Lighting configuration using packaging with RFID tag

Abstract

A lighting device packaging includes a lighting device container and a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to the lighting device container at a first side of the lighting device container. The lighting device packaging further includes a second RFID tag attached to the lighting device container at a second side of the lighting device container. The first RFID tag includes first information readable by a lighting device to adjust a first characteristic of a light provided by the lighting device based on the first information. The second RFID tag includes second information readable by the lighting device to adjust a second characteristic of the light based on the second information.

Description

[0001] Lighting configuration using packaging with RFID tag

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to lighting solutions, and in particular to configuring light fixtures using a lighting device packaging with attached radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Some light fixtures may be configurable to set and adjust characteristics of the lights provided by the light fixtures. To illustrate, a light fixture may be configurable to provide a light having a particular color temperature. For example, a light fixture may include switches or other mechanisms that may be used to set / adjust the color temperature of the light provided by the light fixture. Typically, configuring a light fixture is performed by an installer during the installation of the light fixture. Switches or other mechanisms of a light fixture that are used to configure the light fixture are typically difficult to access after the installation of the light fixture. For example, switches used to configure a recessed light fixture may be located behind a ceiling after the installation of the recessed light fixture. As such, accessing the switches or other mechanisms to reconfigure an installed light fixture, for example, to change the color temperature of a light provided by the light fixture may require the uninstallation and reinstallation of the light fixture. Such tasks can be challenging for a typical consumer. Thus, a solution that simplifies the configuration of a light fixture may be desirable.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In general, the present disclosure relates generally to lighting solutions, and in particular to configuring a light fixture using a lighting device packaging with attached RFID tags. In an example embodiment, a lighting device packaging includes a lighting device container and a first RFID tag attached to the lighting device container at a first side of the lighting device container. The lighting device packaging further includes a second RFID tag attached to the lighting device container at a second side of the lighting device container. The first RFID tag includes first information readable by a lighting device to adjust a first characteristic of a light provided by the lighting device based on the first information. The second RFID tag includes second information readable by the lighting device to adjust a second characteristic of the light based on the second information. The first information corresponds to a first value of the characteristic of the light. The second information corresponds to a second value of the characteristic of the light.

[0008] In another example embodiment, a lighting system includes a lighting device that includes a lighting unit and an RFID unit, where the lighting device is configured to provide a light. The lighting system further includes a lighting device packaging. The lighting device packaging includes a lighting device container sized to contain at least the lighting unit. The lighting device packaging further includes a first RFID tag attached to the lighting device container at a first side of the lighting device container. The lighting device packaging also includes a second RFID tag attached to the lighting device container at a second side of the lighting device container. The lighting device is configured to adjust a first characteristic of the light to have a first value based on first information that is obtained from the first RFID tag by the lighting device. The lighting device is configured to adjust a second characteristic of the light to have a second value based on second information that is obtained from the second RFID tag by the lighting device.

[0009] These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments will be apparent from the following description and the claims.

[0010] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Reference will now be made to the accompanying figures, which are not necessarily to scale, and wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a lighting device packaging and a lighting unit contained therein according to an example embodiment;

[0013] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the lighting device packaging of FIG. 1 including RFID tags for correlated color temperature (CCT) setting of a lighting device according to an example embodiment;

[0014] FIGS. 3 A and 3B illustrate a lighting device packaging including RFID tags for light output level setting of a lighting device according to an example embodiment;

[0015] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a lighting device packaging including RFID tags for multiple lighting characteristic setting of a lighting device according to an example embodiment; FIG. 5 illustrates a lighting device that is configurable using the lighting device packaging of FIGS. 1, 3A, 3B, and 4 according to an example embodiment;

[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a close-up view of a setting interface of lighting device of FIG. 5 according to an example embodiment;

[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of the lighting device of FIG. 5 according to an example embodiment;

[0018] FIG. 8 illustrates a lighting system including the lighting device packaging of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment;

[0019] FIG. 9 illustrates a lighting system including an RFID tag removed from the lighting device packaging of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment;

[0020] FIG. 10 illustrates a lighting system that includes lighting devices that are configurable using the lighting device packaging of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment; and

[0021] FIG. 11 illustrates a method of configuring lighting devices using the lighting device packaging of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment.

[0022] The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting in scope. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or placements may be exaggerated to help visually convey such principles. In the figures, the same reference numerals used in different figures may designate like or corresponding but not necessarily identical elements.

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] In the following paragraphs, particular embodiments will be described in further detail by way of example with reference to the figures. In the description, well known components, methods, and / or processing techniques are omitted or briefly described. Furthermore, reference to various feature(s) of the embodiments is not to suggest that all embodiments must include the referenced feature(s).

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a lighting device packaging 100 and a lighting unit 104 contained therein according to an example embodiment, and FIGS. 2 A and 2B illustrate the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1 including RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 for CCT setting of a lighting device according to an example embodiment. In some example embodiments, the lighting unit 104 may be packaged in the lighting device packaging 100. For example, the lighting unit 104 may be sold packaged in the lighting device packaging 100. The lighting device packaging 100 may include a lighting device container 102 and the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208. “Radio-frequency identification” and ‘RFID’ as used throughout this application including the claims is intended to include standard radiofrequency identification technology, near-field communication technology, and other similar technologies. The RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each include an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), such as a dual port EDPROM, that can store information as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. The respective information in each one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may be stored, for example, at the factory during the manufacturing of the lighting device packaging 100. Alternatively or in addition, information may be stored in the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 after manufacturing as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.

[0026] In some example embodiments, the lighting device container 102 may include a cavity 106, and the lighting unit 104 may be positioned in the cavity 106. The lighting device container 102 may include a cover 124 that is openable to access the cavity 106 of the lighting device container 102. For example, the lighting unit 104 may be removed from the cavity 106 of the lighting device container 102 for installation in a ceiling. The lighting unit 104 may include a light source (e.g., light emitting diode (LED) light source) and may be installed as part of a lighting device that includes one or more other separate components such a driver. Alternatively, the lighting unit 104 may include a light source as well as other components such as a driver and may be installed as a complete light fixture. In general, the lighting unit 104 may be installed as a recessed lighting device, as a surface mount lighting device, or as another type of lighting device.

