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Patent 2748984 Summary

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(12) Patent: (11) CA 2748984
(54) English Title: INTELLIGENT CONTROLLABLE LIGHTING NETWORKS AND SCHEMATA THEREFORE
(54) French Title: RESEAUX D'ECLAIRAGE CONTROLABLES INTELLIGENTS ET SCHEMAS CONCEPTUELS ASSOCIES
Status: Deemed expired
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • H05B 37/02 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • LOVELAND, DAMIEN (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
  • KETELAARS, LOUIS (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
  • VERMEULEN, AD (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
  • ASHDOWN, IAN (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
  • YORK, ALLAN BRENT (Canada)
  • BERKVENS, WINFRIED ANTONIUS HENRICUS (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
  • CUPPENS, ROEL PETER GEERT (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
  • VAN DE SLUIS, BARTEL MARINUS (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
(73) Owners :
  • PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V. (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
(71) Applicants :
  • KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V. (Netherlands (Kingdom of the))
(74) Agent: SMART & BIGGAR LLP
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued: 2017-01-03
(86) PCT Filing Date: 2009-06-29
(87) Open to Public Inspection: 2010-07-15
Examination requested: 2014-06-26
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): Yes
(86) PCT Filing Number: PCT/IB2009/052811
(87) International Publication Number: WO2010/079388
(85) National Entry: 2011-07-04

(30) Application Priority Data:
Application No. Country/Territory Date
61/143,102 United States of America 2009-01-07

Abstracts

English Abstract




Systems, networks, devices and methods for developing,
implementing, and sharing lighting schemata between controllable lighting
networks are disclosed. A network (101, 601, 701, 801, 808) in accordance
with the disclosure stores lighting schemata developed for the network in a
remote data store (802). Other networks (301) access the remote data store
to select existing schemata for implementation. Systems, networks, devices,
and methods for sharing user preferences between controllable lighting
net-works are also disclosed. Networks according to the disclosure may access
a shared remote data store (112) to determine a user?s preferences upon the
detection, by sensors in the network, of the presence of the user. As such,
individual lighting networks may make use of known user preferences or
learned behaviors and environmental conditions to more efficiently adapt
themselves to such behavior, preferences, or conditions.




French Abstract

L'invention concerne des systèmes, des réseaux, des dispositifs et des procédés permettant de développer, de réaliser, et de partager des schémas conceptuels d'éclairage entre des réseaux d'éclairage contrôlables. Un réseau (101, 601, 701, 801, 808) selon la description stocke des schémas conceptuels d'éclairage développés pour le réseau dans un magasin de données distant (802). D'autres réseaux (301) accèdent au magasin de données distant pour sélectionner des schémas conceptuels existants pour une mise en uvre. L'invention concerne également des systèmes, des réseaux, des dispositifs, et des procédés permettant de partager des préférences utilisateur entre des réseaux d'éclairage contrôlables. Des réseaux selon l'invention peuvent accéder à un magasin de données distant partagé (112) pour déterminer une préférence utilisateur lors de la détection, par des capteurs du réseau, de la présence de l'utilisateur. En tant que tels, des réseaux d'éclairage individuels peuvent utiliser des préférences utilisateur connues ou des comportements acquis et des conditions environnementales pour s'adapter plus efficacement à de tels comportements, à de telles préférences, ou conditions.

Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


70
CLAIMS:
1. A lighting management system comprising:
- a first memory for storing at least one of
- personal preference data corresponding to a plurality of users, the
personal preferences data corresponding to each of the plurality of users
including at
least one personalized lighting parameter for each user; and
- a schema associated with an observed system parameter, the schema
comprising a set of one or more rules of operation of light sources or
sensors; and
- at least one network, the at least one network comprising:
- at least one light source having a controllable output setting,
- a sensor system for detecting an identity of a current user or observing
a system parameter, and
- an executive module in communication with at least one light source
and the sensor system, wherein the executive module includes a controller, and
wherein the executive module receives the identity of the current user
or the observed system parameter from the sensor system and communicates with
the first memory to determine the personal preference data corresponding to
the
current user or determine a schema corresponding to the observed system
parameter;
wherein the first memory is in communication with all the networks in
the lighting management system.
2. The lighting management system of claim 1, further comprises a
second memory storing a further schema, the further schema including at least
one
standard lighting parameter, wherein the executive module modifies the further

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schema to conform to the personalized lighting parameter of the current user
or the
observed system parameter, and wherein the executive module translates the
modified schema into instructions for controlling the output setting of the at
least one
light source.
3. The lighting management system of claim 2, wherein the executive
module stores the modified schema in the second memory.
4. The lighting managements system of claim 1, wherein the sensor
system detects an absence of the current user, the executive module revises
the
modified schema to conform to the standard lighting parameter, and the
executive
module stores the revised schema in the second memory.
5. The lighting management system of claim 1, wherein the sensor system
detects an identity of an additional user, and the executive module receives
the
identity of the additional user from the sensor system, communicates with the
first
memory to determine the personal preference data corresponding to the
additional
user, generates a shared personalized lighting parameter, revises the schema
to
conform to the shared personalized lighting parameter, and translates the
revised
schema into instructions for controlling the output setting of the at least
one light
source.
6. The lighting management system of claim 5, wherein the executive
module generates the shared personalized lighting parameter by averaging the
personalized lighting parameter of the current user and the personalized
lighting
parameter of the additional user or by selecting one of the personalized
lighting
parameter of the current user and the personalized lighting parameter of the
additional user.
7. The lighting management system of claim 1, wherein the sensor system
detects an identity of the current user by detecting a radio-frequency
identification


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card carried by the current user or by detecting biometric data corresponding
to the
current user.
8. The lighting management system of claim 1, wherein the observed
system parameters relate to one or more people and include at least one of:
the
presence of the one or more people, the identity of the one or more people, a
location
of the one or more people, a time of the presence of the one or more people,
gestures of the one or more people, actions of the one or more people, faces
of the
one or more people, and a sound emitted by the one or more people.
9. The lighting management system of claim 1, wherein the observed
system parameters include at least one of: an output from the at least one
light
source, a level of ambient lighting, an amount of daylight, a motion, a
temperature, a
humidity level, weather, and a noise.
10. The lighting management system of claim 1, wherein the second
memory stores a plurality of schemata, wherein the executive module selects
one of
the plurality of schemata depending upon the personal preference data of the
current
user or the observed system parameter, and wherein the executive module
translates
the selected schema into
instructions for controlling the output setting of the at least one light
source.
11. The lighting management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one
network further comprises a schematizer for generating a schema.
12. The lighting managements system of claim 1, wherein the network
further comprises an agent module, and wherein the executive module
communicates with the second memory via communications with the agent module.
13. A method for implementing a lighting management system, comprising:

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receiving, at an executive module that includes a controller, observed
system parameter from a sensor system;
- transmitting a request for a schema to a data store, the request
including information indicative of at least observed system parameter;
- receiving, at the executive module, a schema from the data store; and
- converting, by the executive module, the schema into instructions for
controlling output settings of at least one light source;
wherein the data store is in communication with executive modules of
all networks in the lighting management system.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving observed system
parameters includes receiving an identity of a current user, wherein the
transmitted
request includes information indicative of the identity of the current user,
and wherein
the received schema includes lighting parameters according to preferences of
the
current user.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein a schema includes rules for controlling

an output setting of the at least one light source, and the converting
includes
arbitrating inconstant rules in the at least one application schemata to
determine a set
of working rule for controlling the output settings of the at least one light
source,
wherein the arbitrating includes (i) averaging the output settings of the
rules of the
applicable schemata or (ii) prioritizing the rules of the applicable schemata.

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


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INTELLIGENT CONTROLLABLE LIGHTING NETWORKS AND
SCHEMATA THEREFORE
Technical Field
[00011 The present invention is directed generally to lighting systems
and networks. More
particularly, various inventive methods, systems, and apparatus disclosed
herein relate to
developing and implementing schemata within controllable lighting networks and
for sharing
schemata between controllable lighting networks.
Background
[00021 Digital lighting technologies, i.e. illumination based on
semiconductor light sources,
such as Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), offer a viable alternative to
traditional fluorescent, HID,
and incandescent lamps. Functional advantages and benefits of LEDs include
high energy
conversion and optical efficiency, durability, lower operating costs, and many
others. Recent
advances In LED technology have provided efficient and robust full-spectrum
lighting sources
that enable a variety of lighting effects in many applications. Some of the
fixtures embodying
these sources feature a lighting module, including one or more LEDs capable of
producing
different colors, e.g. red, green, and blue, as well as a processor for
independently controlling
the output of the LEDs in order to generate a variety of colors and color-
changing lighting
effects, for example, as discussed in detail In U.S. Patent Nos. 6,016,038 and
6,211,626.
[00031 Providing personal lighting control to office Workers has been
shown to improve
worker satisfaction while offering significant energy savings. Recent
developments In digital
lighting technologies such as LED-based lighting systems have made the precise
control of
digital or solid-state lighting a reality. Consequently, light-based systems
are used today that
are programmed to react to certain events or to implement a user's previously-
entered
preferences.
[00041 From a user's perspective, disclosed systems and techniques for
implementing
lighting control often offer little more than lamp dimming according to
previously entered

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preferences. For example, in disclosed systems and techniques, a user's
lighting preferences
for a specific environment can be programmed by a building administrator. The
system can
then control the environment's lights to implement the user's preferred
lighting arrangement.
In this manner, an office worker who prefers to have his or her workspace
brightly lit, or
alternatively, dimly lit, can have the system programmed accordingly by an
administrator.
Similarly, administrators can schedule "on" and "off" time periods according
to a user's work
schedule to save energy.
[0005] As an additional example, one known system features direct-indirect
fluorescent
luminaires with integrated occupancy and daylight sensors that communicate
with a central
controller via an RS-485 hardwired network. The central controller then
communicates via a
local area network (LAN) with desktop computers. This system enables office
workers to dim
task (direct) and ambient (indirect) lighting over their workstations and turn
task and ambient
lighting on and off using personal lighting control software installed on
their computers. The
system also permits office managers to: assign control to individual
luminaires, groups, areas,
and the entire lighting network; enable and disable luminaire daylight
sensors; enable and
disable luminaire occupancy sensors; specify occupancy sensor delay times;
independently
specify task and ambient lamp control; enable and disable load shedding;
generate detailed
energy consumption reports; and schedule daily, weekly, monthly, and annual
events. In this
sense, this system and similar conventional products may be considered as
extensions of
building management systems that also manage HVAC and security subsystems.
[0006] Lighting systems have been disclosed that cause lighting controllers
to execute a
command or a set of commands, sometimes called a lighting script, upon the
detection of the
occurrence of an event or according to predetermined time sequences. For
example, one
disclosed system employs software that enables a lighting designer to create a
lighting script by
specifying changes in color and intensity of multiple luminaires over time and
a memory that
stores the lighting script for later execution. Lighting controllers for
theatrical and
entertainment venues enable a lighting designer to record and edit time
sequences for
hundreds or thousands of luminaires. Lighting systems have also been disclosed
that include
the ability to execute prerecorded lighting scripts in response to external
events, such as, for

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example, switch closures, analog signals, and network commands. One disclosed
system
activates or adjusts lights upon the detection of the receipt of an e-mail,
the receipt of a
telephone call, or an alarm going off. Another disclosed system activates
lights using voice or
word recognition; yet another implements a light pattern upon detection of a
person making
gestures. Lighting controllers in such systems may include simple logic
functions or conditions,
such as a logic function that executes a lighting script only when two events
or conditions occur
at the same time. For example, a lighting script may be executed if a
proximity switch is
triggered and a photosensor indicates that it is after sunset. Such lighting
scripts, however, do
not change after they are recorded unless a lighting designer manually changes
them.
[0007] Lighting systems also have been disclosed wherein a person can input
his or her
lighting preferences for a specific location, and a central controller can
execute a lighting script
to instruct LEDs or other light sources and implement the person's
preferences. In one
disclosed system, lighting systems may receive inputs indicating the presence
of a person, the
duration of the person's presence, or identifying the presence of a particular
person or persons
present in the location by, for example, the magnetic reading of name badges
or a biometric
evaluation. Disclosed systems may then implement different lighting scripts
depending upon
whether a person is present, how long the person is present, and which person
is present.
These systems may also select different lighting scripts depending on the
number of persons in
a room or the direction the people are facing. In one disclosed system,
lighting devices and
other energy sources are turned on or off depending on information in a
person's electronic
calendar.
[0008] Some disclosed lighting systems can receive information regarding a
person's
presence or the person's preferences from a device carried by a user. For
example, in some
disclosed systems, a card reader can detect the presence of a card carried by
a user, which can
then cause the system to turn a light on when, for example, the user enters a
room and turn off
the light when the user exits the room. In other disclosed lighting systems,
user's preferences
are stored on a mobile device or card. As the user travels, data can be
transferred to devices
and systems capable of conforming parameters under their control to the stored
preferences

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(e.g., dim lights or change their color), either through automatic detection
of the card or, in
other systems, by inserting the card into a card reader.
[0009] However, in various disclosed systems, implementing user preferences
or
implementing lighting scripts upon the occurrence of an event, the preferences
or scripts are
either (1) specific to a particular location and not executable in a different
location or
(2) necessarily transported by a user in order to be implemented in different
locations or in
different networks. As such, there are no systems that permit a user's
preferences or a lighting
script to be implemented in a system other than those in which the user's
preferences were
programmed unless the user carries a device storing his or her preferences.
[0010] Furthermore, lighting systems have been disclosed that can monitor
users' activities
and sensed environmental parameters to learn the user's preferences for a
specific
environment. For example, some systems can monitor how a user has maintained
or selected
settings in a given environment for a period of time to create user
preferences for that
environment. In other known systems, devices may follow a lighting script
unless a particular
action is detected. Other systems can monitor how a user reacts to a given set
of
environmental circumstances and create a rule for future implementation in
that environment.
One disclosed lighting control system has both autonomous control and event-
based control.
This system is disclosed as implementing a fuzzy control system, wherein rules
in a rule base
determine system output based upon fuzzy inputs or the occurrence of events.
However, there
is currently no way for systems at remote locations to take advantage of
preferences learned by
other systems other than by a user carrying a device holding his or her
preferences.
[0011] As such, there are deficiencies associated with the known systems.
For example,
known systems generally relate to stand-alone, self-contained systems for
controlling lighting
or other devices. For a user's preferences to be implemented in another
environment, or for
learned parameters to be implemented in another environment, a user must carry
around a
device storing his or her preferences. As such, one disadvantage of these
disclosed systems is
the inability to share learned parameters, including information learned by
monitoring
individual and system actions, with other systems.

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[0012] Thus, there is a need in the art for systems, methods, and apparatus
that can
incorporate, learn, and interpret system and user preferences, rules, or
schemata, and share
such preferences, rules, or schemata, between controllable lighting networks,
systems, and
users.
Summary
[0013] The present disclosure is directed to inventive methods and
apparatus for learning
and/or applying system, group, and/or user preferences, rules, or schemata
within controllable
lighting networks. Such systems and methods may be referred to as Interactive
Modified
Immersion (IMI) systems and/or networks. The present disclosure is also
directed to inventive
methods and apparatus for sharing such preferences and rules, or schemata,
between
controllable lighting networks and systems.
[0014] Generally, in one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a
lighting management
system that includes a first memory and a network. The first memory stores
personal
preference data corresponding to a plurality of users, the personal preference
data
corresponding to each of the plurality of users including at least one
personalized lighting
parameter for each user. The network is at a location remote from the first
memory, and
includes at least one light source having a controllable output setting and a
second memory
storing a schema, where the schema includes at least one standard lighting
parameter. The
network also includes a sensor system, which detects an identity of a current
user, and an
executive module in communication with the at least one light source, the
second memory, and
the sensor system. The executive module includes a controller and receives the
identity of the
current user from the sensor system. The executive module communicates with
the first
memory to determine the personal preference data corresponding to the current
user.
[0015] In one embodiment, the executive module modifies the schema to
conform to the
personalized lighting parameter of the current user, and the executive module
translates the
modified schema into instructions for controlling the output setting of the
light source. In some
versions of this embodiment, the executive module translates the modified
schema into
instructions by interpreting the modified schema in accordance with the output
setting of the

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at least one light source. In some versions of this embodiment, the executive
module stores
the modified schema in the second memory. In another embodiment, the sensor
system
detects an absence of the current user, the executive module revises the
modified schema to
conform to the standard lighting parameter, and the executive module stores
the revised
schema in the second memory.
[0016] According to some embodiments, the sensor system detects an identity
of an
additional user. The executive module receives the identity of the additional
user from the
sensor system, communicates with the first memory to determine the personal
preference data
corresponding to the additional user, generates a shared personalized lighting
parameter,
revises the schema to conform to the shared personalized lighting parameter,
and translates
the revised schema into instructions for controlling the output setting of the
light source. In
some versions of this embodiment, the executive module generates the shared
personalized
lighting parameter by averaging the personalized lighting parameter of the
current user and the
personalized lighting parameter of the additional user. In other versions of
this embodiment,
the executive module generates the shared personalized lighting parameter by
selecting one of
the personalized lighting parameter of the current user and the personalized
lighting parameter
of the additional user.
[0017] The sensor system detects an identity of the current user by
detecting a radio-
frequency identification card carried by the current user, in one embodiment.
In another
embodiment, the sensor system detects an identity of the current user by
detecting biometric
data corresponding to the current user.
[0018] In some embodiments, the sensor system detects environmental data
and behavioral
data, and the executive modifies the schema in accordance with at least one of
the
environmental data and the behavioral data.
[0019] In other embodiments, the second memory stores a plurality of
schemata. The
executive selects one of the plurality of schemata depending upon the personal
preference
data of the current user, and the executive module translates the selected
schema into
instructions for controlling the output setting of the light source. In other
embodiments, the

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sensor system detects light source output data indicating an operating error
in the at least one
light source, and the executive provides a correction signal to the light
source to correct the
operating error.
[0020] In accordance with some embodiments, the network includes a
schematizer for
generating the schema. In other embodiments, the at least one light source is
a luminaire. In
other embodiments, the at least one light source includes a plurality of light
sources that
communicate with each other using at least one of a wired communications link,
a wireless
communications link, a radio frequency communications link, and an optical
communications
link. In some embodiments, the at least one light source includes at least one
illumination light
source and at least one luminance light source. In other embodiments, the
network also
includes an agent module, and the executive module communicates with the
second memory
via communications with the agent module.
[0021] In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a lighting
management
system that includes a sensor system for observing system parameters, at least
one light
source, and an executive module. The at least one light source is in
communication with the
sensor system over a network and the at least one light source has
controllable output settings.
The executive module is in communication with the sensor system and the at
least one light
source over the network and in communication with a remote memory storing at
least one
schema over a communications link. The executive module includes a controller
and receives
the observed system parameters from the sensors and transmits a request for a
schema to the
remote memory, where the request includes information indicative of at least
one of the
observed system parameters. The executive module receives a schema from the
remote
database and converts the schema into instructions for controlling the output
settings of the at
least one light source.
[0022] In one embodiment, the at least one light source includes at least
one luminaire. In
another embodiment, the observed system parameters relate to one or more
people. In this
embodiment, the observed system parameters include at least one of: the
presence of the one
or more people, the identity of the one or more people, a location of the one
or more people, a
time of the presence of the one or more people, gestures of the one or more
people, actions of

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the one or more people, faces of the one or more people, and a sound emitted
by the one or
more people. In another embodiment, the observed system parameters include at
least one of:
an output from the at least one light source, a level of ambient lighting, an
amount of daylight,
a motion, a temperature, a humidity level, weather, and a noise.
[0023] In accordance with one embodiment of this aspect, the executive
module is located
within one of the at least one light sources. In an additional embodiment, the
executive
module is distributed across a plurality of light sources. In versions of this
embodiment, the
plurality of light sources communicate with each other using at least one of a
wired
communications link, a wireless communications link, a radio frequency
communications link,
and an optical communications link.
[0024] In accordance with other embodiments, the executive module includes
a controller, a
memory, an interface for facilitating communication with at least one of the
light source and
the sensors, and an interface for facilitating communication with the remote
memory over the
communications link. In other embodiments, the communications link is one of a
wireless
communications link and a wired communications link.
[0025] In some embodiments of this system, the executive module converts
the schema into
instructions by interpreting the schema in accordance with the output setting
of the at least
one light source.
[0026] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for
implementing a lighting
management system. The method includes receiving, at an executive module that
includes a
controller, observed system parameters from a sensor system. The method also
includes
transmitting a request for a schema to a data store, the request including
information indicative
of at least one of the observed system parameters, where the data store is
located at a location
remote to the executive module. In addition, the method includes receiving, at
the executive
module, a schema from the data store, and converting, by the executive module,
the schema
into instructions for controlling output settings of at least one light source
.
[0027] In some embodiments of this method, receiving observed system
parameters
includes receiving an identity of a current user. In this embodiment, the
transmitted request

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includes information indicative of the identity of the current user, and the
received schema
includes lighting parameters according to preferences of the current user. In
other
embodiments, the method includes storing the received schema in a local
memory. In other
embodiments, the converting includes interpreting, by the executive module,
the schema in
accordance with the output settings of the at least one light source.
[0028] In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an
executive module for use
in a lighting management system. The executive module includes a sensor
interface, a light
source interface, a schematizer interface, a memory, and a controller. The
sensor interface is
for receiving observed system parameters from a sensor system. The light
source interface is
for transmitting control parameters to at least one light source. The
schematizer interface is for
transmitting a request for a schema to a remote schematizer, where the request
includes
information indicative of least one of the observed system parameters. The
schematizer
interface is also for receiving a schema from the remote schematizer. The
memory stores the
observed system parameters and the schema. The controller translates the
schema into
instructions for controlling output settings of at least one light source.
[0029] In one embodiment, the sensor interface is for receiving additional
observed system
parameters and the processor is further for modifying the schema to compensate
for the
additional observed system parameters. In another embodiment, the controller
is further for
interpreting the schema in accordance with the output settings of the at least
one light source.
[0030] In yet another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a
lighting management
system. The system includes a first memory and a network. The first memory
stores personal
preference data corresponding to a plurality of users, the personal preference
data
corresponding to each of the plurality of users including at least one
personalized lighting
parameter for each user. The network is at a location remote from the first
memory and
includes at least one light source having a controllable output setting. The
network also
includes a sensor system that detects an identity of a current user, and an
executive module in
communication with the at least one light source, a second memory, and the
sensor system.
The executive module includes a controller and the second memory that stores
at least one
standard lighting parameter. The executive module receives the identity of the
current user

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from the sensor system, communicates with the first memory to determine the
personal
preference data corresponding to the current user, and modifies the standard
lighting
parameter to conform to the personalized lighting parameter of the current
user. The
executive module translates the personalized lighting parameter into
instructions for
controlling the output setting of the light source.
[0031] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for
implementing a lighting
management system. The method includes receiving, at an executive module that
includes a
controller, observed system parameters from a sensor system indicating an
identity of a current
user. The method also includes transmitting a request for personal lighting
preference data
corresponding to the current user to a data store, where the data store is
located at a location
remote to the executive module. The method also includes receiving, at the
executive module,
personal lighting preference data corresponding to the current user from the
data store, and
converting the received personal lighting preference data into instructions
for controlling the
output setting of at least one luminaire.
[0032] In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a lighting
management
system that includes a sensor system receiving environmental input, the
environmental input
including at least one user identifier. The lighting management system also
includes at least
one light source having a controllable output setting and a schema data store
storing schemata,
the schemata including one or more of a user-specific schema, a group schema,
a system-
specific schema, and a shared system schema. Each stored schema includes at
least one rule
for controlling the output setting of the light source. The lighting
management system also
includes a schematizer in communication with the sensor system and the schema
data store,
the schematizer determining which schemata in the schema data store are
applicable in view of
the environmental input and generating a set of applicable rules for
controlling the output
setting of the at least one light source. The lighting management system also
includes an
executive module in communication with the at least one light source and the
schematizer.
The executive module includes a controller, and the executive module receives
the set of
applicable rules from the schematizer and translates at least one rule in the
set of applicable
rules into instructions for controlling the output setting of the light
source.

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[0033] In some embodiment, the schema data store is located at a location
remote from the
at least one light source. In accordance with some embodiments, the
schematizer continually
monitors the environmental input to determine which schemata in the schema
data store are
applicable. In some embodiments, the schematizer generates the set of
applicable rules by
averaging the output settings of the rules of the applicable schemata; in some
embodiments,
the schematizer generates the set of applicable rules by prioritizing the
rules of the applicable
schemata.
[0034] In accordance with some embodiments, the set of applicable rules
constitutes a
revised system-specific schema. In another embodiment, the at least one light
source includes
a plurality of light sources that communicate with each other using at least
one of a wired
communications link, a wireless communications link, a radio frequency
communications link,
and an optical communications link. In other embodiments, the executive module
translates
the at least one rule into instructions by interpreting the at least one rule
in accordance with
the output setting of the at least one light source.
[0035] In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method
for implementing a
lighting management system. The method includes receiving environmental input,
the
environmental input including at least one user identifier, and accessing a
schema data store to
retrieve at least one applicable schema in view of the environmental input,
the at least one
applicable schema including rules for controlling an output setting of at
least one light source.
The method also includes arbitrating inconsistent rules in the at least one
applicable schemata
to determine a set of working rules for controlling the output setting of the
at least one light
source and translating the working rules into instructions for controlling the
output setting of
the at least one light source.
[0036] According to some embodiments, the schema data store is located at a
location
remote from the at least one light source. In some embodiments, the method
further includes
continually monitoring the environmental data to determine which schemata are
applicable. In
some embodiments, the arbitrating includes averaging the output settings of
the rules of the
applicable schemata to determine the set of working rules. In some
embodiments, the

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arbitrating includes prioritizing the rules of the applicable schemata to
determine the set of
working rules.
[0037] According to some embodiments of this method, the set of working
rules constitute a
revised system schema. In another embodiment, the translating includes
interpreting the
working rules in accordance with the output setting of the at least one light
source.
[0038] In yet another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a
method for
implementing a lighting management system. The method includes receiving, at
an executive
module that includes a controller, sensed system parameters from a sensor
system indicating
an identity of a current user, and transmitting a request for a schema
corresponding to the
current user to a data store, where the data store is located at a location
remote to the
executive module. The method also includes receiving, at the executive module,
the schema
corresponding to the current user from the data store, and converting the
received schema into
instructions for controlling an output setting of at least one luminaire.
[0039] In some embodiments, the received schema is personalized for the
current user. In
some embodiments, the received schema is personalized for a group of users,
and the group of
users includes the current user. In other embodiments, the converting includes
interpreting the
received schema in accordance with the output setting of the at least one
luminaire.
[0040] In yet another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a
lighting management
system that includes a memory storing schemata, each schema including at least
one rule. The
system also includes a network at a location remote from the memory. The
network includes
at least one light source having a controllable output setting, a sensor
system detecting an
identity of a current user, and an executive module. The executive module is
in communication
with the at least one light source and the sensor system. The executive module
receives the
identity of the current user from the sensor system, communicates with the
memory to receive
a schema corresponding to the current user, and translates the received schema
into
instructions for controlling the output setting of the at least one light
source.
[0041] In some embodiments, the received schema is personalized for the
current user. In
other embodiments, the received schema is personalized for a group of users,
and the group of

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users includes the current user. In further embodiments, the executive module
translates the received schema by interpreting the received schema in
accordance
with the output setting of the at least one light source.
[0041a] According to an embodiment, there is provided a lighting management
system comprising: a first memory for storing at least one of personal
preference data
corresponding to a plurality of users, the personal preferences data
corresponding to
each of the plurality of users including at least one personalized lighting
parameter for
each user; and a schema associated with an observed system parameter, the
schema comprising a set of one or more rules of operation of light sources or
sensors; and at least one network, the at least one network comprising: at
least one
light source having a controllable output setting, a sensor system for
detecting an
identity of a current user or observing a system parameter, and an executive
module
in communication with at least one light source and the sensor system, wherein
the
executive module includes a controller, and wherein the executive module
receives
the identity of the current user or the observed system parameter from the
sensor
system and communicates with the first memory to determine the personal
preference data corresponding to the current user or determine a schema
corresponding to the observed system parameter; wherein the first memory is in

communication with all the networks in the lighting management system.
[0041 b] According to another embodiment, there is provided a method for
implementing a lighting management system, comprising: receiving, at an
executive
module that includes a controller, observed system parameter from a sensor
system;
transmitting a request for a schema to a data store, the request including
information
indicative of at least observed system parameter; receiving, at the executive
module,
a schema from the data store; and converting, by the executive module, the
schema
into instructions for controlling output settings of at least one light
source; wherein the
data store is in communication with executive modules of all networks in the
lighting
management system.

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[0042] It should be appreciated that all combinations of the foregoing
concepts and
additional concepts discussed in greater detail below (provided such concepts
are not
mutually inconsistent) are contemplated as being part of the inventive subject
matter
disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of claimed subject matter
appearing
at the end of this disclosure are contemplated as being part of the inventive
subject
matter disclosed herein. It should also be appreciated that terminology
explicitly
employed herein that also may appear in any document referred to herein should
be
accorded a meaning most consistent with the particular concepts disclosed
herein.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0043] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same
parts
throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to
scale,
emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of
the
invention.
[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary Interactive Modified
Immersion (IMI) system according to embodiments of the invention in which user
preference data, rules, and/or schemata are stored in a remote database.
[0045] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a lighting network according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata are employed.
[0046] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system according
to
embodiments of the invention where user rules or user preference data can be
shared between lighting networks.
[0047] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary personal identifier
according to some embodiments of the invention.
[0048] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary executive module
according to some embodiments of the invention.

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[0049] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary lighting network
according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata are employed.
[0050] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system
according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata are employed and user rules or
preferences
data can be shared.
[0051] FIG. 8A illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system
according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata and preference data can be
shared.
[0052] FIG. 88 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system
according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata and preference data can be
shared and an
agent is used to communicate with remote resources.
[0053] FIG. 9A illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which an executive module is part
of a light
source.
[0054] FIG. 98 illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which an executive module is
distributed
amongst light sources.
[0055] FIG. 9C illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which each light source includes
an executive
module.
[0056] FIG. 9D illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which light sources communicate
optically.
[0057] FIG. 9E illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which light sources communicate
using a variety
of protocols.
[0058] FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram of a lighting network layout
according to
embodiments of the invention.

