Lighting system, lighting device, and control method thereof

Abstract

A lighting system includes a plurality of lighting devices including a controller transmitting and receiving data by using near field communications (NFC) The lighting system further includes a control device that collects identification information for the plurality of respective lighting devices through the NFC communications before the plurality of lighting devices are installed. The control device also generates settings data to control the plurality of lighting devices, based on the identification information, and then transmits the generated settings data to the plurality of respective lighting devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An operating method of a lighting controller, the method comprising:
 reading identification information of each of a plurality of lighting devices through near-field communication (NFC) prior to the plurality of lighting devices being installed;   mapping the identification information to installation information of the each of the plurality of lighting devices;   generating, based on the identification information that is mapped, settings data for controlling the plurality of lighting devices; and   transmitting the settings data to at least one of the plurality of lighting devices through the NFC.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification information is encoded and stored in the each of the plurality of lighting devices, and
 wherein the identification information is read from the each of the plurality of lighting devices through the NFC.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the settings data comprises at least one of grouping information for dividing the plurality of lighting devices into a plurality of groups, lighting scheme control information implemented by the plurality of lighting devices, and lighting zone control information for controlling operations of the plurality of lighting devices in each of spaces in which the plurality of lighting devices are located. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the installation information from an external server to map the installation information to the identification information; and   transmitting the settings data to the external server.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 updating the installation information by using the settings data; and   transmitting the updated installation information to the external server.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification information of each of the plurality of lighting devices is stored in an NFC tag included in each of the plurality of lighting devices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing an authentication process before reading the identification information through the NFC.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the installation information comprises layout map containing information regarding a plurality of positions at which the plurality of lighting devices are installed. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 displaying the plurality of positions;   mapping the identification information read from one of the plurality of lighting devices to one of the plurality of positions, when the one of the plurality of positions is selected;   generating the settings data by using the installation information for the one of the plurality of positions.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein when the one of the plurality of positions is selected, the identification information read from the one of the plurality of lighting devices located closer than a threshold distance is mapped to the one of the plurality of positions. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 prior to receiving power at a light source:   establishing a near-field communication (NFC) session between the light source and an external control device,   in response to a request from the external control device for identification information of the light source, transmitting, by the light source, the identification information of the light source to the external control device via the NFC session, and   receiving, by the light source and from the external control device, settings data for the light source; and   after receiving power at the light source, operating the light source according to the settings data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the NFC session is established when the external control device comes within a threshold distance from the light source. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the external control device is one of a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a remote controller, and a wearable computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the settings data comprises at least one of illumination intensity, brightness, a color temperature, a tint, and a usage schedule. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the light source comprises a sensor collecting at least one of external environmental information and first information regarding operations of the light source. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the light source operates based on the settings data and second information collected by the sensor, after receiving power at the light source.