RU2575164C2 - Method for transmission of service orders through personal mobile device - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: radio engineering, communication.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of control of light sources, namely to transmission by means of light of information related to service orders. The personal mobile electronic communication device transmits the first signal for indication of location and the second signal corresponding to a service order, and the processor identifies an approximate location of the personal mobile electronic communication device. The communication network accepts the named signals from the personal mobile electronic communication device and transmits the command for lighting to a light controller which in response controls lighting near the personal mobile electronic communication device by means of individually operated lighting fixtures in a light network so that lighting near the personal mobile electronic communication device visually indicates the service order.

EFFECT: possibility to transmit remotely, without personal contact, to personnel a service order from a client whose location is designated by illumination.

14 cl, 7 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to lighting systems and to a device suitable for communicating. In particular, the present invention relates to light-based systems for transmitting information related to service orders and light-based systems for identifying personal objects.

State of the art

Digital lighting technologies, that is, lighting based on semiconductor light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), are today a real alternative to traditional fluorescent lamps (HID) and incandescent lamps. Recent advances in LED technology, associated with many functional advantages, such as high energy efficiency and high optical efficiency, durability and low maintenance, have led to the development of efficient and reliable light sources throughout the spectrum that provide many different lighting effects. For example, installations that use these light sources may include one or more LEDs capable of generating various colors, such as red, green, and blue, as well as a processor for independently controlling LED output signals to generate various colors and lighting effects with varying colors, as discussed in US Pat. Nos. 6,016,038 and 6,211,626, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Recent developments in digital lighting technology, such as LED-based lighting systems, have made real-world precise control of digital light based on solid state devices. Thus, light-based systems are used today to visually convey information to individuals. For example, customers waiting for seats in the dining room are often provided with pagers that visually indicate the willingness of staff to invite them to sit down.

While advances in digital lighting technologies have paved the way for high-precision light control, significant advances in mobile electronic communications have led to the development of advanced personal electronic mobile communications devices, such as personal digital assistants and cell phones, that allow individuals to receive and send messages, using many formats, including text, speech, and image. Enormous demand, created due to wireless capabilities, convenient size and relatively low cost, has led to the widespread dissemination of personal electronic mobile devices.

Although great advances have been made in the areas of mobile communications and lighting based on solid state devices, there are not enough systems that combine the use of controlled lighting based on solid state devices and personal mobile electronic communications to further expand communication capabilities. For example, controlled lighting is used very limitedly in cases where verbal communication may be difficult. These cases include, for example, crowded places, such as restaurants and bars, where a high noise level makes voice transmission of orders ineffective, as a result of which the order may not be completed or may be executed unacceptably slowly. This circumstance also includes cases where, for example, a group of people is served with drinks in the same glasses, which makes it difficult for individual customers to distinguish their drink from the drink of a neighbor.

For example, there are currently paging systems for waiters, which include: transmitters on tables for transmitting signals indicating a client’s desire to get in touch with service personnel; paging devices are at the waiters; and central units for receiving and relaying transmitted signals to paging devices. Although these systems allow for sufficient mobility of waiters, they are not optimal, since they depend on customers located in a particular place, usually at the table. And if the transmitters in the indicated paging systems are not tied to the tables, which provides higher mobility of customers, such paging systems cause problems due to the fact that the waiter cannot determine the location of the calling client.

Similarly, recent attempts to solve the problem of identifying a personal object, such as a glass with a drink, in circumstances where many people have objects that look similar to each other or identical, have not made the most of achievements in the field of controlled lighting based on solid state devices, so and in the field of mobile electronic communications. For example, attempts to solve this problem affect a wide range of systems: from systems where lighting with different colors of glasses equipped with batteries is required, to systems containing large illuminated surfaces that can identify objects, and systems requiring each person to wear colored elastic in such cases a tape that matches a similar tape posted on his personal item. Again, these solutions are suboptimal, because their implementation will either require the installation of expensive equipment, such as special large surfaces, or, otherwise, those people who should benefit from such a technical solution will have to remember a distinguishing feature, for example, the color of their personal item .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have found that in the art there is a real need for a combination of the achievements obtained in the field of controlled lighting based on solid-state devices, with the achievements obtained in the field of mobile communications. In particular, the inventors have found that existing technical solutions to communication problems in circumstances where verbal communication may be difficult do not allow the maximum use of the combined benefits provided by both advances in controlled lighting based on solid state devices and advances in mobile electronic communications ; instead, existing technical solutions are aimed at using achievements in only one of these areas, ignoring the other. Accordingly, the combination of controlled lighting based on solid-state devices and mobile electronic communications disclosed here makes it possible to provide advantageous technical solutions for a variety of circumstances where the use of any of these technologies separately is inadequate. Thus, the present invention relates to systems and apparatus for transmitting information based on light, for example, information related to service orders and / or identification of a personal object using mobile electronic communication.

Some embodiments of the present invention include the use of a personal mobile electronic communication device when establishing a service order to be transmitted to a communication network also available to the establishment. For example, in a specific embodiment, the present invention includes the use of a cell phone in a bar to transfer a beverage order to a communication network also available to the establishment. Then the communication network can make the light network in the institution control individual luminaires to illuminate the individual customer who placed the service order in a color that matches the drink or other item ordered by that customer. Such lighting will immediately provide a visual transmission to the maintenance staff of (1) information about the need to prepare a drink or about another order for the illuminated client, (2) information about the location of the client on the premises, and (3) information about the specific order that needs to be prepared for this client. The system providing this connection eliminates the need for customers to wait for orders to be accepted and voice orders to service personnel, given that both are undesirable in establishments with a lot of noise.

