Scalable building control system, method, and apparatus

A method executed by a load controller of a scalable lighting control system, wherein the load controller comprises a wireless network interfaces configured for communicating over a room wireless network, a bridge interface configured for removably coupling to a network bridge, and a power controller configured for electrically connecting to a lighting load, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• receiving room control messages over the room wireless network from one or more in-room devices;
• controlling the lighting load in response to the room control messages;
• detecting a connection to the network bridge via the bridge interface, wherein the network bridge is configured for receiving centralized control messages from a centralized wireless network;
• receiving the centralized control messages from the network bridge;
• and
• controlling the lighting load in response to the centralized control messages.

A scalable lighting control system comprising:

• a plurality of room lighting control systems each comprising:
• one or more in-room devices each configured for transmitting room control messages over a room wireless network;
• and
• a load controller configured for receiving the room control messages from the in-room devices over the room wireless network and controlling an electrically connected lighting load in response to the room control messages;
• a plurality of network bridges each configured for removably coupling to at least one load controller of a room lighting control system to connect the room lighting control system as a node of a centralized wireless network, wherein each network bridge is configured for receiving centralized control messages over the centralized wireless network and transmitting the centralized control messages to a connected load controller, wherein the connected load controller is configured for controlling an electrically connected lighting load in response to the centralized control messages.

A scalable lighting control system comprising:

• a plurality of room lighting control systems each comprising:
• one or more in-room devices each configured for transmitting room control messages over a room wireless network;
• and
• a load controller configured for receiving the room control messages from the in-room devices over the room wireless network and controlling an electrically connected lighting load in response to the room control messages;
• a plurality of network bridges each configured for removably coupling to at least one load controller of a room lighting control system to connect the room lighting control system as a node of a centralized wireless network, wherein each network bridge is configured for receiving status information from a connected load controller and transmitting the status information over the centralized wireless network.

A scalable lighting control system comprising:

• a plurality of room lighting control systems each comprising:
• one or more in-room devices each configured for transmitting room control messages over a room wireless network;
• and
• a load controller configured for receiving the room control messages from the in-room devices over the room wireless network and controlling an electrically connected lighting load in response to the room control messages;
• a plurality of network bridges each configured for removably coupling to at least one load controller of a room lighting control system to connect the room lighting control system as a node of a centralized wireless network, wherein each network bridge is configured for transmitting messages between the centralized wireless network and a connected load controller.

A scalable lighting control system comprising:

• a control processor connected via a wireless network interface to a centralized wireless network, wherein the control processor is configured for transmitting centralized control messages;
• a plurality of room lighting control systems each comprising:
• one or more in-room devices each comprising a wireless network interface configured for transmitting room control messages over a room wireless network;
• a load controller comprising:
• a wireless network interface configured for receiving the room control messages from the in-room devices over the room wireless network;
• a bridge interface;
• and
• a power controller configured for electrically connecting to a lighting load and configured for controlling the lighting load in response to the room control messages received from the in-room devices;
• a plurality of network bridges each configured for removably coupling to at least one load controller of a room lighting control system to connect the room lighting control system to the control processor over the centralized wireless network, wherein each network bridge comprises:
• a wireless network interface configured for receiving the centralized control messages from the control processor over the centralized wireless network;
• and
• a load interface configured for connecting to a bridge interface of a load controller and transmitting the centralized control messages to the connected load controller;
• wherein the connected load controller is configured for controlling an electrically connected lighting load in response to the centralized control messages received from the connected network bridge.

A scalable lighting control system comprising:

• a lighting control device comprising:
• a user interface configured for receiving room control messages from a user;
• a load controller configured for electrically connecting to a lighting load;
• and
• a wireless network interface configured for communicating over a room wireless network;
• a dedicated network bridge power supply comprising:
• a wireless network interface configured for communicating over the room wireless network;
• a power supply;
• and
• a bridge interface;
• a network bridge configured for removably coupling to the dedicated network bridge power supply, the network bridge comprises:
• a wireless network interface configured for receiving centralized control messages over a centralized wireless network;
• and
• a load interface configured for connecting to the bridge interface for receiving power from the dedicated network bridge power supply and transmitting the centralized control messages to the dedicated network bridge power supply;
• wherein the lighting control device is configured for controlling the lighting load in response to the room control messages received from the in-room devices and the centralized control messages received from the dedicated network bridge power supply.