Abstract: The present invention relates to a method (200), and a corresponding control unit (160), for grouping lighting devices in a system (100) including a plurality of lighting devices (120a-c) and a plurality of presence sensors (130a-c), at least one of the presence sensors being associated with at least one of the lighting devices. The method comprises: receiving (230) input indicating a user interaction element (170a); receiving (240) information from at least one presence sensor, the information indicating whether at least one lighting device associated with the at least one presence sensor is to be part of a group of lighting devices; and associating (280) the group of lighting devices with the indicated user interaction element, which is thereby configured to control the group of lighting devices.

Abstract: A direction controllable lighting unit 10 for use in a lighting system is described. The light emission of the lighting unit 10 may be directed into different directions, e.g. by use of a mechanically movable element 14, 60. At least two ultrasound transmitters 20a, 20b, or ultrasound receivers 21a, 21b are disposed at the lighting unit 10 such that they differ in position, or in direction or shape of the spatial intensity distribution or spatial distribution of reception sensitivity. A mobile control element 46 has at least one corresponding ultrasound transmitter or receiver 50. A difference bebveen a signal from a transmitter received at multiple receivers, or a signal of multiple transmitters received at a single receiver is used to determine a relative direction of the direction controllable lighting unit 10 and the control element 46, and to control the direction of the lighting unit 10 in dependence thereof.

Abstract: There is provided a method and corresponding lighting device (100), and a receiver, which employs code modulation which provides a compatibility of code modulation in a dimmable lighting system. The lighting device comprises means for dimming the output light (102), which employs multiple dimming modes, each representing dimming the light output from lighting device by means of a respective dimming method, and means for embedding a code in the light output (103). The means for embedding a code in the light output employs code modulation which is based on controlling the instantaneous dimmed light output from the lighting device such that the integrated value of the dimmed light output during a time period T is modulated to embed the code. The code may then subsequently be extracted from the modulated light by means of an integrate-and-dump process at a receiver, without knowledge of the dimming method and/or dimming level of the lighting device.

Abstract: For improving data packet transmission from a collector node to one or more network nodes without additional routing protocols or increase of the overall network load, a system and a method are provided, wherein a node and/or the collector node receiving an uplink data packet addressed to the collector node is adapted to store at least a sender node information and a transmitting node information as a reverse-route information for a predetermined time.

Abstract: Remote controllers, positioning systems, and methods configured for the efficient assignment of addresses in a coded lighting positioning system are proposed. Particularly, a proposed remote controller comprises a receiver for receiving coded light from a light source in a coded lighting positioning system, where the coded light comprises an initial light source identifier of the light source. The remote controller also comprises a processing unit for assigning a modified light source identifier to the light source based on the received coded light, and a transmitter for transmitting the modified light source identifier to the light source. The modified light source identifier is a locally unique identifier used to provide positional information.

Abstract: The invention provides a light control system for a lighting network, including a plurality of light units wherein at least one light unit includes at least one sensor type, a distributed/centralized controller/central management system in communication with one or more of the light units, said controller/central management system sends control commands to one or more of said light units, in response to received light unit status/sensor information from one or more of said light units and/or status information from a connected device, and implements a lighting strategy relating to the characteristics of the plurality of light units, wherein the one or more neighboring light units' sensor type's detection threshold are adjusted using a predetermined strategy based on the new lighting strategy of the at least one light unit or the status information from the connected device.

Abstract: For secure configuration of network nodes from a backend with low connectivity requirements and workload at the backend and reduced communication overhead, a system, a control unit for a segment controller and a method for secure protocol execution in a network are provided, wherein protocol information is provided to a segment controller (60) for controlling a node (10) and a protocol is performed based on the protocol information to control the node (10), at least one response message of the node (10) being required at the segment controller (60) for performing one or more steps of the protocol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method (200), and a corresponding control unit (160), for grouping lighting devices in a system (100) including a plurality of lighting devices (120a-c) and a plurality of presence sensors (130a-c), at least one of the presence sensors being associated with at least one of the lighting devices. The method comprises: receiving (230) input indicating a user interaction element (170a); receiving (240) information from at least one presence sensor, the information indicating whether at least one lighting device associated with the at least one presence sensor is to be part of a group of lighting devices; and associating (280) the group of lighting devices with the indicated user interaction element, which is thereby configured to control the group of lighting devices.

Abstract: Coded light has been proposed to enable advanced control of light sources and transmit information using light sources. It is based on invisibly embedding of data and identifiers in their light output. Methods, devices and systems configured to efficient assignment of addresses in a coded lighting system, still allowing for unique identification, are proposed. More specifically, the assignment of addresses occurs in two phases, where in the initial phase wide area unique addresses are used, while in the second phase only local area unique addresses are used. Also, methods, devices and systems configured to efficiently distribute a set of addresses over a set of light sources in this second phase, to maximize the performance of the illumination contribution estimation, and positioning, are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a channel switching strategy and corresponding protocol for a mesh network which comprises a segment controller, SC, (10) and a large number of outdoor luminaire controllers, OLCs, (20) or other network nodes. A channel switching process is initiated and managed by the SC (10) which transmits a channel switching command to all nodes in the system. Following the actual channel switch, the SC (10) delegates the responsibility to request an orphan node (24) to switch to the new channel to a selected delegate node (22) which may be a neighbor node of the orphan node (24). The selection of the delegate node (22) may be based on a previous link quality or geographical closeness. When an OLC does not receive any response messages for a specified, prolonged period of time, it may scan available frequency bands to find the (new) channel in which the networked system operates at that time.

