Lighting Control Bypass Mode for Network Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Advanced lighting control systems are costly and complex, limiting their adoption in the commercial market, and are susceptible to software bugs and cyber-attacks, necessitating a fail-safe mode for reliable operation.
Innovation Solution
A lighting control system that includes an automatic mode and a bypass mode, where physical signaling is used to determine whether to engage network control or bypass it, allowing users to manually switch between modes through predetermined sequences, ensuring robust and fault-tolerant operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If advanced lighting control systems are implemented, then lighting control capability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a bypass mode that allows the system to abandon the complex intelligent control network when it becomes unreliable or compromised, reverting to simple manual control. This is analogous to using a disposable solution when the sophisticated system fails, avoiding the need to maintain complex infrastructure that cannot be trusted.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting control system is segmented into two independent operational modes: automatic mode with network control and bypass mode with local control. This segmentation allows the system to isolate the complex intelligent control from the basic lighting function, enabling the simple mode to operate independently when the complex mode fails.
2Extent of automation
If intelligent lighting control systems are implemented, then lighting control capability is improved, but susceptibility to software bugs and cyber-attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass mode serves as a pre-prepared safety cushion against software bugs and cyber-attacks. Before intelligent control systems can be compromised, the architecture already provides a fallback path that bypasses the vulnerable networked control layer, protecting the physical lighting function from digital threats.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass mode acts as an intermediary layer between the intelligent control network and the physical lighting system. When the network control is compromised or fails, this intermediary allows direct control signals to reach the lights without passing through the vulnerable software and network infrastructure.
3Extent of automation
If network control is used, then centralized management is improved, but fault tolerance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between centralized network control and local bypass control based on operational conditions. The controller can transition from relying on centralized management to independent local control when faults are detected, allowing the system to adapt its control architecture to maintain reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control architecture is segmented into centralized network control functions and local bypass control functions. This segmentation allows the system to isolate failures in the centralized management layer from the local lighting control, enabling fault tolerance through independent operation of the local segment.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems and apparatuses for controlling a light through an automatic mode and a bypass mode are disclosed. One method includes receiving physical signaling. Detection of a predetermined sequence of the physical signaling is used to determine whether to control the light in the automatic mode or the bypass mode. The automatic mode provides network control of the light, and the bypass mode bypasses the network control of the light. One lighting system includes a light, a sensor for receiving and sensing the physical signaling, and a controller detecting a predetermined sequence of the physical signaling. Detection of a predetermined sequence of the physical signaling is used to determine whether to control the light in the automatic mode or the bypass mode. The automatic mode provides network control of the light, and the bypass mode bypasses the network control of the light.