Equipment and methods for emergency lighting that provides brownout detection and protection
First Claim
1. A method of determining a brownout threshold for use in providing emergency lighting comprising:
- providing a circuit configured to operate over a wide range of input voltages;
connecting the circuit to an input voltage with an expected voltage level, wherein the expected voltage level is a discrete voltage level within the wide range of voltages;
sampling an actual voltage level of the input voltage; and
in response to sampling the actual input voltage level, automatically establishing a brownout threshold based on the sampled input voltage level and not based on the expected voltage level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to systems, equipment and methods that provide emergency lighting and allow the detection of brownout conditions. One aspect of the present invention is an emergency lighting system with an input voltage interface for receiving an input voltage, a brownout detection component for detecting a brownout condition on the input voltage and generating a brownout signal, a switch mode power converter for altering the input voltage; and an emergency lighting control and battery charging component for controlling the charging of a battery pack and receiving the brownout signal. Another aspect of the invention is a method of providing emergency lighting performed by receiving an input voltage; automatically establishing a brownout threshold relative to the input voltage; and detecting a brownout condition.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of determining a brownout threshold for use in providing emergency lighting comprising:
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providing a circuit configured to operate over a wide range of input voltages;
connecting the circuit to an input voltage with an expected voltage level, wherein the expected voltage level is a discrete voltage level within the wide range of voltages;
sampling an actual voltage level of the input voltage; and
in response to sampling the actual input voltage level, automatically establishing a brownout threshold based on the sampled input voltage level and not based on the expected voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of providing emergency lighting comprising:
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receiving an input voltage;
determining a brownout condition threshold voltage based at least in part on an actual level of the input voltage;
monitoring the input voltage for a brownout condition, wherein a brownout condition is determined to exist when the input voltage drops below the brownout condition threshold voltage;
if a brownout condition exists, sending a brownout signal to activate emergency lighting; and
if a brownout condition does not exist, using a switch mode power converter to provide power. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An emergency lighting unit comprising:
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a converter capable of receiving a wide range of input voltages; and
a brownout detection component capable of detecting a brownout condition by comparing the input voltage with a brownout threshold value determined using a sample actual voltage level of the input voltage. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification