Multi-Interface Lighting Control with Automatic Path Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting control systems lack a mechanism to automatically determine the most suitable interface for transmitting control commands over multiple available network paths, leading to potential network issues and user frustration when controlling network-connected lighting systems.
Innovation Solution
A control device with multiple transmitters for different wireless interfaces (such as Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, etc.) that sends lighting control commands through various paths and receives feedback to determine the optimal interface for subsequent commands, based on factors like timing, error rates, and interface availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wireless interfaces (Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth) are provided for controlling the lighting system, then the adaptability and reliability of the control system is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is equipped with multiple wireless transmitters supporting different protocols (Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth) to universally interface with various lighting systems. This multi-functionality allows a single control device to adapt to diverse networked lighting infrastructures without requiring multiple specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automatic interface selection by sending test commands through multiple available interfaces and receiving feedback on which interface successfully communicates with the lighting system. Based on this feedback, the control device automatically selects the working interface, eliminating manual configuration and reducing the perceived complexity for users.
2Ease of operation
If automatic interface selection is implemented, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of time for determining the optimal path increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary testing of available interfaces by sending test commands before actual lighting control operations. This preliminary action identifies which interfaces are functional and establishes a mapping between interfaces and lighting devices, so that subsequent control operations can use the pre-determined optimal interface without repeated testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from test command responses to automatically determine the optimal interface. By analyzing which interface returns successful responses first or with the best performance metrics, the system builds knowledge about interface quality and automatically selects the best interface for future operations, reducing both user effort and selection time over time.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control device (3) for controlling a lighting system (19) over a communication system comprising one or more networks, the lighting system comprising at least one lighting device (1a, 1b, 1c). The control device comprises: multiple transmitters (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e) each for transmitting to the lighting system via a different respective interface (7a, 7b, 16, 17, 51) of the communication system; and a controller (95) configured to use each of a plurality of the transmitters to transmit a respective message to the lighting system via a different respective path, each path comprising a different respective one of the interfaces and not any of the others. Each of the messages invokes feedback from the lighting system to the control device if received and/or if executed by the lighting system. The controller compare the paths in dependence on the feedback, and based thereon to select which of the interfaces to use to transmit subsequent lighting control commands to the lighting system for controlling the lighting system.