WIRELESS-ENABLED LIGHTING FIXTURE
A lighting management system includes communications circuitry, processing circuitry, and a memory. The memory stores instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to receive a message from a lighting fixture via the communications circuitry, the message indicating a proximal presence of a detected mobile device to the lighting fixture, and performing one or more actions in response to receipt of the message. By performing the one or more actions upon receipt of the message as described above, a lighting system may be provided with additional functionality that enhances the lighting system.
The present disclosure relates to lighting fixtures and systems.
BACKGROUNDModern lighting fixtures continue to evolve, incorporating features such as controllers, sensors, remote modules, and the like. These controllers, sensors, and remote modules may allow a lighting fixture to implement lighting programs, respond to the surrounding environment, and be controlled, for example, over a local area network and/or the Internet. Current lighting fixtures are generally controlled manually, by a user selecting one or more light output settings (e.g., light intensity, color, and/or color temperature) for a particular lighting fixture or lighting fixtures. While this may be accomplished using a portable device such as a smart phone, it is often inconvenient to manually adjust such settings.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved lighting fixtures and systems.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure relates to lighting fixtures and systems. In one embodiment, a lighting management system includes communications circuitry, processing circuitry, and a memory. The memory stores instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to receive a message from a lighting fixture via the communications circuitry, the message indicating a proximal presence of a detected mobile device to the lighting fixture, and performing one or more actions in response to receipt of the message. By performing the one or more actions upon receipt of the message as described above, a lighting system may be provided with additional functionality that enhances the lighting system.
In one embodiment, the one or more actions include logging an event indicating the detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device by the lighting fixture.
In one embodiment, the lighting fixture is associated with fixture location information describing a location of the lighting fixture. The message may therefore include mobile device distance information describing a distance of the detected mobile device relative to the lighting fixture. Logging the event indicating the detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device to the lighting fixture may therefore include storing a time that the detected mobile device was detected by the lighting fixture and the mobile device distance information. In one embodiment, the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to instruct a display to provide a user interface displaying a visual representation showing an approximate location of the detected mobile device with relation to the lighting fixture over time. The visual representation may be an indicator on a map. In one embodiment, the user interface may display a number of detected mobile devices and/or a frequency of detection of the one or more mobile devices.
In one embodiment, the one or more actions include determining if the detected mobile device is associated with a settings profile indicating one or more desired actions to be taken upon detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device, and implementing the one or more desired actions if there is an associated settings profile. All or a portion of the one or more desired actions may be forwarded to one or more lighting fixtures. The one or more desired actions may include an action to adjust one or more light output parameters of one or more lighting fixtures.
In one embodiment, the lighting management system may receive one or more messages from each of a number of lighting fixtures whose location is known, each one of the messages indicating a proximal presence of a detected mobile device to the lighting fixture, and analyze the messages to determine an approximate location of the detected mobile device.
In one embodiment, a lighting fixture includes a light source, a housing coupled to the light source, communications circuitry, and control circuitry. The housing includes an opening through which light from the light source is provided. The communications circuitry is configured to detect a proximal presence of one or more mobile devices. The control circuitry includes a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the control circuitry cause the lighting fixture to adjust one or more light output parameters of the light source, detect the proximal presence of one or more mobile devices via the communications circuitry, and perform one or more actions in response to the detection of the proximal presence of a detected mobile device. By performing one or more actions in response to the proximal presence of a detected mobile device, a lighting fixture may intelligently and conveniently adapt to a user.
In one embodiment, the one or more actions include determining if the detected mobile device is associated with a settings profile indicating one or more desired actions to be taken upon detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device, and performing the one or more desired actions indicated by the settings profile in response to determining that the detected mobile device is associated with a settings profile.
In one embodiment, the one or more light output parameters include a light intensity, a color, and a color temperature.
In one embodiment, the one or more actions include broadcasting a message via the communications circuitry to one or more additional lighting fixtures, wherein the message indicates the proximal presence of the detected mobile device to the lighting fixture. In one embodiment, the message is broadcast to a lighting management system.
