Preventing or limiting control of a first lighting system by a second lighting system

Abstract

A system (1) for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices (31-33) in a first connected lighting system (41) is configured to determine a current or intended state of the lighting devices, to determine a control permission based on the current or intended state of the lighting devices, and, depending on the control permission, to prevent or limit control of the lighting devices by a second connected lighting system (42) located in the same building as the first connected lighting system.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system.

[0002] The invention further relates to a method for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system.

[0003] The invention also relates to a computer program product enabling a computer system to carry out such a method. [Background technology]

[0004] Smart home systems are becoming increasingly popular, covering multiple use cases or domains: lighting, temperature control, security monitoring, general appliance control, etc. However, this poses a dilemma: a system that tries to cover many of these domains (to be the leading supplier for the complete smart home) is likely not capable enough to address the specific corner cases of each individual domain, while a company that tries to focus on a single system to address the deep problems of the proposition probably cannot afford to develop products and features in other domains.

[0005] For example, Apple HomeKit aims to be a system that can control all accessories in the home, such as lights, fans, plugs, or heating. However, when it comes to lighting, for example, Apple HomeKit only supports basic features such as on / off / dim / color change, etc. On the other hand, Philips Hue offers many light-specific features such as extracting color settings from photos and synchronizing lights with content, but does not have the capability to control devices in other domains such as heating or door locks.

[0006] As a result, homes are expected to have a mixture of different systems, each chosen due to a certain benefit they offer to the user, commonly used, but not able to cover the user's needs completely. Problems arise when these systems overlap in terms of functionality in an area or device. This problem arises, for example, when Philips Hue lights are installed to synchronize light effects with the TV through the entertainment features, but in the same room WiZ lights are installed to provide general lighting because they are cheaper. In this case, each system chooses its own settings, but these settings may conflict.

[0007] As discussed in the paper "Breaking Down the Compatibility Problem in Smart Homes: A Dynamically Updatable Gateway Platform" by Linh-An Phan and Taehong Kim (Sensors 20(10):2783, May 2020), this problem could be solved by developing a gateway that supports many protocols and acts as a central controller for all smart devices in the home. The paper introduces a Device Profile Handler module that can dynamically download and update device profiles each time a new device is connected to the gateway. A device profile is a file that contains information about the device (e.g., manufacturer or model name), its capabilities, and how it can be controlled.

[0008] The disadvantage of the approach proposed in the paper is that it only works properly if the required device profile is available, which is not the case for the time being. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] It is a first object of the present invention to provide a system that can be used to reduce or prevent conflicts between the settings of two lighting systems in the same building without the need for a central controller.

[0010] A second object of the invention is to provide a method that can be used to reduce or prevent conflicts between the settings of two lighting systems in the same building without the need for a central controller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In a first aspect of the present invention, a system for preventing or limiting control of a lighting device in a first connected lighting system comprises at least one processor configured to determine a current or expected state of the lighting device, to determine a control permission based on the current or expected state of the lighting device, and to prevent or limit control of the lighting device by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system in dependence on the control permission.

[0012] By having the second connected lighting system control the first connected lighting system, the second connected lighting system can reduce or prevent conflicts between the settings of the two lighting systems without needing a central controller (thus an explicit hierarchical relationship). However, it is often undesirable to allow the second connected lighting system to change all settings of all lighting devices in the first connected lighting system (all the time). Therefore, the system allows to protect the first connected lighting system from having its settings overruled by the second connected lighting system, which would negatively affect the first connected lighting system and present a worse user experience.

[0013] The system may for example be part of the first connected lighting system. The second connected lighting system is located in the same building as the first connected lighting system, at least if their lighting devices are located in the same building. The building may include multiple structures, for example a house and a garden shed, and / or an outdoor area such as a garden.

[0014] The current or intended state of the lighting device typically influences what type of light effect the lighting device renders or will render. The current or intended state of the lighting device may also be related to its use. For example, the current or intended state of the lighting device may include the lighting device rendering light effects accompanying audio and / or video content rendered on an audio and / or video rendering device, or the lighting device rendering dynamic light effects. In these cases, allowing a second connected lighting system to change the light settings of the lighting device would typically be disruptive.

