Patent ID: 8983526
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: G08C,H04W,H05B,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling operation of a plurality of streetlights from a Streetlight Operation Center (SOC) utilizing a cellular telecommunication network having a control node and a plurality of base stations (BSs), wherein each of the plurality of streetlights has a dedicated radio frequency (RF) control module associated therewith for controlling operation of each streetlight, the method comprising the steps of: receiving by the control node in the cellular telecommunication network, a SOC control command from the SOC; the control node causing the plurality of BSs to broadcast the SOC control command to the plurality of RF control modules, wherein each BS provides RF coverage to a respective portion of the plurality of RF control modules, and wherein each BS is configured to perform the following steps to increase the number of RF control modules that successfully receive the SOC control command: performing by each RF control module that successfully received the broadcast SOC control command, actions to control operation of the RF control module's associated streetlight; and transmitting by each RF control module that successfully received the broadcast SOC control command, a confirmation message to the RF control module's serving BS indicating the SOC command was received, wherein the transmitting step includes staggering transmission of the confirmation messages by the plurality of RF control modules over a period of time to reduce a peak load imposed on the cellular network.