Patent Description:
Many lighting systems applied for illuminating an indoor space and/or an outdoor space at least partially rely on autonomous control of light output of luminaires illuminating of the lighting system based on environmental characteristics determined via usage of one or more sensors provided in the illuminated space. Typical, but non-limiting, examples of sensors applicable for capturing control data for controlling the light output include an occupancy sensor and a light sensor: while an occupancy sensor may be applied to switch on (and keep on) lights in response to detecting occupancy in the space and to switch off (and keep off) lights in response to detecting non-occupancy in the space, a light sensor may be applied to control the light output in view of the ambient light in the space such that a desired overall light level is provided. Hence, usage of occupancy sensors and light sensors enable at least partially autonomous lighting control that ensures user comfort while minimizing energy consumption.

In one approach the illuminated space is provided with one or more sensor units that report respective sensor data captured therein over a lighting control network to a control entity, which makes use of the sensor data to control at least some aspects of respective light outputs of luminaires applied for illuminating the space e.g. issuing lighting control commands to the respective luminaires over the lighting control network, whereas in another approach luminaires applied for illuminating the space are provided with respective sensor units and each luminaire may apply the sensor data captured locally by the sensor unit provided therein to control at least some aspects of its light output. Also in the latter scenario at least part of the sensor data captured at the sensor units provided at the luminaires may be shared with other entities coupled to the lighting control network.

In addition to or instead of the occupancy sensors and light sensors described above, the sensor units may include one or more sensor of other type that are arranged for monitoring environmental characteristics such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide (CO<NUM>) level, etc. and this data may be likewise shared with other entities coupled to the lighting control network. Such sensor information may be likewise applicable for assisting control of light output of the luminaires of the lighting system and/or for assisting control of building automation systems such as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. However, availability of the sensor data that is descriptive of environmental conditions in the space via entities of the lighting control network provides interesting possibilities for making further use of such information.

In related art, <CIT> discloses a system and method for interactive applications that use location-based information from a light sensor network. In example embodiments, data indicating a destination location inside a geofence is received. The geofence represents a boundary around multiple private beacon nodes, which are associated with a light sensor network, and their associated beacon communications ranges. Navigation and tracking outside the geofence is based on at least one of global positioning system (GPS) signals and beacon signals received by the mobile device from at least one public beacon device within a beacon communications range of the mobile device located outside the geofence. Navigation and tracking inside the geofence is based on the beacon signals received by the mobile device from at least one private beacon node within the beacon communications range of the mobile device located inside the geofence and a virtual map including an area within the geofence.

Further in related art, <CIT> discloses an improved controller for providing a location-based service to an area, wherein the controller comprises a memory and a transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a location of a mobile device associated with a person; obtain sensor data from at least one sensor arranged for monitoring the person in the area when the obtained location of the mobile device is within the area; store the sensor data in the memory; forward, via the transceiver, the stored sensor data to the mobile device when the obtained location of the mobile device is no longer within the area, and subsequently delete the sensor data from the memory. The invention further provides related systems for providing a location-based service to an area and related methods.

Further in related art, <NPL> discloses a ubiquitous publish/subscribe system that supports data access from both mobile sensors and stationary sensors. The system utilizes mobile phones as data mules to relay subscriptions and published data between broker and remote sensors. It provides content-based publish/subscribe services from sensors deployed anywhere without depending on any network infrastructure. The application allows users to subscribe for sensing data from both stationary sensors and mobile sensors along hiking trails.

Further in related art, <NPL>" (published in the Internet) discloses research results while designing and implementing an efficient data management system for online and off-line processing of data streams in the field of environmental monitoring, where target data sources are wireless sensor networks.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an approach for controlled sharing of information derived based on sensor data captured by one or more sensor units coupled to a lighting control network. The invention is defined by a method for distributing sensor data in accordance with claim <NUM>, and by a sensor unit in accordance with claim <NUM>.

According to an example embodiment, a method for distributing sensor data captured at a plurality of sensor units that are coupled to each other via a lighting control network is provided, the method comprising: transmitting, from the plurality of sensor units, respective sensor data captured therein over the lighting control network to a lighting system server; deriving, at the lighting system server, aggregate sensor data based on respective sensor data received from the plurality of sensor units for delivery to the plurality of sensor units and/or to an external apparatus; and transmitting, from a sensor unit of the plurality of sensor units via an external communication channel that is separate from the lighting control network, one or more sensor indication messages comprising information that provide the external apparatus receiving the one or more sensor indication messages with access to the local sensor data captured at the respective sensor unit and to at least part of the aggregate sensor data, wherein the one or more sensor indication messages include information that is descriptive of the local sensor data captured at the respective sensor unit, and the one or more sensor indication messages are transmitted together with an access token for requesting the aggregate sensor data from the lighting system server based on the access token.

According to another example embodiment, a sensor unit for operating as one of a plurality of sensor units that are coupled to each other via a lighting control network, where the sensor unit comprises: a sensor portion comprising one or more sensors for observing respective environmental characteristics at a location of the sensor unit; and a sensor control portion arranged to: derive local sensor data based on respective sensor signals received from said one or more sensors; transmit the local sensor data over the lighting control network to a lighting system server for derivation of aggregate sensor based on respective local sensor data from the plurality of sensor units therein, and transmit, via an external communication channel that is separate from the lighting control network, one or more sensor indication messages for reception by an external apparatus, the one or more sensor indication messages comprising information that provides the external apparatus receiving the one or more sensor indication messages with access to the local sensor data captured at the respective sensor unit and to at least part of the aggregate sensor data, wherein the one or more sensor indication messages include information that is descriptive of the local sensor data captured at the respective sensor unit, and the one or more sensor indication messages are transmitted together with an access token for requesting the aggregate sensor data from the lighting system server based on the access token.

According to another example embodiment, a lighting system is provided, the system comprising a plurality of sensor units according to the example embodiment described in the foregoing; and a lighting system server wherein the lighting system server is arranged to derive aggregate sensor data based on respective local sensor data received from the plurality of sensor units for delivery to the plurality of sensor units and/or to an external apparatus.

The exemplifying embodiments of the invention presented in this patent application are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" and its derivatives are used in this patent application as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of also unrecited features.

