Handheld device for communicating with lighting fixtures

• US 9,433,061 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chobot, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US13/782,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20140167642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/316, 315/317, 315/319, 315/318, 315/291, 315/307, 315/308, 315/292, 315/294, 315/297, 315/295, 315/360
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/40 Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32257 the layer connector connecting to a bonding area disposed in a recess of the surface of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 47/155 : Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 : via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 : Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Control of lighting fixtures in a lighting network may be distributed among the lighting fixtures. The lighting fixtures may be broken into groups that are associated with different lighting zones. At least some of the lighting fixtures will have or be associated with one or more sensors. Within the overall lighting network or the various lighting zones, the lighting fixtures may share sensor data from their sensors. Each lighting fixture may process sensor data provided by its own sensor, a remote standalone sensor, or lighting fixture, and process the sensor data according to the lighting fixture'"'"'s own internal logic to control operation of the lighting fixture. The lighting fixtures may also receive control input from other lighting fixtures, control nodes, light switches, and commissioning tools. The control input may be processed along with the sensor data according to the internal logic to further enhance control of the lighting fixture.

Claims

1. A handheld device comprising:

a user interface;

a communications interface; and

a central processing unit associated with the user interface and the communications interface and adapted to send to at least one lighting fixture an instruction assigning an address that is used by other lighting fixtures in a lighting network to communicate with the at least one lighting fixture.

2. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the central processing unit is further adapted to send instructions assigning unique addresses to the other lighting fixtures of the lighting network.

3. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the communications interface is a short-range communication radio frequency interface that is configured to provide a limited communication range intended to communicate with only one lighting fixture in the lighting network at a time.

4. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the communications interface is a wired communication interface.

5. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the communications interface is a wireless communication interface.

6. A handheld device comprising:

a user interface;

a communications interface; and

a central processing unit associated with the user interface and the communications interface and adapted to;

receive grouping data for a plurality of lighting fixtures, including at least one lighting fixture;

assign each of the plurality of lighting fixtures to one of at least two groups based on the grouping data; and

send an instruction identifying the one of the at least two groups to which the at least one lighting fixture belongs.

7. The handheld device of claim 6 wherein the central processing unit is further adapted to send an instruction reassigning the at least one lighting fixture from the one of the at least two groups to another of the at least two groups.

8. The handheld device of claim 6 wherein the central processing unit is further adapted to send to the at least one lighting fixture an instruction assigning an address that is used by other lighting fixtures in a lighting network to communicate with the at least one lighting fixture.

9. The handheld device of claim 8 wherein the central processing unit is further adapted to send instructions assigning unique addresses to the other lighting fixtures the lighting network.

10. The handheld device of claim 6 wherein the communications interface is a short-range communication radio frequency interface that is configured to provide a limited communication range intended to communicate with only one lighting fixture in a lighting network at a time.

11. The handheld device of claim 6 wherein the communications interface is a wired communication interface.

12. The handheld device of claim 6 wherein the communications interface is a wireless communication interface.