AUTOMATIC PROVISIONING OF WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEMS

• US 20100114340A1
• Filed: 11/06/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fong, Dale, Corr, Michael, Huizenga, Charles, Mooney, Josh, Do, Alex
• Application Number:
  US12/613,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114340A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

Exemplary systems and methods for provisioning wireless control of facilities systems are provided. A message is broadcast to a network that includes one or more control devices, which may be associated with one or more control points (e.g., lights in lighting systems). The control device responds with information concerning the control device and/or any associated control points. A scene including at least one specification for operation the control point is assigned to the control device. A corresponding scene command may be generated and sent to the control device. Provisioning may further include generating a visual display of the various control devices and associated control points (e.g., lights) in the facilities system.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning a wireless control system, the method comprising:

broadcasting a message from a computing device to a wireless communications network comprising one or more control devices, each control device associated with one or more lights;

receiving a response at the computing device from a control device in the network, the response including information regarding the control device;

executing instructions stored in memory of the computing device, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor of the computing device;

assigns a scene to the control device based on at least the received response, the scene comprising a specification for operating the one or more lights associated with the control device, and

generates a scene command for the control device based on the assigned scene; and

transmitting the scene command from the computing device to the control device, wherein execution of the scene command by a processor of the control device configures the control device to direct operations of the one or more associated lights in accordance with the assigned scene.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network is a multi-hop network and further comprising limiting the broadcast to control devices within a specified number of hops from the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying that the control device is associated with one or more relays, and wherein execution of the scene command by the control device includes independently controlling operation of each of the one or more relays.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying that the control device is associated with the one or more relays is based on the received response, wherein the received response from the control device includes information concerning a number of relays associated with the control device and a measured or assigned electrical current consumption and voltage of the load controlled by each relay of the control device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received response further includes location information and further comprising generating a visual display mapping the locations of the one or more control devices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein assigning the scene to the control device is based on a spatial distribution of the scene and the location information received from the control device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications network further comprises a sensor associated with one or more lights, the sensor receiving and responding to the broadcast message, and wherein the scene command is further based on the sensor response.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the scene further includes specifications for operating a plurality of control devices, and wherein execution of the scene command by a processor of the control device configures the control device to operate in conjunction with at least another control device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a plurality of scene commands to the control device, each of the plurality of scene commands corresponding to a different scene, wherein the control device determines a scene command to execute according to one or more rules.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more rules includes a condition associated with a scene command, wherein the control device is configured to detect satisfaction of the condition and execute the associated scene command in response to the detection.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more rules include an order of scene commands, wherein the control device executes the plurality of scene commands according to the order.

12. A system of provisioning a wireless control system, the system comprising:

a memory of a computing device, the memory configured to store one or more scenes, each scene comprising a specification for operating one or more lights associated with a control device;

a communications interface of the computing device, the communications interface configured to;

broadcast a message to a wireless communications network comprising one or more control devices, each control device associated with one or more lights, and

receive a response from a control device in the network, the response including information regarding the control device; and

a processor of the computing device, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to

assign a scene from the one or more scenes stored in memory to the control device based on at least the received response, and

generate a scene command for the control device based on the assigned scene, wherein execution of the scene command by a processor of the control device configures the control device to direct operations of the one or more associated lights in accordance with the assigned scene.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to further execute instructions for identifying that the control device is associated with one or more relays and wherein execution of the generated scene command by the control device includes independently controlling operation of each of the one or more relays.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a memory configured to store a plurality of scenes, each scene being associated with a spatial distribution, wherein the processor is configured to further execute instructions for assigning the scene to the control device based on a spatial distribution associated with the scene and location information received from the control device.

14. The system of claim 14, wherein identifying that the control device is associated with one or more relays is based on the received response from the control device, wherein the received response includes information concerning a number of relays associated with the control device, a measured or assigned electrical current consumption and voltage of the load controlled by each relay of the control device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to further execute instructions for generating a visual display of the one or more control devices based on location information in the received response and further comprising a display interface for displaying the generated visual display, the visual display including a total number of unit loads associated with each relay for each control device, the determination of the total number of unit loads based on the information regarding the electrical current consumption of each relay.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for provisioning a wireless control system, the method comprising:

broadcasting a message to a wireless communications network comprising one or more control devices, each control device associated with one or more lights;

receiving a response from a control device in the network, the response including information regarding the control device;

assigning a scene to the control device based on at least the received response, the scene comprising a specification for operating the one or more lights associated with the control device;

generating a scene command based on the assigned scene; and

transmitting the scene command to the control device, wherein execution of the scene command by a processor of the control device configures the control device to direct operations of the one or more lights in accordance with the assigned scene.

19-27. -27. (canceled)