Distributed intelligence automated lighting systems and methods

A method of operating a distributed intelligence lighting system comprising:

• providing global control signals from a global controller to one or more first local controllers through a global bus;
• receiving by the one or more first local controllers the global control signals and sensor signals from one or more sensors operably coupled with the one or more first local controllers;
• and
• controlling by the one or more first local controllers one or more respective lighting devices and one or more respective second local controllers, wherein the one or more respective lighting devices and the one or more respective second local controllers are operably coupled with the one or more first local controllers via a local bus, wherein the controlling comprises exchanging a group of local control signals amongst at least one first local controller of the one or more first local controllers and at least one second local controller of the one or more second local controllers,
• wherein the global bus and the local bus are comprised of modular wiring comprised of power wiring and control wiring in interlocking sections, the modular wiring operably connects (I) a power supply and the global controller with the one or more first local controllers, and (II) the one or more first local controllers with the respective lighting devices, the one or more sensors, and the one or more respective second local controllers,
• wherein the global control signals comprise control signals that place the one or more first local controllers in an operational state, and
• wherein the one or more first local controllers operate the one or more respective lighting devices and the one or more respective second local controllers in accordance with one or more of the global control signals received from the global controller and from sensor signals received from the one or more sensors.

A lighting control system, comprising:

• a global controller for controlling at least one zone of lighting with global digital signals, wherein each zone of the at least one zone of lighting comprises a first set of one or more light fixtures;
• a converter that collects power from a power supply and global digital signals from the global controller, wherein the converter directs the global digital signals to control wires in a modular cable coupled to the converter, and the power to power wires in the modular cable, the power wires and the control wires configured in interlocking sections;
• a first local controller coupled to the modular cable and having as inputs the global digital signals and sensor signals from at least one sensor, wherein the first local controller is configured to control at least one light fixture of the first set of one or more light fixtures with first local digital signals in accordance with the global digital signals and the sensor signals;
• a second local controller coupled to the modular cable and having as inputs control signals from the first local controller, wherein the second local controller receives the global digital signals from the first local controller that configure the second local controller in an operational state, and transmits second local digital signals to the first local controller, and wherein the second local controller controls a second set of one or more light fixtures in accordance with at least the global digital signals;
• a switch that is configured to send digital signals to at least one light fixture of the first set of one or more light fixtures and override the local digital signals;
• and
• a modular connector for connecting the switch to the modular cable;
• wherein the modular cable connects to the at least one light fixture of the first set of one or more light fixtures to provide power and to control the operation of the at least one light fixture.

An adaptive lighting control system, comprising:

• power control equipment to supply power to at least one zone of lighting, wherein each zone of lighting of the at least one zone of lighting comprises a first set of one or more light fixtures comprised of one or more lights;
• a first local controller associated with each zone of lighting of the at least one zone of lighting;
• a global controller in communication with the first local controller and a timing device, wherein the global controller controls power supply to each zone of lighting of the at least one zone of lighting, and wherein the global controller is programmed to direct the first local controller to:
• associate a time-out period with each zone of lighting, the time-out period is restarted each time a light control is activated;
• associate two states with each zone of lighting with associated start times and stop times on the timing device, wherein:
• in a first state of the two states the first local controller turns on at least one light in a zone when a first light control associated with the zone is activated, and turns off the at least one light in the zone either when the first light control in the zone is deactivated or when a stop time for the first state occurs, and
• in a second state of the two states the first local controller turns on the at least one light in the zone when a second light control associated with the zone is activated, and turns out the at least one lights in the zone either when the second light control in the zone is deactivated or when the time-out period associated with the zone expires, and
• the first local controller adjusts the start times and the stop times associated with the two states for the zone based on activation of the first light control or the second light control;
• a second local controller in communication with the first local controller, wherein the second local controller receives global control signals from the first local controller that configure the second local controller in a first operational state and conveys first local control signals to the first controller, and wherein the second local controller controls at least one light fixture in accordance with the global control signals;
• and
• a third local controller in communication with the second local controller, wherein the third local controller receives the global control signals from the second local controller and conveys second local control signals to the second local controller, wherein the global control signals configure the third local controller in a second operational state.