In general, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a light-based system for transmitting service orders includes a personal mobile electronic communications device, a processor, a communications network, and a light controller. A personal mobile electronic communication device transmits a signal indicating the location of the device and another signal indicating a service order. Having received the information indicating the location of the personal device from the communication network, the processor finds out the approximate location of the personal mobile electronic communication device. The communication network receives these signals and transmits a lighting command in response. The light controller receives the lighting command transmitted by the communication network and controls the lighting near the personal mobile electronic communication device using one or more individually controlled lights in the light network, so that the lighting visually indicates a service order. Alternatively, the personal mobile electronic communications device sends a signal from which its location can be determined. A personal mobile electronic communications device may emit a signal that does not contain location information, but a plurality of detectors connected to the light-based system can calculate a location based on a comparison of signal arrival times for different detectors.

Other embodiments of the present invention include the use of a personal mobile electronic communications device to identify a personal item associated with the media of a mobile communications device at a place where individuals use similar items. Both the mobile communication device and the personal item according to these options are equipped with a component that facilitates their identification and determination of their location. These components may include, for example, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. In these embodiments, it is not necessary to determine the approximate absolute location of both the personal item and the personal mobile electronic communications device. It will be enough, for example, if the determination of the approximate absolute location of the personal object will be associated with the location of the personal device relative to the personal item. When the device appears near a personal object, such as a glass, the sensors in this place can detect such proximity and transmit information about it to the communication network available at this place. The communication network according to this example can then initiate processor support in order to check the memory for the presence of a relationship between the item and the device close to it. The presence of a relationship may indicate a correspondence between the carrier of a personal mobile electronic communications device and this item. Based on the existence of such a relationship, a light controller connected to the communication network can temporarily illuminate the item to indicate whether there is a device relationship with the item. In other words, the lighting will indicate whether or not the item belongs to the media of the mobile device.

According to another aspect of the invention, a light-based system for identifying personal items includes a personal mobile electronic communication device, a processor, a personal item, a memory, and a communication network. A personal mobile electronic communication device transmits a signal indicating an identifier of a device, and a personal object likewise transmits a signal indicating an identifier of this item. The communication network receives both signals, determines the device identifier and the item identifier contained in the received signals, and transmits both identifiers. The processor receives the device identifier and the item identifier transmitted by the communication network, approximately finds out the location of the personal device, checks the memory for the presence of a pre-existing relationship between the device identifier and the item identifier and generates a lighting command based on whether the specified relationship exists in the memory. The light controller receives a lighting command and, in response, controls lighting near a personal object using one or more individually controlled lights in the light network. Such lighting indicates whether there is a relationship in memory between this personal device and this personal item.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a light-based system for identifying personal objects, which includes a personal item, a personal mobile electronic communications device, a communications network, and a light controller. The personal mobile electronic communication device further includes a memory, a receiver, a processor, and a transmitter. A personal item transmits a signal with an encoded item identifier, which is received by the receiver in a personal device. Then the processor in the personal device determines the identifier of the item from the signal received by the receiver, and checks the memory in order to determine the presence of this item identifier. The processor generates a message depending on whether an item identifier is found in memory. Then the transmitter in the personal device transmits a signal with a coded message and another signal indicating the location of the personal device. The communication network receives these two signals transmitted by the transmitter of the personal device and transmits a lighting command. The light controller receives a lighting command and, in response, controls lighting near a personal object using one or more individually controlled lights in the light network. Thus, the lighting visually indicates whether the item identifier is stored in the memory of a personal mobile electronic communication device.

There are a number of advantages of using a system according to various embodiments and implementations of the present invention for identifying personal items. Firstly, the system cited as an example avoids the need for individuals to remember a specific distinguishing characteristic (e.g. color) relating to its subject. And secondly, the system as an example does not require constant demonstration of these distinctive characteristics. For example, unlike a number of other systems existing today, there is no need for each item included in the system to be constantly highlighted with distinctive colors. Thus, the use of such a system according to the present invention leads to savings in energy consumption.

It should be borne in mind that all combinations of the above concepts and additional concepts, discussed in more detail below (provided that these concepts are not mutually exclusive), are considered part of the subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, it is assumed that part of the subject matter disclosed herein are all combinations of the claimed subject matter set forth at the end of this description. It should also be borne in mind that the explicit terminology used here, which can also be found in any descriptions included here by reference, should correspond to the values that are most consistent with the specific concepts disclosed here.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The drawings are not necessarily presented to scale, and the emphasis is placed on a general idea of the principles of the present invention.

1 is a light-based system for transmitting service orders in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

2 is a light-based system for transmitting service orders in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

3A is a light-based system for identifying personal items according to some embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3B illustrates exemplary steps performed by one or more components contained in an embodiment of the light-based system shown in FIG. 3A.

4A is a light-based system for identifying personal items according to some embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4B illustrates exemplary steps performed by one or more components contained in an embodiment of the light-based system shown in FIG. 4A.

5 is a light-based system for identifying personal items according to some variants of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Next, with reference to examples shown in the accompanying drawings, illustrative embodiments of the invention are described in detail.

1 shows a light-based system 10 for transmitting service orders in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The system includes a personal mobile electronic communication device (personal device) 100, a communication network 200, a processor 300, a light controller 400, and one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network.

The personal device 100 transmits a first signal related to its location via a communication line 110. The personal device also transmits a second signal corresponding to a service order through a communication line 110. Exemplary suitable personal devices include: mobile phone, SMS device, personal a digital assistant, a BLACKBERRY device, an iPhone device, and a device that includes a programmable RFID tag. In some embodiments of system 10, personal device 100 may include a processor 300.

The communication network 200 is a network used by a light controller 400, a processor 300, a personal device 100, and individually controlled lights 500 to exchange information. A communication network may include, for example, a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination of various wired and wireless networks. In addition, various technologies, such as infrared, fiber optic, or computer network technologies, such as Ethernet technologies, can be used in a communication network. The communication network 200 may also include a local area network (LAN) or a wireless local area network (WLAN). For example, a wired computer communication technology between a processor, a light controller and a personal device in combination with specialized wired communication technologies between a light controller and one or more individually controlled lights can be used in a communication network.

