Device indication and commissioning for a lighting control system

• US 9,883,567 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAB Lighting Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAB Lighting Incorporated
• Inventors: Barna, Ross A, Case-Hayes, Michael Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US14/823,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• 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 wireless device control system includes a remote server connected to a wide area network and having control software for configuring, monitoring, and controlling devices at a site. The wireless device control system also includes a wireless gateway located at the site and configured to communicate with the remote server via cellular communication. Control devices are in wireless communication with the wireless gateway via a mesh network, with each of the control devices being wired to control one of the site devices. A computer device is connected to the wide area network and has an interface enabling a user to access the server control software. Control instructions entered on the remote server through the interface are communicated from the remote server to the wireless gateway and then from the wireless gateway to the control devices.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a wireless device control system, wherein the wireless device control system includes a server system, a site system, and a plurality of user devices, the method comprising steps of:

displaying representations of devices of the site system on a user interface of one of the user devices;

actuating a device identification feature on a selected device of the site system;

detecting actuation of a device identification feature by a gateway of the site system, wherein the selected device has a unique device identifier;

communicating an indication of the actuation and the unique device identifier from the gateway to the server system; and

changing a representation corresponding to the selected device on the user interface responsive to receipt of the indication of the actuation and the unique device identifier by the server system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the devices are control devices in wireless communication with the gateway via a mesh network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control devices are wired to control lighting devices at the site system.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of entering via the user interface additional display information for the selected device, the additional information relating to the lighting device controlled by the selected device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

associating the gateway with a user account stored on the server system and accessible by at least one of the plurality of user devices;

powering on the selected device and registering the selected device with the gateway; and

communicating the device registration from the gateway to the server system user account.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the steps of communicating from the gateway to the server system is provided by a cellular network.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a displayed representation of a device on the user interface to activate identification of the selected device at the site system;

communicating the selection and activation of the identification of the selected device from the server system to the gateway and from the gateway to the selected device; and

modifying a state of the selected device to identify the selected device to a user.

4. A wireless device control system, wherein the wireless device control system includes a server system, a site system, and a plurality of user devices, the system comprising:

a user interface of one of the user devices configured to display representations of devices of the site system; and

a gateway of the site system configured to detect actuation of a device identification feature on a selected device of the site system, wherein the selected device has a unique device identifier;

wherein the gateway is further configured to communicate an indication of the actuation and the unique device identifier to the server system;

wherein the server system is configured to change a representation corresponding to the selected device on the user interface responsive to receipt of the indication of the actuation and the unique device identifier.

5. The wireless device control system of claim 4, wherein the devices are control devices in wireless communication with the gateway via a mesh network.

6. The wireless device control system of claim 4, wherein the control devices are wired to control lighting devices at the site system.

7. The wireless device control system of claim 6, wherein the user interface is further configured to allow entry of additional display information for the selected device upon receipt of the indication, the additional information relating to the lighting device controlled by the selected device.

8. The wireless device control system of claim 4, wherein the server system is remote from the site system and at least one of the plurality of user devices communicates with the server system.

9. The wireless device control system of claim 8, wherein the gateway and server system communicate via a cellular network.

10. The wireless device control system of claim 5, wherein the devices include wireless transceivers forming the mesh network.

11. The wireless device control system of claim 4, wherein the device identification feature comprises a switch.

12. The wireless device control system of claim 4, further comprising:

a user account stored on the server system, associated with the gateway, and accessible by at least one of the plurality of user devices; and

wherein the selected device is further configured to register with the gateway upon a user powering the selected device; and

wherein the gateway is further configured to communicate the device registration from the gateway to the server system user account.

13. The wireless device control system of claim 4, wherein:

the user interface is configured to allow a user to activate identification of the selected device at the site system;

the server system communicates the activation of identification to the gateway;

the gateway communicates the activation of identification to the selected device; and

the selected device is configured to modify a state of the device upon receiving the activation of identification from the gateway.

14. The wireless device control system of claim 13, wherein:

the devices include an indicator; and

the modification of the state of the device is a change in an illumination state of the indicator.