Some features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. Aspects of the invention, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of some example embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of some components of a lighting system <NUM> according to an example. The lighting system <NUM> may be arranged for illuminating a space or area, which may comprise e.g. one or more indoor spaces or areas and/or one or more outdoor areas. In the example of <FIG> the lighting system <NUM> is shown with luminaires <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> for illuminating a space or area and sensor units <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> for observing environmental characteristics in said space or area. The luminaires <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> represent a plurality of luminaires <NUM>, whereas any individual luminaire may be referred to via a reference number <NUM>-k. Along similar lines, the sensor units <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> represent a plurality of sensor units <NUM>, while any individual sensor unit may be referred to via a reference number <NUM>-j.

The plurality of luminaires <NUM> may be arranged for illuminating respective locations of the space, whereas the plurality of sensor units <NUM> may be arranger for observing one or more environmental characteristics in respective locations of the space illuminated by the plurality of luminaires <NUM>. It is worth noting that the example of <FIG> serves to illustrate the plurality of luminaires <NUM> and the plurality of sensor units <NUM> as respective operational elements of the lighting system <NUM>, while on the other hand the illustration of <FIG> does not serve to illustrate any physical characteristics of these elements of the lighting system <NUM> and/or any aspects of spatial relationship between these elements of the lighting system <NUM>.

The plurality of luminaires <NUM> and the plurality of sensor units <NUM> may be communicatively coupled to each other via respective wireless communication links or via a wireless communication network provided using a suitable wireless communication technique known in the art, each of the plurality of luminaires <NUM> and the plurality of sensor units <NUM> hence serving as a respective node of a lighting control network. The lighting system <NUM> may include one or more further luminaires in addition to the plurality of luminaires <NUM> described herein and/or one or more further sensor units in addition to the plurality of sensor units <NUM> described herein, which may be likewise connected to each other and to other nodes of the lighting control network.

The lighting system <NUM> may further comprise a lighting system gateway <NUM> and a lighting system server <NUM>. The lighting system gateway <NUM> may be communicatively coupled to the plurality of luminaires <NUM> and to the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, the lighting system gateway <NUM> hence constituting a node of the lighting control network. The lighting system gateway <NUM> may be communicatively coupled to the lighting system server <NUM>, where the communitive coupling between these two entities may be provided via a communication network such as the Internet. Hence, the lighting control network may be communicatively coupled to the lighting system server <NUM> via the lighting system gateway <NUM>. Each of the lighting system gateway <NUM> and the lighting system server <NUM> is to be construed as a respective logical entity that may be implemented by one or more computer apparatuses. As an example, the lighting system gateway <NUM> may be implemented by a single computer apparatus and/or the lighting system server <NUM> may be implemented by one or more computer apparatuses that may be arranged to provide a cloud computing service.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of some (logical) components of a sensor unit <NUM>-j according to an example, comprising a sensor portion <NUM>-j for observing one or more environmental characteristics in the space illuminated by the plurality of luminaires <NUM>, a communication portion <NUM>-j for wireless communication with other elements of the lighting control network and a sensor control portion <NUM>-j for controlling at least one aspect of operation of the sensor unit <NUM>-j and/or for processing sensor data captured at the sensor portion <NUM>-j. In an example, the sensor unit <NUM>-j may comprise an apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, where the memory is arranged to store computer program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to operate as the sensor control portion <NUM>-j, thereby implementing operations of the sensor control portion <NUM>-j. More detailed examples of using the processor and the memory for implementing the sensor unit <NUM>-j are described later in this text with references to <FIG>.

Along the lines describe in the foregoing, the communication portion <NUM>-j may enable wireless communication with other apparatuses to allow for exchange of data and/or control information between the sensor unit <NUM>-j and other elements of the lighting control network, while the communication portion <NUM>-j may further enable wireless communication with other apparatuses that may not constitute nodes of lighting control network. In this regard, the communication portion <NUM>-j may comprise a respective communication apparatus, e.g. a wireless transceiver, that is capable of communicating with respective communication apparatuses provided in other elements of the lighting control network using one or more predefined wireless communication techniques or protocols. The wireless communication may be carried out via using a suitable short-range wireless communication technique known in the art that enables communication over ranges from a few meters up to a few hundred meters. Examples of suitable short-range wireless communication techniques include Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE), ZigBee, WLAN/Wi-Fi according to an IEEE <NUM> family of standards, etc. The choice of the wireless communication technique and network topology applied for a specific implementation of the lighting control network may depend e.g. on the required communication range and/or requirements with respect to energy-efficiency of the communication apparatuses.

The sensor unit <NUM>-j or an element thereof may have a device ID, e.g. an address, a serial number, a name, etc. assigned thereto, where the device ID assigned to the sensor unit <NUM>-j may be referred to as a sensor unit ID of the sensor unit <NUM>-j. The sensor unit ID may be stored, for example, in the memory provided in the sensor unit <NUM>-j and it may be applied, for example, to identify the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j in communication between elements of the lighting control network.

The sensor portion <NUM>-j may comprise one or more sensors arranged to observe respective environmental characteristics in the space illuminated by the plurality of luminaires <NUM>. The one or more sensors of the sensor portion <NUM>-j may be communicatively coupled, e.g. via respective electrical wires, to the sensor control portion <NUM>-j in order to provide respective sensor signals thereto. The one or more sensors of the sensor portion <NUM>-j may comprise respective sensors of different type, e.g. one or more of the following sensors:.

In the course of its operation, the sensor control portion <NUM>-j may record or derive respective sensor indications based on respective sensor signals received from the sensor portion <NUM>-j, which may be referred to as respective local sensor indications since they are based on sensor data captured locally at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, whereas the local sensor indications recorded or derived at the sensor unit <NUM>-j may be jointly referred to as local sensor data. The sensor control portion <NUM>-j may transfer the local sensor indications recorded or derived therein over the lighting control network to the lighting system gateway <NUM> for centralized lighting control implemented therein, whereas the lighting system gateway <NUM> may further transfer at least part of the sensor indications obtained from the sensor unit <NUM>-j to the lighting system server <NUM> for processing therein. The sensor control portion <NUM>-j may further store the local sensor indications into the memory provided in the sensor unit <NUM>-j for subsequent use. Examples of local sensor indications recorded or derived in the sensor control portion <NUM>-j include deriving local occupancy state indications (i.e. respective indications of one of occupancy or non-occupancy) based on a motion sensor signal received from a motion sensor of the sensor portion <NUM>-j, recording or deriving local light level indications based on a light sensor signal received from the sensor portion <NUM>-j, deriving one or more local sound parameters (e.g. ones that are descriptive of sound level in the space) based on a sound sensor signal received from the sound sensor of the sensor portion <NUM>-j, recording or deriving local CO<NUM> level indications based on a CO<NUM> sensor signal received from a CO<NUM> sensor of the sensor portion <NUM>-j, etc..

