FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to systems and methods for filtering information in a remotely managed lighting system, and in particular, though not exclusively, to systems and methods for filtering information in a light management information system for a remotely managed lighting system comprising a plurality of light units and at least one light controller configured for controlling a light unit of the plurality of light units. The invention further relates to a device, a computer program product, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that may be used for executing such method steps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a remotely managed lighting system, a large number of light units may be managed at a central control location. For example, the street lights of an entire city may be managed from a central control post. At the central control location, a user interface may display information, e.g. status information and calendar information, of each remotely managed light unit.

The amount of information associated with a single light unit can be quite large, as a single light unit may have more than one light controller, each with its own schedule and other status information. Modern LED-based street lights may have adjustable brightness, colour and direction settings. A light unit may furthermore have, for each setting, both a scheduled or default state, manually overridable temporary states, and transition states, in addition to events and faults. Furthermore, a light unit may comprise one or more sensors, providing sensor data. This abundance of information may lead to a user interface that is difficult to interpret and use by a user. Consequently, the lighting system becomes difficult to manage and control.

US2019104595A1 relates to employ an enhanced light device to determine and present desirable information regarding the area, environment, and/or device associated with the enhanced light device to a user. The desirable information e.g. could be a cook menu, information that can instruct the user with regard to the function of the device, etc. The desirable information determination can be based on AI-based schemes and data classification model including e.g., naive Bayes, Bayesian networks, decision trees, neural networks, etc.

WO2014147524A1 relates to a light management information system for an outdoor lighting network system, having a plurality of outdoor light units each including at least one sensor type, where each of the light units communicates with at least one other light unit, at least one user input/output device in communication with at one or more of said outdoor light units, a central management system in communication with light units, said central management system sends control commands and/or information to one or more of said outdoor light units, in response to received outdoor light unit status/sensor information from one or more of said outdoor light units or received user information requests from said user input/output device, a resource server in communication with said central management system, wherein the central management system uses the light unit status/sensor information and resources from the resource server to provide information to the user input/output device and/or reconfigure one or more of the lights units.

US2013019174A1 discloses tooltips associated with a context based menu for providing information about executable commands on the context based menu. Tooltips may provide information about how to interact with the context based menu including what graphical icons on the context based menu represent and what actions a user can take to execute commands from the context based menu.

US8674629B2 relates to systems and techniques for managing streetlights. A method includes receiving, at a computing device, information representative of a location and status of a streetlight included in a network of streetlights. The method also includes presenting a representation of the streetlight in a graphical user-interface in accordance with the received location and status information, and receiving information representing a selection of the streetlight for inclusion in a group of streetlights from the network. The method further includes initiating delivery of one or more control signals to the group of streetlights.

US2017064796A1 discloses a driver for a lighting device includes a light emitting diode (LED) driver circuit utilizing interface elements for supporting multiple control connectivity options, the LED driver circuit utilizing a processor having a physical layer interfaces coupled to the interface elements and configured to operatively support a plurality of network protocols, the processor being configured to perform a plurality of functions, including a function of providing a bridge or gateway between network protocols of the plurality of network protocols, the processor being configured to: detect available network protocols of the plurality of network protocols; select, for a physical layer interface, a mode of operation (from modes of operation including, for example: an inactive mode, a monitoring mode, a gateway mode, and a primary mode) appropriate to ensure interoperability and backward compatibility for the available network protocols; and assign one or more of the available network protocols to the physical layer interface(s).

US5867799A discloses an invention of information filtering in a computer system receiving a data stream from a computer network, the data stream having raw information embedded therein, at least one of the raw information being of interest to a user, the user being a member client of a community. The method includes the steps of providing a dynamic information characterization having profiles encoded therein, including an adaptive content profile and an adaptive collaboration profile; adaptively filtering the raw information responsive to the dynamic information characterization, and producing a proposed information; presenting the proposed information to the user; receiving a feedback profile from the user, responsive to the proposed information; adapting the adaptive content profile, the adaptive collaboration profile, or both responsive to the feedback profile; and updating the dynamic information characterization responsive to the previous adapting step. The apparatus includes a plurality of processors for providing interactive, distributed filtering of information, extracted from a computer network data stream in response to multiple attribute profiles.

DE102013109978A1 discloses a method for processing one or more data records of a plurality of data records in a processor system with a plurality of processors, each processor being assigned at least one local memory, from a local memory in which a plurality of data records is stored, by means of a Control arrangement one or more data records are selected as a set of data records according to a selection criterion; and the set of data records can be stored by means of the control arrangement in another local memory according to a distribution criterion. The stored set of data records and another set of data records can be processed by the processor associated with the other local memory. There is therefore a need in the art to clearly communicate the status of a plurality of light units in a remotely managed lighting system in order to facilitate managing and/or controlling said light units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the embodiments in this disclosure to remove or at least reduce the drawbacks mentioned above. In particular, it is an object of the embodiments in this disclosure to filter the available information for each light unit so that only the most relevant information may be shown to a user.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of filtering information in a light management information system for a remotely managed lighting system comprising a plurality of light units and at least one light controller configured for controlling a light unit of the plurality of light units. The light management information system comprises a management unit configured to communicate with the at least one light controller and may also comprise a user input/output unit in communication with the management unit. According to the method, the management unit may collect a plurality of parameters associated with at least one of the plurality of light units. The management unit may select a subset of parameters out of the plurality of parameters based on a predetermined set of selection criteria. The management unit may send a signal to the user input/output unit that comprises information associated with the subset of parameters.

The remotely managed lighting system is preferably an outdoor lighting network system. In an embodiment, a light unit may be a street light. In some embodiments, each light unit comprises one or more light controllers, for example one or more outdoor luminaire controllers (OLCs). In some embodiments, one light controller may control more than one light unit.

The communication between the management unit and the at least one light controller may be direct or indirect, for example via a gateway and/or mesh communication within an outdoor lighting network system. In some cases, communication between the management unit and one or more light controllers may be interrupted or take place only at particular times, using e.g. a predetermined time scheme.

The management unit may collect parameters in different ways. For example, the management unit may receive information from a light controller. The management unit may also receive information from an intermediate device, for example a gateway, between the management unit and the light controller. The management unit may also receive information from the user input/output unit, for example in response to user interaction with the user input/output unit. Furthermore, the management unit may generate information, for example in response to not receiving an expected signal within a predetermined time frame, or based on information associated with a plurality of light units. In general, the management unit may collect parameters from all sources that may provide information related to the managed light units. This allows a user to make decision on all available information. It is an aim of embodiments in this disclosure to filter the available information such that the user is assisted in his decision making.

The information associated with the subset of parameters may comprise parameter values or derivatives thereof. The signal may furthermore comprise an identifier identifying the at least one of the plurality of light units or light controlled s) with which the parameters are associated.

In an embodiment, the user input/output unit and the management unit may be (parts of) the same device, e.g. software and/or hardware parts of a general purpose computer system, or be integrated in the same physical device. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit and the management unit may be separate devices; e.g. the user input/output unit may be a handheld device, providing flexibility to the user, and the management unit may be (part of) a central server system. This way, a plurality of user input/output units may be communicating with a single (central) management unit. The functionality of the management unit may be concentrated in a single device, or distributed over a plurality of devices. For example, a first device of the management unit may collect parameters associated with light units in a remotely managed lighting network and perform a first filtering step, while a second device may perform a second filtering step. The functionality of the input/output unit may be concentrated in a single device, or distributed over a plurality of devices, e.g. in a multiscreen control centre. In general, the functionality of the management unit and the user input/output unit may be distributed in such a way over one or more devices as to optimise the efficiency of a part of the system or the system as a whole.

In an embodiment, the user input/output unit receives the signal comprising information associated with the subset of parameters and the user input/output unit generates an output signal based on the information associated with the subset of parameters. This allows the user to observe and interpret the selected parameters, and optionally to make a decision based on the received information. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit may display one or more icons with icon properties, the icons being associated with each of one or more light units, and the icon properties representing parameter values in the subset of parameters. Advantageously, the user input/output unit may display a single icon for each light unit. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit may additionally display one or more tooltips, i.e. descriptive items or options appearing when a particular event takes place, such as approaching the icon with a cursor. In an embodiment, the icon displays a first part of the subset of parameters, and the tooltip displays a second part of the subset of parameters.

In an embodiment, the management unit is configured to select an additional subset of parameters and to send an additional signal to the user input/output unit, the additional signal comprising information associated with the additional subset of parameters. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit may display an icon with icon properties associated with the first signal, and a tooltip with tooltip properties associated with the additional signal.

In an embodiment, the management unit updates the subset of parameters in response to the management unit receiving or generating an additional parameter. The management unit may then send a signal with information associated with the updated subset to the user input/output unit. This way, the output of the user input/output may remain up-to- date.

In an embodiment, the management unit generates an additional parameter based on collected parameters associated with one or more light units and including the additional parameter in the subset of parameters. For example, the management unit may generate a parameter for light units in a cluster of light units, e.g. a geographical cluster, based on aggregate parameters values associated with light units in said cluster. This way, a problem with a light unit may be detected, for example if it behaves differently from similar light units in its surroundings. Similarly, aggregated parameters may provide information that individual parameters do not.

In an embodiment, the management unit may store an old value of a first parameter in a memory of the management unit in response to receiving or generating a new value of the first parameter. For example, such a stored parameter may be used to keep track of a default state when a temporary override state has been selected. In a different example, the stored parameter may be used to fall back to a previous status of a light unit when no confirmation has been received by the management unit that a command to change the status of a light unit has been executed by the light controller controlling the light unit. In an embodiment, the management unit may adapt or adjust the selection criteria in response to a signal from the user input/output unit. For example, a user may use the user input/output unit to select a predetermined set of selection criteria out of a group of predetermined sets of selection criteria. In an embodiment, the user may use the user input/output unit to adjust one or more selection criteria in a predetermined set of selection criteria, or the user may create a new set of selection criteria. This allows the user to e.g. switch between different view modes, each view mode prioritizing different information. For example, one view mode may focus on scheduling, while another view mode may focus on power consumption or expected maintenance.

In an embodiment, the management unit may receive a signal from the user input/output unit, that comprises an identifier associated with at least one of the plurality of light units and/or light controller(s). The management unit may send a control command to the at least one light controller controlling the at least one of the plurality of light units. For example, a user may provide an input, e.g. a command, to the user input/output unit in response to an output signal generated by the user input/output unit. Alternatively or additionally, the management unit may update the subset of parameters in response to receiving a command signal from the user input/output unit, and the management unit may further update the subset of parameters when the management unit receives a message from a light controller that the command has been received and executed, or receives a message that the command has been received but not executed, or does not receive a message within a predetermined amount of time.

In an embodiment, a parameter or parameter value may be any of: status information, connection information, scheduling information, commands, and sensor information.

In an embodiment, the subset of parameters comprises at least one and at most four parameters. In an embodiment, the subset of parameters comprises at most three parameters. In an embodiment, the subset of parameters comprises at least one and at most two parameters.

