Abstract:
Disclosed are systems, methods, and software for to minimizing the impact of complexity and granularity to end users of a control and automation solution, while keeping the benefits of having this level of control at least in part by joining large numbers of devices to a network and account, and adding them to specific zones or areas through easy to use interfaces and logic built into the system or commissioning application. Using these systems, methods and software allows for relatively quick, easy, and inexpensive configuration or reconfiguration of defined locations, areas, etc.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to and benefit from, provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/249,472, entitled “Auto-Commissioning of Lighting Resources”, filed Nov. 2, 2015, which is incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Lighting remains to be one of the most difficult devices to commission in large quantities when applied to building automation and controls. Given the volume of lighting devices associated with any particular type of building structure from residential housing to large high-rise commercial buildings and the lack of a simple and effective commissioning system or application has been a major factor limiting market saturation of controls and automation to just 1%. 
         [0003]    In the past, lighting controls have been limited to only electrical circuit levels of granularity. With the advent of wireless technology and costs being reduced to the point of being able to incorporate into individual lights and fixtures, the level of control and granularity has increased exponentially. This however comes with the cost of more complexity. 
       OVERVIEW 
       [0004]    The purpose of this invention is to minimize the impact of complexity and granularity to end users of a control and automation solution, while keeping the benefits of having this level of control. One of the most complex components of this type of solution is the way in which an end user commissions large quantities of devices. This invention aims at minimizing all of the complexity of commissioning, joining large numbers of devices to a network and account, and adding them to specific zones or areas through easy to use interfaces and logic built into the system or commissioning application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram illustrating auto-commissioning system, according to an example. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flow diagram for creation of new areas and joining of new devices, according to an example. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  illustrates a database, according to an example. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  illustrates a computing environment according to an example. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fixture, according to an example. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  illustrates an area according to an example. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  illustrates a scene according to an example. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram illustrating the auto-commissioning system  100 . System  100  includes cloud services  110 , gateway  120 , Internet router  121 , device  130 , location  140 , web device  150  and displayed information  151 . Web device  150  communicates over link  161  to cloud services  110 . Internet router  121  communicates over link  161  to cloud services  110 . Gateway  120  communicates over link  161  to Internet Router. Device  130  communicates over link  164  to gateway  120 . Web device  150  shows Displayed information  151 . Displayed information  151  consists of Location  140  selection, Gateway  120  selection, assignment of Area  152 , Fixture  153 , Scene  154 , allocation of number of Device  130   s  to join each, and joining of un-joined Device  130   s  to Fixture  153 . 
         [0013]    Cloud services  110  are shown as a generic cloud, with multiple underlying services and technologies, which comprise a singular service to an end user. Cloud services  110  refers to anything, which is part of a service that is hosted, managed remotely, and accessible from anywhere via the Internet. Cloud services act as a central resource for communicating with devices  130  and web devices  150 . Cloud services provide centralized messaging, computing, data storage, analytics, user management, device  130  management, gateway  120  management, account management, location  140  management, control messaging, asynchronous state messaging and displayed information  151 . Cloud services  110  acts as a resource that sends and receives data from multiple gateways and multiple devices and consolidates all data to provide a singular list of devices based on location  140 , regardless of how the devices are connected and to which gateway  120 . Cloud service  110  also serves as the central point in which the controls and automation system is commissioned, from: user management, gateway  120  management, location  140  management, device  130  management, area management, fixture management, and scene management. 
         [0014]    Gateway  120  is a communication bridge that connects device  130  to cloud services  110  via link  164  to Internet router  121 . Gateway  120  consists of a messaging translator that can receive communication via any device messaging protocol (i.e. Zigbee, Z-wave, Jennet-ip, Enocean, Wi-Fi, powerline communication, Bacnet, Lonworks, Modbus, etc. . . . ) and translate to a common cloud messaging protocol. Gateway  120  provides a path from any device messaging protocol to cloud services  110 . 
         [0015]    Internet router  121  is any standard Internet router that takes network traffic (i.e. TCP/IP or UDP) from a private network and provides access to the public Internet. Internet router  121  connects gateway  120  to cloud services  110  by bridging link  161  to link  161 . 
         [0016]    Device  130  is any electronic device, which has a way to communication via any communication medium (i.e. wireless radio, power-line communication, etc. . . . ), and device messaging protocol. Examples of device  130  may include, but not limited to: light bulbs, lighting drivers, wireless adapters, photo sensors, motion sensors, water/moisture sensors, position sensors, magnetic sensors, switches, temperature sensors, fluid level sensors, thermostats, network sensors, power outlets, circuit breakers, utility meters, display devices, appliances (washer, dryer, refrigerator, dishwasher, audio/visual equipment, toaster, microwave, oven, stove, coffee maker, etc. . . . ), cameras, computers, mobile devices, GPS, locking devices, proximity sensors, security card/badge readers, intrusion sensors, battery sensor, etc. . . . . Device  130  communicates to cloud services  110  via link  164  through gateway  120 . Device  130  may be sent messages from cloud services  110  to control it and also may send messages to cloud services  110  for the purpose of communicating state, status, etc. . . . . 
         [0017]    Location  140  is any physical site that one or more gateway  120  and device  130  components physically reside. Examples include, but are not limited to: commercial buildings, residential homes, industrial buildings, hospitals, hotels, motels, multiple dwelling units, agricultural facilities, etc. . . . . 
         [0018]    Web device  150  is any web-connected device that can send and receive messages and display this information. Web device  150  communicates to cloud services  110  via link  161 . Examples may include: smartphones, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, server computers, etc. . . . . Web device  150  consists of a screen to visualize displayed information  151  and provide control of displayed information  151  via touch or human interface device (i.e. track pad or mouse). 
         [0019]    Displayed information  151  is received from cloud services  110  through web device  150 . No displayed information  151  is stored on web device  150 . It is just visualized information received from cloud services  110 . In this way, displayed information  151  is decoupled from any web device  150  and allows user to see any information provided by cloud services  110  without the need to be physically connected. Displayed information  151  can consist of device  130  status, state, location, groups, etc. . . . . Displayed information  151  can consist of area  152 , fixture  153 , and scene  154  information. Displayed information  151  connects to cloud services  110 , which provides a list of devices based on location  140  and has no dependencies on which gateway  120  the device  130  is connected to cloud services  110  through. 
         [0020]    Link  161  uses various communication media, such as air, space, metal, optical fiber, or some other signal propagation path, including combinations thereof. Link  161  could use various communication protocols, such as Internet Protocol (IP), Ethernet, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), single-carrier radio transmission technology, Frame relay, optical, synchronous optical networking (SONET), or some other communication format, including combinations, improvements, or variations thereof. Link  161  could be a direct link or may include intermediate networks, systems, or devices. 
         [0021]    Link  164  is the communication that stems from device  130  and may connect to gateway  120  or directly to cloud services  110 . Link  164  uses various communication media, such as air, space, metal, optical fiber or some other signal propagation path, including combinations thereof. Link  164  could use various communications protocols, such as Internet Protocol (IP), Ethernet, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Enocean, Jennet-IP, NFC, X-bee, 802.15.4, 6LowPAN, TCP/IP, Insteon, ANT, DASH7, NeuRFon, Senceive, WPAN, WirelessHART, Contiki, TinyOS, LONworks, Modbus, BacNet, or some other communication format, including combinations, improvements, or variations thereof. Link  164  could be a direct link or may include intermediate networks, systems, or devices. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  describes the flow in which an application retrieves, creates and displays information on devices  130 , gateways  120 , and areas  152  in order to automate the creation of new fixtures  153 , areas  152 , and joining of new devices  120  onto an account. This is made possible through the use of a consolidated Database  200  with multiple collections. Each collection stores separate data that can then be referenced across each collection. By doing this, we create a simple approach to adding large quantities of devices to an account. The process involves the user to activate the Discovery mode via the User Interface. The user may enter a new fixture  153  name that will help identify them later in the process. This will be applied to all newly discovered fixtures  153  with the addition of a unique number assigned to each new fixture  153 . Discovery mode turns on pairing on the gateway  120  so that it is looking for new devices to join. Once new devices are discovered, the process creates a new fixture  153  for each device  130  and allows the user to select to either create a new area  152  or scene  154 , or add to an already existing area  152  or scene  154  and create dim level set points for each fixture  152  within the scene  154 . The final step is a verification message that is sent from cloud services  110  to verify each device  130  has stored the fixture  153  ID, area  152  ID, and/or scene  154  ID and dim level set point. This gives the user a seamless experience and removes the need to commission each new device directly and automates the process of creating fixtures  153 , areas  152 , and scenes  154 . This process greatly reduces the time needed to setup and commission large installations. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  describes the contents of Database  200 . Database  200  consists of multiple collections of data. These collections are defined as Accounts, Users, Locations, Gateways, Devices, Areas, Scenes and Fixtures. Accounts represent the highest level in the data hierarchy. All collections or data grouping fall under a specific account, which helps define access to overall data for an account. Users represent individual user accounts that are part of the overall account. Locations represent the physical sites that fall under an account. An account can have a limitless amount of locations associated with it. Gateways represent the physical Gateways  120  devices that fall under a specific location. Devices represent the Devices  130  that are connected to the Gateways  120  and fall under the gateways collection. Fixtures represent a collection of one or more devices and fall under gateways. Areas represent a collection of one or more fixtures and fall under locations. By doing so, an area is able to have fixtures from any gateway, without regard to physical connection. Scenes represent a collection of one or more fixtures and can store a specific set point and fall under locations. By doing so, a scene is able to have fixtures, with specific set points from any gateway, without regard to physical connection. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  describes Device  400 . Device  400  consists of Network Interface  410 , Processing System  420  (which includes Software  421  and Storage  422 ), External Network  430  and Internal Service Bus  440 . Network Interface  410  communicates with Processing System  420  over link Internal Service Bus  440  and communicates externally to Internet Router or via direct Internet connection over link External Network  430 . Within the Processing System  420 , unique IDs are stored which represent the fixture  423  ID and any associated area  424  IDs and scene  425  IDs and dim level set points. Device  400  may be an example of any computing device used in the system, including but not limited to, cloud services, a user device, server, cell phone, etc. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  describes Fixture  500 . Fixture  500  consists of a group of Devices  510 . Fixture  500  is a collection in Database  520 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  describes Area  600 . Area  600  consists of a group of Fixtures  610 . Any Fixture  610  can be a part of an unlimited number of Areas  600 . Area  600  is a collection in Database  620 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  describes Scene  700 . Scene  700  consists of a group of Fixtures  710  with dim level set points specified for each individual Fixture  710 . Any Fixture  710  can be a part of an unlimited number of Scenes  700 . Scene  700  is a collection in Database  720 . Each Fixture  710  may include a unique identifier (ID), which may make them individually addressable. 
         [0028]    The included descriptions and figures depict specific implementations to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the various modes. For the purpose of teaching inventive principles, some conventional aspects have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these implementations that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the features described above can be combined in various ways to form multiple implementations. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific implementations described above, but only by the claims and their equivalents.