[0015] The at least one processor may be configured to temporarily prevent or temporarily limit control of the lighting device by the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control permission. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one processor may be configured to indefinitely prevent or limit control of the lighting device by the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control permission.

[0016] The at least one processor may be configured to prevent one or more characteristics of a light effect rendered by the lighting device from being modified by the second connected lighting system depending on the control permission. For example, the second connected lighting system may be allowed to change the color of the lighting device but not allowed to change the dimming level / brightness setting of the lighting device.

[0017] The at least one processor may be configured to grant control of the lighting device to the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control grant, e.g. upon request by the second connected lighting system. For example, the at least one processor may be configured to temporarily grant control of the lighting device to the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control grant.

[0018] The at least one processor may be configured to further prevent or limit control of the lighting device by one or more control devices in the first connected lighting system, for example the at least one processor may be configured to grant exclusive control of the lighting device to the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control permission.

[0019] Examples of such control devices include a mobile device or an internet server. The mobile device may be part of both the first connected lighting system and the second connected lighting system, for example if it runs a first software application for controlling lighting devices in the first connected lighting system and a second software application for controlling lighting devices in the second connected lighting system.

[0020] The at least one processor may be configured to determine the intended state of the lighting device from an automation defined in the first connected lighting system. The state of the lighting device may reflect its participation in a routine. For example, if a lighting device is used for a fall asleep routine or an alarm, control by other lighting systems may be prevented as this would be disruptive. On the other hand, if a lighting device is used for a presence mimicking (security) routine, control by other lighting systems may be allowed as this would not be disruptive.

[0021] The at least one processor may be configured to determine an impact of a change from a current or intended future state to another state, and to determine the control grant based on the determined impact of the change. An impact of a change to any other state or to a specific other state may be determined. For example, the at least one processor may be configured to receive a signal indicating a desired state of the lighting device, the desired state specified in a control command from the second connected lighting system, and to determine the impact of the change by determining an impact of a change from the current or intended future state to the desired state.

[0022] The impact may depend on the automation in which the lighting device is used or the type of light effect rendered by the lighting device. For example, changing the light settings when the lighting device is rendering entertainment or other dynamic light effects typically has a larger impact than changing the light settings when the lighting device is rendering a static light scene. The impact typically depends on whether a user expects something to happen and / or whether an event would not be reacted to. The impact may also depend on the difference in dimming level / brightness, color, and / or intensity (e.g., dynamicity) between the current or intended state and the desired state.

[0023] The at least one processor may be configured to determine a current or intended further state of a further lighting device in the first connected lighting system and to determine the control permission further based on the current or intended further state of the further lighting device. For example, if the further lighting device is rendering entertainment light effects and the lighting device and the further lighting device are located in the same room, the second connected lighting system may be prevented from controlling the further lighting device.

[0024] In a second aspect of the invention, a method for preventing or limiting control of a lighting device in a first connected lighting system comprises determining a current or intended state of the lighting device, determining a control permission based on the current or intended state of the lighting device, and in dependence on the control permission preventing or limiting control of the lighting device by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system. The method may be performed by software running on a programmable device. The software may be provided as a computer program product.

[0025] Further provided are computer programs for practicing the methods described herein, as well as non-transitory computer readable storage media having stored thereon the computer programs, which may, for example, be downloaded by or uploaded to existing devices, or may be stored during manufacture of these systems.

[0026] The non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores at least one software code portion that, when executed or processed by a computer, is configured to perform executable operations for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system.

[0027] The executable operations include determining a current or intended state of the lighting device, determining a control permission based on the current or intended state of the lighting device, and depending on the control permission, preventing or restricting control of the lighting device by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system.

[0028] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a device, a method, or a computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects, all of which may be collectively referred to herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Functions described in this disclosure may be implemented as an algorithm executed by a computer processor / microprocessor. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied as one or more computer-readable medium(s) having computer-readable program code embodied thereon, e.g., stored thereon.