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[0059] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating modification of a system schema
in accordance with
some embodiments of the invention.
[0060] FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating an implementation of user
preferences or schemata
from a remote database in accordance with some embodiments of the invention
where
preferences or schemata for more than one user are taken into account.
[0061] FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an implementation of user
preferences or schemata
from a remote database in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
Detailed Description
[0062] Reference is now made in detail to illustrative embodiments of the
invention,
examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings.
[0063] Various implementations of the present technology and related
inventive concepts
are described below, including certain implementations relating to interactive
lighting networks
that are aware of their environments. Such networks are particularly suitable
for intelligent
lighting in bars, restaurants, stadiums, exhibition centers, museums, shops,
shopping centers,
night clubs, dance halls, public transport, waiting areas, transition spaces,
airports, among other
applications. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure
is not limited to
any particular manner of implementation, and that the various embodiments
discussed
explicitly herein are primarily for purposes of illustration.
[0064] Technology disclosed herein relates to lighting networks, which may
be operated
independently from each other and have access to common data defining personal
lighting
preferences. Illumination and/or luminance generated by these networks is
controlled by
lighting schemata, which are one or more rules of operation of light sources
and sensors
specific to a user, a group of users, a system, or a set of systems. A system
in accordance with
the invention may intelligently learn preferences, rules, and schemata, and
may share them
between lighting networks.
[0065] Previous lighting control systems were generally stand-alone, self-
contained systems.
For a user's preferences to be implemented in another environment, or for
learned parameters

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to be implemented in another environment, a user would have to carry a device
storing his or
her preferences. Previous systems and networks are also not able to
efficiently share learned
parameters, including information learned by monitoring individual and system
actions, with
other systems and networks.
[0066] Applicants recognized and appreciated that it would be beneficial to
enable sharing
of schemata, which are based on preference data, between lighting networks
implementing
lighting control systems and methods. Accordingly, aspects of the present
invention are
directed to the sharing of schemata or rules between lighting networks or
regions of a lighting
network. Individual lighting networks applying these aspects may then make use
of previously-
ascertained schemata or previously-ascertained rules to more efficiently adapt
themselves to
behavior, preferences, or conditions. Such systems and methods may be referred
to as
Interactive Modified Immersion (IMI) systems and/or networks. Individual IMI
systems may
also interpret schemata or rules according to the systems' configuration,
components, and
capabilities.
[0067] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system 100
according to
embodiments of the invention in which user preference data, rules, and/or
schemata are
stored in a preference data store 112. Referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment,
IMI system
includes exemplary lighting network 101, which includes a lighting system 102,
a sensor system
104, and an executive module 106. The term "network" as used herein refers to
any
interconnection of two or more devices (including controllers or processors)
that facilitates the
transport of information (e.g. for device control, data storage, data
exchange, etc.) between
any two or more devices and/or among multiple coupled devices. As should be
readily
appreciated, various implementations of networks suitable for interconnecting
multiple devices
may include any of a variety of network topologies and employ any of a variety
of
communication protocols. Additionally, in various networks according to the
present
disclosure, any one connection between two devices may represent a dedicated
connection
between the two systems, or alternatively a non-dedicated connection. In
addition to carrying
information intended for the two devices, such a non-dedicated connection may
carry
information not necessarily intended for either of the two devices (e.g., an
open network

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connection). Furthermore, it should be readily appreciated that various
networks of devices as
discussed herein may employ one or more wireless, wire/cable, and/or fiber
optic links to
facilitate information transport throughout lighting network 101.
[0068] Lighting system 102 may be any system affecting the environment of a
space
including a system for providing one or more of: illumination, luminance, or a
combination of
illumination and luminance. In one embodiment, lighting system 102 may further
include a
system affecting the environment of a space including, but not limited to, a
system for
providing one or more of: fragrance, heating, ventilation, cooling,
television, background music,
and/or sound. Lighting system 102 may include one or more light sources such
as one or more
LEDs or luminaires, in communication over lighting network 101. In one
embodiment, lighting
system 102 includes at least one light source having a controllable output
setting. For example,
lighting system 102 may include a luminaire configured to vary its photometric
output or a
luminaire configured to render light distribution patterns. One or more of the
light sources in
the lighting system may also have one or more manual controls such as on/off
switches or
dimmers. Any adjustments to these manual controls by a user, and the context
for any such
adjustments, may be monitored by executive module 106 and used as input for
learning
patterns and preferences of the users within the coverage area of lighting
network 101.
[0069] The term "light source" should be understood to refer to any one or
more of a
variety of radiation sources, including, but not limited to, LED-based sources
(including one or
more LEDs as defined above), incandescent sources (e.g., filament lamps,
halogen lamps),
fluorescent sources, phosphorescent sources, high-intensity discharge sources
(e.g., sodium
vapor, mercury vapor, and metal halide lamps), lasers, other types of
electroluminescent
sources, pyro-luminescent sources (e.g., flames), candle-luminescent sources
(e.g., gas mantles,
carbon arc radiation sources), photo-luminescent sources (e.g., gaseous
discharge sources),
cathode luminescent sources using electronic satiation, galvano-luminescent
sources, crystallo-
luminescent sources, kine-luminescent sources, thermo-luminescent sources,
triboluminescent
sources, sonoluminescent sources, radioluminescent sources, and luminescent
polymers.
[0070] A given light source may be configured to generate electromagnetic
radiation within
the visible spectrum, outside the visible spectrum, or a combination of both.
Hence, the terms

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"light" and "radiation" are used interchangeably herein. Additionally, a light
source may
include as an integral component one or more filters (e.g., color filters),
lenses, or other optical
components. Also, it should be understood that light sources may be configured
for a variety of
applications, including, but not limited to, indication, display, and/or
illumination. An
"illumination light source" is a light source that is particularly configured
to generate radiation
having a sufficient intensity to effectively illuminate an interior or
exterior space. In this
context, "sufficient intensity" refers to sufficient radiant power in the
visible spectrum
generated in the space or environment (the unit "lumens" often is employed to
represent the
total light output from a light source in all directions, in terms of radiant
power or "luminous
flux") to provide ambient illumination (i.e., light that may be perceived
indirectly and that may
be, for example, reflected off of one or more of a variety of intervening
surfaces before being
perceived in whole or in part).
[0071] The term "lighting fixture" or "luminaire" is used herein to refer
to an
implementation or arrangement of one or more lighting units in a particular
form factor,
assembly, or package. The term "lighting unit" is used herein to refer to an
apparatus including
one or more light sources of same or different types. A given lighting unit
may have any one of
a variety of mounting arrangements for the light source(s), enclosure/housing
arrangements
and shapes, and/or electrical and mechanical connection configurations.
Additionally, a given
lighting unit optionally may be associated with (e.g., include, be coupled to
and/or packaged
together with) various other components (e.g., control circuitry) relating to
the operation of the
light source(s). An "LED-based lighting unit" refers to a lighting unit that
includes one or more
LED-based light sources as discussed above, alone or in combination with other
non LED-based
light sources. A "multi-channel" lighting unit refers to an LED-based or non
LED-based lighting
unit that includes at least two light sources configured to respectively
generate different
spectrums of radiation, wherein each different source spectrum may be referred
to as a
"channel" of the multi-channel lighting unit.
[0072] There are many known intelligent light sources and luminaires that
could be used as
part of lighting system 102 within lighting network 101. In one embodiment,
lighting system
102 includes luminaires comprising solid state light-emitting elements. Any
such luminaire may

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have individually controllable illumination levels for one or more of its
constituent wavelengths,
so that a wide range of colors, brightness levels and color temperatures can
be produced. For
example, an LED luminaire could include red, green and blue LEDs. Other types
of lighting could
also be incorporated into the network, such as fluorescent or incandescent
lighting. Some
examples of such light sources are Lexel LED DLM system and COLORBLAST / iW
Blast lighting
fixtures available from Royal Philips Electronics, N.V.
[0073] As mentioned above, the term "light-emitting element" is used to
define any device
that emits radiation in any region or combination of regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum
for example, the visible region, infrared, and/or ultraviolet region, when
activated by applying a
potential difference across it or passing a current through it, for example.
Therefore a light-
emitting element can have monochromatic, quasi-monochromatic, polychromatic or

broadband spectral emission characteristics. Examples of light-emitting
elements include
semiconductor, organic, or polymer/polymeric light-emitting diodes, blue or UV
pumped
phosphor coated light-emitting diodes, optically pumped nanocrystal light-
emitting diodes,
laser diodes or any other similar light-emitting devices as would be readily
understood by a
worker skilled in the art. Furthermore, the term light-emitting element is
used to define the
specific device that emits the radiation, for example a LED die, and can
equally be used to
define a combination of the specific device that emits the radiation together
with a housing or
package within which the specific device or devices are placed.
[0074] As used herein for purposes of the present disclosure, the term
"LED" should be
understood to include any electroluminescent diode or other type of carrier
injection/junction-
based system that is capable of generating radiation in response to an
electric signal. Thus, the
term LED includes, but is not limited to, various semiconductor-based
structures that emit light
in response to current, light emitting polymers, organic Light-Emitting Diodes
(OLEDs),
electroluminescent strips, and the like. In particular, the term LED refers to
Light Emitting
Diodes of all types (including semi-conductor and organic Light-Emitting
Diodes) that may be
configured to generate radiation in one or more of the infrared spectrum,
ultraviolet spectrum,
and various portions of the visible spectrum (generally including radiation
wavelengths from
approximately 400 nanometers to approximately 700 nanometers). Some examples
of LEDs

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include, but are not limited to, various types of infrared LEDs, ultraviolet
LEDs, red LEDs, blue
LEDs, green LEDs, yellow LEDs, amber LEDs, orange LEDs, and white LEDs
(discussed further
below). It also should be appreciated that LEDs may be configured and/or
controlled to
generate radiation having various bandwidths (e.g., full widths at half
maximum, or FWHM) for
a given spectrum (e.g., narrow bandwidth, broad bandwidth), and a variety of
dominant
wavelengths within a given general color categorization.
[0075] For example, one implementation of an LED configured to generate
essentially white
light (e.g., a white LED) may include a number of dies which respectively emit
different spectra
of electroluminescence that, in combination, mix to form essentially white
light. In another
implementation, a white light LED may be associated with a phosphor material
that converts
electroluminescence having a first spectrum to a different second spectrum. In
one example of
this implementation, electroluminescence having a relatively short wavelength
and narrow
bandwidth spectrum "pumps" the phosphor material, which in turn radiates
longer wavelength
radiation having a somewhat broader spectrum.
[0076] It should also be understood that the term LED does not limit the
physical and/or
electrical package type of an LED. For example, as discussed above, an LED may
refer to a
single light-emitting device having multiple dies that are configured to
respectively emit
different spectra of radiation (e.g., that may or may not be individually
controllable). Also, an
LED may be associated with a phosphor that is considered as an integral part
of the LED (e.g.,
some types of white LEDs). In general, the term LED may refer to packaged
LEDs, non-packaged
LEDs, surface mount LEDs, chip-on-board LEDs, T-package mount LEDs, radial
package LEDs,
power package LEDs, LEDs including some type of encasement and/or optical
element (e.g., a
diffusing lens), etc.
[0077] Lighting system 102 may be controlled using a communication protocol
such as DALI,
DMX, or Zigbee, or using another lighting or device control protocol. As
discussed above,
lighting network 101 may communicate over wireless and/or over wired
connections. Wireless
connections may be radio frequency (RF), for example Bluetooth, or they may be
modulated
optical signals superimposed on illumination light output of lighting system
102. Lighting

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system 102 may be designed for providing illumination of spaces, for providing
architectural
features with luminance, or a combination of the two.
[0078] In one embodiment, lighting system 102 is connected over lighting
network 101 to
sensor system 104. Sensor system 104 may sense one or more system parameters
including,
for example, parameters relating to people, behavioral parameters or data,
environmental
parameters or data, and feedback parameters or data for lighting system 102.
Although not an
exclusive list, sensor system 104 may sense one or any combination of the
following
parameters: the presence of one or more people, the identity of one or more
people, a physical
characteristic of one or more people, such as a blood vessel pattern in a
person's body, a
location of one or more people, a time of presence of one or more people,
gestures of one or
more people, actions of one or more people, faces of one or more people,
sounds emitted by
one or more people or from other sources, an output from at least one of the
light sources, a
level of ambient lighting, an amount of daylight, a motion, a temperature, a
humidity level,
weather, and a noise. Sensor system 104 may include, for example, one or more
of the
following: a thermometer; a hygrometer for measuring humidity; an anemometer
for
measuring air speed; a phonometer for measuring noise levels; a lux meter for
measuring
illumination values; a gas probe for measuring the concentration of certain
chemicals, such as
CO2 or CO concentration; a detector for detecting daylight; and an external
weather sensor
such as a rain detector.
[0079] In one embodiment, sensor system 104 may detect an identity of a
user by detecting
biometric data, such as fingerprint data or iris data corresponding to a user
108. In another
embodiment, the sensor system may include a video camera that uses face
recognition
software to identify facial features of user 108. In yet another embodiment,
the sensor system
detects an identity of a user by detecting a personal identifier 110 carried
by user 108. In one
embodiment, the personal identifier is a radio-frequency identification (RFID)
card, a badge or
device adorned with a bar code, or a portable device. In some embodiments, the
personal
identifier is not a part of the network, but is detectable by the sensor
system. In some
embodiments, the personal identifier stores preference data, rules, and/or a
schema for the
user. Sensor system 104 may also detect the presence and number of persons who
do not

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carry a personal identifier 110, or who have switched off the ability of their
personal identifier
to be detected by lighting network 101.
[0080] Executive module, or executive, 106 is connected over lighting
network 101 to
lighting system 102 and sensor system 104; and accordingly, executive module
106, sensor
system 104, and lighting system 102 may be said to form part of lighting
network 101.
Executive module 106 may be implemented in numerous ways (e.g., such as with
dedicated
hardware) to perform various functions discussed herein. In one example, the
executive
module includes one or more microprocessors that may be programmed using
software (e.g.,
microcode) to perform various functions discussed herein. In another example,
the executive
module includes a combination of dedicated hardware to perform some functions
and a
controller or processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and
associated
circuitry) to perform other functions. Examples of executive module 106
components that may
be employed in various embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are
not limited to,
conventional microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits
(ASICs), and field-
programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
[0081] Executive module 106 in some embodiments operates one or more of the
light
sources in lighting system 102 of lighting network 101 according to a schema
in response to
conditions detected by sensor system 104. For example, the executive module
may apply a first
rule or group of rules within the schema when no people are in the space
covered by lighting
network 101, and may apply second rule or group of rules within the schema
when there are
unidentifiable people within the coverage of lighting network 101. In another
example, the
executive module may apply a third rule or group of rules within a second
schema to operate
one or more of the light sources in lighting system 102 in response to a
personal identifier 110
detected in range of lighting network 101. In yet another example, when sensor
system 104
senses that one or more light sources in lighting system 102 are aging or not
functioning
properly, the executive module can send control signals to the improperly
functioning light
source to correct for the ineffectiveness of the failing light source.
[0082] Executive module 106 may adjust the operation of lighting system
102, in response
to input from sensor system 104. An executive module can further receive an
input from the

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sensor system that causes it to select or alter the schema and thereby provide
user
interactivity. In one embodiment discussed in more detail below, executive
module 106 may
implement and update schemata or rules that make up schemata.
[0083] A schema is a set of one or more rules of operation of light sources
and sensors. As
used herein, a rule may include an antecedent condition statement that, when
satisfied, allows
the inference of other consequent information. As such, executive module 106
can be thought
of as an expert system that includes or constitutes an inference engine, which
can infer
information based upon sensed or determined conditions. The format for such
rules may be:
IF <antecedent> THEN <consequent>
The antecedent conditions may be determined via input provided by the sensor
system
104. Executive module 106 can examine existing facts or conditions to infer
new facts or
consequent information, e.g.,:
IF <rain detector detects .01 oz liquid precipitation > THEN <weather = rain>
The inference of the consequent information may satisfy another condition in
accordance with user or system preferences, e.g.,:
IF <weather = rain> THEN <background color = red>
IF <background color = red > THEN <highlight color = cyan>
Such rules may trigger executive module 106 to issue a command to lighting
system 102
to set the background color as red, and the highlight color as cyan, when the
sensor system 104
senses that it is raining.
[0084] Rules and/or schemata may be set for when multiple IMI users are
present in lighting
network 101. For example, one such rule may be:
IF <number of users > 2 THEN <highlight color = average user highlight color>
[0085] When more than one rule may apply and implementation of the
applicable rules
results in conflicting consequent information, executive module 106 may
perform conflict
resolution to determine which rule to implement. Certain rules may be assigned
higher priority
than other rules. For example, an IMI user may have his/her own schema, a
group of IMI users

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may have a shared schema, and an IMI system may have its own schema. Priority
may be
assigned such that a schema shared between a group of IMI users takes priority
over a user's
individual schema, but is only implemented when multiple members of the group
are present in
lighting system 101.
[0086] As one of skill in the art will appreciate, rules can be structured
as requiring multiple
conditions or requiring the satisfaction of one or several condition options
before inferring
information, and likewise, rules can be structured as inferring multiple
pieces of information
upon the satisfaction of one or more conditions. For example, exemplary rules
may set forth:
IF <number of group members > 3 OR <group leader not present> THEN <highlight
color =
average user highlight color>
IF <number of group members > 2 AND <background color =red> THEN <do nothing>
IF < number of users > (<number of group members> + 5) > THEN <background
color =
red>AND<highlight color = average user highlight color>
[0087] Lighting rules and/or schemata may be modified by, for example,
executive module
106 or a user interface. Lighting rules and/or schemata may be adaptable, and
thus, modified
by the executive module without further input from a user, lighting designer,
or external
processing device. The term "user interface" as used herein refers to an
interface between a
human user or operator and one or more devices that enables communication
between the
user and the device(s). Examples of user interfaces that may be employed in
various
implementations of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to,
switches,
potentiometers, buttons, dials, sliders, a mouse, keyboard, keypad, various
types of game
controllers (e.g., joysticks), track balls, display screens, various types of
graphical user interfaces
(GUIs), touch screens, microphones and other types of sensors that may receive
some form of
human-generated stimulus and generate a signal in response thereto.
[0088] A lighting schema may cause the implementation of a lighting script
upon the
detection of a condition. One of skill in the art will appreciate that rules
can be defined and
modified in a multitude of other ways.

