Wireless lighting control systems and methods

• US 10,085,328 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2016
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAB Lighting Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAB Lighting Incorporated
• Inventors: Barna, Ross A., Case-Hayes, Michael Theodore, Sanghvi, Ankit, Oliver, Jason Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US15/357,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20170171950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Wireless lighting control systems and methods for controlling the illumination of one or more light fixtures are disclosed. Embodiments include a server connected to a wide area network and having software for configuring, monitoring, and controlling lighting fixtures at a site. The control system also includes a wireless gateway at the site communicating with the server via cellular. Wireless devices communicate with the wireless gateway via a mesh network and each wireless device is wired to control at least one lighting fixture. A user interface can connect to the wide area network and enable a user to access server control software. Control instructions entered on the server by the user interface are communicated from the server to the wireless gateway and to the wireless devices. A user site device may be connected to the site mesh network enabling a user to configure, monitor, and control lighting fixtures at the site.

Claims

1. A method for a gateway to monitor a lighting control and monitoring device status in a wireless lighting control system, comprising:

monitoring communication between the lighting control and monitoring device and gateway;

monitoring power supplied to the lighting control and monitoring device;

detecting power loss to the lighting control and monitoring device;

powering the lighting control and monitoring device after power loss with a capacitive circuit;

sending a power loss message from the lighting control and monitoring device to the gateway upon detection of the power loss;

detecting loss of communication between the lighting control and monitoring device and gateway; and

determining the loss of communication was not from power loss when no power loss message was received by the gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lighting control and monitoring device is a controller coupled to and selectively powering a light fixture.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting an action for the lighting control and monitoring device upon the lighting control and monitoring device determining a loss of communication with the gateway, and wherein the step of detecting loss of communication is periodically completed by at least the lighting control and monitoring device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication between the lighting control and monitoring device and gateway includes a wireless mesh network.

5. A wireless lighting control system, comprising:

a server connected to a wide area network and having control software for configuring, monitoring, and controlling lighting devices at a site;

a wireless gateway located at the site and including a cellular modem to communicate with the server via a cellular network and a communications module to communicate with the lighting devices via a wireless mesh network; and

,

a plurality of wireless devices having a radio module capable of communicating with the wireless gateway via the wireless mesh network, and at least one of the plurality of wireless devices including an output module to control a light fixture and including a preset emergency action for the light fixture in the event of a loss of communications with the gateway;

wherein one of the plurality of wireless devices periodically determines whether communication with the gateway has been lost and upon detecting loss of communication, the one of the plurality of wireless devices selecting the preset emergency action; and

wherein the wireless gateway detects communication with one of the plurality of wireless devices has been lost and determines whether loss of communication was due to the one of the plurality of wireless devices losing power.

6. The wireless lighting control system of claim 5, wherein the server is a cloud-based server.

7. The wireless lighting control system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of control devices has an input module receiving data from a sensor used for lighting control.

8. The wireless lighting control system of claim 5, further comprising:

a user device connected to the wide area network and having an application enabling a user to access the server control software; and

wherein control instructions entered on the server through the application are communicated from the server to the wireless gateway via the cellular network and then from the wireless gateway to at least one of the plurality of lighting devices.

9. The wireless lighting control system of claim 5, further comprising a user device having a radio module to communicate via the mesh network with the gateway and with at least one of the plurality of control devices, the user device having an application enabling a user to control at least one of the plurality of control devices without communicating through the gateway.

10. The wireless lighting control system of claim 5, wherein the preset emergency action is a user-defined lighting output level.