In the following, some characteristic of structure and operation of any of the plurality of luminaires <NUM> are described via references to the single luminaire <NUM>-k, whereas these characteristics pertain to each of the plurality of luminaires <NUM>, unless explicitly described otherwise. Moreover, certain characteristic of structure and operation of the luminaire <NUM>-k are described herein for completeness of the description, whereas details of luminaire characteristics and operation are outside the scope of the present invention. In this regard, <FIG> illustrates a block diagram of some (logical) components of a luminaire <NUM>-k according to an example, where the luminaire <NUM>-k may comprise at least one light source <NUM>-k for providing light output of the luminaire <NUM>-k, a communication portion <NUM>-k for wireless communication with other elements of the lighting control network, and a luminaire control portion <NUM>-k for controlling at least one aspect of operation of the luminaire <NUM>-k.

According to an example, the at least one light source <NUM>-k may comprise one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k may comprise or it may be provided as a LED driver device, whereas in another non-limiting example the at least one light source <NUM>-k may comprise one or more fluorescent lamps and the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k may comprise or it may be provided as an electronic ballast. The communication portion <NUM>-k may be similar to the communication portion <NUM>-j described in the foregoing, thereby enabling exchange of data and/or control information between the luminaire <NUM>-k and other elements of the lighting control network. According to an example, the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k may control one or more aspects of light output provided from the at least one light source <NUM>-k in accordance with lighting control commands received over the lighting control network from the lighting system gateway <NUM>. In an example, the luminaire <NUM>-k may comprise an apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, where the memory is arranged to store computer program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to operate as the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k according to the present disclosure. More detailed examples of using the processor and the memory for implementing the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k are described later in this text with references to <FIG>.

The luminaire <NUM>-k or an element thereof may have a device ID, e.g. an address, a serial number, a name, etc. assigned thereto, where the device ID assigned to the luminaire <NUM>-k may be referred to as a luminaire ID of the luminaire <NUM>-k. The luminaire ID may be stored, for example, in the memory provided in the luminaire <NUM>-k and it may be applied, for example, to identify the respective luminaire <NUM>-k in communication between elements of the lighting control network.

Along the lines described in the foregoing, the lighting system gateway <NUM> may comprise a lighting control means (e.g. a lighting control portion) for controlling one or more aspects of respective light outputs of the plurality of luminaires based at least in part on the respective sensor indications received from the plurality of sensor units <NUM>. In this regard, the collection of respective sensor indications received from the plurality of sensor units <NUM> may be referred to as sensor data and the lighting control means may apply a preprogrammed lighting control logic that defines a manner of controlling the respective light outputs from the plurality of luminaires <NUM> based on the sensor data. In consideration of the lighting control logic to extent it pertains to the luminaire <NUM>-k, the preprogrammed lighting control logic may define switching on the light output of a luminaire <NUM>-k as a response to the sensor data associated with the luminaire <NUM>-k indicating occupancy (after a period of non-occupancy) and define switching off the light output of the luminaire <NUM>-k as a response to the sensor data associated with the luminaire <NUM>-k indicating non-occupancy (after a period of occupancy). In general, the preprogrammed lighting control logic may include one or more predefined lighting control rules, where each lighting control rule may define a respective pair of a triggering condition and a lighting control action to be carried out as a response to an occurrence of the triggering condition, where the triggering condition may directly or indirectly pertain to sensor indications included in the sensor data received at the lighting system gateway <NUM> from the plurality of sensor units <NUM>. The control means may enforce the lighting control actions occurring from application of the lighting control logic therein via transmitting respective lighting control commands over the lighting control network to the respective luminaire <NUM>-k, where the lighting control portion <NUM>-k adjusts the light output from the at least light source <NUM>-k in accordance with lighting control commands received from the lighting system gateway <NUM>. Moreover, along the lines described in the foregoing, the lighting control means in the lighting system gateway <NUM> may transfer the sensor data received from the plurality of sensor units <NUM> to the lighting system server <NUM> for further processing and/or analysis therein.

In a variation of the lighting control approach described above, the respective sensor control portion <NUM>-j in each sensor unit <NUM>-j may implement respective preprogrammed lighting control logic (instead of the lighting system gateway <NUM> implementing the lighting control logic therein) to control the respective light outputs of a respective subset of the plurality of luminaires <NUM>. Consequently, in such a scenario the lighting control pertaining to a luminaire <NUM>-k may involve the sensor unit <NUM>-j transmitting lighting control commands corresponding to the lighting control actions arising from application of the respective lighting control logic therein over the lighting control network to the luminaire <NUM>-k. In another variation of the lighting control approach described above, the lighting control logic pertaining to a luminaire <NUM>-k may be implemented by the lighting control portion <NUM>-k of the respective luminaire <NUM>. In such a scenario, each sensor unit <NUM>-j may (also) transfer at least part of the respective local sensor indications recorded or derived therein to those ones of the plurality luminaires <NUM> that are associated with the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j. Consequently, lighting control actions arising from application of the lighting control logic in a luminaire <NUM>-k may be directly applied at the respective luminaire <NUM>-k.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of some components of a lighting system <NUM> according to an example, which is similar to the lighting system <NUM> apart from a different arrangement of the sensor units in relation to the luminaires. In particular, the lighting system <NUM> is shown with luminaires <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> for illuminating said space, whereas respective sensor units <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> for observing environmental characteristics in said space or area are integrated to the respective ones of the luminaires <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>. In context of this example, the luminaires <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> represent a plurality of luminaires <NUM>, where any individual luminaire may be referred to via a reference number <NUM>-k. Along similar lines, the sensor units <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> represent a plurality of sensor units <NUM>, where any individual sensor unit may be referred to via a reference number <NUM>-k. Each of the luminaires <NUM>-k may be arranged for illuminating a respective location of said area or space, whereas the respective sensor unit <NUM>-k may be arranged for observing one or more environmental characteristics in the respective location. It is worth noting that the example of <FIG> serves to illustrate the plurality of luminaires <NUM> and the plurality of sensor units <NUM> integrated thereto as respective operational elements of the lighting system <NUM>, while on the other hand the illustration of <FIG> does not serve to illustrate any physical characteristics of these elements of the lighting system <NUM> and/or any aspects of spatial relationship between these elements of the lighting system <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of some (logical) components of a luminaire <NUM>-k with the sensor unit <NUM>-k integrated thereto according to an example. The sensor unit <NUM>-k comprises a sensor portion <NUM>-k for observing one or more environmental characteristics in the space illuminated by the luminaire <NUM>-k, a communication portion <NUM>-k for wireless communication with other elements of the lighting control network and a sensor control portion <NUM>-k for controlling at least one aspect of operation of the sensor unit <NUM>-k and/or for processing sensor data captured at the sensor portion <NUM>-k. The luminaire <NUM>-k comprises the at least one light source <NUM>-k for providing light output of the luminaire <NUM>-k and the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k for controlling at least one aspect of operation of the luminaire <NUM>-k.