In one embodiment, the communications circuitry includes Bluetooth communications circuitry. Accordingly, the lighting fixture may be configured to detect the proximal presence of one or more mobile devices by determining a received signal strength of a Bluetooth wireless communications signal from each one of the one or more mobile devices.
In one embodiment, the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the control circuitry cause the lighting fixture to estimate a distance from the lighting fixture to the detected mobile device.
In one embodiment, a lighting fixture includes a light source, a housing coupled to the light source, communications circuitry, and control circuitry. The housing includes an opening through which light from the light source is provided. The communications circuitry is configured to provide a wireless fixture location signal including a unique fixture identifier and associated with a fixture location signal strength. The control circuitry includes a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the control circuitry cause the lighting fixture to provide the fixture location signal via the communications circuitry. Providing the fixture location signal allows nearby mobile devices to determine their position with respect to the lighting fixture, which may be useful in many situations.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the present disclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in association with the accompanying drawing figures.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being “on” or extending “onto” another element, it can be directly on or extend directly onto the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or extending “directly onto” another element, there are no intervening elements present. Likewise, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being “over” or extending “over” another element, it can be directly over or extend directly over the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly over” or extending “directly over” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present.
Relative terms such as “below” or “above” or “upper” or “lower” or “horizontal” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including” when used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
The present disclosure relates to lighting fixtures and systems and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, a lighting system includes a number of lighting fixtures and a lighting management system. Each one of the lighting fixtures may include communications circuitry, which may in turn include wireless communications circuitry such as Bluetooth wireless communications circuitry. The lighting fixtures may detect the proximal presence of one or more mobile devices, for example, by scanning for wireless signals from nearby mobile devices via the communications circuitry. Upon the detection of the proximal presence of one or more mobile devices, the lighting fixtures may perform any number of desired actions. For example, the lighting fixtures may change one or more light output settings thereof, may send a message to one or more additional lighting fixtures in the lighting system such that the additional lighting fixtures may change one or more light output settings thereof, may send a message to one or more additional devices remote to the lighting system such that the additional devices change one or more settings in response thereto, and/or may send a message to the lighting management system, which may in turn perform any number of different actions. The light output parameters may include a light intensity, color, and/or color temperature. The lighting fixtures may detect the proximal presence of the one or more mobile devices by determining a received signal strength of a Bluetooth wireless communications signal from each one of the one or more mobile devices.
In addition to or in replacement of the functionality described above with respect to the communications circuitry, the communications circuitry in each one of the lighting fixtures may provide a fixture location signal, which includes a unique identifier for the lighting fixture and is associated with a fixture location signal strength. A mobile device receiving the fixture location signal may use the unique identifier (which may be associated with information about the lighting fixture in the memory of the mobile device) and the fixture location signal strength to determine the proximity of the mobile device to the lighting fixture, and may take one or more desired actions upon determining that the mobile device is within a predetermined distance of the lighting fixture. In one embodiment, the unique identifier in the fixture location signal is used to look up relevant information about the lighting fixture, for example, the location thereof and one or more actions associated therewith, via a local network and/or the Internet.
The lighting management system may receive a message from a lighting fixture in the lighting system, the message indicating a proximal presence of a detected mobile device to the lighting fixture, and perform one or more actions in response to receipt of the message. For example, the lighting management system may log an event indicating the detection of the proximal presence of the mobile device by the lighting fixture, and/or may send one or more messages to lighting fixtures in the lighting system and other additional devices remote to the lighting system in order to facilitate a change of one or more settings therein.
Each one of the lighting fixtures in the lighting system may be associated with fixture location information, which describes a location of the lighting fixture. In such an embodiment, the messages provided from the lighting fixtures indicating the proximal presence of the detected mobile device to the lighting fixture may further include mobile device distance information describing a distance of the detected mobile device relative to the lighting fixture sending the message (which may be determined by examining the RSS of a signal emitted from the mobile device as discussed above). The lighting management system may log an event indicating the time that the detected mobile device was detected by the lighting fixture and the mobile device distance information in response to the receipt thereof.
