Patents by Inventor Didier WELLENS
Didier WELLENS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10375801Abstract: Described herein is method for operating and controlling a network of lights comprising a plurality of lights arranged in a number of groups (A, B) using a short-distance network. Each light includes a control module (23, 28) for controlling its normal operation and for short-distance communication over the short-distance network with a designated group controller (23?, 28?, 31, 32) and other control modules within the group. Each designated group controller (23?, 28?, 31, 32) is also operable for long-distance communication with a central server and transmits its own specific information as a control module as well as information received from other control modules within the group. Information relevant to more than one group can quickly be exchanged between adjacent groups over a long-distance network via the group controller of the adjacent groups, by-passing the central server, or directly over the short-distance connection to a control module of an adjacent group.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: SCHREDERInventors: Helmut Schröder, Daniel Brand, Didier Wellens
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Patent number: 10347123Abstract: Method for controlling the light distribution of a traffic route luminaire (1) in a network of luminaires, which is preferably also organized as a mesh network. The luminaire has a luminaire head having a settable light module and a controller, the light distribution of the luminaire being variable. The luminaire communicates luminaire data to at least one server, the luminaire data being luminaire-specific and including the installation location of the luminaire. The method comprises the steps of: —automatically allocating a light distribution to the luminaire (1) in accordance with the communicated luminaire data; —automatically setting the light module on the basis of the allocated light distribution; and determining, by said at least one server, a light distribution class of the traffic route luminaire on the basis of a traffic route topology (2,3,4,5,6).Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: SCHREDERInventors: Didier Wellens, Helmut Schröder, Daniel Brand, Jörg Richter
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Publication number: 20190182938Abstract: Described herein is method for setting up a network of luminaires and their subsequent operation. A plurality of luminaires are located on a street (24, 29), and each luminaire comprises a control module (23, 28). The method for setting up the network comprises, for each control module, scanning the environment and providing environmental information to a central server, which, allocates the control modules and their associated luminaires into groups (A, B). A group controller (23?, 28?, 31, 32) is allocated for each group which has long-distance communication with the server and short-distance communication with control modules within its group. Each group controller and control modules within the group form a network which can operate autonomously or under the control of the server. Some of the control modules may include sensors (S1, S2) which provide signals indicative of changes in the environment allowing the network to adapt its operation in accordance with those changes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Helmut SCHRÖDER, Daniel BRAND, Didier WELLENS
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Patent number: 10212789Abstract: Described herein is method for setting up a network of luminaires and their subsequent operation. A plurality of luminaires are located on a street (24, 29), and each luminaire comprises a control module (23, 28). The method for setting up the network comprises, for each control module, scanning the environment and providing environmental information to a central server, which, allocates the control modules and their associated luminaires into groups (A, B). A group controller (23?, 28?, 31, 32) is allocated for each group which has long-distance communication with the server and short-distance communication with control modules within its group. Each group controller and control modules within the group form a network which can operate autonomously or under the control of the server. Some of the control modules may include sensors (S1, S2) which provide signals indicative of changes in the environment allowing the network to adapt its operation in accordance with those changes.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: SCHREDERInventors: Helmut Schröder, Daniel Brand, Didier Wellens
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Publication number: 20180288855Abstract: Described herein is method for setting up a network of luminaires and their subsequent operation. A plurality of luminaires are located on a street (24, 29), and each luminaire comprises a control module (23, 28). The method for setting up the network comprises, for each control module, scanning the environment and providing environmental information to a central server, which, allocates the control modules and their associated luminaires into groups (A, B). A group controller (23?, 28?, 31, 32) is allocated for each group which has long-distance communication with the server and short-distance communication with control modules within its group. Each group controller and control modules within the group form a network which can operate autonomously or under the control of the server. Some of the control modules may include sensors (S1, S2) which provide signals indicative of changes in the environment allowing the network to adapt its operation in accordance with those changes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Helmut SCHRÖDER, Daniel BRAND, Didier WELLENS
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Publication number: 20180288854Abstract: Described herein is control module for a street light which is mounted on the street light and provides a control output for controlling the operation of the light. The control module has a circuit board (38) on which a controller (39) is mounted, the controller being connected a long-distance communication module, a short-distance communication module, and a geocoordinate module. A network can be formed by the control modules in which a central server uses long-distance communication for communicating with the control modules at start up and with a group controller after start up, the group controller using short-distance communication for communicating with control modules within its group. A sensor (41) may be provided in the control module for modifying the normal operation of the light in accordance with sensed changes in its local environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Helmut SCHRÖDER, Daniel BRAND, Didier WELLENS
