Light monitoring system with antenna diversity

1. A method of monitoring lighting equipment, the method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, monitor data from a lighting equipment monitor;

creating a data stream based upon the monitor data;

measuring a first signal strength of a signal from an access point received at a first antenna;

measuring a second signal strength of the signal from the access point received at a second antenna;

selecting one or more antennae to transmit the data stream based upon the first signal strength and the second signal strength;

spreading the data stream with a common pseudo-noise (PN) code, wherein the common PN code is used by a plurality of nodes in communication with the access point; and

transmitting the spread data stream using the one or more selected antennae, wherein the spread data stream is transmitted at a first time based on a slot start time and a first randomly selected timing offset, wherein the spread data stream is transmitted while at least a portion of a second spread data stream is transmitted, wherein the second spread data stream is spread with the common PN code, and wherein the second spread data stream is transmitted at a second time based on the slot start time and a second randomly selected timing offset.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected timing offset is between zero and a spreading factor used to spread the data stream minus one.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retransmitting the spread data stream with a third randomly selected timing offset if an acknowledgement is not received within a predetermined time period.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting one or more antennae comprises selecting the antenna with the highest signal strength.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

monitoring a signal strength of the selected antenna;

determining if the signal strength is below a predetermined threshold; and

switching to an unselected antenna based upon determining if the signal strength is below the predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a light is not functioning properly based upon the monitor data; and

initiating a transmission of the data stream based upon the determination that the light is not functioning properly.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lighting equipment monitor monitors an obstruction light.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitor data comprises data representing a voltage or a current used to power a light.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the access point, a monitor read schedule, wherein receiving the monitor data is based upon the received monitor read schedule.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the data stream is based upon a transmission schedule.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the access point, a transmission schedule, wherein transmitting the monitor data is based upon the received transmission schedule.

12. A lighting equipment monitor comprising:

a monitor configured to:

monitor lighting equipment; and

provide monitor data based upon the monitoring of the lighting equipment;

a first antenna configured to receive a signal from an access point;

a second antenna configured to receive the signal from the access point;

one or more electronic processors configured to:

determine a first signal strength of the signal received at the first antenna;

determine a second signal strength of the signal received at the second antenna;

generate a data stream comprising the monitor data; and

select one or more antennae to transmit the data stream based upon the first signal strength and the second signal strength;

a pseudo-noise (PN) spreader configured to spread the data stream with a common PN code, wherein the common PN code is used by a plurality of nodes in communication with the access point;

a delay module configured to generate a randomly selected timing offset for the spread data stream; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the spread data stream using the selected one or more antennae, wherein the data stream is transmitted at a first time based on a slot start time and a first randomly selected timing offset, wherein the spread data stream is transmitted while at least a portion of a second spread data stream is transmitted, wherein the second spread data stream is spread with the common PN code, and wherein the second spread data stream is transmitted at a second time based on the slot start time and a second randomly selected timing offset.

13. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are configured select one or more antennae by selecting the antenna with the highest signal strength.

14. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

monitor a signal strength of the selected antenna;

determine if the signal strength is below a predetermined threshold; and

switch to an unselected antenna based upon determining if the signal strength is below the predetermined threshold.

15. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a light is not functioning properly based upon the monitor data; and

initiate a transmission of the data stream based upon the determination that the light is not functioning properly.

16. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , wherein the lighting equipment monitor monitors an obstruction light.

17. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , wherein the monitor data comprises data representing a voltage or a current used to power a light.

18. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , further comprising a receiver configured to receive, from the access point, a monitor read schedule, wherein receiving the monitor data is based upon the received monitor read schedule.

19. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , wherein the randomly selected timing offset is between zero and a spreading factor used to spread the data stream minus one.

20. The lighting equipment monitor of claim 12 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to retransmit the spread data stream with a third randomly selected timing offset if an acknowledgement is not received within a predetermined time period.