U.S. patent application number 17/066677 was filed with the patent office on 2022-04-14 for computing architecture for hierarchical control of network addressable devices.
The applicant listed for this patent is PoEWit Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dusan Jankov, Steven Keith Latham, Dubravka Manitasevic, Victor Seung Bae Pak.
Application Number | 20220116457 17/066677 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005211647 |
Filed Date | 2022-04-14 |
![](/patent/app/20220116457/US20220116457A1-20220414-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20220116457/US20220116457A1-20220414-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20220116457/US20220116457A1-20220414-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20220116457/US20220116457A1-20220414-D00003.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20220116457 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pak; Victor Seung Bae ; et
al. |
April 14, 2022 |
COMPUTING ARCHITECTURE FOR HIERARCHICAL CONTROL OF NETWORK
ADDRESSABLE DEVICES
Abstract
A control system for controlling a networked system of multiple
individually addressable devices, such as lighting devices, each
having a logical address based on a network addressing scheme, each
lighting device being connected to a computer network through a
cable that transmits electric power for powering one or more
lighting elements of the lighting device and hierarchical control
data for addressing and controlling the lighting device. Each
lighting device includes a controller for receiving the
hierarchical control data and controlling a state of the one or
more lighting elements in accordance with the control data.
Inventors: |
Pak; Victor Seung Bae; (San
Mateo, CA) ; Jankov; Dusan; (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
; Latham; Steven Keith; (Bel Air, MD) ;
Manitasevic; Dubravka; (Fort Lauderdale, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PoEWit Technologies, Inc. |
Fort Lauderdale |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005211647 |
Appl. No.: |
17/066677 |
Filed: |
October 9, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05B 2219/25011
20130101; H04L 12/2814 20130101; G05B 19/042 20130101; H04L 67/125
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04L 29/08 20060101
H04L029/08; H04L 12/10 20060101 H04L012/10; G05B 19/042 20060101
G05B019/042 |
Claims
1. A control system for controlling a networked system of multiple
individually addressable devices, the system comprising: a
plurality of individually addressable devices each having a logical
address based on a network addressing scheme, each addressable
device being connected to a computer network through a cable that
transmits electric power for powering one or more elements of the
addressable device and control commands for addressing and
controlling the addressable device, each addressable device
including a controller for receiving the control commands and
controlling a state of the one or more elements in accordance with
the control commands; at least one Permanent Master control device
(PM) configured to selectively send control commands to the
addressable devices based on the network addressing scheme, whereby
one or more of the addressable devices will assume a state
specified by the command until another command is generated to
change the state; at least one Temporary Master control device (TM)
configured to selectively send control commands to the addressable
devices based on the network addressing scheme, whereby one or more
of the addressable devices will assume a state specified by the
command until occurrence of a condition associated with a control
signal originated by the TM; a grouping database storing group data
including addresses of the addressable devices in correspondence
with at least one group; a command database storing control records
of the control commands including an address of the TM or PM
transmitting the control command and a time stamp for corresponding
to each command; a control hierarchy database storing hierarchical
control command processing rules; and a status controller for
processing the control commands causing the addressable devices to
assume predefined states based on the control command processing
rules, the group data and the control records.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control signal processing
rules include at least one of the following: a control signal of
having the latest time stamp in the control records is the
effective control signal for a group of addressable devices
specified by the control signal; control signals from TMs are the
effective control signal for a group of addressable devices
specified by the control signal until the condition associated with
the control signal occurs; and after a power loss event or a
communication loss event, all addressable devices return to the
states corresponding to the latest control signal from a PM.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a state database
storing states of the addressable devices, PMs, and TMs, and
wherein the control command processing rules are dependent on the
states.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition is an expiration of
time.
5. The system of claim 3, further wherein the control command
processing rules are dependent on the state of an external
device.
6. Then system of claim 5, wherein the external device is an
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the status controller is couple
to the elements through a cloud network.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the status controller is coupled
to the elements through a local area network (LAN).
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the addressable devices are at
least one of an irrigation device, a lighting controller, and/or a
window shade controller.