In one embodiment, the lighting management system may facilitate the display of a user interface, either via a display attached directly to the lighting management system or via a remote device, showing an approximate location of the detected mobile device with relation to the lighting fixture. For example, the lighting management system may facilitate the display of a user interface showing an indicator on a map describing a space in which the lighting system is located, wherein the indicator shows the approximate location of the detected mobile device. In another embodiment, the lighting management system may facilitate the display of a user interface illustrating a number of detected mobile devices detected by a lighting fixture or lighting fixtures over a period of time and/or a frequency of detection of mobile devices by a lighting fixture or lighting fixtures over a period of time.
The lighting management system and/or one or more lighting fixtures in the lighting system may be configured to determine if a detected mobile device is associated with a settings profile. The settings profile may include settings preference information, which indicates one or more desired settings that should be implemented upon detection of the mobile device. If the detected mobile device is associated with such a settings profile, the lighting management system and/or the lighting fixture(s) may facilitate the implementation of the desired settings in the settings preference information. In one embodiment, the desired settings include light output settings for one or more lighting fixtures in the lighting system, or settings for one or more networked speakers, media players, set top boxes, appliances, HVAC systems, and the like.
In one embodiment, the lighting management system may facilitate the display of a user interface, either via a display attached directly to the lighting management system or via a remote device, such that the user interface allows for the creation of a settings profile associated with a mobile device. The settings profile may include settings preference information indicating one or more desired settings to be associated with a user of the mobile device such as light output settings from one or more lighting fixtures in the lighting system and/or settings or one or more additional devices such as networked speakers, media players, set top boxes, appliances, HVAC systems, and the like. As discussed above, these settings may be implemented upon detection of the proximal presence of the mobile device by one or more lighting fixtures in the lighting system.
In one embodiment, the lighting fixtures and/or the lighting management system are configured to monitor one or more settings of the lighting fixtures and/or one or more additional devices in order to generate suggested settings based thereon. For example, the lighting fixtures and/or the lighting management system may generate one or more suggested settings based on times that the lighting fixtures are generally turned on or off, either independently or in association with one or more additional devices.
The lighting management system may analyze a number of messages sent from different lighting fixtures in the lighting system to approximate a location of a detected mobile device within a space in which the lighting system is located. Further, the lighting management system may store the determined location of the detected mobile device, and may provide a user interface, either via a display attached directly to the lighting management system or via a remote device, to display information related to the location of the detected mobile device. In one embodiment, the lighting management system may analyze any number of messages from one or more lighting fixtures in the lighting system in order to determine a level of interest associated with a particular area in the space in which the lighting system is located. Determining a level of interest associated with a particular area may include determining the number of devices detected near one or more lighting fixtures within the area of interest and/or determining the amount of time each device was located near the one or more lighting fixtures within the area of interest. In general, analysis of the messages indicating the detection of one or more mobile devices may be used to characterize the space in which the lighting system is located.
Light from the light source may be provided indirectly such that the light provided from the light source is reflected from an inside portion of the housing 20 and through a lens 24. The lens 24 may filter the light emanated from the light source. An outer surface 26 of the housing 20 may act as a reflector, directing light from the light source in a desired direction. An electronics module (not shown) may be located within the housing 20, and may include various circuitry, which will be discussed in detail below, configured to control one or more light output parameters of the light source and perform one or more additional functions.
The light source 32 may include any number of LEDs 44 arranged in any fashion. For example, the light source 32 may include three strings of series-connected LEDs coupled in parallel with one another. The LEDs in each one of the series-connected strings may each be different types of LEDs, such that each of the different types of LEDs provide light having a different light intensity, color, and/or color temperature than the other. The light output from each one of the series-connected LED strings may combine to provide light having one or more desired light output characteristics, such as light intensity, color, and/or color temperature. In one embodiment, the light source 32 includes a first series-connected LED string including a number of blue-shifted yellow (BSY) LEDs, a second series-connected LED string including a number of blue-shifted green (BSG) LEDs, and a third series-connected LED string including a number of red (R) LEDs. A number of series or parallel-connected switches may be coupled to one or more of the LEDs 44 such that the current through the one or more LEDs can be independently controlled to produce a desired light output.
