Enhanced lighting fixture

• US 9,717,125 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• 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: Trainor, John J., Deese, Matthew, Carrigan, Brian, Bryan, Keith, Chobot, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAI, RAYMOND REI-YANG
• Application Number:
  US14/498,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20150008831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/355 Power factor correction [PFC]; Reactive power compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• 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 47/18 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 fixture having a light source, a light sensor, a communication interface, and circuitry is described. In addition to controlling the light source, the circuitry is adapted to monitor for a light signal provided from a handheld device via the light sensor; upon receiving the light signal, measure a signal level associated with the light signal; and effect transmission of the signal level to the handheld device via the communication interface. In one embodiment, the circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction to monitor for the light signal from the handheld device via the communication interface such that the circuitry begins monitoring for the light signal upon receiving the instruction.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

a light source;

a light sensor;

a communication interface; and

circuitry adapted to;

control the light source;

monitor for a light signal provided from a handheld device via the light sensor;

upon receiving the light signal, measure a signal level associated with the light signal; and

effect transmission of the signal level and an identifier associated with the lighting fixture to the handheld device via the communication interface such that the identifier is transmitted with the signal level.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction to monitor for the light signal from the handheld device via the communication interface such that the circuitry begins monitoring for the light signal upon receiving the instruction.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light signal is a strobed light signal.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 3 wherein the light signal is strobed at a frequency that is not humanly perceptible.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the signal level and the identifier are transmitted wirelessly to the handheld device.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the identifier is an address.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to effect transmission of information toward an associated lighting fixture via the communication interface.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 7 wherein the lighting fixture comprises an occupancy sensor and the information relates to an output of the occupancy sensor.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 7 wherein the light sensor is further configured to monitor an ambient light level of an area in which the lighting fixture resides and the information relates to the ambient light level.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive information from an associated lighting fixture via the communication interface and control the light source based at least in part on the information.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 10 wherein the information relates to an output of an occupancy sensor of the associated lighting fixture.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 10 wherein the information relates to an output of an ambient light sensor of the associated lighting fixture.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light sensor is further configured to monitor an ambient light level of an area in which the lighting fixture resides and the circuitry is further configured to control the light source based at least in part on the ambient light level.