ADAPTABLE WIRELESS POWER, LIGHT AND AUTOMATION SYSTEM
A power control unit and method of use thereof for varying the supply of electricity to an electrical apparatus using a wireless communications link between a controller and the power control unit. The power control unit is adapted to alternatively communicate with the controller using a non-peer-to-peer communications standard or a peer-to-peer communications standard such as Wi-Fi Direct.
1 . A method for automatically adjusting an environmental control of a structure, comprising:
electronically determining a geographic location of a personal controller;
downloading an environmental control program to the personal controller, the environmental control program being configured based on the geographic location of the personal controller; and
transferring at least a portion of the environmental control program to a power control unit having a microcontroller, and a power control circuit configured to vary the supply of electricity to the environmental control.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control comprises lighting.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the lighting comprises interior lighting.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the lighting includes exterior lighting.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein an ambient light sensor is connected to the power control unit, the power control unit including a memory storing a predetermined sensitivity level for the sensor, further comprising:
varying the supply of electricity to the lighting when the light level indicated by the sensor meets the sensitivity level stored in the memory of the power control unit.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control comprises a control for regulating temperature.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control program is configured to vary the environmental control based on whether the structure is a commercial or residential structure.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the environmental control program is transferred to the power control unit wired into the structure.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the environmental control program is transferred to the power control unit adapted to plug into an electrical socket.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control program is configured to vary the supply of electricity to the environmental control based on data that includes a time of sunrise and a time of sunset for a given calendar date and geographic location.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control program comprises a default schedule configured to vary the supply of electricity to the environmental control based on predetermined hours of daylight on a given calendar date for the electronically determined geographic location.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control program includes a default schedule configured to vary the supply of electricity to the environmental control based on predetermined business hours for a commercial entity at the electronically determined geographic location.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the environmental control program is transferred using a peer-to-peer communications standard.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the peer-to-peer communications standard includes Wi-Fi Direct.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a link using the peer-to-peer communications standard is established by simulating a network access point.
16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a diagnostic assessment of the power control unit and communicating results of the assessment to the personal controller.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the results are communicated via Wi-Fi Direct.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the results are communicated by simulating a network access point.
19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing the diagnostic assessment of the power control unit and communicating results of the assessment to an entity not in possession of the personal controller.
20 . A system for automatically adjusting, with a personal controller, an environmental control, the system comprising:
a wireless control module operable for wireless communication with the personal controller, the wireless control module comprising a microcontroller configured to operate the wireless control module using a peer-to-peer communications standard to communicate with the personal controller; and
a power control circuit configured to vary a supply of electricity to the environmental control based at least in part on instructions communicated from the personal controller through the microcontroller of the wireless control module, the instructions being based at least in part on data that includes a geographic location of the wireless control module.
21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to instruct the power control circuit to vary the supply of electricity based on data which includes a time of sunrise and a time of sunset for a given calendar date and geographic location.
22 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to instruct the power control circuit to vary the supply of electricity according to a pre-programmed default schedule, the schedule being based on hours of daylight on a given calendar date for the geographic location of the wireless module.
23 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to instruct the power control circuit to vary the supply of electricity according to a pre-programmed default schedule, the schedule being based on pre-determined business hours for a commercial entity at the geographic location of the wireless module.
24 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the system is wired into at least one of a commercial or residential building.
25 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the wireless control module is configured to be plugged into an electrical socket.
26 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the power control circuit controls the supply of electricity to lighting.
27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the lighting is interior lighting.
28 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the lighting is exterior lighting.
29 . The system of claim 20 , further comprising:
a sensor for measuring ambient light, the microcontroller being configured to use data from the sensor to vary the supply of electricity to the lighting.
30 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the power control circuit controls the supply of electricity to equipment adapted to at least one of heating or cooling a building.
31 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the wireless control module is configured to communicate with the personal controller using Wi-Fi Direct.
32 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the wireless control module is configured to communicate with the personal controller by simulating a network access point.
33 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to control the supply of electricity to at least two independently controllable lights.
34 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to perform a diagnostic assessment of the system.
35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to communicate results of the assessment to the personal controller.
36 . A method for previewing a program configured to vary a supply of electricity to lighting in a lighting zone of a structure, comprising:
establishing a peer-to-peer communications link between a personal controller and a power control unit having a microcontroller and a power control circuit adapted to vary the supply of electricity to the lighting incorporated in the lighting zone;
entering time-based parameters into the personal controller to modify the program for controlling the lighting in the lighting zone, the program being configured to instruct the power control unit to vary the supply of electricity to the lighting at a real-time rate according to the time-based parameters entered through the personal controller; and
transmitting a request from the personal controller to the power control unit to vary the supply of electricity to the lighting at a rate faster than the real-time rate of the program to preview the programmed variances in lighting.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the time-based parameters include a time of sunrise and a time of sunset.
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the lighting zone is part of a commercial structure, the time-based parameters including hours of operation of a commercial entity occupying the commercial structure.
39 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the program is modified to control multiple lighting zones.
40 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
electronically determining the geographic location of the power control unit, the time-based parameters being predetermined based on the geographic location of the power control unit.
41 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the preview is configured to run a full day-time cycle of the program in less than 5 minutes.
42 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the variance in the supply of electricity by the power control unit comprises dimming and brightening the lighting.
43 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the variance in the supply of electricity by the power control unit comprises turning on and off the lighting.
44 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the lighting program comprises providing different amounts of electricity to at least two different lights in the lighting zone.