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[0089] One or more components of lighting system 102 may be preprogrammed
with a set
of default rules defining default behavior for one or more light sources.
These default rules
may be overridden or modified by rules denoted with a higher priority that are
specified by the
lighting designer. The default rules may also be modified or replaced by rules
that the system
developed by itself as it learns about its environment and users.
[0090] IMI system 100 itself may have its own schema, which it may develop
or obtain from
a schema data store or from another IMI system. The IMI system may be
influenced by rules
about rules, sometimes called metarules, determining whether certain classes
of rules have
limited priority or are disallowed in certain situations. For example, it is
easier to say that
"general rules are overridden by emergency situation rules" rather than
individually identify
each and every rule that must be overridden during a fire evacuation. One of
skill in the art will
appreciate that schemata may also be overridden or modified by schemata of
higher priority
and governed by metarules.
[0091] The collective rules of schemata can comprise a rule base that the
executive module
106 can continually access to determine which rules are to be fired. In one
embodiment,
multiple executive modules may access the rule base as IMI users move within
and between
buildings.
[0092] When the system is able to rewrite rules and schemata according to
past experience
and the current situation, programs can be generated that can examine the
current situation
and generate new rules that are appropriate in terms of the user's preference
and history. The
artificial intelligence inherent in these programs makes them much more
valuable than simple
rule sets.
[0093] IMI system 100 is designed to synthesize new information from
multiple and possibly
disparate sensors in sensor system 104. For example, data from an occupancy
sensor may be
combined with data from an RFID sensor to determine that the person previously
identified
through a personal identifier 110 has entered a space with the occupancy
sensor. An example
of this is if there is only one person in the building, whose identity is
detected upon entry. In
different places within the building there may be occupancy sensors that do
not detect identity,

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but the executive module 106 can check on the overall consistency of the
signals from the
sensors in sensor system 104 to deduce the identity of a sensed occupant.
Another example is
when there are two people in the building, both of whom identities have been
detected by the
system. If they are in different locations, signals from neighboring, non-
identifying occupancy
sensors can be strung together by the executive to keep track of the identity
of the occupant
and provide preferences accordingly. Yet another example would be if one
person from a
group leaves a common room, perhaps without a personal identifier 110. In this
case the
system can garner clues as to the person's identity from the speed he walks,
the direction he
goes and the wall switches he may adjust.
[0094] Lighting network 101 is in communication with a preference data
store, or memory,
112, which in one embodiment is located at a location remote from lighting
network 101. In
one embodiment, preference data store 112 stores personal preference data
corresponding to
a plurality of users, the personal preference data corresponding to each of
the plurality of users
including at least one personalized lighting parameter for each user. Personal
preference data
stored in preference data store 112 may be encoded as one or more rules in an
IMI user's
personal schema, in a group's schema, and/or in an IMI system's schema. As
such, preference
data store 112 may be considered to be a rule database.
[0095] Preference data store 112 may be a database, register or other data
storage element.
Preference data store 112 may be in a server connected to the Internet, and
may store multiple
preferences and/or rules for multiple people. In one embodiment, lighting
network 101 can
access the preference data store but cannot control it. In one embodiment,
user 108 has
access to preference data store 112, and can change the user's preference data
and/or rules
including the user's personalized lighting parameters by, for example, a user
interface.
[0096] For example, user 108 may access preference data store 112 over the
Internet. Table
1 lists exemplary personal preference data including personalized lighting
parameters that a
user can enter and which may be stored in the preference data store. Exemplary
personalized
lighting parameters include, but are not limited to, a preferred lighting
color, a preferred
brightness level, or a preferred volume.

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ID Color Level Start Stop Color Level Start
Stop
123 FFFFFF 100 08:00 17:00 FF9999 55 17:00 02:00
298 EEEEFF 100 06:00 17:00 FF9966 77 17:00 21:00
324 OOFFOO 60
Table 1: Exemplary user preference data
[0097] In different embodiments, a user's preference data may range from a
single
parameter to a large number of parameters. For example, in some embodiments,
the user's
preference data may consist of a lighting level that relates to the preferred
brightness of the
lights, or, as shown in Table 1, may correlate a user, specified by an
identifier (ID), with the
user's preferred lighting intensity (level) and spectrum, or color, where a
preferred color is
encoded as a hexadecimal number, the first two digits corresponding to a level
of red, the
second two digits corresponding to a level of blue, and the third pair of
numbers corresponding
to a level of green. As shown in Table 1, preference data may include start
and stop times for
the implementation of preference parameters. Such preference data can be
considered to be a
set of rules for a user that control the system's response or outputs to a
particular condition or
system input. Executive module 106 can utilize the rules to determine how to
respond to a
particular situation. For example, when executive module 106 receives an
indication from
sensor system 104 that a user specified by ID 298 has entered lighting network
101, executive
module 106 can access the rule specifying that user 298 prefers lighting of
color FF9966 at a
level 77 between the times of 06:00 to 17:00 and prefers lighting of color
EEEEFF at a level 100
between the times of 17:00 to 21:00.
[0098] The term "spectrum" should be understood to refer to any one or more
frequencies
(or wavelengths) of radiation produced by one or more light sources.
Accordingly, the term
"spectrum" refers to frequencies (or wavelengths) not only in the visible
range, but also
frequencies (or wavelengths) in the infrared, ultraviolet, and other areas of
the overall
electromagnetic spectrum. Also, a given spectrum may have a relatively narrow
bandwidth
(e.g., a FWHM having essentially few frequency or wavelength components) or a
relatively wide
bandwidth (several frequency or wavelength components having various relative
strengths). It
should also be appreciated that a given spectrum may be the result of a mixing
of two or more
other spectra (e.g., mixing radiation respectively emitted from multiple light
sources).

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[0099] For purposes of this disclosure, the term "color" is used
interchangeably with the
term "spectrum." However, the term "color" generally is used to refer
primarily to a property
of radiation that is perceivable by an observer (although this usage is not
intended to limit the
scope of this term). Accordingly, the terms "different colors" implicitly
refer to multiple spectra
having different wavelength components and/or bandwidths. It also should be
appreciated
that the term "color" may be used in connection with both white and non-white
light.
[00100] The term "color temperature" generally is used herein in connection
with white light,
although this usage is not intended to limit the scope of this term. Color
temperature
essentially refers to a particular color content or shade (e.g., reddish,
bluish) of white light. The
color temperature of a given radiation sample conventionally is characterized
according to the
temperature in degrees Kelvin (K) of a black body radiator that radiates
essentially the same
spectrum as the radiation sample in question. Black body radiator color
temperatures generally
fall within a range of from approximately 700 degrees K (typically considered
the first visible to
the human eye) to over 10,000 degrees K; white light generally is perceived at
color
temperatures above 1500-2000 degrees K.
[00101] Lower color temperatures generally indicate white light having a more
significant red
component or a "warmer feel," while higher color temperatures generally
indicate white light
having a more significant blue component or a "cooler feel." By way of
example, fire has a
color temperature of approximately 1,800 degrees K, a conventional
incandescent bulb has a
color temperature of approximately 2848 degrees K, early morning daylight has
a color
temperature of approximately 3,000 degrees K, and overcast midday skies have a
color
temperature of approximately 10,000 degrees K. A color image viewed under
white light
having a color temperature of approximately 3,000 degree K has a relatively
reddish tone,
whereas the same color image viewed under white light having a color
temperature of
approximately 10,000 degrees K has a relatively bluish tone.
[00102] Appendix A lists exemplary personal preference data including
personalized lighting
parameters that a user can enter and that may be stored in preference data
store 112 or in
personal identifier 110 and which may be encoded as one or more rules in a
user's personal
schema. As shown in Appendix A, exemplary personal preference data may include

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personalized parameters for environmental control of devices other than light
sources. For
example, preference data can include preferences for devices that provide
environmental
effects such as, but not limited to: heating, ventilation, cooling,
television, background music,
and fragrance. Preference data can include one of more of the following non-
exclusive list:
preferred temperatures; percentages of daylight preferred; preferences
regarding the opening
or closing of windows; degrees to which internal temperature should track
external
temperature; preferred scents; preferred audio level of sound systems playing
music in a public
or private environment; preferred humidity; preferred genre of background
music; preferred
television channel or type of program for use in hotels, waiting rooms or
bars; a list of preferred
songs or audio clips; a list of preferred musicians, singers, or groups;
preferred languages; a
YouTube or other video playlist; a set of keywords that might relate to
YouTube or similar video
clips or song themes; a list of favorite video clips; a list of preferred
radio presenters; a list of
likes and dislikes; products interested in or not interested in.
[00103] Preferences and/or rules can be linked to a certain time of day, a
certain type of
venue, specific venues or general geographic locations. They can be linked to
a certain type of
weather or any other sensed parameter. For example, bright cheerful music
could be preferred
for rainy days whereas any selection might be acceptable for a sunny day.
[00104] As shown in Appendix A, user preference data may include data other
than data
relating to environmental control of an environment. This information would
facilitate a user's
experience in various places. For example, the type of room preferred could be
stored such
that guests arriving at a hotel will know that the receptionist has been
informed by the network
as the guest enters the hotel. Such preferences may include preferred exercise
machines in a
gym for automated scheduling; preferred or favorite food or meal; favorite
drink, etc. User
preference data may also include personal data, such as, but not limited to,
age, gender, and
weight. In one embodiment, data stored in data store 112 may be considered to
fall into one or
more of the following categories: registration data, which is objective data
without specific
emotional value; preferences, which are things that a user enjoys or preferred
ways of
expression; activities, which is data on actual activities;
biometric/physical, which is data on
state of body and mind; and capability data, which is data on the user's
capabilities.

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[00105] A user's preference data, rules or personal schema may also be more
abstract than
that listed in Table 1 and Appendix A. For example, rather than a specific
color or brightness,
or combination of these, preferences, rules, or a schema may be selected as
one or more of the
following, for example: "Bright"; "Lively"; "Subtle"; "Soothing"; "Colorful";
"Random";
"Economy"; "Glitzy"; "Surprising"; "Whacky"; "Natural"; etc. It would be up to
a lighting
designer to define the specific color/brightness/timing responses and/or
constraints that would
be triggered by the detection of a user defining one of the above as a
preference. It would
simplify the data input required of a user defining his preferences, and would
permit an
administrator, or designer, at the illuminated space to interpret the
preference, rule or schema
rather than the illuminated space being specified (to a certain extent) by the
preference owner.
From time to time the preferences, rules, or schema may be changed so that the
works and
interpretations of different lighting administrators or designers can be
exhibited.
[00106] Further, individual IMI systems may interpret schemata or rules
according to the
systems' configuration, components, and capabilities. For example, if a user's
preferences
indicate that the user's favorite colors are red and yellow, an IMI system
comprised of white
light sources may infer that the user prefers "warm" colors and adjust its
color temperature
accordingly.
[00107] Although Table 1 and Appendix A show exemplary user preference data
stored in
tables, user preference data may be stored in different formats to improve
efficiency and
facilitate programming and access to the preference data. In one embodiment,
preference
data is be split into multiple tables within a relational database.
[00108] Users setting their preferences may set a specific desk light to turn
on occasionally.
In one embodiment, a user may set the user's preferences in terms of zones,
which could be
personal physical zones (e.g., overhead, eye level, lower level, floor, front
and behind zones),
which may or may not be based on activity, and which may or may not be time
dependent. In
one embodiment, a user could define medium distance zones and far zones, which
effect light
sources located predefined distances away from a user 108 and/or the user's
personal
identifier 110. In one embodiment, a user may set up room zones, where the
lighting is
insensitive to the exact location of the user in the room. The preference
zones are then

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mapped to the zones defined in a network and an algorithm is used to best
provide the desired
lighting according to the preferences. An algorithm can be used for a quick or
real time way of
solving the inverse problem of determining lighting settings to match a user
preference, and
where there are many solutions, finding an appropriate or optimal one, and if
there is no
appropriate solution, finding a solution that will suffice. If a solution
cannot be found rapidly,
then a solution may be gradually implemented. In one embodiment, IMI system
100 may
choose to intentionally implement user preferences gradually. Upon
determination of lighting
settings that match a user preference, a corresponding rule for implementing
the lighting
settings upon the satisfaction of a condition can be encoded.
[00109] In one embodiment, when an individual is detected changing a
preference within
preference data store 112, via a manual control, for example, the preference
and any
corresponding schema or rule can be automatically updated in the database;
intelligently
updated, taking into account time, frequency and pattern of similar requests;
stored subject to
approval by the preference owner; or ignored. In some embodiments, many
individuals may
store preference data within the preference data store 112, and intelligent
updates can draw
from similar changes requested by other users, or perhaps a selection of other
similar users.
Because of its ability to sense large amounts of data, intelligently respond
to the data, update
and implement schemata, and incorporate user preference data, the IMI system
100 is aware of
its environment.
[00110] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a lighting network 101 according
to one
embodiment of the invention in which schemata are employed. As shown in FIG.
2, in addition
to lighting system 102, sensor system 104, and executive module 106, lighting
network 101 may
include a local data store 202 for storing user preferences or user schemata.
These user
preferences and/or schemata may be downloaded from any storage medium, such as

preference data store 112, before being stored in local data store 202. In one
embodiment,
lighting network 101 may also include a schematizer 204, configured to deliver
schemata or
schema files stored in schema data store 206. In one embodiment, instead of or
in addition to
local data store 202, user preferences and/or user schemata are stored in a
storage portion 208
within schema data store 206 accessed by schematizer 204.

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[00111] In one embodiment, a schema can be considered to be a list of
constraints for what
the lighting system 102 is able to do, how it should react to certain input
from the sensor
system 104 or upon the occurrence of an event, and adapt lighting system 102
to operate in its
environment. For example, a schema may permit an executive module 106 to
operate using a
basic lighting script, but to deviate from the script when appropriate. In one
embodiment,
lighting schemata are sets of rules that can be modified to incorporate
personal preferences
when the presence and identity of the preference owner is detected. In
general, the fewer
constraints a schema provides, the more likely it is that the lighting system
102, sensor system
104, and executive module 106 can adapt to operate in its environment.
Lighting network 101
may keep track of its past events including past sensor data and past output
from lighting
system 102 to determine appropriate responses to particular events or
scenarios. Moreover,
lighting network 101 may detect conditions using sensor system 104. The
administrator of
lighting network 101 may specify which schema lighting network 101 implements.
[00112] In one embodiment, a markup language such as XML or a similar language
may be
used for creating schemata. The language used to create schemata may
incorporate SQL
commands for accessing preference data store 112, which stores user
preferences. One of skill
in the art will appreciate that other programming languages could be used to
create schemata,
such as, but not limited to, Visual Basic, C++, etc.
[00113] In one embodiment, schematizer 204 determines which schema or schemata
are
currently active and organize a working set of rules for the executive module
106 to access and
implement. The schematizer 204 may determine which schema or schemata are
active by
receiving an indication of which IMI users are within the space. Schematizer
204 may connect
wirelessly to executive module 106 in order to upload its set of working rules
into a memory in
executive module 106. One of skill in the art will appreciate that schematizer
204 could also
connect over a wired or other communications link to executive module 106. In
one
embodiment, schematizer 204 is a hardware module; in another embodimnet,
schematizer 204
is an executable program. Alternatively or in addition to schematizer 204,
lighting network 101
may include schema data store 206 for storing schemata. Schema data store 206
is in
communication with schematizer 204, and schematizer 204 may store schemata it
creates or

