Wireless proximity aware remote control lighting system

• US 20170111981A1
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Environment LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Recker, Michael V., Levine, David B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,306,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• 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

Aspects of the present invention further include a lighting system comprising a lighting source, a connector in electrical communication with the lighting source and an external power source, an energy storage device, an input device, and a controller. The controller may be configured to identify the presence of a load indicator signal received via the input device, determine whether the load indicator signal indicates a load-reducing state, and when the load indicator signal indicates the load-reducing state, discharge the energy storage device to maintain an intensity of the lighting source.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A wireless proximity aware remote control system, comprising:

a wireless lighting module, wherein the wireless lighting module comprises a light source, an energy storage device, a receiver configured to measure signal strength, and a processor; and

a remote control comprising a processor, a transmitter, and user control configured to change an illumination state of the wireless lighting module, wherein the wireless lighting module uses a measurement of signal strength of a signal from the remote control to determine whether to process a command from the remote control.

22. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 21, wherein the illumination state of the wireless lighting module includes at least one of ON, OFF, brightness, color, or illumination timing.

23. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 21, wherein the wireless proximity aware remote control system has at least one more wireless lighting module and the wireless lighting modules are configured such that the one closer to the remote control will change the illumination state in response to the command received at both.

24. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 21, wherein the wireless lighting module contains a mechanism to measure a range relative to the remote control.

25. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 21, wherein a mechanism in the wireless lighting module measures range relative to the remote control such that the wireless lighting module changes an illumination state if a determined range is less than a pre-determined range.

26. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 21, wherein the remote control and the wireless lighting module are configured for two-way communication.

27. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 21, wherein the remote control and the wireless lighting module include a synchronized clock to enable a determination of time of arrival of a command from the remote control.

28. A wireless proximity aware remote control system, comprising:

a wireless lighting module comprising a light source, energy storage device, a receiver configured to measure signal strength, and a processor; and

a disparate device comprising a processor and a transmitter, wherein the wireless lighting module uses a measurement of signal strength of a signal from the disparate device to determine whether to process a command from the disparate device.

29. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 28, wherein the disparate device is one of a remote control, a remote sensor, another wireless lighting module, or a power outage module.

30. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 28, wherein the disparate device and the wireless lighting module are configured for two-way communication.

31. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 28, wherein a command includes at least one of ON, OFF, brightness, color, or illumination timing.

32. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 28, wherein the wireless proximity aware remote control system has at least a first and a second wireless lighting module, and by altering the power level transmitted from the disparate device, the disparate device can selectively change illumination of the first and second wireless lighting modules when the first and second wireless lighting modules are located at different ranges from the disparate device.

33. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 28, wherein the disparate device controls the wireless lighting module and the receiver within the wireless lighting module receives the command from the disparate device.

34. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 28, wherein the wireless lighting module includes a synchronized clock to enable a determination of time of arrival of the command from the disparate device.

35. A wireless proximity aware remote control, comprising:

a disparate device comprising a processor and a transmitter, wherein the disparate device is configured to measure a range between the disparate device and one or more wireless lighting devices to determine whether to send a command to the one or more wireless lighting devices.

36. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 35, wherein the disparate device is one of a remote control, a remote sensor, another wireless lighting device, or a power outage module.

37. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 35, wherein the remote control and the one or more wireless lighting devices are configured for two-way communication.

38. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 35, wherein a command includes at least one of ON, OFF, brightness, color, or illumination timing.

39. The wireless proximity aware remote control system of claim 35, wherein the disparate device can selectively change illumination of the one or more wireless lighting modules when the one or more wireless lighting modules are located at different ranges from the disparate device by altering the power level transmitted from the disparate device.