[0027] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 are attached to the lighting device container 102 at different sides of the lighting device container 102. The RFID tag 108 may be attached to the lighting device container 102 at a side 112 of the lighting device container 102. For example, the RFID tag 108 may be attached to a sidewall 202 of the lighting device container 102. The RFID tag 110 may be attached to the lighting device container 102 at a side 118 of the lighting device container 102, where the side 112 and the side 118 are adjacent to each other. For example, the RFID tag 110 may be attached to a sidewall 204 of the lighting device container 102. The RFID tag 206 may be attached to the lighting device container 102 at a side 116 of the lighting device container 102, where the side 116 is adjacent to the side 118 and opposite the side 112. For example, the RFID tag 206 may be attached to a sidewall 214 of the lighting device container 102. The RFID tag 208 may be attached to the lighting device container 102 at a side 114 of the lighting device container 102, where the side 114 is adjacent to the side 112 and the side 116 and opposite the side 118. For example, the RFID tag 208 may be attached to a sidewall 216 of the lighting device container 102.

[0028] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 are removably attached to the lighting device container 102. For example, the lighting device container 102 may be made from a paperboard, cardboard, and / or plastic material, and the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may have sticky backs surfaces that enable the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 to be removably attached to the lighting device container 102. To illustrate, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each be peelable away from the lighting device container 102 to remove the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 from the lighting device container 102. The RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may also have perforated edges that enable a more secure attachment to the lighting device container 102 while providing for an ease of removal of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 from the lighting device container 102.

[0029] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104. For example, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may be used to set or otherwise change one or more characteristics of a light provided by the lighting unit 104. To illustrate, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each be readable by an RFID reader device to obtain information programmed / stored in the respective one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208, and the respective information may be used to set or adjust one or more characteristics of a light. In some cases, the information programmed / stored in the respective one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may include, correspond to, or otherwise indicate a schedule of operation of a lighting device, lighting scenes, etc. that correspond to respective lighting characteristics of a light provided by the lighting device. The one or more characteristics of a light that can be set or changed using the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may include color temperature, light output level, and / or other characteristics such as CRI, beam direction, etc.

[0030] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each include information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates a respective CCT value. To illustrate, the information stored in each one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may be a respective CCT value. For example, the information (e.g., information 218) stored in the RFID tag 108 may include a value of 2700, and the RFID tag 108 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 2700K. As another example, the information (e.g., information 220) stored in the RFID tag 110 may include a value of 5000, and the RFID tag 110 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 5000K. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 206 may include a value of 4000, and the RFID tag 206 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 4000K. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 208 may include a value of 3000, and the RFID tag 208 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 3000K. In general, the respective information stored in each one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may include numerical, alphanumerical, or other types of information that correspond to or otherwise indicate a respective CCT value.

[0031] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each include a respective label. For example, the RFID tag 108 may include a label 120, the RFID tag 110 may include a label 122, the RFID tag 206 may include a label 210, and the RFID tag 208 may include a label 212. For example, the label 120 of the RFID tag 108 may include a text ‘2.7K’ indicating that the RFID tag 108 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 2700K. As another example, the label 122 of the RFID tag 110 may include a text ‘5K’ indicating that the RFID tag 110 may be used to configure the lighting device such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 5000K. As another example, the label 210 of the RFID tag 206 may include a text ‘4K’ indicating that the RFID tag 206 may be used to configure the lighting device such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 4000K. As another example, the label 212 of the RFID tag 208 may include a text ‘3K’ indicating that the RFID tag 208 may be used to configure the lighting device such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 3000K.

[0032] In some example embodiments, the lighting device packaging 100 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 by placing one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 5 inches) of an antenna of an RFID unit of the lighting device. For example, to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 to provide a light that has a CCT of 2700K, the RFID tag 108 may be placed within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit while the RFID tags 110, 206, 208 are kept outside of the reading range. In general, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 are located such that one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 can be within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit of the lighting device while the remaining RFID tags of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 are outside of the range.

[0033] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 100 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the cavity 106 of the lighting device container 102 may be accessed by opening the lighting device container 102 at another side than shown in FIG. 1 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, multiple lighting units may be packaged in the lighting device packaging 100 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, instead of or in addition to the lighting unit 104, another component of a lighting device may be packaged in the lighting device packaging 100 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, one or more of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may be at different location(s) than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 100 may include more or fewer RFID tags than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the lighting device packaging 100 may include two RFID tags of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208.

[0034] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 100 may be used to package one or more other components of a lighting device in addition to the lighting unit 104 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each include information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates a respective CCT value other than the CCT value(s) described above with respect to the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0035] In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each include information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates multiple characteristics of a light without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may each include respective information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates a CCT value and a light output level value.

[0036] In some alternative embodiments, the labels 120, 122, 210, 212 may include other texts than shown in FIGS. 2 A and 2B without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the labels 120, 122, 210, 212 may each be located on the lighting device container 102 proximal (e.g., adjacent) to the respective one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 instead of on the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 themselves without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the lighting device packaging 100 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes a lighting unit other than the lighting unit 104 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0037] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a lighting device packaging 300 including RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 for light output level setting of a lighting device according to an example embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3A, and 3B, in some example embodiments, the lighting unit 104 of FIG. 1 may be packaged in the lighting device packaging 300. For example, the lighting unit 104 may be sold packaged in the lighting device packaging 300. The lighting device packaging 300 may include a lighting device container 302 and the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322. The lighting device container 302 may include a cover 336 that is openable to access a cavity of the lighting device container 302. In general, the lighting device container 302 corresponds to the lighting device container 102 of FIG. 1 as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.

[0038] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 are attached to the lighting device container 302 at different sides of the lighting device container 302. The RFID tag 304 may be attached to the lighting device container 302 at a side 308 of the lighting device container 302. For example, the RFID tag 304 may be attached to a sidewall 312 of the lighting device container 302. The RFID tag 306 may be attached to the lighting device container 302 at a side 310 of the lighting device container 302, where the side 308 and the side 310 are adjacent to each other. For example, the RFID tag 306 may be attached to a sidewall 314 of the lighting device container 302. The RFID tag 320 may be attached to the lighting device container 302 at a side 324 of the lighting device container 302, where the side 324 is adjacent to the side 310 and opposite the side 308. For example, the RFID tag 320 may be attached to a sidewall 328 of the lighting device container 302. The RFID tag 322 may be attached to the lighting device container 302 at a side 326 of the lighting device container 302, where the side 326 is adjacent to the side 308 and the side 324 and opposite the side 310. For example, the RFID tag 322 may be attached to a sidewall 330 of the lighting device container 302.