In an embodiment, the predetermined set of selection criteria comprises a hierarchy of conditional control statements. The management unit may select a parameter out of the plurality of parameters based on evaluating one or more conditional control statements. The evaluation of a conditional control statement may depend on a collected parameter or parameter value. A parameter may be selected based on a value of the parameter itself, or based on a different parameter or different parameter value. In an embodiment, the predetermined set of selection criteria comprises a decision tree, preferably a binary decision tree. In an embodiment, adjusting the selection criteria may comprise selecting a decision tree from a plurality of decision trees or adjusting a decision tree.

In a second aspect, the disclosure relates to a light management information system for a remotely managed lighting system comprising a plurality of light units and at least one light controller configured for controlling a light unit of the plurality of light units. The light management information system comprises at least a management unit configured to communicate with the at least one light controller, and a user input/output unit in communication with the management unit. The management unit is configured to collect a plurality of parameters associated with at least one of the plurality of light units, to select a subset of parameters out of the plurality of parameters based on a predetermined set of selection criteria and to send a signal to the user input/output unit. The signal may comprise information associated with the subset of parameters.

In an embodiment, the light management information system may be configured to execute one or more of the method steps described in this disclosure.

In a further aspect, the disclosure relates to a management unit configured for use in a light management information system as described in this disclosure. In particular, the disclosure relates to a management unit comprising a memory and a processor. The management unit is configured for communicating with at least one light controller, the at least one light controller being configured to control at least one of a plurality of light units. The management unit may further have an interface configured for communicating with a user input/output unit. The management unit is configured for collecting a plurality of parameters associated with at least one of the plurality of light units and for selecting a subset of parameters out of the plurality of parameters based on a predetermined set of selection criteria. The management unit may send a signal to the user input/output unit, the signal comprising information associated with the subset of parameters.

In a further aspect, the disclosure relates to a input/output unit configured for use in a light management information system as described in this disclosure. In particular, the disclosure relates to a user input/output unit configured for communicating with a management unit. The management unit is configured to communicate with at least one light controller, the at least one light controller being configured to control at least one of a plurality of light units. The user input/output unit may be further configured for generating an output signal in response to receiving a signal from the management unit, the received signal comprising information associated with a subset of parameters, the parameters being associated with at least one of the plurality of light units. The user input/output unit may be further configured to send to the management unit in response to receiving an input signal from a user.

The disclosure also relates to a computer program or suite of computer programs comprising at least one software code portion or a computer program product storing at least one software code portion, the software code portion, when run on a computer system, being configured for executing one or more of the method steps described above.

The disclosure may further relate to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing at least one software code portion, the software code portion, when executed or processed by a computer, is configured to perform one or more of the method steps as described above.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a device, a method or a computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a "circuit", "module" or "system." Functions described in this disclosure may be implemented as an algorithm executed by a processor/microprocessor of a computer. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied, e.g., stored, thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of a computer readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to, the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fibre, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store, a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fibre, cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object-oriented programming language such as Java(TM), Python, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor, in particular a microprocessor or a central processing unit (CPU), of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The invention will be further illustrated with reference to the attached drawings, which schematically will show embodiments according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be further elucidated, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 depicts a light management information system, according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 depicts an example of a decision tree that may be used by a management unit according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 depicts a method for composing icons that may be used by a user input/output unit according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 depicts an example of using a decision tree for icon selection according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 schematically depicts an information flow in a remotely managed lighting system according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 displays an example of a method to filter information relating to a combination of stable states and transition states according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data processing system that may be used for executing methods and software products described in this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 depicts an example of a light management information system, according to an embodiment of the invention. A plurality of light units 102i_ _n , for example street lights, are controlled by a light controller, for example an outdoor luminaire controller (OLC). In the depicted embodiment, each light unit 102i_ _n comprises one light controller 104i_ _n configured for controlling the light unit and a light module 106i_ _n , for example a controllable LED panel. In some embodiments, each light unit may comprise more than one light controller, and in some embodiments, one light controller may control more than one light unit. Each light unit may have one or more controllable settings, such as e.g. brightness, colour and direction settings. A light unit may furthermore have, for each setting, one or more states, such as a scheduled state or a default state, a manually overridden, temporary state, a transition state, and a fault state. Furthermore, a light unit may comprise one or more sensors, providing sensor data. In some cases, lighting settings may be programmed to depend on sensor data; for example, brightness may be changed to maximum when the controller determines, based on sensor data, that an emergency has happened. In the context of this disclosure, these and any other settings, states, and sensor data may be referred to as parameters. A parameter may have a parameter value, e.g. a brightness parameter may have brightness levels, either relative of absolute, as parameter values.

Each light unit may be configured to communicate with other light units, forming an outdoor lighting network. The outdoor lighting network may be implemented as a mesh infrastructure, preferably a wireless mesh infrastructure. Commands from a remote lighting management system may be received by a first light unit and propagated through the outdoor lighting network to a destination light unit or other entity. As may be appreciated by one skilled in the art, such signal propagation may be relatively slow, leading to a need to provide relevant information in the time frame between sending a command and receiving a confirmation. This situation will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 6. A light management information system may be a part of or associated with a (remote) light management system. The light management information system may provide information both on light units that are controlled or controllable by the light management system, and on light units that are not controlled or not controllable by the light management system.

Optionally, a gateway 108 may manage or control the communication between the lighting management system and the outdoor lighting network. In some embodiments, there may be more than one gateway. In some embodiments, the lighting management system may communicate directly with one or more light controllers 104i_ _n or even with each light controller in the remotely managed lighting system.

