Light bulb and method and system for use in configuring same

• US 9,445,482 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Inventors: Brochu, Christian, Laflamme, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US14/717,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20150342011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 315/294, 315/131, 315/297
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/124 using tapes, cards or discs with optically sensed marks or codes G05B19/128, G05B19/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25112 Using firmware stored in processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3577 Emulating the dimming characteristics, brightness or colour temperature of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/29 Circuits providing for substitution of the light source in case of its failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An intelligent light bulb is provided as well as a method, devices and computer program product of configuring such an intelligent light bulb. The intelligent light bulb comprises an LED lighting element and a programmable controller. The programmable controller comprises firmware storing instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, where the firmware includes a passive memory component having a near field communication memory (NFC memory). The firmware is responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal. The programmable controller also includes a processing unit in communication with the firmware for operating the LED lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware. Advantageously, the proposed intelligent light bulb can be configured using the signal carrying the firmware update information. In some embodiments, this may allow modifications of certain operating characteristic of the intelligent light bulb to be performed after manufacturing, including modifications pertaining to light color emitted and/or manner of operating the light bulb.

Claims

1. An intelligent light bulb comprising:

a) an LED lighting element;

b) a programmable controller in communication with said LED lighting element, said programmable controller comprising;

i) a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, said memory module including a passive memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, wherein the passive memory component includes a near field communication memory (NFC memory), the passive memory component of the memory module being configured to be responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for;

(1) drawing energy from the signal carrying firmware update information to activate the passive memory component; and

(2) causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal, at least part of said firmware update process being performed while the passive memory component remains activated using energy drawn from said signal as its source of electrical energy;

ii) a processing unit in communication with said memory module, said processing unit being programmed for operating the LED lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware.

2. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 1, wherein at least part of the firmware update process is performed while the passive memory component remains activated using the energy drawn from said signal as its sole source of electrical energy.

3. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 2, wherein the instructions stored in the memory module include program code implementing a set of light bulb configurations, said set of light bulb configurations including at least a first light bulb configuration and a light bulb second configuration.

4. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 3, wherein the firmware update information conveys an access code, the access code being associated with a specific light bulb configuration from said set of light bulb configuration, and wherein, following the performance of the firmware update process, the processing unit operates the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the specific light bulb configuration associated with the access code.

5. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 4, wherein the processing unit is programmed for selecting the specific configuration from said set of light bulb configurations at least in part by processing the access code to select a portion of the instructions stored on the memory module, where the selected portion of the instruction implements the specific light bulb configuration.

6. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 5, wherein said LED lighting element comprises multiple LED light components characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the LED light components allow respective distinct light colors to be generated by the light bulb and wherein the instructions of the firmware enable operating at least one specific subset of the LED light components in at least one specific manner.

7. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 6, wherein at least some light bulb configurations in said set of light bulb configurations are associated with respective subsets of the LED light components.

8. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 7, wherein:

a) the firmware update process includes storing the firmware update information carried by the signal on the passive memory component; and

b) wherein the processing unit of the controller is programmed for;

i) selecting a specific configuration from the set of configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory module at least in part by processing the firmware update information stored on the passive memory component; and

ii) operating the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the selected specific configuration implemented by the program code stored in the memory module of the controller.

9. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 2, wherein the firmware update information includes program code for implementing one of a first light bulb configuration and a second light bulb configuration.

10. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 9, wherein said LED lighting element comprises multiple LED light components characterized in that:

a) operating in a specific manner a first subset of said LED light components allows a first light color to be generated by the light bulb; and

b) operating in a specific manner a second subset of said LED light components causes a second light color to be generated by the light bulb, wherein said first light color is visually distinguishable from said second light color.

11. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 10, wherein said first light color is a first white light color associated with a first color temperature and where said second light color is a second white light color associated with a second specific color temperature.

12. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 9, wherein said processing unit is programmed for:

a) operating the first subset of the LED light components of the intelligent light bulb when operating the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the first configuration; and

b) operating the second subset of the LED light components when operating the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the second configuration.

13. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 2, wherein the passive memory component is configured for communicating with the device external to the intelligent light bulb over a short range radio frequency (RF) communication link established between the passive memory component and the device external to the intelligent light bulb.

14. An auxiliary device suitable for configuring an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising an LED lighting element and a programmable controller for operating said LED lighting element, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, said memory module including a passive memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the programmable controller being programmed for operating the intelligent light bulb at least in part in accordance with the instructions stored on the memory module, said auxiliary device comprising:

a) a communication interface suitable for communicating with the programmable controller of the intelligent light bulb over a wireless communication link;

b) a processing unit in communication with the communication interface programmed for transmitting a signal over the wireless communication link to the intelligent light bulb carrying firmware update information associated with the intelligent light bulb, the signal being configured for;

i) causing the passive memory component of the programmable controller to be activated by drawing energy from said signal; and

ii) causing a firmware update process to be performed by the controller to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal, at least part of said firmware update process being performed by the controller while the passive memory component remains activated using said signal as its source of electrical energy.

15. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 14, wherein the wireless communication link is a radio frequency (RF) communication link and wherein the signal carrying the firmware update information associated with the intelligent light bulb is an RF signal.

16. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 14, wherein the auxiliary device is embodied in an NFC enabled smartphone and wherein the passive memory component includes a near field communication memory (NFC memory).

17. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 14, wherein the firmware update information carried by the signal includes program code implementing a specific light bulb configuration associated with a specific variation of the intelligent light bulb, and wherein the firmware update process causes the program code implementing the specific light bulb configuration to be stored on the memory module of the controller to enable the controller of the intelligent light bulb to operate the intelligent light bulb based on the specific light bulb configuration implemented by the program code.

18. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 17, wherein the LED lighting element comprises multiple LED light components characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the LED light components allow respective distinct light colors to be generated by the light bulb and wherein the specific light bulb configuration implemented by the firmware update information is associated with at least one specific distinct subset of the LED light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.

19. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 14, wherein the firmware of the controller stores program code implementing a set of configurations including at least a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the firmware update information carried by the signal conveys an access code associated with a specific one of the first configuration and the second configuration, and wherein the firmware update process causes the access code to be stored on the passive memory component of the memory module to enable the controller to select the specific one of the first configuration and the second configuration to which the access code is associated and to operate the intelligent light bulb in accordance with the selected specific one of the first configuration and the second configuration.

20. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 14, wherein the firmware update information carried by the signal includes program code implementing a set of configurations, said set of configurations including at least a first configuration and a second configuration.

21. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 20, wherein the LED lighting element comprises multiple LED light components and wherein:

a) the first configuration is for enabling the controller of the intelligent light bulb to operate a first subset set of components of the LED light components; and

b) the second configuration is for enabling the controller of the intelligent light bulb to operate a second subset of the LED light components.

22. The auxiliary device as defined in claim 20, wherein:

a) the first configuration is for enabling the programmable controller to operate the intelligent light bulb in a first manner; and

b) the second configuration is for enabling the controller to operate the intelligent light bulb to control in a second manner.

23. A method for configuring an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising an LED lighting element and a programmable controller for operating said LED lighting element, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, said memory module including a passive memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the programmable controller being programmed for operating the intelligent light bulb at least in part in accordance with the instructions stored on the memory module, said method comprising:

a) using an auxiliary device, obtaining firmware update information associated with the intelligent light bulb;

b) using the auxiliary device, transmitting a signal carrying the firmware update information to the intelligent light bulb over a wireless communication link, the signal being configured for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal, at least part of said firmware update process being performed by the controller while the passive memory component remains activated using energy drawn from said signal as its source of electrical energy.

24. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein the auxiliary device is embodied in an NFC enabled computing device and wherein the passive memory component includes a near field communication memory (NFC memory).

25. A manufacturing process for an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising an LED lighting element and a controller for operating said LED lighting element, the controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the LED lighting element, said memory module including a passive memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the controller being configurable for operating a specific one of a plurality of variations of the intelligent light bulb at least in part in dependence of instructions stored on the memory module, said manufacturing process implementing the method defined in claim 23.

26. A computer program product, tangibly stored on one or more tangible computer readable storage media, for configuring an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising an LED lighting element and a programmable controller for operating said LED lighting element, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the intelligent light bulb, said memory module including a passive memory component, the programmable controller being programmed for operating the intelligent light bulb at least in part in accordance with the instructions stored on the memory module, the program product comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a programmable device including at least one programmable processor to implement the method defined in claim 23.

27. An intelligent light bulb comprising:

a) a lighting element comprising multiple light components characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the light components allows respective distinct light colors to be generated by the light bulb;

b) a programmable controller in communication with said lighting element, said programmable controller comprising;

i) a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the lighting element, said memory module including a passive memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the passive memory component of the memory module being configured to be responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for;

(1) drawing energy from the signal carrying firmware update information to activate the passive memory component; and

(2) causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal, at least part of said firmware update process being performed while the passive memory component remains activated using energy drawn from said signal as its source of electrical energy;

ii) a processing unit in communication with said memory module, said processing unit being programmed for operating the lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware, wherein the instructions of the firmware enable the processing unit to control operations of specific subsets of the light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.

28. The intelligent light bulb as defined in claim 27, wherein said distinct light colors include at least a first white light associated with a first specific color temperature and a second white light color associated with a second specific color temperature.

29. An intelligent light bulb comprising:

a) an LED lighting element;

b) a programmable controller in communication with said LED lighting element, said programmable controller comprising;

i) a passive memory component including a near field communication memory (NFC memory), said passive memory component being configured to be responsive to a signal received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for drawing energy from said signal to activate the passive memory component and causing an update process to be performed to modify information stored on said passive memory component based on information carried by the signal, at least part of said update process being performed while the passive memory component remains activated using energy drawn from said signal as its source of electrical energy;

ii) a processing unit in communication with said passive memory component, said processing unit being programmed for operating the LED lighting element at least in part in accordance with instructions stored on the passive memory component.