A controller for controlling a lighting system is disclosed. The lighting system comprises a lighting device configured to receive lighting control commands from the controller via a wireless network, and a separate power switching device configured to receive, via the wireless network, power switching control commands from the controller to switch between a first mode wherein a load connected to the power switching device is powered, and a second mode the load connected to the power switching device is unpowered. The controller comprises a transmitter configured to transmit the lighting control commands to the lighting device and configured to transmit the power switching control commands to the power switching device, one or more inputs configured to obtain one or more first signals indicative of that the lighting device is connected to the separate power switching device as the load, and to obtain a second signal indicative of a current mode of the power switching device, and a processor configured to determine that the lighting device is connected to the power switching device based on the one or more first signals, to transmit a lighting control command to the lighting device to control the lighting device, and, if the power switching device is in the second mode, to transmit a power switching control command to the power switching device to switch the power switching device to the first mode.

A method of restricting control of one or more lighting units (110) in a lighting system (100) is disclosed. The lighting system (100) comprises the one or more lighting units (110), a first control device (130) for controlling the one or more lighting units (110) and a portable control device (120) for controlling the one or more lighting units (110). The method comprises: determining a position of the portable control device (120) relative to a surface (140), setting the one or more lighting units (110) to a first control mode or a second control mode in dependence on the position of the portable control device (120) relative to the surface (140). When the one or more lighting units (110) have been set to the first control mode, the one or more lighting units (110) are configured to be controlled by both the first control device (130) and the portable control device (120), and when the one or more lighting units (110) have been set to the second control mode, the one or more lighting units (110) are configured to be controlled by the portable control device (120), and wherein control of the one or more lighting units (110) by the first control device (130) is at least partially restricted.

A system and method are provided herein for communicating with and controlling various devices using visible light communication (VLC). According to one embodiment, a method is provided for extending a communication range of a VLC system comprising a plurality of controlled devices and a remote-control device. Such a method may include, for example, transmitting a communication message from a remote-control device to a first controlled device located within range of the remote-control device, wherein the communication message is transmitted through free space using visible light, and extending the communication range of the VLC system to a second controlled device, which is located outside of the range of the remote-control device, by using the first controlled device to retransmit the communication message through free space using visible light to the second controlled device.

A system (1) for causing at least one of a plurality of lighting devices (31-35) to render light effects specified in a light script is configured to determine for each respective light effect of the light effects an allocation of the respective light effect to one or more first lighting devices (31-33) of the plurality of lighting devices, select, from the plurality of lighting devices, a second lighting device (34) to which none of the light effects has been allocated, and transmit a request to the second lighting device. The request requests the second lighting device to control the one or more first lighting devices to render the light effects and defines light effects for the one or more first lighting devices as specified in the light script.

An illumination system and method are disclosed for maintaining a consistent change in illumination value among a group of illumination devices whenever a change command is manually sent from a keypad to those illumination devices. The consistent change results from maintaining a common start illumination value among not only the group, but also the keypad which controls the group. From the start illumination value, the keypad can then compute an end illumination value depending upon the amount of time that an increase or decrease in illumination value button is depressed and held. Since the change command can arrive at different illumination devices within the group depending upon where each illumination device is geographically located, a masking time is reserved after the button is released so that enough time is allocated for each of the illumination devices within that group to arrive at a common end illumination value.

A method comprises, in a learning mode, learning (101) a state of one or more portable devices at a start time associated with a routine for a plurality of executions of the routine over a period of time based on received signals and determining (103) one or more expected states of the one or more portable devices at the start time associated with the routine based on the learned state. The method further comprises, in an adjustment mode, determining (105) a current state of the one or more portable devices at the start time of the routine for a current execution of the routine, determining (107) whether the current state differs from the expected state, and adjusting (109) the current execution of the routine in dependence on a difference between these states. The current execution of the routine comprises transmission of at least one light command.

Methods, systems, and devices for lighting control are described. An apparatus may include a panel for controlling one or more devices associated with a home. A panel may include a recess shaped to encapsulate a switch disposed on a wall of the home. A panel may include user interface hardware configured to receive input from a user. A panel may include a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor storing instructions executable by the processor. An instruction may include transmitting one or more communications to the one or more devices to cause the one or more devices to perform a first action based on input received by the user interface hardware. An instruction may include transmitting one or more communications to the home automation hub to cause one or more other devices to perform a second action based on the input received by the user interface hardware.

A lighting system has at least one light fixture and a control device. The at least one light fixture has light parameters. The control device is in communication with the at least one light fixture. The control device has a plurality of one-dimensional user setting, a predetermined sequence of light parameters as a function of time, and an adjustment to the predetermined sequence as a function of a selected one-dimensional user setting.

A power control unit (100) and method of use thereof for varying the supply of electricity to an electrical apparatus using a wireless communications link between a controller (20) and the power control unit (100). The power control unit (100) is adapted to alternatively communicate with the controller (20) using a non-peer-to-peer communications standard or a peer-to-peer communications standard such as Wi-Fi Direct.

An illumination system and method is disclosed for maintaining a consistent change in illumination value among a group of illumination devices whenever a change command is manually sent from a keypad to those illumination devices. The consistent change results from maintaining a common start illumination value among not only the group, but also the keypad which controls the group. From the start illumination value, the keypad can then compute an end illumination value depending upon the amount of time that the increase or decrease in illumination value button is depressed and held. Since the start change signal can arrive on different illumination devices within the group depending upon where each illumination device is geographically located, a masking time is reserved after the button is released so that enough time is allocated for each of the illumination devices within that group to arrive at a common end illumination value regardless of their disparate location to the keypad, the number of hops or interference therebetween.