Programmable Underwater Lighting System

• US 20080197788A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Potucek, Kevin L., Conover, Gilbert, Canavan, Paul, Gonsalves, Joseph, Slonim, Lloyd, Brunetti, Carl L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/28 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a programmable underwater lighting system for pools and spas. A plurality of underwater lights, each having a plurality of LEDs for producing light of various colors, a microprocessor for controlling the plurality of LEDs, and a memory in communication with the microprocessor containing one or more stored control programs, allow for the generation of various lighting effects in a pool or spa. A central controller is provided in communication with the plurality of underwater lights, and allows a user to define or select a desired lighting effect (such as a sequence, a fading effect, a “moving” color pattern, etc.) using a display and a keyboard. Optionally, a handheld remote control could be provided, in wireless communication with the central controller, for allowing a user to remotely control the plurality of lighting fixtures. When a desired lighting effect is defined by a user, the central controller transmits an instruction to each of the plurality of underwater lights instructing each light to execute a specific stored control program in its memory to produce the desired lighting effect. Each of the lights could be in communication with the central controller using a power line and an associated power line carrier data protocol, and each light could be provided with a thermal management system for monitoring the operating temperature of the light and automatically adjusting the brightness of the light to prevent dangerous temperatures.

Claims

1. A programmable underwater lighting system, comprising:

an underwater lighting fixture for installation in a pool or spa, the underwater lighting fixture including a light source, a microprocessor in electrical communication with the light source, and a memory having at least one stored control program executable by the microprocessor for controlling the light source; and

a central controller remote from and in communication with the underwater lighting fixture, the central controller allowing a user to specify a desired lighting sequence and transmitting an instruction to the underwater lighting fixture over a power line interconnecting the central controller and the underwater lighting fixture to selectively execute the stored control program to produce the desired lighting sequence.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the underwater lighting fixture further comprises a power line transceiver for receiving instructions transmitted to the underwater lighting fixture from the central controller over a power line.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the central controller further comprises a power line transceiver for transmitting instructions to the underwater lighting fixture over a power line.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote control in wireless communication with the central controller for allowing a user to remotely control the underwater lighting fixture.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lighting fixtures, each of the fixtures including a light source, a microprocessor in electrical communication with the light source, and a memory having at least one stored control program executable by the microprocessor for controlling the light source.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of lighting fixtures is installed external to a pool or spa.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the central controller transmits instructions to the plurality of lighting fixtures to selectively execute the stored control programs in the plurality of lighting fixtures to produce the desired lighting sequence.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the instructions comprises a motion parameter for instructing the plurality of lighting fixtures to selectively execute the stored control programs to create a moving light sequence.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the instructions comprises a speed parameter for controlling a speed of the desired lighting sequence.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the instructions comprises a program selection parameter for selecting one of a plurality stored control programs to be executed by a lighting fixture.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 11, wherein the source of light comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 11, further comprising a thermal fuse for interrupting power to the source of light if an abnormal temperature is detected.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 11, further comprising a thermistor in electrical communication with the microprocessor for detecting an operating temperature of the underwater lighting fixture.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 17, wherein the microprocessor dims the source of light to maintain a safe operating temperature for the underwater lighting fixture.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 17, wherein the microprocessor dims the source of light if the underwater lighting fixture is dry.

12. A programmable underwater lighting fixture, comprising:

a source of light;

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the source of light;

a memory in electrical communication with the microprocessor, the memory including a stored control program for controlling the source of light; and

a power line carrier transceiver in electrical communication with the microprocessor for receiving instructions transmitted to the underwater lighting fixture through a power line for remotely instructing the microprocessor to execute the stored control program to create a desired lighting effect.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of lighting control programs stored in the memory.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 13, wherein the power line carrier transceiver receives a program selection instruction over a power line connected to the underwater lighting fixture and the microprocessor selects and executes one of the plurality of lighting control programs in response to the program selection instruction.

20. An underwater lighting fixture comprising:

a source of light;

a microprocessor for controlling the source of light; and

means for detecting an operating temperature of the underwater lighting fixture, the microprocessor dimming the source of light if the operating temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold.

21. The underwater lighting fixture of claim 20, wherein the means for detecting an operating temperature of the underwater lighting fixture comprises a plurality of thermistors positioned about the source of light.

22. The underwater lighting fixture of claim 21, wherein the microprocessor calculates a rate of temperature increase based upon temperature detected by the plurality of thermistors and proportionally decreases output of the source of light based upon the rate of temperature increase.

23. A method for illuminating a body of water, comprising:

providing a plurality of underwater lighting fixtures in the body of water, each of the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures including a source of light, a microprocessor in electrical communication with the source of light, and a memory in communication with the microprocessor, the memory having at least one stored control program for controlling the light;

interconnecting the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures with a central controller using power lines;

allowing a user to define a desired lighting effect for the body of water using the central controller; and

transmitting instructions from the central controller to the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures through the power lines, the instructions instructing the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures to selectively execute the at least one stored control program in each of the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures to create the desired lighting effect.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising allowing the user to create a moving light sequence in the body of water using the central controller.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a remote control in communication with the central controller and allowing the user to remotely control the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures using the remote control.

26. A programmable underwater lighting system, comprising:

a plurality of underwater lighting fixtures;

a central controller remote from and in communication with the underwater lighting fixtures;

a user interface at the central controller for allowing a user to create a user-defined lighting program to be executed by the plurality of underwater lights and to specify a motion parameter for controlling motion of colors across the plurality of lights when the lighting program is executed.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures is connected to the central controller by a power line, and commands are exchanged between each lighting fixture and the central controller using power line carrier communications.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures is connected to the central controller by a serial RS-485 connection.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures is in communication with the central controller using optical communications.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures is in communication with the central controller using wireless communications.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of underwater lighting fixtures is in communication with the central controller using an Ethernet connection.