Remote control of electronic light ballast and other devices
First Claim
1. An on/off switching system for at least one electronic ballast for at least one lamp, of at least one lighting fixture, said system comprising said at least one ballast having power electronics, said system further having a remote switch function in said at least one ballast, said remote switch function remotely located apart from said ballast, said remote switch function operating with a low amount of control current and little power loss, said on/off switching system further comprising at least one connection connecting said remotely located switch to a ballast resident opto-isolator circuit with associated interfacing electronics within said at least one ballast, said at least one ballast providing high electrical isolation between an external switch function and said ballast power electronics to each said lamp.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic ballast system controls one or more ballasts of HID or fluorescent lamps, which are controlled in an “on/off” manner by a ultra low power controller that is isolated for a primary power circuit or derives its very low switch power from the ballast itself. The on/off control provides a near lossless control system. This system may be applied to electronic ballast for operates at fractional power levels corresponding to different lighting intensities and with conventional occupancy sensors. The system may also be applied to other electronically compatible end-use devices and applications.
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Citations
37 Claims
- 1. An on/off switching system for at least one electronic ballast for at least one lamp, of at least one lighting fixture, said system comprising said at least one ballast having power electronics, said system further having a remote switch function in said at least one ballast, said remote switch function remotely located apart from said ballast, said remote switch function operating with a low amount of control current and little power loss, said on/off switching system further comprising at least one connection connecting said remotely located switch to a ballast resident opto-isolator circuit with associated interfacing electronics within said at least one ballast, said at least one ballast providing high electrical isolation between an external switch function and said ballast power electronics to each said lamp.
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11. An on/off switching system for a plurality of electrical lighting fixtures comprising:
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a control switch;
a connector having a first end connected to said control switch and said connector having a second end;
a plurality of lead wires wherein each said lead wire in said plurality of lead wire has a first end and a second end, said first end of each said wire in said plurality of lead wires is coupled to said second end of said connector;
said plurality of lead wires has a first lead wire coupled to a first end of a first resistor;
a second end of said first resistor is connected to a photo-isolator circuit, said photoisolator circuit providing high electrical isolation between an external control signal and power electronics of at least one electronic ballast;
said plurality of lead wires has a second lead wire coupled to a first end of a second resistor;
a second end of said second resistor is coupled to a first direct current power input terminal and a first end of a reverse polarity protector circuit;
said first end of said reverse polarity protector is coupled to a first end of a third resistor and to a high frequency inverter circuit, and said high frequency inverter circuit has a second end coupled to a second direct power input terminal;
a second end of said third resistor is coupled to a base terminal on a transistor and to said photo-isolator circuit;
an emitter terminal on said transistor is coupled to said photo-isolator circuit and to said second direct current power input terminal;
a collector terminal on said transistor is coupled to a cathode terminal of a first diode and to a cathode terminal of a second diode;
said first diode and said second diode each having an anode terminal coupled to said high frequency inverter circuit;
a third lead wire in said plurality of lead wires is coupled to a first end of a fourth resistor and to said photo-isolator circuit;
said fourth resistor having a second end coupled to said second direct current power input terminal;
said high frequency inverter circuit has at least one output terminal and a ground terminal; and
,each output terminal in said at least one output terminal is coupled to a lamp. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An on/off switching system for a plurality of ballasts for a plurality of electrical lighting fixtures comprising:
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a photo-isolator integrated circuit providing high electrical isolation between an external control signal and power electronics in at least one ballast;
wherein, to turn on said at least one ballast, a power source supplies voltage to said isolator circuit through said remote switch, said circuit having a light from an LED exciting a photo transistor reducing its equivalent resistance into conduction thereby, causing a higher current to flow in said resistor, said resistor and said photo transistor forming a voltage divider, said voltage divider causing a base-emitter voltage of a control transistor to fall below conduction, causing its collector-emitter junction to become highly resistive and non-conducting, thus blocking a current path for diodes to said power supply return and allowing inverter gates to remain in a high impedance state and thus unencumbered to function as part of the self-excited power oscillation inverter servicing said at least one lamp driven by said at least one ballast, wherein further when no voltage is applied on an input of said isolator, said gates are clamped to a potential of a return of said power supply, causing said gates to be placed in a non-conductive state, thereby interrupting said power oscillator/inverter and causing said at least one lamp driven by said at least one ballast to go off.
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- 22. An on/off switching function system for at least one electronically interfaceable end-use appliance device which functions through on/off control, said device having an on/off switch function, said system having power electronics, said system further having a remote switch function, said remote switch function remotely located apart from said device resident power electronics, said remote switch function operating with a low amount of control current and little power loss, said on/off switching system further comprising at least one connection connecting said remotely located switch function to a opto-isolator circuit with high electrical isolation to said power electronics, said power electronics providing electrical computability between said switch function and the operation of said device.
Specification