[0029] Any combination of one or more computer readable media may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the above. More specific examples of computer readable storage media may include, but are not limited to, an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the above. In the context of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0030] A computer-readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal having computer-readable program code embodied therein, for example in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electromagnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium is not a computer-readable storage medium, but may be any computer-readable medium capable of communicating, propagating, or transmitting a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0031] The program code embodied on the computer readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including, but not limited to, wireless, wired, fiber optic, cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the above. Computer program code for performing operations related to aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. This program code may run entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (e.g., through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

[0032] Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor, in particular a microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU), of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to create a machine, such that the instructions, executed via the processor of the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device, create means for performing the functions / acts specified in the blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams.

[0033] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable medium capable of directing a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to function in a particular manner, thereby producing a product in which the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium include instructions that perform the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram blocks.

[0034] Computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform a series of operational steps to create a computer-implemented process, whereby the instructions executing on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide a process for performing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram blocks.

[0035] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical functions. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may be executed in the reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. It should also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart diagrams, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified functions or acts, or a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0036] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and further elucidated, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which corresponding elements are indicated by the same reference numerals, and in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the system. [Diagram 3] 1 and 2 are shown used together in the same building. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment of a method. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a second embodiment of the method. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a third embodiment of the method. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a fourth embodiment of the method. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary data processing system for implementing the methods of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a (control) system for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system 41. The (control) system may be a single device or may include multiple devices. The (control) system is typically part of a first connected lighting system. In this first embodiment, the (control) system is a bridge 1. The bridge 1 may be, for example, a Philips Hue bridge. In the example of FIG. 1, the first connected lighting system 41 includes a bridge 1 and three lighting devices 31-33. The lighting devices 31-33 communicate with the bridge 1, for example using Zigbee technology. The lighting devices 31-33 may be, for example, Philips Hue lights.

[0038] The bridge 1 is connected to a wireless LAN access point 17, for example, via Ethernet (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The wireless LAN access point 17 is connected to the Internet (backbone) 11. An Internet server 13 is also connected to the Internet (backbone) 11. A mobile device 19 can control the lighting devices 31-33 via the bridge 1. The mobile device 19 runs, for example, an app for controlling the lighting devices 31-33. Another smart home system can control the lighting devices 31-33 via the Internet server 13 and the bridge 1.

[0039] In the example of FIG. 1, the second connected lighting system 42 includes three lighting devices 35-37. The mobile device 19 runs, for example, an app for controlling the lighting devices 35-37. The mobile device 19 can control the lighting devices 35-37 via a wireless LAN access point 17, and optionally via an Internet server 14. The Internet server 14 is also connected to the Internet (backbone) 11. The lighting devices 35-37 may be, for example, WiZ lights. The lighting devices 35-37 may have slightly fewer features than the lighting devices 31-33, for example not being able to synchronize the lights with content. For example, the lighting devices 35-37 may be for users who want to get into smart lighting for the first time, with a lower product price. Other smart home systems cannot control the lighting devices 35-37.

[0040] Each of the lighting devices 31-33 and 35-37 includes one or more light sources, e.g. LED modules. A lighting device may be powered when its one or more light sources are off. A second connected lighting system 42 is located in the same building as the first connected lighting system 41.

[0041] The bridge 1 comprises a receiver 3, a transmitter 4, a processor 5 and a memory 7. The processor 5 is configured to determine a current or desired state of the lighting devices 31-33, to determine a control permission based on the current or desired state of the lighting devices 31-33 and, depending on the control permission, to prevent or limit control of the lighting devices by a second connected lighting system 42 located in the same building as the first connected lighting system 41.

[0042] Thus, there are two connected lighting systems in a common space, and no higher-level system (other than the user) controls these two systems - instead, the two systems arbitrate among themselves.