[0039] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 are removably attached to the lighting device container 302. For example, the lighting device container 302 may be made from a paperboard, cardboard, and / or plastic material, and the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may have sticky backs surfaces that enable the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 to be removably attached to the lighting device container 302. To illustrate, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may each be peelable away from the lighting device container 302 to remove the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 from the lighting device container 302. The RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may also have perforated edges that enable a more secure attachment to the lighting device container 302 while providing for an ease of removal of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 from the lighting device container 302.

[0040] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104. To illustrate, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may each be readable by an RFID reader device to obtain information programmed / stored in the respective one of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322, and the respective information may be used to set or adjust one or more characteristics of a light. In some cases, the information programmed / stored in the respective one of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may include a schedule of operation of a lighting device, lighting scenes, etc. that correspond to respective lighting characteristics of a light provided by the lighting device. The one or more characteristics of a light that can be set or changed using the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may include color temperature, light output level, and / or other characteristics such as CRI, beam direction, etc.

[0041] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may each include information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates a respective light output level value, for example, in lumens. For example, the information stored in the RFID tag 304 may include a value of 350, and the RFID tag 304 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 350 lumens. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 306 may include a value of 600, and the RFID tag 306 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 600 lumens. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 320 may include a value of 400, and the RFID tag 320 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 400 lumens. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 322 may include a value of 500, and the RFID tag 322 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 500 lumens. In general, the respective information stored in each one of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may include numerical, alphanumerical, or other types of information that correspond to or otherwise indicate a respective light output level value.

[0042] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may each include a respective label. For example, the RFID tag 304 may include a label 316, the RFID tag 306 may include a label 318, the RFID tag 320 may include a label 332, and the RFID tag 322 may include a label 334. For example, the label 316 of the RFID tag 304 may include a text ‘350’ indicating that the RFID tag 304 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 350 lumens. As another example, the label 318 of the RFID tag 306 may include a text ‘600’ indicating that the RFID tag 306 may be used to configure the lighting device such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 600 lumens. As another example, the label 332 of the RFID tag 320 may include a text ‘400’ indicating that the RFID tag 320 may be used to configure the lighting device such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 400 lumens. As another example, the label 334 of the RFID tag 322 may include a text ‘500’ indicating that the RFID tag 322 may be used to configure the lighting device such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 500 lumens.

[0043] In some example embodiments, the lighting device packaging 300 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 by placing one of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 5 inches) of an antenna of an RFID unit of the lighting device. For example, to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 to provide a light that has a light output level of 350 lumens, the RFID tag 304 may be placed within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit while the RFID tags 306, 320, 322 are kept outside of the reading range. In general, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 are located such that one of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 can be within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit of a lighting device while the remaining RFID tags of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 are outside of the range. In general, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may be used in the manner described herein with respect to the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1.

[0044] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 300 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, one or more of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may be at different location(s) than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 300 may include more or fewer RFID tags than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the lighting device packaging 300 may include two RFID tags of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322.

[0045] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 300 may be used to package multiple components of a lighting device including the lighting unit 104 shown in FIG. 1 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may each include information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates a respective light output level value other than the light output level value(s) described above with respect to the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0046] In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may each include information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates multiple characteristics of a light without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may each include respective information that corresponds to or otherwise indicates a CCT value and a light output level value.

[0047] In some alternative embodiments, the labels 316, 318, 332, 334 may include other texts than shown in FIGS. 3 A and 3B without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the labels 316, 318, 332, 334 may each be located on the lighting device container 102 proximal (e.g., adjacent) to the respective one of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 instead of on the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 themselves without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the lighting device packaging 300 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes a lighting unit other than the lighting unit 104 shown in FIG. 1 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0048] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a lighting device packaging 400 including RFID tags for multiple lighting characteristic setting of a lighting device according to an example embodiment. In some example embodiments, the lighting device packaging 400 includes a lighting device container 402 and the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422. The lighting device container 402 may include a cover 436 that is openable to access a cavity of the lighting device container 402. In general, the lighting device container 402 corresponds to the lighting device container 102 of FIG. 1 as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 are attached to the lighting device container 402 at different sides of the lighting device container 402. The RFID tag 404 may be attached to the lighting device container 402 at a side 408 of the lighting device container 402. For example, the RFID tag 404 may be attached to a sidewall 412 of the lighting device container 402. The RFID tag 406 may be attached to the lighting device container 402 at a side 410 of the lighting device container 402, where the side 408 and the side 410 are adjacent to each other. For example, the RFID tag 406 may be attached to a sidewall 414 of the lighting device container 402. The RFID tag 420 may be attached to the lighting device container 402 at a side 424 of the lighting device container 402, where the side 424 is adjacent to the side 410 and opposite the side 408. For example, the RFID tag 420 may be attached to a sidewall 428 of the lighting device container 402. The RFID tag 422 may be attached to the lighting device container 402 at a side 426 of the lighting device container 402, where the side 426 is adjacent to the side 408 and the side 424 and opposite the side 410. For example, the RFID tag 422 may be attached to a sidewall 430 of the lighting device container 402.

[0049] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 are removably attached to the lighting device container 402. For example, the lighting device container 402 may be made from a paperboard, cardboard, and / or plastic material, and the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may have sticky backs surfaces that enable the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 to be removably attached to the lighting device container 402. To illustrate, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may each be peelable away from the lighting device container 402 to remove the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 from the lighting device container 402. The RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may also have perforated edges that enable a more secure attachment to the lighting device container 402 while providing for an ease of removal of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 from the lighting device container 402.

[0050] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104. To illustrate, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may each be readable by an RFID reader device to obtain information programmed / stored in the respective one of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422, and the respective information may be used to set or adjust one or more characteristics of a light. In some cases, the information programmed / stored in the respective one of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may include a schedule of operation of a lighting device, lighting scenes, etc. that correspond to respective lighting characteristics of a light provided by the lighting device. The one or more characteristics of a light that can be set or changed using the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may include color temperature, light output level, and / or other characteristics such as CRI, beam direction, etc.

[0051] In some example embodiments, some of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may each include information that corresponds to or indicates one characteristic of a light and the remaining one of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may each include information that corresponds to or indicates another characteristic of the light. For example, the RFID tags 404, 420 may each include information that is related to color temperature and that corresponds to or indicates a respective CCT value, and the RFID tags 420, 422 may each include information that is related to light output level and that corresponds to or indicates a respective light output level value.

