Beacon Commissioning for Lighting Control Device Grouping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The commissioning process for load control systems is time-consuming and challenging due to the difficulty in determining link addresses of lighting control devices, requiring users to physically locate and associate devices across a building, which is inefficient without internet access.
Innovation Solution
A load control system is commissioned using beacons transmitted by lighting control devices, allowing for the discovery and grouping of control devices for collective configuration and control, even in offline mode, through signal strength and feedback mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the system controller randomly assigns link addresses to lighting control devices, then the system can be set up quickly without complex configuration, but it becomes difficult to determine which link address corresponds to which physical location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the lighting control device transmits its link address back to the commissioning device. This allows the system to automatically associate the randomly assigned link address with the physical location without requiring manual configuration, thus maintaining quick setup while resolving the location association problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The commissioning device acts as an intermediary that facilitates the association between link addresses and physical locations. It receives the link address from the lighting control device, displays it to the user, and stores the association, thereby bridging the gap between automatic address assignment and location tracking.
2Measurement precision
If users manually identify and associate each lighting control device with its physical location during commissioning, then accurate location mapping is achieved, but the commissioning process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting control device performs self-identification by automatically transmitting its link address to the commissioning device. This eliminates the need for users to manually search for and identify each device's physical location, achieving accurate location mapping while significantly reducing commissioning time and effort.
3Reliability
If the building does not have Internet access during commissioning, then offline operation is maintained, but lighting control devices cannot be joined to the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary commissioning actions to be performed offline using a commissioning device that operates independently of Internet connectivity. The lighting control devices can be discovered, configured, and joined to the local network without requiring Internet access, with network connectivity becoming available only after successful offline commissioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A load control system may be commissioned using beacons. The load control system may include control devices that each include a beacon transmitting circuit configured to transmit a beacon that comprises an identifier associated with the control device. A network device, such as a mobile device, may discover a control device based on the beacon received from the control device. In response to discovery of the control device, the control device may be added to a temporary group of control devices for being collectively configured and/or controlled. Control devices may be discovered based on the signal strength at which the beacons are received. The control devices may provide feedback to a user in response to confirmation messages to indicate to a user that the lighting control device has been added to the temporary group. The control devices may stop providing the feedback after they are removed from the temporary group.