[0043] In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the bridge 1 executes an algorithm that runs continuously so that it can determine at any time whether a change in access rights to a setting is necessary. A change may be necessary if the state of one or more of the lighting devices 31-33 has changed or is expected to change, for example due to a predetermined event that has not yet happened but is relatively certain to occur. Based on the current or expected state of the lighting devices 31-33, the bridge 1 can determine how sensitive the various settings of the lighting system 41 as a whole and the various settings specific to each device in the lighting system 41 are. Sensitivity in this context refers to the likelihood of causing a significant or observable impact on the user experience (e.g. visual artifacts, unresponsiveness, performance degradation, etc.).

[0044] As an example, if the bridge 1 determines that at a certain moment a user has initiated an entertainment mode of the lighting system 41 such that the lighting device 31, e.g. a pixelated light strip, starts rendering light effects that accompany the audio and / or video content rendered on the audio and / or video rendering device, the following may happen: · An algorithm running on Bridge 1 determines that changing the settings of the living room lighting device 31, which is involved in rendering entertainment light effects, would have a high impact on the user. These settings are therefore closed to other smart home systems, including lighting system 42, and are not allowed to be overridden. This means that lighting system 41 will continue to run effects as intended, regardless of what lighting system 42 does. The settings of another lighting device in the same room, for example lighting device 32, may also be closed. The same algorithm determines that the settings affecting lighting devices in adjacent rooms, e.g. the lighting device 33 in the kitchen, are not important (if those settings were overridden, the user's experience would not be degraded in the current situation (where the user is streaming)). Therefore, the Bridge 1 may set or keep the settings of the lighting device 33 "open", which means that requests to modify the settings of the lighting device 33 from another smart home system, e.g. the lighting system 42, will be accepted. Finally, the algorithm running on Bridge 1 can also establish that some device settings are simply "static", i.e. they are always open or closed and cannot be changed by the algorithm in Bridge 1, for example because they are deemed too system specific (e.g. manufacturer specific settings that other systems simply do not understand or misuse) or because they are deemed to have a large impact on the user if changed (e.g. the reaction time of a sensor to turn on the lights at night).

[0045] The processor 5 may be configured to proactively or on demand indicate to the second connected lighting system 42 which settings of each device of the lighting system 41 have which level of access. The access level depends on the user impact. The access level may for example be "not allowed", "allowed" or "temporarily allowed". In the example of Fig. 1 only the status of the lighting devices 31-33 is determined. If the system includes other devices, e.g. motion sensors, the status of these other devices may also be determined.

[0046] The internet server 14 of the second connected lighting system 42 executes an algorithm capable of determining the settings of the lighting devices 31-33 of the first connected lighting system 41. Continuing with the example above, the internet server 14 cannot change the settings of the lighting devices 31 and 32 when the lighting system 41 is in entertainment mode. However, the internet server 14 can change the settings of the lighting device 33 by communicating with the internet server 13 of the lighting system 41.

[0047] In the embodiment of bridge 1 shown in FIG. 1, bridge 1 includes one processor 5. In alternative embodiments, bridge 1 includes multiple processors. Processor 5 of bridge 1 may be a general-purpose processor, e.g. ARM-based, or an application-specific processor. Processor 5 of bridge 1 may run, e.g., a Unix-based operating system. Memory 7 may include one or more memory units. Memory 7 may include, e.g., solid-state memory. Memory 7 may be used, e.g., to store a table of connected lights.

[0048] The receiver 3 and transmitter 4 may use one or more wired or wireless communication technologies, for example Ethernet to communicate with the wireless LAN access point 17 and Zigbee to communicate with the lighting devices 31-33. In alternative embodiments, instead of a single receiver and a single transmitter, multiple receivers and / or multiple transmitters are used. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, separate receivers and separate transmitters are used. In alternative embodiments, the receiver 3 and transmitter 4 are combined into a transceiver. The bridge 1 may include other components typical of a network device, such as a power connector. The invention may be implemented using a computer program running on one or more processors.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a (control) system for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system 44. The (control) system may be a single device or may include multiple devices. The (control) system is typically part of the first connected lighting system. In this second embodiment, the (control) system is a cloud service 21. The cloud service 21 is connected to the Internet (backbone) 11. The cloud service 21 is part of a lighting system 44. The lighting system 44 is similar to the lighting system 42 in that it includes lighting devices 35-37 and does not include a bridge, but the Internet server 14 of FIG. 1 is replaced by the Internet server 21. The lighting devices 35-37 may be, for example, WiZ lights. Other smart home systems can control the lighting devices 35-37 via the Internet server 21.

