Zigbee operated phase control lighting controller with sensors

• US 10,299,354 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eucontrols Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eucontrols Corporation
• Inventors: O'Neil, Tom, Chiang, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thuy Vinh
• Application Number:
  US15/356,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20180063929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 315149, 315291, 315308, 315309
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

A wireless operated LED lighting controller has both analog and phase control outputs which operate a dimming luminaire, and sensors for lighting and motion which operate autonomously as needed. In addition it is locally operated by a handheld infra-red controller. At least one sensor can be chosen from the group of: a light detector, a motion detector, an acoustic detector, a temperature sensor, and a microwave detector. The sensor is electrically connected to the phase control output. A light output of the controller is affected by signals detected by the at least one sensor. The lighting controller has the phase control output enabled for either a leading edge dimming or a trailing edge dimming, and has a mode for completely turning off the dimming luminaire.

Claims

1. A lighting controller comprising:

a ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit including a ZigBee wireless transceiver;

a phase control output receiving a control signal from the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit to modulate a voltage from an alternating current hot line and an alternating current ground line using either leading edge (LE) dimming or trailing edge (TE) dimming for controlling a dimming luminaire, which is an LED light;

at least one sensor chosen from the group consisting of a light detector, a motion detector, an acoustic detector, a temperature sensor, and a microwave detector, wherein the at least one sensor is electrically connected to the phase control output; and

an AC/DC converter having an input connected to the alternating current hot line and an alternating current neutral line, and an output for providing a DC power output to the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit, wherein the input is connected to a low power isolated transformer having a secondary winding in series-connection with a diode and a resistor forming a parallel connection with a capacitor and a Zener diode providing a 12V DC power supply, wherein the ZigBee wireless transceiver has a ZigBee antenna that provides a wireless transmission for the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit, the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit being directly connected to the at least one sensor, receiving data that represents outputs from the at least one sensor, processing the data, and modulating light output of the LED light according thereto, wherein the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit is remotely connected to an infrared (IR) remote transmitter for receiving a wireless control signal therefrom and is wirelessly in communication with other local area networks via antennas thereof and discerning internet access via an Ethernet cable connection.

2. A lighting controller comprising:

a ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit including a ZigBee wireless transceiver;

a phase control output receiving a control signal from the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit to modulate a voltage from an alternating current hot line and an alternating current ground line using either leading edge (LE) dimming or trailing edge (TE) dimming for controlling a dimming luminaire, which is an LED light;

at least one sensor chosen from the group consisting of a light detector, a motion detector, an acoustic detector, a temperature sensor, and a microwave detector, wherein the at least one sensor is electrically connected to the phase control output; and

an AC/DC converter having an input connected to the alternating current hot line and an alternating current neutral line, and an output for providing a DC power output to the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit, wherein the input is connected to a low power isolated transformer having a secondary winding in series-connection with a diode and a resistor forming a parallel connection with a capacitor and a Zener diode providing a 12V DC power supply, wherein the ZigBee wireless transceiver has a ZigBee antenna that provides a wireless transmission for the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit, the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit being directly connected to the at least one sensor, receiving data that represents outputs from the at least one sensor, processing the data, and modulating light output of the LED light according thereto, wherein the ZigBee enabled microcontroller unit is remotely connected to an infrared (IR) remote transmitter for receiving a wireless control signal therefrom, wherein the phase control output comprises an optical isolator for controlling a pair of MOSFETs including a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET connected in series to generate an AC phase cut dimming function, wherein an output of the pair of MOSFETs is grounded, a source of the second MOSFET is connected to an LED driver for driving the LED light.

3. The lighting controller of claim 2, wherein the LED light is made of a series of separate LED elements.