System and method for ensuring minimal control delay to grouped illumination devices configured within a wireless network

Abstract

A lighting control system and method is disclosed for not only controlling visual content loaded within a group set of illumination devices configured within a wireless network, but also for ensuring minimal control delay to those grouped devices. The lighting control system can include a lighting controller device that controls a plurality of lamps within a mesh network, not only to group those lamps but also to assign content to lamps within that group. The combination of a guaranteed groupcast to each of the group of lamps and an acknowledge back from those lamps that is aggregated over a single path achieves the improved lighting control system disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lighting control system, comprising:
 a plurality of lamps interconnected within a residence by a wireless mesh network, wherein a group of lamps within the plurality of lamps each comprise a unique address and a group address that is dependent on where within a residence the group of lamps reside; 
 a control device wirelessly coupled to the group of lamps and comprising a data file that associates the unique address with the group address; 
 a button configured on the control device that, when actuated, is configured to send a groupcast control message to only the group of lamps having their unique address associated with a unique group address; and 
 a receiver on the control device for receiving a unicast acknowledge message from each of the group of lamps that receive the groupcast control message, wherein the unicast acknowledge message is sent through a single, first lamp-to-lamp path across the wireless mesh network based on routing tables stored within each of the plurality of lamps. 
 
     
     
       2. The lighting control system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the groupcast control message is received upon the plurality of lamps at substantially the same time. 
     
     
       3. The lighting control system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the groupcast control message is received upon the plurality of lamps based on the distance from the control device and not on any hops through intermediate lamps within the network between the control device and the plurality of lamps. 
     
     
       4. The lighting control system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the unicast acknowledge message is a single message aggregated with the unique address of each of the group of lamps. 
     
     
       5. The lighting control system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein if the single message aggregated with the unique address of each of the group of lamps does not contain the unique address of all the group of lamps then another unicast acknowledge message is received by the receiver through a single, second lamp-to-lamp path dissimilar from the first lamp-to-lamp path. 
     
     
       6. A method for controlling a plurality of lamps within a wireless network, comprising:
 assigning a unique address to each of the plurality of lamps; 
 associating the unique address with a group address for a grouped subset of the plurality of lamps; 
 sending a groupcast control message to only the grouped subset of the plurality of lamps having the group address; and 
 returning a unicast acknowledge message as a single message having aggregated unique addresses of the grouped subset of the plurality of lamps that received the groupcast control message, wherein the unicast acknowledge message is returned from each of the grouped subset of the plurality of lamps through the wireless network from lamp-to-lamp based on routing tables stored within each of the plurality of lamps. 
 
     
     
       7. The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising receiving the groupcast control message upon the grouped subset of the plurality of lamps at substantially the same time based solely on distance from the control device and not on any hops through any of the plurality of lamps. 
     
     
       8. The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising returning another unicast acknowledge message from a lamp within the grouped subset of the plurality of lamps that did not receive the groupcast control message. 
     
     
       9. A controller configured to:
 display a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user;   responsive to the user issuing a command via the GUI, communicate a discovery message to a lamp to discover the lamp;   responsive to communicating the discovery message to the lamp, receive an acknowledge message from the lamp indicating that the lamp received the discovery message;   responsive to receiving the acknowledge message from the lamp, display on the GUI an icon representing the lamp, wherein communicating with the lamp to discover the lamp causes the lamp to emit a first color;   receive from the user via the GUI a selection of the icon;   responsive to receiving the selection of the icon, cause the lamp to at least one of emit a second color different from the first color or blink;   receive from the user via the GUI a command that assigns the lamp to a group of lamps; and   responsive to receiving the command that assigns the lamp to a group of lamps, cause the lamp to emit a third color that is different from the first and second colors and remove the icon from the GUI.    
     
     
       10. A lamp, comprising:
 a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) strings, each of the plurality of LED strings including a plurality of light emitting diodes;   communications interface circuitry to bidirectionally communicatively couple to at least one of a plurality lamps forming a mesh network;   memory circuitry to store data representative of a MAC address unique to and associated with the lamp; and   processor circuitry communicatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry and to the memory circuitry, the processor circuitry configured to:
 receive, from an external system controller via the communications interface circuitry, a broadcast discovery message; and 
 in response to receipt of the broadcast discovery message:
 rebroadcast, via the communications interface circuitry, the broadcast discovery message to the at least one of the plurality of lamps; 
 unicast, via the communications interface circuitry, an acknowledgement message that includes the MAC address of the lamp to the external system controller; and 
 unicast, to the external system controller via the communications interface circuitry, one or more routing messages, each of the routing messages received from a respective one of a plurality of mesh network coupled lamps and each of the one or more routing messages including data representative of a MAC address of the originating lamp and data representative of hop information associated with the originating lamp.  
 