The light management information system comprises a management unit 110, comprising a memory 112 and a processor 114. The management unit comprises an interface configured to communicate with a user input/output unit 120. The management unit is further provided with an interface configured to communicate with the light controllers 104i_ _n that are configured for controlling the light units 102i_ _n . As was explained above, the communication between the management unit and the at least one light controller may be direct or indirect, for example via gateway 108 and/or mesh communication within an outdoor lighting network system. In some cases, communication between the management unit and one or more light controllers may be interrupted or achieved periodically. In a preferred embodiment, the management unit is configured for two-way communication with each light unit of the plurality of light units. This way, the management unit may e.g. forward or send commands to the light controllers and receive feedback and/or status messages from the light controllers.

The management unit is configured for collecting a plurality of parameters associated with at least one of the plurality of light units 102i_ _n . Collecting parameters may comprise receiving information from a light controller 104i_ _n , e.g. status information or event or fault information. Collecting parameters may also comprise receiving information from an intermediate device, for example gateway 108, between the management unit and the light controller or from the light controller itself. For example, the intermediate device may send parameters regarding connection quality or signal strength. Collecting parameters may further comprise receiving information from the user input/output unit 120, for example in response to a user 130 inputting a command. Furthermore, collecting parameters may comprise generating information by the management unit, for example in response to not receiving an expected signal within a predetermined time frame. As a further example, the management unit may generate a parameter for light units in a cluster of light units, e.g. a geographical cluster, based on aggregate parameters values associated with light units in said cluster, such as average power consumption, or deviation from average power consumption.

The light management information system also comprises a user input/output unit 120. The user input/output unit is configured for communicating with the management unit 110. The user input/output unit may comprise a display for visually outputting data in a way that may be understood by user 130. The user input/output unit may also comprise a physical or virtual keyboard and/or a pointing device such as a mouse or trackpad. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit may be a general purpose computer configured for executing method steps as described in this disclosure. The user input/output unit may output information relating to one or more of the remotely managed light units. For example, each light unit may be represented by an icon or set of icons on a display of the user input/output unit. In some embodiments, additionally tooltips may be available for one or more of the light units. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit may be configured to allow the user to input commands to remotely manage the remotely managed light units.

In an embodiment, the management unit 110 may be configured to select an additional subset of parameters and to send an additional signal to the user input/output unit, the additional signal comprising information associated with the additional subset of parameters. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit 120 may display an icon with icon properties associated with the first signal, and a tooltip with tooltip properties associated with the additional signal. In an embodiment, information associated with parameters in the subset of parameters and information associated with parameters in the additional subset of parameters may be sent by the management unit to the user input/output unit in a single signal.

In an embodiment, the user input/output unit and the management unit 110 may be (parts of) the same device, e.g. software and/or hardware parts of a general purpose computer system, or be integrated in the same physical device. In an embodiment, the user input/output unit 120 and the management unit 110 may be separate devices; e.g. the user input/output unit may be a handheld device, providing flexibility to the user, and the management unit may be (part of) a central server system. This way, a plurality of user input/output units may be communicating with a single (central) management unit. The functionality of the management unit may be concentrated in a single device, or distributed over a plurality of devices. For example, a first device of the management unit may collect parameters associated with light units in a remotely managed lighting network and perform a first filtering step, while a second device may perform a second filtering step. The functionality of the input/output unit may be concentrated in a single device, or distributed over a plurality of devices, e.g. in a multiscreen control centre. In general, the functionality of the management unit and the user input/output unit may be distributed in such a way over one or more devices as to optimise the efficiency of a part of the system or the system as a whole.

According to an embodiment, the management unit 110 is configured for selecting a subset of parameters out of the plurality of parameters that has been collected for one or more of the remotely managed street lights 102i_ _n. The selection is made based on a predetermined set of selection criteria. The selection criteria may be a function of parameter values. In an advantageous embodiment, the predetermined set of selection criteria comprises a hierarchy of conditional control statements. The management unit may select a parameter out of the plurality of parameters based on evaluating one or more conditional control statements. The evaluation of a conditional control statement may depend on a collected parameter or parameter value. For example, a ‘brightness’ parameter may be selected when the brightness is more than a predetermined level. A parameter may be selected based on a value of the parameter itself, or based on a different parameter or different parameter value. For example, a control statement may evaluate a ‘colour’ parameter, but select either a ‘brightness’ parameter or a ‘power consumption’ parameter, depending on the outcome of the evaluation. The predetermined set of selection criteria may comprise a decision tree, preferably a binary decision tree, as will be described in more detail hereunder with reference to Fig. 2.

In an embodiment, the subset of parameters does not comprise more than a predetermined amount of parameters, for example no more than four, no more than three, or no more than two parameters. This way, the displayed information may be limited to what a user can easily and efficiently process. In an embodiment, the management unit 110 may be configured to select an additional subset of parameters, in response to receiving a signal from the user input/output unit 120. For example, information associated with the additional subset may be shown when a user selects a light unit on the user input/output unit. According to an embodiment, the management unit 110 is further configured for sending a signal comprising information associated with the selected subset of parameters to the user input/output unit 120. The information associated with the subset of parameters may comprise parameter values or derivatives thereof. The signal may furthermore comprise an identifier identifying the at least one of the plurality of light units or light controllers with which the parameters are associated.

The user input/output unit 120 may be configured for receiving the signal comprising information associated with the selected subset of parameters, and for generating an output signal in response to receiving the signal from the management unit 110. This allows the user to observe and interpret the selected parameters, and optionally to make a decision based on the received information. In an exemplary embodiment, the user input/output unit 120 may select an icon representing a status of the light unit for displaying based on the information received from the management unit. An icon may have icon properties. An icon may be associated with a light unit, while the icon properties may represent parameter values associated with the light unit, e.g. a status of the light unit. Selecting an icon may comprise creating a composite icon comprising a plurality of icon layers and/or icon segments. This will be described hereunder in more detail with reference to Fig. 3. By displaying only a single icon representing a relatively limited subset of parameter values, the user interface may be easy and quick to use and interpret for the user. In an embodiment, the user may interact with the user input/output unit to request an additional subset of parameters. In an embodiment, information associated with the additional subset of parameters may be displayed in a tooltip, i.e. descriptive items or options appearing when a particular event takes place, such as approaching the icon with a cursor. In an embodiment, the icon displays a first part of the subset of parameters, and the tooltip displays a second part of the subset of parameters.

The management unit 110 may generate an additional parameter based on collected parameters associated with one or more light units 102i_ _n and include the additional parameter in the subset of parameters. For example, the management unit may generate a parameter for light units in a cluster of light units, e.g. a geographical cluster, based on aggregate parameters values associated with light units in said cluster. This way, a problem with a light unit may be detected, for example if it behaves differently from similar light units in its surroundings. Similarly, aggregated parameters may provide information that individual parameters do not. The management unit 110 may store an old value of a first parameter in a memory 112 of the management unit in response to receiving or generating a new value of the first parameter. For example, a stored parameter may be used to keep track of a default state when a temporary override state has been selected. In a further example, the stored parameter may be used to fall back to a previous status of a light unit when no confirmation has been received by the management unit that a command to change the status of a light unit has been executed by the light controller controlling the light unit.

In an embodiment, the user input/output unit 120 is configured to receive input from the user 130 and send a signal to the management unit 110, e.g. a signal associated with a command to change one or more settings of a specified light unit. In an embodiment, the management unit is configured to receive the signal from the user input/output unit. The signal may comprise an identifier associated with at least one of the plurality of light units 102i_ _n. The management unit may be configured to send, in response, a control command to the at least one light controller 104i_ _n controlling the light units associated with the identifier. Alternatively or additionally, the management unit 110 may be configured to update the subset of parameters in response to receiving a command signal from the user input/output unit 120, and the management unit may be further configured to update the subset of parameters when the management unit receives a message from a light controller that the command has been received and executed, or receives a message that the command has been received but not executed, or does not receive a message within a predetermined amount of time. This will be described in greater detail with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6.

In an embodiment, the management unit 110 may be configured for adapting the selection criteria in response to a signal from the user input/output unit 120. The user input/output unit may be configured to allow the user 130 to select a predetermined set of selection criteria out of a group of predetermined sets of selection criteria. In an embodiment, a set of selection criteria may comprise a decision tree, preferably a binary decision tree. In an embodiment, the user may use the user input/output unit to adjust one or more selection criteria in a predetermined set of selection criteria, or the user may create a new set of selection criteria.

Fig. 2 depicts an example of a decision tree that may be used by a management unit 110 according to an embodiment of the invention. Such a decision tree may be used to select a subset of parameters out of a plurality of parameters associated with a light unit. The example in Fig. 2 depicts a binary decision tree, but more general types of decision trees may also be used. In a first example, the decision points 202-210 may correspond to the following questions:

202: Is the light unit controlled by one or more light controllers?

204: Are all light controllers controlling the light unit connected?

206: Is any light controller controlling the light unit faulty?

208: Is any light controller controlling the light unit transitioning between states?

210: Is any light controller controlling the light unit that is faulty transitioning between states?

In this context, transitioning between states may refer to a status where a command has been sent to a light controller, but no response acknowledging reception of the command has been received from the light controller. This will be described in greater detail with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6.

In this first example, the end-points 212-222 may represent subsets of parameters and may correspond to the following combinations of parameter values:

212: unconnected 214: unconnected

216: connected, not faulty, not transitioning 218: connected, not faulty, transitioning 220: connected, faulty, not transitioning 222: connected, faulty, transitioning

In this example, the subset of parameters may comprise only one parameter value if a light controller in a light unit is not connected, and three parameter values if the light controller in the light unit is connected. In this example, the number of selected parameters depends on a parameter value of at least one parameter. In an embodiment, one or more parameter values may be implicit. For example, end-points 212-222 may also correspond to the following combination of parameter values:

212: unconnected

214: unconnected

216: not faulty, not transitioning

218: not faulty, transitioning

220: faulty, not transitioning

222: faulty, transitioning In this example, the subset of parameters only comprises the connection status if the connection status is ‘unconnected’. However, in this example, the user input/output unit 120 may infer that the connection status is ‘connected’ when the user input/output unit receives a signal from the management unit 110 comprising information associated with the fault status and transitioning status. Similarly, in an example, the fault status may only be signalled explicitly when at least one light controller in the light unit has a fault status ‘faulty’. In this last example, the parameter ‘faultiness’ not being selected while the parameter connection status’ has parameter value ‘connected’, implies that the light controllers controlling the light unit are not faulty. In general, it is an advantage of a binary decision that a single end-point may imply an answer to all decision points that have been evaluated to reach the end-point.

Based on the result of the decision tree, the management unit 110 may select a subset of parameters having parameter values associated with a light unit and send a signal to the user input/output unit with information associated with the parameter values.

In an embodiment, the management unit 110 may select an additional subset of parameters and send an additional signal to the user input/output unit 120. In an embodiment, the management unit selects the additional subset in response to the management unit receiving a signal from the user input/output unit. For example, the user input/output unit may show a tooltip when the user selects a light unit, e.g. by putting a mouse pointer on or near an icon representing the light unit. The tooltip may display additional parameter values associated with the selected light unit. In an embodiment, the management unit may send a single signal to the user input/output unit comprising information associated with parameter values and the user input/output unit may select a first part of the parameter values to display in an icon and a second part of the parameter values to display in a tooltip. In an embodiment, the management unit may send separate signals in relation to the subset of parameters and the additional subset of parameters. As an example, if a light unit comprises more than one light controller, the tooltip may display information for each light controller separately, while the icon only shows the status of the best or worst performing light controller.

In a second example, the decision points 202-210 may correspond to the following questions:

202: Is the light unit controlled by one or more light controllers?

204: Are all light controllers controlling the light unit connected?

206: Is any light controller controlling the light unit in manual mode or emergency mode? 208: Is any light controller controlling the light unit transitioning between states?

210: Is any light controller controlling the light unit that is in manual mode or in emergency mode transitioning between states?

In this second example, the end-points 212-222 may represent subsets of parameters and may correspond to the following combinations of parameter values:

212: unconnected 214: unconnected 216: connected, default mode 218: connected, default mode, transitioning 220: connected, manual mode or emergency mode 222: connected, manual mode or emergency mode, transitioning In this example, the transition state parameter is only selected when the light controller is connected and the transitioning state is ‘transitioning’.

In an embodiment, the user 130 may switch between the decision tree from the first example and the decision tree from the second example. This way, the user may select the information he is most interested in at a certain moment in time. In an embodiment, there may be more than two decision trees stored in the memory 112 of the management unit 110. In that case, the user may select any of these decision trees. In an embodiment, the user may adjust one or more decision points in a decision tree. In an embodiment, the user may adjust one or more of the end-points of a decision tree. In an embodiment, the user may add or remove decision points and end-points, or create new decision trees, or remove decision trees.

These examples show relatively short and straightforward decision trees, but the skilled person can easily expand upon these examples.

Fig. 3 depicts a method for composing icons that may be used by a user input/output unit 120 or a management unit 110 according to an embodiment of the invention. In particular, Fig. 3 displays a method of composing an icon by selecting icon properties from categories of properties, for example, shape, colour or shade, and symbol. As will be evident to one skilled in the art, in other embodiments, an icon may comprise more, less, or different icon properties.

In an example, an icon may comprise a shape 302 _I-3 , e.g. square 302i, circle 302 ₂ , or diamond 302 ₃ . In the depicted example, the circle shape 302 ₂ is selected for display, as indicated by the box. An icon may also comprise a shade 304 _I-3 , e.g. light 304i, medium 304 ₂ , or dark 304 _3. In the depicted example, the light shade 304i is selected, as indicated by the box. An icon may further comprise a symbol 306i_s, e.g. arrows 306 ₂ , a cross 306 ₃ , stripes 3O64, or an exclamation mark 306s. The symbol layer may also be empty 306i. In this example, the light grey checker background represents a transparent background. In the depicted example, the arrows symbol 306 ₂ is selected, as indicated by the box. In an embodiment, selecting a shape and shade may be mandatory, while selecting a symbol may be optional.

In an embodiment, icons may be dynamically composed by the user input/output system 120 out of a plurality of icon properties. In a different embodiment, icons may be pre-composed and stored in a memory of the user input/output unit. The user input/output unit may then select the required pre-composed icon. In the depicted example, shape and shade combinations have been pre-composed, as shown by light circle 312, while the combination with symbol 314 is done dynamically. The selected shape and shade 312, and the selected symbol 314 may then be combined into a single icon 322.

In an embodiment, only one icon property may be selected from each category. For example, an icon may have only one shape, one shade, and one symbol. Different icon properties within one category may correspond to different light unit statuses, e.g. arrows 3O6 ₂ may indicate a light controller is transitioning, a cross 360 ₃ may indicate an error, stripes 3O64 may indicate a controller is not connected, and an exclamation mark 306s may indicate a warning. If more than one such status is applicable to a light unit, the light management information system may prioritise the status to show. For example, if a light unit comprises two light controllers, and one light controller is transitioning and another light controller features an error, the system may select only the transitioning symbol (e.g. the arrows) or only the error symbol (e.g. the cross). Similarly, if a light unit comprises only one light controller, and the one light controller is transitioning and features an error, the system may still select only the transitioning symbol (e.g. the arrows) or only the error symbol (e.g. the cross). In order to prioritise, a decision tree as discussed above with reference to Fig. 2 may be used. This way the information associated with the subset of parameters selected by the management unit may be displayed by the user input/output unit. The combination of selecting parameters and selecting icons will be described in greater detail with reference to Fig. 4

Fig. 4 depicts an example of using a decision tree for selecting an icon associated with a light unit, according to an embodiment of the invention. In this example, the management unit 110 first determines 402 whether the light unit is managed by the remote light management system. If that is not the case, the management unit sends a signal 412 to the user input/output unit comprising information that the light unit does not comprise a light controller that is connected to the management unit. In response, the user input/output unit may select an icon 430 comprising a round shape, a light shade, and a stripes symbol, indicating that the light unit associated with the icon is not connected to the light management information system.

If the the light unit is managed by the remote light management system, the management system may determine 404 whether one or more light controller configured for controlling the light unit is currently not connected to the management unit 110, and therefore cannot currently be controlled by the magement system. If that is the case, the management unit sends a corresponding signal 414 to the user input/output unit 120. In response, the user input/output unit may select an icon 432, again comprising a round shape, a light shade, and a stripes symbol, indicating that the light unit associated with the icon is not connected to the light management information system. As is shown by this example, different end-points in the decision tree ay be associated with different subsets of parameters or with different parameter values, but may still be represented by the same icon. I some embodiments, a tooltip may distinguish between such identical icons.

If each light controller in the light unit is connected, the mangement unit 110 may determine 406 whether one or more light controller in the light unit is faulty. If that is not the case, the management unit may determine 408 whether at least one light controller in the light unit is transitioning. If that is not the case, the management unit may send a signal 416 to the user input/output unit 120 comprising information that the light controllers in the light unit are connected, not faulty, and not transitioning. In response, the user input/output unit may select an icon 434, comprising a round shape, a light shade, and no symbol, indicating that the light unit associated with the icon is connected to the light management information system, is not faulty, and is not transitioning. If at least one light controller is transitioning, the management unit may send a signal 418 to the user input/output unit comprising information that the light controllers in the light unit are connected, not faulty, and transitioning. In response, the user input/output unit may select an icon 436, comprising a round shape, a light shade, and an arrows symbol, indicating that the light unit associated with the icon is connected to the light management information system, is not faulty, and is currently transitioning.

If at least one light controller controlling the light unit is faulty, the management unit 110 may determine 410 whether one or more of the faulty light controllers are transitioning. If that is not the case, the management unit may send a signal 420 to the user input/output unit 120 comprising information that the light controllers in the light unit are connected but faulty, and not transitioning. In response, the user input/output unit may select an icon 438, comprising a round shape, a medium shade, and a cross symbol, indicating that the light unit associated with the icon is connected to the light management information system but is faulty, and is not transitioning. If at least one light controller is transitioning, the management unit may send a signal 422 to the user input/output unit comprising information that the light controllers in the light unit are connected but faulty, and transitioning. In response, the user input/output unit may select an icon 440, comprising a round shape, a medium shade, and an arrows symbol, indicating that the light unit associated with the icon is connected to the light management information system but faulty, and is currently transitioning.

As was indicated above, part of the information may be relayed implicitly. For example, the status ‘not faulty’ may imply the status ‘connected’, or vice versa: the status ‘connected’ may imply ‘not faulty’. In this example, if a light controller is, for example, both not connected and faulty, the status “not connected” is prioritised and shown, while the status ‘faulty’ is filtered out. As was previously described with reference to Fig. 2, the decision tree may be further expanded or otherwise adjusted. For example, the system may distinguish between ‘severe errors’ and ‘non-severe errors’, each represented by a different icon.

In an example, the light management information system may comprise a default view mode, a schedule view mode, and a fault/event view mode. Each view mode may have a corresponding decision tree. In an embodiment, several view modes may share the same decision tree, but correspond to different output signals, e.g. different icons being shown depending on the view mode. The management unit may select the subset of parameters in dependence on the view mode. In the default view mode, the generated output may focus on commissioning, alarms, statistics of a plurality of light controllers, and transitions. In the schedule view mode, the generated output may focus on commissioning, calendars or calendar identifiers associated with light units, manual override and/or emergency override status, statistics of a plurality of light controllers, and transitions.

In an embodiment, identical subsets of parameters may be combined with different additional subsets of parameters. This way, the same icon may be associated with different tooltips, depending on e.g. the severity of an error. Similarly, an icon may indicate that a light controller is transitioning, while the tooltip may indicate between which state the light controller is transitioning, or alternatively only the state to which the light controller is transitioning.

In an embodiment, the management unit 110 may update the subset of parameters periodically. In an embodiment, the management unit may update the subset of parameters in response to receiving a signal from a light controller. In an embodiment, the management unit may update the subset of parameters in response to receiving a signal from the user input/output unit 120.

Fig. 5 schematically depicts an example of information flow in a remotely managed lighting system. In particular, Fig. 5 shows information flow, e.g. signals, between a user input/output unit 502, a management unit 504, a gateway 506, and a light controller 508. The connection between the gateway and the light controller may be indirect, for example via a mesh infrastructure. A user may input a command on the user input/output unit, e.g. a manual override of a brightness setting for a light unit controlled by light controller 508. In response to receiving the input, the user input/output unit may send a signal 510 to the management unit. The management unit may send a signal 512 in response. Signal 512 may be a simple acknowledgement signal, but in a typical example, signal 512 relates to an updated subset of parameters comprising information on a transition status of a light unit. In response, the user input/output unit may display an icon indicating that the light controller is transitioning.

The management unit 504 may send a signal 514 to the gateway 506. Signal 514 may be sent before signal 512 is sent or after signal 512 has been sent. In response, the gateway may send a reply signal 516 to the management unit, e.g. an acknowledgement signal. In an example, signal 516 may be a negative response, e.g. a message that the gateway cannot reach the light controller 508. In response, the management unit may send a signal 517 to the user input/output unit 502, e.g. indicating a fault or a warning. In an embodiment, there may be a plurality of gateways that may relay information from the management unit to the light controller and vice versa. In such an embodiment, it may be sufficient if at least one gateway acknowledges the signal.

The gateway 506 may send a signal 518 comprising command information to the light controller 508. The light controller may respond with a response signal 520, e.g. an acknowledgement or an error message. In response, the gateway may send a signal 522 to the management unit 504. In response, the management unit may send a signal 524 to the user input/output unit 502. If the light controller acknowledged the command, either positively or negatively, the management unit may update the subset of parameters and the user input/output unit may display the new light unit status, e.g. an icon representing a manual override status. In an embodiment, a tooltip may display which light setting or settings has or have been manually overridden. Additionally, the management unit may update an internal database with status information. The light controller may also fail to respond. The gateway may or may not be configured to communicate a response failure to the management unit. In reaction, for instance after waiting for a response message for a predetermined amount of time, the management unit may update the internal database with status information and/or update the subset of parameters and send a signal to the user input/output unit. In response, the user input/output unit may display a new status, e.g. it may display an icon indicating that the light controller is not connected or display an error icon.

It may be noted that a signal exchange as depicted in Fig. 5 can take a considerable amount of time to complete. This may for instance be the case when street lights are configured as a wireless mesh, and a signal has to hop through the mesh. Therefore, the management unit 504 may be configured to store a stable state and a transition state. In an embodiment, the stable state may be changed only after a positive confirmation, while a transition state may also be changed by e.g. a negative confirmation, or an new command from a user, e.g. to cancel the transition or to transition to a diflerent state. An example of such a design is shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 displays an example of a method to manage a combination of stable states and transition states. In particular, Fig. 6 display a so-called triangle status machine, showing three stable states 602-606, six transition states 610-620, and three fail-back states 622-626. In diflerent embodiments, diflerent numbers of stable states, transition states, and fail-back states may be present. In some embodiments, each stable state can transition to every other stable state, while in other embodiments, the possible transitions are more limited. In the example of Fig. 6, each stable state may transition to the two other stable states, and each stable state falls back to itself.

As an example, the system may initially be in stable state 602, e.g. the default state. At some point, a user may wish to transition to stable state 604 and supply a corresponding command signal to the user input/output unit. In response, the user input/output unit may send a corresponding signal to the management unit. In response, the management unit may update the subset of parameters associated with the light unit, e.g. by going through a decision tree as discussed with reference to Fig. 2. The user may then be shown e.g. an icon representing the current stable state and a transitioning state. A tooltip may indicate the target stable state. The management unit may maintain the transition state, in this case state 610, until a new event occurs. The new event may be the user selecting a new transition state, e.g. state 614 to transition to stable state 606. In that case, the management unit may store state 602 as the stable state and state 614 as the transition state. The primary subset of parameters shared with the user input/output unit may be the same (the icon shows the light unit is in state 602 and transitioning), but the additional parameter set may be different (the tooltip now shows state 606 as target state). The new event may also be the user cancelling the transition. In that case, the management unit would only store the current stable state 602, and the user input/output unit may show an icon corresponding to state 602, without a transition symbol. The new event could also be the management unit receiving a positive confirmation from the light controller. In that case, the stable state would be updated to state 604, and a new icon corresponding to stable state 604 may be displayed. The new event could also be the management unit receiving a negative confirmation. In that case, the management unit might use fail-back 622 to return to stable state 602. The system may display an icon corresponding to stable state 604. Optionally, the system may also display a warning symbol in the icon. In some embodiments, there are additional potential events. In some embodiments, the management unit may use fail-back 622 also after a predetermined amount of time has passed since initiating transition state 610; in other embodiments, the system may remain in transition state 610 indefinitely, until an event occurs that prompts a new state. The other stable states and other transitions may function in an analogous manner, or may function differently.

Fig. 7 depicts a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data processing system that may perform the method as described with reference to the preceding Figures.

As shown in Fig. 7, the data processing system 700 may include at least one processor 702 coupled to memory elements 704 through a system bus 706. As such, the data processing system may store program code within memory elements 704. Further, the processor 702 may execute the program code accessed from the memory elements 704 via a system bus 706. In one aspect, the data processing system may be implemented as a computer that is suitable for storing and/or executing program code. It should be appreciated, however, that the data processing system 700 may be implemented in the form of any system including a processor and a memory that is capable of performing the functions described within this specification.

The memory elements 704 may include one or more physical memory devices such as, for example, local memory 708 and one or more bulk storage devices 710. The local memory may refer to random access memory or other non-persistent memory device(s) generally used during actual execution of the program code. A bulk storage device may be implemented as a hard drive or other persistent data storage device. The processing system 700 may also include one or more cache memories (not shown) that provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times program code must be retrieved from the bulk storage device 710 during execution.

Input/output (I/O) devices depicted as an input device 712 and an output device 714 optionally can be coupled to the data processing system. Examples of input devices may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, or the like. Examples of output devices may include, but are not limited to, a monitor or a display, speakers, or the like. Input and/or output devices may be coupled to the data processing system either directly or through intervening EO controllers.

In an embodiment, the input and the output devices may be implemented as a combined input/output device (illustrated in Fig. 7 with a dashed line surrounding the input device 712 and the output device 714). An example of such a combined device is a touch sensitive display, also sometimes referred to as a “touch screen display” or simply “touch screen”. In such an embodiment, input to the device may be provided by a movement of a physical object, such as e.g. a stylus or a finger of a user, on or near the touch screen display.

A network adapter 716 may also be coupled to the data processing system to enable it to become coupled to other systems, computer systems, remote network devices, and/or remote storage devices through intervening private or public networks. The network adapter may comprise a data receiver for receiving data that is transmitted by said systems, devices and/or networks to the data processing system 700, and a data transmitter for transmitting data from the data processing system 700 to said systems, devices and/or networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are examples of different types of network adapter that may be used with the data processing system 700.

As pictured in Fig. 7, the memory elements 704 may store an application 718. In various embodiments, the application 718 may be stored in the local memory 708, he one or more bulk storage devices 710, or separate from the local memory and the bulk storage devices. It should be appreciated that the data processing system 700 may further execute an operating system (not shown in Fig. 7) that can facilitate execution of the application 718. The application 718, being implemented in the form of executable program code, can be executed by the data processing system 700, e.g., by the processor 702. Responsive to executing the application, the data processing system 700 may be configured to perform one or more operations or method steps described herein. Various embodiments of the invention may be implemented as a program product for use with a computer system, where the program(s) of the program product define functions of the embodiments (including the methods described herein). In one embodiment, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of non-transitory computer-readable storage media, where, as used herein, the expression “non-transitory computer readable storage media” comprises all computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory, propagating signal. In another embodiment, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of transitory computer-readable storage media. Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: (i) non-writable storage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, ROM chips or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory) on which information is permanently stored; and (ii) writable storage media (e.g., flash memory, floppy disks within a diskette drive or hard-disk drive or any type of solid-state random-access semiconductor memory) on which alterable information is stored. The computer program may be run on the processor 702 described herein.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the implementations in the form disclosed.