IP Library Granted Patent US 9,949,348
Granted Patent B2
US 9,949,348 · App. 14/937,774 · Granted Apr 17, 2018

Lighting connectivity module

Inventor: Marc Alexander (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee: LIFI Labs, Inc.
H05B37/0272H05B33/0857F21K9/23F21K9/232F21V23/004F21V23/005F21V23/0435H05B33/0803H05B33/0815
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,949,348
App. No.
14/937,774
Granted
Apr 17, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lighting module, including: a baseboard configured to receive a user signal indicating a user lighting preference; a communication submodule configured to receive the user signal and convert the user signal to machine readable data indicating the user lighting preference; a control submodule communicably coupled to the wireless communication submodule for receiving the machine readable data, wherein the microcontroller submodule comprises: memory configured to store a lighting parameter provided by a provider, and a processor configured to generate lighting driver instructions based on the user lighting preference and the lighting parameter; and a lighting mode output submodule configured to output the lighting driver instructions to a lighting driver module of a lighting assembly for controlling light emitting elements of the lighting assembly.

Claims (36)

1. A lighting connectivity module for facilitating communication between a user device and a LED assembly, the lighting connectivity module contained within a housing of the LED assembly, and the lighting connectivity module comprising:

a baseboard comprising a first region adjacent a second region;

an antenna connected to the second region and configured to receive a user signal indicating a user lighting preference transmitted wirelessly from the user device;

a wireless communication submodule mounted to the first region and communicably coupled to the antenna for receiving the user signal, wherein the wireless communication submodule is configured to convert the user signal to machine readable data indicating the user lighting preference;

a microcontroller submodule mounted to the first region and communicably coupled to the wireless communication submodule for receiving the machine readable data, wherein the microcontroller submodule comprises:

non-volatile memory configured to store a lighting parameter provided by a provider, and

a processor configured to execute firmware for generating LED driver instructions based on the user lighting preference and the lighting parameter;

a lighting mode output submodule communicably coupled to the microcontroller submodule and configured to electrically connect to a LED driver module of the LED assembly, wherein the lighting mode output submodule is further configured to output the LED driver instructions to the LED driver module for controlling light emitting elements of the LED assembly; and

an electromagnetic shield mounted to the first region and not the second region, wherein the electromagnetic shield encloses the wireless communication submodule and the microcontroller submodule, and wherein a second region longitudinal axis of the second region is perpendicular to a baseboard longitudinal axis of the baseboard.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting mode output submodule is positioned proximal to a first end of the baseboard, wherein the antenna is positioned proximal to a second end of the baseboard, and wherein the first and second ends of the baseboard are opposite ends.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the antenna is a trace antenna integrated with the second region.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the trace antenna forms a boustrophedon pattern, and wherein a trace pattern longitudinal axis of the boustrophedon pattern is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the baseboard.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LED driver instructions direct the LED driver module to disable power provision to a first set of light emitting elements from the light emitting elements, and to enable power provision to a second set of light emitting elements from the light emitting elements.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting mode output submodule comprises a first pin and a second pin, and wherein the LED driver instructions comprise a first lighting mode signal output by the first pin and a second lighting mode signal output by the second pin.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the configuration parameter specifies a first and a second color temperature for a first and a second set of light emitting elements, respectively, from the light emitting elements.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first lighting mode signal drives a first LED driver of the LED driver module and the second lighting mode signal drives a second LED driver of the LED driver module.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the configuration parameter specifies a first maximum power usage parameter for implementation by the first LED driver, and a second maximum power usage parameter for implementation by the second LED driver.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an LED driver enable pin configured to output an LED driver disable signal for ceasing power provision to the LED assembly in response to an idle state of the lighting mode output submodule.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LED driver instructions comprise a pulse wave modulation signal.

12. A lighting connectivity module for facilitating communication between a lighting assembly and a user device communicably coupled to an antenna, the lighting connectivity module contained within a housing of the lighting assembly, and the lighting connectivity module comprising:

a baseboard comprising a first region interfacing with a second region, wherein the second region is configured to receive a user signal transmitted wirelessly by the user device to the antenna, and wherein the user signal indicates a user lighting preference;

a wireless communication submodule mounted to the first region and configured to receive the user signal and convert the user signal to machine readable data indicating the user lighting preference;

a microcontroller submodule mounted to the first region and communicably coupled to the wireless communication submodule for receiving the machine readable data, wherein the microcontroller submodule comprises:

non-volatile memory configured to store a lighting parameter provided by a provider, and

a processor configured to execute firmware for generating lighting driver instructions based on the user lighting preference and the lighting parameter; and

a lighting mode output submodule communicably coupled to the microcontroller submodule, wherein the lighting mode output submodule is configured to output the lighting driver instructions to a lighting driver module of the lighting assembly for controlling light emitting elements of the lighting assembly; and

an electromagnetic shield mounted to the first region and not the second region, wherein the electromagnetic shield encloses the wireless communication submodule and the microcontroller submodule, and wherein a second region longitudinal axis of the second region is perpendicular to a baseboard longitudinal axis of the baseboard.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a radiofrequency connector mounted to the second region, the radiofrequency connector configured to wirelessly receive the user signal from the antenna.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the non-volatile memory is further configured to store a power parameter provided by the provider for configuring a power consumption of the lighting connectivity module.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the firmware for generating the lighting driver instructions in response to:

the microcontroller submodule receiving the lighting parameter and the power parameter;

the non-volatile memory storing the lighting parameter and the power parameter; and

the microcontroller submodule receiving the machine readable data indicating the user lighting preference.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the wireless communication submodule is further configured to receive a configuration signal transmitted wirelessly by a device associated with the provider, wherein the configuration signal indicates the lighting parameter.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the wireless communication submodule is further configured to receive a configuration update signal indicating a lighting parameter update, wherein the non-volatile memory is further configured to update the lighting parameter based on the lighting parameter update.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the lighting parameter comprises a maximum brightness parameter indicating a maximum brightness level of the light emitting elements, wherein the user lighting preference comprises a brightness level preference, and wherein the processor is further configured to execute the firmware for generating the lighting driver instructions based on mapping the brightness level preference to a brightness level less than the maximum brightness level.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2022
From: LIFI LABS, INC.
To: FEIT ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 060886/0049 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2021
From: LUMINOUS WIDE LIMITED
To: LIFI LABS INC.
Reel/Frame 055275/0664 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT AND NOTICE Recorded Jan 5, 2021
From: BUDDY PLATFORM, INC.; LIFI LABS INC.
To: PARTNERS FOR GROWTH VI, L.P.
Reel/Frame 054901/0524 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2019
From: LIFI LABS, INC
To: LUMINOUS WIDE LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048781/0871 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2016
From: ALEXANDER, MARC
To: LIFI LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 037546/0925 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62077812 · Nov 10, 2014
Related Publication 20160135271A1 · May 12, 2016