System and processes for commissioning indoor industrial lighting

• US 9,949,347 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2015
• 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: Hartman, Michael James, Hershey, John Erik, Maricic, Danijel
• Primary Examiner(s): HAMMOND, DEDEI KHALIEAH
• Application Number:
  US14/865,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/58 involving end of life detection of LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources
• 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

Processes for commissioning an indoor lighting system composed of a plurality of lighting fixtures, each including a lighting associate, include the steps of establishing a direct connection table for each lighting associate; forming a full direct connection table represented as a square matrix and comprising data derived from all direct connection tables; grouping the lighting associates using an element reduction operation on the square matrix; and transmitting a group direct connection matrix to each lighting associate. The lighting fixtures may include a first transmitter for transmitting a first message to a second lighting associate; a first receiver for receiving a second message from the second lighting associate; a second transmitter for transmitting a third message via a lighting associate support network; a second receiver for receiving a fourth message via the lighting associate support network; an interval timer; a microcontroller in communication with the interval timer, programmable to execute a networking and communication algorithm to process the first, second, third, and fourth messages; an LED lamp; and a switch between the lamp and a power line, controllable by the microcontroller.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

a first transmitter for transmitting a first message to a second lighting associate;

a first receiver for receiving a second message from the second lighting associate;

a second transmitter for transmitting a third message via a lighting associate support network;

a second receiver for receiving a fourth message via the lighting associate support network;

an interval timer;

a microcontroller in communication with the interval timer, programmable to execute a networking and communication algorithm to process the first, second, third, and fourth messages such that no message is transmitted if a communication channel is in use and further wherein a beginning of transmission of a message over a quiet channel is delayed by a random time interval to mitigate message collisions;

an LED lamp; and

a switch between the lamp and a power line, controllable by the microcontroller.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the lighting associate support network is the power line, and each of the second transmitter and the second receiver uses a power line coupler to the power line.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 2 wherein the lighting fixture support network is connected to a Central Controller comprising a computer programmable to execute the networking and communication algorithm.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 3 wherein the Central Controller is connected to a human-machine-interface (HMI) comprising;

controls operable by a human operator; and

output devices suitable for informing or alerting the human operator to conditions requiring the human operator'"'"'s attention.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a camera operatively coupled to the microcontroller, the microcontroller programmable to detect motion.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 5 further comprising an accelerometer operatively coupled to the microcontroller.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising an acoustic annunciator coupled to the microcontroller programmable to repeatedly actuate the acoustic annunciator.

8. A lighting system comprising a plurality of lighting associates connected via a power line, each lighting associate of the plurality of lighting associates comprising

a first transmitter for transmitting a first message to a second lighting associate;

a first receiver for receiving a second message from the second lighting associate;

a second transmitter for transmitting a third message via a lighting associate support network;

a second receiver for receiving a fourth message via the lighting associate support network;

an interval timer;

a microcontroller in communication with the interval timer, programmable to execute a networking and communication algorithm to process the first, second, third, and fourth messages such that no message is transmitted if a communication channel is in use and further wherein a beginning of transmission of a message over a quiet channel is delayed by a random time interval to mitigate message collisions;

an LED lamp; and

a switch between the lamp and a power line, controllable by the microcontroller.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the lighting associate support network is the power line, and each of the second transmitter and the second receiver is a power line coupler to the power line.

10. The lighting system of claim 8, further comprising a camera operatively coupled to the microcontroller, the microcontroller programmable to detect motion.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, further comprising an accelerometer operatively coupled to the microcontroller.

12. The lighting system of claim 10, further comprising an acoustic annunciator coupled to the microcontroller programmable to repeatedly actuate the acoustic annunciator.

13. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the lighting associate support network is connected to a Central Controller comprising a computer programmable to execute the networking and communication algorithm.

14. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the Central Controller is connected to a human-machine-interface (HMI) comprising;

controls operable by a human operator; and

output devices suitable for informing or alerting the human operator to conditions requiring the human operator'"'"'s attention.