Lighting control network and associated method

1. A lighting data network, comprising:

a first luminaire, comprising a first wireless communication interface to receive data from a machine; and

a second luminaire, comprising a second wireless communication interface to receive the data from the first luminaire and a third communication interface to transmit the data to a third party control system, wherein the first luminaire is to determine if the data is to be processed locally by the first luminaire or remotely by the third party control system, wherein when the data is to be processed locally, the first luminaire is to generate a response to the data or when the data is to be processed remotely, the first luminaire is to transmit the data to the second luminaire for transmission to the third party control system.

2. The lighting data network of claim 1 , wherein the first luminaire and the second luminaire each comprise a lighting communication interface to receive and transmit lighting control signals.

3. The lighting data network of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication interface and the second wireless communication interface comprise local area network interfaces.

4. The lighting data network of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication interface and the second wireless communication interface comprise a dedicated wavelength to transmit the data, wherein the dedicated wavelength is different than the wavelength of light emitted to illuminate a location where the first luminaire and the second luminaire are located.

5. The lighting data network of claim 1 , wherein the third communication interface comprises a gateway to a wide area network.

6. The lighting data network of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication interface communicates in a communication protocol associated with the machine.

7. The lighting data network of claim 1 , further comprising:

a server in communication with the second luminaire and the third party control system, wherein the server translates the data into a communication protocol of the third party control system before transmitting the data to the third party control system.

8. The lighting data network of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of additional luminaires positioned between the first luminaire and the second luminaire, wherein each one of the plurality of additional luminaires include a local communication interface and are associated with a respective machine.

9. The lighting data network of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises operational data and location data associated with the machine.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a light node in a lighting network, data from a machine;

determining, by the processor, whether the data is to be processed locally or remotely by a third party control system; and

transmitting, by the processor, the data to the third party control system when the data is to be processed remotely by the third party control system or generating a response to the data by the processor of the light node when the data is to be processed locally.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the processor, the response to the machine when the data is to be processed locally.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the response comprises a lighting pattern of the light node based on the data to indicate a status of the machine and the response is transmitted visually by the lighting pattern.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a control signal from the third party control system in response to the data; and

transmitting, by the processor, the control signal to the machine to change operation of the machine in accordance with the control signal.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the data comprises a safety status of the machine and the light node communicates the data to other light nodes within the lighting network, wherein a subset of the other light nodes are activated to illuminate an evacuation route in response to the safety status.

15. A lighting system, comprising:

at least one machine to transmit or receive data;

a lighting network to transport the data, wherein the lighting network comprises a plurality of lighting nodes, wherein each one of the plurality of lighting nodes comprises a wireless communication interface, wherein a lighting node of the plurality of lighting nodes is associated with the at least one machine; and

a third party control system to receive the data or transmit the data to the machine via the lighting network, wherein the lighting node is to determine if the data is to be processed locally by the lighting node or remotely by the third party control system, wherein when the data is to be processed locally, the lighting node is to generate a response to the data or when the data is to be processed remotely, the lighting node is to transmit the data to the third party control system.

16. The lighting system of claim 15 , wherein each one of the lighting nodes comprises a lighting communication interface dedicated to receive or transmit lighting control signals from a lighting controller.

17. The lighting system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one machine comprises a plurality of machines and each one of the plurality of machines is associated with one of the plurality of lighting nodes.

18. The lighting system of claim 15 , wherein the data comprises operational data and location data associated with the at least one machine.

19. The lighting system of claim 15 , wherein the third party control system is to send control signals to control operation of the at least one machine via the lighting network.