Lighting control system with packet hopping communication
US5726644A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 1995 |
| Grant date | Mar 10, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W88/04
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Building lights are master controlled to reduce power consumption under building master control, or in response to electric utility commands to the building computer. Each lighting wall control unit includes a transceiver which can communicate to at least one neighbor transceiver, thereby forming a distributed communication network extending back to the building computer. The transceivers operate asynchronously with low data rate FSK signals, using carrier frequencies between 900 and 950 MHz. Different communications protocols control packet forwarding and acknowledgement so that messages reach their destination but are not forwarded in endless circles, and so that collisions are minimized.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.