DIMMING SYSTEM POWERED BY TWO CURRENT SOURCES AND HAVING AN OPERATION INDICATOR MODULE

• US 20090027219A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Ostrovsky, Michael, Patel, Parimal R., Frid, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 7,804,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/650
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/04 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/04 Dimming circuit for fluorescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/905 Lamp dimmer structure

Abstract

A dimming system and method of operating the same are provided. The dimming system includes a first terminal configured to operatively connect to a first conductive line, a second terminal configured to operatively connect to a second conductive line, and a third terminal configured to operatively connect to a third conductive line. The first conductive line is configured to connect to a load, the second conductive line is configured to supply an alternating current, and the third conductive line is configured to connect to a current path. The dimming system further includes a controller operatively connected to at least one of the first, second and third terminals for controlling operation of the dimming system. The first and second terminals are configured for electrically connecting to a primary power supply and the first and third terminals are configured for electrically connecting to a secondary power supply. The primary power supply is powered through connection to neutral, and wherein the secondary power supply is powered through connection to an earth ground.

Claims

1. A dimming system comprising:

a first terminal configured to operatively connect to a first conductive line, wherein the first conductive line is configured to connect to a load;

a second terminal configured to operatively connect to a second conductive line, wherein the second conductive line is configured to supply an alternating current;

a third terminal configured to operatively connect to a third conductive line, wherein the third conductive line is configured to connect to a current path;

a controller operatively connected to at least one of the first, second and third terminals for controlling operation of the dimming system;

a primary power supply operatively connected to the first and second terminals; and

a secondary power supply operatively connected to the first and third terminals.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a switching module operatively connected to the first and second terminals, and wherein the switching module is configured to control power dissipation of the load.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the primary power supply is powered through connection to neutral, and wherein the secondary power supply is powered through connection to an earth ground.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the primary power supply and the secondary power supply are part of said dimming system, and wherein at least one of the primary power supply and the secondary power supply include an energy storage module, wherein the energy storage module includes at least one of a capacitor, an inductor, and a battery.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a condition detection module configured to detect at least one operating condition of said dimming system.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one operating condition is at least one of a low-load condition, an open-circuit condition, and a switching module malfunction condition.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises an operation indicator module configured to indicate at least one operating condition of said dimming system.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one operating condition is at least one of a low-load condition, an open-circuit condition, and a switching module malfunction condition.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the operation indicator module indicates the at least one operating condition by utilizing at least one of an LED, an LED display, an Radio Frequency module, an Infrared module, an audio indicator module, and a conductive line signal-interface module.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary power supply comprises a current limiter configured to limit the current flowing between the second and third terminals.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to operatively communicate with a condition detection module for detecting at least one operating condition of said dimming system.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an actuation signal from at least one of at least one discrete actuation assembly and at least one variable actuation assembly, and wherein the at least one processor operates in the programming state when a programming-mode request sequence is received via the actuation signal.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein at least one system parameter can be programmed during operation of the at least one processor in the programming state.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one system parameter is selected from the group consisting of a minimum brightness level parameter, a maximum light level parameter, a fade rate parameter, a preset level parameter, a communication parameter, a remote control enable parameter, and an access network programming mode enable parameter.

15. A method for connecting a dimming system to a load and two current sources comprising:

electrically connecting a first terminal of said dimming system to a first conductive line, wherein the first conductive line is electrically connected to said load;

electrically connecting a second terminal of said dimming system to a second conductive line, wherein the second conductive line is configured for supplying an alternating current from a first current source; and

electrically connecting a third terminal of said dimming system to a third conductive line, wherein the third conductive line is configured for supplying current from a second current source.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising operating said dimming system and detecting at least one operating condition.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising indicating the at least one operating condition to a user.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the indicating step comprises powering an operation indicator module having at least one of an LED, an LED display, a radio frequency module, an infrared module, an audio indicator module, and a conductive line signal-interface module.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one operating condition includes at least one of a low-load condition, an open-circuit condition, and a switching module malfunction condition.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising causing the power dissipation of the load to be about zero following detection of at least one operating condition.

21. The method according to claim 15, further comprising charging an energy storage module using at least one of the first and second current sources.