As used herein, the term “network” refers to any interconnection of two or more devices (including light controllers or processors) that facilitate the transport of information (for example, to control devices, store data, exchange data, etc.) between any two or more devices and / or between multiple devices connected to the network. It should be clearly understood that various network implementations suitable for interconnecting multiple devices may include any of various network topologies and use any of many different communication protocols. In addition, in the various networks of the present invention, any connection between two devices can be a dedicated connection between two systems or, alternatively, a non-dedicated connection. In addition, for transferring information intended for these two devices, said unallocated connection may carry information not necessarily intended for either of these two devices (for example, an open network connection). In addition, it should be clearly understood that the various networks of the devices discussed here can use one or more wireless, wire / cable and / or fiber optic communication lines to facilitate the transport of information through the network.

The communication network 200 receives signals from the personal device 100 and in response to these signals transmits a lighting command through the communication line 120. In some embodiments, the communication network may further find out information, such as an account number belonging to a payment mechanism associated with the personal device, and forward the payment from the payment mechanism based on a service order encoded in the first and second signals. In these embodiments, the communication network 200 may find out information related to the payment mechanism by providing identification information of a personal device medium, such as fingerprint data, a personal identification number (PIN), or a password.

The communication network 200 receives signals from the personal device 100 via the communication line 110, transmits signals via the communication line 120 to the light controller 400, and also transmits and receives signals to / from the processor 300 via the communication line 130. In other similar parts of the communication network 200, various technologies and topologies may be used on communication lines 110, 120, and 130. In particular, various technologies and topologies for transmitting and receiving may be used in communication link 130.

In some embodiments of system 10, the communications network 200 may be involved in tracking the movement of the personal device 100. For example, the communications network may periodically receive a first signal indicating the current location of the personal device and a second signal corresponding to the current service order associated with the personal device. Based on this updated input, the communication network may transmit the updated lighting command through communication line 120.

In some embodiments, system 10 provides the ability to receive orders for a specific time or prioritize orders for service orders received from a variety of personal mobile electronic communications devices. For example, communication network 200 may receive a signal including information corresponding to a service order that is associated with a first personal device 100a before it receives another signal including information corresponding to a service order that is associated with a second personal device 100b. In these circumstances, the system may assign a higher priority to the service order from the personal device 100a and a lower priority to the service order from the personal device 100b. Accordingly, the communication network may transmit a first lighting command indicating the priority of the service order associated with the personal device 100a, and a second lighting command indicating the priority of the service order associated with the personal device 100b.

The light controller 400 may receive lighting commands and continue to control lighting near the personal device 100a using one or more individually controlled lights 500, so that the lighting will visually indicate not only the service order associated with the personal device 100a, but also its higher priority . Similarly, the light controller 400 may continue to control the lighting near the personal device 100b using one or more individually controlled lights 500, so that the lighting will visually indicate not only the service order associated with the personal device 100b, but also its lower priority. Similarly, system 10 can prioritize three of several service orders associated with associated personal devices.

Alternatively, a service order may be accepted at a specific time, or it may be given priority based on additional or alternative criteria. For example, service orders from some personal devices may be assigned a higher or lower priority. Similarly, higher or lower priority can be assigned to service orders from personal devices located in specific locations. For example, service orders from personal devices, defined as devices associated with regular customers, may be given higher priorities than service orders from personal devices that are not associated with regular customers. Service orders from personal devices located in priority areas or individual booths can be assigned higher priorities than service orders from other zones in the same establishment.

The processor 300 approximately ascertains the location of each personal device 100 after receiving the first signals indicating the locations of these personal devices through the communication network 200. The processor can find out the locations of personal devices using technologies such as GPS, GPS with auxiliary data, triangulation, analysis of signal levels and technology using an accelerometer or a combination of several of the above technologies.

As used herein, the term “processor” refers to any circuitry that processes arithmetic and logic instructions, such as a central processor capable of manipulating information. Processor 300 options include, but are not limited to: traditional microprocessors, application specific application integrated circuits (ASICs), and user-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

The light controller 400 receives a lighting command from the communication network 200 through the communication line 120 and, in response to the lighting command, controls lighting near the personal device using one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network, so that lighting near the personal device 100 will visually indicate service order associated with this personal device. Lighting near a personal device may visually indicate other information, such as the priority of a service order. In addition, the light controller can receive many lighting commands from the communication network 200 through the communication line 120.

As used herein, the term “light controller” generally describes various devices related to the operation of one or more luminaires. The light controller can be implemented in various ways. For example, a controller may be implemented using specialized hardware, a controller using one or more processors programmed using software (eg, microcode) to perform various functions, and the controller may be implemented as a combination of specialized hardware and one or more processors. Examples of controller components that can be used in various embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to: conventional microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and user-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

In some embodiments, the light controller 400 controls lighting near the personal device 100 by creating a visible light effect near the device 100 or on a surface such as a ceiling or floor, next to the personal device. In other embodiments, the light controller is additionally involved in tracking the movement of the personal device 100. For example, after the communication network 200 receives an updated signal through the communication line 110 indicating the current location of the personal device and the service order, and sends an updated lighting command through line 120 of communication, the light controller can receive this updated lighting command via communication line 120 from the communication network and provide lighting control near the current location a personal device, so that the lighting will visually indicate a service order and possibly other information.

In some other embodiments, the light controller 400 may, at least with the personal device 100, the second personal mobile electronic communication device, and the communication network 200, take part in ordering time-based execution of service orders received from the personal device. For example, after a communication network receives a signal containing a service order associated with this personal device, the communication network 200 may actually receive another signal from the second personal device, where this signal will include information corresponding to the service order that is associated with the second personal device. A communications network may assign a first priority to a service order associated with one personal device, and a second, lower priority to assign a service order associated with another personal device before transmitting a lighting command associated with a service order that corresponds to the first personal to the device, via communication line 120, and transmit, via communication line 120, a second lighting command associated with a service order that is associated with another personal device. In these embodiments, the light controller 400 may receive lighting commands and continue to control the lighting near the first personal device using one or more individually controlled lights 500, so that the lighting will visually indicate not only the service order associated with this personal device, but will also indicate that the service order for this personal device is given the first priority and according to the plan it should be serviced as follows. Similarly, the light controller can continue to control the lighting near the second personal device using one or more individually controlled lights, so that the lighting will visually indicate not only the service order associated with the second personal device, but will also indicate that the service order is the second personal the device is assigned a lower, second priority and according to the plan it should not be serviced next.

