Lighting Fixture Sensor Network with Location Data Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lighting fixtures are limited in functionality due to their reliance on few sensors that primarily measure light-related environmental factors, with sensor data being used only for local control, lacking advanced features like communication and data sharing.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating communications circuitry, control circuitry, and sensor circuitry into lighting fixtures, enabling them to transmit and store sensor data for persistent storage, and using a lighting management system to analyze and provide insights on the space, with fixture location information for coordinated control and data retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional lighting fixtures use few sensors for local control only, then device complexity is reduced, but functionality and adaptability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting fixture is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides illumination while simultaneously acting as a sensor node that collects environmental data (occupancy, ambient light, temperature, humidity) and communicates this information to the lighting management system. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by enabling the fixture to serve both lighting and sensing purposes, thereby improving adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting management system acts as an intermediary that receives sensor data from multiple fixtures, processes this information, and generates coordinated control decisions. This mediator approach allows individual fixtures to remain relatively simple while the system as a whole achieves high functionality through centralized intelligence.
2Loss of information
If lighting fixtures transmit and store sensor data for persistent storage, then data analysis capability is improved, but use of energy and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting fixture performs partial data processing by storing sensor data locally and transmitting it to the lighting management system, rather than performing complete analysis locally. This partial action approach balances energy consumption with data analysis capability, allowing the fixture to contribute to system-wide analytics without bearing the full energy burden of comprehensive data processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where sensor data is collected, transmitted to the lighting management system, analyzed, and used to generate control decisions that are sent back to the fixtures. This feedback mechanism enables continuous improvement of lighting control based on accumulated data while distributing the energy burden across the entire system rather than concentrating it in individual fixtures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If lighting fixtures include communications circuitry and sensor circuitry, then adaptability and data sharing are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components (light source, sensor circuitry, communications circuitry, and control circuitry) into a single integrated lighting fixture unit. This merging approach improves data sharing capability by enabling direct communication between fixtures while managing complexity through integration rather than through separate distributed components.
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting fixture includes a light source, a housing coupled to the light source, communications circuitry, and control circuitry. The housing includes an opening through which light from the light source is provided. The control circuitry includes a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the control circuitry cause the lighting fixture to adjust one or more light output parameters of the light source, and store fixture location information describing a location of the lighting fixture in response to receipt of the fixture location information from the communications circuitry. By storing fixture location information describing the location of the lighting fixture, the location of the lighting fixture may be used to send messages to lighting fixtures in the same location and/or retrieve data from lighting fixtures in the same location, which may be beneficial in many circumstances.