Distributed light fixture beacon management

• US 9,585,227 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2016
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Robotics, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Enlighted, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mohan, Tanuj, Gordon, Gaile
• Primary Examiner(s): Taningco, Alexander H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahr, Kurtis R
• Application Number:
  US15/089,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20160219676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 332 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• 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: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for a light fixture are disclosed. One apparatus of the light fixture includes a sensor unit and a light intensity controller. The sensor unit includes a sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light, wireless communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network, and a controller. The controller is operative to manage communication with the network, manage reception of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons are received from an object, and the beacons include information associated with the object, and generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network. The light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.

Claims

1. A light fixture comprising:

a sensor unit and a light intensity controller;

wherein

the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor, the sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

communication circuitry, the communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network;

a controller, the controller operative to;

manage communication with the network;

manage reception of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons are received from a mobile object, and the beacons include information associated with the mobile object, and wherein the received beacons indicate whether acceleration of the mobile object has been sensed;

generate dimming control based on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

wherein

the light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.

2. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the mobile object includes at least one of a transmission power of the beacons, a unique ID of the mobile object, or remaining battery power of the mobile object.

3. The light fixture of claim 2, wherein the unique ID allows for filtering of received beacons.

4. The light fixture of claim 2, wherein the light fixture is operative to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the received beacons, wherein the information associated with the mobile object includes at least transmission power of the beacons, and wherein the controller is operative to estimate a distance between the light fixture and the mobile object based on the RSSI of the received beacons and the transmission power of the beacons.

5. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the mobile object includes sensed motion of the mobile object.

6. The light fixture of claim 5, wherein the sensed motion includes sensed acceleration of the mobile object.

7. The light fixture of claim 6, wherein the sensed acceleration includes a magnitude and direction of acceleration of the mobile object along one or more directions.

8. The light fixture of claim 7, the controller is further operative to detect an orientation of the mobile object at rest and a direction a magnitude of movement of the mobile object based on the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the mobile object along one or more directions.

9. The light fixture of claim 6, wherein the sensed acceleration of the mobile object influences a rate at which the mobile object transmits the beacons.

10. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the mobile object includes at least one of gyroscope data, magnetometer data, temperature data, air quality measurements.

11. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to estimate a distance between the light fixture and the mobile object based on an RSSI of the received beacons and a transmission power of the beacons, and wherein at least one of the controller and another controller is operative to estimate a location of the mobile object based on the estimated distance.

12. The light fixture of claim 11, wherein estimating the location of the mobile object is further based on sensed motion data within the beacons.

13. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operative to sense motion, and wherein location of the mobile object is determined only after sensing the motion.

14. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein a power lever of transmission of the beacons from the mobile object is limited to below a threshold.

15. A method of operating a light fixture comprising:

generating, by a sensor of the light fixture, a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

maintaining a communications link between the light fixture and a network;

managing communication with the network;

managing manage reception of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons are received from a mobile object, and the beacons include information associated with the mobile object, and wherein the received beacons indicate whether acceleration of the mobile object has been sensed;

generating dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

adjusting a dimming control line of a luminaire of the light fixture based on the dimming control.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the mobile object includes at least one of a transmission power of the beacons, a unique ID of the mobile object, or remaining battery power of the mobile object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the light fixture is operative to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the received beacons, wherein the information associated with the mobile object includes at least transmission power of the beacons, and wherein the controller is operative to estimate a distance between the light fixture and the mobile object based on the RSSI of the received beacons and the transmission power of the beacons.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the information associated with the mobile object includes sensed motion of the mobile object, wherein the sensed motion includes sensed acceleration of the mobile object.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensed acceleration of the mobile object influences a rate at which the mobile object transmits the beacons.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising estimating a distance between the light fixture and the mobile object based on an RSSI of the received beacons and a transmission power of the beacons, and estimating a location of the mobile object based on the estimated distance.