Methods, apparatus, system and media for use in association with lighting systems

• US 9,743,493 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2015
• 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: Maros, Istvn, Trs, Gbor, Btai, Roland, Kovcs, Tnia Alexandra, Schmidt, Gabor
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, DYLAN C
• Application Number:
  US14/964,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20170171942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 315297
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

In an aspect, a controller is configured to: receive traffic information; determine a characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day; determine whether the characterization that is based at least in part on the portion of the traffic information associated with traffic from days prior to the current day satisfies a criteria; provide on the current day, an output based at least in part thereon; determine a characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from the current day; determine whether the characterization that is based at least in part on the portion of the traffic information associated with traffic from the current day satisfies a criteria; and provide on the current day, an output based at least in part thereon.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a control processor in communication across a link with a traffic sensor and a lighting system;

the traffic sensor configured to sense traffic flow in a detection area and to provide data indicative of the traffic flow information to the control processor;

the control processor configured to execute instruction that cause the control processor to;

receive the traffic flow information;

determine a first characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic flow information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day;

determine whether the first characterization satisfies a first criteria;

provide at a time on the current day, a first output to the lighting system, the first output based at least in part on a result of the determination;

determine a second characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic flow information that is associated with traffic from the current day;

determine whether the second characterization satisfies a second criteria;

provide at a time on the current day, a second output to the lighting system, the second output, based at least in part on a result of the determination; and

the lighting system configured to provide at least a first amount of illumination based on the first output, and a second amount of illumination based on the second output, the first amount and the second amount of illumination being different amounts of illumination.

2. The system of claim 1,

the lighting system configured to provide the first amount of illumination at a first time on the current day;

and

the lighting system configured to provide the second amount of illumination at a second time on the current day.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions cause the control processor to:

provide a third output, to cause, at least in part, the lighting system to provide a third amount of illumination that is less than the first amount of illumination and less than the second amount of illumination at a third time on the current day.

4. The system of claim 1, the lighting system including a light fixture, and at least one of the control processor and the traffic sensor disposed in the light fixture.

5. The system of claim 1, the traffic sensor including at least one of a motion detector, an acoustic sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, an occupancy sensor, an image processor, a vehicle detection loop, and an air filled hose.

6. The system of claim 1, the detection area located one of upstream of, spaced apart from, adjacent to, and overlapping an area illuminated by the lighting system.

7. The system of claim 1, the first characterization is based at least in part on:

(i) a portion of the traffic flow information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day, and (ii) a portion of the traffic flow information that is associated with traffic from the current day; and

the second characterization is based at least in part on;

(i) a portion of the traffic flow information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day, and (ii) a portion of the traffic flow information that is associated with traffic from the current day.

8. The system of claim 7, the first characterization is determined as a weighted sum;

and

the second characterization is determined as a weighted sum.

9. The system of claim 1, the lighting system configured to illuminate an area on a current day based at least in part on the traffic flow information associated with traffic from one or more day prior to the current day.

10. A method comprising:

sensing by a traffic sensor traffic flow in a detection area;

the traffic sensor providing traffic information via a link to a control processor, the traffic flow information indicative of traffic flow data;

receiving, in the control processor, the traffic information from the traffic sensor;

determining, by the control processor, a first characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day;

determining, by the control processor, whether the first characterization satisfies a first criteria;

providing, by the control processor, at a time on the current day, a first output to a lighting system via a link, the first output based at least in part on a result of the determination;

determining, by the control processor, a second characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from the current day;

determining, by the control processor, whether the second characterization satisfies a second criteria;

providing, by the control processor, at a time on the current day, a second output to the lighting system via the link, the second output, based at least in part on a result of the determination; and

the lighting system providing at least a first amount of illumination based on the first output, and a second amount of illumination based on the second output, the first amount and the second amount of illumination being different amounts of illumination.

11. The method of claim 10,

the lighting system providing the first amount of illumination at a first time on the current day;

and

the lighting system providing the second amount of illumination at a second time on the current day.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a third output to cause, at least in part, the lighting system to provide a third amount of illumination that is less than the first amount of illumination and less than the second amount of illumination at a third time on the current day.

13. The method of claim 10, the first characterization is based at least in part on:

(i) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day, and (ii) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from the current day; and

the second characterization is based at least in part on;

(i) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day, and (ii) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from the current day.

14. The method of claim 13, the first characterization is determined as a weighted sum;

and

the second characterization is determined as a weighted sum.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having code stored thereon, the code being executable by a control processor to cause the control processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving, in the control processor, traffic information provided across a link by a traffic sensor, the traffic information indicative of traffic flow data in a detection area;

determining, by the control processor, a first characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day;

determining, by the control processor, whether the first characterization satisfies a first criteria;

providing, by the control processor, at a time on the current day, a first output to a lighting system via a link, the first output based at least in part on a result of the determination;

determining, by the control processor, a second characterization based at least in part on a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from the current day;

determining, by the control processor, whether the second characterization satisfies a second criteria;

providing, by the control processor, at a time on the current day, a second output to a lighting system via a link, the second output based at least in part on a result of the determination; and

the lighting system providing at least a first amount of illumination based on the first output, and a second amount of illumination based on the second output, the first amount and the second amount of illumination being different amounts of illumination.

16. The medium of claim 15, the code causing the control processor to perform the method, including

the lighting system providing the first amount of illumination at a first time on the current day;

and

the lighting system providing the second amount of illumination at a second time on the current day.

17. The medium of claim 16, the code causing the control processor to perform the method, including:

providing a third output to the lighting system; and

the lighting system providing a third amount of illumination that is less than the first amount of illumination and less than the second amount of illumination at a third time on the current day.

18. The medium of claim 15, the first characterization is based at least in part on:

(i) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day, and (ii) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from the current day; and

the second characterization is based at least in part on;

(i) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from days prior to a current day, and (ii) a portion of the traffic information that is associated with traffic from the current day.

19. The method of claim 15, the first characterization is determined as a weighted sum;

and

the second characterization is determined as a weighted sum.