Lighting fixture for distributed control

• US 8,975,827 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chobot, Joseph P., Harris, Michael James
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/782,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20140001963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 315291-295, 315297-298, 315/312, 315318-319, 315/321, 315/156, 340/517, 340/12.22
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting network where control of the lighting fixtures in the network may be distributed among the lighting fixtures. The lighting fixtures may be broken into groups that are associated with different lighting zones. Certain lighting fixtures will have or be associated with one or more sensors, such as occupancy sensors, ambient light sensors, and the like. Within the lighting network or the various lighting zones, lighting fixtures may share sensor data. Each lighting fixture may process sensor data provided by its own sensor, a remote standalone sensor, or lighting fixture, and process the sensor data according to the lighting fixture'"'"'s own internal logic to control operation. The lighting fixtures may also receive control input from other lighting fixtures, control nodes, light switches, and commissioning tools. The control input may be processed along with the sensor data according to the internal logic to further enhance control of the lighting fixture.

Claims

1. A lighting network comprising a plurality of lighting fixtures that have sensors and each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is adapted to:

share sensor data with others of the plurality of lighting fixtures; and

control light output based on the sensor data in light of its own internal logic, wherein the internal logic is configured such that each of the plurality of lighting fixtures operates independently from the others while providing light in a concerted fashion.

2. The lighting network of claim 1, wherein each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures comprises:

a light source;

a local sensor; and

circuitry adapted to;

determine local data from the local sensor; and

drive the light source based on both the sensor data and the local data.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further adapted to send the local data to the at least one other lighting fixture.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the local sensor is an ambient light sensor.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the local sensor is an occupancy sensor.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry comprises:

a driver module that is adapted to drive the light source; and

a communications module that is adapted to communicate with the at least one other lighting fixture and control the driver module.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 6 wherein the driver module and the communications module communicate with one another over a communications bus.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 7 further comprising a sensor module that is capable of communicating with at least one of the driver module and the communications module over the communications bus.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry comprises a wireless communications interface to facilitate wireless communications with at least one other lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry comprises a wired communications interface to facilitate wired communications with at least one other lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the sensor data is from an ambient light sensor of at least one other lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the sensor data is from an occupancy sensor of at least one other lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light source is a solid-state light source.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein circuitry is further adapted to receive remote sensor data from a plurality of light fixtures such that the light source is driven by the remote sensor data received from the plurality of light fixtures and the local sensor data.

15. A lighting fixture comprising:

a light source; and

circuitry adapted to;

receive remote sensor data from at least one other lighting fixture;

receive an instruction from a remote entity; and

drive the light source based on both the remote sensor data and the instruction.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 15 further comprising a local sensor and wherein:

the circuitry is further adapted to determine local sensor data from the local sensor; and

the light source is driven by the circuitry based on the remote sensor data, the local sensor data, and the instruction.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 15 wherein the remote entity is another lighting fixture.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 15 wherein the remote entity is a handheld commissioning tool.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 15 wherein the remote entity is a remote control system.

20. A lighting fixture comprising:

a light source; and

circuitry adapted to;

receive remote sensor data from at least one other lighting fixture;

drive the light source based on the remote sensor data;

generate an instruction; and

send the instruction to the at least one other lighting fixture.