Dual RF Network Master for Lighting Status Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless lighting control systems for fluorescent lamps lack a centralized solution for efficiently collecting and reporting status information across multiple networks, leading to increased costs and complexity in occupancy detectors and starter units.
Innovation Solution
A novel network master device with dual RF transceivers, using a low-power time-hopping wireless protocol for communication with occupancy detectors and an 802.11(n) protocol for cellular telephone interaction, allowing for centralized data collection, storage, and email alerts, reducing the memory and processing requirements in occupancy detectors and enabling user control and status reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If status information is collected and stored in each occupancy detector, then each detector can independently track system status, but the memory and processing requirements increase manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the status information collection and storage function from individual occupancy detectors and concentrates it in a central network master device. Each occupancy detector only needs to generate and transmit status data, while the network master handles comprehensive data collection, historical storage, and analysis, thereby reducing memory and processing requirements in detectors and lowering manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple status information handling functions (collection, storage, processing, and reporting) into a single network master device that serves multiple occupancy detectors. This centralization allows shared resources and reduces redundancy across the network, improving cost-effectiveness while maintaining reliable status tracking
2Ease of manufacture
If a centralized network master collects all status information, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but the system requires additional communication infrastructure and protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The network master acts as an intermediary device between occupancy detectors and external systems (such as web servers or mobile devices). It receives status information from detectors via a simple protocol, processes and stores the data centrally, then communicates with external systems only when needed, thereby simplifying the communication infrastructure requirements while maintaining centralized data collection
Solution Approach 2:
The network master autonomously manages status information collection, storage, and dissemination without requiring complex coordination between detectors. It independently queries detectors for status data, maintains historical records, and proactively reports status changes to external systems, reducing the need for complex inter-device communication protocols
3Ease of manufacture
If occupancy detectors have minimal memory and processing capabilities, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the system lacks local data storage and processing ability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts data storage and processing capabilities from individual occupancy detectors and relocates them to the network master. Detectors are designed with minimal memory and processing power, only sufficient for sensing occupancy and transmitting status updates, while the network master provides comprehensive data storage, historical analysis, and system-wide processing capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
A system involves a plurality of RF-enabled occupancy detectors. Each occupancy detector communicates with and controls an associated plurality of RF-enabled fluorescent lamp starter units. A network master has an RF transceiver used to communicate with the occupancy detectors using a first protocol, thereby retrieving status information from the starter units. The network master also has a second RF transceiver for communicating directly with a cellular telephone using a second protocol. A user can use the cellular telephone to control and interact with the lighting system through the network master, and/or to retrieve status information from the network master. The network master automatically generates and sends email alerts to the user by sending the alerts to an email server. The email server forwards the emails to the cellular telephone via a cellular telephone network. Alerts may, for example, indicate a low battery voltage condition or that a lamp needs replacement.