Lighting Fixture Position Detection Using Structured Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor plans in building automation systems often lack accurate representation of lighting system components, particularly after initial design, leading to manual effort and inefficiency in maintaining accurate locations of thousands of sensors and luminaires across large buildings.
Innovation Solution
The use of structured light projection and communication between lighting fixtures to automatically determine their relative positions, employing geometric analysis and time of flight methods, with devices forming a decentralized peer-to-peer network to calculate and display these positions on a floor plan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual methods are used to determine fixture locations by comparing drawings to physical space, then accuracy of floor plan representation can be maintained, but the time and labor required increases significantly for large buildings with thousands of devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement and comparison methods with an automated optical system. The fixture uses light sources to project structured light patterns and cameras to capture images, automatically calculating positions through image processing and geometric analysis, eliminating the need for manual measurement and drawing comparison
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables fixtures to automatically determine their own positions without external assistance. Each fixture independently projects light patterns, captures its own images, processes the data, and calculates its position relative to other fixtures, making the entire floor plan generation process self-service
2Adaptability or versatility
If each system provider produces distinct floor plans using different software applications, then customization to specific system requirements is achieved, but interoperability and ease of sharing floor plans between providers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal floor plan representation method that can be used across different system providers. By establishing a common coordinate system based on relative positions calculated through structured light projection, the system enables floor plans to be shared and interpreted by any provider using the same methodology, while still allowing customization for specific system requirements
3Productivity
If automated methods using structured light and image processing are used to determine fixture locations, then productivity and reduction of manual effort increase, but device complexity and coordination requirements between fixtures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated fixture design. The fixture integrates light sources for structured light projection, cameras for image capture, processors for image analysis, and communication interfaces for coordination, merging what would otherwise be separate systems into one unified device
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method automates the determination of lighting fixture locations, reducing manual effort and enabling accurate, efficient representation of complex lighting systems on floor plans, facilitating easier maintenance and coordination across large buildings.
Implementation Method 1
The device may include a light source to project structured light
Implementation Method 2
The structured light pattern may be reflected off the floor, ground or other objects and may be captured by an image sensor
Implementation Method 3
Time of flight methods use the known speed of light to determine the distance between two points
Data Source
AI summary
A device that is capable of determining its relative position with regard to another device. The device accomplishes this by receiving and analyzing two sets of information emitted by the device whose unique identifier and relative position is to be determined. The first set of information received by the device includes a structured light pattern with a known geometric configuration reflected off a surface in view of both devices. The second set of information received by the device includes a digital communication signal that encodes the unique identifier of the emitting device. Both sets of information may be transmitted on a free space optical communication channel that can be non-directed and non-line of sight.