DISTRIBUTED LIGHT FIXTURE BEACON MANAGEMENT

• US 20170127495A1
• Filed: 01/12/2017
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Robotics, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Enlighted, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mohan, Tanuj, Gordon, Gaile
• Granted Patent: US 10,182,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for a light fixture are disclosed. One apparatus of the light fixture includes a sensor unit and a light intensity controller. The sensor unit includes a sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light, wireless communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network, and a controller. The controller is operative to manage communication with the network, manage reception of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons are received from an object, and the beacons include information associated with the object, and generate dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network. The light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.

Claims

1. A light fixture comprising:

a sensor unit and a light intensity controller;

wherein the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor, the sensor operative to generate a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

communication circuitry, the communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network;

a controller, the controller operative to;

manage communication with the network;

manage reception of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons are received from an object, and the beacons include information associated with the object;

generate dimming control based on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

wherein

the light intensity controller is configured to receive the dimming control and operative to adjust an emitted light intensity of a luminaire of the light fixture.

2. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the object includes at least one of a transmission power of the beacons, a unique ID of the object, or remaining battery power of the object.

3. The light fixture of claim 2, wherein the unique ID allows for filtering of received beacons.

4. The light fixture of claim 2, wherein the light fixture is operative to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the received beacons, wherein the information associated with the object includes at least transmission power of the beacons, and wherein the controller is operative to estimate a distance between the light fixture and the object based on the RSSI of the received beacons and the transmission power of the beacons.

5. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the object includes sensed motion of the object.

6. The light fixture of claim 5, wherein the sensed motion includes sensed acceleration of the object.

7. The light fixture of claim 6, wherein the sensed acceleration includes a magnitude and direction of acceleration of the object along one or more directions.

8. The light fixture of claim 7, the controller is further operative to detect an orientation of the object at rest and a direction a magnitude of movement of the object based on the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the object along one or more directions.

9. The light fixture of claim 6, wherein the sensed acceleration of the object influences a rate at which the object transmits the beacons.

10. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the object includes at least one of gyroscope data, magnetometer data, temperature data, air quality measurements.

11. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to estimate a distance between the light fixture and the object based on an RSSI of the received beacons and a transmission power of the beacons, and wherein at least one of the controller and another controller is operative to estimate a location of the object based on the estimated distance.

12. The light fixture of claim 11, wherein estimating the location of the object is further based on sensed motion data within the beacons.

13. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operative to sense motion, and wherein location of the object is determined only after sensing the motion.

14. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein a power lever of transmission of the beacons from the object is limited to below a threshold.

15. A method of operating a light fixture comprising:

generating, by a sensor of the light fixture, a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

maintaining a communications link between the light fixture and a network;

managing communication with the network;

managing manage reception of beacons through the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the beacons are received from an object, and the beacons include information associated with the object;

generating dimming control base on at least one of the sensed signal and communication from the network; and

adjusting a dimming control line of a luminaire of the light fixture based on the dimming control.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the object includes at least one of a transmission power of the beacons, a unique ID of the object, or remaining battery power of the object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the light fixture is operative to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the received beacons, wherein the information associated with the object includes at least transmission power of the beacons, and wherein the controller is operative to estimate a distance between the light fixture and the object based on the RSSI of the received beacons and the transmission power of the beacons.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the information associated with the object includes sensed motion of the object, wherein the sensed motion includes sensed acceleration of the object.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensed acceleration of the object influences a rate at which the object transmits the beacons.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising estimating a distance between the light fixture and the object based on an RSSI of the received beacons and a transmission power of the beacons, and estimating a location of the object based on the estimated distance.