The sensor portion <NUM>-k, the communication portion <NUM>-k and the sensor control portion <NUM>-k may be similar to the corresponding elements described in the foregoing with references to the sensor unit <NUM>-j with the exception that the sensor control portion <NUM>-k may further transfer at least part of the local sensor data to the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k e.g. via one or more electrical wires to enable lighting control therein. As an example in this regard, the sensor data passed from the sensor control portion <NUM>-k to the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k may comprise local occupancy indications and/or local light level indications. Further in this regard, the at least one light source <NUM>-k and the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k at the luminaire <NUM>-k may be similar to the corresponding elements described in the foregoing with references to the luminaire <NUM>-k, where the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k may apply the preprogrammed lighting control logic for the luminaire <NUM>-k based on the local sensor indications obtained from the sensor control portion <NUM>-k of the sensor unit <NUM>-k integrated to the luminaire <NUM>-k and the luminaire control portion <NUM>-k may further apply the lighting control actions arising from application of the lighting control logic at the luminaire <NUM>-k, thereby providing at least partially autonomous lighting control at the luminaire <NUM>-k.

As a difference to the luminaire <NUM>-k, the luminaire <NUM>-k as illustrated in the example of <FIG> does not include a dedicated communication portion but the luminaire control <NUM>-k may be able to apply the communication portion <NUM>-k of the sensor unit <NUM>-k for wireless communication with the other nodes of the lighting control network. In another example, the communication portion <NUM>-k in the sensor unit <NUM>-k may be omitted and the luminaire <NUM>-k may include a communication portion similar to the communication portion <NUM>-k described in the foregoing with references to the luminaire <NUM>-k, whereas the sensor control portion <NUM>-k in the sensor unit <NUM>-k may be able to apply the communication portion provided in the luminaire <NUM>-k for wireless communication with other elements of the lighting control network.

In variations of the respective lighting system <NUM>, <NUM> according to the examples of <FIG> and <FIG> described in the foregoing, the lighting control network that serves to connect the plurality of luminaires <NUM>, <NUM> and/or the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM> to each other and to the lighting system gateway <NUM> may be implemented as a wired communication network or as a wired communication bus. As a non-limiting example in this regard, <FIG> illustrates a block diagram of some components of a lighting system <NUM>' according to an example, which is similar to the lighting system <NUM> apart from the communicative coupling between the plurality of luminaires <NUM> and the plurality of sensor units <NUM>. In particular, in the lighting system <NUM>' illustrated in <FIG> the luminaires <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> represent the plurality of luminaires <NUM> and the sensor units <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> represent the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, and the plurality of luminaires <NUM>, the plurality of sensor units <NUM> and the lighting system gateway <NUM> are coupled to each other via a wired communication network or a wired communication bus.

Still referring to the lighting control system <NUM>', according to an example, the respective sensor control portion <NUM>-j in each sensor unit <NUM>-j may implement respective preprogrammed lighting control logic for controlling the respective light outputs of a respective subset of the plurality of luminaires <NUM>. Consequently, in such a scenario the lighting control pertaining to a luminaire <NUM>-k may involve the sensor unit <NUM>-j transmitting lighting control commands corresponding to the lighting control actions arising from application of the respective lighting control logic therein over the lighting control network to the luminaire <NUM>-k. According to another example, the lighting control logic pertaining to a luminaire <NUM>-k may be implemented by the lighting control portion <NUM>-k of the respective luminaire <NUM>, whereas each sensor unit <NUM>-j may transfer at least part of the respective local sensor indications recorded or derived therein to those ones of the plurality luminaires <NUM> that are associated with the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j. Consequently, lighting control actions arising from application of the lighting control logic in a luminaire <NUM>-k may be directly applied at the respective luminaire <NUM>-k.

In variants of the lighting systems <NUM>, <NUM> such as the lighting system <NUM>' the lighting control network may be provided using a predefined lighting control protocol, such as the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) specified in a series of technical standards IEC <NUM>, whereas the respective communication portions <NUM>-k, <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k in the nodes of the lighting control network may be arranged to provide communication over the lighting control network in accordance with the applicable lighting control protocol. Also in such variants of the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM> the respective communication portions <NUM>-k, <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may be also capable of wireless communication with other apparatuses that may not constitute nodes of lighting control network.

Along the lines described in the foregoing, the lighting control means in the lighting system gateway <NUM> may transfer at least part of the sensor data received from the sensor units <NUM>, <NUM> to the lighting system server <NUM> for further processing and/or analysis therein. In this regard, the respective sensor data originating from a certain sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may be considered as respective local sensor data in viewpoint of the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, in viewpoint of the lighting system server <NUM> this sensor data may be considered as respective remote sensor data. Along similar lines, respective local sensor indications originating from a certain sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may be considered at the lighting system server <NUM> as respective remote sensor indications.

The lighting system server <NUM> includes analysis means for processing and/or analyzing at least part of the respective remote sensor data originating from the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM> in order to estimate overall environmental characteristics across the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>. In this regard, the analysis means is arranged to derive one or more aggregate sensor indications based on respective remote sensor indications originating from sensors of certain type provided at respective sensor portions <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k of the sensor units <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, where the one or more aggregate sensor indications derived via operation of the analysis means may be jointly referred to as aggregate sensor data and the one or more aggregate sensor values may include one or more of the following:.

