US 12,232,236 B2
Control network system
Marcel Beij, Sint Oedenrode (NL); and Hermanus Johannes Maria Vos, Waalre (NL)
Assigned to SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 17/617,386
Filed by SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Jun. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/066447
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 8, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/254231, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19181461 (EP), filed on Jun. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0256678 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. H05B 47/19 (2020.01); H04W 4/30 (2018.01); H04W 24/08 (2009.01); H04W 84/20 (2009.01)
CPC H05B 47/19 (2020.01) [H04W 4/30 (2018.02); H04W 24/08 (2013.01); H04W 84/20 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control device configured to connect to a lighting control network wherein at most one control device is elected as a master control device being allowed to send beacon messages periodically every beacon repetition time and to send commands to a control gear in the lighting control network, wherein the control device comprises:
a memory; and
a communication subsystem configured to:
send a local beacon message with information on a local hierarchy level associated with the corresponding control device itself within a first period of time, to announce the presence of the corresponding control device to devices on the network, and
monitor the network during the first period of time for detecting potential beacon messages from other devices on the network;
a controller configured to:
assess if the corresponding control device is to be elected as the master control device based on the potential beacon messages detected by the communication subsystem during the first period of time, wherein the assessment is carried out by comparing the local hierarchy level of the corresponding control device against one or more other hierarchy levels comprised in the potential beacon messages detected;
wherein the first period of time starts when the control device gets connected to the network, and the first period of time is longer than the beacon repetition time;
wherein a control device out of the at least one control device is configured to elect itself as the master control device to send beacon messages periodically every beacon repetition time upon detecting its local hierarchy level being a highest hierarchy level in the system, the beacon message comprising the highest hierarchy level;
the master control device further configured to send commands to the at least one control gear; and
the at least one control gear configured to execute the commands received from the master control device.