Methods, apparatus, and systems for prediction of lighting module performance

• US 8,610,377 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• 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): PHILOGENE, HAISSA
• Application Number:
  US12/828,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20100301770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/294, 315/297, 315/312, 315307-309, 315/318, 315/360, 340/309.16, 340/517, 340/521, 340/565
• 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 method of predicting performance of a lighting module that provides variable lighting to an environment, the lighting module comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) powered with a power management unit (PMU) in accordance with input from at least one sensor communicatively coupled to the PMU and a set of stored rules, the set of stored rules including at least one rule corresponding to at least one condition of the environment, the method comprising:

A) receiving, via a network, logged sensor data from the PMU, the logged sensor data representing one or more conditions of the environment sensed with the at least one sensor;

B) analyzing past patterns of the logged sensor data received in A);

C) generating a change in at least one rule in the set of stored rules based on the past patterns analyzed in B);

D) making a prediction of at least one of;

D1) a lifetime of at least one of the plurality of LEDs in the lighting module based on the past patterns analyzed in B);

D2) a change in a layout of the environment based on the past patterns analyzed in B); and

D3) a change in energy usage based on the at least one changed rule generated in C); and

E) providing, via the network, the prediction made in D) to an operator of the environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the logged sensor data comprises data representing at least one of an occupancy of the environment, an ambient light level of the environment, and an energy usage of the lighting module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein B) includes comparing energy demand information with stored energy demand parameters according to an energy demand rule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein C) comprises generating the change in the at least one rule so as to specify modifying at least one of:

an amount of time that the lighting module is turned on in response to the input from the at least one sensor; and

a brightness of the variable lighting provided by the lighting module in response to the input from the at least one sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

F) transmitting, via the network, an indication of the change generated in C) to the lighting module so as to cause the lighting module to provide the variable illumination according to at least one changed rule.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

G) providing, via the network to the operator of the environment, an indication of the analysis of past patterns in B).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein G) further comprises providing the operator of the environment with a tool for at least one of:

visualizing energy consumed by the lighting module; and

modifying the at least one rule in the set of stored rules.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

H) performing a check of compliance by the operator with the set of stored rules; and

I) generating a report based on the check performed in H).

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

J) assuming control of the lighting module from the operator of the environment based on the past patterns analyzed in B).

10. A management module for predicting performance of a lighting module that provides variable lighting to an environment, the lighting module comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) powered with a power management unit (PMU) in accordance with input from at least one sensor communicatively coupled to the PMU and a set of stored rules, the set of stored rules including at least one rule corresponding to at least one condition of the environment, the management module comprising:

a communications interface to receive, via a network, logged sensor data from the PMU, the logged sensor data representing one or more conditions of the environment sensed with the at least one sensor; and

a processor, operably coupled to the communications interface, to;

A) perform an analysis of past patterns of the logged sensor data;

B) generate a change in at least one rule in the set of stored rules based on the analysis of the past patterns; and

C) make a prediction of at least one of;

C1) a lifetime of at least one of the plurality of LEDs in the lighting module based on the analysis of the past patterns;

C2) a change in a layout of the environment based on the analysis of the past patterns; and

C3) a change in energy usage based on the change in the at least one rule;

wherein the communications interface is configured to provide, via the network, the prediction to an operator of the environment.

11. The management module of claim 10, wherein the communications interface is further configured to transmit, via the network to the lighting module, an indication of the change in the at least one rule so as to cause the lighting module to provide the variable illumination according to at least one changed rule.

12. The management module of claim 10, wherein the communications interface is further configured to provide, via the network to the operator of the environment, an indication of the analysis of the past patterns.

13. The management module of claim 12, wherein the communications interface is further configured to provide, via the network to the operator of the environment, a tool for at least one of:

visualizing energy consumed by the lighting module; and

modifying at least one rule in the set of stored rules.

14. The management module of claim 10, wherein the logged sensor data comprises data representing at least one of an occupancy of the environment, an ambient light level of the environment, and an energy usage of the lighting module.

15. The management module of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to perform the analysis of the past patterns by comparing energy demand information with stored energy demand parameters according to an energy demand rule.

16. The management module of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to generate the change in the at least one rule so as to specify modifying at least one of:

an amount of time that the lighting module is turned on in response to the input from the at least one sensor; and

a brightness of the variable lighting provided by the lighting module in response to the input from the at least one sensor.

17. The management module of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

D) perform a check of compliance by the operator with the set of stored rules; and

E) generate a report based on the check performed in D).

18. The management module of claim 10, wherein the management module is configured to assume control of the lighting module from the operator of the environment based on the analysis of the past patterns.

19. A system for illuminating an environment, the system comprising:

a sensor to provide sensor data representing at least one condition of the environment;

a lighting module, communicatively coupled to the sensor and comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), to log the sensor data and to provide variable lighting to the environment in accordance with the sensor data and a set of stored rules, the set of stored rules including at least one rule corresponding to at least one condition of the environment; and

a management module, communicatively coupled to the lighting module via a network, comprising;

a communications interface to receive, via the network, logged sensor data from the lighting module; and

a processor, operably coupled to the communications interface, to;

A) perform an analysis of past patterns of the logged sensor data;

B) generate a change in at least one rule in the set of stored rules based on the analysis of the past patterns; and

C) make a prediction of at least one of;

C1) a lifetime of at least one of the plurality of LEDs in the lighting module based on the analysis of the past patterns;

C2) a change in a layout of the environment based on the analysis of the past patterns; and

C3) a change in energy usage based on the change in the at least one rule;

wherein the communications interface is configured to provide, via the network, the prediction to an operator of the environment.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the communications interface is further configured to transmit, via the network to the lighting module, an indication of the change in the at least one rule so as to cause the lighting module to provide the variable illumination according to at least one changed rule.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the communications interface is further configured to provide, via the network to the operator of the environment, an indication of the analysis of the past patterns.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the communications interface is further configured to provide, via the network to the operator of the environment, a tool for at least one of:

visualizing energy consumed by the lighting module; and

modifying at least one rule in the set of stored rules.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the logged sensor data comprises data representing at least one of an occupancy of the environment, an ambient light level of the environment, and an energy usage of the lighting module.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to perform the analysis of the past patterns by comparing energy demand information with stored energy demand parameters according to an energy demand rule.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to generate the change in the at least one rule so as to specify modifying at least one of:

an amount of time that the lighting module is turned on in response to the input from the at least one sensor; and

a brightness of the variable lighting provided by the lighting module in response to the input from the at least one sensor.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:

D) perform a check of compliance by the operator with the set of stored rules; and

E) generate a report based on the check of the compliance by the operator.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the management module is configured to assume control of the lighting module from the operator of the environment based on the analysis of the past patterns.