Abstract: A method for embedding data in light, wherein the method comprises the step of operating at least two light sources (A, B) arranged to emit light (101) having color coordinates (x, y) and luminous intensity (Y), wherein each light source is arranged to emit light (101a, 101b) which is distinguishable from the light of at least one other light source, and embedding data in the light emitted from the at least two light sources. The method further comprises the step of operating the at least two light sources such that the color coordinates of the light emitted from the at least two light sources are maintained over time within a first, bounded interval (115), and the luminous intensity of the light emitted from the at least two light sources is maintained over time within a second, bounded interval (116).

Abstract: It is presented a lighting device (2) arranged to embed light quality data in light emanating from the lighting device. The light quality data pertains to a status of the lighting device (2), e.g. with respect to its end of operational life. The light may be detected by a monitoring device (3) external to the lighting device (2). The monitoring device (3) can then help to determine the status of the lighting device (2), whereby maintenance operations of the lighting device (2) may be carried out. Maintenance personnel may thus replace lighting devices and/or light sources in need of maintenance as indicated by the status of each lighting device, before any lighting device in the system has reached an end of operational life.

Abstract: The invention relates to embedding data symbols of a data signal into a luminance output of an illumination device. The device includes a controller configured for receiving a first base pattern and a second base pattern within a frame period, and generating a shifted second pattern by phase shifting the second base pattern within the frame period with respect to the first base pattern in response to the data signal such that the data symbols are embedded in the luminance output of the device. The device also includes a first light source configured to generate a first luminance output in response to the first base pattern and a second light source configured to generate a second luminance output in response to the shifted second pattern. The first and second luminance outputs have different output spectra and the luminance output of the illumination device comprises both the first and second luminance outputs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device being placeable on or close to a human or animal body, wherein the device comprises a sensing unit configured to capacitively sense a physiological signal from the human or animal body and capacitively communicate a body coupled communication signal for a body area network (BAN). With the device a single sensing unit can be used to sense or measure a physiological signal and communicate a body coupled communication signal. Advantageously, the same couplers can simultaneously be used for sensing, transmitting and receiving. The device does not require an extra antenna and RF unit and there is no need for using wires.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection system for determining data embedded into the light output of a light source in a form of a repeating sequence of N symbols. The detection system includes a camera and a processing unit. The camera is configured to acquire a series of images of the scene via specific open/closure patterns of the shutter. The processing unit is configured to process the acquired series of images to determine the repeating sequence of N symbols. By carefully triggering when a shutter of the camera is open to capture the different symbols of the encoded light within each frame time of a camera, a conventional camera with a relatively long frame time may be employed. Therefore, the techniques presented herein are suitable for detecting the invisible “high frequency” coded light while using less expensive cameras as those used in the prior art.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control unit (108) for a lighting system (100) comprising at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104), wherein the control unit (108) is connectable to the at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104) and configured to control the at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104), wherein the control unit (108) is further configured to control a first lighting system configuration comprising the at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104) so as to cause it to emit a first illumination pattern (120) provided jointly by the at least two light sources (102, 104) of the first lighting system configuration, detect and store an initial set of illumination parameters being indicative of the first illumination pattern (120), determine a subsequent set of illumination parameters being indicative of a second illumination pattern (122) provided by a second lighting system configuration comprising individually cont

Abstract: In order to increase transmission reliability and transmission efficiency in the presence of interference at a transmitting or receiving node of a wireless network a device for controlling the node of the wireless network is provided, wherein the node is associated to at least one load unit. The device comprises a control unit that is adapted to adjust a communication mode of the node based on an operation state of the load unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to light-based communication, and more particularly it relates to methods for configuration of at least one remote light-sensing device, to a central light-emitting unit and to a light-sensing device. According to the invention, spatial configuration of remote light-sensing devices (e.g. peripherals such as loudspeakers or light devices), will be achieved by transmission of embedded identifiers or configuration information in light emitted in a plurality of directions from a central light-emitting unit. With a different identifier or different configuration information for each direction of transmission, the directions can be distinguished from each other. The invention enables a user to place remote light-sensing devices in a desired spatial position and the central light-emitting unit will be able to determine location and spatial function, i.e. for example whether the peripheral is an audio device and/or a lighting device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection system for determining whether a light contribution of a light source is present at a selected position within a 2D scene. The light contribution includes an embedded code comprising a repeating sequence of N symbols. The detection system includes a camera and a processing unit. The camera is configured to acquire a series of images of the scene via specific open/closure patterns of the shutter. Each image includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel representing an intensity of the light output of the light source at a different physical position within the scene. The processing unit is configured to process the acquired series of images to determine whether the light contribution of the first light source is present at the selected physical position within the scene by e.g. correlating a sequence of pixels of the acquired series corresponding to the selected physical position with the first sequence of N symbols.

Abstract: The invention relates to embedding data into a luminance output generated by an illumination system comprising a light source and a controller. The controller is configured to embed data by modulating a drive signal applied to the light source with an information signal comprising a shifted base code and a synchronization code. The synchronization code serves to provide synchronization for the receiver, while the shifted base code serves to carry the embedded data. A cyclic phase shift that is applied to a base code to generate the shifted base code corresponds to particular data, such as, for example, light source identification, that needs to be embedded into the luminance output of the illumination system. In this manner, data may be embedded into the luminance output generated by a light source without requiring synchronization of this light source with other light sources.