System bridge and timeclock for RF controlled lighting systems

1. A wireless lighting control system, wherein all wireless transmissions are on the same Radio Frequency (RF), the system comprising:

a first lighting control subnet operatively connected to a first lighting device;

a second lighting control subnet operatively connected to a second lighting device; and

a bridge in wireless and operative communications with the first and second lighting control subnets and the first and second lighting control devices, wherein said bridge transmits a link claim to the first and second lighting control subnets after waiting for a backoff time after the RE signal has ended, transmits a command to the first lighting control subnet with respect to the first lighting device, assigns a random wait time to said first lighting control subnet, and assigns a maximum random wait time to said second lighting control subnet, and receives an acknowledgement from said first lighting control subnet.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bridge receives a RF signal from said first lighting control subnet.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the RF signal comprises a lighting scene identifier associated with a lighting scene stored in the bridge.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the RF signal comprises a lighting command associated with a lighting scene, and wherein the bridge determines the lighting scene associated with the lighting command.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the RF signal is responsive to a button press on a master control in said first lighting control subnet.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said bridge further comprises a display, wherein said display indicates a status of the first and second lighting devices according to the command.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the display is a LCD screen.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the display is a LED display.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first lighting control subnet comprises a master control.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said master control comprises an indicator, wherein said indicator displays a status of the first lighting device according to the command.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the indicator is a LED display.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the indicator is a LCD screen.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first lighting control subnet comprises a lighting control device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the lighting control device is a dimmer.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bridge further transmits a second link claim to said first and second lighting control subnets, transmits a second command to said first lighting control subnet with respect to the first lighting device, assigns a second random wait time to said first lighting control subnet, and assigns a second maximum random wait time to said second lighting control subnet, and receives a second acknowledgement from said first lighting control subnet.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bridge further transmits a second link claim to said first and second lighting control subnets, transmits a third link claim to said first lighting control subnet, transmits a second command to said second lighting control subnet with respect to the second lighting device, assigns a second random wait time to said second lighting control subnet, and assigns a second maximum random wait time to said first lighting control subnet, and receives a second acknowledgement from said second lighting control subnet.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bridge is operatively connected to an external device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the bridge is operatively connected to the external device by way of an RS-232 connection.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the bridge receives time information from the external device, determines when a sunrise and sunset time will occur based on a location of the bridge, and transmits the link claim relative to the sunrise and sunset times.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the bridge receives time information from the external device and transmits the link claim in response to received time information.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the bridge transmits the link claim in response to an alarm received from the external device.

22. A method for operatively interconnecting a first and second lighting control subnet, wherein each subnet operates at the same RF, comprising:

(a) transmitting a link claim to the first and second lighting control subnets from a bridge, wherein the link claim directs the first and second lighting control subnets to wait for a lighting control command;

(b) transmitting the lighting control command to the first lighting control subnet;

(c) assigning a random wait time to the first lighting control subnet;

(d) assigning a maximum random wait time to the second lighting control subnet; and

(e) receiving an acknowledgement from the first lighting control subnet.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising executing step (a) in response to a button press on the bridge.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising executing step (a) in response to receiving a RF signal transmitted by a master control of the first lighting control subnet.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising waiting for a random backoff time before executing step (a).

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the RF signal is transmitted by the master control in response to a button press.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the RF signal comprises a lighting scene identifier associated with a phantom button stored on the bridge.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the RF signal comprises a second lighting control command associated with a lighting scene.

29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising determining a phantom button associated with the lighting scene according to the lighting control command.

30. The method of claim 22 , further comprising repeating steps (a)-(d).

31. The method of claim 22 , further comprising displaying, on the bridge, a status of each subnet according to the acknowledgement.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein displaying a status comprises illuminating a LED.

33. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

(t) transmitting a second link claim to the first and second lighting control subnets;

(g) transmitting a second lighting control command to the first lighting control subnet;

(h) assigning a second random wait time to the first lighting control subnet;

(i) assigning a second maximum random wait time to the second lighting control subnet; and

(j) receiving a second acknowledgement from the first lighting control subnet.

34. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

(f) transmitting a second link claim to the first and second lighting control subnets;

(g) transmitting a third link claim to the first lighting control subnet;

(h) transmitting a second lighting control command to the second lighting control subnet;

(i) assigning a second random wait time to the second lighting control subnet;

(j) assigning a second maximum random wait time to the first lighting control subnet; and

(k) receiving a second acknowledgement from the second lighting control subnet.

35. The method of claim 22 , further comprising receiving time information; determining, based on stored information and the received time information, a sunset and sunrise time; and executing step (a) in response to said determination.

36. The system of claim 22 , further comprising receiving time information and executing step (a) in response to said time information.

37. The method of claim 22 , further comprising executing step (a) in response to an alarm condition received by the bridge.