Patent ID: 7859398

Claim:
A method of maintaining and controlling a plurality of light fixtures, said light fixtures having wireless communications capabilities, comprising: providing said light fixtures in a structure; determining in a processing unit of each of said light fixtures operational data relating to an extent of usage of the light fixture over a period of time, the operational data for each light fixture including one or more of: (i) a number of hours that each of one or more bulbs the light fixture has been operational over the period of time, (ii) an amount of energy consumed by the light fixture over the period of time, and (iii) a number of starts experienced by each of one or more bulbs the light fixture over the period of time; wirelessly receiving the respective operational data from each of said light fixtures at a central location; aggregating the received respective operational data at said central location to form an aggregation of operational data; analyzing at least a portion of said aggregation of operational data at said central location; and performing one or both of (i) controlling the operation of a first selected one or more of said light fixtures based on a result of said analyzing step by wirelessly transmitting respective operational commands from said central location to each of said first selected one or more of said light fixtures, and (ii) causing a maintenance related action to be taken with respect to each of a second selected one or more of said light fixtures based on a result of said analyzing step.