Further in this regard, each aggregate sensor indication may be derived based on respective remote sensor indications originating from respective sensors of a certain type at the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM> (or at a predefined subset thereof), e.g. from respective motion sensors, from respective light sensors, from respective temperature sensors, from respective humidity sensors, from respective sound sensors, from respective CO<NUM> sensors, from respective VOC sensors, etc..

Consequently, the global sensor indication may be derived as a predefined function of respective remote sensor indications originating from sensors of a certain type at the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM>, whereas a zone-specific sensor indication may be derived as a predefined function of respective remote sensor indications originating from sensors of a certain type at a respective predefined subset of the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM>. As examples in this regard, the predefined function may include an average, a median, a minimum or a maximum of the remote sensor indications under consideration or another statistical value derivable based on the remote sensor indications under consideration. Concrete non-limiting examples of aggregate sensor indications derivable via the analysis means in the lighting system server <NUM> include the following:.

The analysis means may derive the one or more aggregate sensor indications, for example, according to a predefined schedule and it may transmit information that is descriptive of the derived one or more aggregate sensor indications to the plurality of sensors units <NUM>, <NUM> via the lighting system gateway <NUM>. Hence, the information that is descriptive of the derived one or more aggregate sensor indications may be transferred from the lighting system server <NUM> to the lighting system gateway <NUM> via the communication network connecting these two entities, whereas the lighting system gateway <NUM> may transmit (e.g. broadcast) this information over the lighting control network to the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM>.

The sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k further shares at least part of the sensor data available therein with an external apparatus over a wireless link or a wireless network. In this regard, the wireless connection applied for sharing the sensor data may be the same applied for connecting to the lighting control network or it may be different from the one applied for connecting to the lighting control network. Regardless of the wireless connection applied for sharing of the sensor data, the sharing of sensor data may be carried out via the communication portion <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k of the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k.

In this regard, the sharing of sensor data is provided via one or more sensor indication messages transmitted from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k and the sharing of sensor data is carried out using the following approach: the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k transmits one or more sensor indication messages that include information that is descriptive of the local sensor data recorded or derived at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k and the one or more sensor indication messages are transmitted together with access information for obtaining the one or more aggregate sensor indications from the lighting system server <NUM>. In other examples that are not part of the claimed invention, sharing of the sensor data may be carried out e.g. one of the following approaches:.

Each of these approaches regarding delivery of the sensor data available at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k possibly together with the one or more aggregate sensor indications derived and/or available in the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> are discussed in further detail in the following examples.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram showing the components of the lighting system <NUM> also shown in the illustration of <FIG> together with an external apparatus <NUM>. In the example of <FIG> the external apparatus <NUM> may receive the one or more sensor indication messages from the sensor unit <NUM>-<NUM> of the lighting system <NUM>, whereas in general case the one or more sensor indication messages may originate from any sensor unit <NUM>-j of the lighting system <NUM> or <NUM>' or from any sensor unit <NUM>-k of the lighting system <NUM>. In a first example regarding delivery of the sensor data from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k to the external apparatus <NUM>, the one or more sensor indication messages transmitted from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may include information that is descriptive of one or more local sensor indications recorded or derived via operation of the sensor control portion <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k based on the respective sensor signal received from the sensor portion <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. While the local sensor data acquired at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may be primarily intended to serve as basis for lighting control within the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, such sharing of the local sensor data may be applied to make at least part of this sensor data available for external apparatuses locally at proximity of the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k.

As an example in this regard, the information delivered in the one or more sensor indication messages may include information that is descriptive of local sensor data captured at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. As an example in this regard, this information may include respective local sensor indications recorded or derived based on respective sensor signals obtained from all sensors provided in the sensor portion <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, whereas in another example the information delivered in the one or more sensor indication messages may include information that is descriptive of respective local sensor indications recorded or derived based on respective sensor signals obtained from a predefined subset of the sensors provided in the sensor portion <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. The latter approach may be applicable as a straightforward approach for limiting access to information that may be considered sensitive (such as occupancy information) and/or to avoid allocating transmission bandwidth for conveying information that is considered to provide limited added value for user(s) of the external apparatus <NUM>.

In consideration of the local sensor indications originating from a certain sensor of the sensor portion <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, the local sensor data serving as basis for the information included in the one or more sensor indication messages may include a predefined number of local sensor indications most recently recorded or derived at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. The information transmitted in the one or more sensor indication messages may include these local sensor indications as such or one or more values derived based on these local sensor indications. Hence, as non-limiting examples, the information transmitted in the one or more sensor indication messages may be descriptive of an aspect of current environmental conditions at the location of the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, such as occupancy, light level, temperature, humidity, sound level, CO<NUM> level, respective levels of one or more VOCs, etc..

The sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may transmit the one or more sensor indication messages according to a predefined schedule, e.g. at predefined time intervals. If such periodical transmission at predefined time intervals is applied, the time interval may be chosen according to circumstances and the interval may be chosen e.g. from a range from a few seconds to a few minutes. Consequently, the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may transmit a set of one or more sensor indication messages according to the predefined schedule, where the number of sensor indication messages may depend on the amount of information to be transmitted in relation to the information transfer capacity enabled by an underlying data transmission mechanism.

The information included in the one or more sensor indication messages may be formatted according to any suitable manner known by the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k transmitting the one or more sensor indication messages and the external apparatus <NUM> receiving the one or more sensor indication messages. In this regard, the sensor control portion <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may arrange the information to be conveyed in the one or more sensor indication messages into respective sensor data elements that are suited for transport in one or more protocol data units (PDUs) of an underlying data transport protocol, whereas the external apparatus is provided with a capability to extract the information from the sensor data elements from the received PDUs. This may involve providing the external apparatus with an executable program (provided e.g. as a software application that may be installed and executed at the external apparatus) that is arranged to extract the sensor data from the sensor data elements conveyed in the PDUs of the underlying data transport protocol. Hence, the PDUs applied for data transport may be considered to provide an external wireless communication channel that is separate from the lighting control network applied in transferring the local sensor data from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k to the lighting system gateway <NUM> for delivery to the lighting system server <NUM>.

