Integration of led lighting control with emergency notification systems

• US 10,176,689 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2014
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ivey, John, Simon, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US14/477,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/27 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0076 Safety or security signalisation, e.g. smoke or burglar alarms, earthquake detectors; Self-defence devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/065 for lighting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

An emergency lighting system for a building includes at least one LED-based light. An emergency detector is operable to detect an emergency. The emergency detector produces an emergency signal in response to the emergency. A controller is operable to control the at least one LED-based light in response to the emergency signal.

Claims

1. An LED-based light, comprising:

a tubular housing configured to be installable in a standard light fixture;

a plurality of LEDs disposed within the housing, the LEDs subject to operation in a normal mode, wherein at least some of the LEDs are operated to produce white light for general illumination, and in an emergency mode, wherein in the emergency mode;

during a first time span, a brightness of a first LED of the plurality of LEDs is increased from a first brightness level to a second brightness level,

at an end of the first time span, the brightness of the first LED is decreased to the first brightness level,

during a second time span, a brightness of a second LED of the plurality of LEDs is increased from the first brightness level to the second brightness level,

at an end of the second time span, the brightness of the second LED is decreased to the first brightness level, and

wherein the first time span partially overlaps the second time span;

an emergency detector disposed within the housing, the emergency detector having a sensor operable to detect an emergency and operable to produce an emergency signal in response to the emergency;

a wireless signal transmitter disposed within the housing, the wireless signal transmitter operable to transmit an alarm notification to a response system in response to the emergency signal; and

a connector arranged at an end of the housing, the connector configured for physical connection to one or more sockets of the standard light fixture such that, when the connector is physically connected to the one or more sockets, the housing, the plurality of LEDs, the emergency detector, and the wireless signal transmitter are secured in the standard light fixture.

2. The LED-based light of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprise white light emitting LEDs and colored light emitting LEDs, the white light emitting LEDs being configured for operation in the normal mode to produce the white light for general illumination, and the colored light emitting LEDs being configured for operation in the emergency mode to at least partially produce a different color of light compared to the normal mode.

3. The LED-based light of claim 1, wherein the emergency detector'"'"'s sensor is operable to detect at least one of smoke or a fire.

4. The LED-based light of claim 1, wherein the emergency detector'"'"'s sensor is operable to detect at least one of a trespasser or a door ajar.

5. The LED-based light of claim 1, wherein the connector is one of a pair of connectors disposed at opposing ends of the housing and configured for physical connection to the one or more sockets of the standard light fixture.

6. The LED-based light of claim 1, wherein the response system is one of a security office or an automatic door locking system.

7. The LED-based light of claim 1, wherein the brightness of the first LED is linearly increased from the first brightness level to the second brightness level during the first time span.

21. The LED-based light of claim 7, wherein the brightness of the second LED is linearly increased from the first brightness level to the second brightness level during the second time span.

8. A lighting system, comprising:

an LED-based light having;

a tubular housing configured to be installable in a standard light fixture;

a plurality of LEDs disposed within the housing, the LEDs subject to operation in a normal mode, wherein at least some of the LEDs are operated to produce white light for general illumination, and in an emergency mode, wherein in the emergency mode;

during a first time span, a brightness of a first LED of the plurality of LEDs is increased from a first brightness level to a second brightness level,

at an end of the first time span, the brightness of the first LED is decreased to the first brightness level,

during a second time span, a brightness of a second LED of the plurality of LEDs is increased from the first brightness level to the second brightness level;

at an end of the second time span, the brightness of the second LED is decreased to the first brightness level,

wherein the first time span partially overlaps the second time span;

an emergency detector disposed within the housing, the emergency detector having a sensor operable to detect an emergency and operable to produce an emergency signal in response to the emergency,

a wireless signal transmitter disposed within the housing, the wireless signal transmitter operable to transmit an alarm notification to a response system in response to the emergency signal; and

a connector arranged at an end of the housing, the connector configured for physical connection to one or more sockets of the standard light fixture, such that, when the connector is physically connected to the one or more sockets, the housing, the plurality of LEDs, the emergency detector, and the wireless signal transmitter are secured in the standard light fixture; and

a controller operable to;

receive the emergency signal; and

in response to the emergency signal, switch the operation of the LEDs from the normal mode to the emergency mode.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein in the emergency mode at least some of the LEDs are operated to indicate the detection of the detected emergency.

10. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein in the emergency mode at least some of the LEDs are operated to indicate a location of the detected emergency.

11. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein in the emergency mode at least some of the LEDs are operated to produce a different level of light compared to the normal mode.

12. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein in the emergency mode at least some of the LEDs are operated to produce a different color of light compared to the normal mode.

13. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprise white light emitting LEDs and colored light emitting LEDs, the white light emitting LEDs subject to operation in the normal mode to produce the white light for general illumination, and the colored light emitting LEDs subject to operation in the emergency mode to at least partially produce the different color of light compared to the normal mode.

14. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein in the emergency mode a brightness of the LEDs is varied to produce a pattern of light indicating a direction toward or away from a location of the detected emergency.

15. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the emergency detector'"'"'s sensor is operable to detect at least one of smoke or a fire.

16. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the emergency detector'"'"'s sensor is operable to detect at least one of a trespasser or a door ajar.

17. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the controller is housed by the housing as a component of the LED-based light.

18. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the controller is remote from the LED-based light.

19. An LED-based light, comprising:

a tubular housing configured to be installable in a standard fluorescent light fixture;

an elongate circuit board disposed within the housing, the circuit board carrying a plurality of LEDs, the LEDs subject to operation in a normal mode, wherein at least some of the LEDs are operated to produce white light for general illumination, and in an emergency mode, wherein in the emergency mode;

during a first time span, a brightness of a first LED of the plurality of LEDs is increased from a first brightness level to a second brightness level,

at an end of the first time span, the brightness of the first LED is decreased to the first brightness level,

during a second time span, a brightness of a second LED of the plurality of LEDs is increased from the first brightness level to the second brightness level;

at an end of the second time span, the brightness of the second LED is decreased to the first brightness level,

wherein the first time span partially overlaps the second time span;

an emergency detector, disposed within the housing, the emergency detector having a sensor operable to detect at least one of fire or smoke and operable to produce an emergency signal in response to the detection;

a wireless signal transmitter disposed within the housing, the wireless signal transmitter operable to transmit an alarm notification to a response system in response to the emergency signal;

a pair of end caps disposed at opposing ends of the housing, each end cap including a bi-pin connector configured for physical connection to a respective socket in the standard fluorescent light fixture.

20. The LED-based light of claim 19, further comprising:

a controller operable to;

receive the emergency signal; and

in response to the emergency signal, switch the operation of the LEDs from the normal mode to the emergency mode.