Emergency Lighting Control Using Beacon-Based Power Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional lighting control systems require multiple independent timers to monitor the status of regular-power sensing devices, leading to complexity and scalability issues, and lack flexibility in power outage detection logic.
Innovation Solution
A controller with a processor and memory system evaluates beacon signals from power-sensing devices at a unified evaluation period, using bitwise operations to determine emergency mode presence, allowing for scalable and flexible power outage detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple independent timers are used to monitor each regular-power sensing device, then the monitoring accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases and scalability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent timer functions into a single unified evaluation period mechanism. Instead of running separate timers for each power-sensing device, the system uses one timer that evaluates all devices simultaneously at predetermined intervals, reducing firmware complexity while maintaining monitoring accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The unified evaluation mechanism serves multiple functions: it monitors all power-sensing devices, manages timing for multiple beacons, and determines emergency mode status all through a single timer system, eliminating the need for multiple specialized timers
2Measurement precision
If multiple independent timers are used to monitor each regular-power sensing device, then the monitoring accuracy is improved, but the scalability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple monitoring functions into a single unified evaluation period, the system can easily scale to accommodate more power-sensing devices without proportionally increasing timer resources, improving scalability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the evaluation period and can handle variable numbers of power-sensing devices through the unified timer mechanism, allowing the network to scale flexibly as devices are added or removed
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional monitoring methods are used, then the implementation is straightforward, but the flexibility to adjust power outage detection logic deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of the evaluation period and detection parameters, enabling flexible tuning of power outage detection logic while maintaining a relatively simple unified implementation structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables flexibility by allowing changes to detection parameters such as the evaluation period duration and the number of consecutive missed beacons required to trigger emergency mode, providing adjustable detection sensitivity without complicating the core implementation
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a light source includes determining, by a processor coupled to a memory having a set of memory locations, receipt of a set of beacon signals from a set of power-sensing devices, each beacon signal associated with one of the set of power-sensing devices, each one of the set of power-sensing devices associated with one of the memory locations. The method includes, upon receipt of each beacon signal, storing, by the processor, an indicator value in the memory location associated with the power-sensing device. The method includes determining, by the processor, a presence of an emergency mode based on the values of the set of memory locations. The method further includes controlling, by the processor, the light source based on the presence of the emergency mode. The method includes updating, by the processor, the values of the set of memory location.