Abstract: A networked lighting control system having the capability to identify problems within its own wireless network. The system includes a plurality of luminaire nodes. Each luminaire receives, via a wireless mesh network, a series of messages containing an output control indication. The indication represents a “delta” value, which the luminaire uses, for each received message, to generate a control signal to increase the light output of its lamp by a known amount. The luminaire transmits a series of messages containing the output control indication, wherein each transmitted message corresponds to each message that had been received by the luminaire. After a series of such “delta” messages have been originated and broadcast over the mesh network, the luminaires that failed to receive some of the messages will appear dimmer than the luminaires that received all, or more of, the messages, providing a visualization of signal propagation problems.

Abstract: A system and method involving actor nodes within a building that is being controlled, to be subscribed to a set of addresses, including one or more addresses that are representative of one or more respective spaces within the building being controlled. Such addresses are referred to as “space addresses.” Each of the actor nodes acts upon received data packets only if a space address is received along with the data packets and the actor node has been subscribed to the space address. Concurrently, one or more sensor nodes in the system are configurable to transmit the one or more space addresses and the data packets. A user device in the system receives commands from a user via a user interface and transmits a set of signals such that the actor nodes are subscribed to the appropriate space addresses and the sensor nodes are configured to transmit the space addresses.

Abstract: A system of luminaires, which are connected to one another within a mesh network, and which interoperate in accordance with the disclosed method. A receiving luminaire receives a notification message from a second luminaire. The second luminaire can be the luminaire that originates a notification message as a result of sensing occupancy in its vicinity, or the luminaire can be an intermediary node that is relaying the notification message from another luminaire. The notification message comprises a first source address and a first light level. The receiving luminaire modifies a first light output of its lamp, wherein the first light output is based on: (i) the first light level, (ii) a distance between (a) the receiving luminaire and (b) a node corresponding to the first source address, and (iii) whether or not the first source address is a member of a first set of neighbor addresses.

Abstract: A networked lighting control system having the capability to identify problems within its own wireless network. The system includes a plurality of luminaire nodes. Each luminaire receives, via a wireless mesh network, a series of messages containing an output control indication. The indication represents a “delta” value, which the luminaire uses, for each received message, to generate a control signal to increase the light output of its lamp by a known amount. The luminaire transmits a series of messages containing the output control indication, wherein each transmitted message corresponds to each message that had been received by the luminaire. After a series of such “delta” messages have been originated and broadcast over the mesh network, the luminaires that failed to receive some of the messages will appear dimmer than the luminaires that received all, or more of, the messages, providing a visualization of signal propagation problems.

Abstract: A commissioning system and method that applies a design configuration, representative of a building automation and control system, to a mesh network of network-capable devices. A cloud-based server system works in concert with an installing device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to apply the relevant configuration of scenarios and spaces, as defined in the design configuration during a design phase, to each mesh node in the mesh network. The commissioning system first transforms the defined scenarios and spaces, which essentially represent a logical configuration of the building automation and control system, into a network-centric configuration. Then, the system decomposes the network-centric configuration into a physical configuration of each mesh node, resulting in a set of parameters for each mesh node.

Abstract: A technique for processing Bluetooth Mesh packets that comprise erroneous cyclic redundancy check (CRC) values. The disclosed mesh node receives packets, each of which comprising a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) field. The PDU comprises an AD Data field with multiple octets; the AD Data field itself comprises a Network Identifier (NID) field. After determining the value of the CRC field in a first packet to be invalid, and subject to further checks, the mesh node selects a selected set of one or more NID values, based on the validity of the value of the NID field in the first packet. The mesh node then processes at least some of the multiple octets in the AD Data field in the first packet in accordance with a set of network keys that hash to the one or more NID values in the selected set.

Abstract: A system of networked occupancy sensors and a thermostat that is controlled using data from the sensors. In a data network of occupancy sensors, the sensors (i) sense occupancy in a first space, such as a room within a building, and (ii) transmit data packets. Each of the data packets comprises an indication whose value is based in part on whether occupancy is sensed or not in the first space. The thermostat is situated in the first space and provides a control signal on an output line for controlling heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), based on the temperature sensed by the thermostat. A controller unit comprises (i) a radio transceiver, capable of receiving the data packets, and (ii) a processor. The processor modifies the control signal on the output line of the thermostat, based in part on the value of the indication in the packets from the occupancy sensors.

