SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF AN LED-BASED LIGHT

• US 20190254138A1
• Filed: 04/22/2019
• Published: 08/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ivey, John, Simon, David L., Ngo, Hoan, Norton, Anthony J., Nickol, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,966,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/357 specially adapted for retrofit LED light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

For controlling operation of a light source, a method of associating a light source with an area for which the light source is positioned to provide lighting comprises: identifying, based on a determined physical position of a light source, one of a plurality of areas as the area for which the light source is positioned to provide lighting; identifying at least one desired lighting condition for the identified area; and controlling, using a processor, operation of the light source based on the identified at least one desired lighting condition for the identified area.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method comprising:

determining, by a control unit, data regarding a plurality of physical areas, the data comprising, for each physical area;

data describing the physical area, and

an indication of a lighting condition associated with the physical area;

determining, by the control unit, a location of a first light source remote from the control unit based on a location signal associated with the first light source;

determining, by the control unit, that the location of the first light source is within a first physical area of the plurality of physical areas; and

operating, using the control unit, the first light source to satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area, wherein operating the first light source comprises transmitting one or more command signals to the first light source.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the location signal is transmitted by a first communications device associated with the first light source to the control unit.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the location signal is transmitted by the first communications device to the control unit via a second communication device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein operating the first light source comprises:

receiving, at the control unit, sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the first physical area, the sensor data indicating a current physical lighting condition of the first physical area;

determining, at the control unit, that the current physical lighting condition does not satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area; and

responsive to determining that the current physical lighting condition does not satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area, modifying a brightness of the first light source to satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the sensor data signal is transmitted by the one or more sensors to the control unit via one or more communications devices.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving, at the control unit from a user interface, user input specifying a lighting condition associated with a particular physical area of the plurality of physical areas.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the user interface comprises a web-based user interface presented on a computer device.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a light switch or a dimmer.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the data describing the physical area comprises an indication of a functional characteristic of the physical area.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the indication of the functional characteristic of the physical area comprises information regarding a location of the physical area relative to an object.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the indication of the functional characteristic of the physical area comprises information regarding a type of room associated with the physical area.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the type of room comprises at least one an office, a conference room, a hallway, or a bathroom.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the data describing the physical area comprises an indication of a physical surrounding of the physical area.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the data describing the physical area comprises an indication of a source of natural light in proximity to the physical area.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the source of nature light comprises a window.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein the data describing the physical area comprises an indication of one or more rooms associated with the physical area.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein the indication of the lighting condition associated with the physical area comprises an indication of a lighting performance requirement associated with the physical area.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein the indication of the lighting condition associated with the physical area comprises an indication of a lighting efficiency requirement associated with the physical area.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein the indication of the lighting condition associated with the physical area comprises an indication of a safety lighting requirement associated with the physical area.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein the indication of the lighting condition associated with the physical area comprises an indication of a comfort requirement associated with the physical area.

41. The method of claim 21, wherein operating the first light comprises increasing a brightness of the first light source to satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area.

42. The method of claim 21, wherein operating the first light source comprises decreasing a brightness of the first light source to satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area.

43. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

determining, by a control unit, data regarding a plurality of physical areas, the data comprising, for each physical area;

data describing the physical area, and

an indication of a lighting condition associated with the physical area;

determining, by the control unit, a location of a first light source remote from the control unit based on a location signal associated with the first light source;

determining, by the control unit, that the location of the first light source is within a first physical area of the plurality of physical areas; and

operating, using the control unit, the first light source to satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area, wherein operating the first light source comprises transmitting one or more command signals to the first light source.

44. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes:

determining, by a control unit, data regarding a plurality of physical areas, the data comprising, for each physical area;

data describing the physical area, and

an indication of a lighting condition associated with the physical area;

determining, by the control unit, a location of a first light source remote from the control unit based on a location signal associated with the first light source;

determining, by the control unit, that the location of the first light source is within a first physical area of the plurality of physical areas; and

operating, using the control unit, the first light source to satisfy the lighting condition associated with the first physical area, wherein operating the first light source comprises transmitting one or more command signals to the first light source.