[0052] To illustrate, the information stored in the RFID tag 404 may include, correspond to, or otherwise indicate a value of 2700, and the RFID tag 404 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 2700K. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 420 may include, correspond to, or otherwise indicate a value of 5000, and the RFID tag 420 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 5000K. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 406 may include, correspond to, or otherwise indicate a value of, for example, 350, and the RFID tag 406 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 350 lumens or close to 350 lumens. As another example, the information stored in the RFID tag 422 may include, correspond to, or otherwise indicate a value of, for example, 600, and the RFID tag 422 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a light output level of 600 lumens or close to 600 lumens.

[0053] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may each include a respective label. For example, the RFID tag 404 may include a label 416, the RFID tag 406 may include a label 418, the RFID tag 420 may include a label 432, and the RFID tag 422 may include a label 434. The labels 316, 318, 332, 334 may each include a respective text that indicates, for example, a particular value of a characteristics of a light that can be achieved by using the respective RFID tag to configure a lighting device in the manner described with respect to, for example, the lighting device packaging 100. For example, instead of ‘Tagl’ shown in FIG. 4A, the label 416 may include a text ‘2.7K’, instead of ‘Tag2’ shown in FIG. 4A, the label 418 may include a text ‘350’, instead of ‘Tag3’ shown in FIG. 4A, the label 432 may include a text ‘5K’, and instead of ‘Tag4’ shown in FIG. 4B, the label 434 may include a text ‘600’.

[0054] In some example embodiments, the lighting device packaging 400 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 by placing one of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 5 inches) of an antenna of an RFID unit of the lighting device. For example, to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 to provide a light that has a light output level of 350 lumens, the RFID tag 406 may be placed within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit while the RFID tags 404, 420, 422 are kept outside of the reading range. As another example, to configure the lighting device to provide a light that has a CCT value of 2700K, the RFID tag 404 may be placed within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit while the RFID tags 406, 420, 422 are kept outside of the reading range. To illustrate, the RFID tag 404 and the RFID tag 406 may be used to configure the lighting device to provide a light that has a CCT value of 2700K and a light output level of 350K. As another example, the RFID tag 420 and the RFID tag 422 may be used to configure the lighting device to provide a light that has a CCT value of 5000K and a light output level of 600K. In general, different combinations or pairs of RFID tags of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may be used to configure a lighting device to provide a light that has desired lighting characteristics as set or adjusted based on the information stored in the particular combinations or pairs of RFID tags. In general, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 are located on the lighting device container 402 such that one of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 can be within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit of a lighting device while the remaining RFID tags of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 are outside of the reading range.

[0055] In some example embodiments, by placing the RFID tags 404 and 420 within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit of a lighting device, the lighting device be configured to provide a light that has a CCT value that is, for example, the average of the CCT values corresponding to or indicated by the RFID tags 404 and 420. For example, the RFID tags 404 and 420 may be placed within the reading range of the RFID antenna one at a time and sequentially within a threshold time period (e.g., 5 seconds) of each other. The RFID tags 406 and 422 may also be used in the same manner, where the lighting device may use, for example, the average of the light output level values corresponding to or indicated by the RFID tags 406 and 422.

[0056] In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tag 404 may be used to adjust the color temperature of a light provided by a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 by cycling through multiple CCT values. For example, the RFID tag 404 may include information that corresponds to or that otherwise indicates increasing the CCT of a light. The RFID tag 404 may include information such that each time the RFID tag 404 is presented to an RFID reader device of a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104, the lighting device may increase the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104, for example, by a CCT amount (e.g., 50K, 100K, 500K, or lOOOK). To illustrate, the light device may increase the CCT of the light by a particular amount upon each reading of the information in the RFID tag 404 until a maximum CCT value is reached, and the lighting device may reset the CCT of the light to a starting CCT value upon a subsequent reading of the information in the RFID tag 404.

[0057] In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tag 406 may be used to adjust the light output level (i.e., light intensity level) of a light provided by a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 by cycling through multiple light output level values. For example, the RFID tag 406 may include information that corresponds to or that otherwise indicates increasing the light output level of a light. The RFID tag 406 may include information such that each time the RFID tag 406 is presented to an RFID reader device of a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104, the lighting device may increase the intensity of the light provided by the lighting unit 104, for example, by a light intensity amount (e.g., 10 lumens, 50 lumens, 100 lumens, 150 lumens, 200 lumens, or 300 lumens). To illustrate, the light device may increase the intensity of the light by a particular amount upon each reading of the information in the RFID tag 406 until a maximum intensity level is reached, and the lighting device may reset the intensity level of the light to a starting intensity level upon a subsequent reading of the information in the RFID tag 406.

[0058] In some example embodiments where the RFID tags 404, 406 are used to cycle through CCT values and light output level values, respectively, the lighting device packaging 400 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 by placing one of the RFID tags 404, 406 within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 5 inches) of an antenna of an RFID unit of the lighting device. For example, to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 to increase the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104, for example, by a particular amount (e.g., 50K or 500K), the RFID tag 404 may be placed within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit of the lighting device while the RFID tag 406 is kept outside of the reading range. As another example, to configure a lighting device that includes the lighting unit 104 to increase the light output level of lighting unit 104, for example, by a particular amount (e.g., 50 lumens or 100 lumens), the RFID tag 406 may be placed within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit of the lighting device while the RFID tag 404 is kept outside of the reading range. In general, the RFID tags 404, 406 are located such that one of the RFID tags 404, 406 can be within the reading range of an antenna of an RFID unit of a lighting device while the other RFID tag is outside of the range.

[0059] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 400 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, one or more of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may be at different location(s) than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 400 may include more or fewer RFID tags than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the RFID tags 420, 422 may be omitted, and the RFID tags 404, 406 may be used to cycle through CCT values and light output level values, respectively. As another example, the lighting device packaging 400 may include another RFID tag that can be used to configure a lighting device to adjust another characteristic (e.g., beam width or beam direction) of a light or to adjust the CCT and / or the light output level in a different value direction (e.g., decreasing value). In general, the CCT values, light output level values, and other values described above with respect to RFID tags and characteristics of a light are example values and other values may be equally applicable.

