Street lighting control, monitoring, and data transportation system and method

• US 9,621,265 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hartman, Michael James, Barnett, Bruce Gordon, Hershey, John Erik, Dell'Anno, Michael Joseph, Soro, Stanislava
• Primary Examiner(s): Payne, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRETZER, CASEY L
• Application Number:
  US14/546,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20150147064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1129 Arrangements for outdoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting

Abstract

A method and system for controlling and monitoring street lights using optical link signaling through free space which does not require an FCC license for operation. The optical link signaling is accomplished in the space between street lights by using LEDs for both area lighting and optical signaling. A Street lighting system luminaire comprises a structural member such as a pole, a lamp comprising one or more LEDs, and an optical receiver that receives optical signaling from one or more other luminaires in street lighting network. The modulator modulates the output of the lamp to launch data into the street lighting system for transport. The optical receiver and modulator enables strobing and flashing modes such as required to support emergency services.

Claims

1. A method for operating an optical signaling network for controlling a street lighting system comprising the steps of:

configuring each one of a plurality of street lights with a luminaire that provides light through at least one LED (Light Emitting Diode), wherein light intensity of the at least one LED is controllable, and an optical receiver with an optical receiving aperture;

varying an output of the at least one LED to send messages to signal at least one other optical device;

monitoring the output of the at least one LED by at least one of the street lights to determine if there is a diminished amount of light intensity from the at least one LED required for proper signaling;

adjusting the output of the at least one LED to reduce signaling errors if monitoring determines there is diminished light intensity from the at least one LED;

receiving a message from an optically enabled device by at least one of a plurality of luminaire associates after the at least one luminaire associate has sent a clear-to-send signal; and

transporting the received message through a street lighting communication network to an intended recipient, wherein timing of the clear-to-send signal is based on a master timing signal broadcast through the optical signaling network or based upon a time slot that is allocated using a GPS receiver comprised in the at least one luminaire associate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one other optical device is another of the street lights.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one other optical device is a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting further comprises increasing the power of the at least one LED or decreasing the signaling rate.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

covering the optical receiving aperture with a polarizing filter; and

rotating the polarizing filter to block passage of interfering light.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein varying further comprises allowing adequate functioning by employing a protocol that functions according to a parameter related to delivery goals.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the protocol employs at least one of the following techniques:

clock recovery, absence of a DC component, Manchester Coding, or Differential Manchester Encoding.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving further comprises forming at least one optical link comprised in the optical signaling network and using the at least one optical link to assess a condition of the luminaire by employing a protocol for handling an acceptance, a transport, and a delivery of messages and controls throughout the network.