[0050] In the example of Figure 2, a second connected lighting system 45 is located in the same building as the first connected lighting system 44. The second connected lighting system 45 is similar to lighting system 41 in that it includes lighting devices 31-33 and an internet server 13, but the bridge 1 of Figure 1 is replaced by a bridge 16. The lighting devices 31-33 may be, for example, Philips Hue lights.

[0051] The cloud service 21 comprises a receiver 23, a transmitter 24, a processor 25 and storage means 27. The processor 25 is configured to determine a current or desired state of the lighting devices 35-37, to determine a control permission based on the current or desired state of the lighting devices 35-37 and, depending on the control permission, to prevent or limit control of the lighting devices by the second connected lighting system 45. Thus, in the embodiment of Figure 2, the algorithms executed on the bridge 1 of Figure 1 are executed on the internet server 21 and the algorithms executed on the internet server 14 of Figure 1 are executed on the bridge 16.

[0052] In the embodiment of cloud service 21 shown in FIG. 2, cloud service 21 includes one processor 25. In alternative embodiments, cloud service 21 includes multiple processors. Processor 25 of cloud service 21 may be a general purpose processor, for example from Intel or AMD, or an application specific processor. Processor 25 of cloud service 21 may run, for example, a Windows or Unix based operating system. Storage means 27 may include one or more memory units. Storage means 27 may include, for example, one or more hard disks and / or solid state memory. Storage means 27 may be used to store, for example, an operating system, applications and application data.

[0053] The receiver 23 and the transmitter 24 may use one or more wired and / or wireless communication technologies, such as, for example, Ethernet and / or Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) to connect with the Internet 11. In alternative embodiments, instead of a single receiver and a single transmitter, multiple receivers and / or multiple transmitters are used. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, separate receivers and separate transmitters are used. In alternative embodiments, the receiver 23 and the transmitter 24 are combined into a transceiver. The cloud service 21 may include other components typical of a cloud service, such as a power connector. The invention may be implemented using a cloud service program running on one or more processors.

[0054] In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the system of the invention includes a bridge or cloud service. In an alternative embodiment, the system of the invention is a different device, e.g., another device in the building, such as a personal computer or a mobile phone. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the system of the invention includes a single device. In an alternative embodiment, the system of the invention includes multiple devices. Figure 3 shows the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 used together in the same building.

[0055] A first embodiment of a method for preventing or limiting control of a lighting device in a first connected lighting system is shown in Fig. 4. The method may for example be executed by the bridge 1 of Fig. 1 or the internet server 21 of Fig. 2. Step 101 comprises determining a current or desired state of the lighting device. Step 101 may for example comprise determining a desired state of the lighting device from an automation defined in the first connected lighting system. For example, if the lighting device is used for a sleep routine or an alarm, control by other lighting systems may be prevented as it would be disruptive. On the other hand, if the lighting device is used for a presence mimicking (security) routine, control by other lighting systems may be allowed as it would not be disruptive.

[0056] The current or intended state of the lighting device influences what type of light effect the lighting device renders or will render. For example, the current or intended state of the lighting device may include the lighting device rendering light effects accompanying audio and / or video content rendered on an audio and / or video rendering device, or the lighting device rendering dynamic light effects. In these cases, allowing the second connected lighting system to change the light settings of the lighting device would typically be disruptive.

[0057] Step 103 involves determining a control permission based on a current or intended state of the lighting device determined in step 101. Step 105 involves preventing or restricting control of the lighting device by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system depending on the control permission determined in step 103. The second connected lighting system is located in the same building as the first connected lighting system, at least if their lighting devices are located in the same building. Step 101 is repeated after step 105, after which the method proceeds as shown in Figure 4.