[0060] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 400 may be used to package multiple components of a lighting device including the lighting unit 104 shown in FIG. 1 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 may each include information that apply to multiple characteristics of a light without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0061] In some alternative embodiments, the labels 416, 418, 432, 434 may include other texts than shown in FIGS. 4 A and 4B without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the labels 416, 418, 432, 434 may each be located on the lighting device container 402 proximal (e.g., adjacent) to the respective one of the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 instead of on the RFID tags 404, 406, 420, 422 themselves without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the lighting device packaging 400 may be used to configure a lighting device that includes a lighting unit other than the lighting unit 104 shown in FIG. 1 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates a lighting device 500 that is configurable using the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1, the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B, and the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B according to an example embodiment, and FIG. 6 illustrates a close-up view of a setting interface 510 of lighting device 500 of FIG. 5 according to an example embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 5, and 6, in some example embodiments, the lighting device 500 includes a driver unit 502 and the lighting unit 104.

[0062] In some example embodiments, the driver unit 502 may include a driver housing 512 that houses a driver (e.g., an LED driver). The driver unit 104 may provide power to the lighting unit 104 that may include, for example, one or more LED light sources. The driver unit 104 may provide power to the lighting unit 104 over one or more electrical wires of an electrical cable 506. The driver unit 104 may control one or more characteristics of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 by controlling the power provided to the lighting unit 104 as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. For example, the driver unit 104 may adjust the power provided to the lighting unit 104 to adjust the color temperature, the light output level (i.e., intensity level), and / or other characteristics of the light provided by the lighting unit 104.

[0063] In some example embodiments, the driver unit 502 may control the power provided to the lighting unit 104 to set or adjust the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information obtained from an RFID tag. To illustrate, the lighting device 500 may include an RFID unit that includes an RFID antenna 508 that is attached to, for example, a housing 504 of the lighting unit 104. For example, the RFID antenna 508 may be attached to the housing 504 using an adhesive or another means as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. The housing 504 may be made, for example, from plastic material. Alternatively, the RFID antenna 508 may be integrally formed with the housing 504. The RFID antenna 508 may be connected to RFID circuitry of the RFID unit inside the driver housing 512 by electrical wires. The RFID unit may read information from an RFID tag that is within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 6 inches) from the RFID antenna 508 and may control, based on the information, one or more characteristics of the light provided by the lighting device 500. In some cases, the information obtained from an RFID tag may include a schedule of operation of the lighting device 500, lighting scenes, etc. that correspond to lighting characteristics of a light provided by the lighting device 500. The one or more characteristics of a light that can be set or changed based on information obtained / read from an RFID tag may include color temperature, light output level, and / or other characteristics such as CRI, beam direction, etc.

[0064] In some example embodiments, the driver unit 502 may include a setting interface 510 that includes a setting selector 602 and setting indicators 604. The setting indicators 604 may include, for example, setting markers 608, 610, 612, 614 that indicate CCT values that may be manually selected using the setting selector 602. For example, the setting marker 608 may indicate a CCT value of 3000K, the setting marker 610 may indicate a CCT value of 3500K, the setting marker 612 may indicate a CCT value of 4000K, and the setting marker 614 may indicate a CCT value of 4500K. In some alternative embodiments, the CCT values indicated by the setting markers 608, 610, 612, 614 may be different from those shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The driver unit 502 may provide power to the lighting unit 104 based on the CCT value selected by the setting selector 602 from among the CCT values indicated by the setting indicators 604.

[0065] In some example embodiments, the setting indicators 604 may include an RFID mode marker 606. The setting selector 602 may be used to select the RFID mode of the lighting device 500 by moving the setting selector 602 to the RFID mode marker 606. That is, the driver unit 502 may operate in RFID mode if the setting selector 602 is at the RFID mode marker 606 of the setting indicators 604. The driver unit 502 may set or adjust one or more characteristics of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information read from an RFID tag if the driver unit 502 is operating in the RFID mode. In general, the setting selection 602 may be a switch or another component that is accessible from outside the driver housing 512 of the driver unit 502 and that can be moved to different positions to select different settings as indicated by the setting indicators 604.

[0066] In some example embodiments, when the lighting device 500 is operating in RFID mode, i.e., when the setting selector 602 is at the RFID mode marker 606, the lighting device 500 may control (e.g., set or adjust) the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information stored in one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1. To illustrate, referring to FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, the RFID tag 108 of the lighting device packaging 100 may be placed within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 6 inches) from the RFID antenna 508, and the RFID unit of the lighting device 500 may obtain / read information stored in the RFID tag 108. The driver unit 502 of the lighting device 500 may adjust the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 108. For example, the driver unit 502 may control the power provided to the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 2700K (or approximately 2700K) that corresponds to or otherwise indicated by the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 108 of the lighting device packaging 100. To be clear, the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 may not be exactly 2700K for a number of practical reasons such as variations in LEDs, etc. as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.

[0067] As another example, the RFID tag 206 of the lighting device packaging 100 is placed within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508, the RFID unit of the lighting device 500 may obtain / read information stored in the RFID tag 206. The driver unit 502 of the lighting device 500 may adjust the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 108. For example, the driver unit 502 may control the power provided to the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of 4000K (or approximately 4000K) that corresponds to or otherwise indicated by the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 108 of the lighting device packaging 100.

[0068] In some example embodiments, when the lighting device 500 is operating in RFID mode, i.e., when the setting selector 602 is at the RFID mode marker 606, the lighting device 500 may control (e.g., set or adjust) the intensity of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information stored in one of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B. To illustrate, referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 5, and 6, the RFID tag 304 of the lighting device packaging 300 may be placed within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 6 inches) from the RFID antenna 508, and the RFID unit of the lighting device 500 may obtain / read information stored in the RFID tag 304. The driver unit 502 of the lighting device 500 may adjust the intensity of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 304. For example, the driver unit 502 may control the power provided to the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has an intensity of 350 lumens (or approximately 350 lumens) that corresponds to or otherwise indicated by the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 304 of the lighting device packaging 300. To be clear, the intensity level of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 may not be exactly 350 lumens for a number of practical reasons such as variations in LEDs, etc. as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.

[0069] As another example, the RFID tag 322 of the lighting device packaging 300 is placed within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508, the RFID unit of the lighting device 500 may obtain / read information stored in the RFID tag 322. The driver unit 502 of the lighting device 500 may adjust the intensity of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 322. For example, the driver unit 502 may control the power provided to the lighting unit 104 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 an intensity of 500 lumens (or approximately 500 lumens) that corresponds to or otherwise indicated by the information obtained / read from the RFID tag 322 of the lighting device packaging 300.