Abstract: A mesh device for receiving and processing a private beacon message, which can be represented by one or more Bluetooth Low Energy mesh packets. Upon receiving the private beacon message, the mesh device decrypts a first portion of the private beacon by using a first encryption key corresponding to a first subnet, wherein the first portion comprises an initialization vector (IV), in the form of an index or other indicator. The decrypting using the first encryption key results in a first decrypted value for the IV index. The mesh device then determines whether the first decrypted value for the IV index is valid or invalid. If the mesh device determines the first decrypted value to be valid, the mesh device proceeds with authenticating the data contained in the private beacon message.

Abstract: A commissioning system and method that applies a design configuration, representative of a building automation and control system, to a mesh network of network-capable devices. A cloud-based server system works in concert with an installing device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to apply the relevant configuration of scenarios and spaces, as defined in the design configuration during a design phase, to each mesh node in the mesh network. The commissioning system first transforms the defined scenarios and spaces, which essentially represent a logical configuration of the building automation and control system, into a network-centric configuration. Then, the system decomposes the network-centric configuration into a physical configuration of each mesh node, resulting in a set of parameters for each mesh node.

Abstract: A distributed control system, comprising a data network with a plurality of controller nodes that maintain and share their internal states with one another. The controller nodes can be luminaires that are capable of controlling the ambient lighting within a building area. There are one or more ambient light sensors within the data network for sensing and reporting the ambient light level. The controller luminaire nodes are members of a defined group of nodes that share, with one another, information for synchronizing their internal states, based in part on the ambient light levels that the one or more sensors are reporting. Meanwhile, each luminaire node also continually updates its own internal state based on the synchronization data received from the other nodes.

Abstract: A commissioning system and method that applies a design configuration, representative of a building automation and control system, to a mesh network of network-capable devices. A cloud-based server system works in concert with an installing device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to apply the relevant configuration of scenarios and spaces, as defined in the design configuration during a design phase, to each mesh node in the mesh network. The commissioning system first transforms the defined scenarios and spaces, which essentially represent a logical configuration of the building automation and control system, into a network-centric configuration. Then, the system decomposes the network-centric configuration into a physical configuration of each mesh node, resulting in a set of parameters for each mesh node. The commissioning system then transmits the set of parameters, including one or more group addresses, to the applicable mesh node, for each affected mesh node in the network.

Abstract: A system and method involving actor nodes within a building that is being controlled, to be subscribed to a set of addresses, including one or more addresses that are representative of one or more respective spaces within the building being controlled. Such addresses are referred to as “space addresses.” Each of the actor nodes acts upon received data packets only if a space address is received along with the data packets and the actor node has been subscribed to the space address. Concurrently, one or more sensor nodes in the system are configurable to transmit the one or more space addresses and the data packets. A user device in the system receives commands from a user via a user interface and transmits a set of signals such that the actor nodes are subscribed to the appropriate space addresses and the sensor nodes are configured to transmit the space addresses.

Abstract: A system and method involving actor nodes within a building that is being controlled, to be subscribed to a set of addresses, including one or more addresses that are representative of one or more respective spaces within the building being controlled. Such addresses are referred to as “space addresses.” Each of the actor nodes acts upon received data packets only if a space address is received along with the data packets and the actor node has been subscribed to the space address. Concurrently, one or more sensor nodes in the system are configurable to transmit the one or more space addresses and the data packets. A user device in the system receives commands from a user via a user interface and transmits a set of signals such that the actor nodes are subscribed to the appropriate space addresses and the sensor nodes are configured to transmit the space addresses.

