Low cost battery-less light switch architecture and pairing method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a lighting system can comprise a light source and a light switch. The light switch can comprise a binary switch, a wireless transmitter, a processor, and a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein a code identifying the light switch. A light driver can be coupled with the light source. The light driver can comprise a pairing switch, a wireless receiver, a processor, and a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to pair with the light switch by receiving, from the pairing button, a first input indicating a start of a pairing mode, initiating the pairing mode based on the first input, and determining whether a message is received from the light switch within a first predetermined period of time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lighting system comprising:
 a light source;   a light switch comprising:
 a binary switch, 
 a wireless transmitter, 
 a processor, and 
 a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein 
   a code identifying the light switch; and   a light driver coupled with the light source, the light driver comprising:
 a pairing switch, 
 a wireless receiver, 
 a processor, and 
 a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to pair with the light switch by receiving, from the pairing button, a first input indicating a start of a pairing mode, initiating the pairing mode based on the first input, and determining whether a message is received from the light switch within a first predetermined period of time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light switch, when executed by the processor of the light switch, cause the processor to:
 detect an operation of the binary switch; and   send, in response to detecting the operation of the binary switch, the message through the wireless transmitter to the wireless receiver of the light driver, wherein the code identifying the light switch is modulated the message.   
     
     
         3 . The lighting system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light driver, when executed by the processor of the light driver, cause the processor to, in response to determining the message is received from the light switch within the first predetermined period of time, read the code identifying the light switch modulated into the message and store the code identifying the light switch in the memory of the light driver. 
     
     
         4 . The lighting system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light switch, when executed by the processor of the light switch, cause the processor to:
 detect an operation of the binary switch; and   in response to detecting the operation of the binary switch places the binary switch into an on position, send, through the wireless transmitter, a command to turn on the light source coupled with the light driver, wherein the code identifying the light switch is modulated into the command.   
     
     
         5 . The lighting system of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light driver, when executed by the processor of the light driver, further cause the light driver to receive, through the wireless receiver, the command from the light switch, demodulate the received command from the light switch using the code identifying the light switch stored in the memory of the light driver, and turn the light on based on the demodulated command. 
     
     
         6 . The lighting system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light switch, when executed by the processor of the light switch, cause the processor to:
 in response to detecting the operation of the binary switch places the binary switch into an off position, send, through the wireless transmitter, a command to turn off the light source coupled with the light driver, wherein the code identifying the light switch is modulated into the command.   
     
     
         7 . The lighting system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light driver, when executed by the processor of the light driver, further cause the light driver to receive, through the wireless receiver, the command from the light switch, demodulate the received command from the light switch using the code identifying the light switch stored in the memory of the light driver, and turn the light off based on the demodulated command. 
     
     
         8 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light driver, when executed by the processor of the light driver, further causes the light driver to terminate the pairing mode in response to determining the message is not received from the light switch within the first predetermined period time. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light driver, when executed by the processor of the light driver, further cause the light driver to:
 receive, from the pairing button, a second input indicating a start of a de-pairing mode; and   in response to the second input, delete the code identifying the light switch stored in the memory of the light driver.   
     
     
         10 . The light system of  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless device, wherein the wireless device comprises a processor and a memory having stored therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
 pair with the light driver through the wireless receiver of the light driver, wherein pairing with the light driver comprises sending, from the wireless device to the wireless receiver of the light driver, a message modulated with a pairing code, the pairing code used by the light driver to identify the wireless device; and   control the light source through the light driver, wherein controlling the light source through the light driver comprises sending, from the wireless device to the wireless receiver of the light driver, a command modulated with the pairing code, wherein the light driver controls the light source based on command.   
     
     
         11 . A light driver comprising:
 a pairing switch;   a wireless receiver;   a processor; and   a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to pair with a light switch by receiving, from the pairing button, a first input indicating a start of a pairing mode, initiating the pairing mode based on the first input, and determining whether a message is received from the light switch within a first predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         12 . The light driver of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, in response to determining the message is received from the light switch within the first predetermined period of time, read a code identifying the light switch modulated into the message and store the code identifying the light switch in the memory of the light driver. 
     
     
         13 . The light driver of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the light driver to receive, through the wireless receiver, a command from the light switch, demodulate the received command from the light switch using the code identifying the light switch stored in the memory of the light driver, and turn on a light coupled with the light driver on based on the demodulated command. 
     
     
         14 . The light driver of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the light driver to receive, through the wireless receiver, a command from the light switch, demodulate the received command from the light switch using the code identifying the light switch stored in the memory of the light driver, and turn off a light coupled with the light driver based on the demodulated command. 
     
     
         15 . The light driver of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further causes the light driver to terminate the pairing mode in response to determining the message is not received from the light switch within the first predetermined period time. 
     
     
         16 . The light driver of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the light driver to:
 receive, from the pairing button, a second input indicating a start of a de-pairing mode; and   in response to the second input, delete the code identifying the light switch stored in the memory of the light driver.   
     
     
         17 . A light switch comprising:
 a binary switch;   a wireless transmitter;   a processor; and   a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein a code identifying the light switch and a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to pair with a wireless light driver through the wireless transmitter using the code identifying the light switch.   
     
     
         18 . The light switch of  claim 17 , wherein pairing with the light driver comprises:
 detecting an operation of the binary switch; and   send, in response to detecting the operation of the binary switch, a message through the wireless transmitter to a wireless receiver of the light driver, wherein the code identifying the light switch is modulated the message.   
     
     
         19 . The light switch of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the light switch to:
 detect an operation of the binary switch; and   in response to detecting the operation of the binary switch places the binary switch into an on position, send, through the wireless transmitter, a command to turn on the light source coupled with the light driver, wherein the code identifying the light switch is modulated into the command.   
     
     
         20 . The light switch of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the light switch, when executed by the processor of the light switch, cause the processor to:
 in response to detecting the operation of the binary switch places the binary switch into an off position, send, through the wireless transmitter, a command to turn off the light source coupled with the light driver, wherein the code identifying the light switch is modulated into the command.