[0058] If the second connected lighting system attempts to control the lighting device it may be informed that control is not possible, In another embodiment the second connected lighting system receives information that control of the lighting device is not possible or is limited.

[0059] A second embodiment of the method for preventing or restricting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system is shown in Fig. 5. The method may for example be executed by the bridge 1 of Fig. 1 or the internet server 21 of Fig. 2. Step 121 comprises selecting one of the lighting devices from one or more lighting devices in the first connected lighting system. In a first iteration of step 121, a first lighting device is selected from these lighting devices. Next, step 101 comprises determining a current or intended state of the lighting device selected in step 121. Step 103 comprises determining a control permission based on the current or intended state of the lighting device determined in step 101.

[0060] Step 123 involves determining which control permission was determined in step 103. Depending on which control permission was determined, one or more of steps 125, 127, and 129 are performed. Control permission A results in step 125 being performed. Control permission B results in steps 125 and 129 being performed. Control permission C results in step 127 being performed. Control permission D results in steps 127 and 129 being performed.

[0061] Step 125 includes temporarily preventing or temporarily limiting the control of the lighting devices by the second connected lighting system, the second connected lighting system being located in the same building as the first connected lighting system, at least if the lighting devices are located in the same building. When informing the second connected lighting system of the control permission, a timing indication may be provided. For example, a lighting device in a bedroom may be allowed to be controlled with an indication that this will only be maintained for the next two hours or until 10 pm. These timing indications may be determined in step 103, for example, if the controller of the lighting system knows that a go-to-bed routine should be initiated at that time, which should not be overridden by a third party system.

[0062] Step 127 involves indefinitely preventing or limiting control of the lighting device by the second connected lighting system. Step 125 and / or step 127 may involve preventing the second connected lighting system from modifying one or more characteristics of a light effect rendered by the lighting device. For example, the second connected lighting system may be allowed to modify the color of the lighting device but not allowed to change the dimming level / brightness setting of the lighting device.

[0063] Step 129 comprises preventing or limiting control of the lighting devices by one or more control devices in the first connected lighting system. Examples of such control devices include a mobile device or an internet server. The mobile device may be part of both the first connected lighting system and the second connected lighting system, for example if it runs a first software application for controlling lighting devices in the first connected lighting system and a second software application for controlling lighting devices in the second connected lighting system.

[0064] Step 101 is repeated after steps 125 or 127, and optionally step 129, have been performed and the method proceeds as shown in Figure 5. In the next iteration of step 121, a next lighting device is selected from one or more lighting devices in the first connected lighting system. When control permissions have been determined and implemented for all lighting devices, the process may be repeated for the first lighting device in the first connected lighting system, as the current or intended state of the first lighting device may have changed.

[0065] A third embodiment of a method for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system is shown in Fig. 6. The third embodiment of Fig. 6 is a variant of the second embodiment of Fig. 5. In the embodiment of Fig. 6, step 123 of Fig. 5 is replaced by step 141 and step 129 of Fig. 5 is replaced by step 143. Step 143 is implemented by steps 145 and 147. Furthermore, in the embodiment of Fig. 6, step 105 is not implemented by steps 125 and 127.

[0066] Step 141 involves determining which control permission was determined in step 103. Depending on which control permission was determined, steps 105, 145 or 147 are executed. A control permission X results in step 105 being executed. A control permission Y results in step 145 being executed. A control permission Z results in step 147 being executed.

[0067] Step 105 involves preventing or restricting control of the lighting device by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system. Step 143 involves giving control of the lighting device to the second connected lighting system. Step 145 involves temporarily giving control of the lighting device, e.g. exclusive control, to the second connected lighting system. Step 147 involves giving control of the lighting device indefinitely to the second connected lighting system.

[0068] A fourth embodiment of the method for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system is shown in Fig. 7. The method may for example be performed by the bridge 1 of Fig. 1 or the internet server 21 of Fig. 2. Step 101 involves determining a current or intended state of the lighting devices.

[0069] Step 161 includes receiving a signal indicating a desired state of the lighting device. The desired state is specified in a control command from the second connected lighting system. The signal may, for example, include this control command. Step 103 includes determining a control grant based on the current or intended state of the lighting device determined in step 101. In the embodiment of Figure 7, step 103 is performed by steps 163 and 165.

[0070] Step 163 involves determining the impact of a change from the current or intended future state to another state, more specifically, determining the impact of a change from the current or intended future state to a desired state as indicated in the signal received in step 161. The impact typically depends on whether the user expects something to happen and / or whether the event is not reacted to. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the impact also depends on the difference in dimming level / brightness, color, and / or intensity (e.g., dynamicity) between the current or intended state and the desired state. Step 165 involves determining a control grant based on the impact of the change determined in step 163.

[0071] Step 105 comprises preventing or limiting control of lighting devices by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system depending on the control permission determined in step 103. The second connected lighting system is located in the same building as the first connected lighting system, at least if their lighting devices are located in the same building.

[0072] The embodiments of Figures 4-7 differ from each other in several aspects, i.e., several steps are added or substituted. In variations on these embodiments, only a subset of these steps are added or substituted and / or one or more steps are omitted. For example, step 129 may be omitted from the embodiment of Figure 5 and / or added to the embodiments of Figures 4, 6 and / or 7. Several, e.g. all, of the embodiments of Figures 4-7 may be combined.

[0073] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data processing system capable of implementing the methods as described with reference to FIGS.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 8, data processing system 300 may include at least one processor 302 coupled to memory elements 304 via a system bus 306. Thus, the data processing system may store program code in the memory elements 304. Furthermore, the processor 302 may execute program code accessed from the memory elements 304 via the system bus 306. In one aspect, the data processing system may be implemented as a computer suitable for storing and / or executing program code. However, it should be understood that data processing system 300 may be implemented in the form of any system including a processor and memory capable of performing the functions described herein.

[0075] The memory elements 304 may include one or more physical memory devices, such as, for example, a local memory 308 and one or more mass storage devices 310. A local memory may refer to a random access memory or other non-persistent memory device that is typically used during the actual execution of the program code. The mass storage device may be implemented as a hard drive or other persistent data storage device. The processing system 300 may also include one or more cache memories (not shown) that provide temporary storage of at least some of the program code to reduce the number of times the program code must be retrieved from the mass storage device 310 during execution. The processing system 300 may also be able to use memory elements of another processing system, for example, if the processing system 300 is part of a cloud computing platform.

[0076] Input / output (I / O) devices, shown as input devices 312 and output devices 314, may optionally be coupled to the data processing system. Examples of input devices may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, a microphone (e.g., for voice and / or speech recognition), etc. Examples of output devices may include, but are not limited to, a monitor or display, speakers, etc. The input and / or output devices may be coupled to the data processing system directly or through intervening I / O controllers.

[0077] In one embodiment, the input and output devices may be implemented as a hybrid input / output device (illustrated in FIG. 8 with dashed lines surrounding input device 312 and output device 314). One example of such a hybrid device is a touch-sensitive display, sometimes referred to as a "touch screen display" or simply a "touch screen." In such an embodiment, input to the device may be provided by movement of a physical entity, such as a stylus or a user's finger, on or near the touch screen display.

[0078] Network adapters 316 may also be coupled to the data processing system to enable the data processing system to be coupled to other systems, computer systems, remote network devices, and / or remote storage devices through intervening private or public networks. The network adapters may include data receivers for receiving data sent to data processing system 300 by the aforementioned systems, devices, and / or networks, and data transmitters for transmitting data from data processing system 300 to the aforementioned systems, devices, and / or networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are examples of various types of network adapters that may be used with data processing system 300.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 8, memory element 304 may store application 318. In various embodiments, application 318 may be stored in local memory 308, one or more mass storage devices 310, or may be separate from the local memory and mass storage devices. It should be appreciated that data processing system 300 may further execute an operating system (not shown in FIG. 8) that may facilitate execution of application 318. Application 318 may be implemented in the form of executable program code and may be executed by data processing system 300, for example, by processor 302. In response to executing the application, data processing system 300 may be configured to perform one or more operations or method steps described herein.

