Patent ID: 11915581
Assignee: LUTRON TECHNOLOGY COMPANY LLC
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one visible light output device;
communication interface circuitry;
physical layer interface circuitry operatively coupled to the at least one visible light output device and to the communication interface circuitry;
timing circuitry operatively coupled to the physical layer interface circuitry;
visible light communication (VLC) control circuitry operatively coupled to the physical layer interface circuitry and to the timing circuitry, the VLC control circuitry to:
periodically cycle the at least one visible light output device through a plurality of sequential operating cycles, each of the plurality of sequential operating cycles including an illuminated portion and a non-illuminated portion based on a timing signal provided by the timing circuitry;
synchronize the non-illuminated cycle portion with at least one other controlled device using the timing signal;
generate a message responsive to receipt of a command from a remote-control device via the communication interface circuitry;
communicate the message to the at least one other controlled device using VLC, the message communicated during the non-illuminated cycle portion of a first of the plurality of operating cycles; and
communicate an acknowledgement message to the remote-control device responsive to receipt of the command from the remote-control device.