While primarily discussed in terms of light intensity, color, and color temperature, any number of parameters of the light output of the lighting fixtures described herein may be changed based on the principles of the present disclosure. For example, a perceived vividness, a color saturation, or any other desired light output parameters may all be controlled based on the principles described herein.
Next, the lighting fixture 48 may optionally determine if there is a settings profile associated with the detected mobile device (step 102). In some embodiments, the lighting fixture 48 may locally store settings profiles associated with one or more mobile devices. Alternatively, the lighting fixture 48 may send a message to query an additional device for a settings profile associated with a detected mobile device, such that the determination if there is a settings profile associated with a detected mobile device is performed remotely to the lighting fixture 48. The settings profile may store settings preference information, such as light output preferences for the lighting fixture 48 and one or more additional lighting fixtures 48 in the lighting system 46, as well as settings preference information for other devices which may be controlled by the lighting fixture. For example, the settings profile may store settings preference information for one or more networked speakers, media players, set top boxes, appliances, HVAC systems, and the like.
If there is a settings profile associated with the detected mobile device, and if the settings profile includes settings preference information, the lighting fixture 48 may then facilitate the implementation of one or more desired settings in the settings preference information (step 104). For example, the lighting fixture 48 may change one or more light output settings thereof (e.g., light intensity, color, and/or color temperature), may send one or more messages to additional lighting fixtures 48 in the lighting system 46 such that the additional lighting fixtures 48 change one or more light output settings thereof, may send one or more messages to additional devices in order to change the settings thereof, and/or may notify the lighting management system 50 of the detection of the mobile device such that the lighting management system 50 implements the desired settings. The lighting fixture 48 may then optionally facilitate recording of the detection event (step 106). For example, the lighting fixture 48 may store an identifier associated with the mobile device, a time of detection, and an approximate distance of the detected mobile device to the lighting fixture 48. Alternatively, the lighting fixture 48 may send a message to the lighting management system 50 or any other device indicating that the receiving device should store any of the information discussed above. If there is not a settings profile associated with the detected mobile device, step 104 may be skipped entirely. The lighting fixture 48 may also optionally notify the detected mobile device of the detection thereof, for example, by sending a message to the detected mobile device (step 108).
As discussed above, one or more lighting fixtures 48 in the lighting system 46 may be configured to determine a distance of a mobile device therefrom. Accordingly,
As discussed above, a settings profile may be associated with a mobile device in order to implement one or more preferred settings upon detection of the mobile device. Accordingly,
While
In some embodiments, each lighting fixture 48 in the lighting system 46 may be associated with fixture location information describing the location of the lighting fixture 48. Details of associating fixture location information with lighting fixtures 48 in the lighting system 46 is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/826,892, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. If the location of each one of the lighting fixtures 48 is known, and if the distance between each lighting fixture 48 and a mobile device is known, an approximate location of the mobile device may be obtained and displayed, for example, as an indicator on a map. Accordingly,
As discussed above, areas of interest may be associated with a space in which the lighting system 46 is located. Any of the above information, such as the number of mobile devices, the frequency of detection of the mobile devices, the amount of time a mobile device is detected in a particular area, or the like, may be analyzed and used to determine the level of interest in the areas of interest. For example, the number of mobile devices and/or the amount of time that each mobile device is detected within an area of interest may be indicative of a level of consumer interest, for example, in a retail display. User identification information associated with a particular mobile device may be analyzed along with the location information obtained about the mobile device to track a user's preferences or construct a profile about the user, which may be used to provide targeted advertisements, targeted information, or the like, to the user.
In addition to or in place of the functionality described above, one or more of the lighting fixtures 48 in the lighting system 46 may also be configured to provide a fixture location signal. The fixture location signal may include a unique identifier for the lighting fixture and be associated with a fixture location signal strength. Accordingly, a mobile device may receive the fixture location signal and use it, for example, to determine a location of the mobile device in an indoor space or to take one or more actions. Accordingly,
Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.