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modifies in schema data store 206. Executive module 106 may also, or
alternately, download
or receive schemata from another remote source, such as from another network
or a server
that can be accessed over the Internet, and store the schemata in schema data
store 206.
Schema data store 206 may also store schemata that have been modified to
incorporate
personal preferences of users. In addition, schema data store 206 may store
multiple
schemata, from which an executive module 106 can select a schema to implement.
Executive
module 106 may select a particular schema for implementation depending upon a
personal
preference of the user 108 or depending upon other system parameters observed
by sensor
system 104.
[00114] Executive module 106 may arbitrate the inputs received from the sensor
system 104,
arbitrate user preference data stored in local data store 202, select a schema
from schema data
store 206 or alternately be provided a set of working rules from schematizer;
and translate the
schema or set of working rules into control commands enabling the lighting
system 102 to
implement the schema and/or working rules.
[00115] Schematizer 204 allows a lighting designer, administrator, or other
person to set
device defaults, such as a default illumination for a luminaire, and the
interactive behavior for
lighting network 101. For example, a schema can define the limits within which
a device (e.g., a
luminaire) output can vary (e.g., in terms of chromaticity, intensity, or a
sequence of different
outputs). A schema may work together with a user's preferences and/or may be
modified to
implement a user's preferences. For example, while a schema may define the
limits within
which a device output can vary, the device output may be set, within the
limits set by the
schema, according to the preferences of user 108, when the user is within the
coverage area of
lighting network 101 and has been identified by, for example, detection of
personal identifier
110, and the preferences of the user have been retrieved, e.g. from preference
data store 112
or from the personal identifier 110. Schematizer 204 can be used to define
constraints and/or
permit tolerances within which executive module 106 and lighting system 102
can operate.
[00116] In some embodiments, schematizer 204 is a laptop, palmtop or other
computer with
a Bluetooth output or other suitable protocol. The schematizer may be
connected temporarily
or permanently to lighting network 101. In one embodiment, schematizer 204 may
be located

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remotely from lighting network 101. In this embodiment, the schematizer is
connected to
lighting network 101 via the Internet or via a telecommunications network. In
one
embodiment, lighting network 101 may include one or more schematizers 202,
and/or may also
be in communication with one or more remote schematizers over the Internet or
via a
telecommunications network.
[00117] Schematizer 204 and/or schema data store 206 may store a plurality of
schemata,
which are uploaded to the lighting network 101 on demand, for example when
user 108, who
has previously stored preference data corresponding to a schema, is within the
coverage area
of lighting network 101 that is implementing that schema. As such, schematizer
204 and/or
schema data store 206 may be considered to be rule databases.
[00118] In one embodiment, one or more of the schematizer 204, schema data
store 206,
and executive module 106 may be combined in the same component. In one
embodiment,
schematizer 204 and executive module 106 may reside in software, hardware,
firmware, or a
combination thereof in a personal computer. Schematizer 204 may be a pop-up
utility
program. In one embodiment, schematizer 204 is a web browser plug-in that
identifies the
presence of IMI system 100 and lighting network 101, determines that it can
control lighting
system 102, determines the appropriate communication protocol to communicate
with lighting
system 102 by querying a remote database, and dynamically generates code in a
compatible
programming language to display a control for lighting system 102. For
example, many
computers have sensors that can be programmed in JavaScriptTM code, and after
detecting
luminaires within lighting system 102, schematizer 204 may generate
JavaScriptTM code to
display a dimmer control for a user to control the luminaires within lighting
system 102. As
mentioned above, schematizer 204 may be located on a remote server connected
to network
101 over the Internet, and a browser may be programmed to simply discover
whatever
environment control opportunities it has available through its current
hardwired or wireless
connection.
[00119] As such, in one embodiment, schematizer 204 is one or more physical
hardware
devices, in another embodiment, schematizer 204 is one or more software
programs. In yet
another embodiment, the schematizer can be considered to be a service that is
available to the

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user having components that are distributed throughout the world-wide web. In
addition to
generating schemata, schematizer 204 may be used by user 108 to set the user's
personal
preferences.
[00120] In one embodiment, schematizer 204 receives a CAD file from lighting
network 101
or lighting system 102, for example, illuminance and luminance systems, that
includes data on
layout and types of light sources within lighting network 101. In another
embodiment, the
layout of the light sources is created in the schematizer and a CAD file is
sent to the building
architect, lighting designer, and/or device installer. A lighting designer or
other person may
generate scenarios for operation of the light sources. For example, a lighting
designer may
generate a scenario outlining one or more of the dimming level, chromaticity
settings, and
beam angle for each light source in lighting network 101 that varies in time
or is constant.
Although a schema may be considered to be the combination of scenarios for the
lighting
system 102, a schema may be a scenario for a single light source within
lighting system 102.
Moreover, scenarios for one or more light sources within lighting system 102
may be governed
by a schema, which may itself comprise multiple subsidiary schemata.
[00121] Differing schemata can be created for different conditions or
predefined events. For
example, a special schema may be created for the entry of a celebrity into a
hotel lobby, or if
the Dow Jones index declines below a specific threshold. In one embodiment, a
schema can be
denoted by and referred to using a meaningful word or words that preferably
refer to the
condition for which it is intended, e.g. "Celebrity" for a schema that is
created for the entry of a
celebrity or "Dow-Jones_down" for a schema for when the Dow Jones index
declines. These
schema names may be downloaded when the associated schemata are downloaded to
the
executive module 106 and stored in schema data store 206.
[00122] One feature of an IMI system is the conversion of signals from sensor
system 104,
such as sensors that monitor the Internet, into the words or signals that can
be associated with
the schema names. For example, sensor system 104 may include an Internet
detection module
that is equipped with an analysis option that can monitor the value of the Dow-
Jones index and
can send the meaningful word "Dow-Jones_down" to executive module 106. Upon
receipt of

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the meaningful word, the executive module 106 starts running the "Dow-
Jones_down" schema
that is stored in the schema data store 206.
[00123] In a similar way the sensor that detects the personal identifier 110
may include a
receiver (e.g. WLAN or RFID), an interpretation unit, and a unit that
transfers a meaningful
word to the executive module. Upon receipt of an RFID¨signal from the personal
identifier of a
celebrity the sensor for detecting the personal identifier transfers the
meaningful word
"Celebrity" to the executive module and the executive module 106 starts
running the schema
"Celebrity" stored in schema data store 206. If another schema is applicable,
executive module
106 may arbitrate between the schemata and/or the schematizer 204 may provide
a set of
working rules to the executive module 106 that takes both schemata into
account.
[00124] In another embodiment, sensor system 104 may include a rain sensor and
an
extension that translates detected rain into the meaningful word "Rain." Upon
receipt of the
meaningful word "Rain", executive module 106 will run a schema that is named
"Rain" from
schema data store 206, which may, for example, cause certain light sources in
lighting system
102 to turn on or off. In one embodiment, the executive module may also
control other devices
in lighting system 102 that provide, for example, audio effects in the
network, and running
schema "Rain" may cause these devices to emit sounds, such as simulated rain
sounds, within
network 101. As such, occupants within lighting network 101 that are located
in a room that
does not have a window can be made aware that it is raining outside and the
occupants can
experience a simulated rain experience.
[00125] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system
according to
embodiments of the invention where user rules or user preference data can be
shared between
networks. Lighting network 101 and lighting network 301 may implement the same
or different
schemata. As shown in FIG. 3, lighting network 301 includes lighting system
302, sensor system
304, and executive module 306. In one embodiment, a lighting network may
include a set of
sub-networks, such as lighting networks 101, 301, in the same or different
buildings. For
example, a company having a geographically distributed set of offices may have
each of the
lighting networks connected for centralized control or monitoring.

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[00126] In some embodiments, both lighting network 101 and lighting network
301 have
access to the data in preference data store 112, which may be a part of a
remote data store for
schemata. As such, as user 108 travels to a location served by lighting
network 301, executive
module 306 may access preference data store 112 to access lighting
preferences, and/or the
personal schemata, of user 108. In these embodiments, a user 108 can enter the
user's
preferences into preference data store 112, after which multiple networks may
access
preference data store 112 to obtain the user's preferences. For example, user
108 may set the
user's preferences and/or personal schemata in preference data store 112, and
can go into the
coverage area of lighting network 101 where the user's preferences including
the user's
personalized lighting parameters will be taken into account. User 108 may then
travel to the
coverage area of lighting network 301, where the user's preferences and/or
schema, including
the user's personalized lighting parameters, will also be taken into account.
As such, the user
108 will only need to enter preference data and/or lighting personalized
lighting parameters
once and may do so before entering the coverage area of a particular network.
Thus,
regardless of whether lighting network 101 and lighting network 301 are
implementing
different system schemata, the user's preferences and personal schema may be
taken into
account in each lighting network. In some embodiments, only selected networks
will recognize
the user or the user's personal identifier.
[00127] In addition to storing preferences in preference data store 112, in
some
embodiments a user may store lighting preferences and/or the user's personal
schema in
personal identifier 110. In these embodiments, each user interacting with a
network effectively
has his own mini data store. The collection of mini data stores is effectively
equivalent to a
remote, distributed database like data store 112. In this embodiment, lighting
network 301
may obtain users' preference data including the user's personalized lighting
parameters and/or
the users' personal schema from personal identifier 110. In another
embodiment, lighting
network 301 may obtain users' preference data or schemata from a prior network
visited by
user 108, such as lighting network 101.
[00128] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary personal identifier
110 according to
some embodiments of the invention. In one embodiment, the personal identifier
is a mobile

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electronic communications device, such as a cellular phone, a satellite phone,
a BlackBerry , an
iPhone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a pager, a laptop, a smart phone
or any other
electronic device with processing power and the ability to communicate. As
shown in FIG. 4,
the personal identifier may include controller, or microprocessor, or
processor, 402, location
awareness circuit 404, interface 406, memory 408, preference data memory 410,
and RFID tag
412. A user such as user 108 can input his or her personal device preferences,
such as the
user's lighting preferences, via interface 406, which may be a user interface.
[00129] Location awareness circuit 404 in personal identifier 110 may be a
Global Positioning
Service (GPS) circuit. Location awareness circuit 404 may operate using
assisted GPS,
triangulation from WiFi or other RE signals, or, location within personal
identifier 110 may be
calculated from signals from accelerometers, or a location of personal
identifier 110 may be
determined based on a combination of these methods.
[00130] In some embodiments, preference data and/or a user's schema are stored
in
memory 408 and loaded into preference data memory 410 when necessary, such as,
for
example, when user 108 enters a location having an IMI system 100. RFID tag
412 can be
detected by sensor system 104 and/or may broadcast an identification signal
unsolicited or in
response to network 101. RFID tag 412 can communicate with preference data
memory 410 to
access preference data and/or a schema stored in the preference data memory
and RFID tag
412 can transmit preference data to network 101. In some embodiments, personal
identifier
110 is configured to transmit preference data to a network even when personal
identifier 110 is
turned off by a user. In one embodiment, preference data stored in preference
data 410
and/or memory 408 cannot be changed by lighting network 101.
[00131] RFID tag 412, or alternately, personal identifier 110, may be managed
by a security
system that provides its data to the IMI system that consists of a centralized
(or possibly
distributed) data and event logging system that communicates with the building
management
system for HVAC control and loading shedding information (obtained from the
local power
utility company). The IMI system communicates with but does not directly
control each light
source in lighting system 102, which may each have their own sensors and
dimming/switching
controls. Decisions on how each device is controlled then becomes a shared
responsibility as

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the device responds to sensor system 104 but may be overridden by the event
logging system
when load shedding is desirable. Similarly, the security system may override
all other
commands during emergency situations.
[00132] In some embodiments, a user may have preferences and/or a schema for
use only in
certain environments. For example, a user may not have any device preferences
during the
working day, or when shopping, but might have a preference, such as a lighting
preference,
when visiting a night club. For this user, the personal identifier 110 is
programmed so that the
preference data memory 410 holds no data when the location awareness circuit
404 detects
that personal identifier 110 is located at work or in a shopping mall. When
the location aware
circuit 404 determines that the personal identifier 110 is in a night club,
then preference data
memory 410 linked to RFID tag 412 is populated with the person's lighting
preference data.
Similarly, when a user's preferences are stored in data store 112, data store
112 may include
only preference data for when the user 108 is located at a particular
environment.
[00133] In one embodiment, a user's preference data may be separated into
different
permission levels such that different networks may only access certain
preference parameters.
For example, lighting network 101 may be permitted to access only certain
aspects of user
108's preference data; lighting network 301 may be permitted to access all of
user 108's
preference data. As another example, a user's lighting preference can comprise
a color and a
brightness. A wider permission level may be given to the brightness data,
which would be
appropriate for someone in a business, shopping or museum environment, for
example. A
narrower permission level may be applied to the color preference data, such
that only night
clubs, bars and restaurants have access to it. In querying the data store 112,
the network
identifies itself and its type and the data store 112 provides only the
preference data that is
allowed to be accessed by that network.
[00134] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary executive module
106 according to
some embodiments of the invention. In one embodiment, executive module 106
includes
controller, or microprocessor, or processor, 502, memory 504, and interfaces
506A, 50613, and
506C. In one embodiment, memory 504 holds computer-readable instructions for
controller
502 to process in order to control the output of one or more of the light
sources in lighting

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system 102 according to a user preference, one or more schemata, a lighting
script, or in
response to a parameter detected by sensor system 104. For example, executive
module 106
may control the output of the light sources according to the preference data,
such as a user's
personalized schema, that is stored in preference data store 112. In one
embodiment,
executive module 106 arbitrates between different inputs, e.g., different
inputs from varying
sensors in sensor system 104. In another embodiment, memory 504 may serve as
temporary or
long term storage for one or more of default parameters, learned behavior,
user preferences,
and one or more schemata. As shown in FIG. 5, executive module 106 has three
interfaces:
interface 506A and 506B, which are shown as wired interfaces; and interface
and 506C, shown
as a wireless interface.
[00135] Executive module 106 can be implemented via a personal or laptop
computer, or it
can be a standalone electronic module. In one embodiment, executive module 106
is
distributed across several devices.
[00136] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary lighting network
601 according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata are employed. As shown in FIG.
6, lighting
system 102 may include one or more light sources 603 connected to a power line
605 for their
source of power. In one embodiment, one or more of light sources 603 may be
individually
powered, such as through an individual solar panel or by a battery. Light
sources 603 may also
be connected to a network control line 607 and communicate via interface 506B
with executive
module 606. Light sources 603 comprise drivers for converting the power input
into a format
suitable for supplying current to the light emitting elements. Sensor system
104 may include
one or more sensors 610, which are connected to the executive module 606 via a
network
control line 612 and interface 506A. Although sensor system 604 is shown as
using a separate
interface from lighting system 602, sensor system 604 and lighting system 602
may share an
interface with executive module 606. Furthermore, although network control
lines 607 and 612
to light sources 603 and sensors 610 are shown as hardwired, they may be
wireless. FIG. 6
illustrates executive module 606 connecting to schematizer 204 over a wireless

communications link via interface 506C. However, one of skill in the art will
appreciate that

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other communications links, such as a wired communications link, could be used
to
communicate with schematizer 204.
[00137] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system 700
according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata are employed and can be shared.
As shown
in FIG. 7, user and/or system schemata may be stored remotely in a server or
data store 112,
which may be connected to executive module 706 over Internet 702 via interface
704.
Executive module 706 in network 701 may generally run a system schema, but
upon detecting
the presence of personal identifier 110 in its coverage area, uses the
identity of the personal
identifier 110 to access and retrieve a user's personal schema stored in data
store 112.
Depending on the particular network, or the schema where more than one schema
is available
to IMI system 701, the user's schema as downloaded from data store 112 may be
used to
differing extents.
[00138] As illustrated in FIG. 7, components of a sensor system 104 such as
sensors 705 may
share control line 607 with components of lighting system 102 such as light
sources 603.
[00139] FIG. 8A illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system 800
according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata and preference data can be
shared. As
shown in FIG. 8A, schemata may be generated or stored in schematizer 204,
which is connected
to executive 706. In addition, schemata may be stored remotely in a remote
schema store 802,
which may be accessible to lighting network 801 over Internet 702 and which
may be centrally
accessible to one or more networks. Remote data schema store 802 may be
considered to be
rule database. In one embodiment, the remote schema store is a schematizer. In
some
embodiments, executive module 706 downloads a schema from remote schema store
802 for
implementation in IMI system 800. Executive module 706 may download the schema
from the
remote schema store 802 at the direction of an administrator, a lighting
designer, or an
operator of network 801. The schema can then be downloaded into schema data
store 206.
Although shown as stored in separate data stores in FIG. 8, users' personal
schemata and
system schemata may be stored on the same server, separate servers or
distributed servers. In
one embodiment, a fee may be collected from the downloader of the schemata to
compensate
an owner or creator of the schema. Schemata can be written so that they are
independent of

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or automatically adaptable to the size and number of devices within lighting
system 102 and
sensors within sensor system 104 in lighting network 801.
[00140] In one embodiment, a schema may be uploaded to remote schema store 802
after
having gone through a learning process to adapt to a lighting network 801
within IMI system
800 located in a particular building and/or to the preferences of a building's
occupants. By
making such a schema available to other networks within similar buildings,
with occupants
doing a similar kind of work, it is considerably more likely that the initial
parameters will be
better suited to the occupants than an off-the-shelf schema or one that is
simply set up by a
building manager.
[00141] Further, IMI system 800 may find that the behavior of the occupants
within a building
has or is changing beyond what is typical. IMI system 800 may then search
through the
available schemata uploaded from other buildings and stored in remote schema
store 802 that
may have already gone through such a change, and switch to a new schema, or
compromise its
existing schema to obtain a set of working rules towards the new schema
through data fusion.
In one embodiment, privacy concerns are taken into account when schemata are
shared, such
that user preferences and/or schemata may not be shared, or may be shared only
up to an
extent determined by a permission level.
[00142] For example, with reference to FIG. 3, lighting networks 101 and 301
may be located
within similar buildings and lighting systems 102, 302 may each include
daylight control systems
designed to minimize energy consumption throughout the year by changing the
light output of
light sources within lighting systems 102, 302 as the input to daylight
sensors within sensor
systems 104, 304 vary. Although typically many parameters must be taken into
account in
generating control signals for the lighting systems 102, 302 to implement such
daylight control
systems, using IMI techniques they will be able to learn the best lighting
solution through trial
and error. Moreover, they will be able to communicate with each other and with
other
networks within other buildings to see their solutions. In this embodiment,
the schemata may
be said to correspond to the buildings in which they were learned.

