This document discusses Bluetooth mesh networking for lighting control applications. It outlines the challenges with existing lighting control systems, which Bluetooth mesh promises to address through interoperability and scalability. The presentation also describes what the commissioning process for smart luminaires should entail and the requirements a mesh network must meet, such as security, speed, and supporting advanced services. Bluetooth mesh is positioned as the first wireless standard designed specifically for professional lighting control needs.

1. 2017
Connected lighting in commercial applications
An introduction to Bluetooth mesh networking
for lighting designers

2. Connected lighting in commercial applications
An introduction to Bluetooth mesh networking
for lighting designers
www.silvair.com
Simon Slupik
CTO at Silvair,
Chair of the Mesh Working Group at Bluetooth SIG

3. Complete wireless solution
for lighting control
www.silvair.com
The presentation focuses on the challenges of the lighting
control environment that have so far prevented
widespread adoption of connected lighting systems.
Bluetooth mesh networking, the first low-power wireless
standard designed for professional lighting applications,
promises to address these challenges, particularly the
challenge of interoperability and scalability.
The presentation also outlines what the commissioning
process should look like in the era of smart luminaires, and
what requirements every mesh network should meet.

4. The challenges of lighting control
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needs to be interoperable
so that fixtures don’t dictate the lighting design
needs to be robust, fast & self-healing
to avoid any popcorn effects and ensure
wire-like responsiveness
must be easy to install & commission
to make the wireless lighting control experience as smooth and intuitive as in
the case of traditional controls

5. www.silvair.com
has to be scalable
to support high-density multi-service
sensory networks
needs security architecture that can be
publicly audited
to ensure that any potential vulnerabilities can be identified and
addressed immediately
must enable value-added services
to open up entirely new possibilities across all types of
spaces
The challenges of lighting control

6. www.silvair.com
— Bluetooth SIG owns the whole “stack”, which
makes Bluetooth the fastest developing protocol
for the IoT
— Bluetooth guarantees cross-vendor
interoperability (any headset works with any
smartphone)
— It is hand down the fastest and most resilient
low-power protocol
— Proven technology with high brand recognition
and
found in every smartphone
— Extremely low energy consumption
— The only low-power communication protocol that
can deliver value-added, location-based services
(e.g. beacons, asset tracking, indoor positioning)
Why Bluetooth for lighting control

7. Why Bluetooth Mesh for lighting control?
www.silvair.com
— Designed specifically for commercial lighting
— Scalable to thousands of nodes
— State of the art security
— It is a complete solution with multiple lighting models specified
— Support for advanced lighting control strategies
— No central controller is needed a Bluetooth mesh network is
like a mini internet

8. www.silvair.com
The Bluetooth mesh networking standard will
have a transformative impact on the lighting
industry.
It is the first wireless protocol designed for
professional lighting applications.

9. Why standards matter?
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Global reach
Transparency
Robustness
Collaborative effort
providing a foundation for interoperability
security architecture can be publicly audited
a standard can be checked, improved and
expanded as needed
IP contributed by industry-leading technology
companies and lighting professional

10. www.silvair.com
Question A good answer
Has your Bluetooth Mesh software been
qualified by Bluetooth SIG?
Have you implemented any proprietary features,
and what does this mean for interoperability?
What’s the device-to-device latency with your
software?
Yes (and here’s the QDID)
None, our software is fully compatible with the
official Mesh specification (so it can handle all
the defined lighting parameters)
6 hops in under 100ms
First 3 questions to ask a supplier
of Bluetooth Mesh products

11. Why standards matter?
www.silvair.com
What is needed to build a Bluetooth mesh network that
can accommodate any standard-compliant devices?
— A qualified Bluetooth chip with a qualified Bluetooth mesh stack. This is what turns your devices
into nodes of a smart Bluetooth mesh network
— Some sort of a commissioning tool for network configuration purposes, such as the dedicated
commissioning smartphone app
You don’t need:
— Extra hardware since Bluetooth is already in you smartphone
— Internet access since a Bluetooth mesh network can operate fully autonomously

12. What the commissioning process
should look like?
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Off-site stage
Using a browser-based interface, a person responsible for commissioning
can remotely perform all preparatory tasks before visiting the site. These
include:
—importing floor plans
—defining individual lighting zones
—specifying desired lighting control scenarios.
On-site stage
The commissioning process is finalized on-site using a smartphone/tablet
with a dedicated commissioning app. During this stage, devices are added to
the network, while previously specified control scenarios are automatically
incorporated into relevant network nodes.

13. Thank you!
silvair.com
2017