Connected construction lights for large construction sites
On large construction sites, lighting must be available quickly, even when areas, construction phases, and pathways change daily. Individual LED construction floodlights only partially address this challenge. The real benefit comes when multiple lights can be controlled centrally, flexibly, and reliably.
A Bluetooth mesh-based communication architecture should therefore be developed for professional construction floodlights. The goal was not simply to add a wireless connection. The key was a robust, scalable protocol that would allow many mobile lights on the construction site to work together wirelessly.
The application was designed to remain simple for the user. An app connects to an accessible floodlight. After that, individual lights, groups, or scenes can be turned on or off and dimmed without having to locate each light individually.
- Bluetooth Mesh-based communication architecture.
- Scalable communication protocol for up to 16 lights.
- Group and scene control via communication logic for app integration
- Greater efficiency through centralized control of construction site lighting.
To this end, we designed and implemented the communication architecture, selected the appropriate BLE module, and defined the interface logic between the module, the protocol, and the app. In addition, we supported the circuit integration at the manufacturing partner’s facility. App development for iOS and Android was handled by an app partner.
The technical challenge lay primarily in the stability of the Bluetooth mesh, scalable networking, group and scene control, and robust communication logic in a construction site environment. Lights are moved around, distances vary, buildings block radio signals, and work areas are constantly changing.
We therefore viewed the construction lights as a distributed system as a whole.
The user does not need to know which light fixture relays which connection. The user connects to an accessible device. The communication architecture ensures that control commands are processed unambiguously and reliably within the network.
A distance of about ten meters is a typical use case on a construction site, not a rigid technical limit. Depending on the level of shielding, ranges of up to about 25 meters are possible indoors. In open areas, significantly greater distances are possible.
This turns several mobile construction floodlights into a flexible lighting system. New lights can be integrated, existing lights can be repositioned, and areas can be controlled specifically—either together or individually.
“We had to integrate Bluetooth Mesh, interfaces, and control logic in such a way that mobile lights could be turned into a reliable system.”
Stefan Schiefelbein
Head of Device Technology, B&W Engineering
When devices communicate with one another, new requirements arise for architecture, interfaces, protocols, and user logic. We bring these layers together so that connected products work effectively while remaining easy for users to use.