ARRAYS

[001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[002] The present invention relates to a method and a system for planning, installing, managing and controlling an array of lighting elements and, in particular, an array of high power dynamically programmable single or multiple color light emitting diode (LED) lighting units for large scale lighting functions, such as architectural lighting and the like.

[003] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[004] Developments in LED technology have resulted in the development of "high powered" LEDs having light outputs on the order of, for example, 70 to 80 lumens per watt, so that lighting units comprised of arrays of high powered LEDs have proven practical and suitable for high powered indoor and outdoor lighting functions, such as architectural lighting. Such high powered LED lighting units may comprise arrays of selected combinations of red, green and blue LEDs and white LEDs having different color temperatures and the color or color temperature outputs of such LED array units may be controlled so that the relative illumination level outputs of the individual LEDs, in the array, combine to provide the desired color or color temperature for the lighting unit output. The individual LED lighting units are available in a wide range of illumination distribution configurations, such as spot, flood and linear distributions, and of various sizes and power levels. As a result, the arrays or the configurations of variously configured LED lighting units may provide virtually any desired lighting function or illumination distribution.

[005] A recurring problem with such architectural lighting arrays, however, is the planning, installation, management and/or control of the array of the lighting elements, particularly given the variety of types and configurations of LED lighting units currently available. It will be appreciated that these problems increase significantly with the size and complexity of the lighting arrays and with such factors as the dynamic control of the architectural lighting displays to provide lighting effects that vary with time.

[006] The present invention provides a solution to these and related problems associated with the prior art.

[007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [008] The present invention is directed to a method and a system for assembling and controlling a lighting array including a plurality of lighting units for the lighting of a display space.

[009] The method of the present invention includes providing a representation of the lighting array, the representation of the lighting array identifying a type of lighting unit to be associated with each physical location of a lighting unit in an array address space having a physical address location for each lighting unit in the lighting array wherein there is a unit entry for and corresponding to each lighting unit in the lighting array. Each unit entry includes a location address field for storing a physical address of a corresponding lighting unit and a lighting unit identification field for storing a unique unit identifier of a lighting unit assigned to the corresponding physical address in the array address space.

[010] The representation of the lighting array is then mapped onto the array address space by entering a physical address of a corresponding physical location in the array address space into the location address field of each unit entry corresponding to a lighting unit in the lighting array, and the lighting units of the array are then serialized to associate a specific lighting unit with each physical location of a lighting unit in the array address space by writing the unique unit identifier of a corresponding lighting unit into the lighting unit identification field of each unit entry corresponding to a lighting unit in the lighting array.

[011] In a present embodiment of the invention, each unique unit identifier includes at least one of a product code identifying a type of the lighting unit, at least one identifier of at least one light emission characteristic of the lighting unit, at least one dimension of the lighting unit, an identifier of control codes for the lighting unit, and a lighting configuration code identifying a type of light distribution generated by the lighting unit.

[012] Also according to one embodiment of the invention, the physical addresses of the array address space include either physical locations occupied by the lighting units or all physical locations for the lighting unit in the array address space.

[013] When at least one of the physical locations in the lighting array is occupied by a lighting unit, the step of serializing the lighting units of the lighting array may further include at least either obtaining unique identifier data of a lighting unit occupying at least one of the lighting unit physical locations in the lighting array from an array data structure for storing unique identifier data of lighting units occupying physical locations of the lighting array, or reading unique identifier data of a lighting unit occupying a physical location in the lighting array from the lighting unit occupying the physical location.

[014] When at least one lighting unit is to be installed in at least one of the physical locations in the lighting array, the step of serializing the lighting units of the lighting array may further include obtaining unique identifier data of a lighting unit in an inventory of lighting unit from an inventory data structure for storing unique identifier data of the lighting units in the inventory, or reading unique identifier data of the lighting unit from the lighting unit stored in an inventory of the lighting units.

[015] The method for assembling and controlling a lighting array of the present invention may also include the step of comparing the unique identifier data obtained from one of the inventory data structure and the lighting unit stored in an inventory of the lighting units with unique identifier data specified for the at least one lighting unit to be installed in a physical location of the lighting array to identify a specific lighting array from the inventory of the lighting units corresponding to the specified unique identifier data.

[016] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[017] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[018] Fig. 1A is a diagrammatic block diagram of a lighting array with an array control system;

[019] Fig. 1 B is a diagram of a unique unit identifier;

[020] Fig. 1C is a diagrammatic block diagram of a lighting array in an address space of a display space;

[021] Fig. 2A is a diagrammatic illustration of the step of assigning a unique identifier to a lighting unit; and,

[022] Fig. 2B is a diagrammatic flow diagram of a method for organizing and relating lighting units to a physical display space, to a display address space and unique identifiers of the lighting units.

[023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[024] Referring first to Fig. 1 A, a generalized, exemplary block diagram of a LED unit lighting array 10 is shown therein which comprises of a plurality of lighting units 12 that are monitored and controlled by an array control system 14.

[025] As represented, an array management system 14 may, and for example, typically and generally comprise a processor 14P, an associated memory 14M, a mass storage device 14S and one or more programs 14R implementing a lighting array management system 16S of the present invention and controlling the lighting array 10 by the transmission of the unit control commands 14C transmitted according to, for example, industry standard lighting array control protocols such as the industry standard DMX512 protocol, the DALI protocol, the digital signal interface (DSI), or the remote device management (RDM) protocol, to the lighting units 12 via the system control cabling 18.

[026] As generally represented in the expanded block diagram of an exemplary one of the lighting units 12 of the lighting array 10 of Fig. 1A, each lighting unit 12 typically includes a power supply unit 20 for providing power under the control of control circuits 22 to the plurality of LEDs 24 of the LED array 26 which comprises, for example, a selected combination or combinations of red, green and blue LEDs 24 and white LEDs 24 having different color temperatures. The control circuits 22 are, in turn, controlled by the control commands 14C transmitted by the array control system 14 and executed by a lighting unit control system 28S implemented in, for example, a unit processor 28P, a unit memory 28M and lighting unit control programs 28R of the lighting unit 12.

[027] According to the present invention, and as described in further detail in following description, each of the lighting unit 12 stores and includes a unique unit identifier 30 that contains and comprises of data fields 32 specifying the characteristics of and uniquely identifying the lighting unit 12. According to the present invention, the unique unit identifier 32 for each given lighting unit 12 is written into and permanently stored in the lighting unit 12 during manufacture of the specific lighting unit 12. The data fields 32 may include, for example and as generally illustrated in Fig. 1 B, a product code 32A identifying the type of lighting unit 12, one or more unit characteristic identifiers 32B identifying various characteristics of the lighting unit 12 such as the white LED light temperature(s) and the number of red, green and blue LEDs 24 of the LED array 26 and the dimensions of the lighting unit 12, such as the length of the lighting unit 12, a data code identifier 32C identifying, for example, the number of bits expected in the control codes for the lighting unit 12, a lighting configuration code 32D identifying the type of light distribution to be generated by the lighting unit 12, and a serial number 32E that is unique to the lighting unit 12 and thus uniquely identifies the specific lighting unit 12. The unique unit identifier 30 of each lighting unit 12 may be stored, for example, in a non-volatile memory in the circuitry of the lighting unit 12 or, for example, the unique unit identifier 30 of each lighting unit 12 may also or alternately be stored in, for example, a radio frequency identifier (RFID) chip 22C.

[028] Turning now to Fig. 1C, an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a lighting array 10 is shown therein, This lighting array 10 is constructed for illumination of a display space 34 wherein the display space 34 may, for example, comprise a two or a three dimensional architectural space or a volume, such as a building facade or a three dimensional indoor or outdoor space such as a courtyard, a plaza or an enclosed volume. As illustrated, and according to the present invention, the display space 34 comprises the actual or potential physical locations 34L of the lighting units 12 in the display space 34 and an array address space 36 comprising of the array addresses 36A are mapped onto or into the physical locations 34L comprising the display space 34 with each address 36A in the address space 36 representing and corresponding to a physical location 34L on or in the display space 34.

[029] As will be described further below in further detail, a primary object and purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for identifying and organizing the lighting units 12 into the display space 34 of the lighting array 12, including identifying the type, the characteristics and the address 36A of the physical location 36L of each of the lighting units 12 in the lighting array 10, and providing this information to the user and/or installer to facilitate assembly, construction, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the lighting array 10.

[030] The method and the system of the present invention are accordingly illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, which is a diagrammatic flow diagram and block diagram of the elements and the operation of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 2A, the method and the system of the present invention both include a preliminary step 38A in which, at or during the final stage of manufacturing the lighting unit 12, a unique unit identifier 30 is written into the lighting unit 12, thereby uniquely identifying each one of the lighting units 12 and specifying the characteristics of that specific lighting unit 12. As described, the unique unit identifier 30 may typically include, but not be limited to, a product code 32A identifying the type of the lighting unit 12, one or more unit characteristic identifiers 32B identifying various characteristics of the lighting unit 12 such as the white LED light temperature(s) and number of red, green and blue LEDs 24 of the LED array 26 and the dimensions of the lighting unit 12, such as the length of the lighting unit 12, a data code identifier 32C identifying, for example, the number of bits expected in the control codes for the lighting unit 12, a lighting configuration code 32D identifying the type of light distribution generated by the lighting unit 12, and a serial number 32E that is unique to the lighting unit 12 and thus uniquely identifies that specific lighting unit 12.

[031] Turning now to Fig.2B and steps 38B through 38D of the present invention, as shown therein, step 38B comprises the operation of relating the lighting units 12 to the physical locations 34L of a display space 34 of the proposed or the already existing lighting array 10, and relating the physical locations 34L to the corresponding addresses 36A of the array address space 36 corresponding to the proposed or the existing display space 34.

[032] In step 38B, a user generates or otherwise provides, as an input to the system and method of the present invention, a representation 34R of the proposed or the existing lighting array 10 and the display space 34. The representation 34R generally comprises an array data structure 34D that includes a unit entry 34E for and corresponding to each lighting unit 12 in a lighting array 10 and each unit entry 34E will include an address 36A in address space 36 of each intended or existing physical location 34L of each lighting unit 12 in the proposed or the existing lighting array 10 and, for each physical location, an identification 34I of the type and characteristics of the lighting unit 12 to appear therein. As discussed above, the identification 34I of the lighting unit 12 may include, for example, one or more unit characteristic identifiers 32B identifying various characteristics of the lighting unit 12, such as the white LED light temperature(s) and number of red, green and blue LEDs 24 of the LED array 26 and the dimensions of the lighting unit 12, such as the length of the lighting unit 12.

[033] According to present embodiments of the present invention, the array data structure 34D may comprise, for example, a database or a spreadsheet or sone other suitable data structure and the array data structure 34D and unit entries 34E, comprising a representation 34R of a lighting array 12, may be generated and edited by an array modeling program 34U comprising, for example, of a database or a spreadsheet program. It will be appreciated that, as indicated above, the array data structure 34D and the unit entries 34E of the representation 34R of the lighting array 10 may be generated from the existing lighting array 10 by, for example, manually entering the identification 34I information into the data entry 34E for each lighting unit 12, or by reading the identification 34I information into the data entries 34E from another, previously constructed data structure, such as a database, a spreadsheet or some other data structure or data record. [034] A similar procedure may be employed to generate the unit entries 34E of a representation 34R of a new lighting array 10 by, for example, again using the array modeling program 34U to generate the array data structure 34D comprising the unit entries 34E arranged and organized to model the representation 34R of the intended lighting array 10 and entering the required identification 34I information manually or from a previously constructed data structure, such as a database, a spreadsheet or some other data structure or record.

[035] In the instance where a new lighting array 10 is to be designed or the existing lighting array 10 is to be analyzed or modified, the system and the method may further include an array modeling program 34A, such as a graphics program having a stored library of representations of the static and dynamic light distributions to be generated by each type and configuration of lighting unit 12 that may be employed in constructing the desired lighting array 10. According to this implementation of the present invention, the array modeling program 34A may read the representation 34R, as directed by the user, and generate a visual display 34V, such as on a computer screen, of the lighting distributions and displays that may be, or are selected to be, generated by the lighting units 12 of the lighting array 10, thereby providing a visual modeling and illustration of the lighting array 10 during design of the lighting array 10. It should be noted that the data structures associated with the array modeling program may further include a displayable visual representation 34 of the modeled display space 34, such as displayable representation 34S of the building facade or the three dimensional indoor or outdoor space, such as the courtyard, the plaza or the enclosed volume, to provide a more realistic rendition of the possible final appearance of the lighting array 10.

[036] In step 38C, the representation 36R is mapped onto the address space 36 which, as described, contains the address 36A of each physical location 36L of a lighting unit 12 in the lighting array 10, thereby relating the physical lighting array 10 and the lighting units 12 thereof as represented in the representation 36R to the array address space 36 and each lighting unit 12 to the corresponding address 36A in address space 36. After completion of step 38C, the unit entry 34E for and corresponding to each lighting unit 12 in the lighting array 10 will therefore, as discussed above, include the address 36A corresponding to and identifying the physical location 34L of the corresponding lighting unit 12 and the identification 34I of the type and the characteristics of the lighting unit 12 to appear therein. [037] With regard to step 38C, it should be noted that address space 36 may, in certain implementations, include the addresses 36A for both actual and potential physical locations of the lighting unit 12 in the display space 34, so that the address space 36 addresses 36A essentially map one on one to each possible lighting unit 12 physical location 34L in the display space 34. This method of relating the address space 36 to the display space 34 and the representation 36R may be preferable, for example, when the existing lighting array 10 is being modified or the new lighting array 10 is being created as the number of physical locations 34L in the display space 34 and thus the number and arrangement of the addresses 36A required in the address space 36 may change during the creation or modification of the lighting array 10.

[038] When the number and locations of the physical locations 34L of lighting units 12 are known, however, such as when the lighting array 0 has already been designed or is already in existence, it may be preferable to generate and assign the addresses 36A only to the physical locations 34L actually containing lighting units 12. In such instances, the number of the addresses 36A may be significantly reduced and the addresses 36A may be generated and assigned, for example, according to any convenient scheme, such as in sequence or by row and column, and so on.

[039] Turning now to step 38D, this is a serialization step where a specific lighting unit 12 is associated with each physical location 34L of the lighting unit 12 in the the display space 34 by identifying, for each physical location 34L, either the lighting unit 12 already residing at or for illumination of the physical location 34L or the lighting unit 12 having the characteristics identified in the corresponding unit entry 34E of the representation 34R of the lighting array 10. As described above, and according to the present invention, each lighting unit 12 is uniquely identified by the unique unit identifier 30 stored in or in permanent association with the lighting unit 12. As described, the unique unit identifier 30 includes the data fields 32 identifying, for example, the characteristics of the lighting unit 12, such as a product code 32A identifying the type of lighting unit 12, one or more unit characteristic identifiers 32B identifying various characteristics of the lighting unit 12, such as the white LED light temperature(s) and number of red, green and blue LEDs 24 of the LED array 26 and the dimensions of the lighting unit 12, such as the length of the lighting unit 12, the data code identifier 32C identifying, for example, the number of bits expected in the control codes for the lighting unit 12, and the lighting configuration code 32D identifying the type of light distribution to be generated by the lighting unit 12.

[040] As discussed above, these data fields 32 are at this point in the process already identified and written into the unit entries 34E of the representation 34R, as are the address 36A in the address space 36 of the lighting unit 12, thus identifying the physical location 34L of the lighting unit 12. The identification of a specific lighting unit 12 that resides at the given physical location 34L or that is selected to be installed at the given physical location 34L is, therefore, completed by the identification of and the addition, to each unit entry 34E, of the unique serial number 32E that is permanently assigned to the corresponding installed lighting unit 12 or to the lighting unit 12 that has been selected to be installed at that physical location 34L, thereby completing the serialization process.

[041] In present embodiments of the present invention, as described above, the array modeling program 34U or some other program of suitable functionality used to generate and edit the array data structure 34D and the unit entries 34E of the representation 34R of the lighting array 10 may also be used for the serialization process, that is, for the addition of the unique serial number 32E of the corresponding lighting unit 12 to each unit entry 34E of the array data structure 34D.

[042] In the case of the existing lighting array 10, the serial number 32E and other data fields 32 of each lighting unit 12 of the lighting array 12 may be obtained, for serialization step 38D, from existing electronic or physical records 38A, for example, such as an electronic or a hard copy database, a spreadsheet or a tabulation, or read from the lighting units 12 by, for example, interrogation of the installed lighting units 12 by the array control system 14. In other implementations of the present invention, the unique unit identifier 30 of each lighting unit 12 may also or alternately be stored in the lighting unit 12 in, for example, a radio frequency identifier (RFID) chip 22C and read remotely or by a hand-held unit.

[043] In the case of a new lighting array 10, the lighting units 12 will typically be available from inventory comprising, for example, a shipment or a stock room or a warehouse of suitable lighting units 12, and the serial number 32E and other data fields 32 of each lighting unit 12 of the lighting array 12 may be obtained, for serialization step 38D, from the inventory data 38B comprising, for example, an electronic or a hard copy database, a spreadsheet, a bill of lading or some other tabulation or documentation accompanying the lighting units 12 or read from the associated RFID chips 22C attached to each one of the lighting units 12. In the case when the lighting units 12, for some or all of the physical locations 34I of the display space 34, are to be selected from an inventory, the array management system 14 may, for example, interrogate the inventory data 38 or the RFID chips 22C, associated with the individual lighting units 12 in the inventory, read the data fields 32 corresponding to the individual lighting units 12 to determine, for example, the characteristics of each available lighting unit 12, that is, and for example, the product code 32A, the unit characteristic identifiers 32B, the data code identifier 32C and the lighting configuration code 32D. The array management system 14 may then compare the data fields 32 of the available lighting units 12 with the characteristics specified for a given physical location 34L of the lighting array 10 and identify the unique serial numbers 32E of the lighting units 12 available in the inventory. The array management system 14, or a user controlling the array management system 14, may then select a suitable lighting unit 12 having characteristics matching those of the physical location 34L, whereupon the unique serial number 32E of the selected lighting unit 12 will be then written into the corresponding data field 32 of the unit entry 34E corresponding to the physical location 34L, thus assigning that lighting unit 12 to that physical location 34L.

[044] This process will be repeated for each open or unassigned physical location

34L, with the unique serial numbers 32E of the selected lighting units 12 being written into the unit entries 34E of the representation 34.

[045] The unit entries 34E of the array data structure 34D, comprising the representation 34R of the lighting array 10, will then contain the complete and unique unit identifier 30, including the unique serial number 32E, the lighting characteristic data fields 32 and the physical location address 36A, of each lighting unit 12 in the lighting array 10.

[046] In summary, therefore, and as described, there is a unit entry 34E corresponding to each lighting unit 12 in the lighting array 10 and, as described, each unit entry 34E contains information identifying the physical location 34L, that is, the address 36A, of each lighting unit 12 in the array 10, the unique identification of each lighting unit 12, in the unique serial number 32E of the lighting unit 12, and the complete specification of the type and characteristics of each such lighting unit 12, in the data fields 32 of the unit entries 34E.

[047] The unit entries 34E of the array data structure 34D of the lighting array management system 14 thereby provide the necessary information to efficiently plan, manage and control the construction, the modification and/or the repair of a lighting array 10 by uniquely identifying each lighting unit 12 in the array 10, including the unique identification of and the location and the characteristics of each of the lighting units 12. This information may then be used, for example, when designing and constructing a new lighting array 10 and/or modifying an existing lighting array 10 to select the individual lighting units 12 to be installed, including planning the order in which the lighting units 12 are to be installed, and to identify and locate the lighting units 12 from an inventory or to be ordered. In the case of any repair to an existing lighting array 10, the information stored in the array data structure 34D may be used to identify the specific lighting units 12 to be repaired or replaced, including their location in the lighting array 12 and in the display space 34, their unique identifying serial numbers 32E, and their characteristics as described in data fields 32, thereby insuring that the replacement lighting units 12 have the appropriate characteristics and thereby provide the same illumination as the original design, or possible may be altered to provide an improved illumination effect. This information may be employed by a monitoring and test facility implemented, for example, as a program in the array management system 14 to execute one or more test routines directed at the individual lighting units 12 with the routines accessing the unit entries 34E.

In addition to providing the information necessary to efficiently plan and manage the installation of lighting units 12, the array management system 14 provides an efficient means to monitor and test the lighting units 12 of a lighting array 10 through monitoring and test functions implemented, for example, as a program or programs in array management system 14. That is, and for example, monitoring and test functions will read the unit entries 34E corresponding to lighting units 12 to be tested, either selected individually, such as by a user, or in a specified order. Monitoring and test functions will determine from the unit entries 34E,and for each lighting unit 12 to be tested, the unique identification 32E, the physical location address 36A and the functional characteristics of the lighting unit 12 as specified in the data fields 32 and will generate and transmit to each lighting unit 12 the appropriate corresponding commands 14C to exercise the functional characteristics of the lighting unit 12. The responses of the lighting units 12 to the test and monitoring commands 14C may, depending on the implementations of the lighting units 12, be transmitted to the array management system 14 to generate a report of the test results, or may, for example, be observed directly by a user, possible with the assistance of a concurrent display of the lighting array functions generated by an array modeling program 34A. The results of the tests may then be used, as necessary, for the maintenance of the lighting array 10. Since certain changes may be made in the above described method and system for planning, installing, managing and controlling an array of high power light emitting diodes, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted merely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.