Photoelectric controller for electric street lighting

• US 20070109142A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Utility, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hendrix Wire & Cable Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: McCollough, Norman
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/641
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An electric street light controller apparatus and monitoring method allows automatic street light turn-on and turn-off characteristics to be field programmable using RFID technology, lamp current magnitude recording, auxiliary sensor input, diagnostic alarming and data storage for later retrieval in a remote electric street lighting monitoring system. The apparatus and method includes, from a remotely located exciter apparatus using an antenna to transmit a specific frequency and code key to the antenna of an electric street light control and monitoring apparatus associated with the electric street light allowing remote wireless field programming of turn-on light levels, turn-off light levels, rate of change of light levels, specific turn-on, turn-off, and turn back on sequences during dark hours, and specific remote wireless sensors or internal sensor inputs useful for radiological, biological, chemical, or environmental sensing and alarming. Additionally the method and apparatus includes a method of providing automatic diagnostics for the street lamp bulb, starter and self diagnostics of the controller itself.

Claims

1. A method for determining a failure in a street light having a street light controller monitoring apparatus having a particular information signature, recording the data, and storing the data for retrieval, the method comprising:

a) applying a specific frequency activation signal and a code key from an exciter positioned proximate to the street light controller monitoring apparatus;

b) detecting a data signal at the exciter from the street light controller monitor, said data signal produced by modulating a specific frequency in response to a measured current parameter;

c) receiving at the exciter the street light controller data from the data signal;

d) associating the street light controller current magnitude with the information signature for said street light controller monitor unit; and

e) storing the data and phase conductor information in the memory of the exciter for downloading to a host computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying a activation signal further comprises applying a modulated signal having a specific frequency chosen to resonate with an RF detection circuit of the street light controller monitor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the street light controller monitor has fault current response time further including the step where said current response time is slowed to allow for “

inrush”

conditions on the power line.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying a activation signal further comprises positioning the exciter apparatus near the street light controller monitor to actuate the street light controller monitor with the specific frequency signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the street light controller monitor apparatus responds to only a match with the exciter transmitted code key.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting a data signal from the street light controller monitor further comprises detecting street light controller current magnitude information from the street light controller monitor data signal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of detecting the data signal from the street light controller monitor further comprises detecting an impedance modulation of a radiated RF field of the exciter;

and decoding the data as the impedance modulation by operation of the street light controller monitor.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of downloading the street light controller monitor data further comprises communicating data over a hard wire link, a wireless link, or a network.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of communicating data further comprises establishing a temporary connection between the exciter and the host computer conveying the data from the exciter to the host computer over the temporary connection and breaking the temporary connection.

10. A remote monitoring system for monitoring on an electric street light, the monitoring systems comprising:

a) a microcontroller unit;

b) an antenna coupled to the microcontroller unit;

c) receiving means connected to the microcontroller unit;

d) transmitting means connected to the microcontroller unit;

e) at least one sensor input connected to at least one external sensor;

f) a super capacitor for electrically powering the monitoring systems, said super capacitor being capable of being charged from multiple power sources.

11. The remote monitoring system of claim 10 wherein the microcontroller unit further comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and electronically alterable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) connected to the CPU, whereby fault data values are contained on the EEPROM and may be updated.

12. The remote monitoring system of claim 10 further comprising a radiological, biological, chemical and environmental (RBCE) sensor.

13. The remote monitoring system of claim 10 further a transformer for receiving energy from transmitted radio frequency (rf) energy, a diode for rectifying the rf energy from said transformer, whereby said transformer and diode can charge the super capacitor of the remote monitoring system.

14. A method for remotely monitoring an electric street light, the method comprising:

a) providing at least one street light controller and monitor coupled to said street light, said street light controller and monitor comprising a microcontroller, an antenna coupled to said microcontroller, and at least one sensor coupled to a microcontroller;

b) obtaining input data on the present condition of the streetlight by way of the at least one sensor;

c) transmitting the input data from said at least one sensor to said microcontroller;

d) comparing said input data to a set of baseline data stored in said microcontroller;

e) generating a fault indicator warning condition if said input data is outside of said baseline data; and

f) transmitting an electronic signal containing said fault indicator warning though the antenna.

15. The method of remote monitoring of claim 14 wherein said fault indicator warning condition further comprises an LED.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of storing said input data and said fault indicator warning condition in static memory upon the generation of a fault indicator warning condition.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the said transmitting step further comprises transmitting said input data along with said fault indicator condition.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the microcontroller further comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and electronically alterable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) connected to the CPU, whereby fault indicator data values are contained on the EEPROM.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of storing the fault indicator warning data and sensor data within-non volatile memory;

transmitting an external query for the fault indicator warning and sensor data to the microcontroller through the antenna;

transmitting a reply signal containing the fault indicator and sensor data and receiving said fault indicator and sensor data.

20. A method of monitoring parametric data in a network of electric street lights, the method comprising:

a) providing at least one remote monitoring node including at least one programmable radio frequency identification (RFID) device;

b) obtaining parametric data from said power distribution network;

c) imputing said parametric data into the at least one monitoring node;

d) storing said parametric data on the at least one programmable RFID device;

e) querying said at least one programmable RFID device for said parametric data.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of comparing said parametric data to a preset baseline data and generating a fault indicator status condition of said parametric data falls outside said preset baseline data, storing said fault indicator status condition on the at least one programmable RFID device and querying said at least one programmable RFID device for said parametric data and fault indictor status condition.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of querying said parametric data and said fault indictor status comprises transmitting said data and indicator status from said RFID to an external receiver.