System and method for automatically creating and operating a functional association of lights

Abstract

A system and a method for automatically creating and operating a functional association of multiple devices is proposed. The system consists of two or more devices that each contain one or more sensors, logic processing circuitry and communication circuitry that is able to transmit messages on a free space optical or radio frequency communication channel The set of devices that constitute the members of a functional association is selected from a larger set of candidate devices. The selection process involves each device performing analysis of the historic sensor data received from all candidate devices against specific evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria is based on a probabilistic model that predicts the effectiveness of a possible functional association in accomplishing a joint task. Devices whose historic data indicate that they have high degree of effectiveness of achieving a task if they operate in unison will become members of the same functional association. Subsequently, they will continually exchange data in real time in order to operate in unison. The transmission of historic data needed to form the functional association and subsequent operating data needed to synchronize operation is done on a decentralized and unsupervised basis. It does not require a network-based logical addressing scheme and it does not require any special wiring or the use of a distributed, localized or centralized control unit. Membership in a functional association is dynamic and automatically responds to the addition or removal of candidate devices.