Claims
1. A lighting management system comprising:
- communications circuitry;
- processing circuitry; and
- a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to: receive a message from a lighting fixture via the communications circuitry, the message indicating a proximal presence of a detected mobile device to the lighting fixture; and perform one or more actions in response to receipt of the message.
2. The lighting management system of claim 1 wherein the one or more actions comprise logging an event indicating the detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device by the lighting fixture.
3. The lighting management system of claim 2 wherein the lighting fixture is associated with fixture location information describing a location of the lighting fixture.
4. The lighting management system of claim 3 wherein the message includes mobile device distance information describing a distance of the detected mobile device relative to the lighting fixture.
5. The lighting management system of claim 4 wherein logging the event indicating the detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device comprises storing a time that the detected mobile device was detected by the lighting fixture and the mobile device distance information.
6. The lighting management system of claim 4 wherein the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to instruct a display to provide a user interface displaying a visual representation showing an approximate location of the detected mobile device with relation to the lighting fixture over time.
7. The lighting management system of claim 6 wherein the visual representation is an indicator on a map.
8. The lighting management system of claim 4 wherein the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to instruct a display to provide a user interface displaying a visual representation illustrating a number of detected mobile devices detected by the lighting fixture in a period of time.
9. The lighting management system of claim 4 wherein the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to instruct a display to provide a user interface displaying a visual representation of a frequency of detection of one or more mobile devices detected by the lighting fixture in a period of time.
10. The lighting management system of claim 9 wherein the one or more actions comprise:
- determining if the detected mobile device is associated with a settings profile indicating one or more desired actions to be taken upon detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device; and
- upon determining that the detected mobile device is associated with the settings profile indicating the one or more desired actions to be taken upon detection of the proximal presence of the detected mobile device, performing the one or more desired actions indicated by the settings profile.
11. The lighting management system of claim 10 wherein the one or more desired actions further comprise forwarding at least a portion of the one or more desired actions to one or more additional lighting fixtures.
12. The lighting management system of claim 10 wherein the one or more desired actions further comprise forwarding at least a portion of the one or more desired actions to one or more additional devices.
13. The lighting management system of claim 10 wherein the one or more desired actions include an action to adjust one or more light output parameters of the lighting fixture.
14. The lighting management system of claim 13 wherein performing the one or more desired actions comprises sending a message to the lighting fixture with instructions to adjust a light output thereof.
15. The lighting management system of claim 14 wherein the one or more light output parameters comprise a light intensity, a color, and a color temperature.
16. The lighting management system of claim 14 wherein the one or more desired actions further comprise sending a message to one or more additional lighting fixtures with instructions to adjust a light output thereof.
17. A lighting management system comprising:
- communications circuitry;
- processing circuitry; and
- a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to: receive a message from each one of a plurality of lighting fixtures via the communications circuitry, wherein the plurality of lighting fixtures are distributed throughout a space such that a location of each one of the lighting fixtures is known and each one of the messages indicates a proximal presence of a detected mobile device to the one of the plurality of lighting fixtures from which the message was received; and analyze the messages to determine an approximate location of the detected mobile device in the space.
18. The lighting management system of claim 17 wherein the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to store the approximate location of the detected mobile device.
19. The lighting management system of claim 18 wherein the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to instruct a display to provide a user interface showing the approximate location of the detected mobile device in the space overtime.
20. The lighting management system of claim 18 wherein the memory stores an approximate location of one or more areas of interest with respect to the plurality of lighting fixtures.
21. The lighting management system of claim 20 wherein the memory stores further instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting management system to analyze a plurality of stored location information for the detected mobile device in order to determine a level of interest associated
22. The lighting management system of claim 21 wherein analyzing the plurality of stored location information for the detected mobile device in order to determine the level of interest associated with one or more features of interest comprises determining an amount of time the detected mobile device remains in the proximal presence of the one or more areas of interest.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 14, 2015
Publication Date: Feb 16, 2017
Inventors: John Roberts (Durham, NC), James McBryde (Raleigh, NC)
Application Number: 14/827,007