[0070] In some example embodiments, when the lighting device 500 is operating in RFID mode, i.e., when the setting selector 602 is at the RFID mode marker 606, the lighting device 500 may control (e.g., set or adjust) the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information stored in one of the RFID tag 404 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4 A and 4B in the manner described above with respect to the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4 A and 4B as well as the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1. When the lighting device 500 is operating in RFID mode, i.e., when the setting selector 602 is at the RFID mode marker 606, the lighting device 500 may control (e.g., set or adjust) the intensity of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information stored in one of the RFID tag 406 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B in the manner described above with respect to the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4 A and 4B as well as the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0071] To be clear, the CCT and / or light output level of a light provided by a lighting device configured using the lighting device packaging 100, the lighting device packaging 300, and the lighting device packaging 400 may not exactly match of the value(s) indicated by the information stored in an RFID tag or by a label of the RFID tag for various reasons (e.g., LED variations) as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.

[0072] In some alternative embodiments, the driver unit 502 and the lighting unit 104 may be integrated into a single unit without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the driver unit 502 may be connected to the lighting unit 104 in a different manner than shown in FIG. 5 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the RFID antenna 508 may be at a different location than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the RFID antenna 508 may be attached to the housing 504 on the room-facing side of the lighting unit 104 while still hidden from view from below. In some alternative embodiments, the setting interface 510 may be at a different location than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the setting markers 608, 610, 612, 614 may correspond to other CCT values than shown in FIG. 6 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the setting selector 602 may be a different type of component and / or at a different location than shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the driver unit 502 may provide power to multiple lighting units without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0073] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of the lighting device 500 of FIG. 5 according to an example embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 5-8, in some example embodiments, the lighting device 500 may be a recessed light fixture, a surface-mount light fixture, a sconce, a suspended light fixture, or another type of light fixture. The lighting device 500 may include the lighting unit 104 and the driver unit 502. The lighting unit 104 may include a light source 718. For example, the light source 718 may include LEDs that can provide the light provided by the lighting unit 104, and the characteristics of the light may be controlled by controlling, for example, the current provided to different sets of LEDs as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.

[0074] In some example embodiments, the driver unit 502 may include a controller 702 and a power supply 704 (e.g., a current source) that can provide power to the lighting unit 104 via an electrical connection 706 (e.g., electrical wires). The controller 702 may control the power supply 704 to control the amount of power provided to the lighting unit 104 by the power supply 704. For example, the controller 702 may control the power supply 704 to control the amount current provided to different sets of LEDs of the light source 718 of the lighting unit 104. The power supply 704 may generate / derive the power provided via the lighting unit 104 from AC power provided to the power supply 704.

[0075] In some example embodiments, the controller 702 may include a microcontroller 708 and a memory device 710 (e.g., one or more flash memory devices) that stores software code that is executable by the microcontroller 708 to perform operations described herein with respect to the controller 702. The controller 702 may also include RFID circuitry 712 that is connected to the RFID antenna 508. The RFID antenna 508 may be located at the lighting unit 104. For example, an RFID unit 714 of the lighting device 500 may include the RFID circuitry 712 and the RFID antenna 508. The RFID unit 714 may obtain / read information from an RFID tag that is located with a reading range (e.g., 3 inches, 6 inches, or 12 inches) from the RFID antenna 508. The RFID antenna 508 may be located at the lighting unit 104 for the convenience of temporarily placing, by a person, an RFID tag within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508.

[0076] In some example embodiments, the driver unit 502 may include the setting interface 510 that may be communicably connected to the controller 702. The setting interface 510 may provide setting information to the controller 702 that corresponds to the position of the setting selector 602. The controller 702 may control the power provided to the lighting unit 104 to set / adjust one or more characteristics of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on the setting information from the setting interface 510. For example, the controller 702 may adjust the CCT of the light to match / closely match the CCT value indicated by a particular setting marker of the setting markers 608, 610, 612, 614 selected by the setting selector 602.

[0077] In some example embodiments, when the setting selector 602 is at the RFID mode marker 606 selecting the RFID mode of the lighting device 500, the controller 702 may control (e.g., set or adjust) one or more characteristics of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information obtained / read from an RFID tag. To illustrate, the RFID unit 714 may obtain / read information from an RFID tag that is within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508, and the RFID unit 714 may provide the information obtained from the RFID tag to the microcontroller 708. The microcontroller 708 may control the power supply 704 based on the information from the RFID unit 714 to control the power provided to the lighting unit 104 to set or adjust one or more characteristics of the light provided by the lighting unit 104. For example, the RFID unit 714 may obtain / read information from each RFID tag of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the RFID tags 404, 406 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4 A and 4B, and other RFID tags.

[0078] To illustrate, the controller 702 may set or adjust the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information read from an RFID tag of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1. Alternatively, the controller 702 may set or adjust the intensity as well as the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information read from an RFID tag of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208. As another example, the controller 702 may set or adjust the output level (i.e., intensity level) of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information read from an RFID tag of the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B. As another example, the controller 702 may set or adjust the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information read from the RFID tag 404 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B and may set or adjust the output level (i.e., intensity level) of the light based on information read from the RFID tag 406 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B. To be clear, the lighting device 500 may be configured to provide a light having one or more characteristics that have values indicated by the setting interface 510 or by information in an RFID tag even when the lighting device 1004 is off or otherwise not actively providing the light. When the setting selector 602 is first set to the RFID mode marker 606 selecting the RFID mode of the lighting device 500 and prior to the RFID unit 714 reading information from an RFID tag to set value(s) of one or more characteristics of the light provided by the lighting unit 104, the controller 702 may control the one or more characteristics of the light to have default value(s).

[0079] In some example embodiments, the driver unit 502 may include a battery 716 that may provide power to the some of the components of the driver unit 502, for example, when AC power is unavailable to generate / derive DC power that can be provided to, for example, the controller 702 and the RFID unit 714. For example, the RFID unit 714 may read information from an RFID tag using battery power from the battery 716 when AC power is unavailable. The power supply 704 or the controller 702 may include components to generate / derive DC power from the AC power.

