Wireless Power, Light and Automation Control With Ambient Light and Proximity Detection

Abstract

A device and method for remotely controlling the supply of electricity to an electrical apparatus or system. The device ( 200 ) includes a wireless communications control module ( 202 ) configured for peer-to-peer communications, a microcontroller ( 208 ), and a sensor module ( 206 ) configured to detect at least one of light or proximity. The electrical supply is varied based on a command received through the wireless communications control module that may include specifying a threshold where data received from the sensor module that matches a predetermined threshold triggers a variance in the electrical supply.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power control device for controlling an electrical apparatus or system through a peer-to-peer wireless communications link with a personal controller so as to control a supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system, the personal controller having a processor, a memory, a user interface, and a wireless communications transceiver, said device comprising:
 a wireless communications control module operable for wireless communication with the personal controller, said wireless communications control module including an aerial and a radio transceiver, said radio transceiver being configured to communicate with the personal controller using a peer-to-peer communications standard;   a sensor module configured to sense at least one of light and proximity;   a microcontroller configured to control the electrical apparatus or system based at least in part on instructions communicated from the personal controller through said wireless control module, and based at least in part on a signal sent to said microcontroller by said sensor module, the signal from said sensor module being used by said microcontroller to determine the occurrence of a predetermined trigger event; and   a power control circuit configured to implement a command from said microcontroller to vary the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor module includes an ambient light sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the trigger event is based at least in part on a predetermined threshold of light sensed by said ambient light sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor module includes a proximity detector configured to detect presence 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the trigger event is based at least in part on the detection of presence at a predetermined distance from said proximity detector. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor module includes at least one ambient light sensor and at least one proximity detector. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the trigger event is the detection of an ambient light threshold being sensed by said ambient light sensor, said microcontroller being configured to use the trigger event to begin monitoring said proximity detector. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said sensor module is in wireless communication with said microcontroller. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a timer for measuring a predetermined period of time for assessing whether the trigger event has occurred. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said timer forms a portion of said microcontroller. 
     
     
         11 . The power control device of  claim 1 , further comprising a power measurement module for measuring electrical parameters of electricity transferred through said power control circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said power measurement module operates continuously. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to compare data provided by said power measurement module with a predetermined operating threshold associated with the electrical apparatus or system. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to issue a notification if the data measured by said power measurement module varies from the predetermined operating threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the notification includes an alert concerning a burnt-out luminaire. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said power control circuit is wired to said microcontroller. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said power control circuit is wired to the electrical apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to open a peer-to-peer wireless communications link with the personal controller by simulating a Wi-Fi access point. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the peer-to-peer communications standard is Wi-Fi Direct. 
     
     
         20 . A method for remotely controlling an electrical apparatus or system to control a supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system, the method comprising:
 sensing, with a sensor module, presence in proximity to a power control device, the power control device controlling the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system, the power control device having a wireless communications control module operable for wireless peer-to-peer communications with a personal controller;   determining whether the presence matches a predetermined threshold;   powering the wireless communications control module from a sleep state to an active state after determining the presence sensed matches the predetermined threshold;   opening a wireless peer-to-peer communications link between the personal controller and the power control device;   receiving at the power control device through the communications link a communication from the personal controller containing at least one command for varying the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system; and   varying the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system in accordance with the command.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the predetermined threshold for presence is based on detection of presence within a predetermined distance from the sensor module. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the predetermined threshold is adjustable via commands sent to the power control device from the personal controller over the communications link. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising measuring a period of time during which it is determined whether the presence matches the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising measuring electrical parameters of the electricity supplied to the electrical apparatus or system. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising comparing the measured parameters to a predetermined operating threshold associated with the electrical apparatus or system. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising issuing an alert if the measured parameters vary from the predetermined operating threshold. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the alert concerns a burnt-out luminaire. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the opening of the peer-to-peer wireless communications link between the power control device and the personal controller includes simulating a Wi-Fi access point by the power control device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the opening of the peer-to-peer wireless communications link includes opening a Wi-Fi Direct communications link. 
     
     
         30 . A method for remotely controlling an electrical apparatus or system to control a supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system, the method comprising:
 opening a two-way, peer-to-peer wireless communications link between a personal controller and a power control device, the power control device controlling the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system;   receiving at the power control device through the communications link a communication from the personal controller containing at least one command for varying the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system;   sensing, with a sensor module, at least one of light and/or proximity to the power control device;   determining whether the light and/or proximity matches a predetermined threshold; and   varying the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system if the light and/or proximity sensed by the sensor module matches the predetermined threshold, otherwise varying the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system in accordance with the command received from the personal controller.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the sensing includes sensing ambient light. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the predetermined threshold for light is based on detection of the ambient light falling below or above normal daylight. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the sensing includes sensing proximity. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the predetermined threshold for proximity is based on detection of presence within a predetermined distance from the sensor module. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the sensing includes sensing light, further including sensing for proximity after determining that the light sensed matches the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the predetermined threshold is adjustable via commands sent to the power control device from the personal controller over the communications link. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising measuring a period of time during which it is determined whether the light and/or presence is outside of the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising measuring electrical parameters of the electricity supplied to the electrical apparatus or system. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising comparing the measured parameters to a predetermined operating threshold associated with the electrical apparatus or system. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising issuing an alert if the measured parameters vary from the predetermined operating threshold. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the alert concerns a burnt-out luminaire. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the opening of the peer-to-peer wireless communications link between the power control device and the personal controller includes simulating a Wi-Fi access point by the power control device. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the opening of the peer-to-peer wireless communications link includes opening a Wi-Fi Direct communications link.