Commissioning in multi-hop networks by using a single-hop connection

1. An apparatus for controlling addition of a network node to a multi-hop network of a multi-hop technology comprising a bridge device, the network node being a combo network device with a single-hop communication unit of a single-hop technology for establishing a point-to-point connection and a multi-hop communication unit of the multi-hop technology for communicating with other network devices of the multi-hop network, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a single-hop communication unit of the single-hop technology for establishing a point-to-point connection to the network node;

a trigger unit for initiating a joining procedure between the network node and the bridge device in order to add the network node to the multi-hop network of the bridge device; and

a network interface for establishing a network connection to the bridge device;

wherein the apparatus is adapted to use the single-hop communication unit for reading a commissioning code from the network node and to use the network interface for forwarding the read commissioning code to the bridge device and for instructing the bridge device to:

send a command to network nodes of the multi-hop network to initiate a reset to a factory new state and the joining procedure if the own commissioning code of the network node matches with the received commissioning code; and

initiate a search for new devices in the multi-hop network based on the commissioning code.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trigger unit is adapted to initiate the joining procedure in response to an input operation at a user interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trigger unit is adapted to initiate the joining procedure in response to a detection of a presence of the bridge device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multi-hop technology is ZigBee.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the single-hop technology is Bluetooth Low Energy.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to use the single-hop communication unit for providing network information required for joining the multi-hop network to the network node.

7. A bridge device for use in a lighting system, the lighting system comprising a commissioning device, wherein the commissioning device comprises an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , and the lighting system further comprising at least one luminaire device, the bridge device being adapted to open its multi-hop network and search for new network nodes in response to an instruction received from via the network interface;

wherein the received instruction comprises the commissioning code and wherein the bridge device is adapted to:

send the command to network nodes of the multi-hop network to initiate a reset to a factory new state and the joining procedure if the own commissioning code of the network node matches with the received commissioning code; and

initiate the search for new devices in the multi-hop network based on the commissioning code;

wherein the luminaire device comprises an apparatus for controlling addition of a network node to the multi-hop network of the multi-hop technology comprising the bridge device, the apparatus comprising:

a single-hop communication unit of the single-hop technology for establishing a point-to-point connection to the commissioning device;

a multi-hop communication unit of the multi-hop technology for communicating to other network devices of the multi-hop network;

a parameter storage unit for setting at least a commissioning code required for a joining procedure of the network node to the multi-hop network of the bridge device; and

a joining control unit adapted to initiate the joining procedure when the commissioning code, stored in the parameter storage unit, matches a commissioning code received from the multi-hop network.

8. A method of controlling addition of a network node to a multi-hop network of a multi-hop technology comprising a bridge device, the network node being a combo network device with a single-hop communication unit of a single-hop technology for establishing a point-to-point connection and a multi-hop communication unit of the multi-hop technology for communicating with other network devices of the multi-hop network, wherein the method comprises:

establishing a point-to-point connection to the network node;

initiating a joining procedure between the network node and the bridge device in order to add the network node to the multi-hop network of the bridge device;

establishing a network connection to the bridge device; and

using the point-to-point connection for reading a commissioning code from the network node and to use the network interface for forwarding the read commissioning code to the bridge device and for instructing the bridge device to:

send a command to network nodes of the multi-hop network to initiate a reset to a factory new state and the joining procedure if the own commissioning code of the network node matches with the received commissioning code; and

initiate a search for new devices in the multi-hop network based on the commissioning code.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the multi-hop technology is ZigBee.

10. The method of any one of claim 8 , wherein the single-hop technology is Bluetooth Low Energy.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of claim 8 when run on a computer device.