When Internet thinking meets LED

In 2014, Internet thinking swept through all traditional industries with lightning speed. Some people say that nowadays, to see if an industry has potential, it will certainly see how close it is to the Internet industry.

Then, is the degree of intimacy between the semiconductor lighting industry and the Internet as a strategic emerging industry for energy conservation and environmental protection? What kind of synergy effect will they have in deep collision? What surprises both parties? Perhaps these problems The answer will also bring great inspiration to those LED companies that are undergoing the transition from “manufacturing” to “intelligent”.

Gene determines fate

Semiconductor lighting is a combination of optoelectronics and microelectronics. Its "gene" characteristics, such as its programmable, communication, and human-machine interfaces, are destined to make LED lighting products move toward the direction of intelligent hardware. It will inevitably generate lian with the Internet industry.

With the deep integration of technologies such as computers, internet of things, cloud computing, mobile internet, and big data, ubiquitous LED lighting products will surely become an important “connected” medium in the information society, becoming a smart home, a smart city, and even An essential part of an intelligent society. Even in some scenarios, it will become the "entrance" of Internet companies - um, dreams are still there!

However, the road to seizing the "entrance" is doomed to be hard. Such as the lighting industry's giant launch of the Philips Hue this allows users to freely adjust the brightness and color of indoor light bulbs through the mobile phone smart bulbs once let the market heat burst. While analysts with exceptionally rich imaginations have already seen Philips' small appliance segment and smart lighting lead the new smart home, Philips Lighting and Consumer & Health Medical Products were split...

Almost immediately afterwards, the domestic Internet is cutting-edge, as well as the Yeelight bulb lamp of the well-known mobile phone manufacturer Xiaomi Investment. It seems that they intend to continue the legend of Philips Hue, but at the same time, it is also closely linked with Philips. A game of chess.

However, in my opinion, at present, if you don’t count the sound of the audio into the light bulb, the idea of ​​egg pain will gradually move away from the “entrance”. The application of LED lighting in smart homes is actually more and more analogous. Kind of.

But the story does not end there. As the industry experts say, both Hue and Yeelight show only the controllable characteristics of LED lighting. In the future, the intelligent lighting of LEDs, especially the communicable features, will be related to the Internet. The most potential pairing direction.

Internet and LED hit a waist

On December 26, 2014, at the Ningbo LED Lighting Frontier Technology Symposium, a “headless” theme report attracted the attention of all delegates. It was the “Ideology of the Internet” promoted by Dong Guanglin, general manager of Hubei Asia-Africa Energy Conservation Management Co., Ltd. "The EMC Model Innovation" speech. It is such a real case that originated from the cross-border integration of mobile internet and semiconductor lighting that gave the LED industry profound reflection and enlightenment.

In the second half of 2014, relying on the government's momentum of promoting Wuhan's local commercial lighting energy saving and transformation, Hubei Asia-Africa discussed the lighting energy-saving renovation project of a famous shopping center in Wuhan. When Asia-Africa prepared to organize product procurement and project implementation, the owner proposed New requirements.

The owner informed Asia and Africa that they learned through the media that LED lamps can not only save energy, but also achieve accurate indoor positioning through visible light communication. Based on indoor location services, they can enable the mall to achieve smart diversion, shopping guides, and social, game and other activities. , to reach the market popularity, guide consumer expectations. Therefore, the owner believes that since it is necessary to replace the lamps, it is better to meet the needs of energy saving and to try to make the shopping mall smarter. He also hopes that Asia and Africa will contact China Optic Communications Corporation, which is engaged in this business.

For the "Cheng Jiejin who killed halfway," Dong Guanglin didn't "feel the cold" at first, but as an insider, he was still sensitive to the new technology, so he was in contact with China Optic Communications. What did not expect was that after the two companies met and exchanged views, Asia-Africa was quite appreciative of the indoor positioning technology and business model of Huace Optical Communications.

After knowing that Dongguanglin understands that the U-Beacon system developed by Huace Optical Communication based on LED white-light communication technology has been commercialized for the first time in a global scale, this system only requires a built-in cost comparison in common indoor lighting. The low transmission module can enable the luminaire to send a positioning signal. No intelligent terminal is used for hardware modification. As long as the application program is installed, it can be the receiving end, and the positioning accuracy can reach within 1 meter.

