Control and monitoring of battery-backed emergency lighting systems

• US 9,679,448 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dialight Corporation (Dialight PLC)
• Original Assignee: Dialight Corporation (Dialight PLC)
• Inventors: Koosha, Eman, Ahmad, Rizwan, Hebborn, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/645,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20160267753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002, 340524, 340506, 340514, 34053917, 3408154, 315 86, 315291, 315152, 315292, 315155
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 26/007 Wireless interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/065 for lighting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for remotely receiving information from and configuring a battery-backed emergency lighting system. In one embodiment, the method includes establishing a wireless communication session with a web server via a wireless fidelity (WiFi) connection, receiving a request for information related to the battery-backed emergency lighting system and a request to change a configuration of the battery-backed emergency lighting system over the wireless communication session, configuring the battery-backed emergency lighting system in accordance with the request to change the configuration and sending the information that is requested.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing, by a processor, a wireless communication session with a web server via a wireless fidelity (WiFi) connection;

receiving, by the processor, a request for information related to a battery-backed emergency lighting system and a request to change a configuration of the battery-backed emergency lighting system over the wireless communication session, wherein the request for information and the request to change the configuration are initiated from an endpoint device in communication with the web server, wherein the request to change the configuration of the battery-backed emergency lighting system comprises changing a schedule of automatic tests and a light brightness profile when in a back-up mode;

configuring, by the processor, the battery-backed emergency lighting system in accordance with the request to change the configuration; and

sending, by the processor, the information that is requested.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the processor, a confirmation that the configuration was successfully changed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the web server is located remotely from the battery-backed emergency lighting system.

4. The method of claim 1, the request for information related to the battery-backed emergency lighting system comprises information related to a battery, a voltage of a light source within the battery-backed emergency lighting system, or a current of the light source in the battery-backed emergency lighting system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information related to the battery comprises results of a battery health check or when the battery was last replaced.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing the wireless communication session comprises:

using a WiFi module as an access point; and

assigning a static internet protocol address to a hosted web page.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing the wireless communication session comprises:

using a WiFi module as a client having a dynamic host configuration protocol enabled that allows the WiFi module to be assigned any internet protocol address; and

joining a WiFi network via a WiFi Protected Access (WPA) protocol.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

establishing a wireless communication session with a web server via a wireless fidelity (WiFi) connection;

receiving a request for information related to a battery-backed emergency lighting system and a request to change a configuration of the battery-backed emergency lighting system over the wireless communication session, wherein the request for information and the request to change the configuration are initiated from an endpoint device in communication with the web server, wherein the request to change the configuration of the battery-backed emergency lighting system comprises changing a schedule of automatic tests and a light brightness profile when in a back-up mode;

configuring the battery-backed emergency lighting system in accordance with the request to change the configuration; and

sending the information that is requested.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

sending a confirmation that the configuration was successfully changed.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the web server is located remotely from the battery-backed emergency lighting system.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the request for information related to the battery-backed emergency lighting system comprises information related to a battery, a voltage of a light source within the battery-backed emergency lighting system or a current of the light source in the battery-backed emergency lighting system.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the information related to the battery comprises results of a battery health check or when the battery was last replaced.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the establishing the wireless communication session comprises:

using a WiFi module as an access point; and

assigning a static internet protocol address to a hosted web page.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the establishing the wireless communication session comprises:

using a WiFi module as a client having a dynamic host configuration protocol enabled that allows the WiFi module to be assigned any internet protocol address; and

joining a WiFi network via a WiFi Protected Access (WPA) protocol.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

establishing a wireless communication session with a web server via a wireless fidelity (WiFi) connection;

receiving a request for information related to the battery-backed emergency lighting system and a request to change a configuration of the battery-backed emergency lighting system over the wireless communication session, wherein the request for information and the request to change the configuration are initiated from an endpoint device in communication with the web server, wherein the request to chanqe the configuration of the battery-backed emergency lighting system comprises changing a schedule of automatic tests and a light brightness profile when in a back-up mode;

configuring the battery-backed emergency lighting system in accordance with the request to change the configuration; and

sending the information that is requested.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

sending a confirmation that the configuration was successfully changed.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the web server is located remotely from the battery-backed emergency lighting system.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the request for information related to the battery-backed emergency lighting system comprises information related to a battery, a voltage of a light source within the battery-backed emergency lighting system or a current of the light source in the battery-backed emergency lighting system.