10. A method for controlling the status of devices in a networked
system of multiple individually addressable devices, the system
including a plurality of individually addressable devices each
having a logical address based on a network addressing scheme, each
addressable device being connected to a computer network through a
cable that transmits electric power for powering one or more
elements of the addressable device and control commands for
addressing and controlling the addressable device, each addressable
device including a controller for receiving the control commands
and controlling a state of the one or more elements in accordance
with the control command, a grouping database storing group data
including addresses of the addressable devices in correspondence
with at least one group, a command database storing control records
of the control commands including a control command type and a time
stamp for corresponding to each command, a control hierarchy
database storing hierarchical control command processing rules, and
a status controller for processing the control commands causing the
addressable devices to assume predefined states based on the
control command processing rules, the group data and the control
records, the method comprising: transmitting at least one Permanent
Master control command (PM) to at least one of the addressable
devices based on the network addressing scheme to thereby cause the
at least one addressable device to assume a state specified by the
PM until another command is generated to change the state;
transmitting at least one Temporary Master control command (TM) to
at least one of the addressable devices based on the network
addressing scheme, thereby cause the at least one addressable
device to assume a state specified by the TM until occurrence of a
condition associated with the TM; and causing, in response to
occurrence of the condition, the at least one addressable device to
revert to the state specified by the latest in time PM sent to the
at least one device.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the control signal processing
rules include at least one of the following: a control signal of
having the latest time stamp in the control records is the
effective control signal for a group of addressable devices
specified by the control signal; control signals from TMs are the
effective control signal for a group of addressable devices
specified by the control signal until the condition associated with
the control signal occurs; and after a power loss event or a
communication loss event, all addressable devices return to the
states corresponding to the latest control signal from a PM.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the system include a state
database storing states of the addressable devices, PMs, and TMs,
and wherein the control command processing rules are dependent on
the states.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the condition is an expiration
of time.
14. The method of claim 12, further wherein the control command
processing rules are dependent on the state of an external
device.
15. Then method of claim 14, wherein the external device is an
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
16. The method of claim 10, wherein the addressable devices are at
least one of an irrigation device, a lighting controller, and/or a
window shade controller.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Traditionally, networked computing devices transmit,
process, and receive data over a network and require a source of
power that is external to the network. For example, a network
router may be plugged into a wall outlet to be powered by 120v
power supplied by a conventional power grid. Recent advances in
power efficiency has made it possible to provide various network
devices that are addressable and powered over a computer network
without the need for power sources external to the network. For
example, "Power over Ethernet" (PoE) refers to an architecture that
passes electric power along with data on a "twisted pair" Ethernet
cable. This allows a single cable to provide both a data connection
and electric power to various networking and utility devices, such
as Wireless Access Points (WAPs), cameras, sensors and lighting
devices. For example, a lighting device can include a processor
that receives control commands over the network cable and a power
circuit for energizing a lighting element with electrical power
transmitted over the network cable. There are several common
techniques for transmitting power over Ethernet cabling and related
control devices. Three of them have been standardized by Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard IEEE 802.3
since 2003.
[0002] Applications referred to as "smart building", "smart home",
"home control", "lighting control" and the like (collectively
referred to as "smart control" herein) in which various devices can
be controlled over a computing network in an automated manner are
well known. For example, Samsung Smarthings.TM. includes a network
hub that permits lighting, HVAC, and other home appliances to be
controlled over a wireless network in an automated manner.
Honeywell Forge.TM. provides similar control for commercial
buildings. However, these control platforms utilize conventionally
powered devices.
[0003] There are also more lighting specific platforms such as
Benchmarked Kasa.TM., Leviton.TM., and Lutron.TM.. These systems
also utilize conventional power and further operate in a manner
that is analogous to a conventional mechanical light switch. In
other words, these systems use high voltage switches and once power
is cut to the switches commands cannot be processed by the switch.
The switch "remembers" its own last. When power returns, each
switch returns to its own last. For example, if a switch was off
when power went out, it will be off when power returns. If a switch
was subject to a control schedule during the power outage, the
switch will go back to the local state when power is restored. In
other words, everything that happened in the schedule during the
power outage is lost.
[0004] PoE and similar technologies have been recognized to have
potential in smart control applications. However, implementation of
electronic systems that include electric power and data over a
single cable have several unique issues that must be resolved
before such technologies can be implemented in a predictable and
reliable manner in smart control applications. For example,
triggering devices, such as switches and sensors, and triggered
devices, such as lights, and alarm sirens, must be configurable to
be addressed in a manner that allows them to function without
conflicts, even in systems where there is a very high number of
devices. Further, the advantage of providing power over a network
data cable can result in limitations in the case of a power outage
or network failure which must be addressed. For example,
illumination should be provided to IP security cameras so they
record in color and nighttime pathway lights should change into
emergency lighting when utility power is not present.