Individually controlled luminaires 500 are used by the light controller to control the lighting near the personal device 100, so that the lighting will visually indicate the service order associated with this personal device. In some embodiments, these individually controllable luminaires include one or more luminaires mounted in fixed locations, and they are capable of communicating with the light controller 400 via a light network. A light network may consist, for example, of dedicated wired communication lines. In some other embodiments, luminaires 500 include one or more addressable luminaires that communicate through a light network containing other types of communication lines, such as Ethernet or a wireless network connection. Transmissions between the light controller 400 and the luminaires 500 may include commands sent from the light controller 400 to the luminaires 500. These commands may initiate, for example, turning on, off, decreasing or increasing the intensity, or changing the distribution of the spectral illumination power of one or more luminaires 500.

In some embodiments, illumination near a personal device 100 created by luminaires 500 can only be seen by using technology containing polarized glasses and electronic shutter glasses. Luminaires 500, for example, can repeatedly generate light pulses, glasses with an electronic shutter can be synchronized to block the same interval of each lighting period, and luminaires 500 can be configured to offset one or more light pulses in a specified interval that overlaps or blocked.

In some other embodiments, illumination near a personal device 100 from luminaires 500 may comprise, for example, light of the same color and / or a sequence of light signals having different colors. For example, in lighting near a personal device 100, only one color of light can be used to visually indicate a service order associated with the specified personal device. In lighting, you can also use more than one color or a repeating sequence of light signals of different colors to visually represent the service order associated with this personal device.

In yet another embodiment, the lighting in the vicinity of the personal device 100 generated by the fixtures 500 may be encoded with a modulated signal corresponding to a service order associated with the personal device 100. In the embodiment, the personal device may use at least one sensor to detect the modulated signal, and be able to fix the modulated signal. In the indicated embodiment, the signal 110 may include a modulated signal detected and detected by a personal device.

It should be understood that the term “lamp” refers to any one or more radiation sources, including, but not limited to: LED-based sources (including one or more LEDs defined above), incandescent sources (eg, incandescent, halogen lamps ), fluorescent sources, phosphorescent sources, high-intensity gas-discharge sources (for example, sodium, mercury and metal halide lamps), lasers, other types of electroluminescent sources, pyroluminescent sources (for example, artificial sources flame), candle-shaped luminescent sources (for example, gas lamps with glow grids, radiation sources with a carbon arc), photoluminescent sources (for example, gas-discharge sources), cathode luminescent sources using electronic saturation, galvanoluminescent sources, crystal-luminescent sources; luminescent sources used when recording from the screen; thermoluminescent sources; triboluminescent sources; sonoluminescent sources; radioluminescent sources and luminescent polymers.

This light fixture can be configured to generate electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum, outside the visible spectrum, or in a combination of the two. Thus, the terms “light” and “radiation” are used interchangeably herein. In addition, the luminaire may include, as an integrated component, one or more filters (eg, color filters), lenses, or other optical components. It should also be understood that luminaires can be configured for various applications, including, but not limited to: indication, display and / or lighting. A “luminaire” is a light source that is specifically configured to generate radiation of sufficient intensity to effectively illuminate an interior or exterior. In this context, “sufficient intensity” refers to sufficient radiation power in the visible spectrum generated in space or the environment (to represent the total light coming out of the light source in all directions, use the unit “lumen” in terms of radiation power, or luminous flux ”) to provide external illumination (that is, light that can be indirectly perceived or which can, for example, be reflected from one or more surfaces of obstacles before being perceived as a whole ohm or partially).

It should be understood that the term "spectrum" refers to any one or more frequencies (or wavelengths) of radiation generated by one or more luminaires. Accordingly, the term “spectrum” refers to frequencies (or wavelengths) not only in the visible range, but also to frequencies (or wavelengths) in the infrared, ultraviolet, or other regions of the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Also, this spectrum may have a relatively narrow band (for example, FWHM having only a few frequency components or wavelengths) or a relatively wide band (several frequency components or wavelength ranges having different relative levels). It should also be understood that this spectrum may be the result of mixing two or more other spectra (for example, mixed radiation emitted from multiple light sources, respectively). The term “spectral power distribution” should be understood as referring to power per unit area per unit wavelength of illumination or contribution to each unit of wavelength in any radiometric quantity (for example, radiation energy, radiation flux, radiation intensity, energy brightness, energy illumination, energy luminosity or diffuse reflection).

As applied to this description, the term “color” is used interchangeably with the term “spectrum”. However, the term “color” is usually used to refer mainly to the property of radiation perceived by the observer (although it is not intended here that such use limits the scope of the term). Accordingly, the terms “different colors” potentially refer to a plurality of spectra having different wavelength components and / or frequency bands. It should also be understood that the term “color” can be used in connection with both white and non-white light.

2 shows a system 20 for transmitting light-based service orders in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The system 20 includes a personal mobile electronic communications device 100 (personal device), a communications network 200, a memory 600, a processor 300, and a light controller 400 used with one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network. As shown in FIG. 2, the personal device 100, in some embodiments, is characterized by a memory 101.

Embodiments of memory 101 and memory 600 include various types of storage media, for example volatile and non-volatile computer memory such as RAM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM, floppy disks, CDs, optical disks, magnetic tape. In some implementations, storage media may be encoded by one or more programs that may be executed on a processor. Various storage media may be portable, so that one or more programs stored therein can be loaded onto a processor in order to implement various aspects of the present invention discussed herein. The terms “program” or “computer program” are used here in a general sense to refer to computer code of any type (eg, software or microcode) that can be used to program one or more processors.

In some embodiments of the system 20, the personal device 100 transmits the first and second signals through a communication line 110, where the first signal refers to the location of the personal device 100 and the second signal corresponds to a service order associated with the personal device 100. The personal device 100 may be a personal mobile device electronic communications of any type described with reference to the personal device 100 of FIG.

In these embodiments, memory 101 may, for example, store relationships between service orders and locations, relationships between service orders and time of day, or simply one or more service orders associated with personal device 100. A service order transmitted via communication line 110 can be retrieved from memory 101.

In some embodiments of system 20, communication network 200 receives signals from a personal device via communication line 110 and in response to this, requests and retrieves through line 150 from memory 600 the lighting setting associated with the service order received via communication line 110. In these embodiments, the communication network 200 may then transmit a lighting command through the communication line 120. The communication network 200 may be any type of communication network described in connection with the communication network 200 of FIG.

In some embodiments of the system 20, the processor 300 approximately ascertains the location of the personal device 100 after receiving information indicating the location of the personal device through the communication network 130 from the communication network 200. The processor 300 may be any type of processor described above in connection with FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the light controller 400 receives, through the communication line 120, a lighting command generated by the communication network 200 and, in response, controls lighting near the personal device 100 using one or more individually controlled lights in the light network. The light controller 400 may be any type of light controller described above in connection with FIG.

Individually controlled lights 500 are used by the light controller 400 to control the lighting near the personal electronic mobile device 100, so that the lighting visually indicates a service order associated with the personal device 100. In some embodiments, the individually controlled lights 500 control the lighting near the personal device 100 by implementing a setting light previously extracted from the memory 600 and included in the lighting command generated by the communication network 200. In these embodiments, the “implementation” of the light setting may include a response to commands from the light controller. These commands can cause, for example, turning on, off, decreasing or increasing the intensity, or changing the distribution of the spectral power of lighting of the fixtures 500. In addition, individually controlled fixtures 500 may include one or more individually controlled fixtures of any type described in connection with FIG.

FIG. 3A shows a light-based system 30 for identifying personal items according to some embodiments of the invention. The system 30 includes a personal mobile electronic communication device (personal device) 100, a personal item 700, a communication network 200, a memory 600, a processor 300, a light controller 400, and one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the personal device 100 transmits a first signal indicating a device identifier via a communication line 110. The personal item 700 transmits a second signal through a communication line 160 indicating the item identifier. The personal device 100 may be any type of personal electronic mobile communications device described in connection with the personal device 100 of FIG. In some embodiments, the personal item 700 may include, for example, objects equipped with an RFID tag.

As used herein, the term “RFID tag” includes any object that can be included in any other object so that the object including the RFID tag can be tracked using radio waves. In some embodiments, the RFID tag may include at least two parts: a first part including an integrated circuit for performing functions such as modulation and demodulation of radio frequency signals, and a second part including an antenna for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals. In addition, the RFID tag can be passive or active.

The communication network 200 receives the first signal through the communication line 110 from the personal device 100, and through the communication line 160 receives the second signal from the personal item 700. The communication line 160 may be any type of communication line described in connection with the communication line 130 of FIG. In some embodiments, the communication network determines a device identifier associated with the personal device 100 from the first signal and determines an item identifier associated with the personal item 700 from the second signal before transmitting the device identifier and item identifier to the processor 300 via communication line 130. In addition, the communication network 200 may be any type of communication network described in connection with the communication network 200 of FIG.

In some embodiments of system 30, memory 600 associates device identifiers with item identifiers. In other embodiments, the memory may have a different relationship with elements in the system.

In some embodiments, the processor 300 approximately ascertains the location of the personal device 100 after receiving information indicating the location of the personal device through the communication network 130 from the communication network 200. The processor through the communication line 180 may also request the memory 600 for a relationship between the device identifier and the item identifier received from the communication network via the communication line 130. The processor can then generate and transmit a lighting command through the communication line 190, where the lighting command depends on the result of the query executed through the communication line 180. The processor 300 may be any type of processor described in connection with FIG. The communication lines 180 and 190 may be any type of communication line described in connection with the communication line 130 of FIG. 1.

In some embodiments of the system 30, the light controller 400 receives a lighting command through a communication line 190 and, in response, through a communication line 140, controls lighting near a personal object 700 via individually controlled lights 500 in the light network. In these embodiments, the light controller 400 controls the lighting near the personal object 700 so that the lighting visually indicates the existence in memory 600 of the relationship between the personal object 700 and the personal device 100. In addition, the light controller 400 may be any type of light controller described in connection with the light controller 400 of FIG.

Individually controlled luminaires are used by the light controller 400 to control lighting near a personal object 700, so that lighting visually indicates a relationship in memory 600 between the personal object 700 and the personal device 100. Individually controlled luminaires 500 may include one or more individually controlled luminaires of any of the type described above in connection with FIG.

In some embodiments, one or more individually controlled luminaires 500 may include one or more LEDs embedded in a personal item 700. In other embodiments, one or more LEDs may be designed to be energy efficient. For example, one or more LEDs may be powered by one or more inductively charged power storage component components, or it may be necessary for one or more LEDs to remain off if they are not near the personal device 100.

It should be understood that the term “LED” as used herein to disclose the invention includes any electroluminescent diode or other type of carrier-based injection / transfer system that is capable of generating radiation in response to an electrical signal. Thus, the term “LED” includes, but not only: various structures based on semiconductors that emit light in response to an electric current; light emitting polymers; Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED); electroluminescent strips, etc. In particular, the term “LED” refers to all types of light emitting diodes (including semiconductor and organic light emitting diodes), which can be configured to generate radiation in one or more of the following spectra: infrared, ultraviolet, and various parts of the visible spectrum (generally including radiation wavelength range from about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers). Some examples of LED diodes include, but are not limited to, various types of infrared LEDs, ultraviolet LEDs, red LEDs, blue LEDs, green LEDs, yellow LEDs, amber LEDs, orange LEDs, and white LEDs (further discussed below). It should also be borne in mind that LED diodes can be configured and / or controlled to generate radiation in different frequency bands (for example, full width at half maximum maximum, or FWHM) for a given spectrum (for example, narrow band, wide band) and many different dominant wavelengths within this general color classification.

For example, one embodiment of an LED configured to generate substantially white light (e.g., white LED) may include several crystals that respectively emit different electroluminescent spectra that combine to form substantially white light. In another embodiment, a white light LED may comprise a phosphorus-containing material that converts electroluminescent radiation having a first spectrum into another, second spectrum. In one example of such an implementation, electroluminescent radiation with a relatively short wavelength and a narrow spectrum “pumps” phosphorus-containing material, which, in turn, emits light with a longer wavelength, having a wider spectrum.

It should also be understood that the term “LED” does not impose restrictions on the type of physical and / or electrical design of the LED. For example, as discussed above, the term “LED” may refer to a single light emitting device having a plurality of crystals that are configured to emit different spectra (which, for example, may or may not have individual control). Also, the term “LED” can be associated with phosphorus, which is considered as an integral part of the LED (for example, some types of white LEDs). In general, the term “LED” can refer to case LEDs, single-panel LEDs, surface mounted LEDs, crystal-on-substrate LEDs, T-shaped LEDs, radial LEDs, power LEDs, LEDs including several types of shell and / or optical element (for example, a diffusion lens), etc.

In some embodiments of system 30, the light controller 400 further controls lighting near a personal object 700 via a communication link 140 to visually indicate a relationship in memory 600 between the personal object 700 and the personal device 100 upon request to create individually controlled first lighting fixtures 500 to indicate the existence of the relationship between the personal item 700 and the personal device 100, and the second colored lighting to indicate the absence of oh relationship.

In other embodiments of system 30, the personal device 100 transmits a mode signal with an encoded light pattern according to which the personal item 700 should be illuminated. The light pattern may, for example, provide for the use of a particular color of illumination or the use of a sequence of light packets of different colors.

In some other embodiments of system 30, processor 300 may generate a second command based on whether there is a relationship in memory 600 between personal device 100 and personal item 700. According to these options, system 30 may further include a sound controller that receives a sound command from the processor. and controls the sound in the vicinity of the personal item such that the sound indicates whether there is a relationship in the memory 600 between the personal item and the personal device.

FIG. 3B shows aspects of system options 30 related to both creating initial relationships between device identifiers and item identifiers. As shown in FIG. 3B, a first memory is requested for a relationship between a device identifier and an item identifier (3100). The first requested memory may contain, for example, memory 600. If the response to the request indicates the existence of a relationship between the device identifier and the item identifier, a lighting command may be generated indicating the existence of a previously established relationship between the item identifier and the device identifier (3200). However, if there is an indication that there is no relationship between the item identifier and the device identifier in the first memory, a second memory may be requested to determine whether the item identifier (3300) is contained in the second memory. In this embodiment, if there is an indication that the item identifier is contained in the second memory, a lighting command may be generated, indicating the absence of a relationship between the item identifier and the device identifier (3400). Alternatively, if there is an indication that the item identifier is not contained in the second memory, then the relationship between the item identifier and the device identifier may be created in the first memory, and the item identifier may be contained in the second memory (3500). After that, a lighting command can be generated indicating the initial relationship in the first memory between the item identifier and the device identifier (3600).

In some other embodiments of system 30, communications network 200 further identifies a device identifier received from a non-client personal device 100 before transmitting the item identifier to processor 300. In these embodiments, processor 300 may then further request memory 600 via communication link 180 for availability a relationship including an item identifier. If the result of the request through the communication link 180 indicates that there is a relationship in the memory 600 including this item identifier, then the processor 300 can delete this relationship from the memory 600 including this item identifier and generate a lighting command indicating that a personal item unrelated to any device is ready to establish a re-relationship with the personal device.

In some embodiments of system 30, it comprises a user interface for entering item identifiers into memory 101. As used herein, the term “user interface” refers to an interface between a user or operator and one or more devices that allows communication between a user and device (s). Examples of user interfaces that can be used in various implementations of the present invention include, but are not limited to: switches, potentiometers, buttons, dials, sliders, mouse, keyboard, keypad, game controllers of various types (e.g., joysticks), trackballs, display screens, various types of graphical user interfaces (GUIs), touch screens, microphones and other types of sensors that can perceive human-generated effects in any form e, and generate a signal in response thereto.

4A shows a light-based system 40 for transmitting service orders in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. System 40 includes a personal mobile electronic communication device (personal device) 100, a personal item 700, a communication network 200, a light controller 400, and one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the personal device 100 includes a memory 101, a processor 102, a transmitter 103, and a receiver 104. The personal device may be any type of personal device described in connection with the personal device 100 of FIG.

One or more item identifiers associated with the personal device 100 are stored in the memory 101. The memory 101 may also be any type of memory described in connection with the memory 101 of FIG. 2.

According to some variants of the system 40, a personal item 700 transmits a signal containing an identifier code for that item through a communication link 170. The communication line 170 may be any type of communication line described in connection with the communication line 130 of FIG. The personal item 700 may be a personal item of any type described in connection with the personal item 700 of FIG. 3.

A receiver 104 receives a signal transmitted by a personal item 700 via a communication link 170. The processor 102 determines the item identifier encoded in the signal received via the communication line 170, and requests memory 101 via the communication line 180 to determine whether the item 101 is included in the memory 101. Based on the result of the request, the processor 102 generates a report, and the transmitter 103 transmits one or more signals with a coded report and information indicating the location of the personal device 100 via the communication line 110. The processor 102 may be any type of processor described in connection with the processor 300 of FIG. one.

Communication network 200 receives one or more signals through communication line 110 from transmitter 103 and transmits a lighting command in response via communication line 120. The communication network 200 may be any type of communication network described in connection with the communication network 200 of FIG. In some embodiments, a communications network receiving one or more signals containing information indicating the location of the personal device 100 will approximately determine the location of the personal device using any technology, including GPS, GPS with auxiliary data, triangulation, signal strength analysis, and technology using an accelerometer. In some embodiments of the system 40, a lighting command is generated and transmitted by a second processor, which is capable of communication with the communication network 200.

The light controller 400 receiving the lighting command via the communication line 140 controls the lighting near the personal object 700 using one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network. The light controller 400 may be any type of light controller described in connection with the light controller 400 of FIG. 1.

Individually controlled luminaires 500 are used by the light controller 400 to control the lighting near the personal object 700 so that the lighting visually indicates that in the memory 101 of the personal device 100 there is an object identifier transmitted via communication line 170 and connected to the personal object 700. In addition, individually controlled lamps 500 may include one or more individually controlled luminaires of any type described in connection with luminaires 500 of FIG. 1.

In some embodiments of system 40, the system comprises a user interface for entering 101 item identifiers into memory. The user interface may be any type of user interface described in connection with FIG.

In addition or alternatively, in embodiments of system 40, processor 102 may be involved in adding item identifiers to memory 101 included in personal device 100. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 4B. As shown in FIG. 4B, a first memory is first requested to determine whether the item identifier transmitted by the personal item 700 (4100) is included in the first memory. A memory 101 may be used in the first memory, included in the personal device 100. If the request indicates that the first memory contains an item identifier, then a report may be generated indicating that the item identifier associated with the personal item 700 is turned on into the first memory (4200). Alternatively, if the request leads to an indication that the first memory does not contain an item identifier, then a second memory may be requested through the communication network 200 to determine whether this item identifier transmitted by the personal item is included in the second memory (4300 ) If the second memory request leads to an indication that the second memory contains the indicated item identifier, then a report may be generated indicating that the first memory does not include the item identifier associated with the personal item 700 (4400). Alternatively, if there is an indication that the second memory does not contain an item identifier associated with a personal item 700, then this item identifier can be added to both the first and second memory (4500). After that, a report may be generated indicating that the item identifier associated with this personal item (4600) was initially included in the first memory.

5 shows a light-based system 50 for identifying personal items according to some embodiments of the invention. The system 50 includes a personal mobile electronic communication device (personal device) 100, a personal item 700, an RFID sensor 800, a communication network 200, a memory 600, a processor 300, a light controller 400, and one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network.

As shown in FIG. 5, the personal device 100 includes an RFID tag 1001. The personal device 100 may be any type of personal device described in connection with the personal device 100 of FIG. 1. The RFID tag 1001 may be any type of RFID tag described in connection with the personal item 700 of FIG. 3. In addition, the personal device transmits via a communication line 110 a signal indicating a device identifier associated with it.

As shown in FIG. 5, the personal item 700 includes an RFID tag 1002. Again, the RFID tag 1002 can be any type of RFID tag described in connection with the personal item 700 in FIG. 3. The personal item 700 transmits a signal indicating the item identifier associated with it through the communication line 160. In addition, the personal item may be any type of personal item described in connection with the personal item 700 in FIG.

Also, as shown in FIG. 5, system 50 includes at least one RFID sensor 800. The RFID sensor 800 detects the proximity of the RFID tag 1001 included in the personal device 100 and the RFID tag 1002 included in the personal item 700 and transmits a signal indicating its own location via communication line 210.

The communication network 200 receives a signal through a communication line 110 from a personal device 100, through a communication line 210 receives a signal from an RFID sensor 800, and through a communication line 160, a signal from a personal item 700. In some embodiments, the communication network determines a device identifier associated with the personal device , from the signal received via the communication line 110, and determines the identifier of the item associated with the personal item 700 based on the signal received via the communication line 160. In these embodiments, the communication network 200 then transmits through the communication line 130 a device identifier, an item identifier, and information indicating the location of the RFID of the sensor 800. The communication network 200 may be any type of communication network described in connection with the communication network 200 of FIG.

Memory 600 associates device identifiers with item identifiers. In addition, the memory 600 may be any type of memory described in connection with the memory 600 of FIG. 2.

The processor 300 approximately ascertains the location of the personal device 100 after receiving information indicating the location of the RFID of the sensor 800 through the communication network 200 from the communication network. The processor via the communication line 180 also requests the memory 600 for a relationship between the device identifier and the item identifier received from the communication network 200 via communication line 130, before generating and transmitting lighting commands based on the query result through communication line 190. The processor 300 may be any type of processor described in connection with the processor 300 of FIG.

The light controller 400 receives a lighting command through the communication line 190 and, in response through the communication line 140, controls lighting near the personal object 700 by means of one or more individually controlled lights 500 in the light network. In some embodiments, the light controller 400 controls the lighting so that the lighting visually indicates the existence in memory 600 of the relationship between the item identifier associated with the personal item 700 and the device identifier associated with the personal device 100. In addition, the light controller 400 can be any light controller of the type described in connection with the light controller 400 of FIG.

Individually controlled luminaires 500 are used by the light controller 400 to control lighting near a personal object 700. In addition, individually controlled luminaires 500 may include one or more individually controlled luminaires of any type described in connection with the luminaires 500 of FIG. 1.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated here, those skilled in the art will readily be able to propose many different other means and / or structures for performing the described functions and / or obtaining the described results and / or one or more of the advantages described herein, it being understood that each of such versions and / or modifications is not beyond the scope of the embodiments of the invention described herein. More generally, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that all parameters, dimensions, materials and configurations described herein are provided as examples only and that the actual parameters, sizes, materials and / or configurations will depend on the particular application or applications, in which will be used here patentable principles. Those skilled in the art understand or are able to ascertain, using routine experimentation alone, the many equivalents for the specific options described herein. Thus, it should be understood that the foregoing embodiments are provided by way of example only and that, within the scope and appended claims and their equivalents, embodiments of the invention other than those specifically described and claimed herein may be practiced. Embodiments of the present invention relate to each individual feature, system, product, material, kit, and / or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more of these features, systems, products, materials, kits and / or methods is included in the scope of the present invention, if the features, systems, products, materials, kits and / or methods are not mutually exclusive.

It should be understood that all definitions described and used herein apply to vocabulary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated herein by reference, and / or the usual meanings of the terms defined herein.

The indications of uniqueness used in this specification and claims are to be understood as “at least one,” unless expressly indicated otherwise. Used in this description and the claims, the phrase “and / or” should be understood as “either or both” of the combined elements, that is, elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Many elements listed using the phrase “and / or” should be interpreted in the same way, that is, “one or more” of these elements. Other elements other than elements specifically identified as “and / or” may be present, but not necessarily, whether or not they are associated with said specially identified elements. Thus, as a non-limiting example, the reference “A and / or B” when used in connection with an extensible language, the term “comprising” in one embodiment may refer only to A (possibly including elements other than B); in another embodiment, only to B (possibly including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, both to A and B (possibly including other elements); etc.

Used in this description and the claims, the word "or" should be understood as having the same meaning as the above phrase "and / or". For example, when separating elements in a list, either "or" and / or "should be interpreted as inclusive, that is, as including at least one, but also including more than one of a number or list of elements, and, but not necessarily, additional elements, not included in the list. Used in this description and the claims, the phrase “at least one” when referring to a list consisting of one or more elements, should be understood as at least one element selected from any one or more elements in the list of elements, and this is not necessary include at least one of any element specifically listed in the list of elements, and it is not necessary to exclude any combination of elements in said list of elements. This definition also allows, but not necessarily, the presence of elements other than elements specifically identified in said list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether or not this refers to said specially identified elements. Thus, as a non-limiting example, the phrase “at least one of A and B” (or as the equivalent of “at least one of A or B”, or as the equivalent of “at least one of A and / or B”) in one embodiment, may refer to at least one (not necessarily including more than one) A in the absence of B (and, but not necessarily, including elements other than B); in another embodiment, at least one (not necessarily including more than one) to B without A (and, but not necessarily including elements other than A); and in yet another embodiment, at least one (not necessarily including more than one) A and at least one (not necessarily including more than one) B (and not necessarily including other elements); etc.

It should also be understood that, unless expressly stated otherwise, in any of the methods claimed herein that include more than one step or action, the order of these steps or actions in the method is not necessarily limited to the sequence of steps or actions set forth herein.

In the claims, as well as in the above description, all transitional revolutions, such as “comprising”, “including”, “bearing”, “having”, “comprising”, “including”, “holding”, “ having in composition, etc., should be understood as open revolutions, that is, as meaning “includes, but not only”, respectively, only transitional revolutions “consisting of” and “essentially consisting of” should be considered closed or half-closed transient revolutions.

Claims (14)

1. A light-based system for transmitting service orders, comprising:
a personal mobile electronic communication device transmitting a first signal for indicating a location and a second signal corresponding to a service order;
a processor figuring out the approximate location of a personal mobile electronic communications device;
a communication network receiving a first signal and a second signal from a personal mobile electronic communication device and in response to a first signal and a second signal, transmitting a lighting command; and
a light controller receiving a lighting command from the communication network and, in response to a lighting command, controlling lighting near a personal mobile electronic communication device using at least one individually controlled light in the light network, so that lighting near a personal mobile electronic communication device visually indicates an order for service. 2. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein the light controller controls the lighting by creating a visible light effect on the ceiling or floor near a personal mobile electronic communications device. 3. The light-based system according to claim 1, further comprising lighting near a personal mobile electronic communication device visible through glasses with an electronic shutter, the glasses with an electronic shutter containing blocked time intervals and light pulses introduced into said blocked time intervals. 4. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines the approximate location of the personal mobile electronic communications device using technology consisting of at least one of: GPS, GPS with auxiliary data, triangulation, signal strength analysis, and technology using accelerometer. 5. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein the communication network, in response to the second signal, finds out information related to the payment mechanism associated with the personal mobile electronic communication device and forwards the payment based on the service order corresponding to the second signal from the payment mechanism. 6. The light-based system of claim 5, wherein the communication network finds out information related to the payment mechanism using personal identification information containing a personal identification number and a fingerprint. 7. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein the personal mobile electronic communication device is further monitored using lighting visually indicating a service order, the tracking comprising:
by means of a communication network, periodically receiving a first signal for indicating a location and a second signal corresponding to a service order from a personal mobile electronic communication device and periodically transmitting a lighting command based on an updated first signal and an updated second signal; and
by the light controller, periodically receiving the lighting command from the communication network interface and in response to the lighting command, controlling the lighting near the personal mobile electronic communication device, so that the lighting visually indicates a service order. 8. The light-based system of claim 1, further comprising a surface, wherein part of the surface is illuminated by second lighting, the second lighting visually indicating a service order and visually identifying a location from which the service order is to be received, and wherein the second lighting and lighting near a personal mobile electronic device, they cease after receiving a service order. 9. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein the personal mobile electronic communication device comprises a processor. 10. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a processor. 11. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein the illumination near the personal mobile electronic communication device comprises one color of light or a sequence of light signals of different colors. 12. The light-based system of claim 1, further comprising
at least a second personal mobile electronic communications device transmitting a third signal for indicating a second location and a fourth signal corresponding to a second service order;
wherein the communication network receives the second signal and the fourth signal, associates the first priority with the service order, and the second priority with the second service order and transmits the second lighting command, and
moreover, the light controller receives the second lighting command and controls the second lighting near the second personal mobile electronic communication device, so that the second lighting visually indicates the second service order and the second priority of the second service order. 13. The light-based system of claim 1, wherein
lighting near a personal mobile electronic communication device is additionally encoded using a modulated signal corresponding to a service order,
the personal mobile electronic communication device further comprises at least one sensor for detecting a modulated signal and
the second signal for indicating a service order further comprises an indication of a modulated signal detected and detected by the personal mobile electronic communication device. 14. The light-based system of claim 1, further comprising
a memory device storing the relationship between the service order and the place of execution, and wherein the processor accesses the service order from memory.

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