Subsequently, the two companies agreed on commercial terms. Considering that Asia-Africa has already negotiated with the owner about the investment terms for energy-saving reforms and that the lamps have been selected, it is bound to increase the cost of some of the costs for LED positioning lamps. After learning of the situation, Huace Optical Communication Co., Ltd. made a move: to fully subsidize the difference in the cost of lighting, which made Asia and Africa very moved.

Through exchanges and discussions, the two companies not only reached a cooperation intention in the project, but also formed a consensus on future cooperation. After all, for Asia and Africa, it is only from the point of view of energy conservation that LED commercial lighting business has been promoted. The domestic market has long been a Red Sea. The application of innovation is the focus of future business competition.

During the interview, Tang Haijun, deputy general manager of Huace Optical Communications, also stated that “in the future, Internet thinking will bring subversive innovation to the LED industry, and openness, sharing, and mutual benefit are the core of Internet thinking. China policy and Asia and Africa Hand in hand cooperation will become a reference model for the company to promote and target LED products and services in the future."

"In addition, we will also develop the user market together with LED companies, open the core patents of visible light positioning technology for all LED companies, and provide technical support for the related lighting transformation." Tang Haijun further said.

"One-handed holding of users and data resources, combined with LED companies to continue cross-border innovation and reconstruct the application promotion model, this is Chinachem's dream to create an indoor positioning ecosystem for visible light communication: bigger than bigger." It's not difficult to see from Tang Haijun's face. Out, he has full confidence in the future.

In addition, according to Tang Haijun, as the participating unit of the international standard for visible light positioning, Huace Optical Communications will work with LED strategic partners to actively strive for China’s standard voice in this field. At present, the listed companies such as Chau Ming Technology, NVC Lighting, and Tian Zhen Zhi are all ready to start their efforts in visible light communication.

Win-win under internet thinking

The mention of "Easy Access" is surely no stranger to everyone. It is based on the U-beacon visible light positioning system mentioned above. It is based on an indoor location information platform, a user data platform, and an e-commerce platform. The application APP has won the hearts and minds of consumers because of its precise indoor positioning, 3D maps, and indoor panoramic maps.

It is understood that nowadays, "E-shopping" has been released version 2.0, and is moving toward the layout of the country, positioning the business district, the collection of multi-city, multi-shopping promotions, brand information, etc., to serve the shopping mall / supermarket super O2O; As well as vertical divisions such as libraries, exhibition halls, large venues, museums, hospitals, public safety, military industry, and internet of things, Huaze is also rapidly advancing in the direction of providing customized, location-based indoor positioning solutions.

However, competition is unavoidable. Even competitors in the field of visible light communications have no shortage of competitors. For example, BYTELIGHT in the United States is pushing the market for indoor light positioning applications, and it has reached a strategic alliance with GE in the United States last year to jointly expand the North American market; Philips also launched a principle demonstration application in Europe in February last year, ready to launch in Europe. Similar to "easy shopping" service products.

However, competition does not mean that the cooperation is affected. It is understood that recently, HISS, head of Philips' innovation department, visited Huace Optical Communications and talked with the relevant person in charge of the company.

Tang Haijun said, “We are seeking strategic investors. If there is a large amount of funds involved, we can use subsidy or even a free way to put LED lamps with positioning functions into more shopping centers.”

“With such an infrastructure, we can build a huge user community by providing consumers with convenient and first-rate services. Once we have a user base, the value of our APP platform will appear, and profitability is inevitable. This is what others jokingly said, 'The mobile Internet fights speed and the size of the user, and ultimately the wool will be in the pig!' We are not eager to make a profit on hardware sales." Tang Haijun said.

Indeed, at the moment, the "rich and self-willed" Internet has extended its reach into the LED lighting industry. It can be imagined that in the future, LED will not only be a light, but a GPS small satellite containing position coordinates, which is a relay for data interaction. Beyond seeing and being seen, the LED China dream of shaping industrial ideals and feelings may be realized soon under the help of internet thinking...