Distributed processing using resources of intelligent lighting elements of a lighting system
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- intelligent system elements;
each of a plurality of the intelligent system elements including a light source and being configured as a lighting device, and at least one of the intelligent system, elements;
including a user interface component and being configured as a lighting controller, or including a detector and being configured as a sensor;
wherein each respective intelligent system element further includes;
a communication interface configured to enable communication via a link of a data communication network available to the intelligent system elements;
a processor coupled to the light source, the user interface component or the detector and coupled to communicate via the communication interface and the network link;
a memory accessible to the processor;
programming in the memory which configures the processor to control operations of the respective intelligent system element as a lighting device, a lighting controller or a sensor and which configures the processor to implement distributed processing functions, including functions to;
when the respective intelligent system element has a processing job to perform using resources of others of the intelligent system elements;
query the other intelligent system elements and receive responses from the other intelligent system elements as to whether or not the other intelligent system elements have processing or memory resources available for the processing job;
based on the responses, allocate portions of the processing job to a plurality of the other intelligent elements;
send data and instructions to each intelligent system element of the plurality of the other intelligent system elements, for performing an allocated portion of the processing job;
receive from at least some of the plurality of the other intelligent system elements results of the performance of the allocated portions of the processing job;
processing the received results to determine an overall result of the processing job; and
performing an action based on the overall result of the processing job.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary lighting system utilizes intelligent system elements, such as lighting devices, user interfaces for lighting control or the like and possibly sensors, and utilizes network communication amongst such intelligent system elements. Some processing functions performed within the system are implemented on a distributed processing basis, by two or more of the intelligent elements of the lighting system. Distributed processing, for example, may enable use of available processor and/or memory resources of a number of intelligent system elements to process a particular job. Another distributed processing approach might entail programming to configure two or more of the intelligent system elements to implement multiple instances of a server functionality with respect to client functionalities implemented on intelligent system elements.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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intelligent system elements; each of a plurality of the intelligent system elements including a light source and being configured as a lighting device, and at least one of the intelligent system, elements;
including a user interface component and being configured as a lighting controller, or including a detector and being configured as a sensor;wherein each respective intelligent system element further includes; a communication interface configured to enable communication via a link of a data communication network available to the intelligent system elements; a processor coupled to the light source, the user interface component or the detector and coupled to communicate via the communication interface and the network link; a memory accessible to the processor; programming in the memory which configures the processor to control operations of the respective intelligent system element as a lighting device, a lighting controller or a sensor and which configures the processor to implement distributed processing functions, including functions to; when the respective intelligent system element has a processing job to perform using resources of others of the intelligent system elements; query the other intelligent system elements and receive responses from the other intelligent system elements as to whether or not the other intelligent system elements have processing or memory resources available for the processing job; based on the responses, allocate portions of the processing job to a plurality of the other intelligent elements; send data and instructions to each intelligent system element of the plurality of the other intelligent system elements, for performing an allocated portion of the processing job; receive from at least some of the plurality of the other intelligent system elements results of the performance of the allocated portions of the processing job; processing the received results to determine an overall result of the processing job; and performing an action based on the overall result of the processing job. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An intelligent system element for operation in a lighting system, the intelligent system element comprising:
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a lighting related component; a communication interface configured to enable communication via a link of a data communication network with other intelligent elements of the lighting system; a processor coupled to the lighting related component and coupled to communicate via the communication interface and the network link; a memory accessible to the processor; programming in the memory which configures the processor to control a lighting related operation of the intelligent system element and which configures the processor to implement distributed processing functions, including functions to; when the intelligent system element has a processing job to perform using resources of the other intelligent elements of the lighting system; query the other intelligent elements of the lighting system and receive responses from the other intelligent elements of the lighting system as to whether or not the other intelligent elements of the lighting system have processing or memory resources available for the processing job; based on the responses, allocate portions of the processing job to a plurality of the other intelligent elements of the lighting system; send data and instructions to each element of the plurality of the other intelligent elements of the lighting system for performing an allocated portion of the processing job; receive from at least some of the plurality of the other intelligent elements of the lighting system results of the performance of the allocated portions of the processing job; processing the received results to determine an overall result of the processing job; and performing an action based on the overall result of the processing job. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18)
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11. A system, comprising:
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intelligent system elements, each of a plurality of the intelligent system elements including a light source and being configured as a lighting device, and at least one of the intelligent system elements;
including a user interface component and being configured as a lighting controller, or including a detector and being configured as a sensor;wherein each respective intelligent system element further includes; a communication interface configured to enable communication via a link of a data communication network available to the intelligent system elements; a processor coupled to the light source, the user interface component or the detector and coupled to communicate via the communication interface and the network link; a memory accessible to the processor; programming in the memory which configures the processor to control operations of the respective intelligent system element as a lighting device, a lighting controller or a sensor and which configures the processor to implement distributed processing functions, including functions to; when another of the intelligent system elements has a processing job to perform on a distributed basis; respond to an inquiry received from the other intelligent system element via the network by sending a response with information identifying processing resources of the processor and/or resources of the memory available for distributed processing via the network to the other intelligent system element; receive data and instructions for performing a portion of the processing job from the other intelligent system element via the network; process the received data in accordance with the instructions using resources of the processor and/or memory of the respective lighting device; and send a result of the processing via the network to the other intelligent system element. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An intelligent system element for operation in a lighting system, the intelligent system element comprising:
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a lighting related component; a communication interface configured to enable communication via a link of a data communication network with other intelligent elements of the lighting system; a processor coupled to the lighting related component and coupled to communicate via the communication interface and the network link; a memory accessible to the processor; programming in the memory which configures the processor to control a lighting related operation of the intelligent system element and which configures the processor to implement distributed processing functions, including functions to; when one of the other intelligent elements of the lighting system has a processing job to perform on a distributed basis; respond to an inquiry received from the other intelligent element of the lighting system via the network by sending a response with information identifying processing resources of the processor and/or resources of the memory available for distributed processing via the network to the other intelligent element; receive data and instructions for performing a portion of the processing job from the other intelligent element via the network; process the received data in accordance with the instructions using resources of the processor and/or memory; and send a result of the processing via the network to the other intelligent element.
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19. A system, comprising:
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intelligent system elements, each of a plurality of the intelligent system elements including a light source and being configured as a lighting device, and at least, one of the intelligent system elements;
including a user interface component and being configured as a lighting controller, or including a detector and being configured as a sensor;wherein each respective intelligent system element further includes; (a) a communication interface configured to enable communication via a link of a data communication network; (b) a processor coupled to the light source, the user interface component or the detector and coupled to communicate via the communication interface and the network link; (c) a memory accessible to the processor; and (d) programming in the memory which configures the processor to control operations of the respective intelligent system element as a lighting device, a lighting controller or a sensor; two instances of server programming stored in the memories of respective first and second ones of the intelligent system elements for execution by processors of the first and second intelligent system elements, which configure the first and second intelligent system elements to operate in a distributed processing fashion to implement a server function with respect to an overall processing function of the system and related server communications via the data communication network; and client programming stored in memories of intelligent system elements other than the first and second lighting devices for execution by processors of the other intelligent system elements to configure each of the other intelligent system elements to implement a client function with respect to the overall processing function of the system and related client communications with the server function implemented by the instances of the server programming on the first and second intelligent system elements. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification