Signify Holding B.v.

Peyton Riley

Russell Scott Trask

Babu Papanna

Jonathan A Whitten

Altan John Stalker

Leonardo Enrique Matute

Bruce Andrew Carl Douglas

Ameya Ainapure

Paul Dunn

Harold Allen

Location-based systems, such as a Real-time Location System (RTLS), are used to locate and track assets such as equipment, people, etc. In order to accomplish high accuracy in determining locations of assets, the information sent to the location server from sensors should be accurate, relevant, sufficient, and timely. The limitations of a low bandwidth network between the sensors and the location server may pose challenges to reliably determining locations of assets. This invention is related to a hybrid lighting and location system, which involves the use of a system control device and lighting devices that may include integrated sensors, transceivers, etc. Different embodiments are disclosed on apparatus, methods and systems to resolve the potential network congestion in such a hybrid system.

Location system congestion management

A system for locating an object in a volume of space can include a first electrical device disposed in the volume of space and having a first antenna and a first controller, where the first controller reduces a first default range of the first antenna to a first effective range. The system can also include an object disposed within the first effective range, where the first controller recognizes a first signal, using the first antenna, that identifies the object in the first effective range.

Location services using a light fixture

A system for locating an object in a volume of space can include a communication device of the object disposed in the volume of space, where the communication device broadcasts a first communication signal into the volume of space, where the first communication signal includes a first identification of the object. The system can also include multiple integrated sensor devices disposed in the volume of space, where each integrated sensor device includes at least one sensor, at least one receiver, and at least one transmitter, where the at least one receiver of a subset of the integrated sensor devices receives the first communication signal, where each of the subset determines a signal strength of the first communication signal. The system can further include at least one access controller that receives at least one second communication signal sent by the subset.

Real-time location of an object using multiple electrical devices

A system can include an object having a communication device, where the communication device of the object broadcasts a first signal from a first location within a volume of space at a first time. The system can also include a first electrical device and a second electrical device that receives the first signal in the volume of space. The system can also include a controller communicably coupled to the first electrical device and the second electrical device, where the controller determines a first strength of the first signal received by the first receiver, determines a second strength of the first signal received by the second receiver, scales the first signal relative to the second signal based on the first strength and the second strength, and determines a location of the object in the volume of space based on scaling the first signal relative to the second signal.

Location services using multiple light fixtures

A system for assigning alternative identification to objects can include a first communication device of a first object, where the first communication device broadcasts a first communication signal that includes a first identification of the first object. The system can also include a first electrical device having a first receiver and a first transmitter, where the first receiver receives the first communication signal. The system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the first electrical device, where the controller retrieves the first identification of the first communication device from the first communication signal, assigns a first alternative identification to the first communication device based on the first identification, saves the first identification and the first alternative identification of the first object in a first table, and sends a second communication signal that includes the first alternative identification and the first identification of the first object.

Alternative identification of objects for constrained networks

A system for monitoring a presence of an object in a volume of space can include a controller and a first electrical device coupled to the controller, where the first electrical device is disposed in the volume of space and includes a first receiver, where the first receiver has a first communication range. The system can also include an object having a beacon having an object communication range, where the beacon sends multiple signals that are received by the first receiver when the object communication range overlaps with the first communication range, where each signal includes an identification of the object. The controller can determine a first point in time when none of the signals is received, where the controller determines at the first point in time that the object is removed from a first location defined by the first communication range.

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Suwanee, GA, United States of America

Peyton Riley