[0080] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device 500 may include other or different components than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the driver unit 502 may include other or different components than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, some of the components of the lighting device 500 may be integrated into a single component without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0081] FIG. 8 illustrates a lighting system 800 including the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 5-8, in some example embodiments, the lighting system 800 includes the lighting device 500 and the lighting device packaging 100. The lighting device 500 may include the lighting unit 104. For example, the lighting unit 104 may have been purchased packaged in the lighting device packaging 100. The lighting unit 104 may have been installed, for example, after the setting selector 602 of the setting interface 510 is moved to the RFID mode marker 606, which sets the lighting device 500 to operate in RFID mode. As described above, when operating in RFID mode, the lighting device 500 may control one or more characteristics of a light 802 provided by the lighting unit 104 based on information read from RFID tags. In some example embodiments, a person may move the lighting device packaging 100 close to the lighting unit 104 such that one RFID tag of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 is within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508. For example, a person may hold the lighting device packaging 100 in a hand 804 and may position the RFID tag 110 within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 5 inches) from the RFID antenna 508 such that the lighting device 500 adjusts the light 802 to have a CCT of approximately 5000K. To illustrate, placing the RFID tag 110 (or another RFID tag) of the lighting device packaging 100 within a threshold distance (e.g., 1 inch or 3 inches), for example, from a center of a lens 806 of the lighting unit 104 may be assumed to place the particular RFID tag within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508.

[0082] In some example embodiments, to configure the lighting device 500 such that the light 802 has a CCT of approximately 2700K, the person may move the RFID tag 108 of the lighting device packaging 100 within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508. To configure the lighting device 500 such that the light 802 has a CCT of 3000K, the person may move the RFID tag 208 within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508. To configure the lighting device 500 such that the light 802 has a CCT of 4000K, the person may move the RFID tag 206 within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508.

[0083] In some example embodiments, a person may use the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3 A and 3B instead of or in addition to the lighting device packaging 100 to configure the lighting device 500 to adjust the light output level (i.e., intensity level) of the light 802. For example, to configure the lighting device 500 such that the light 802 has an intensity level of approximately 350 lumens, the person may move the RFID tag 304 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508. As another example, to configure the lighting device 500 such that the light 802 has an intensity level of approximately 600 lumens, the person may move the RFID tag 306 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B within the reading range from the RFID antenna 508. In some alternative embodiments, a person may use the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B to adjust the CCT and / or the light output level of the light 802 provided by the lighting unit 104.

[0084] Referring to FIGS. 1-8, by using the lighting device packaging 100, the lighting device packaging 300, and / or the lighting device packaging 400, one or more characteristics of the light 802 provided by the lighting device 500 may be set or adjusted after the installation of the lighting unit 104 without requiring the removal of the lighting unit 104 and / or another component of the lighting device 500. By providing the setting interface 510, the lighting device 500 enables for manual adjustment of one or more characteristics of the light 802, for example, in the lighting device packaging 100 is lost or damaged after the installation of the lighting unit 104.

[0085] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting unit 104 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the lighting device packaging 100, the lighting device packaging 300, and the lighting device packaging 400 may each have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In general, the lighting device packaging 100, the lighting device packaging 300, and the lighting device packaging 400 may be used to configure the lighting device 500 to adjust one or more characteristics of the light 802 provided by the lighting unit 104 even if the lighting unit 104 is purchased packaged in another lighting device packaging without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0086] FIG. 9 illustrates a lighting system 900 including the RFID tag 108 removed from the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 5-9, in some example embodiments, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 may each be removable from the lighting device container 102 of the lighting device packaging 100. For example, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may be peeled off from the lighting device container 102 and may be used to configure the lighting device 500 to set or adjust one or more characteristics of the light 802 based on the information stored in the respective one of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208. To illustrate, referring to FIGS. 1, 5-7, and 9, a person may place the RFID tag 108 within the reading range (e.g., 3 inches or 5 inches) from the RFID antenna 508 of the RFID unit 714 to configure the lighting device 500 such that the light provided by the lighting unit 104 has a CCT of approximately 2700K. The RFID tags 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 may be peeled off the lighting device container 102 and may be used in the manner as described with respect to the RFID tag 108.

[0087] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B may each be removed from the lighting device container 302 and may be used in the manner as described with respect to the RFID tag 108 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1. For example, the RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 may be used to configure the lighting device 500 to adjust the light output level (i.e., intensity level) of the light provided by the lighting unit 104.

[0088] In some example embodiments, the RFID tags 404, 406 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B may each be removed from the lighting device container 402 and may be used in the manner as described with respect to the RFID tag 108 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1. For example, the RFID tag 404 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B may be removed and used to adjust the CCT of the light provided by the lighting unit 104, and the RFID tag 406 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B may be removed and used to adjust the light output level of the light provided by the lighting unit 104.

[0089] In general, the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1 may each be removed from the lighting device container 102 and used to configure the lighting device 500. The removability of the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 may eliminate the need to save the lighting device container 102 thereby saving storage space. The removability of RFID tags 304, 306, 320, 322 of the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B may eliminate the need to save the lighting device container 302 thereby saving storage space. The removability of RFID tags 404, 406 of the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4 A and 4B may eliminate the need to save the lighting device container 402 thereby saving storage space.

[0090] FIG. 10 illustrates a lighting system 1000 that includes lighting devices 500, 1002, 1004 that are configurable using the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment. In some example embodiments, the lighting device 500 may be configured using the lighting device packaging 100 in the manner described above with respect to, for example, FIG. 8. For example, the lighting device 500 may have been purchased packaged in the lighting device packaging 100. To illustrate, the lighting device packaging 100 may be used to adjust the CCT of the light 802 provided by the lighting device 500.

[0091] In some example embodiments, the lighting device 1002, which may not have been purchased packaged in the lighting device packaging 100, may also be configured using the lighting device packaging 100 in the manner described above with respect to, for example, the lighting device 500 and FIG. 8. To illustrate, the lighting device packaging 100 may be used to adjust the CCT of a light 1008 provided by the lighting device 1002.

[0092] In some example embodiments, the lighting device 1004, which may not have been purchased packaged in the lighting device packaging 100, may also be configured using the lighting device packaging 100 in the manner described above with respect to, for example, the lighting device 500 and FIG. 8. To illustrate, the lighting device packaging 100 may be used to adjust the CCT of a light 1010 provided by the lighting device 1004. In general, after the lighting devices 500, 1002, 1004 are installed, a person 1006 may use the lighting device packaging 100 to configure each one of the lighting devices 500, 1002, 1004. Alternatively or in addition, the person 1006 may use the lighting device packaging 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B to configure each one of the lighting devices 500, 1002, 1004. Alternatively or in addition, the person 1006 may use the lighting device packaging 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B to configure each one of the lighting devices 500, 1002, 1004.