As a non-limiting example of data transport from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k to the external apparatus <NUM>, the one or more sensor indication messages may be conveyed using advertising messages of the BLE advertising channel PDUs, which may be also referred to as BLE advertising packets, as BLE advertisements or as BLE adverts. In this regard, the one or more sensor indication messages may be transmitted (e.g. broadcast) in a respective user-definable data fields of one or more BLE advertising packets. The employed BLE advertising packets may comprise, for example, connectable undirected advertising (ADV_IND) packets, non-connectable undirected advertising (ADV_NONCONN_IND) packets and/or scannable undirected advertising (ADV_SCAN_IND) packets, where sensor indication messages may be included e.g. in the Complete Local Name fields and/or in a Manufacturer Specific Data sections of the applied BLE advertising packets.

According to an example, the external apparatus <NUM> may comprise a user device such as a mobile phone (e.g. a smartphone), a smartwatch, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, etc. that is able to display the information conveyed in the one or more sensor indication messages to a user of the user device. According to another example, the external apparatus <NUM> may comprise a display apparatus provided in a respective location of the space illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>. Consequently, the one or more sensor indication messages provide the external apparatus <NUM> with access to the data that is descriptive of environmental characteristics at or close to its location and the external apparatus <NUM> may arrange the sensor data received in the one or more sensor indication messages into a format that suitable for viewing via a display of the external apparatus <NUM> and display this information to the user(s) of the user(s) of the external apparatus <NUM> and/or to occupants of the space, thereby providing the user(s) with up-to-date information concerning one or more environmental characteristics at the respective location of the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> without the need to establish a network connection to the lighting system server <NUM>.

In a second example regarding delivery of the sensor data from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k to the external apparatus <NUM>, which is not part of the claimed invention, the one or more sensor indication messages transmitted from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may further include information that is descriptive of at least part of the aggregate sensor data available at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. In other words, in the second example the one or more sensor indication messages transmitted from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may include information that is descriptive of the local sensor data captured at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k together with one or more aggregate sensor indications available at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. In the second example, the difference to the first example is inclusion of at least a portion of the aggregate sensor data available at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k in the one or more sensor indication messages, whereas other aspects related to transmission and format of the one or more sensor indication messages may be similar to those described in the foregoing for the first example.

As an example of aggregate sensor data delivered from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k to the external apparatus <NUM>, the one or more sensor indication messages may include information that is descriptive of respective aggregate sensor indications originating from sensors of any type, whereas in another example the one or more sensor indication messages may include information that is descriptive of aggregate sensor indications that pertain to sensor data originating from sensors of a predefined subset of sensor types. The latter approach may be applicable as a straightforward approach for limiting access to information that may be considered sensitive (such as occupancy information) and/or to avoid allocating transmission bandwidth for conveying information that is considered to provide limited added value for user(s) of the external apparatus <NUM>.

In consideration of the aggregate sensor indications that pertain to sensors of a certain type, the aggregate sensor data serving as basis for the information included in the one or more sensor indication messages may include a predefined number of aggregate sensor indications most recently received from the lighting system server <NUM>. In this regard, the information transmitted in the one or more sensor indication messages may include these aggregate sensor indications as such or one or more values derived based on these aggregate sensor indications. In view of the forgoing, the aggregate sensor indications that pertain to sensors of a certain type and that are available at the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may comprise a global sensor indication that is descriptive of respective environmental condition across the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> and/or one or more zone-specific sensor indications that are descriptive of the respective environmental condition at respective portions of the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>. Hence, the one or more sensor indication messages according to the second example may convey information that is may descriptive of an aspect of current environmental conditions at the location of the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, such as occupancy, light level, temperature, humidity, sound level, CO<NUM> level, respective levels of one or more VOCs, etc. together with information that may be descriptive of the corresponding aspect of current environmental conditions across the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> and/or information that may be descriptive of the corresponding aspect of current environmental conditions in one or more sub-portions of the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>.

The one or more sensor indication messages according to the second example may provide the external apparatus <NUM> with access to the data that is descriptive of environmental characteristics at or close to its location together with access to data that is descriptive of the corresponding environmental characteristics elsewhere in the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>. Consequently, the external apparatus <NUM> may arrange at least part of the sensor data received in the one or more sensor indication messages into a format that suitable for viewing via a display of the external apparatus <NUM> and display this information to the user(s) of the user(s) of the external apparatus <NUM> and/or to occupants of the space, thereby providing the user(s) with up-to-date information concerning one or more environmental characteristics at the respective location of the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> and/or elsewhere in the illuminated space or area without the need to establish a network connection between the external apparatus <NUM> and the lighting system server <NUM>.

Depending on the type of sensor data conveyed in the sensor indication messages, the information displayed to the user(s) via the display of the user apparatus <NUM> may include e.g. respective indications of one or more of the occupancy level, the temperature, the humidity, the sound level (e.g. a noise level), the CO<NUM> level, the VOC levels at or close to the current location of the user apparatus together with respective indications obtained for one or more sub-portions of the space illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> and/or to the space illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> in its entirety. Consequently, the user(s) may make use of the displayed information, for example, to identify a location or a sub-portion of said space where the environmental conditions of interest have the best match with her/his preferences.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram showing the components of the lighting system <NUM> also shown in the illustration of <FIG> together with the external apparatus <NUM>, where the arrangement illustrated via the example of <FIG> may serve as the framework for a third example regarding delivery of the sensor data from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k to the external apparatus <NUM>. In the example of <FIG> the external apparatus <NUM> may receive the one or more sensor indication messages from the sensor unit <NUM>-<NUM> of the lighting system <NUM>, whereas in general case the one or more sensor indication messages may originate from any sensor unit <NUM>-j of the lighting system <NUM> or <NUM>' or from any sensor unit <NUM>-k of the lighting system <NUM>. Moreover, the external apparatus <NUM> may be communicatively coupled to the lighting system server <NUM> via a communication network such as the Internet or the external apparatus <NUM> may be capable of establishing a communicative coupling to the lighting system server <NUM> via such communication network for transfer of control information and (sensor) data.

In the third example, the information that is descriptive of the local sensor data captured at the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k is transmitted together with an access token that serves to identify the source of the local sensor data acquired at the external apparatus <NUM> via reception of the one or more sensor indication messages and, consequently, validates the external device <NUM> as an entity that is authorized to access at least part of the aggregate sensor data, whereas the one or more sensor indication messages according to the third example may be similar to those of the first example and hence the external apparatus <NUM> may receive the information that is descriptive of the local sensor indications directly from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k.

