Wireless Lighting Grouping via Legacy Switch Power Cycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for configuring wireless lighting systems in buildings are labor-intensive and error-prone, requiring devices to be identified and located one at a time, which is time-consuming and costly, and do not efficiently create functional groups without human intervention.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that uses a gateway and commissioning device to place wireless devices in a grouping mode, where they send messages indicating power cycling by legacy line voltage switches, allowing the gateway to create functional lighting groups without serial device processing, leveraging existing infrastructure for identification and grouping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices are identified and located one at a time using present day techniques, then device configuration can be achieved, but the process becomes labor intensive, time consuming, and error prone
Solution Approach 1:
Wireless devices automatically perform self-grouping by detecting common legacy line voltage switches and autonomously forming functional groups without requiring manual identification or configuration by technicians. The devices send messages indicating they have been power cycled, enabling automatic group creation based on shared power infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
A gateway device acts as an intermediary that receives power cycle messages from multiple wireless devices and automatically creates functional groups based on shared legacy line voltage switches. The gateway processes the messages and performs the grouping operation, eliminating the need for manual device-by-device configuration.
2Ease of manufacture
If manual identification and grouping of devices is performed, then functional groups can be created, but labor costs become steep and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-grouping of wireless devices based on their shared power infrastructure. Devices autonomously detect common legacy line voltage switches and form functional groups without requiring technician intervention, dramatically reducing labor costs and deployment time while maintaining ease of installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system leverages the pre-existing legacy line voltage switch infrastructure to automatically determine device groupings. By using the already-installed electrical infrastructure as a basis for wireless device grouping, the system eliminates the need for manual survey and configuration work, reducing both labor costs and commissioning time.
3Measurement precision
If serial device processing is used for configuration, then each device can be individually configured, but the process becomes incredibly labor intensive and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple wireless devices that share a common legacy line voltage switch are automatically merged into a single functional group. The gateway receives power cycle messages from multiple devices and combines them into one group, enabling simultaneous configuration of multiple devices rather than serial processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway serves as an intermediary that processes power cycle messages from multiple devices simultaneously and automatically creates functional groups. This eliminates the need for serial device-by-device configuration while maintaining accurate device identification based on shared power infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for creating functional lighting groups is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of wireless devices and a gateway. The plurality of wireless devices has a common circuit and legacy line voltage switch, and is configured to enter a grouping mode responsive to commissioning commands sent over a wireless network, and is configured to send messages over the wireless network indicating that they have been power cycled by a legacy line voltage switch. The gateway is coupled to the plurality of wireless devices over the wireless network, and is configured to receive the messages, and is configured to create a functional lighting group comprising the plurality of wireless devices.