[0093] In some alternative embodiments, the lighting system 1000 may include more or fewer lighting devices than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the lighting units of the lighting devices 500, 1002, 1004 may have been packaged in the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0094] FIG. 11 illustrates a method 1100 of configuring lighting devices using the lighting device packaging 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 1-11, in some example embodiments, at step 1102, the method 1100 includes setting a light fixture to operate in an RFID mode. For example, the lighting device 500 may be set to operate in RFID mode by moving the setting selector 602 to the RFID mode marker 606. At step 1104, the method 1100 may include installing the lighting fixture that includes an RFID unit configured to read information from an RFID tag that is within a reading range from the RFID unit. For example, the lighting device 500 of FIG. 500 that includes the RFID unit 714 may be installed, for example, in a ceiling.

[0095] In some example embodiments, at step 1106, the method 1100 may include placing an RFID tag within the reading range from the RFID unit, where a lighting device packaging includes RFID tags including the RFID tag that are attached to different sides of a lighting device container of the lighting device packaging. For example, the person 1006 may place the RFID tag 108 from among the RFID tags 108, 110, 206, 208 of the lighting device packaging 100 within a reading range (e.g., 3 inches, 6 inches, or 10 inches) from the RFID unit 714 (e.g., from the RFID antenna 508). At step 1108, the method 1100 may include placing the RFID tag (e.g., the RFID tag 108) within the reading range from an RFID unit of a second light fixture (e.g., the lighting device 1002).

[0096] In some example embodiments, the method 100 may include configuring one or more other lighting devices using the lighting device packaging 100. In some example embodiments, the method 1100 may include using the lighting device packaging 300 instead of or in addition to the lighting device packaging 100. In some example embodiments, the method 1100 may include using the lighting device packaging 400 instead of or in addition to the lighting device packaging 100 and / or lighting device packaging 300.

[0097] In some alternative embodiments, the method 1100 may include other steps without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the steps of the method 1100 may be performed in a different order than described without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0098] Although particular embodiments have been described herein in detail, the descriptions are by way of example. The features of the embodiments described herein are representative and, in alternative embodiments, certain features, elements, and / or steps may be added or omitted. Additionally, modifications to aspects of the embodiments described herein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the following claims, the scope of which are to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass modifications and equivalent structures.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A lighting system (800, 1000), comprising: a lighting device (500) comprising a lighting unit (104) and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) unit (714), wherein the lighting device is configured to provide a light (802); and a lighting device packaging (100, 300, 400), comprising: a lighting device container (102, 302, 402) sized to contain at least the lighting unit (104); a first RFID tag (108, 304), 404 attached to the lighting device container at a first side (112, 308, 408) of the lighting device container; and a second RFID tag (110, 306, 406) attached to the lighting device container at a second side (118, 310, 410) of the lighting device container, wherein the lighting device (500) is configured to adjust a first characteristic of the light (802) to have a first value based on first information (218) that is obtained from the first RFID tag (108, 304, 404) by the lighting device (500) and wherein the lighting device (500) is configured to adjust a second characteristic of the light (802) to have a second value based on second information (220) that is obtained from the second RFID tag (110, 306, 406) by the lighting device (500).

2. The lighting system of Claim 1, further comprising a second lighting device (1002) configured to provide a second light (1008), wherein the second lighting device is configured to adjust a first characteristic of the second light to have the first value based on the first information (218) obtained from the first RFID tag (108, 304, 404) by the second lighting device and wherein the second lighting device is configured to adjust a second characteristic of the second light to have the second value based on the second information obtained from the second RFID tag (110, 306, 406) by the second lighting device.

3. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the lighting device (500) is configurable to operate in an RFID mode and wherein the lighting device is configured to adjust the first characteristic of the light (802) based on the first information obtained fromthe first RFID tag (108, 304, 404) or adjust the second characteristic of the light (802) based on the second information obtained from the second RFID tag (110, 306, 406) if the lighting device (500) is in the RFID mode.

4. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the first characteristic of the light and the second characteristic of the light include either color temperature, light output level, or both.

5. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the lighting fixture packaging (100, 300) further comprises: a third RFID tag (208, 320) attached to the lighting device container (102, 302) at a third side (114, 324) of the lighting device container; and a fourth RFID tag (210, 322) attached to the lighting device container at a fourth side (116, 326) of the lighting device container (102, 302), wherein the third RFID tag (208, 320) includes third information readable by the lighting device (500), wherein the fourth RFID tag includes fourth information readable by the lighting device (500), wherein the lighting device (500) is configured to adjust the first characteristic of the light (802) to have a third value based on the third information, and wherein the lighting device is configured to adjust the second characteristic of the light (802) to have a fourth value based on the fourth information.

6. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the lighting fixture packaging (100, 300) further comprises: a first label (120, 316) and a second label (122, 318), wherein the first label is located on or proximal to the first RFID tag (108, 304, 404), wherein the second label is located on or proximal to the second RFID tag (110, 306, 406), wherein the first label includes the first value corresponding to the first information (218), and wherein the second label includes the second value corresponding to the second information (220).

7. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag (108, 304, 404) and the second RFID tag (110, 306, 406) are removably attached to the lighting device container (102, 302) and wherein the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag are usable to configure the lighting device after the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag are removed from the lighting device container.

8. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the first characteristic of the light is color temperature and wherein the second characteristic of the light is light output level.

9. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the first characteristic of the light is a color temperature of the light and wherein the second information indicates a schedule of operation of the lighting device that results in a change in the second characteristic of the light.

10. The lighting system of Claim 1, wherein the first characteristic of the light (802) and the second characteristic of the light are same characteristic of the light, wherein the first information corresponds to a value of the first characteristic of the light, wherein the second information corresponds to a value of the second characteristic of the light, and wherein the value of the first characteristic of the light is different from the value of the second characteristic of the light.

11. The lighting system of Claim 10, wherein the value of the first characteristic of the light is a first correlated color temperature (CCT) value and wherein the value of the second characteristic of the light is a second CCT value.

12. The lighting system of Claim 10, wherein the value of the first characteristic of the light is a first light output level value and wherein the value of the second characteristic of the light is a second light output level value.

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