CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/526,358, filed June 29, 2017, entitled "LED Lamp as a Mobile Access Point", the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[002] The present invention relates to a method for providing Wi-Fi access to devices on demand, and more particularly, to a lighting device that acts as a Wi-Fi access point to extend the Wi-Fi coverage in the entire facility.

BACKGROUND

[003] Wi-Fi is a wireless networking protocol that allows devices to communicate without need of wires. Wi-Fi technology may be used to provide internet access to devices that are within the range of a wireless network. It encompasses the technologies of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) and is based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. A Wi-Fi device can connect to the internet when it is near an Access Point (AP).

[004] Various facilities, such as businesses, public space, commercial complex, organizations, airports, hotels, restaurants very often provide Wi-Fi services to attract their customers. The access points of Wi-Fi network in a given facility to cover the entire area are provided based on site survey. Generally, the Wi-Fi access points are fixed at 40 to 80 feet apart to have good Wi-Fi coverage. However, the trend/pattern of usage changes a lot.

[005] Nowadays, most of the devices, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones comes equipped with Wi-Fi compatible hardware/software. This may result in concentration of user at one area at one time while in another area at a different time in the facility. The applications people use such as voice, video or data change all the time. Hence, it is very critical that user's experience while roaming within the facility is consistent. Additionally, it may be impractical from feature compatibility point of view as well as the fact that it is typically a challenge for network administrators to manage access points from different vendors mixed in same facility.

[006] In view of above constraints, it would be advantageous to have the present invention that enables a lighting device to act as a Wi-Fi Access point for a specific vendor on demand with the objective to extend the Wi-Fi coverage in the entire facility that already has Wi-Fi coverage from the same vendor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[007] The present invention relates to a method for using a Wi-Fi radio embedded in the lighting device as a Wi-Fi access point for a specific vendor to increase the Wi-Fi signal strength based on real time demand without having to add new hardware access points from that vendor.

[008] In a first aspect of present invention, a lighting device to extend Wi-Fi coverage on a demand in a facility is provided. The lighting device comprising: a lighting device embedded computing resources comprising a processor, a memory and a storage; a lighting device embedded Wi-Fi radio to connect the lighting device to a Wi-Fi access point; a lighting device embedded access point application that monitors and sends the Wi-Fi performance metrics to an external application, said lighting device embedded access point application receives instructions from the external application to start acting as a traditional access point for other devices in the facility. The Wi-Fi performance metrics comprises Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc. The external application notifies a network administrator about the Wi-Fi performance metric in a particular area of the facility and the network administrator instructs the external application to communicate with the lighting device of that area to act as a traditional access point.

[009] In a second aspect of present invention, a system for extending Wi-Fi coverage on demand in a facility is provided. The system comprising: a plurality of lighting devices installed in a facility; an access point application embedded in each of the plurality of lighting device that monitors Wi-Fi performance metrics in its coverage area; an external application that receives the Wi-Fi performance metrics from the access point application and determines an area that needs increase Wi-Fi signal strength, wherein the external application instructs the access point application in that area to act as a traditional access point service. The external application may either reside in the facility or in a server cloud. The Wi-Fi performance metrics comprises Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc. The external application may notify a network administrator the data on the Wi-Fi performance metrics in the facility. The network administrator analyzes the Wi-Fi performance metric and determines a lighting device to act as a traditional access point service.

[0010] In a third aspect of present invention, a method for extending Wi-Fi coverage on demand in a facility is provided. The method comprising: monitoring the Wi-Fi performance metric by an access point application embedded in each of a plurality of lighting devices arranged in a facility; sending the Wi-Fi performance metric by the access point application to an external application; performing the analysis of the Wi-Fi performance metric received from each of the plurality of lighting device to determine an area that need increase in Wi-Fi strength; instructing an embedded access point application in the area to start acting as a traditional Wi-Fi access point. The external application may either reside in the facility or in a server cloud. The Wi-Fi performance metrics comprises Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc. The external application may also notifies a network administrator about the data on the Wi-Fi performance metrics in the facility. The network administrator analyze the data on Wi-Fi performance metric and determines a lighting device that act as a traditional Wi-Fi access point.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates components of a lighting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of present invention.

