Method and apparatus for the zonal transmission of data using building lighting fixtures

Abstract

This invention relates to the zonal transmission of data by optical means through the modulation of light from common building light fixtures, including the light output of fluorescent, mercury vapor, and other arc or discharge lamps and fixtures; a system for the reuse of radio frequencies by smart radios, and the accurate locating and tracking of objects or persons as they move through a building; by means of creating a communications system which exploits the existing infrastructure of a building to facilitate the transmission of relatively secure control and communications data via creation of a multiplicity of area-limited interference-free communication zones. The system facilitates the transmission of wide-area as well as zonal-specific data. The system facilitates the creation of a database that contains present location and history location and movement data of persons and objects as they move through a building.

1 . Any method or apparatus comprising: 
 controlling means; and    arc lamp or discharge lamp power supply;    said controlling means and power supply designed for living area, working area, building, or architectural lighting use; and    said controlling means and power supply facilitating the optical transmission of digital or analog signaling or data, by means of modulating the electrical frequency and/or phase and/or amplitude of the energy supplied to any one or more connected arc lamps or discharge lamps.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitted data is or includes one or more of serial number, location data or messages, communications or computer or digital device control data or messages, communications or computer or digital device messaging data, local radio communications system data or control messages or other operating data or messaging, public carrier generated radio communications system data or control messages or other operating data or messaging, local or wide-area generated paging information, positioning or location correction factors, messages compatible with the data format or output of or operations of existing satellite positioning systems or other positioning systems or services, any distributed control system or service data, or any other internally or externally generated or derived data.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , wherein said modulation is one or more of, or a variation of one or more of, frequency modulation, phase modulation, amplitude modulation, frequency-shift keying modulation, phase-shift keying modulation, differential phase-shift keying modulation, quadrature phase-shift keying modulation, m-ary phase-shift keying modulation, amplitude shift keying, quadrature amplitude modulation, pulse coded modulation, differential pulse code modulation, delta modulation, single-sideband modulation, double-sideband suppressed-carrier modulation, quadrature-carrier modulation, vestigial sideband modulation, minimum-shift modulation; or any other modulating method.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , wherein said controlling means and power supply facilitates the receiving of data or controlling inputs by means of one or more of a serial data port, parallel data port, network interface data port, twisted-pair wireline data port, coaxial data port, radio receiver, radio transceiver, common carrier radio receiver or transceiver, power-line carrier receiver, power-line carrier transceiver, encoded power-line signaling, multiplexed data port, fiber optic port, optical data port, or infrared data port.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , wherein said controlling means and power supply facilitates the control or operation of one or more of fluorescent lamps, metal halide lamps, mercury vapor lamps, sodium vapor lamps, or neon gas lamps, or any combination of the above arc or discharge lamps, or any arc or discharge lamp in combination with an incandescent lamp.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , further including means for transmitting or re-transmitting data, by means other than the optical output of said arc lamp or discharge lamp or lamps; including but not limited to the transmission of data or analog signals by means of radio, optical, or acoustic, or ultrasonic energy.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , further including means of 
 recovering, reconstituting, or generating audio signals; and    further including zero, one, or more means for audio amplification, and/or audio switching, and/or audio control;    and/or audio transducers.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , wherein the intended living area, working area, building, or architectural lighting use or application includes, but is not limited to, for use in lighting: offices, hallways, reception areas, rest rooms, meeting rooms, rooms using modular or movable office walls, waiting rooms, escalators and elevators, security areas, manufacturing facilities, assembly facilities, laboratory rooms or areas, garaging or storage facilities, warehouse areas or facilities, control rooms, outside walkways, car ports and car parks, outside parks and play areas, store malls and other shopping areas or facilities, outside building walls, outside tree and grass areas, streets, highways or roadways, airport or harbor areas, shipboard or vessel rooms or offices or areas, or any indoor or outdoor landscaped areas.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus or method of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus includes sockets or other connecting means for one or more arc lamps or discharge lamps, and may or may not include means for focusing, reflecting, or controlling the light output from such apparatus.  
   
   
       10 . The method and apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the primary, secondary, or tertiary light output of arc lamps or discharge lamps intended for use with such method and apparatus, is in one or more of the infrared, visible, or ultraviolet spectrums.  
   
   
       11 . Any lamp ballast comprising: 
 controlling means; and    arc lamp or discharge lamp power supply;    said ballast designed for living area, working area, building, or architectural lighting use; and    said controlling means and power supply facilitating the optical transmission of digital or analog signaling or data, by means of modulating the electrical frequency and/or phase and/or amplitude of the energy supplied to any one or more connected arc lamps or discharge lamps.    
   
   
       12 . Any apparatus or method comprising: 
 power supply for arc lamp or discharge lamp lighting use; and    electronic controlling means; and    means for radio transmission or reception; and/or    means for acoustic or ultrasonic transmission or reception.