[0080] 8 illustrates input devices 312 and output devices 314 as separate from network adapter 316. However, additionally or alternatively, input may be received and output may be sent via network adapter 316. For example, data processing system 300 may be a cloud server. In this case, input may be received from and output may be sent to user devices functioning as terminals.

[0081] Various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a program product for use with a computer system, the program of the program product defining the functions of the embodiments (including the methods described herein). In one embodiment, the program may be contained on various non-transitory computer-readable storage media, and as used herein, the expression "non-transitory computer-readable storage media" includes all computer-readable media, with the only exception being a transitory propagating signal. In another embodiment, the program may be contained on various transitory computer-readable storage media. Exemplary computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, (i) non-writeable storage media, in which information is permanently stored (e.g., a read-only memory device inside a computer, such as a CD-ROM disk readable by a CD-ROM drive, a ROM chip, or any type of non-volatile solid-state semiconductor memory), and (ii) writeable storage media, in which information that can be changed is stored (e.g., a flash memory, a floppy disk inside a diskette drive or hard disk drive, or any type of random access solid-state semiconductor memory). The computer program may be executed on the processor 302 described herein.

[0082] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that as used herein, the terms "comprise" and / or "comprising" specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0083] Corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means-plus-function or step-plus-function elements in the following claims are intended to include any structures, materials, or acts for performing functions in combination with other claim elements that are specifically claimed. The description of the embodiments of the present invention has been presented for illustrative purposes, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed forms of implementation. Many modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. The embodiments have been selected and described to best explain the principles and some practical applications of the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to understand the invention in terms of various embodiments with various modifications as suitable for the particular uses contemplated.

Claims

1. 1. A system for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system, the system comprising: determining a current or desired state of the lighting device; determining a control permission based on the current or intended state of the lighting device; and - preventing or limiting control of the lighting device by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system in dependence on the control permission.

23. A system comprising: at least one processor configured to:

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to temporarily prevent or temporarily limit control of the lighting device by the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control permission.

3. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to, in dependence on the control permission, prevent one or more characteristics of a light effect rendered by the lighting device from being modified by the second connected lighting system.

4. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to grant control of the lighting device to the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control grant.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to grant the second connected lighting system exclusive control of the lighting device in dependence on the control grant.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to temporarily grant control of the lighting device to the second connected lighting system in dependence on the control grant.

7. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to further prevent or limit control of the lighting devices by one or more control devices in the first connected lighting system.

8. The at least one processor Determine the effect of a change from a current or intended future state to another state; and determining the control grant based on the determined effect of the change; The system according to claim 1 or 2, configured to:

9. The at least one processor receiving a signal indicative of a desired state of the lighting device, the desired state specified in a control command from the second connected lighting system; and determining the effect of the change by determining the effect of a change from the current or intended future state to the desired state; The system of claim 8 , configured to:

10. The at least one processor determining a current or intended further state of a further lighting device in the first connected lighting system; and determining the control permission further based on the current or intended further state of the further lighting device. The system according to claim 1 or 2, configured to:

11. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the current or intended state of the lighting device influences what type of light effect the lighting device renders or will render.

12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the current or intended state of the lighting device includes the lighting device rendering a light effect accompanying audio and / or video content rendered on an audio and / or video rendering device, or the lighting device rendering a dynamic light effect.

13. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the intended state of the lighting device from automation defined in the first connected lighting system.

14. 1. A method for preventing or limiting control of lighting devices in a first connected lighting system, the method comprising: determining a current or intended state of the lighting device; determining a control permission based on the current or intended state of the lighting device; - preventing or limiting control of the lighting device by a second connected lighting system located in the same building as the first connected lighting system in dependence on the control permission; A method comprising:

15. A computer program for a computing device comprising computer program code for performing the method according to claim 14 when the computer program is executed on a processing unit of the computing device.

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