Wirelessly-controlled lighting device

Abstract

A light apparatus is provided including a housing, a light module, a wireless communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly with a communication device, and a controller disposed in the housing and in communication with the wireless communication unit. The controller receives a control signal associated with at least one of a luminance intensity or lighting direction of the light module from the communication device via the wireless communication unit and controls the luminance intensity or lighting direction of the lighting module according to the control signal.

1 . A light apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a light module;   a wireless communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly with a communication device; and   a controller disposed in the housing and in communication with the wireless communication unit, the controller being configured to receive a control signal associated with at least one of a luminance intensity or lighting direction of the light module from the communication device via the wireless communication unit, and control the luminance intensity or lighting direction of the lighting module according to the control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The light apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a computing device having a user interface, is configured to display a list of available lighting apparatuses to a user, and is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication unit after receipt of a user selection of the light apparatus from the list of available light apparatuses displayed to the user. 
     
     
         3 . The light apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive an on/off signal associated with enabling or disabling the light apparatus from the communication device via the wireless communication unit, and turn the light module on or off accordingly. 
     
     
         4 . The light apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a status signal indicative of a state of charge of a battery pack coupled to the light apparatus to the communication device via the wireless communication unit. 
     
     
         5 . The light apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a main portion on which the light module is mounted, the main portion housing the controller. 
     
     
         6 . The light apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the main portion supports a keypad arranged to provide an input of a user selection of at least one of a luminance intensity or light direction associated with the light module, and wherein the controller is configured to control the luminance intensity or lighting direction of the lighting module according to the input from the keypad. 
     
     
         7 . The light apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the main portion further supports a battery receptacle arranged to removeably receive a power tool battery pack therein. 
     
     
         8 . The light apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light module comprises a transparent cover, a generally-cylindrical heat sink mounted on the upper portion of the main body, and a plurality of vertically-elongated printed circuit boards (PCBs) arranged on an outer circumference of the heat sink, and a plurality of light-emitting devices (LEDs) mounted to each of the PCBs. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 at least one lighting apparatus having a housing, light module, a wireless communication unit, and a controller disposed in the housing and configured to control a lighting operation of the light module; and   a separate communication device for communicating wirelessly with the at least one lighting apparatus,   wherein the controller is configured to receive a control signal associated with at least one of a luminance intensity or lighting direction of the light module from the computing device via the wireless communication unit, and control the luminance intensity or lighting direction of the lighting module according to the control signal.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the communication device is a computing device having a user interface, is configured to display a list of available lighting apparatuses to a user, and is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication unit after receipt of a user selection associated with the at least one light apparatus from the list of available light apparatuses displayed to the user. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the communication device is configured to receive a user selection of an action associated with at least one of the luminance intensity or lighting direction of the light module from the user and communicate the at least one of the luminance intensity or lighting direction to the wireless communication unit. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device is configured to receive schedule data associated with a lighting control of the at least one lighting apparatus and communicate the schedule data to the controller via the wireless communication unit. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of an on/off function, the luminance intensity or the lighting direction of the light module based on the schedule data. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing of the at least one lighting apparatus comprises a main portion on which the light module is mounted, the main portion housing the controller. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the main portion supports a keypad arranged to provide an input of a user selection of at least one of a luminance intensity or light direction associated with the light module, and wherein the controller is configured to control the luminance intensity or lighting direction of the lighting module according to the input from the keypad. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the main portion further supports a battery receptacle arranged to removeably receive a power tool battery pack therein. 
     
     
         17 . A method of controlling a plurality of lighting apparatuses each having a controller and a wireless communication unit, via a computing device separate from the lighting apparatus having a user interface, the method comprising:
 establishing wireless communication between the communication device and the plurality of lighting apparatuses;   displaying a list of available lighting apparatuses associated with the plurality of lighting apparatuses to a user on the user interface of the computing device;   receiving a user lighting apparatus selection via the user interface;   displaying data related to a selected lighting apparatus associated with the user lighting apparatus selection on the user interface;   receiving a user selection of an action associated with at least one of the luminance intensity or lighting direction of the lighting apparatus via the user interface; and   wirelessly communicate the at least one of the luminance intensity or lighting direction to the wireless communication unit of the selected lighting apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving data related to the selected lighting apparatus from the wireless communication unit of the selected lighting apparatus; and   displaying the data related to the selected lighting apparatus on the user interface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the selected lighting apparatus includes a battery receptacle arranged to receive a removeable battery pack, further comprising:
 receiving data related to a state of charge of the battery pack coupled to the selected lighting apparatus from the wireless communication unit of the selected lighting apparatus; and   displaying the data related to the state of charge of the battery pack coupled to the selected lighting apparatus on the user interface.