   
     
     
       11. The lamp of claim 10, the processor circuitry configured to further:
 receive, from the external system controller via the communications interface, at least one success message that includes data indicative of a successful receipt, by the external system controller, of the acknowledgement message; and   generate at least one output signal responsive to receipt of the at least one success message.    
     
     
       12. The lamp of claim 11, wherein the at least one output signal comprises a message communicated, via the communications interface circuitry, to an external device via one or more wireless networks.  
     
     
       13. The lamp of claim 11, wherein the at least one output signal comprises a visible light communication using one or more of the plurality of LED strings.  
     
     
       14. The lamp of claim 10, the processor circuitry configured to further:
 receive, from the external system controller via the communications interface, a groupcast that includes data representative of a group identifier associated with the lamp and data representative of a MAC address of each of the plurality of lamps that share the same group identifier; and   responsive to the receipt of the data representative of the group identifier, cause a storage of the data representative of the group identifier in the memory circuitry.    
     
     
       15. The lamp of claim 10, the processor circuitry configured to further:
 store, as a routing table in the memory circuitry, at least a portion of the message that includes the MAC address and the hop information associated with the respective ones of the plurality of lamps.    
     
     
       16. The lamp of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of diode strings comprise a plurality of LED emitters that emit light at a first visible wavelength.  
     
     
       17. A lamp controller, comprising:
 control circuitry configured to:   receive, from an external system controller via a communications interface circuitry, a broadcast discovery message; and   responsive to receipt of the broadcast discovery message:
 rebroadcast, via the communications interface circuitry, the broadcast discovery message to the at least one of a plurality of lamps communicatively couplable, via a mesh network, to the communications interface circuitry; 
 unicast, to the external system controller via the communications interface circuitry, an acknowledgement message that includes a MAC address; and 
 unicast, to the external system controller via the communications interface circuitry, one or more routing messages, each of the routing messages received from a respective one of a plurality of mesh network coupled lamps and each of the one or more routing messages including data representative of a MAC address of the originating lamp and data representative of hop information associated with the originating lamp.  
   
     
     
       18. The lamp controller of claim 17, the control circuitry configured to further:
 receive, from the external system controller, at least one success message that includes data indicative of a successful receipt, by the external system controller, of the unicast acknowledgement message; and   generate at least one output signal responsive to receipt of the at least one success message.    
     
     
       19. The lamp controller of claim 18, wherein, to generate the at least one output signal responsive to receipt of the at least one success message, the control circuitry configured to further:
 communicate at least one success message to an external device via one or more wireless networks.    
     
     
       20. The lamp controller of claim 18, wherein, to generate the at least one output signal responsive to receipt of the at least one success message, the control circuitry configured to further:
 cause a visible light communication using one or more of a plurality of LED strings operatively couplable to the lamp controller.    
     
     
       21. The lamp controller of claim 17, the control circuitry configured to further:
 receive, from the external system controller, a groupcast that includes data representative of a group identifier associated with the lamp and data representative of a MAC address of each of the plurality of lamps that share the same group identifier; and   responsive to the receipt of the data representative of the group identifier, cause a storage of the data representative of the group identifier in memory circuitry.    
     
     
       22. The lamp controller of claim 17, the control circuitry configured to further:
 store, as a routing table in communicatively coupled memory circuitry, at least a portion of the message that includes the MAC address and the hop information associated with the respective ones of the plurality of lamps.    
     