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Publication number: 20180288853Abstract: Described herein is method for operating and controlling a network of lights comprising a plurality of lights arranged in a number of groups (A, B) using a short-distance network. Each light includes a control module (23, 28) for controlling its normal operation and for short-distance communication over the short-distance network with a designated group controller (23?, 28?, 31, 32) and other control modules within the group. Each designated group controller (23?, 28?, 31, 32) is also operable for long-distance communication with a central server and transmits its own specific information as a control module as well as information received from other control modules within the group. Information relevant to more than one group can quickly be exchanged between adjacent groups over a long-distance network via the group controller of the adjacent groups, by-passing the central server, or directly over the short-distance connection to a control module of an adjacent group.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Helmut SCHRÖDER, Daniel BRAND, Didier WELLENS
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Publication number: 20180132339Abstract: Method for the operation and the expansion of a network of lights, each light in the network including a control module which is assigned to a group, each control module being in communication with a group controller as well as control modules in the same group. The network can be expanded by installing (19) new lights with their associated control modules, and each new control module scans (20) its environment and transmits environmental information to a central server where the environmental information is analysed and the new control modules are allocated (21) into groups. After allocation to a group in which control modules may be moved from one group to another or a new group is formed, the new control modules are available for normal operation. This process is repeated for each new light and associated control module.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2018Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Helmut SCHRÖDER, Daniel BRAND, Didier WELLENS
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Patent number: 9894739Abstract: Method for the operation and the expansion of a network of lights, each light in the network including a control module which is assigned to a group, each control module being in communication with a group controller as well as control modules in the same group. The network can be expanded by installing (19) new lights with their associated control modules, and each new control module scans (20) its environment and transmits environmental information to a central server where the environmental information is analyzed and the new control modules are allocated (21) into groups. After allocation to a group in which control modules may be moved from one group to another or a new group is formed, the new control modules are available for normal operation. This process is repeated for each new light and associated control module.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2017Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: SCHREDERInventors: Helmut Schröder, Daniel Brand, Didier Wellens
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Publication number: 20170372604Abstract: Method for controlling the light distribution of a traffic route luminaire (1) in a network of luminaires, which is preferably also organized as a mesh network. The luminaire has a luminaire head having a settable light module and a controller, the light distribution of the luminaire being variable. The luminaire communicates luminaire data to at least one server, the luminaire data being luminaire-specific and including the installation location of the luminaire. The method comprises the steps of: —automatically allocating a light distribution to the luminaire (1) in accordance with the communicated luminaire data; —automatically setting the light module on the basis of the allocated light distribution; and determining, by said at least one server, a light distribution class of the traffic route luminaire on the basis of a traffic route topology (2,3,4,5,6).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2016Publication date: December 28, 2017Applicant: SCHREDERInventors: Didier Wellens, Helmut Schröder, Daniel Brand, Jörg Richter
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Publication number: 20170354020Abstract: Described herein is a method for marking luminaires, particularly traffic route luminaires, in a luminaire network, the network being controllable via a server. Each luminaire is provided, in its operational state, with a controller (2) for controlling its operation and a mark that is visually recognizable from the outside the luminaire. The mark is formed by an information storage medium (4), in particular, and can be used to identify the luminaire. The mark is linked to the controller (2) or to the luminaire to be controlled by the controller before the mark is added to the luminaire.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2016Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Daniel BRAND, Jörg RICHTER, Helmut SCHRÖDER, Didier WELLENS
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Publication number: 20170322330Abstract: Described herein is method for the detection of seismic activity using a network of lights, and in particular, street lights (43) arranged over a number of streets (42). Each light includes a control module having the facility for both long- and short-distance communication, the control modules being grouped with other control modules and associated with a group controller to create a short-distance or mesh network. Each control module includes a sensor which is capable of detecting seismic activity and data relating to such activity may be transmitted to a central server via its group controller using long-distance communication. Even if the sensors are relatively inaccurate, the high number of such sensors present in the network makes it possible to detect and analyse the activity using geocoordinate information provided by the control modules at the server.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: Helmut SCHRÖDER, Daniel BRAND, Didier WELLENS
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Publication number: 20170311426Abstract: Method for the operation and the expansion of a network of lights, each light in the network including a control module which is assigned to a group, each control module being in communication with a group controller as well as control modules in the same group. The network can be expanded by installing (19) new lights with their associated control modules, and each new control module scans (20) its environment and transmits environmental information to a central server where the environmental information is analysed and the new control modules are allocated (21) into groups. After allocation to a group in which control modules may be moved from one group to another or a new group is formed, the new control modules are available for normal operation. This process is repeated for each new light and associated control module.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2017Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Helmut SCHRÖDER, Daniel BRAND, Didier WELLENS