Wired and wireless
Advances in wireless connectivity have given the industry a greater preference for choosing a wireless platform over a wired infrastructure.While a wired network still has some reliability advantages, it requires a lot more installation and material and labor costs, In addition, the deployment and upgrade of wired systems, especially in highly active commercial or industrial environments, are more likely to result in disruption to day-to-day operations while wireless networks can significantly reduce costs and potentially disrupt operations during deployment Sex to a minimum.
The Bluetooth mesh network is the most robust and powerful low-power wireless technology in the field of commercial interconnect lighting. - Rafal Han, CEO, Silvair, Smart Lighting, Poland
In addition, a wired network is a physical part of the building infrastructure that is not easily scaled up, often requiring new components to be installed to improve performance and, in some cases, to completely replace the entire system, while wireless platforms are easier to install and upgrade, flexible Higher, rapid response to changing business needs.
Commercial lighting and Bluetooth technology
With wireless platforms powered by Bluetooth mesh networks, systems such as lighting provide additional functionality beyond their primary purpose, delivering even greater overall value and ensuring a higher return on investment. "Bluetooth Technology Alliance EMEA Martin Woolley, Development Relations Manager, said: "It is necessary to integrate various sensors in a building into a lighting system, although wired systems can do that, but often require separate controls to coordinate sensor and lighting behavior, while Bluetooth Mesh is designed to solve this problem, especially for commercial lighting systems.
The Bluetooth mesh network is a fully-stack solution designed for commercial lighting applications that offers features designed specifically for wireless lighting platforms.James O Malley, a British journalist, cited in a recent article in Gizmodo UK a list of Bluetooth mesh networks He talked about the versatility that comes with using the Bluetooth mesh network for lighting, explains Malley: "If every light bulb in your home or office supports Bluetooth, it means You have more than just smart lighting ... In fact, you've covered the entire range of buildings with a Bluetooth mesh network and you can communicate with all the Bluetooth devices in your building. "
In addition to being able to meet everyday lighting needs, the Bluetooth mesh network is also fully integrated with non-lighting features such as sensors.Woolley, in his technical paper "The Bluetooth Mesh Network | Paving the Way for Intelligent Lighting Platforms," presents examples that can be used as Bluetooth Beacon lighting devices that enable visitors to navigate around the building via a smartphone app and also talked about lighting systems that capture a range of data from building sensors that enable data analysis and real-time application.
Woolley said: "The Bluetooth mesh lighting system will also bring more interesting and potentially significant opportunities that, once installed, would amount to equipping buildings with wireless networks and creating distributed platforms for other wireless building services. And the switch is a micro-controller with Bluetooth mesh communications that controls the functionality of the device via software, which can be upgraded and added to give the lighting system new functionality.
Designed for lighting
The Bluetooth mesh network specification provides an innovative wireless solution for commercial lighting. Its reliability is functionally comparable to wired systems, but it also has the responsiveness, scalability and extensibility that only wireless solutions can provide. Rafal Han, chief executive of Polish smart lighting company Silvair, said: 'The Bluetooth mesh network is the most robust and powerful wireless low-power technology in the commercial interconnect lighting industry.'
Combined with multivendor interoperability, low power consumption and low latency of the Bluetooth Low Energy stack, you are able to create a comprehensive lighting system that can also be used as an industrial platform for distributed wireless building services This will greatly increase operational efficiency and create a flexible network infrastructure that accommodates changing business needs.