Lighting Device Health Management via Wireless Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern light bulbs are prone to failure at inopportune times and are often more expensive than traditional incandescent bulbs, leading to a need for systems and methods that manage lighting device health to prevent unexpected failures and ensure adequate replacement stock.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a monitor integrated into electric light assemblies that tracks conditions and usage data, wirelessly transmitting reports to a remote system controller for health assessment and autonomous maintenance actions, such as ordering replacements when necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If modern light bulbs are used, then lighting efficiency and energy savings are improved, but cost and reliability worsen due to higher expense and unexpected failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by monitoring light bulb health parameters continuously and predicting failures before they occur. The monitor tracks operational conditions and uses this data to anticipate when a bulb will fail, allowing proactive replacement scheduling that prevents unexpected outages and maintains reliability while preserving energy efficiency benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the monitor continuously observes light bulb performance metrics and communicates status to the system controller. This closed-loop feedback enables real-time assessment of bulb health, triggering alerts or automated replacement orders when degradation thresholds are reached, thereby maintaining high reliability without sacrificing the energy efficiency of modern bulbs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Use of energy by moving object

If modern light bulbs are used, then energy savings are improved, but cost worsens due to higher replacement costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by predicting bulb failures before they occur and automatically initiating replacement procurement. This advance planning prevents costly emergency replacements and allows scheduling during off-peak hours or when bulk ordering discounts apply, reducing overall replacement costs while maintaining the energy efficiency benefits of modern bulbs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by autonomously monitoring bulb health, predicting failures, and placing replacement orders without human intervention. This automation eliminates manual inspection costs, reduces labor expenses for replacement, and optimizes procurement timing to minimize costs, all while preserving the energy efficiency advantages of modern lighting technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If light bulbs are replaced proactively, then reliability is improved by preventing failures, but loss of time worsens due to monitoring and replacement processes

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidloss of time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by autonomously monitoring light bulb health parameters, analyzing degradation trends, predicting failures, and scheduling replacements without requiring manual intervention. This automation eliminates time spent on routine inspections and administrative tasks, while the predictive capabilities ensure replacements occur optimally before failures, maintaining high reliability without significant time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual monitoring and decision-making processes with automated electronic monitoring and algorithmic prediction. Sensors continuously track bulb parameters, microprocessors analyze the data to predict failures, and control systems automatically schedule replacements. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with automated systems reduces time investment while maintaining or improving reliability through more consistent and accurate monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20190037669A1Systems and methods for facilitating lighting device health management

Publication Date: 2019.01.31 ECHOSTAR TECH LLC

AI summary

Systems, methods, apparatus, and machine-readable media are provided to facilitate lighting device health management. Conditions of at least a portion of an electric light assembly may be monitored with a monitor adapted to be disposed in the electric light assembly. The electric light assembly may include an electric light source and a receptacle adapted to receive the electric light source. Based on the monitoring, data recordings corresponding to operations of the electric light assembly over a period of time may be stored. Reporting data may be created based on the stored data recordings. A communication may be wirelessly transmitted with the monitor toward a system controller that is remote from the electric light assembly. The communication may include the reporting data. The monitor may correspond to the electric light source or a receptacle adapted to receive the electric light source.