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[00143] FIG. 8B illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary IMI system 803
according to
embodiments of the invention in which schemata and preference data can be
shared and an
agent is used to communicate with remote resources. As shown in FIG. 8B,
lighting system 102
includes two types of lights: illumination light sources 804 and luminance
light sources 806.
Lighting system 102 may include one or more illumination light source 804 and
one or more
luminance light source 806. Executive module 106 can retrieve different
schemata from
schematizer 204 based on inputs from personal identifier 110 or sensor system
104, or based
on input from preference data store 112 via Internet 702.
[00144] Network 808 includes agent 810. In one embodiment, agent 810 acts on
behalf of a
monitoring center having a central database of schemata, such as, for example,
remote schema
store 802. Agent 810 monitors network 808 and passes behavior or newly
developed schemata
to remote schema store 802. The agent can work autonomously, only sending
information
when there is something to send, or it can be triggered by a request from the
schematizer 204
or remote schema store 802. The agent may be written to be installed in new
networks as a
piece of software or firmware, or may be written to be installed into existing
networks, as a
software or a firmware upgrade. One or more agents 810, when installed in
multiple
independent networks, may be controlled by a central monitoring center to
download more
appropriate and efficient lighting schemata from remote schema store 802
according to
globally-obtained knowledge.
[00145] FIG. 9A illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which an executive module is part
of a light
source. Light sources 902A and 902B also include sensors for use in lighting
network 101. As
such, light sources 902A-B are part of lighting system 102 and also part of
sensor system 104.
Light source 902A and 902B each contain a sensor 904, and are in communication
over a
network line 906. In one embodiment, light source 902A includes an executive
module 908. As
a lighting network such as lighting network 101 grows, or as more complex
light schemata are
implemented, and/or as more users having personal preferences are in the
coverage area of
lighting network 101, additional memory might be needed or beneficial.
Therefore, in one
embodiment, light sources 902B each contain memory modules 910. Memory modules
910

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may be of different sizes or capacity to optimize the manufacturing process
and supply chain of
light sources 90213.
[00146] FIG. 9B illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which an executive module is
distributed
amongst light sources. In FIG. 9B, exemplary light sources 902C, 90213 include
sensors 904 for
use in network 101 and an executive module is distributed across several light
sources. For
example, in FIG. 9B light source 902C includes controller, or microprocessor
901, and light
sources 90213 include memory modules 910. This embodiment may, but need not,
be used for
systems in which a user's schema is stored within a personal identifier 110.
Light source 902C
may be considered to be part of lighting system 102 and also part of sensor
system 104.
[00147] FIG. 9C illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which each light source includes
an executive
module. Light sources 914A-C are identical and may communicate wirelessly,
such as via RE.
Light sources 914 include executive modules 908 and sensors 904. Light sources
914 may be
considered to be part of lighting system 102 and also part of sensor system
104. This
embodiment may simplify the supply chain for light sources 902A as the light
sources 902A
shown in Fig. 9C may be identical. In one embodiment, one of the light sources
914, such as
light source 914A, may be designated as having the master executive module,
and may use the
processing power and memories of the other light sources 91413 and 914C in the
network as
and when needed. In a large network, where there are many zones to be
controlled with
different lighting effects, multiple master executive modules may be
designated which are all
subservient to a grandmaster that controls global lighting effects in the
space. For example,
different groups of people in a bar or restaurant, through the setting of
their own personal
preferences, may have very different colors of lighting. Due to situations
caused by energy
saving issues, the need to signal the entrance of a VIP or the approach of
closing time, the
global lighting level may be dimmed or brightened, while still retaining the
color preferences of
the individuals and groups. This embodiment may employ a fixed hierarchy of
dedicated
lighting controllers. Because light sources 914 include sensors 904, light
sources 914 may be
considered to be part of lighting system 102 and also part of sensor system
104.

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[00148] FIG. 9D illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which light sources communicate
optically. Light
sources 916 may be luminaires, where light emitted from one light source 916
is modulated
with communication signals. This light is reflected off a surface 918 in the
environment and
detected by nearby light sources, which are configured to extract the
communication signal
from the overall detected light signal. Like light sources 914 and 902A-C,
because light sources
916 include sensors 904, light sources 916 may be considered to be part of
lighting system 102
and also part of sensor system 104.
[00149] FIG. 9E illustrates a block diagram of light sources for use in an
exemplary IMI system
according to embodiments of the invention in which light sources 920A-D,
communicate using
a variety of protocols. For example, light source 920A may communicate with
light source 92013
optically through reflection off of surface 918, light source 92013 may
communicate with light
source 920C wirelessly, and light source 920C may communicate with light
source 920D over a
wired connection.
[00150] In one embodiment, light sources 902A, 90213, 914A-C, 916, and 920A-D
will be hard
wired to a power supply line; in another embodiment, light sources 902A,
90213, 914A-C, 916,
and 920A-D are individually powered such as through individual solar panels or
via a battery.
[00151] FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram of a network layout according to
embodiments of
the invention. Network 1002 includes several regions 1004A-D having a
plurality of light
sources 1008, which are controlled by a distributed arrangement of controllers
1006A-E which
may reside in light sources 1008. For example, region 1004A may represent an
office, region
100413 may represent a corridor, region 1004C may represent a waiting room,
and region
1004D may represent a reception area. In one embodiment, each region 1004A-D
may
constitute a separate network.
[00152] The term "controller" is used herein generally to describe various
apparatus relating
to the operation of one or more lights. A controller can be implemented in
numerous ways
(e.g., such as with dedicated hardware) to perform various functions discussed
herein. A
"processor" is one example of a controller which employs one or more
microprocessors that

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may be programmed using software (e.g., microcode) to perform various
functions discussed
herein. A controller may be implemented with or without employing a processor,
and also may
be implemented as a combination of dedicated hardware to perform some
functions and a
processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associated
circuitry) to perform
other functions. Examples of controller components that may be employed in
various
embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to,
conventional
microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field-
programmable gate
arrays (FPGAs).
[00153] In one network implementation, one or more devices (e.g., a light or
light source in
general, a lighting unit or fixture, a controller or processor associated with
one or more light
sources or lighting units, other non-lighting related devices, etc.) coupled
to a network may
serve as a controller for one or more other devices coupled to the network
(e.g., in a
master/slave relationship). In another implementation, a networked environment
may include
one or more dedicated controllers that are configured to control one or more
of the devices
coupled to the network. Generally, multiple devices coupled to the network
each may have
access to data that is present on the communications medium or media; however,
a given
device may be "addressable" in that it is configured to selectively exchange
data with (i.e.,
receive data from and/or transmit data to) the network, based, for example, on
one or more
particular identifiers (e.g., "addresses") assigned to it.
[00154] The term "addressable" is used herein to refer to a device that is
configured to
receive information (e.g., data) intended for multiple devices, including
itself, and to selectively
respond to particular information intended for it. The term "addressable"
often is used in
connection with a networked environment, in which multiple devices are coupled
together via
some communications medium or media.
[00155] In various implementations, a processor or controller may be
associated with one or
more storage media (generically referred to herein as "memory," e.g., volatile
and non-volatile
computer memory such as RAM, PROM, EPROM, and [[PROM, floppy disks, compact
disks,
optical disks, magnetic tape, etc.). In some implementations, the storage
media may be
encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more
processors and/or

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controllers, perform at least some of the functions discussed herein. Various
storage media
may be fixed within a processor or controller or may be transportable, such
that the one or
more programs stored thereon can be loaded into a processor or controller so
as to implement
various aspects of the present invention discussed herein. The terms "program"
or "computer
program" are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer
code (e.g.,
software or microcode) that can be employed to program one or more processors
or
controllers.
[00156] Each of regions 1004A-D includes light sources 1008, which in one
embodiment may
be light sources 902A, 90213, 914A-C, 916, and 920A-D. Although region 1004A
is depicted as
having twelve light sources 1008, 100413 is depicted as having four light
sources 1008, 1004C is
depicted as having eight light sources 1008, and 1004D is depicted as having
six light sources
1008, a region may have only one light source. Light sources 1008 may
communicate with each
other via multiple control paths, including optical, wired, or wireless
communication paths.
[00157] One or more of light sources 1008 may have a processor and/or a
memory. In some
embodiments, light sources 1008 having a processor such as controllers 1006A-D
operate a
schema for light sources 1008 in a given region. For example, controller 1006C
may operate a
schema for waiting room region 1004C. In one embodiment, one of the light
sources having a
processor may be designated as a "master" processor or controller, which
monitors signals
from the other processors to ensure proper system operation. The master
processor may also
operate a schema for a particular region 1004A-D. For example, controller
1006D may operate
a schema for a region 1004D and may also act as the master processor for
network 1002. If a
master processor detects a problem in a processor within a light source, the
master processor
can designate a spare processor in the network to take over in running the
schema for a region.
If master controller 1006D detects a problem in a processor within a light
source, e.g.,
controller 1006A, master controller 1006D can designate a spare processor in
the network, e.g.,
controller 1006E to take over in running the schema for region 1004A. Memory
modules 1012
may store information such as schemata and user preferences. In one
embodiment, memory
modules 1012 each store the same information. If a controller cannot retrieve
information
from one memory module, it may retrieve the same information from another
memory module

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that it can communicate with. In another embodiment, one or more of memory
modules 1012
stores differing information from the other memory modules.
[00158] In one embodiment, if one or more region 1004A-D or section of a
region does not
have a controller 1006, the devices in the region 1004A-D may receive
instructions from and
the sensors may transmit observed parameters to the processor of another
region 1004A-D.
[00159] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, memory modules 1012 are
distributed
across the network. In this embodiment, subsystems, or regions within the
network may
submit data to other subsystems or regions which use the information to modify
localized
databases. For example, a particular set of behaviors may be established in
region 1004A, and
the preferences stored locally in a memory module 1012 located within region
1004A. In region
1004D, there may be no or very little established behavior, but if the sensors
there detect some
kind of different behavior, the controller 1006D can poll the memory modules
1012 within the
network, find the closest match and copy over the preferences or schema
parameters to the
local database/memory within region 1004D. In one embodiment, the controller
1006D may
also poll remote data stores to find the closest match and copy over
preferences or schema
parameters. The principle of transferring or copying lighting behavior from
one region of a
network to another can also be done using a database central to the network.
[00160] In one embodiment, lighting system 102 is an existing device such as a
Color Kinetics
iPlayer or an illumivision Pharos. Such lighting systems rely on standard
lighting network
communication protocols such as Dali, DMX, Zigbee. As such, lighting system
102 may enable
such protocols or other open standards to be used and therefore allow lighting
network 101 to
communicate using existing lighting protocols.
[00161] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating modification of a system schema
in accordance with
some embodiments of the invention. At 1102, an initial device output is set in
a schema stored
in schema data store 206. In one exemplary embodiment, the initial lighting
level may be set to
10% for when the room is unoccupied. At 1104, the sensor system 102 in
lighting network 101
detects the identity of user 108 in lighting network 101 such as by detecting
the presence of
personal identifier 110 or by detecting biometric data, and, at 1106,
executive module 106

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retrieves preferences associated with the user 108 (or the user's personal
schema, if any) from
data store 112. If the retrieved personal preferences indicate that a user
would prefer the light
source output to change, e.g., the user would prefer an 80% lighting level, at
1108, executive
module 106 sets a new light source output, and for example, may sets the
lighting level to 80%.
In this manner, executive module 106 modifies the system schema to conform to
the personal
preferences, including personalized device parameters of the current user and
translates the
modified schema into instructions for controlling the output setting of one or
more light
sources in lighting system 102. When translating schemata into instructions,
executive module
106 and/or its controller may interpret the instructions in accordance with
the configuration of
lighting network 101. For example, the executive 106 may interpret a
"Soothing" schema in
accordance with the capabilities of the lighting system 102. For example,
rules in a schema may
suggest that a light of a particular color be emitted, but lighting system 102
may not have the
capability of outputting that color. In that situation, executive module 106
may instruct lighting
system 102 to emit light of a similar color. The modified schema may be stored
in schema data
store 206. At 1110, when the sensor system 102 no longer detects the presence
of the user
108 in lighting network 101, executive module 106 sets the light source output
in lighting
system 102 in the schema back at the initial lighting level of 10% at 1102 and
stores the revised
schema in schema data store 206.
[00162] FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating an implementation of user
preferences or schemata
from a remote database in accordance with some embodiments of the invention
where
preferences or schemata for more than one user are taken into account. At
1202, an initial
device output is set. At 1204, sensor system 102 detects the presence of a
user, such as by
detecting the user's personal identifier 110, and, at 1206, executive module
106 retrieves
preferences associated with the user from data store 112. If the retrieved
personal preferences
or user's personal schema indicate that the user would prefer the device
output to change, at
1208, executive module 106 sets a new device output. At 1210, sensor system
104 detects an
additional user 116 (see FIG. 3), by, for example, detecting personal
identifier 114 in the
presence of network 101. At 1212, executive module 106 retrieves preferences
or a schema
associated with the second personal identifier 114 from data store 112. In one
embodiment,

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instead of or in addition to retrieving the preferences from data store 112,
the executive
module 106 polls users such as user 108 and user 116 to obtain the users'
current preference
data. Each user may input his or her current preferences into his or her
personal identifier,
which then provides this information to executive 106.
[00163] At 1214, the executive module 106 determines an average, or
combination, level
using the preferences from user 108 and additional user 116 having second
personal identifier
114. Such a combination may be, but is not limited to, a mix of the two users'
preferences, an
average of the users' preferences, and a sequence of the users' preferences.
The preference
data for one of the users may include registration data indicating that one of
the users has
priority status over the other, in which case the combination of the two
users' preferences may
be the selection of the higher priority user's preference, or a weighted
average of the user's
preferences giving higher weight to preference levels of the user having
higher priority, or a
weighted average weighted according to the length of time the personal
identifier, and the
corresponding user, has been present in the space. At 1216, executive module
106 sets the
new level of light output for the light sources of lighting system 102 as
determined at 1214.
[00164] The transition from one output setting to another may be immediate or
rapid, or it
may be delayed or gradual, so as not to ease the users present in the
environment into the new
settings. The transition time could be varied over a few seconds or a few
minutes and this
transition time may be included in a user's preference data.
[00165] FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an implementation of user
preferences or schemata
from a remote database in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
In FIG. 13, at
1302, executive module 106 receives data indicating the time of day either
from sensor system
104 or from an internal timing mechanism within the executive module 106. At
1304, the
sensor system 104 retrieves ambient sensor input, such as, but not limited to
weather input,
temperature input, and daylight level. At 1306, sensor system 104 detects one
or more users
by, for example, detecting personal identifiers 110, and, at 1308, executive
module 106
retrieves preferences associated with the users, such as the users' group
shared schema, from
data store 112. At 1310, executive module 106 adds the retrieved preference
data into local
data store 202. At 1312, executive module 106 inserts the shared preferences,
time, and other

