Distributed fluorescent light control system
First Claim
1. A system for controlling a light having a plurality of fluorescent tubes, each fluorescent tube having a pair of filaments, the system comprising:
- a plurality of transformers located in the light, each transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding coupled between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes at first terminals thereof;
a plurality of sensors, each sensor connected to detect signal information indicative of a signal between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes;
one or more AC signal generators located remotely from the light, the one or more AC signal generators capable of generating a plurality of low voltage AC signals, each low voltage AC signal associated with a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes;
a plurality of low voltage AC links, each low voltage AC link connected to conduct a corresponding low voltage AC signal between the one or more AC signal generators and the primary winding of a corresponding transformer of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes; and
a controller located remotely from the light, the controller connected to receive signal information from the plurality of sensors and the controller configured, on the basis of the signal information, to independently control one or more characteristics of each of the low voltage AC signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for operating a fluorescent tube having a pair of filaments. The system comprises a transformer, an AC signal generator and a coupling device. The AC signal generator is connected to drive a primary AC signal onto the primary winding of the transformer and to thereby create a secondary AC signal on the secondary winding of the transformer. The secondary winding of the transformer is coupled between the filaments of the fluorescent tube at first terminals thereof. The coupling device is coupled between the filaments at second terminals thereof. The coupling device is switchable between a conducting state, wherein a majority of the current associated with the secondary AC signal is conducted by the coupling device, and a non-conducting state wherein a voltage drop across the coupling device is sufficient to cause a majority of the current associated with the secondary AC signal to arc between the filaments of the fluorescent tube.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for controlling a light having a plurality of fluorescent tubes, each fluorescent tube having a pair of filaments, the system comprising:
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a plurality of transformers located in the light, each transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding coupled between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes at first terminals thereof;
a plurality of sensors, each sensor connected to detect signal information indicative of a signal between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes;
one or more AC signal generators located remotely from the light, the one or more AC signal generators capable of generating a plurality of low voltage AC signals, each low voltage AC signal associated with a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes;
a plurality of low voltage AC links, each low voltage AC link connected to conduct a corresponding low voltage AC signal between the one or more AC signal generators and the primary winding of a corresponding transformer of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes; and
a controller located remotely from the light, the controller connected to receive signal information from the plurality of sensors and the controller configured, on the basis of the signal information, to independently control one or more characteristics of each of the low voltage AC signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24)
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21. A system for controlling a light having a plurality of fluorescent tubes, each fluorescent tube having a pair of filaments, the system comprising:
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a plurality of transformers located in the light, each transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding coupled between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes at first terminals thereof;
a plurality of sensors located in the light, each sensor connected to detect signal information related to a signal between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes;
one or more AC signal generators located in the light, the one or more AC signal generators capable of generating a plurality of low voltage AC signals and driving a corresponding one of the low voltage AC signals onto the primary winding of a corresponding transformer of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes;
a low voltage DC link for providing a low voltage DC signal to the one or more AC signal generators; and
a controller located remotely from the light, the controller connected to receive signal information from the plurality of sensors over a communication link and the controller configured, on the basis of the signal information, to generate control signals and to communicate the control signals to the one or more AC signal generators over the communications link to independently control one or more characteristics of each of the low voltage AC signals. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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22. A method for controlling a light having a plurality of fluorescent tubes, each fluorescent tube having a pair of filaments, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of transformers located in the light, each transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding coupled between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes at first terminals thereof;
providing a plurality of capacitors located in the light, each capacitor coupled between the filaments of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes at second terminals thereof, the secondary winding, the capacitor and the filaments of each fluorescent tube forming an LCR resonant circuit;
generating a plurality of low voltage AC signals having a relatively high frequency at a location remote from the light, conducting the plurality of low voltage AC signals to the light over a corresponding plurality of low voltage AC links and applying each low voltage AC signal to the primary winding of a corresponding transformer of a corresponding one of the fluorescent tubes; and
decreasing a frequency of the plurality of low voltage AC signals until resonance in the corresponding LCR circuits causes the corresponding fluorescent tubes to ignite.
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Specification