SUMMARY
[0005] Disclosed implementations provide a hierarchical control
architecture that resolves command conflicts in an efficient and
predictable manner to allow the potential of network addressed and
powered devices to be fully leveraged.
[0006] A first disclosed implementation is a computer architecture
of a control system for controlling a networked system of multiple
individually addressable devices, the system comprising; a
plurality of individually addressable devices each having a logical
address based on a network addressing scheme, each addressable
device being connected to a computer network through a cable that
transmits electric power for powering one or more elements of the
addressable device and control commands for addressing and
controlling the addressable device, each addressable device
including a controller for receiving the control commands and
controlling a state of the one or more elements in accordance with
the control commands; at least one Permanent Master control device
(PM) configured to selectively send control commands to the
addressable devices based on the network addressing scheme, whereby
one or more of the addressable devices will assume a state
specified by the command until another command is generated to
change the state; at least one Temporary Master control device (TM)
configured to selectively send control commands to the addressable
devices based on the network addressing scheme, whereby one or more
of the addressable devices will assume a state specified by the
command until occurrence of a condition associated with a control
signal originated by the TM; a grouping database storing group data
including addresses of the addressable devices in correspondence
with at least one group; a command database storing control records
of the control commands including an address of the TM or PM
transmitting the control command and a time stamp for corresponding
to each command; a control hierarchy database storing hierarchical
control command processing rules; and a status controller for
processing the control commands causing the addressable devices to
assume predefined states based on the control command processing
rules, the group data and the control records. The addressable
devices can be any type of controllable device, such as a lighting
device, a window shade controller, an irrigation controller, an
HVAC device, and the like. The controlled elements of the
addressable devices can include switches, solenoids, heating
elements, and the like.
[0007] These and other features, and characteristics of the present
technology, as well as the methods of operation and functions of
the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and
economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon
consideration of the following description and the appended claims
with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a
part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals
designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be
expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the
purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended
as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the
specification and in the claims, the singular form of "a", "an",
and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly
dictates otherwise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer architecture in
accordance with a disclosed implementation.
[0009] FIG. 2 is graphical state diagram in accordance with a
disclosed implementation.
[0010] FIG. 3 is graphical state diagram in accordance with another
disclosed implementation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture in accordance with a
disclosed implementation. Architecture 100 includes control
computing platforms(s) 102 which can execute device control logic
as described in detail below. Control computing platform(s) 102 may
be configured by machine-readable instructions 106.
Machine-readable instructions 106 are stored in electronic storage
130 and may include one or more groups of instructions that, when
executed by processor(s) 132 define functional instruction modules.
The instruction modules may include one or more of schedule module
108, group database module 110, command database module 112,
hierarchy module 114, state module 116, and control module 118.
[0012] Schedule module 108 includes instructions and data to define
a device control schedule, for example pre-set times at which
devices, such as lighting devices, should change state (from ON to
OFF for example). Group database module 100 includes a data
structure that defines groups of devices, such as lighting
elements. For example, the data structure of group database module
could indicate that plural lighting elements are to be controlled
in unison, such as when the plural lighting elements are in the
same room or area, or the plural lighting elements have the same
purpose (e.g., outdoor lighting, path lighting, emergency
lighting). Note that the groupings can be state-specific. For
example, all path lights might be controlled as a group, when
emergency power is being used but those same path lights may be
separately controlled by motion sensors when utility power is
functioning.
[0013] Command database module 112 includes a data structure that
stores commands, associated command types and a time stamp. Two
types of commands, Permanent Master and Temporary Master, are
described below. Hierarchy module 114 stores a data structure
specifying a set of rules of priority of different commands based
on the device states. State module 116 stores a data structure
indicating at least the latest state of each device. Control module
118 works in connection with the other modules to provide command
signals for controlling lighting devices in accordance with the
schedule, device groupings, command records, hierarchy, and device
states. The purpose and function of each module will become
apparent based on the description below.
[0014] Client computing platform(s) 104 can be communicatively
coupled to control computing platform 130 through wired and/or
wireless networking protocols. As an example, client computing
platform 104 can be a user mobile phone executing a control app or
another general purpose computing device. Network switch platform
120, including a computing device and at least one network port
switch, such as an ethernet switch, can be connected to the
network, through wired or wireless protocols. Network switch
platform 120 can include a processor executing instructions stored
in memory to provide local control in the case of the loss of cloud
connectivity, as described below. In the case of control computing
platform being coupled to the wired LAN 150 (described below) only
through the cloud, network switch platform can be capable of
duplicating the operation of control computing platform, at least
to the extent necessary for the system to operate in the manner
described herein.
[0015] Control devices are coupled to network switch platform 120
through a wired data/power Local Area Network (LAN), a PoE network
in this implementation. The control device can include one or more
wall switches (WS) 122, sensors 124 (such as current, motion or
light sensors), and addressable devices which are to be controlled,
such as lighting devices in this example. Addressable devices will
be referred to and "lighting devices 126" in this example. However,
one of skill in the art will understand how to implement various
devices as the controllable addressable devices based on the
disclosure herein. Sensors can be for example, motion sensors,
light sensors, or the like.
[0016] Wall switches 122, sensors 124 and lighting devices 126 all
communicate with each other and network switch platfrom 120 through
LAN 150 in which data and power are supplied to the devices by a
network cable. Control computing platform can communicate with
network switch platform 120 through the internet or any other wired
or wireless wide area network (WAN), referred to as the "cloud"
herein. However, as indicated by the dotted line, control computing
platform 102 can include at least one device that is coupled to
network switch over a local area network that can function in the
event of a failure of the WAN.
[0017] Each of wall switches 122, sensors 124, and lighting devices
126 can be individually addressable by other devices over the LAN.
Therefore, unlike conventional systems, competing elements can be
triggering, i.e. causing control commands to be sent to, lighting
devices 126 and thus the timing and context of each control signal
must be tracked and managed to provide efficient and predictable
operation of lighting devices 126. Architecture 100 provides a
framework and protocol to control these competing commands through
user configuration. Implementations accomplish this through a
hierarchical set of rules for processing the competing triggering
elements and resulting control commands.
[0018] The disclosed implementations include a protocol that
defines two types of commands: a permanent master (PM) and a
temporary master (TM). PMs are effective to set the state of
lighting devices 126 (or a group of lighting devices) until a
subsequent control command is addressed and sent to the same
lighting device 126 (or group of lighting devices). TMs are
effective to set the state of lighting devices 126 (or a group of
lighting devices) until one or more conditions specified by the TM,
such as the lapse of a predetermined time period, has occurred.
After the condition has occurred, i.e. the TM has expired, the
controlled device (or group of devices) goes back to the state of
the last PM control command addressed to that device (or group of
devices).
[0019] One example of a set of hierarchical rules stored in
hierarchy module 114 that are applied to control of lighting
devices 126 is set for the below;
[0020] One example of operation includes the integration of an
Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), as external device 128, into
architecture 100. In this example, the UPS is used in a known
manner to monitor utility power to the architecture 100 and to
provide backup power to architecture 100 when utility power is not
available. A conventional UPS has the capability of providing a
signal indicating whether it is on utility power or backup battery
power. Architecture 100 provides the user the ability to leverage
this signal to provide more flexible operation of network powered
devices. For example, control module 118 can generate control
commands that trigger lighting devices 126 to automatically change
the state of specified lighting devices 126 based on whether
architecture 100 is on utility power or battery power. The state
can be ON, OFF, or ON DIMMED to save power. Interaction between the
state of the UPS and wall switches 122, sensors 124, and lighting
devices 126 can be user-defined through a user interface of client
platform 104 and control module 118. Further, Network switch
platform 120 can adjust power settings on the PoE Switch to further
conserve power required by architecture 100 when on battery power.
When utility power is restored, architecture 100 can revert to a
given state based on groupings stored in group database module 110,
time stamped control signals stored in control signal database
module 112, and device status stored in state module 116.
[0021] The control hierarchy stored in control hierarchy module 114
can be expressed as a state machine. FIG. 2 graphically illustrates
a simple example of a state machine 200 for controlling a single
lighting device or a group of lighting devices that are controlled
in unison. In FIG. 2, the architecture, such as architecture 100 of
FIG. 1, includes wall switches (WS), sensors (such as passive
infrared motion sensors and ambient light sensors), a UPS system,
lighting elements, a control computing platform (such as control
computing platform 102 of FIG. 1, and a network switch platform
(such as network switch platform 120 of FIG. 1). In this example,
wall switches correspond to a command type PM and the UPS system
corresponds to a command type TM. Motion detectors of this
implementation can be dual mode sensors; including a passive
infrared motion detection element that is of a command type TM, and
an ambient light detection element that is of a command type
PM.
[0022] In the example of FIG. 2, PM, a PM (Any user
input)>>state holds until new command from a TM or a PM is
received. A TM, such as a sensor input sets a state until the
condition occurs and then the state reverts back to last PM.