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data retrieved from sensor system 104 into the system schema. At 1314, using
the modified
system schema, executive module 106 determines the control signals to be
transmitted to
lighting system 104 for implementation of the schema. At 1316, executive
module 106 sets a
new output for the light sources in lighting system 104.
[00166] In one embodiment, network 101 may provide the user with a tailored
experience
(for example, a tailored musical experience) as he visits various different
places throughout the
day. For example, a train station may have a video screen that can be
controlled according to
the preferences of the users in its vicinity. Someone who is looking for a job
may have
uploaded a short video clip introducing their skills and the type of work they
are looking for,
and optionally include a telephone number. This clip could automatically be
played on the
screen, for potential employers in the vicinity to see, facilitating a meeting
between the two.
People selling a car privately could do the same, or even if they are selling
other items.
Advertising could be linked to detected keywords.
[00167] While several inventive embodiments have been described and
illustrated herein,
those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of
embodiments for performing
the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages
described
herein.
[00168] For example, significant energy savings can be achieved in large
office buildings by
controlling the lighting and HVAC facilities for meeting rooms. That is, the
light sources can be
dimmed or turned off when the room is unoccupied, and the air conditioning can
be decreased.
An example schema for a meeting room might include one or more of the
following rules: (1) if
the meeting room is vacant, all device, including lights, should be off; (2)
if there is one
occupant in the room that is in motion, the room should be illuminated
according to the
occupant's preference data, but the occupants' preferences should be scaled to
within a small
range centered on white; (3) if there is one occupant in the room that is
stationary and sitting
at a table, the system should illuminate the occupant's desk area according to
the occupant's
preference data and illuminate the remainder of room at a reduced level, for
example, a
brightness that is 30% of a normal brightness; (4) if there are multiple
occupants in the meeting
room and all of the occupants are standing, the meeting room's light level
should be set to an

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average of the occupants' preferences; (5) if there are multiple occupants in
the meeting room
and one occupant sits down at a table, the lights projecting onto the table
where the occupant
is sitting should be set to the occupant's preference and the other room
lights should be
dimmed by 5%; (6) if all occupants are seated at one or more tables, the table
lights should be
set to the occupants' preferences in their particular areas around the table
or within the room
as much as feasible and the room lights not directed at tables should be
reduced to a 30%
brightness level; (7) if all occupants are seated and one or more occupants
becomes fidgety
after a certain amount of time has passed since the occupant was seated, add a
blue tinge to
the lights; and (8) as an occupant starts to stand, brighten up the room
according to the
occupant's preferences, but scale the light output to within a small range
centered on white.
This schema may be shared with other networks having meeting rooms.
[00169] In one embodiment a building management system can control the
lighting and
HVAC facilities, but it may alternately have only knowledge of meeting
schedules. The IMI
system can assist by monitoring when occupants enter or leave the room, and
inform the
building management system how many people are in the room. Because each
person typically
generates 100 watts of heat, a gathering of twenty or more people can have a
significant
impact on the meeting room HVAC requirements.
[00170] Lighting requirements in meeting rooms often vary as a meeting
activity changes.
For example, participants might change between video presentations and
whiteboard
discussions. Devices such as video projectors may or may not be connected to
the device
management system, and it may be confusing for users to manually control the
light sources if
general lighting is required during a video presentation. An IMI system,
however can determine
who is in the meeting from their personal identifiers. Their collective
lighting schemata and
locations can then be used to determine their most likely lighting preferences
for the specific
meeting room, based on past history.
[00171] In another example, a network whose coverage area includes a foyer
might generate
and/or implement the following schema to react to identified and unidentified
people. The
foyer schema may include a default mode, where no occupants have been detected
in the
coverage area of the network. In the default mode, the space is illuminated at
a low level with

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a slowly but continually changing color or brightness. Each time a person
enters the foyer, a
different color is introduced. The foyer schema may also include a mode for
when a person is
near the entrance to the foyer, but outside the foyer. In this mode, as the
person approaches
the entrance, the lighting level increases slightly or changes color, as a
kind of invitation to
enter. In one embodiment, either the doors to the foyer are transparent or
there are windows
near the door so that the occupant can see the change in lighting level or
lighting color. The
foyer schema may include a mode for when an occupant just entered the foyer
and is looking
around. In this mode, the brightness in one particular or randomly selected
area is increased,
or there is a color change in that area. As the occupant's focus shifts to the
area, the system
tracks the occupant's gaze. The brightness or color change is then further
intensified. In one
embodiment, the bright or colored area then starts to move around the room
slowly, and the
system may continue to track the occupant's gaze. If the occupant follows the
bright or colored
area, the intensified brightness or color may continue. If not, the bright or
colored area may
restart from the initial zone, trying to induce the occupant to follow the
area with his or her
gaze, maybe at a slower or faster speed. If the occupant looks elsewhere, the
area where the
occupant gazes may brighten or become colored and the process may be retried
from this new
starting point. In one embodiment, if the occupant starts to smile or verbally
acknowledges the
bright or colored area, the whole room may respond with a momentary
intensification of color.
In this mode the room is trying to show her what it can do, but only in so far
as the occupant
responds positively to it. In one mode, if the occupant points to a particular
area within the
foyer, for example if the occupant is pointing out the bright or colored area
to a guest
accompanying him or her, the area where the occupant is pointing will brighten
or intensify in
color, and the color used may be retrieved from the occupant's preferences or
schema, if the
occupant has enabled them, or retrieved from the guest's preferences or
schema, if the guest
has enabled preferences or a schema. In one embodiment, if the occupant turns
around in
admiration of the foyer, the occupant may be rewarded with a warm glow around
her,
according to a color selected from the occupant's preferences. If there are
people in the foyer
already, the lighting intensification, color, and movement may be minimized in
the vicinity of
these people so as not to disturb them. The lighting around those people
already in the system

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may be determined by some implementation of a combination of their preferences
limited by
the gamut defined in the schema. Such a combination may be, but are not
limited to, a mix of
the occupants' preferences, an average of the occupants' preferences, a
selected prioritized
occupants' preference, a weighted average of the occupants' preferences based
upon occupant
priorities; and a sequence of different occupant's preferences.
[00172] In the foyer example, when an occupant has entered and heads to a
location within
the foyer, if at any point the occupant is not interested in looking around,
for example the
occupant simply sits down and read a newspaper, or goes straight to a location
(e.g. washroom,
bar, reception desk), the lighting system responds, by providing reading light
according to her
preference, going to a static illumination mode according to her preference,
or by trying to
determine the location she is going to walk to and providing extra
illumination for it according
to her preference. If there are two or three possible destinations, all are
illuminated until the
system makes a more accurate determination as to where the occupant is going.
As the
occupant walks towards a destination, a warmer glow may surround her. It may
be related to
the weather, or be opposite to the weather, the predominant color or
complementary color of
the clothing, or according to a level of seniority or priority of the
occupant. In addition, the
color or brightness of the light following the occupant may be determined by
the occupant's
preference data. The foyer may also have a mode for when the occupant has
entered the foyer
and has found an activity to do. In this mode, the local lighting adjusts to
the occupant's
activity and the occupant's lighting preference for that activity. The rest of
the lighting
gradually decreases in brightness to save energy, but it still gradually
changes color, so that
every time the occupant's gaze looks away from the activity it is slightly
different. If the
occupant then starts to look around more, the lighting may continue to change,
either gradually
or rapidly.
[00173] In yet another example, a schema may be created for a private office
for a user. This
schema may be implemented in a network having: a lighting system that
includes, but is not
limited to switchable and/or dimmable light sources; and a sensor system
having one or more
of occupancy sensors, motion sensors, personal identifier sensors such as RFID
tag sensors, and
personal identifier geolocation sensors such as RFID tag geolocation sensors.
The network may

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further include one or more of the below software modules embodied on a
computer-readable
medium: timer or event scheduling module, a behavior learning capability
module, and an
energy use logging and reporting capabilities module. The network may
communicate with a
building management system.
[00174] For example, a user may work in a private office without any windows,
use an RFID
key fob to receive access to the private office building upon arrival at the
office, and generally
proceed directly from the front door of the building to the occupant's private
office. During the
day, the user may typically remain in the user's office, but occasionally
leaves for scheduled
meetings for extended time periods, leaving the private office vacant. The
user may
occasionally work late at night and on the weekends, and these may occur
regularly, or at
random times. The IMI system can receive notification from the security system
that the user
has entered the building, whereupon it can turn on the luminaires in the
private office. If the
user has arrived early and the building luminaires are off apart from security
lighting, an IMI
system can turn on only those luminaires needed to illuminate the route to the
user's private
office. The sensor system can also query the user's RFID tag on a regular
basis to determine the
user's location to within a pre-set distance, for example one meter. If the
user is in a meeting
somewhere in the building, the sensor system can detect this and the executive
module can
turn the user's office lights off following some preset delay, and turn them
upon the user's
return.
[00175] An IMI system may also control the intensity of the user's office
lighting throughout
the day to mimic the change in intensity of natural daylight. In addition, if
the private office has
solid-state lighting (SSL) luminaires, the system may also control the color
temperature and
spectral content to cue the user's circadian rhythm. Studies of nightshift
workers (and
submarine sailors) have shown that changing the lighting in this manner
reduces employee
stress levels.
[00176] An IMI system also knows from the user's preferences that the user
prefers
reasonably high levels of ambient lighting, while the person in an adjacent
office may prefer
much lower levels of ambient lighting. If that person visits the user's
office, the IMI system may
choose to dim the user's office lighting as a compromise. As the primary
resident of the private

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office, the user may be entitled to override this behavior. If the user
overrides the dimming of
the lights often enough, the IMI system will learn the user's preference
without being expressly
informed of this preference.
[00177] An IMI system may also access a pyroelectric or ultrasonic occupancy
sensor in the
user's office. If it determines that the user's personal identifier says the
user is in the private
office but there is no detected movement for an extended period of time, the
IMI system may
dim or turn off the lighting system on the assumption that the user has left
the office but left
the personal identifier on the user's desk or fallen asleep. Again, the user
may override this
behavior, and if overridden often enough, an IMI system will learn to extend
the occupancy
sensor delay time and eventually ignore it altogether.
[00178] An IMI system may also be connected to the user's personal schedule
and other
devices, so if it detects that the user is asleep as the time of an
appointment is approaching, it
will sound an alarm, play the user's favorite music and/or raise the
brightness of the lights.
[00179] In one embodiment, the building manager has access to the user's daily
activities,
although these activities may be provided to the building manager anonymously
for privacy
reasons. This may provide the building manager with records of the user's
monthly energy
consumption. If the user is diligent in allowing an IMI system to conserve
energy (such as being
permitted to turn off the lights in the private office when it is unoccupied),
the user may be
credited a small but noticeable amount in his or her paycheck or offered some
other incentive.
[00180] An IMI system may also query the building management system to
determine the
hourly electrical energy cost from the utility company and perform load
shedding by dimming
the luminaires when needed or desired.
[00181] Another exemplary schema may be created for a private office for a
user. This
schema may be implemented in a network having: a lighting system that
includes, but is not
limited to switchable and/or dimmable luminaires, a programmable desk lamp
having an optical
receiver, motorized blinks and/or electrochromic windows; and a sensor system
having one or
more of occupancy sensors, motion sensors, personal identifier sensors such as
RFID tag
sensors, and personal identifier geolocation sensors such as RFID tag
geolocation sensors;

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luminaire or ceiling-mounted daylight photosensors, exterior photosensors,
imaging sensors,
and color temperature sensors. The network may further include one or more of
the below
software modules embodied on a computer-readable medium: timer or event
scheduling
module, a behavior learning capability module, an energy use logging and
reporting capabilities
module; and an image processing and analysis capability module. The network
may
communicate with a building management system and/or an office computer
system.
[00182] In this embodiment, a user may have a private office with west-facing
windows. The
user may prefer the luminaires to be energized during the morning hours, but
there may
usually be enough daylight ingress in the afternoon to dim the luminaires or
turn them off
altogether. However, the sun can be a glare source during the late afternoon
in the summer
months, and so the user may sometimes closes the blinds and turns the lights
on. The user may
also prefer the luminaires to be dimmed when the user is working with his
computer with a
desk lamp for task lighting, but the user may need more light when the user
holds meetings in
the office.
[00183] An IMI system can monitor a luminaire- or ceiling-mounted daylight
sensor within the
room, or it can monitor a roof-mounted daylight sensor. In the first instance,
an IMI system can
operate the luminaires in a closed-loop feedback mode to maintain constant
desktop
illumination in the room. In the second instance, an IMI system can operate
the luminaires in
an open-loop mode to achieve the same goal, although it must assume that the
blinds are
open.
[00184] By itself, a ceiling-mounted photosensor can only determine the
average amount of
reflected light within its field of view. However, in one embodiment, an IMI
system can
determine from the time of day and calendar date where it is likely that the
sun is a potential
glare source and close the blinds if they are motorized or equivalently darken
an electrochromic
window.
[00185] In addition, in one embodiment, if the ceiling-mounted photosensor is
an imaging
device, an IMI system can process the images for various purposes, including:
a) determining
the current desktop illumination; b) detecting whether the room is occupied;
c) determining the

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positions of the occupants within the room; and d) performing security
functions when the
room is unoccupied or after hours. An IMI system could potentially monitor a
computer-
mounted Webcam.
[00186] In another embodiment, if the user regularly closes the blinds on
sunny days during
the summer months, an IMI system can learn this behavior and perform the
function
automatically when appropriate. If this action is not desired, a simple "undo
last event"
command entered through a desktop computer or cellular telephone is enough to
retrain IMI.
[00187] Although many daylight control systems can be easily confused by
external events
such as passing clouds on a sunny day or reflections from delivery vehicles
(which is a real-life
example), in one embodiment, an IMI system can compare a photosensor's output
with those
of other photosensors in the building or even other buildings in the vicinity
to determine more
appropriate responses.
[00188] The ability to monitor and share information from multiple sensors may
be valuable
for security in some embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, if the
imaging device
detects movement within the room at night, it may be an intruder or simple
light from a
passing car. However, if it subsequently detects movement outside the room, it
is likely an
intruder and so an alarm event is raised to the building management system.
[00189] In one embodiment, if an IMI system detects that the user is in the
room according to
the position of his personal identifier, it may query the office computer
system for recent
desktop computer activity to determine whether the overhead luminaires should
be dimmed
and the desk lamp turned on.
[00190] In some embodiments, it may be more economical to equip a desk lamp
and other
light sources with a photodetector that can receive commands generated by the
overhead
luminaires instead of connecting the desk lamp to the lighting network with
its own IP address.
The light output of fluorescent or SSL lamps with can be modulated with
digital commands
(similar to an infrared remote control) that cannot be visually perceived by
users.