Abstract: A mesh device for receiving and processing a private beacon message, which can be represented by one or more Bluetooth Low Energy mesh packets. Upon receiving the private beacon message, the mesh device decrypts a first portion of the private beacon by using a first encryption key corresponding to a first subnet, wherein the first portion comprises an initialization vector (IV), in the form of an index or other indicator. The decrypting using the first encryption key results in a first decrypted value for the IV index. The mesh device then determines whether the first decrypted value for the IV index is valid or invalid. If the mesh device determines the first decrypted value to be valid, the mesh device proceeds with authenticating the data contained in the private beacon message.

Abstract: A distributed control system, comprising a data network with a plurality of controller nodes that maintain and share their internal states with one another. The controller nodes can be luminaires that are capable of controlling the ambient lighting within a building area. There are one or more ambient light sensors within the data network for sensing and reporting the ambient light level. The controller luminaire nodes are members of a defined group of nodes that share, with one another, information for synchronizing their internal states, based in part on the ambient light levels that the one or more sensors are reporting. Meanwhile, each luminaire node also continually updates its own internal state based on the synchronization data received from the other nodes.

Abstract: A distributed control system, comprising a data network with a plurality of controller nodes that maintain and share their internal states with one another. The controller nodes can be luminaires that are capable of controlling the ambient lighting within a building area. There are one or more ambient light sensors within the data network for sensing and reporting the ambient light level. The controller luminaire nodes are members of a defined group of nodes that share, with one another, information for synchronizing their internal states, based in part on the ambient light levels that the one or more sensors are reporting. Meanwhile, each luminaire node also continually updates its own internal state based on the synchronization data received from the other nodes.

Abstract: A system and method involving actor nodes within a building that is being controlled, to be subscribed to a set of addresses, including one or more addresses that are representative of one or more respective spaces within the building being controlled. Such addresses are referred to as “space addresses.” Each of the actor nodes acts upon received data packets only if a space address is received along with the data packets and the actor node has been subscribed to the space address. Concurrently, one or more sensor nodes in the system are configurable to transmit the one or more space addresses and the data packets. A user device in the system receives commands from a user via a user interface and transmits a set of signals such that the actor nodes are subscribed to the appropriate space addresses and the sensor nodes are configured to transmit the space addresses.

Abstract: A consumable-goods reordering system in which a system controller has access to the signals transmitted by each smart appliance relevant to the environment being monitored, such as a home. Each appliance monitors a particular physical condition that is related to the appliance's usage of a consumable good, senses changes in the condition being monitored, and reports states of the condition. Meanwhile, the system controller memorizes and maintains the states of various processing events, such as when an appliance reported a particular state of the monitored condition. By considering the information reported by the multiple smart appliances, as well as by accounting for the states corresponding to the various events, the system controller is able to continually update a representation of the state of the monitored environment. Having such context awareness enables the system controller to generate intelligently various reorder messages for transmission to the various suppliers of the consumables.

Abstract: A system and method involving actor nodes within a building that is being controlled, to be subscribed to a set of addresses, including one or more addresses that are representative of one or more respective spaces within the building being controlled. Such addresses are referred to as “space addresses.” Each of the actor nodes acts upon received data packets only if a space address is received along with the data packets and the actor node has been subscribed to the space address. Concurrently, one or more sensor nodes in the system are configurable to transmit the one or more space addresses and the data packets. A user device in the system receives commands from a user via a user interface and transmits a set of signals such that the actor nodes are subscribed to the appropriate space addresses and the sensor nodes are configured to transmit the space addresses.

Abstract: A motorized system that allows for calibration by a user, and that features circuit protection and detection of motor stoppage. A motorized window-blind system is an example of such a system and is disclosed herein. In particular, a circuit is featured that comprises a TRIAC, or “triode for alternating current,” and TVS diodes, or “transient-voltage-suppression diodes,” providing voltage protection to various types of motor-related electronic components. A controller is disclosed that features measurement of voltage that is induced on a secondary winding of a motor, in order to detect certain events that occur during the operation of the motor. A calibration method is also disclosed that can account for one or both of the protection circuit and event-detecting controller. The calibration method accounts for human interaction and, in doing so, is intended toward making a calibration process of a motorized household system less prone to human error.