As an example, the access token may comprise the sensor unit ID assigned to the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. In this regard, the PDUs applied for transferring the one or more sensor indication messages may further include the sensor unit ID assigned to the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k and, consequently, the external apparatus <NUM> may receive the sensor unit ID of the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k together with the one or more sensor indication messages. In a variation of this approach, the sensor unit ID may be (additionally or alternatively) included in the one or more sensor indication messages transmitted from the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. Consequently, the external apparatus <NUM> may request the aggregate sensor data from the lighting system server <NUM> based on the sensor unit ID received from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. In this regard, the external apparatus <NUM> may send a request for the aggregate sensor data to the lighting system server <NUM>, where the request includes the sensor unit ID received from the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. The external apparatus <NUM> may have a priori knowledge of the address of the lighting system server <NUM> or the external apparatus <NUM> may receive the address of the lighting system server <NUM> via a user interface of the external apparatus. In a further example, the one or more sensor indication messages may further include the address of the lighting system server <NUM> and, consequently, the external apparatus <NUM> may receive the address of the lighting system server <NUM> together with the local sensor data from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k.

Still continuing the example with the sensor unit ID of the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k serving as the access token, in case the lighting system server <NUM> finds the sensor unit ID received in the request originating from the external apparatus <NUM> to be a valid one (e.g. one of one or more predefined sensor unit IDs), the lighting system server <NUM> may respond to the request by transmitting the aggregate sensor data to the external apparatus <NUM>, whereas in case of the request including an invalid sensor unit ID, no data may be transmitted from the lighting system server <NUM> to the external apparatus <NUM>. In a variation of this approach, the external apparatus <NUM> may be authorized to access only a predefined subset of the aggregate sensor data available at the lighting system server <NUM> in dependence of the sensor unit ID included in the request, e.g. a respective predefined subset of global sensor indications (e.g. ones that pertain to a respective predefined subset of sensor types) and/or a respective predefined subset of zone-specific sensor indications (e.g. ones that pertain to respective sub-area(s) of the space illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>). Hence, knowledge of the sensor unit ID of the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k having provided the one or more sensor indication messages serves as an indication of the external apparatus <NUM> being located in relatively close proximity of the respective sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, which may be considered in the third example as a sufficient prerequisite for the external apparatus <NUM> being allowed to receive at least part of the aggregate sensor data from the lighting system server <NUM>.

In a variation of the third example, which is not part of the claimed invention, the access token may comprise an ID associated with the external apparatus <NUM>, such as a user ID assigned to a user of the external apparatus <NUM> or a device ID assigned to the external apparatus <NUM>. As an example in this regard, the request for the aggregate sensor data sent from the external apparatus <NUM> may further include the user ID, whereas the lighting system server <NUM> may respond to the request by transmitting the aggregate sensor data to the external apparatus <NUM> only in case the user ID received in the request matches one of predefined user IDs that represent users that are authorized to access the aggregate sensor data. In a variation of this approach, the external apparatus <NUM> may be authorized to access only a predefined subset of the aggregate sensor data available at the lighting system server <NUM> in dependence of the user ID included in the request, e.g. a respective predefined subset of global sensor indications (e.g. ones that pertain to a respective predefines subset of sensor types) and/or a respective predefined subset of zone-specific sensor indications (e.g. ones that pertain to respective sub-area(s) of the space illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>). Hence, upon receiving from the external apparatus <NUM> a request that includes the user ID, the lighting system server <NUM> may respond by providing the external apparatus <NUM> with the predefined subset of the aggregate sensor data defined via the received user ID. While described herein with references to using the user ID as the access token, the access to the aggregate sensor data available at the lighting system server <NUM> may be limited in a similar manner via application of the device ID of the external apparatus <NUM> instead of the user ID as the access token, mutatis mutandis.

In a fourth example regarding delivery of the sensor data from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k to the external apparatus <NUM>, the one or more sensor indication messages may be transmitted from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k in response to an activation message received from the external apparatus <NUM>. Conversely, the external apparatus <NUM> may transmit (e.g. broadcast) the activation message as an indication of a wish to receive the one or more sensor indication messages from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k in its vicinity. The activation message may comprise an activation token to be verified by the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k and the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k may initiate transmission of the one or more sensor indication messages in response to determining that the activation token received in the activation message is a valid one. In this regard, transmission of the one or more sensor indication messages and their processing at the external apparatus <NUM> may be similar to that described above for the first, second and third examples. Hence, the external apparatus <NUM> may indicate its authorization to access the sensor data available via the lighting control network via submitting a valid activation token to one of the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM>, whereas the external apparatus <NUM> may have access to a valid activation token via executing a program (provided e.g. as a software application that may be installed and executed at the external apparatus) provided for the purpose of accessing the sensor data available via the lighting control network.

Along the lines described in the foregoing for the one or more sensor indication messages, according to a non-limiting example the activation message may be conveyed using advertising messages of the BLE advertising channel PDUs (also called BLE advertising packets), where the activation message may be transmitted (e.g. broadcast) in a respective user-definable data fields of one or more BLE advertising packets. The BLE advertising packets employed for transporting the activation message may comprise, for example, connectable undirected advertising (ADV_IND) packets, non-connectable undirected advertising (ADV_NONCONN_IND) packets and/or scannable undirected advertising (ADV_SCAN_IND) packets, where sensor indication messages may be included e.g. in the Complete Local Name fields and/or in a Manufacturer Specific Data sections of the applied BLE advertising packets.

In a further example, when at a certain location within the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, the external apparatus <NUM> may receive respective one or more sensor indication messages from multiple sensor units <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k and the external apparatus <NUM> may report the respective sensor unit IDs of these multiple sensor units <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k together with respective signal strength indications (RSSIs) at which the sensor indication messages from the respective sensor units <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k have been received to the lighting system server <NUM>. With the knowledge of the respective RSSI associated with the multiple sensor units <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k around the external apparatus <NUM>, the lighting system server <NUM> may determine the location of external apparatus <NUM> with respect to these multiple sensor units <NUM>-j, <NUM> and, consequently, with a priori knowledge of the respective locations of these multiple sensor units <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k (e.g. based on their respective sensor unit IDs) the lighting system server <NUM> may estimate the location of the external apparatus <NUM> within the space or area illuminated by the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, which may enable estimation of environmental conditions at the location of the external apparatus <NUM> at improved accuracy and/or reliability.