     
       23. A lamp control method, comprising:
 receiving, by lamp control circuitry from an external system controller, a broadcast discovery message; and   responsive to receipt of the broadcast discovery message:
 rebroadcasting, by the lamp control circuitry, the broadcast discovery message to the at least one of a plurality of lamps communicatively couplable, via a mesh network, to the lamp control circuitry; 
   unicasting, by the lamp control circuitry to the external system controller, an acknowledgement message that includes a MAC address associated with the lamp control circuitry; and   unicasting, by the lamp control circuitry to the external system controller, one or more routing messages, each of the routing messages received from a respective one of a plurality of mesh network coupled lamps and each of the one or more routing messages including data representative of a MAC address of the originating lamp and data representative of hop information associated with the originating lamp.    
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
 receiving, by the lamp control circuitry from the external system controller, at least one success message that includes data indicative of a successful receipt, by the external system controller, of the unicast acknowledgement message; and   generating at least one output signal responsive to receipt of the at least one success message.    
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24, wherein generating the at least one output signal responsive to receipt of the at least one success message further comprises:
 communicating, by the lamp control circuitry, at least one success message to an external processor-based device via one or more wireless networks.    
     
     
       26. The method of claim 24, wherein generating the at least one output signal responsive to receipt of the at least one success message further comprises:
 generating, by the lamp control circuitry, a visible light communication using one or more of a plurality of LED strings operatively couplable to the lamp control circuitry.    
     
     
       27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
 receiving, by the lamp control circuitry from the external system controller, a groupcast that includes data representative of a group identifier associated with the lamp and data representative of a MAC address of each of the plurality of lamps that share the same group identifier; and   responsive to the receipt of the data representative of the group identifier, causing a storage of the data representative of the group identifier in memory circuitry communicatively coupled to the lamp control circuitry.    
     
     
       28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
 storing, as a routing table in communicatively coupled memory circuitry, at least a portion of the message that includes the MAC address and the hop information associated with the respective ones of the plurality of lamps.    
     
     
       29. A non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device that includes instructions that, when executed by control circuitry in a lamp controller, cause the control circuitry to:
 receive, from a system controller via a communications interface circuitry, a broadcast discovery message and, responsive to receipt of the broadcast discovery message:   rebroadcast, via communicatively coupled communications interface circuitry, the broadcast discovery message to at least one of a plurality of lamps communicatively coupled to form a mesh network;   unicast to the system controller, via the communications interface circuitry, an acknowledgement message that includes the MAC address of the lamp; and   unicast, via the communications interface circuitry, one or more routing messages, each of the routing messages received from a respective one of a plurality of mesh network coupled lamps and each of the one or more routing messages including data representative of a MAC address of the originating lamp and data representative of hop information associated with the originating lamp.    
     
     
       30. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 29, wherein the instructions further cause the control circuitry to:
 receive at least one success message from the system controller, the success message including data indicative of a successful receipt, by the system controller, of the unicast acknowledgement message; and
 generate an output responsive to receipt of the success message.  
   
     
     
       31. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 30, wherein the instructions that cause the control circuitry to generate an output responsive to receipt of the success message further cause the control circuitry to:
 cause a transmission of a success message to an external device via one or more wireless networks.    
     
     
       32. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 30, wherein the instructions that cause the control circuitry to generate an output responsive to receipt of the success message further cause the control circuitry to:
 cause a visible light communication via one or more operatively coupled light-emitting diodes.    
     
     
       33. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 29, wherein the instructions further cause the control circuitry to:
 store a group identifier in memory circuitry of the lamp in response to receipt of a groupcast that includes data representative of the group identifier and the MAC address of the lamp.    
     
     
       34. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 29, wherein the instructions further cause the control circuitry to:
 store, as a routing table in communicatively coupled memory circuitry, at least a portion of the message that includes the MAC address and the hop information associated with the respective ones of the plurality of lamps sharing the group identifier.    
     
     
       35. A system controller, comprising:
 communication interface circuitry;   control circuitry communicatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, the control circuitry configured to:
 broadcast a discovery message across a mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices; 
 in response to receipt of the broadcast discover message by each of at least some of the plurality of electrical devices, receive from each respective one of the responding electrical devices a unicast acknowledgement message that includes data representative of a unique identifier associated with the responding electrical device and data representative of one or more hops forming a communicative pathway to the responding electrical device; 
 responsive to receipt of the acknowledgement message from each of the responding electrical devices, unicast a receipt message to each respective one of the responding electrical devices; 
 cause a generation of a graphical use interface (GUI) that includes icons representing each of the responding electrical devices; 
 receive an input, via the GUI, that groups respective unique identifiers associated with each two or more electrical devices with a common group identifier; and 
 groupcast, to each of the electrical devices included in the common group address, a data table that includes data representative of the common group identifier and data representative of the routing table associated with respective ones of the electrical devices sharing the common group identifier.  
   
     
     
       36. The system controller of claim 35, the control circuitry configured to further:
 cause each of the responding electrical devices to store the data table in memory circuitry disposed in the respective electrical device.    
     
     
       37. The system controller of claim 35, the control circuitry configured to further:
 receive an input to cause the control circuitry to transmit a broadcast discovery message.    
     
     
       38. The system controller of claim 35, wherein to broadcast a discovery message across a mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices, the control circuitry configured to further:
 broadcast a discovery message across a mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices that include one or more lamps.    
     
     
       39. The system controller of claim 35, wherein to broadcast a discovery message across a mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices, the control circuitry configured to further:
 broadcast a discovery message across a mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices that include one or more lamps and one or more lamp control devices.    
     
     
       40. A non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device that includes instructions that, when executed by control circuitry in an electrical load system controller, causes the control circuitry to:
 broadcast a discovery message across a mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices;   in response to receipt of the broadcast discover message by each of at least some of the plurality of electrical devices, receive from each respective one of the responding electrical devices a unicast acknowledgement message that includes data representative of a unique identifier associated with the responding electrical device and data representative of one or more hops forming a communicative pathway to the responding electrical device;   responsive to receipt of the acknowledgement message from each of the responding electrical devices, unicast a receipt message to each respective one of the responding electrical devices;   cause a generation of a graphical use interface (GUI) that includes icons representing each of the responding electrical devices;   receive an input, via the GUI, that groups respective unique identifiers associated with each two or more electrical devices with a common group identifier; and   groupcast, to each of the two or more electrical devices included in the common group address, a data table that includes data representative of the common group identifier and data representative of the unique identifiers associated with each of the electrical devices sharing the common group identifier.    
     
     
       41. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 40, wherein the instructions further cause the control circuitry to:
 cause each of the responding electrical devices to store the data table in memory circuitry disposed in the respective electrical device.    
     
     
       42. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 40, wherein the instructions further cause the control circuitry to:
 receive an input to cause the control circuitry to broadcast the discovery message.    
     
     
       43. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 40, wherein the instructions that cause the control circuitry to broadcast the discovery message across the mesh network that includes the plurality of electrical devices further cause the control circuitry to:
 broadcast the discovery message across the mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices that include one or more lamps.    
     
     
       44. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 40, wherein the instructions that cause the control circuitry to broadcast the discovery message across the mesh network that includes the plurality of electrical devices further cause the control circuitry to:
 broadcast the discovery message across the mesh network that includes the plurality of electrical devices that include one or more lamps and one or more lamp control devices.    
     
     
       45. An electrical load control method, comprising:
 broadcasting, by electrical load control circuitry, a discovery message across a mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices;   in response to receipt of the broadcast discover message by each of at least some of the plurality of electrical devices, receiving, by the electrical load control circuitry from each respective one of the responding electrical devices, a unicast acknowledgement message that includes data representative of a unique identifier associated with the responding electrical device and data representative of one or more hops forming a communicative pathway to the responding electrical device;   responsive to receipt of the acknowledgement message from each of the responding electrical devices, unicasting, by the electrical load control circuitry, a receipt message to each respective one of the responding electrical devices;   causing, by the electrical load control circuitry, a generation of a graphical use interface (GUI) that includes icons representing each of the responding electrical devices;   receiving an input, by the electrical load control circuitry via the GUI, that groups respective unique identifiers associated with each two or more electrical devices with a common group identifier; and   groupcasting, by the electrical load control circuitry, to each of the two or more electrical devices included in the common group address, a data table that includes data representative of the common group identifier and data representative of the unique identifiers associated with each of the electrical devices sharing the common group identifier.    
     
     
       46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:
 causing each of the responding electrical devices to store the data table in memory circuitry disposed in the respective electrical device.    
     
     
       47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:
 receiving an input to cause the control circuitry to broadcast the discovery message.    
     
     
       48. The method of claim 45, wherein broadcasting the discovery message across the mesh network that includes the plurality of electrical devices further comprises:
 broadcasting, by the electrical load control circuitry, the discovery message across the mesh network that includes a plurality of electrical devices that include one or more lamps.    
     
     
       49. The method of claim 45, wherein broadcasting the discovery message across the mesh network that includes the plurality of electrical devices further comprises:
 broadcasting, by the electrical load control circuitry, the discovery message across the mesh network that includes the plurality of electrical devices that include one or more lamps and one or more lamp control devices.