Cloud-based remote diagnostics for smart signage
Provided is a method and a remote diagnostic system that can be used for signage applications that includes a plurality of LED-based signs, each having one or more corresponding LED signage drivers, one or more controllers for real-time monitoring and controlling the LEDs in the LED-based signs, a commissioning application (“app”) for commissioning, the one or more controllers, an information system or cloud network for storing information received from and sending commands to, the one or more controllers related to the LED-based signs, and at least one sensor.
1. A remote diagnostic system for signage applications, the system comprising:
one or more light emitting diode-based signs comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes, each having one or more corresponding light emitting diode signage drivers;
one or more controllers configured to perform at least one of (i) real-time monitoring and (ii) controlling the light emitting diodes in the light emitting diode-based signs;
a commissioning application configured to commission the one or more controllers;
an information system in a cloud network, for storing information received from the one or more controllers and the commissioning application, related to the one or more light emitting diode-based signs; and
one or more sensors in communication with the one or more controllers to sense parameter information of the one or more light emitting diode-based signs, wherein the parameter information comprises a status of at least one of the one or more light emitting diode signage drivers, and wherein the one or more controllers are configured to detect a fault in the at least one light emitting diode signage driver based upon the parameter information;
wherein the commissioning application is further configured to allow a user to authenticate the commissioning application with the information system and to create a digital representation of a signage system including the one or more light emitting diode-based signs and the one or more controllers in the information system.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diode-based signs are in different physical locations and the digital representation of the signage system includes information usable to identify the different physical locations.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the commissioning application is web-based.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the commissioning application is browser-based interface accessible via a remote computer system.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the commissioning application is an application running natively on the remote computer system.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a user accesses the commissioning application and the commissioning application transmits a signal to the one or more controllers requesting the parameter information corresponding to the one or more light emitting diode-based signs.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the parameter information further comprises one or more of status of the light emitting diodes, electrical parameters of an light emitting diode-based signs, status of the one or more controllers, location of the one or more light emitting diode-based signs, elevation or height of the one or more light emitting diode-based signs, and overall operational status of the one or more light emitting diode-based sign.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a user accesses the cloud network to view details and parameter information received from the one or more controllers in the LED-based signs, wherein the information is pushed to the information system on the cloud network from the one or more controllers and the commissioning application.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers are disposed within the one or more light emitting diode-based signs and in electrical communication with the plurality of light emitting diodes, and configured to: (i) monitor a status of the light emitting diodes and control the light emitting diodes in real-time, and (ii) transmit status information to and receive instructions from the commissioning application over the cloud network.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each controller of the one or more controllers comprises:
one or more microcontrollers;
an internal power supply interface to be connected with the power supply of the one or more light emitting diode-based signs; and
at least one communication network.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one communication network comprises at least one of an ethernet interface and a wireless network interface.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors are disposed within each one or more controllers and connected thereto.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors are external to each one or more controllers and connected thereto.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises one or more of lights sensors, vibration sensors, humidity sensors, or temperature sensors to obtain further parameter information associated with the light emitting diode-based signs.
15. A controller for a light emitting diode sign, the controller being disposed within or adjacent to the light emitting diode-based sign and in electrical communication with a plurality of light emitting diodes thereof, and configured to:
(i) monitor a status of the light emitting diodes and control the light emitting diodes in real-time, each of the light emitting diodes having one or more corresponding light emitting diode signage drivers, and (ii) transmit parameter information to and receive instructions from a commissioning application, over a cloud network, for monitoring and controlling the light emitting diodes of the light emitting diode-based sign, wherein the parameter information comprises a status of at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes, and wherein the controller is further configured to detect a fault associated with the at least one light emitting diode based upon the parameter information, wherein the commissioning application is authenticated with an information system.
16. The controller of claim 15 , wherein a user accesses the commissioning application and the commissioning application transmits a signal to the controller requesting the parameter information corresponding to the light emitting diode-based sign.
17. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the parameter information further comprises one or more of status of the light emitting diodes, electrical parameters of an light emitting diode-based signs, status of the one or more controllers, location of the one or more light emitting diode-based signs, elevation or height of the one or more light emitting diode-based signs, and overall operational status of the one or more light emitting diode-based sign.
18. The controller of claim 17 , wherein the controller comprises:
one or more microcontrollers;
an internal power supply interface to be connected with the power supply of the one or more light emitting diode-based signs; and
at least one communication interface.
19. The controller of claim 18 , wherein the controller further comprises a sensor sensing the parameter information of the light emitting diode-based sign.
20. The controller of claim 19 , wherein the controller interfaces with a sensor sensing the parameter information wherein the sensor is external to the controller and connected thereto.
21. A method for remotely controlling a light emitting diode-based sign over a cloud network, the method comprising:
providing a one or more light emitting diode-based signs, each having one or more corresponding light emitting diode signage drivers;
commissioning, via a commissioning application, one or more controllers for monitoring and controlling the light emitting diodes in the light emitting diode-based signs, the commissioning application configured to allow a user to authenticate the commissioning application with an information system;
performing, via the one or more controllers, at least one of (i) real-time monitoring and (ii) controlling of the light emitting diode-based signs;
sensing, via one or more sensors in communication with the one or more controllers, parameter information of the light emitting diodes, and transmitting the parameter information to the information system or database which is housed remotely or on a cloud network for storing the information from the one or more controllers and to the commissioning application, wherein the parameter information comprises a status of at least one of the one or more light emitting diodes, and
detecting a fault associated with the at least one light emitting diode based upon the parameter information.