According to an example, various aspects of related to distribution of the sensor data captured at the plurality of sensor units <NUM>, <NUM> that are coupled to each other via the lighting control network may be also described via a method carried out in one or more elements of the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> and/or the external device. As an example in this regard, <FIG> illustrates a method <NUM> for distributing the sensor data, where the method <NUM> may comprise e.g. the following steps:.

The respective operations described with references to the method steps represented by blocks <NUM> to <NUM> may be varied or complemented in a number of ways, e.g. according to the examples that pertain to operation and/or characteristics of elements of the lighting system <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM> and the external apparatus <NUM> described in the foregoing. Moreover, the method <NUM> may be complemented with one or more additional steps, the order of carrying out at least some of the method steps may be different from that depicted in <FIG> and/or some of the method steps may be omitted without departing from the scope of the lighting control approach according to the method <NUM>.

As a non-limiting example of omitting some of the methods steps, the operations described with reference to block <NUM> may be omitted e.g. in a scenario where the external apparatus <NUM> requests the aggregate sensor data from the lighting system server <NUM> (e.g. in accordance with the third and fourth examples described in the foregoing). As non-limiting examples of additional method steps, the respective operations described with reference to blocks <NUM> to <NUM> may be followed by the external apparatus <NUM> acquiring the aggregate sensor data (if not readily included in the one or more sensor indication messages received from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k), the external apparatus <NUM> arranging the local sensor data received in the one or more sensor indication messages from the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k and/or (at least part of) the aggregate sensor data into a format suitable for being displayed to one or more users, and the external apparatus <NUM> displaying this information to the one or more users via a display of the external apparatus <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of some components of an apparatus <NUM> that may be employed to implement at least some of the operations described with references to the respective one of the luminaire <NUM>-k, the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, the external apparatus <NUM>, the lighting system gateway <NUM> or the lighting system server <NUM>. The apparatus <NUM> comprises a processor <NUM> and a memory <NUM>. The memory <NUM> may store data and computer program code <NUM>. The apparatus <NUM> may further comprise communication means <NUM> for wired or wireless communication with other apparatuses, where the communication means <NUM> may comprise the respective one of the communication portions <NUM>-k, <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k. The apparatus <NUM> may further comprise user I/O (input/output) components <NUM> that may be arranged, together with the processor <NUM> and a portion of the computer program code <NUM>, to provide a user interface for receiving input from a user and/or providing output to the user. In particular, the user I/O components may include user input means, such as one or more keys or buttons, a keyboard, a touchscreen or a touchpad, etc. The user I/O components may include output means, such as a display or a touchscreen. The components of the apparatus <NUM> are communicatively coupled to each other via a bus <NUM> that enables transfer of data and control information between the components.

The memory <NUM> and a portion of the computer program code <NUM> stored therein may be further arranged, with the processor <NUM>, to cause the apparatus <NUM> to perform at least some aspects of controlling operation of the respective one of the luminaire <NUM>-k, the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, the external apparatus <NUM>, the lighting system gateway <NUM> or the lighting system server <NUM>. Although the processor <NUM> is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as respective one or more separate processing components. Similarly, although the memory <NUM> is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as respective one or more separate components, some or all of which may be integrated/removable and/or may provide permanent / semi-permanent/ dynamic/cached storage.

The computer program code <NUM> may comprise computer-executable instructions that implement at least some aspects of controlling operation of the respective one of the luminaire <NUM>-k, the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, the external apparatus <NUM>, the lighting system gateway <NUM> or the lighting system server <NUM> when loaded into the processor <NUM>. As an example, the computer program code <NUM> may include a computer program consisting of one or more sequences of one or more instructions. The processor <NUM> is able to load and execute the computer program by reading the one or more sequences of one or more instructions included therein from the memory <NUM>. The one or more sequences of one or more instructions may be configured to, when executed by the processor <NUM>, cause the apparatus <NUM> to perform at least some aspects of controlling operation of the respective one of luminaire <NUM>-k, the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, the external apparatus <NUM>, the lighting system gateway <NUM> or the lighting system server <NUM>. Hence, the apparatus <NUM> may comprise at least one processor <NUM> and at least one memory <NUM> including the computer program code <NUM> for one or more programs, the at least one memory <NUM> and the computer program code <NUM> configured to, with the at least one processor <NUM>, cause the apparatus <NUM> to perform at least some aspects of controlling operation of the respective one of the luminaire <NUM>-k, the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, the external apparatus <NUM>, the lighting system gateway <NUM> or the lighting system server <NUM>.

The computer program code <NUM> may be provided e.g. a computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable non-transitory medium having the computer program code <NUM> stored thereon, which computer program code <NUM>, when executed by the processor <NUM> causes the apparatus <NUM> to perform at least some aspects of controlling operation of the respective one of the luminaire <NUM>-k, the sensor unit <NUM>-j, <NUM>-k, the external apparatus <NUM>, the lighting system gateway <NUM> or the lighting system server <NUM>. The computer-readable non-transitory medium may comprise a memory device or a record medium that tangibly embodies the computer program. As another example, the computer program may be provided as a signal configured to reliably transfer the computer program.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) for distributing sensor data captured at a plurality of sensor units (<NUM>, <NUM>) that are coupled to each other via a lighting control network, the method (<NUM>) comprising:
transmitting (<NUM>), from the plurality of sensor units (<NUM>, <NUM>), respective local sensor data captured therein over the lighting control network to a lighting system server (<NUM>);
deriving (<NUM>), at the lighting system server (<NUM>), aggregate sensor data based on respective sensor data received from the plurality of sensor units (<NUM>, <NUM>) for delivery to the plurality of sensor units (<NUM>, <NUM>) and/or to an external apparatus (<NUM>); and
transmitting (<NUM>), from a sensor unit (<NUM>-j, <NUM>-k) of the plurality of sensor units (<NUM>, <NUM>) via an external communication channel that is separate from the lighting control network, one or more sensor indication messages comprising information that provide the external apparatus (<NUM>) receiving the one or more sensor indication messages with access to the local sensor data captured at the respective sensor unit (<NUM>-j, <NUM>-k) and to at least part of the aggregate sensor data,
characterized in that the one or more sensor indication messages include information that is descriptive of the local sensor data captured at the respective sensor unit (<NUM>-j, <NUM>-k), and the one or more sensor indication messages are transmitted together with an access token for requesting the aggregate sensor data from the lighting system server (<NUM>) based on the access token.