display device.

12. The lighting controller of claim 11, wherein the received content comprises at least one of:

images sent from the companion device, weather information, stock information, and news.

2. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a microphone of a lighting controller, an audio signal emitted from an audio speaker of a companion device;

decoding the audio signal to determine network configuration information;

joining a network using the decoded network configuration information to configure the lighting controller for control by the companion device over the network;

receiving a command from the companion device, via the network, the command effective to set a lighting level of a light; and

controlling a dimming module to set the light to the lighting level in the received command.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of selectable lighting functions on a display of the lighting controller;

receiving an input of a selectable lighting function at one of a plurality of switches of the lighting controller, effective to select the lighting level for the light, wherein each switch of the plurality of switches corresponds to a selectable lighting function of the plurality of selectable lighting functions;

initiating the display of the lighting level selected by the input on the display of the lighting controller; and

controlling the dimming module to set the light to the lighting level selected by the input.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an additional input at another switch of the plurality of switches; and

initiating scrolling the selectable lighting functions that are displayed on the display.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sensing a proximity of a user to the lighting controller;

determining a distance of the user from the lighting controller based on the sensed proximity; and

reducing an amount of information that is displayed on the display based on a determination that the determined distance of the user is greater than a distance threshold;

or

increasing the amount of information that is displayed on the display based on a determination that the determined distance of the user is less than the distance threshold.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the companion device includes the network configuration information and is configured to encode the network configuration information into the audio signal that is emitted from the audio speaker of the companion device.

16. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving content for display on the display; and

animating transitions between the content that is displayed on the display.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the received content comprises at least one of:

images sent from the companion device, weather information, stock information, and news.

3. A system, comprising:

a display device configured to display a plurality of selectable lighting functions;

a network interface;

a lighting controller manager, wherein the lighting control manager is configured to;

initiate a display, on the display device, of a lighting level selected by an input;

receive content items for display on the display device, the received content items comprising at least one of;

images sent from a companion device, weather information, stock information, and news; and

animate transitions between the content items that are displayed on the display device.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of switches each corresponding to a selectable lighting function of the plurality of selectable lighting functions; and

the lighting control manager is configured to;

receive an input of a first selectable lighting function of the plurality of selectable lighting functions at a switch corresponding to the first selectable lighting function effective to select the lighting level for the light; and

control a dimming module to set the light to the lighting level selected by the input.

18. The system of claim 5, wherein the lighting controller manager is further configured to:

receive an additional input at another switch of the plurality of switches; and

initiate scrolling the selectable lighting functions that are displayed on the display device.

19. The system of claim 3, wherein the lighting controller manager is configured to receive a command via the network interface from the companion device, the command effective to set the lighting level.

20. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to sense a proximity of a user to the lighting controller; and

wherein

the lighting control manager is configured to;

determine a distance of the user from the lighting controller based on the sensed proximity; and

reduce an amount of information that is displayed on the display device based on a determination that the determined distance of the user is greater than a distance threshold;

or

increase the amount of information that is displayed on the display device based on a determination that the determined distance of the user is less than the distance threshold.

21. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a microphone configured to receive an audio signal emitted from an audio speaker of the companion device; and

wherein

the lighting controller manager is configured to;

decode the audio signal to determine network configuration information; and

configure the network interface to join a network using the decoded network configuration information to configure the lighting controller for control by the companion device over the network.