[0013] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a facility having a plurality of lighting devices, a Wi-Fi access point and a mobile access point Application installed in the facility, in accordance with an embodiment of present invention.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrating a lighting device acting as an access point in the facility in accordance with an embodiment of present invention. [0015] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram illustrating an external application requesting a lighting device to act as an access point in the facility, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment of invention. However, it will be obvious to a person skilled in art that the embodiments of invention may be practiced with or without these specific details. In other instances well known methods, procedures and components have not been described in details, so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments of the invention.

[0017] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0018] It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0020] In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

[0021] The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below. For example, Wi-Fi is used as a wireless communication protocol from the LED Lamps however; other wireless or wired communication protocols could be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0022] Furthermore, it will be clear that the invention is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0023] The present invention provides a system and method to extend Wi-Fi coverage on demand for a straggling user in the facility. The method utilizes a lighting device installed in a facility that is embed with a Wi-Fi radio enabled device. The method enables a lighting device to act as a Wi-Fi access point for a specific vendor on demand with the objective to extend the Wi- Fi coverage in the entire facility that already has Wi-Fi coverage from the same vendor. The invention provides an integrated platform by utilizing a Wi-Fi Radio and computing resources inside the lighting device for the purpose of extending Wi-Fi coverage on demand for straggling user in the facility. The preferred process configuration and operating conditions are described in the following without limiting the present invention to the specific examples used to illustrate the process design.

[0024] The method utilizes the Wi-Fi radio embedded in the lighting device to act as a Wi-Fi access point for a specific vendor to increase the Wi-Fi signal strength based on real time demand without having to add new hardware access points from that vendor. The lighting devices such as LED lamps, LED bulbs, CFLs and tubelights are installed at 8 to 10 feet apart throughout the buildings for meeting the lighting requirements in the facility. This empowers the Network Administrator to have a Wi-Fi access point at any location in the facility. The network administrator does not even have to carry out a site survey. The network administrator can make a lighting device an access point to handle the load on demand. As the lighting device has the access point application from the same vendor whose hardware access points are installed in facility, there is a consistent user experience as well as network management experience.

[0025] The lighting device start acting as an access point in the facility either on instructions received from the network administrator or on a request received from a Wi-Fi external application. The Network Administrator, based on the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data analyses the area in the facility demanding stronger signal strength. Based on this analysis the Network Administrator requests a lighting point in that area to become an Access Point. In another instance, the lighting device becomes an Access Point on request received from a Wi-Fi external application which has an intelligent algorithm to decide which area needs stronger signal strength based on real time Wi-Fi usage pattern in the facility. [0026] FIG. 1 illustrates components of a lighting apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of present invention. The Lighting device 100 can be a LED lamp or LED light bulb, incandescent lamp, Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL), Halogen lamp, Metal halide Lamp, tube light, Neon lamp, High intensity discharge lamp, Low pressure sodium lamp or any other lighting apparatus. The Lighting device 100 includes a Wi-Fi Access point App 102 that enables the lighting device 100 to connect to the Wi-Fi (wireless) network. The Wi-Fi Access point App 102 may works as Mesh Wi-Fi Access on demand for providing traditional access point to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in the facility. The Wi-Fi Access Point App 102 running in the Lighting device 100 may collect the Wi-Fi performance metrics of a Wi-Fi access point installed in a facility to provide Wi-Fi network coverage. The Wi-Fi performance metrics may include, but not limited to, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc. The Wi-Fi Access point App 102 may send these Wi-Fi performance metrics to an external application which may either reside in the facility or in the server cloud. The lighting device has the ability to exchange information with the external application over Wi-Fi and on the instructions received from the external application, the lighting device take a new role by working as a local access point for providing Wi-Fi network to devices present in that area in the facility. The lighting device may notify a network administrator through the external application about the lack of Wi-Fi signal in the area of the Lighting device 100 in the facility. The lighting device is connected to the vendor Wi-Fi Access Point as a client and provides the traditional access point services such as Wi-Fi connectivity for clients in its geographical area. A plurality of other Apps 104 in the Lighting device 100 may performs various functions such as but not limited to, control the intensity and color of light, control the input that LED receives, control operating voltage or current or temperature, turn on-off etc. It may have the ability to change the complete application on the lighting device on demand. The Lighting device 100 may also comprise an Operating System 106 and a Memory 110. The memory 110 may be any type of device for storing application data as well as other data. The application data and other signals or data are received by the system controller or processor 108 to perform operation acts in accordance with the present systems and methods. The memory may be implemented as electrical, magnetic or optical memory, or any combination of these or other types of storage devices. Moreover, the term "memory" should be construed broadly enough to encompass any information able to be read from or written to an address in the addressable space accessed by a processor. With this definition, information on a network is still within memory 110.

[0027] The Operating System 106 is a program that manages the various resources of the Lighting device 100. Typically the resources include a Central processing Unit (CPU) 108 that handles all instructions it receives from hardware and software running in the Lighting device 100, Storage 112, Wi-Fi radio 114 and Sensors/ Actuators. The processing unit 108 is capable of providing control signals and/or performing operations in response to input signals from other Apps 104 and executing instructions stored in the memory.

[0028] The storage 112 may be a computer-readable medium and/or memory may be any recordable medium (e.g., RAM, ROM, removable memory, CD-ROM, hard drives, DVD, floppy disks or memory cards) or may be a transmission medium (e.g., a network comprising fiber- optics, the world-wide web, cables, and/or a wireless channel using, for example, time-division multiple access, code-division multiple access, or other wireless communication systems). Any medium known or developed that can store information suitable for use with a computer system may be used as the computer-readable medium and/or memory. A Wi-Fi radio 114 makes the Lighting device 100 compatible to the Internet via a WLAN and a Wi-Fi access point in the facility. The Lighting device 100 may have one or more Wi-Fi 114 radios. Wi-Fi 114 most commonly uses the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz radio bands. The Wi-Fi radio 114 is used by the Wi-Fi Access Point App 102 to monitor the health/strength of Wi-Fi network in the vicinity of the Lighting device. The Sensors/ Actuator 116 monitors/checks the Wi-Fi network available in the facility. The lighting device can measure the RF environment as well as perform network connectivity and other tests against the existing Wi-Fi infrastructure. It continuously monitors the Wi-Fi performance when connected through the Access points deployed in their vicinity. The Sensors/ Actuator 116 may include, but not limited to, RF sensors, IR sensors, light sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, proximity sensors, LDR sensors, ultrasonic sensors, touch sensors etc.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a facility having a plurality of lighting devices, a Wi-Fi access point and a mobile access point Application installed in the facility, in accordance with an embodiment of present invention. The Facility 200 can be a residential or commercial building, an office space, a medical or educational institution, industrial or government owned or any other kind of property. The Facility 200 is a location where one or more Lighting devices 100 are installed. The Lighting Apparatus 100 can be a LED lamp, LED light bulb, incandescent lamp, Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL), Halogen lamp, Metal halide Lamp, tube light, Neon lamp, High intensity discharge lamp, Low pressure sodium lamp etc. In Fig. 2, there are four lighting devices: Lamp A, Lamp B, Lamp C and Lamp D installed in the facility. A Wi-Fi Access Point 202 in the facility allows the Lighting devices 100 to connect to the internet in the Facility. The Wi-Fi Access Point 202 is the networking device that allows wireless Wi-Fi devices to connect to the internet. The Wi-Fi Access Point 202 is connected to a wired router, switch, or hub via an Ethernet cable, and projects a Wi-Fi signal to the Facility 1.

[0030] A Mobile Access Point Application 204 either residing in the facility or on a server cloud works as network analyzer that makes use of the holistic view of all the lighting devices and Wi- Fi coverage information communicated to it in the Facility. Based on the Wi-Fi performance metrics received from the one or more Lighting devices 100 in the Facility, the mobile access point application analyses the coverage gaps and decides which of the Lighting device 100 should be configured to act as Mesh Point for providing traditional access point services. The mobile access point application can notify a user or a network administrator about the performance metrics of the Wi-Fi access point and the based on the analysis of performance metrics inputs, the network administrator can determine the area in the facility where Wi-Fi signals need to be strengthened. To strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in that area, the Network Administrator 206 may instruct the external Wi-Fi application Mobile Access Point 204 to configure one of the Lighting device 100 to act as Mesh Point for providing traditional access point services in that area. The Wi-Fi performance metrics may include, but not limited to, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc. The Mobile Access Point Application 204 decides and communicates the role to the selected Lighting device 100 in the Facility 1. The mobile access point application 204 communicates the role directly to the lighting device. The Wi-Fi. Mobile Access Point Application 204 analyses the received Wi-Fi performance metrics data from the one or more Lighting devices 100 in the Facility using an intelligent algorithm. The intelligent algorithm may include, but is not limited to, data modeling algorithms, data mining algorithms, machine learning algorithms etc. The Mobile Access Point Application 204 analyses the Wi-Fi use pattern in the facility and timely increase the Wi-Fi strength in dense user population areas on real time demand. To do so the Mobile Access Point application 204 requests Wi-Fi Access Point App 102 of the selected Lighting device 100 in the facility to become an Access Point so as to increase the Wi-Fi signal strength in the dense user populated area. Upon receiving the request lighting device 100 becomes a Mesh Wi-Fi Access Point to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in that area in the Facility 1.

[0031] The Mobile Access Point application 204 has ability to enable the Network Administrator 206 to interact with it. It may also automatically make a decision which Lighting device 100 should behave as an access point based on the Wi-Fi performance metrics as being reported by various Wi-Fi access points in facility. In other instance, based on the performance metrics, the Network Administrator 206 may instruct the Mobile Access Point application 204 to configure the Lighting device 100 to act as Mesh Point for providing traditional access point services in the facility.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrating a lighting device acting as an access point in the facility in accordance with an embodiment of present invention. There is a plurality of lighting devices and a Wi-Fi access point 302 installed in the facility. A Mobile access point application 304 either residing in the facility or running on a server cloud receives feedback from the plurality of lighting devices and the Wi-Fi access point in the facility. A network administrator 306 manages the network in the facility. The network administrator can access the mobile access point application through the internet or local area network. In this embodiment, all the lighting devices are connected on the Wi-Fi Network through the Wi-Fi Access Point 302 from a vendor in the facility, wherein the vendor is responsible for providing protocol/application (hardware or software) for connectivity of devices to the internet. In this arrangement, the Network Administrator 306 utilizes data from the Mobile Access Point Application 304 to analyse the Wi-Fi performance metrics received from plurality of Lighting devices 100 in the Facility. The Wi-Fi performance metrics may include, but not limited to, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc. Based on its analysis of Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) inputs, it decides whether one or more area in Facility has high user population or demand for more Wi-Fi coverage or any straggling/roaming user in the facility facing weak Wi-Fi signal. To strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in that area, the Network Administrator 306 instructs the Mobile Access Point 304 application; step (1). On receiving the instruction, the Mobile Access Point application 304 communicates via Wi-Fi Access Point 302 with the lighting device installed in that area; Step 2. Upon receiving the request from the mobile access point application 304, the lighting device starts acting as traditional access point allowing devices to connect to the internet; Step 3. This enables a uniform Wi-Fi behaviour at every spot in the facility as all Access Points have application/software from same vendor as well as unified management of all Wi-Fi Access Points in the facility.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram illustrating an external application requesting a lighting device to act as an access point in the facility, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The Mobile Access Point application 404 receives Wi-Fi performance metrics from all the lighting devices in Facility; Step 1. The Wi-Fi performance metrics may include, but not limited to, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc. The Mobile Access Point Application 404 works as network analyzer that makes use of the holistic view of all the lighting devices and coverage information communicated to it in the Facility 1. The Mobile Access Point Application 404 may be in the same facility or in cloud. Based on the Wi-Fi performance metrics received from the one or multiple Lighting devices 100 in the Facility, the Mobile Access Point Application 404 analyses the data using its intelligent algorithm; Step 2; which analyses the Wi-Fi use pattern to timely increases the Wi-Fi strength in dense user population areas. The intelligent algorithm may include, but not limited to, data modeling algorithms, data mining algorithms, machine learning algorithms etc. In this embodiment of the present invention, the Mobile Access Point Application 404 automatically makes a decision which Lighting device 100 should behave as an access point based on the Wi-Fi performance metrics as being reported by various Wi-Fi access points in facility. The Mobile Access Point Application 404 decides automatically which Lighting device 100 in the facility to be configured as Access Point for providing traditional access point services. To do so the Mobile Access Point 404 application requests to the Wi-Fi Access Point APP 102 application running in the Lighting device 100 of the determined lighting device to become an Access Point; step 3; so as to increase the Wi-Fi signal strength in the dense user populated area. Upon receiving the request from the Mobile Access Point 404, the determined lighting device (Lamp B in this case) becomes a Mesh Wi-Fi Access Point; Step 4. The lighting device being connected to the Vendor Wi-Fi Access Point 402 as a client starts providing the traditional access point services such as Wi-Fi connectivity for device in its coverage area. Since, the Lighting device 100 has the access point application from the same vendor whose hardware access points are installed in facility, this makes it possible for network administrator to ensure that there is a consistent user experience as well as network management experience. [0034] Referring now to further embodiments of the present invention:

A. An embodiment of a lighting device comprising:

a) a lighting device embedded computing resources comprising a processor, a memory and a

storage;

b) a lighting device embedded Wi-Fi radio to connect the lighting device to a Wi-Fi access point; c) a lighting device embedded access point application that monitors and sends the Wi-Fi

performance metrics to an external application, said lighting device embedded access point application receives instructions from the external application to start acting as a traditional access point for other devices in the facility.

B. The lighting device of embodiment A wherein the Wi-Fi performance metrics comprises Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc.

C. The lighting device of embodiment C, wherein the external application notifies a network

administrator about the Wi-Fi performance metric in a particular area of the facility and the network administrator instructs the external application to communicate with the lighting device of that area to act as a traditional access point.

D. An embodiment of a system for extending Wi-Fi coverage on demand in a facility, said embodiment of the system comprising;

a) a plurality of lighting devices installed in a facility;

b) an access point application embedded in each of the plurality of lighting device that monitors Wi-Fi performance metrics in its coverage area; c) an external application that receives the Wi-Fi performance metrics from the access point application and determines an area that needs increase Wi-Fi signal strength, wherein the external application instructs the access point application in that area to act as a traditional access point service.

E. The system of embodiment D, wherein the external application may either reside in the facility or in a server cloud.

F. The system of embodiment D, wherein the Wi-Fi performance metrics comprises Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc.

G. The system of embodiment D, wherein the external application notifies a network administrator the data on the Wi-Fi performance metrics in the facility.

H. The system of embodiment G, wherein the network administrator analyzes the Wi-Fi performance metric and determines a lighting device to act as a traditional access point service.

I. An embodiment of a method for extending Wi-Fi coverage on demand in a facility, said

embodiment of the method comprising;

a) monitoring the Wi-Fi performance metric by an access point application embedded in each of a plurality of lighting devices arranged in a facility;

b) sending the Wi-Fi performance metric by the access point application to an external application; c) performing the analysis of the Wi-Fi performance metric received from each of the plurality of lighting device to determine an area that need increase in Wi-Fi strength;

d) instructing an embedded access point application in the area to start acting as a traditional Wi-Fi access point. J. The method of embodiment I, wherein the external application resides in the facility or in a server cloud.

K. The method of embodiment I, wherein the Wi-Fi performance metrics comprises Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of access point beacons, number of retries in the air, connection rates, packet latency, utilization, RF interference, throughput, Quality of Service (QoS), coverage etc.

L. The method of embodiment I, wherein the external application notifies a network administrator about the data on the Wi-Fi performance metrics in the facility.

M. The method of embodiment L, wherein the network administrator analyze the data on Wi-Fi

performance metric and determines a lighting device that act as a traditional Wi-Fi access point.

[0035] Although specific embodiments have been described and illustrated, the described embodiments are not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative manner and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.