IP Library › Patent Application 14806531
Patent Application
App. No. 14/806,531

METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUS FOR THE MONITORING, CONTROLLING, AND COMMUNICATING OF LIGHTING SYSTEMS

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
14/806,531
Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for monitoring, controlling, and communicating are disclosed, including splicing one or more control clamps to power lines of devices; establishing a PLC link between one or more powernet control communication cubes; connecting a PCCC to a communication gateway in order to enable communication from a remote device using a PCCC dashboard application; using a communication port of the one or more powernet control communication cubes to communicate between the one or more powernet control communication cubes; using the PLC link to communicate between the one or more powernet control communication cubes; using the one or more powernet control communication cubes with the spliced one or more control clamps to monitor and control the one or more devices; creating one or more RFID/Bluetooth beacons; and using one or more monitor sensors to monitor the area around the devices. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims (125)

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9 . An apparatus for monitoring, controlling, and communicating, the apparatus comprising:

at least one powernet control unit, the powernet control unit (PCU) comprising:

a PCU housing;

a PCU system bus in the PCU housing;

at least one PCU processor coupled to the PCU system bus;

PCU system memory coupled to the at least one PCU processor;

at least one PCU non-transitory memory unit coupled to the at least one PCU processor;

a power port coupled to the PCU system bus;

a communication port coupled to the PCU system bus;

a PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module coupled to the PCU system bus; and

PCU code stored on the at least one PCU non-transitory memory unit;

a communication gateway coupled to the communication port;

at least one communication cube, the at least one communication cube (CC) comprising:

a CC housing;

a CC system bus in the communication cube CC housing;

at least one CC processor coupled to the CC system bus;

CC system memory coupled to the at least one CC processor;

at least one CC non-transitory memory unit coupled to the at least one CC processor;

a CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module coupled to the CC system bus;

at least one control port coupled to the CC system bus;

at least one control clamp coupled to the at least one control port; and

CC code stored on the at least one CC non-transitory memory unit;

the PCU code when executed by the at least one PCU processor configured to:

establish a PCU power line communication link to the at least one powernet control unit;

communicate with the at least one powernet control unit through the PCU power line communication link;

communicate with the at least one communication cube through the PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module and the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module;

communicate with a PCU/CC dashboard application;

the CC code when executed by the at least one CC processor configured to:

communicate with the at least one powernet control unit through the PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module and the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module;

communicate with the at least one communication cube through the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module; and

monitor and control at least one device through the at least one control clamp.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the PCU further comprising a GPS module coupled to the PCU system bus.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the PCU further comprising a PCU internal battery coupled to the PCU system bus.

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the communication port comprising at least one of:

Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and a cellular network radio.

13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module comprising at least one of: Bluetooth, 6LoWPan, and ZigBee.

14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the communication gateway connected to a cloud.

15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the apparatus further comprising at least one of a local server and a mobile device connected to the communication gateway and configured to communicate with the PCU through the communication gateway.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , the apparatus further comprising at least one of a remote server and a mobile device connected to the cloud and configured to communicate with the PCU through the communication gateway.

17 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the CC further comprising an RFID module coupled to the CC system bus and a Bluetooth module coupled to the CC system bus.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , further configured to create an RFID/Bluetooth beacon.

19 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the CC further comprising a CC internal battery coupled to the CC system bus.

20 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module comprising at least one of: Bluetooth, 6LoWPan, and ZigBee.

21 . The apparatus of claim 9 , the CC further comprising at least one monitor sensor coupled to the CC system bus.

22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising the step of monitoring the at least one monitor sensor.

23 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one device comprising a lighting system.

24 . An apparatus for monitoring, controlling, and communication, the apparatus comprising:

at least one powernet control unit, the at least one powernet control unit (PCU) comprising:

a PCU housing;

a PCU system bus within the PCU housing;

at least one PCU processor coupled to the PCU system bus;

PCU system memory coupled to the at least one PCU processor;

at least one PCU non-transitory memory unit coupled to the at least one PCU processor;

a GPS module coupled to the PCU system bus;

a power port coupled to the PCU system bus;

a PCU internal battery coupled to the PCU system bus;

a communication port coupled to the PCU system bus, the communication port comprising at least one of: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and a cellular network radio;

a PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module coupled to the PCU system bus, the PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module comprising at least one of: Bluetooth, 6LoWPan, and ZigBee; and

PCU code stored on the at least one PCU non-transitory memory unit;

a communication gateway coupled to the communication port, the communication gateway connected to a cloud;

at least one of a local server and a mobile device connected to the communication gateway and configured to communicate with the PCU through the communication gateway;

at least one of a remote server and a mobile device connected to the cloud and configured to communicate with the PCU through the communication gateway; and

at least one communication cube, the at least one communication cube (CC) comprising:

a CC housing;

a CC system bus in the communication cube CC housing;

at least one CC processor coupled to the CC system bus;

CC system memory coupled to the at least one CC processor;

at least one CC non-transitory memory unit coupled to the at least one CC processor;

an RFID module coupled to the CC system bus;

a Bluetooth module coupled to the CC system bus;

a CC internal battery coupled to the CC system bus;

a CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module coupled to the CC system bus, the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module comprising at least one of: Bluetooth, 6LoWPan, and ZigBee;

at least one control port coupled to the CC system bus;

at least one control clamp coupled to the at least one control port;

at least one monitor sensor coupled to the CC system bus; and

CC code stored on the at least one CC non-transitory memory unit;

the PCU code when executed by the at least one PCU processor configured to:

establish a PCU power line communication link between the at least one powernet control unit;

communicate with the at least one powernet control unit through the PCU power line communication link;

communicate with the at least one communication cube through the PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module and the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module; and

communicate with a PCU/CC dashboard application;

the CC code when executed by the at least one CC processor is configured to perform the steps of:

communicate with the at least one powernet control unit through the PCU inter-PCU/CC wireless module and the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module;

communicate with the at least one communication cube through the CC inter-PCU/CC wireless module;

monitor and control at least one device through the at least one control clamp, the at least one device comprising a lighting system;

create an RFID/Bluetooth beacon; and

monitoring the at least one monitor sensor.

25 . An apparatus for monitoring, controlling, and communication, the apparatus comprising:

at least one powernet control communication cube, the powernet control communication cube (PCCC) comprising:

a housing;

a system bus within the housing;

at least one processor coupled to the system bus;

system memory coupled to the at least one processor;

at least one non-transitory memory unit coupled to the at least one processor;

a power port coupled to the system bus;

a communication port coupled to the system bus;

at least one control port coupled to the system bus;

at least one control clamp coupled to the at least one control port; and

PCCC code stored on the at least one non-transitory memory unit;

a communication gateway coupled to the communication port;

the PCCC code when executed by the at least one processor configured to:

establish a power line communication link between the at least one powernet control communication cube;

communicate with a PCCC dashboard application;

communicate with the at least one powernet control communicate cube through the power line communication link;

communicate with the at least one powernet control communication cube through the communication port; and

monitore and controlling at least one device through the at least one control clamp.

26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , the PCCC further comprising a GPS module coupled to the system bus.

27 . The apparatus of claim 25 , the PCCC further comprising an internal battery coupled to the system bus.

28 . The apparatus of claim 25 , the communication port comprising at least one of: Wi-Fi, PLC, Ethernet, ZigBee, 6LoWPan, and Bluetooth.

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