CLOUD-CONNECTED OFF-GRID LIGHTING AND VIDEO SYSTEM

• US 20180310389A1
• Filed: 06/28/2018
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com INV
• Inventors: Recker, Michael V., Levine, David B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,499,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/238 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• 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: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A cloud-connected off-grid lighting and video system may include one or more wireless lighting modules and a bridge device to transmit a video stream or images to external devices such as a remote device, a cellular phone, a home automation system, or a security system The cloud-connected off-grid lighting and video system may operate over the cloud via an Internet connection allowing the bridge device to communicate with a server on the Internet that may implement software for the interface to capture data regarding activity detected by the wireless lighting module.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A bridge device for enabling a set of lighting devices to communicate with a remote device, the bridge device comprising:

a first transceiver configured to receive one or more images captured by a camera of at least one lighting device of the set of lighting devices;

a second transceiver configured to send the one or more images received by the first transceiver to a cloud server; and

a processor configured to, after the first transceiver receives the one or more images, cause the second transceiver to send the received one or more images to the cloud server to cause the cloud server to transmit the one or more images to the remote device.

23. The bridge device of claim 22, wherein the remote device comprises one of a cellular phone, a controller device coupled to a security system, a hub coupled to a home automation system, a dedicated remote control, a personal computer, and a handheld computing device.

24. The bridge device of claim 22, wherein the second transceiver is further configured to receive a control signal from the cloud server, and wherein the processor is further configured to cause the first transceiver to send the control signal to the set of lighting devices after the second transceiver receives the control signal from the cloud server.

25. The bridge device of claim 24, wherein the control signal comprises one of an on signal, an off signal, and a dim signal.

26. The bridge device of claim 24, wherein the second transceiver is configured to receive the control signal from the cloud server after the cloud server receives the control signal from the remote device.

27. The bridge device of claim 22, wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive a new device initiation signal from a newly added lighting device to the set of lighting devices, and wherein the processor is further configured to, after the first transceiver receives the new device initiation signal, cause the second transceiver to send the new device initiation signal to the cloud server to cause the cloud server to send the new device initiation signal to the remote device.

28. The bridge device of claim 27, wherein the second transceiver is further configured to receive device configuration data from the remote device via the cloud server, and wherein the processor is further configured to, after the second transceiver receives the device configuration data, cause the first transceiver to send the device configuration data to the newly added lighting device.

29. The bridge device of claim 22 further comprising a power interface configured to receive power from at least one of an alternating current (AC) outlet, a rechargeable battery, and one or more photovoltaic cells.

30. The bridge device of claim 22, wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive a motion signal generated by a motion detector of the at least one of the set of lighting devices, and wherein the processor is further configured to, after the first transceiver receives the motion signal, cause the second transceiver to send the motion signal to the cloud server to cause the cloud server to send the motion signal to the remote device.

31. The bridge device of claim 30 further comprising an indicator configured to indicate motion detection by the set of lighting devices, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the indicator after the first transceiver receiving the motion signal.

32. The bridge device of claim 22, wherein the set of lighting devices is a first set of lighting devices, and wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive at least one of an audio signal, a video signal, and a motion signal from at least one of a second set of lighting devices.

33. The bridge device of claim 22, wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive a sensor signal from a sensor in a set of sensors, and wherein the processor is further configured to, after the first transceiver receives the sensor signal, cause the second transceiver to send the sensor signal to the cloud server to cause the cloud server to send the sensor signal to the remote device.

34. The bridge device of claim 33, wherein the sensor comprises one of an infrared sensor, a light sensor, a proximity sensor, an acoustic sensor, a motion sensor, a carbon monoxide detector, a smoke detector, a thermal sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a thermal imaging sensor, an optical sensor, a capacitive sensor, and a glass break sensor.

35. A method for enabling a bridge device to communicate with a plurality of lighting devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at a transceiver of the bridge device, one or more images captured by a camera of a lighting device in the plurality of lighting devices; and

sending, by the transceiver, the one or more images to a cloud server to cause the cloud server to send the one or more images to a remote device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the lighting device further comprises a motion sensor, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the transceiver of the bridge device, a motion signal generated by the motion sensor; and

after receiving the motion signal, sending, by the transceiver, the motion signal to the cloud server.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the plurality of lighting devices comprises a first plurality of lighting devices installed outside a house, and wherein sending the motion signal to the cloud server causes the cloud server to send a command signal to a second plurality of lighting devices installed inside the house.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the command signal comprises an on signal to turn on at least one lighting device in the second plurality of lighting devices.

39. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

receiving a control signal from the cloud server; and

sending the control signal to the plurality of lighting devices after receiving the control signal from the cloud server.

40. The bridge device of claim 39, wherein the control signal comprises one of an on signal, an off signal, and a dim signal.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the remote device comprises one of a cellular phone, a controller device coupled to a security system, a hub coupled to a home automation system, a dedicated remote control, a personal computer, and a handheld computing device.