Light fixture as an access point in a communication network

• US 9,930,758 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Jayawardena, Adikaramge Asiri, Manahan, Joseph Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): HAMMOND, DEDEI KHALIEAH
• Application Number:
  US14/854,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20170079121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A light fixture is described herein. The light fixture can include a housing having at least one wall that forms a cavity. The light fixture can also include a controller configured to control and communicate with at least one sensor located outside the housing. The light fixture can further include at least one light fixture component coupled to the controller and disposed within the cavity of the housing, where the controller further controls the at least one light fixture component.

Claims

1. A lighting system, comprising:

a plurality of light fixture components used in an operation of a plurality of light fixtures; and

a plurality of controllers forming a controller network, wherein the controller network controls and communicates with the plurality of light fixture components,

wherein at least one controller of the plurality of controllers, subsequent to initial operation of the plurality of light fixtures, is further communicably coupled with a first independent component, wherein the first independent component is unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures, wherein a first communication transmitted between the at least one controller and the first independent component comprises information that is unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures,

wherein the first independent component, when introduced, is unknown to the plurality of controllers, and

wherein at least one controller is selected by the controller network to communicate with the first independent component.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor communicably coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter, wherein the first communication further includes the at least one parameter measured by the at least one sensor.

3. The lighting system of claim 2, further comprising:

a power module that provides power to the at least one controller and the at least one sensor, wherein the power module comprises an energy storage device.

4. The lighting system of claim 3, wherein the power module enters a reduced power mode when the at least one controller is idle.

5. The lighting system of claim 3, further comprising:

an additional power module disposed within a cavity formed by a housing of a light fixture of the plurality of light fixtures, wherein the additional power module supplies power to the light fixture component.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller comprises a wireless transceiver.

7. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the light fixture component is disposed within a housing of a light fixture of the plurality of light fixtures, wherein the housing meets applicable standards for a hazardous environment.

8. The lighting system of claim 7, further comprising:

a safety barrier disposed within the housing, wherein the safety barrier is coupled to at least one electrical conductor that is coupled to another device outside the housing.

9. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a hardware processor;

memory comprising a plurality of instructions;

a control engine that executes the plurality of instructions on the hardware processor to control and communicate with the light fixture component and the first independent component unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures; and

a communication module coupled to the control engine, wherein the communication module transfers communications between the at least one controller, the light fixture component, and the first independent component unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures.

10. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the communication module transfers the communications between the at least one controller and the first independent component unassociated with the operation of the plurality of light fixtures using at least one time-synchronized communication protocol.

11. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives a second communication from a second independent component unassociated with the light fixture.

12. A controller of a light fixture, the controller comprising:

memory comprising a plurality of instructions;

a control engine coupled to the memory, wherein the control engine is configured to send and receive, based on the plurality of instructions, communication signals with at least one light fixture component and an independent component that is unassociated with operation of the light fixture; and

a communication module coupled to the control engine, wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the communication signals between the control engine and the at least one light fixture component and between the control engine and the independent component that is unassociated with the operation of the light fixture,

wherein the communication signals transmitted between the control engine and the independent component are unassociated with the operation of the light fixture,

wherein the controller is among a plurality of controllers in a controller network,

wherein the independent component, when introduced to the controller network, is unknown to the plurality of controllers,

wherein the controller is selected by the controller network to communicate with the independent component, and

wherein the communication module transmits the communication signals using at least one time-synchronized communication protocol.

13. The controller of claim 12, wherein the memory and the control engine are disposed within a cavity formed by a housing of the light fixture.

14. An electrical system, comprising:

at least one independent component;

a lighting system communicably coupled to the at least one independent component, wherein the lighting system comprises;

at least one light fixture component used in operating a light fixture of the lighting system, wherein the light fixture is among a plurality of light fixtures; and

a controller of a plurality of controllers forming a controller network, wherein the controller controls and communicates with the at least one light fixture component,

wherein the controller further communicates with the at least one independent component, wherein the at least one independent component is unassociated with the operation of the light fixture,

wherein the at least one independent component, when introduced, is unknown to the plurality of controllers,

wherein the controller is selected by the controller network to communicate with the at least one independent component, and

wherein communication signals transmitted between the controller and the at least one independent component are unassociated with the operation of the light fixture.

15. The electrical system of claim 14, wherein the controller is an access point with respect to the at least one independent component.

16. The electrical system of claim 14, further comprising:

a network manager of the controller network communicably coupled to the controller.

17. The electrical system of claim 16, wherein the network manager and the controller are part of a mesh communication network.

18. The electrical system of claim 17, wherein the network manager detects when the light fixture becomes unavailable and instructs another controller of the controller network to initiate communication with the at least one independent component.

19. The electrical system of claim 14, wherein the light fixture and the at least one independent component are located in a hazardous environment.

20. The electrical system of claim 14, wherein signals are transferred between the controller and the at least one independent component using at least one time-synchronized protocol.