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[00191] In some embodiments, an IMI system may also consult or conversely not
be notified
by the user's meeting scheduler and change the room lighting in preparation
for scheduled
meetings, offering a subtle visual cue that the meeting is about to begin.
[00192] With multicolor SSL luminaires, an IMI system further has the
opportunity to monitor
the color temperature of the daylight entering the room and adjust the
luminaire color
temperature accordingly.
[00193] According to embodiments described herein, once the schema for the
user's private
office is established, the schema, adapted towards the user's preferences, may
be shared with
other networks. For example, the schema may be accessed by a network operated
in the user's
home office, or when the user is working from a satellite office other than
his typical office.
[00194] Another exemplary schema may be created for a working space for a user
that is not
a private office, such as an open office cubicle. Such a working space may
have, for example,
overhead direct-indirect fluorescent lighting and under-cabinet task lighting.
[00195] An IMI system can offer the user working in such a working space
independent
control of the task and ambient lighting due to the overhead luminaires
directly over his desk.
The IMI system may also be aware of the lighting distribution throughout the
office space
where the working space is located, and so can ensure that dimming these
luminaires does not
negatively impact the task and ambient lighting of neighboring working spaces,
or cubicles. For
example, an IMI system can quickly learn worker preferences by recording
worker responses to
changes in the task and ambient lighting initiated by their co-workers. While
it may not
guarantee full satisfaction for everyone, it can quickly establish an optimal
balance. In one
embodiment, office workers may be polled upon the implementation of an
environmental
change by a co-worker; in another embodiment, office worker preferences are
learned based
upon workers' environmental manual modifications in response to co-worker
changes.
[00196] In a schema according to this embodiment, an IMI system can monitor
daylight
ingress and save energy by dimming the overhead luminaires as appropriate. It
may also
operate motorized blinds or electrochromic windows in order to minimize visual
glare. In some
embodiments, an IMI system has access to multiple sensors, and so can build a
better

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understanding of the distribution of both electric light and daylight
throughout the space. Even
if it cannot track individuals within the space in real time, it can examine
the output from
multiple photosensors and imaging sensors to distinguish between changes in
light levels due
to moving people and changing daylight conditions.
[00197] If however an IMI system can track individuals, it can respond to
emergency
situations requiring building evacuations by calculating the optimal egress
routes without the
danger of crowding exits and indicate them via flashing overhead luminaires.
It can further
ensure that everyone has evacuated the building, and locate people who have
been unable to
do so.
[00198] In the schema for a working space, an imaging sensor mounted in the
ceiling or
overhead luminaire can monitor the user's position and control the under-
cabinet task lighting
accordingly. Alternatively, a flush-mounted pyroelectric motion sensor located
in the display
monitor could be monitored by an IMI system to control both the computer power-
saving
mode and the task lighting in the cubicle.
[00199] According to embodiments described herein, this schema can be shared
with other
buildings, networks, and IMI systems. For example, an IMI system with a
network whose
coverage area includes working spaces may wish to utilize pre-established
schema for operating
in working spaces.
[00200] In some embodiment, lighting system includes SSL-based luminaires
capable of free-
space visible light communications. SSL-based luminaires do not need any low
voltage wiring or
conduits for communication cables, which may be helpful for embodiments where
an IMI
system is retrofitted into offices where installation of new communications
wiring and conduit
can be prohibitively expensive. A system utilizing SSL-based luminaires may
also be inherently
fault-tolerant. All luminaires within line of sight of one another are capable
of communication
with any other luminaire in the group. If one luminaire or its on-board
processor fails for any
reason, the rest of the network is unaffected. Moreover, luminaires that are
not in line of sight
of each other may still communicate via one or more luminaires that are within
line of sight of
both luminaires. Moreover, a system utilizing SSL-based luminaires can utilize
visible light

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communications without regards to radio frequency interference or channel
capacity
limitations, as may occur with wireless communication techniques such as
Zigbee or Bluetooth.
In addition, no additional power electronics are required for SSL-based
luminaires, as for
example is required by some infrared LEDs or radio-frequency transceivers. The
visible light
modulators are an integral component of the LED drivers.
[00201] Another exemplary schema may be created for use in a hotel. For
example, a hotel
may implement schemata to use spotlights or wallwashers to indicate that a
staff member is
available to serve the next guest. A network in a hotel having sensor system
that can identify
guests, can direct guests via lighting cues to staff members who are already
prepared to deal
with their registration.
[00202] Lighting, and particularly color, can also be used to identify where
tour group
members should gather in a large hotel lobby or restaurant. Here, RFID-
equipped hotel room
key cards can serve to locate and direct patrons in a non-obtrusive manner.
[00203] In a similar manner, colored lighting can be used to assist two people
from locating
each other in a large lobby, by for example changing intensity or color when
they are in close
proximity. In a similar manner, an IMI system can direct a newly arrived guest
to their room by
tracking their RFID-equipped hotel room key and increasing the light level
next to their door in
a long corridor, or to flash a luminaire if they make a wrong turn when for
example exiting the
elevator.
[00204] The lighting management system may be perceived by the customers as a
system
that is responding to and assisting them, instead of or in addition to a
system that is being
controlled by the hotel.
[00205] In a hotel swimming pool or exercise room, guests may find themselves
alone in the
late evening or early morning. In this situation, an IMI system could use a
camera to track the
person position in the swimming pool and follow them with colored lights (such
as LEDs
embedded in the pool rim) or vary the intensity of color accent lighting in
the exercise room
based on their level of physical activity.

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[00206] In hotel rooms, an IMI system can slowly increase the lighting level
in the morning
ten minutes or so before the alarm goes off, providing the body with a natural
lighting cue that
simulates sunrise. Similarly, the bathroom lights can be turned on
automatically if the guest
gets out of bed during the night. In hotel grounds and gardens at night, an
IMI system can
direct guests along the pathways by tracking the guests' position and
controlling the landscape
lighting accordingly.
[00207] According to embodiments described herein, once the schema for the
hotel is
created, the schema may be shared with other networks and IMI systems, such
as, for example,
other hotels, motels, condominium buildings, and apartment complexes, that
have similar
amenities and lighting systems to the hotel for which the schema was
established.
[00208] Another exemplary schema may be created for use in a shopping mall or
for
individual stores within the shopping mall. Shoppers having personal
identifiers indicating
membership in a rewards program may be notified via changing storefront colors
if there are
sales of interest or special events as they approach the store. To other
shoppers, the changing
colors may represent a pleasant windows display, but for members the changes
can serve as a
notification.
[00209] The store entrance lighting may also change color momentarily as a
rewards program
member enters the store (but only if they have enabled this functionality),
thereby
acknowledging their presence and welcoming them. This may also serve as an
inducement to
other customers to consider rewards program membership, particularly if they
are shopping
with friends.
[00210] In its most general sense, the IMI environment disclosed herein is an
association of
systems that may be combined to perform IMI-related functions, and the network
as such does
not need to be fixed. For example, computers hosting sensors in a sensor
system, e.g., ambient
light and occupancy sensors, may not even be aware that they are being used
for IMI purposes.
If they are, the computers can influence its operation without the IMI system
being
programmed to monitor and control them. From IM I's perspective, the computers
are simply
data sources.

CA 02748984 2016-02-04
56146-1
=
-63 -
[00211] While several inventive embodiments have been described and
illustrated herein,
those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other
means and/or structures
for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of
the advantages
described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed
to be within the
scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, those
skilled in the art
will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and
configurations described
herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions,
materials,
and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or
applications for which the
Inventive teachings Is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or
be able to ascertain
using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific
inventive
embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the
foregoing
embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of
the
appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be
practiced otherwise
than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the
present disclosure
are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit,
and/or method described =
herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems,
articles, materials,
kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits,
and/or methods are not
mutually inconsistent, is Included within the inventive scope of the present
disclosure.
[00212] AU definitions, as defined and used herein, sh,ould be understood to
control over
dictionary definitions, definitions in documents referred to herein, and/or
ordinary
meanings of the defined tercps.
[00213] The indefinite articles "a" and "an," as used herein in the
specification and in the
=
claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean
"at least one."
[00214] The phrase "and/or," as used herein in the specification and in the
claims, should be
understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so conjoined, i.e.,
elements that are
conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases.
Multiple elements
listed with "and/or" should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., "one or
more" of the
elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the
elements
specifically identified by the "and/or" clause, whether related or unrelated
to those elements

CA 02748984 2011-07-04
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specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to "A
and/or B", when used
in conjunction with open-ended language such as "comprising" can refer, in one
embodiment,
to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment,
to B only
(optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to
both A and B
(optionally including other elements); etc.
[00215] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, "or" should be
understood to
have the same meaning as "and/or" as defined above. For example, when
separating items in a
list, "or" or "and/or" shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the
inclusion of at least one,
but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and,
optionally, additional
unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as "only
one of" or "exactly
one of," or, when used in the claims, "consisting of," will refer to the
inclusion of exactly one
element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term "or" as used
herein shall only be
interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. "one or the other but
not both") when
preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as "either," "one of," "only one of,"
or "exactly one of."
"Consisting essentially of," when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary
meaning as used in
the field of patent law.
[00216] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase "at
least one," in
reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at
least one
element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements,
but not
necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically
listed within the list of
elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of
elements. This
definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the
elements
specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase "at
least one" refers,
whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus,
as a non-limiting
example, "at least one of A and B" (or, equivalently, "at least one of A or
B," or, equivalently "at
least one of A and/or B") can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one,
optionally including
more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other
than B); in
another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B,
with no A present
(and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment,
to at least one,

CA 02748984 2011-07-04
WO 2010/079388 PCT/1B2009/052811
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optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including
more than one, B
(and optionally including other elements); etc.
[00217] It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the
contrary, in any
methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of
the steps or acts
of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or
acts of the method
are recited.
[00218] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional
phrases such as
"comprising," "including," "carrying," "having," "containing," "involving,"
"holding," "composed
of," and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean
including but not limited
to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially
of" shall be closed
or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United
States Patent Office
Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

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Appendix A: Exemplary Registration and Preference data
Registration Data Preferences
Pre-determined registration data Consumables that you enjoy
2 Place and date of birth 43 Favorite meal
71 Local native time 61 Diner
22 Astrology sign 34 Vegetarian or not
6 Nationality 30 Favorite drink
8 Age 31 What are you drinking
144 Age 46 Favorite scent / smell
20 Family tree 36 Perfumes: favorite
smells
21 Sexes: Male/female 79 Smoke kind
89 DNA markers
23 Blood type
Effects that you enjoy
Medical registration data 27 Preferred light dynamics
4 Doctor and hospital 109 Type of experiences you like
Medicine 164 Preferred Lighting Dynamics
122 Diet 182 Favorite lighting designers
193 Favorite lighting scenes
Professional registration data 195 Favorite natural light scene
3 Company you work for
7 Job Conditions that you enjoy
13 Level of income 48 Favorite ambient
temperature
112 Professional background 68 Preferred
way of transport
127 Aisle or window seat
Relations related to registration data 77 Favorite time of day
5 Single or not 88 Favorite time of the day
18 ICE-numbers 82 Preferred travel
companion
74 Your home address 87 Description of
travel companion
76 Name girlfriends
184 Name girlfriends
95 Animals Locations that you enjoy

148 Children status 49 Favorite
locations on second life
41 Favorite country
Subscriptions related registration data
1 Network ID Media preferences
11 E-mail address 40 Media preferences
12 Phone number 67 Movies you've
watched recently
16 Bank account number 84 Movies you've
watched recently
24 Insurance 139 Favorite music

CA 02748984 2011-07-04
WO 2010/079388 PCT/1B2009/052811
- 67 -
Service providers 32 Favorite music
86 Which electronic devices you own 140
Favorite art
169 Loyalty card 158 Music instruments
151 Music instruments
Skills related registration data 152 Movie stars
9 Languages you speak 156 Cartoons
130 Special skills 157 Favorite authors
142 Highschool 33 Favorite quotes
159 Education level 161 TV stations
37 Favorite newschannel
Data on state of affairs 163 Toys
185 Current time
192 Time of day (current) Activity
preferences
226 Weather outside forecast 141 Favorite
sport
171 Police in the neighborhood 149
Favorite games you play and level
179 Frequency of information supply 133
Highlights of your life
194 Expiration indicator
199 Active questions Relation preferences
174 Brunette / blonde preference
198 Kind of relation that you are
looking for
Activity related data 25 Homosexual or not
135 Social allergies
Travel related activities
69 Place where you come from
Expression related preferences
70 Place where you go to 29 Color of
your clothes
Warning that you don't want to go in a
189 certain place 72 Color of your
clothes
85 Next destination 35 Favorite fashion
/ clothes
94 Travel plans 26 Favorite color
118 Time you stay in the hotel 66 Car type
137 Ordered a taxi 146 Preferred brand
38 Favorite brands
Reading related activities 47 Preferred personal brand
110 Memory book 90 Person who you want to
be
145 Share photo's and books 80 Second
life character (avatar)
83 Book you are reading 2D3 Carbon
footprint
81 Green level environment
39 Heroes
Schedule related activities Social / Cultural Preferences
53 Agenda 42 Political interest
63 Activity of that day 44 Political
view

CA 02748984 2011-07-04
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115 Activity need 28 Religion
73 Time you woke up 132 Cultural do's and don'ts
102 Time of presence 45 Career ambition
78 Free for dinner
120 Being served Tribes
153 Your turn to get seated in a restaurant
51 Same hyves
200 Ask for attention (speech) 52 Friends
available
176 Give turns in speaking 55 People
having the same interest
181 Don't disturb me 56 Same interest
191 Don't disturb status indication 57
Same thinking @ moment
97 Social networks
Biometric and physical data 128 Connections on linked - lin
129 People memory + reminder
Biometric condition data 138 Tribe you belong to
58 Physical condition 162 Favorite
friends
59 Fysical condition 183 People you
don't want to meet
105 Physical strength 116 Favorite sports
clubs
106 Fighting skill 65 Favorite sport
107 Fighting capabilities
75 Biometric information
113 Biometric data Privacy related
preferences
98 All biometric 2D4 Blocking info
2D5 Don't give info
177 Help I'm shy
Other biometric data
180 Pain threshold Capability Data
64 Aura
190 Measure alpha waves from the brain
Data on personal capabilities
196 Circadian cycle rhythm 62 Myers
briggs type indicator
197 Indication of sleeping problems 131
Strengths and weaknesses
Biometric response to previous lighting
125 experience 119 Your personal strength
117 Hormone levels 121 E.Q.
101 Activity level 123 I.Q.
167 Personal reviews
Condition of body functions 126 Security clearance eve
Eye sight: rather you can see in dimmed
165 light
17 Color blind Buying power related
data
Things you cannot afford will not be
19 Eyes sight 168 illuminated
178 Hearing impairment 188 Stocks

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- 69 -
166 Epileptic attack 15 Credit level
96 Health 170 Status
60 Allergies 2D2 Social back ground
2D1 Cloaking level
Physical data
154 Weight Game capabilities related
data
187 Height of the bar chair 147 Games you
play
155 Height 160 Games you play
172 3D Body scan for fashion shopping 150
Luck in casino / game
173 Your length: chair goes up and down
134 Your luck in a casino
14 Golf handicap
Mood related data 136 Golf handicap
50 Mood related data 1D3 Competitive level
92 Whether you are rushed 143 Highest
score of video games
93 State of mind
99 Tired - lights dim Perceived
capabilities
100 Arousal level 54 Attractiveness
1D8 Popularity level
Consumption related data 111 Personal impression
91 Drunk or not 186 Perceived statuls of
other people
114 How drunk you are
175 Alcohol %
104 Calories you have used and have taken
124 Diet status calories taken + used

Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

For a clearer understanding of the status of the application/patent presented on this page, the site Disclaimer , as well as the definitions for Patent , Administrative Status , Maintenance Fee  and Payment History  should be consulted.

Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date 2017-01-03
(86) PCT Filing Date 2009-06-29
(87) PCT Publication Date 2010-07-15
(85) National Entry 2011-07-04
Examination Requested 2014-06-26
(45) Issued 2017-01-03
Deemed Expired 2020-08-31

Abandonment History

There is no abandonment history.

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Application Fee $400.00 2011-07-04
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 2 2011-06-29 $100.00 2011-07-04
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 3 2012-06-29 $100.00 2012-06-19
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 4 2013-07-02 $100.00 2013-06-18
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 5 2014-06-30 $200.00 2014-06-20
Request for Examination $800.00 2014-06-26
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 6 2015-06-29 $200.00 2015-06-17
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 7 2016-06-29 $200.00 2016-06-23
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2016-09-16
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2016-09-16
Final Fee $300.00 2016-11-09
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 8 2017-06-29 $200.00 2017-06-19
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 9 2018-06-29 $200.00 2018-06-15
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 10 2019-07-02 $250.00 2019-06-21
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
Past Owners on Record
KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Claims 2011-07-04 10 334
Drawings 2011-07-04 14 120
Description 2011-07-04 69 3,080
Abstract 2011-07-04 2 83
Representative Drawing 2011-07-04 1 5
Cover Page 2011-09-08 1 43
Claims 2011-08-17 6 241
Claims 2016-02-04 4 153
Description 2016-02-04 70 3,141
Representative Drawing 2016-12-13 1 4
Cover Page 2016-12-13 1 44
PCT 2011-07-04 14 472
Assignment 2011-07-04 2 78
Prosecution-Amendment 2011-08-17 8 320
Prosecution-Amendment 2014-06-26 2 83
Change to the Method of Correspondence 2015-01-15 2 69
Examiner Requisition 2015-08-04 4 237
Amendment 2016-02-04 13 562
Assignment 2016-09-16 17 882
Final Fee 2016-11-09 2 76