Antenna Through the Use of Lamp Electrodes

• US 20080266834A1
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.), Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wessels, Johannes Hendrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,714,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/85
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

The present invention deals with wireless control of a lamp such as a fluorescent lamp controlled by a ballast with a wireless control interface for RF communication. The receiver input and the transmitter output of the control interface module are connected to one or more electrode wires by means of (a) coupling capacitor(s) or a Lecher line transformer. During operation the lamp electrodes serve as the lamp antenna.

Claims

1. A device (10, 20) for wireless control of a lamp (30), the device comprising:

a control interface (4, 6), and

a body for emitting light, the body comprising at least a first electrode (3, 13)

wherein the control interface (4, 6) is connected to the at least first electrode (3, 13) of the body, and wherein the at least first electrode is used as a first antenna for wireless control of the lamp.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control interface (4) is connected to the at least first electrode (3, 13) through a capacitive circuit (5).

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the lamp is a fluorescent lamp (30), and wherein the capacitive circuit (5) is capable of withstanding the ignition voltage necessary to activate the fluorescent lamp.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control interface (6) is coupled to the at least first electrode (3, 13) through an inductive coupling (7).

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control interface (4, 6) is capable of receiving and/or transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal via the first antenna.

6. A device according to claim 1, further including a user control (40) and wherein the user control comprises a second antenna (9) so that signals can be transmitted to the first antenna (3, 13).

7. A device according to claim 1, further including a user control (40) and wherein the user control comprises a second antenna (9) so that signals can be received from the first antenna (3, 13).

8. Use of at least a first electrode (3, 13) in a lamp as an antenna for wireless control of the lamp.

9. A method of transmitting and/or receiving signals between a lamp (30) comprising a first antenna (3, 13) and a user unit (40) comprising a second antenna (9), wherein the first antenna is an at least first electrode of the luminous body of the lamp.