User control of an environmental parameter of a structure

A system that provides user control of lighting of a structure, comprising:

• a lighting fixture operative to establish a direct wireless communication link between a user device and the lighting fixture, wherein the lighting fixture is located within the structure;
• a controller, wherein the central controller is physically separate from the lighting fixture and the central controller communicates with the lighting fixture through the first wireless communication link;
• and wherein the controller is operative to:
• configure one or more sensor units of the lighting system, wherein at least one sensor unit of the one or more sensor units is associated with the lighting fixture, wherein configuring the one or more units of the lighting system comprises encoding communication through the local line-of-sight wireless communication link between the user device and the at least one sensor unit in which the at least one sensor unit responds including setting an identification (ID) characteristic of the communication;
• wherein the lighting fixture is operative to establish a local line-of-sight wireless communication link between a user device and the at least one sensor unit, and the at least one sensor unit operative to receive a request from the user device, and propagate the request to the controller through the first wireless link;
• wherein
• the controller is further operative to respond to the request with an operational change of the lighting fixture associated with the at least one sensor unit;
• and
• wherein the at least one sensor unit or the fixture associated with the at least one sensor unit is operative to provide an observable indicator to the user that the request has been addressed.

An intelligent lighting fixture, comprising:

• a light;
• a sensor unit, the sensor unit operative to receive stimulus from a mobile device through a direct wireless communication link;
• a controller, wherein the central controller is physically separate from the fixture and the central controller communicates with the sensor unit through the first wireless communication link;
• and wherein the controller or an external controller that is linked to the controller, is operative to:
• configure one or more sensor units of the lighting system, wherein at least one of the one or more sensor units includes the sensor unit, wherein configuring the one or more units of the lighting system comprises encoding communication through communication link between the user device and the sensor unit in which the at sensor unit responds including setting an identification (ID) characteristic of the communication;
• wherein the lighting fixture is operative to establish a local line-of-sight communication link between a user device and the sensor unit, and the one sensor unit is operative to receive a request from the user device, and propagate the request to at least one of the controller of the external controller;
• wherein
• at least one of the controller or the external controller is further operative to respond to the request with an operational change of the lighting fixture associated with the sensor unit;
• and
• wherein the sensor unit or the fixture associated with the sensor unit is operative to provide an observable indicator to the user that the request has been addressed.

A method of a lighting system providing user control of a structure, comprising:

• configuring one or more sensor units of the lighting system;
• establishing a local line-of-sight wireless communication link between a user device and at least one sensor unit of the one or more sensor units, wherein configuring the one or more units of the lighting system comprises encoding communication through the local line-of-sight wireless communication link between the user device and the at least one sensor unit in which the at least one sensor unit responds including setting an identification (ID) characteristic of the communication;
• receiving, by the at least one sensor unit, a request from the user device through the local line-of-sight wireless communication link;
• the at least one sensor unit propagating the request to a controller of the lighting system through a first wireless communication link, wherein the central controller is physically separate from the at least one sensor unit and the central controller communicates with the at least one sensor unit through the first wireless communication link;
• the controller responding to the request with an operational change of a device associated with the at least one sensor unit;
• and
• the at least one sensor unit or the device associated with the at least one sensor unit responds to the request with an RF (radio frequency) self-identification signal, wherein the RF self-identification signal provides the user device with a display of control options which when selected, transmit another RF control signal back to the at least one sensor unit.