LED lighting methods, apparatus, and systems including historic sensor data logging

• US 8,610,376 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Digital Lumens, Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Chemel, Brian J., Piepgras, Colin, Kondo, Steve T., Johnston, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US12/827,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20100301768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/294, 315/307, 315/308, 315/312, 315/360
• US Class Current: 315/308
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention, a method and system is provided for designing improved intelligent, LED-based lighting systems. The LED based lighting systems may include fixtures with one or more of rotatable LED light bars, integrated sensors, onboard intelligence to receive signals from the LED light bars and control the LED light bars, and a mesh network connectivity to other fixtures.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture to provide variable sensor-based lighting, the lighting fixture comprising:

a housing;

at least one sensor, mechanically coupled to the housing, to provide sensor data representing at least one measurement of at least one parameter relating to an environment illuminated by the lighting fixture;

a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light bars disposed in the housing to provide the variable sensor-based lighting at a plurality of light levels and/or a plurality of foot-candle patterns;

a power management module, disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the plurality of LED light bars, to adjust the variable sensor-based lighting based at least in part on the sensor data provided by the at least one sensor;

a memory, operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and/or to the power management module, to log at least some of the sensor data provided by the at least one sensor; and

a clock, operatively coupled to at least one of the power management module and/or to the memory, to provide clock data related to timing counts for environmental information that is a function of time,

wherein the power management module is further configured to record, in the memory, the sensor data and related timelines, based on the clock data, to maintain a database of historic data and to control the plurality of LED light bars based on the sensor data and the database of historic data in the memory so as to provide the variable sensor-based lighting.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the clock is a real-time clock.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the power management module tracks time-based operational modes associated with the lighting fixture based on the clock data.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 3, wherein the time-based operational modes tracked by the power management module, based on the clock data, represent a periodic contextual or environmental pattern based on a historic analysis of power usage by the lighting fixture.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes an occupancy sensor, and wherein the sensor data includes a binary input to the power management module to indicate a presence or an absence of at least one person and/or object.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a temperature sensor.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 6, wherein the sensor data includes a representation of an ambient temperature.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 6, wherein the sensor data includes a representation of a temperature of a particular device of the lighting fixture.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a photodetector to sense an ambient light level, and wherein the sensor data includes a representation of the ambient light level.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a pressure sensor, and wherein the sensor data includes a representation of a pressure within tubing and ducting of the lighting fixture.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a heat dissipation sensor, and wherein the sensor data includes a representation of a rate of heat dissipation within at least one of the plurality of LED light bars.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a motion sensor, and wherein the sensor data includes a representation of motion within the environment illuminated by the lighting fixture.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one recessed or ceiling-style occupancy sensor.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of:

a thermal sensor;

an occupancy sensor;

an electromagnetic sensor;

a mechanical sensor;

a chemical sensor;

an optical radiation sensor;

an ionizing radiation sensor;

an acoustic sensor;

a biological sensor;

a geodetic sensor;

a light sensor;

a force sensor;

a humidity sensor;

an air quality sensor;

a camera;

a payment sensor;

a microphone;

an RFID reader;

a Hall-effect sensor; and

a limit switch.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to transmit an identification signal to the power management module.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the power management module provides power to the at least one sensor.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a data conductor to provide bidirectional data communication between the at least one sensor and the power management module.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the power management module is further configured to analyze the sensor data stored in the memory so as to provide the variable sensor-based lighting at an active power output level of the plurality of light levels and/or an inactive power output level of the plurality of light levels.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a wired or wireless network interface operably coupled to the power management module and configured to transmit the sensor data to at least one external source.

20. The lighting fixture of claim 19, wherein:

the at least one external source includes a management system configured to make predictive decisions based on the historic data;

the wired or wireless network interface is further configured to receive indications of the predictive decisions made by the management system; and

the power management module is configured to control the plurality of LED light bars so as to reduce overall energy consumption by the lighting fixture based at least in part on the received indications of the predictive decisions.

21. The lighting fixture of claim 20, wherein the wired or wireless network interface is further configured to receive instructions for the power management module to regulate the variable sensor-based lighting based on the sensor data.

22. A lighting system, comprising:

the lighting fixture of claim 20 or 21; and

the management system.

23. A system comprising:

the lighting fixture of claim 19; and

the at least one external source, wherein the at least one external source includes a management system communicatively coupled to the lighting fixture via the wired or wireless network interface, the management system further communicatively coupled to at least one other lighting fixture and/or at least one other device to communicate with and/or control the at least one other lighting fixture and/or the at least one other device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the management system is further configured to change a sensor delay within which signals from the at least one sensor are monitored and relayed to the power management module.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein:

a lighting environment in which the variable sensor-based lighting is generated includes a warehouse or industrial space; and

the management system is configured to compile the historic data from the lighting fixture, and additional historic data from the at least one other lighting fixture, to determine an optimal layout of the warehouse or industrial space.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the management system comprises a warehouse inventory management system to monitor stock-keeping unit (SKU) inventory levels and/or to determine a layout for SKU placement.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the management system comprises a parking garage management system to provide at least one of parking spot identification, parking spot guidance, safety illumination, daylight harvesting, and tracking ingress and egress of pedestrians.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the management system regulates heat, ventilation and air conditioning operations, and wherein the sensor data includes temperature information to facilitate regulation of the heat, ventilation and air conditioning operations.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the management system comprises a security system to limit access to authorized personnel only based on at least some of the sensor data logged in the memory.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one sensor includes an integrated radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader to provide sensor data, to the security system, that facilitates limiting access to authorized personnel only.

31. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a remote sensor communicatively coupled to at least one of the lighting fixture, the management system, the at least one other lighting fixture, and the at least one other device and configured to provide additional sensor data relating to objects and/or lighting conditions in the environment illuminated by the lighting fixture.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the power management module is further configured to adjust the variable sensor-based lighting based on the additional sensor data provided by the remote sensor.

33. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a control panel operably coupled to the power management module for setting various states of operations performed by the power management module.

34. The lighting fixture of claim 33, wherein the control panel enables a user to set a sensor delay within which signals from the at least one sensor are monitored and relayed to the power management module.

35. The lighting fixture of claim 33, wherein the control panel enables a user to download the sensor data stored in the memory.

36. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an integral sensor bay, and wherein the at least one sensor is disposed in the integral sensor bay.

37. The lighting fixture of claim 36, wherein the at least one sensor is disposed within a sensor module in the integral sensor bay, and wherein the sensor module comprises:

a sensor module lens disposed along a bottom plane of the fixture to achieve a maximum of sensor input angles.

38. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein each LED light bar is arranged to rotate in the housing around a corresponding rotational axis to emit light in a specific direction.

39. A lighting fixture to provide variable sensor-based lighting, the lighting fixture comprising:

A) a housing formed as a rectangular frame and including an integral sensor bay;

B) at least one sensor, disposed in the integral sensor bay, to provide sensor data representing at least one measurement of at least one parameter relating to an environment illuminated by the lighting fixture;

C) a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light bars disposed in the housing to provide the variable sensor-based lighting at a plurality of light levels and/or a plurality of foot-candle patterns;

D) a real-time clock, disposed in the housing, to generate an output as a unit of time;

E) a power management module, disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the plurality of LED light bars, and the real-time clock, the power management module including;

E1) a memory to store the sensor data; and

E2) a digital light agent controller to;

E2a) record in the memory the sensor data and related timelines, based on the output of the real-time clock, so as to maintain a database of historic sensor data; and

E2b) control the plurality of LED light bars based on the database of historic sensor data so as to provide the variable sensor-based lighting; and

F) a network interface, operatively coupled to at least the power management module, to transmit to at least one external source, and/or receive from the at least one external source, at least one of;

the sensor data;

the related timelines; and

the database of historic sensor data.

40. A lighting method to provide variable sensor-based lighting, the lighting method comprising:

A) sensing at least one parameter of a lighting environment to provide sensor data representing at least one measurement of the at least one parameter of the lighting environment;

B) logging in a memory of at least one LED-based light source the sensor data and related timelines, based on an output of a real-time clock, so as to maintain a database of historic sensor data;

C) controlling the at least one LED-based light source to provide the variable sensor-based lighting at a plurality of light levels and/or a plurality of foot-candle patterns, based at least in part on the database of historic sensor data; and

D) transmitting to at least one external source, and/or receiving from the at least one external source, at least one of;

the sensor data;

the related timelines; and

the database of historic sensor data.

41. A lighting system to provide variable sensor-based lighting, the lighting system comprising:

a first lighting fixture; and

at least a second lighting fixture communicatively coupled to the first lighting fixture,

wherein each of the first and second lighting fixtures comprises;

A) a housing;

B) at least one sensor, mechanically coupled to the housing, to provide sensor data representing at least one measurement of at least one parameter relating to an environment illuminated by the lighting fixture;

C) a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light bars disposed in the housing to provide at least a portion of the variable sensor-based lighting at a plurality of light levels and/or a plurality of foot-candle patterns;

D) a power management module (PMM), disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the plurality of LED light bars, to adjust the portion of the variable sensor-based lighting based at least in part on the sensor data provided by the at least one sensor, and/or other sensor data provided by at least one other lighting fixture of the lighting system;

E) a memory, operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and/or to the power management module, to log at least some of the sensor data provided by the at least one sensor, and/or the other sensor data provided by the at least one other lighting fixture of the lighting system;

F) a real-time clock, operatively coupled to at least one of the power management module and/or to the memory, to provide clock data related to timing counts for environmental information that is a function of time, wherein the power management module is further configured to record, in the memory, the sensor data and related timelines, based on the clock data, to maintain a database of historic data; and

G) a network interface, operatively coupled to the power management module, to transmit at least one of the related timelines and the historic data to the at least one other lighting fixture of the lighting system and/or to receive at least one of other related timelines and other historic data provided by the at least one other lighting fixture of the lighting system.

42. The lighting system of claim 41, wherein:

the lighting system further includes a third lighting fixture;

the network interface of at least one of the first and second lighting fixtures receives the at least one of the other related timelines and the other historic data provided by the at least one other lighting fixture of the lighting system; and

the network interface of the at least one of the first and second lighting fixtures transmits the at least one of the other related timelines and the other historic data to the third lighting fixture of the lighting system.

43. The lighting system of claim 41, wherein the network interface of at least one of the first and second lighting fixtures transmits the at least one of the related timelines and the historic data to the at least one other lighting fixture of the lighting system and/or receives the at least one of the other related timelines and the other historic data provided by the at least one other lighting fixture of the lighting system.