Infrastructure Lighting Mesh Topology Local Decision-Making

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current adaptive lighting systems for infrastructure face challenges in cost-effectiveness and reliability due to high latency and dependence on central management systems, especially in large areas, and existing communication technologies do not meet the requirements for efficient and continuous operation.

Innovation Solution

The infrastructure lighting system employs a mesh topology with IoT controllers and gateways using the IEEE802.15.4 standard for short-range communication, enabling local decision-making and communication between neighboring networks, with at least two active IoT gateways ensuring continuity and security across network boundaries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If long-range network communication (2G/3G/4G/5G) is used for adaptive lighting management, then data transmission capability is improved, but system cost and operational expense increase due to subscription fees and central management dependency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capabilityVSAvoidsystem cost and operational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the lighting network into multiple zones, each with its own control unit that can operate autonomously. This eliminates dependency on a single central management system and removes the need for expensive long-range communication subscriptions, while still enabling effective data transmission within each zone using lower-cost communication methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If LTE cat. M.1 or NBIoT technology is used for communication, then resistance to consumer traffic load is improved, but latency remains insufficient for adaptive lighting requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance to traffic loadVSAvoidcommunication latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network is divided into local zones with autonomous control units that make decisions locally without needing to communicate with a central system. This segmentation eliminates communication latency entirely for adaptive lighting decisions, while the distributed architecture maintains reliability under traffic load through redundancy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If 2.4 GHz radio communication in star topology is used, then independence from central management system is improved, but communication range and number of supported devices are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependence from CMSVSAvoidcommunication range and device capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple communication technologies: short-range 2.4 GHz radio for local zone communication and long-range communication modules for inter-zone connectivity. This combination maintains independence from central management while extending the overall system range and device capacity across multiple zones.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Area of stationary object

If sub-GHz band communication (LORA) is used, then communication range is improved, but bandwidth usage is limited to 1% which restricts message frequency and traffic safety

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication rangeVSAvoidbandwidth and message frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses sub-GHz communication only for long-range zone-to-zone communication where low bandwidth is acceptable, while reserving high-bandwidth 2.4 GHz communication for local adaptive lighting control. This segmentation allows the system to leverage the long range of sub-GHz without compromising the bandwidth needed for traffic safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4192047A1Infrastructural lighting system and method for dynamically adjustable on-demand lighting
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 BIOT SP ZOO
  • EP4192047A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4192047A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4192047A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The infrastructure lighting system includes loT controllers (2.xx) integrated with the luminaires (1) or installed on the luminaire (1), motion detectors (3.x) and IoT network gateways (5.X), wherein IoT gateway (5.X) contains at least two radio communication modules operating in the IEEE802.15.4 standard, while the loT controller (2.xx) includes a radio communication module in the IEEE802.15.4 standard, equipped with a processor and a lighting fixture control interface, wherein each loT gateway radio communication module (5.X) is a node of its own short-range radio network Sx in the mesh topology, and the other nodes of this local radio network in mesh topology S, are radio communication modules of loT controllers (2.xx) and information sent in the local radio mesh network (Sx) can be redirected, via the IoT network gateway (5.X), to another local radio mesh network Sx, of the same loT gateway (5.X), as well as to the Central Management System (CMS), installed on computing cloud (7) or on a dedicated server, via the Internet or long-range communication module. The subject of the invention is also a method of controlling adaptive lighting in the infrastructure lighting system according to the invention.