Systems and methods for self commissioning and locating lighting system

• US 9,560,723 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Walma, Kenneth, Moan, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAI, RAYMOND REI-YANG
• Application Number:
  US14/940,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20160073478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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

The present disclosure provides techniques for a self-commissioning and locating lighting system. The system includes a group of light fixtures, each emitting a unique optical data signal. A remote control device detects the unique optical data signal from the light fixtures when the light fixture is within a visual field of the remote control device. A central controller receives a signal from the remote control device, wherein the signal comprises data regarding the GPS location of the remote control device and the digital identities of the light fixture within the visual field of the remote control, wherein the signal further comprises a control command for operation of the light fixtures, and wherein the central controller sends a control signal to the light fixture implementing the control command.

Claims

1. A self-commissioning lighting system, comprising:

a plurality of light fixtures,

wherein each light fixture is configured to emit a first optical data signal identifying the respective light fixture and detect a second optical data signal emitted by one or more other light fixtures of the plurality of light fixtures, each second optical data signal identifying a respective one of the one or more other light fixtures; and

a central controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of light fixtures and configured to;

assign the plurality of light fixtures into one or more visual groups based on data received from the plurality of light fixtures, wherein each visual group includes light fixtures that are within an optical range of each other;

assign the plurality of light fixtures into one or more occupancy groups based on occupancy data of the plurality of light fixtures, wherein each occupancy group includes light fixtures that experience similar usage pattern of a space associated with the light fixtures; and

modify the grouping of the plurality of light fixtures based on a higher precedence for the occupancy groups than the visual groups when the one or more visual groups are inconsistent with the one or more occupancy groups.

2. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 1, wherein each light fixture detects the second optical data signal when the one or more other light fixtures associated with the second optical data signal is within the optical range of the respective light fixture.

3. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 1, further comprising a remote device communicatively coupled to the central controller, wherein a remote ambient light sensor of the remote device detects the first optical data signal from at least one light fixture of the plurality of light fixtures when the at least one light fixture is within a visual field of the remote device.

4. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 1, wherein the central controller receives the data from each light fixture signifying that the one or more other light fixtures are within the optical range of the light fixture.

5. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 3, wherein the remote device comprises a GPS device, and wherein the central controller receives data from the GPS device signifying a location of the remote device and if at least one of the light fixtures is within the visual field of the remote device.

6. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light fixtures is assigned to location groups when they are within a certain physical location.

7. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 6, wherein light fixtures in the one or more visual groups, the one or more occupancy groups, and/or the location groups are controlled according to the occupancy data, by time, or by the remote device.

8. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 1, wherein each light fixture includes a processor, a light source coupled to the processor, and a light sensor.

9. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 8, wherein the light source is configured to emit the first optical data signal, and wherein each light sensor is configured to detect the second optical data signal from another light source of the one or more other light fixtures.

10. The self-commissioning lighting system of claim 1, wherein each light fixtures includes an occupancy sensor configured to detect the usage pattern of a space associated with the respective light fixture.

11. A system of controlling a self-commissioned lighting system, comprising:

a group of light fixtures, wherein each light fixture in the group of light fixtures emits a unique optical data signal indicative of an identity of the emitting light fixture;

a remote control device configured to detect the unique optical data signal when the respective light fixture is within a visual field of the remote control device; and

a central controller communicatively coupled to the group of light fixtures and the remote control device;

wherein the central controller is configured to receive, from the remote control device, a control command for operation of one or more light fixtures of the group of light fixtures within the visual field of the remote control device, wherein the central controller sends a control signal to the one or more light fixture implementing the control command, and wherein the central controller is configured to;

assign the group of light fixtures into one or more visual groups, wherein each visual group includes light fixtures that are within the visual field of each other;

responsively, assign the group of light fixtures into one or more occupancy groups based on the occupancy data of each light fixture, wherein each occupancy group includes light fixtures that experience similar occupancy patterns; and

modify the grouping of light fixtures based on a higher precedence for the occupancy groups than the visual groups when the one or more visual groups are inconsistent with the one or more occupancy groups.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the group of light fixtures comprises a first light fixture and a second light fixture, wherein the first light fixture emits a first optical data signal and the second light fixture emits a second optical data signal distinct from the first optical data signal, wherein the first light fixture detects the second optical data signal when the second light fixture is within the visual field of the first light fixture.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein each unique optical data signal is encoded in a light given off by the respective light fixture.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first light fixture comprises:

a first processor communicatively coupled to the central controller;

a first light source coupled to the first processor and emitting the first optical data signal; and

a first sensor coupled to the first processor and configured to detect the second optical data signal.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein an ambient light sensor of the remote device detects the first and second optical data signals when the first and second light fixtures are within the visual field of the remote device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote control device is further configured to:

define a physical location of each light fixture in the group of light fixtures; and

control one or more light fixtures in the group of light fixtures according to at least one of the visual grouping, the occupancy grouping, and a group based on the physical location.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the first light fixture further comprises an occupancy sensor that is configured to detect an occupancy pattern associated with the first light fixture.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the first light source is configured to code the first optical data signal using high frequency light flickers that is not detectable to the eye while being detectable by a sensor of the second light fixture.