[0023] In this example, the rules are as follows: [0024] the
lighting device saves PM commands and TM commands separately;
[0025] the last PM command is used when a TM state expires; [0026]
a PM command clears a TM state; [0027] a TM command replaces the
previously saved TM command; and [0028] a PM command replaces the
previously saved PM state,
[0029] Each state of FIG. 2 is described below. [0030] PM1: PM
Deactivated (Light OFF) [0031] PM2: PM Activated (Light ON) [0032]
TM1: TM Deactivate State (Light OFF temp) [0033] TM2: TM Activate
State (Light ON temp)
[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates another example of a state machine 300.
The rules for the state machine 300 are as follows: [0035] after
power on/reboot of control computing platform 102, all lighting
devices return to a state in accordance with the latest PM which
can be saved in flash memory of electronic storage 130 or in memory
on a local wall switch 122 in accordance with a preset wall switch
hierarchy; [0036] after cloud connectivity is restored, the local
network switch platform 120 and cloud control computing platform
102 will compare the last PM time stamp and the state of each
lighting device 126 is set in accordance with the last PM control
command for the lighting device; [0037] when cloud connectivity is
lost, the app on client platform 104 that it has lost connectivity,
control commands entered through the user interface of client
platform 104 will be confirmed and will execute when connectivity
is restored [0038] when power is restored, all PoE ports of network
switch platform 120 that were in the ON state will be set to the ON
state.
[0039] Each state of FIG. 3 is described below.
State 1 (Lighting Device in OFF State):
[0040] UPS mode is OFF, i.e. utility power is enabled; [0041] all
motion sensor ON commands have timed out; [0042] the schedule
designates the lighting device as OFF and there has been no
subsequent ON command.
State 2 (Lighting Device in ON State):
[0042] [0043] UPS mode is OFF, i.e. utility power is enabled;
[0044] all motion sensors have timed out; and [0045] the schedule
designates the lighting device as ON and there has been no
subsequent ON command.
State 3 (Lighting Device in ON State at Low Intensity):
[0045] [0046] a sensor has triggered the light to the ON state;
[0047] the triggering sensor has not timed out; [0048] there has
been no subsequent off command from the schedule or a wall switch;
and [0049] UPS mode is ON, i.e. on batter power.
State 4 (Lighting Device in ON State at Low Intensity):
[0049] [0050] all sensors have timed out; [0051] UPS mode is on,
i.e. battery power; and [0052] there has been no subsequent off
command from the schedule or a wall switch.
[0053] In some implementations, the system may include one or more
computing devices which may be configured to communicate with
according to a client/server architecture, peer-to-peer
architectures and/or other architectures. All computing devices may
be configured by machine-readable instructions which may define one
or more instruction modules. The computing devices may include
communication lines, or ports to enable the exchange of information
with a network and/or other computing platforms. The computing
devices may include a plurality of hardware, software, and/or
firmware components operating together to provide the functionality
attributed herein to the computing devices.
[0054] Electronic storage 130 may include non-transitory storage
media that electronically stores information. The electronic
storage media may include one or both of system storage that is
provided integrally (i.e., substantially non-removable) with
computing devices and/or removable storage that is removably
connectable to computing devices via, for example, a port (e.g., a
USB port, a firewire port, etc.) or a drive (e.g., a disk drive,
etc.). Electronic storage 130 may include one or more of optically
readable storage media (e.g., optical disks, etc.), magnetically
readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape, magnetic hard drive,
floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-based storage media (e.g.,
EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media (e.g., flash drive,
etc.), and/or other electronically readable storage media. The
electronic storage 130 may include one or more virtual storage
resources (e.g., cloud storage, a virtual private network, and/or
other virtual storage resources). The electronic storage 130 may
store software algorithms, databases, information determined by
processors, information received from computing devices and/or
other information that enables the computing devices to function as
described herein.
[0055] Processors may be configured to provide information
processing capabilities in computing devices and may include one or
more of a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit
designed to process information, an analog circuit designed to
process information, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for
electronically processing information. As used herein, the term
"module" may refer to any component or set of components that
perform the functionality attributed to the module. This may
include one or more physical processors during execution of
processor readable instructions, the processor readable
instructions, circuitry, hardware, storage media, or any other
components.
[0056] Additional alternative structural and functional designs may
be implemented for enforcing compliance policies on decentralized
financial transactions. Thus, while implementations and examples
have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that
the invention is not limited to the precise construction and
components disclosed herein. Various modifications, changes and
variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of
the method and apparatus disclosed herein without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *