TRI-LIGHT

• US 20090195189A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Illumination Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: I2systems
• Inventors: Zampini, Thomas L., Zampini, Thomas Lawrence II, Zampini, Mark Alphonse
• Granted Patent: US 8,013,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/295
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators

Abstract

A lighting arrangement includes a light fixture including a plurality of light sources wherein each light source is configured to generate a different color light when energized; and a circuit arrangement included in the light fixture and operatively interposed between the plurality of light sources and a source of electrical power. This circuit arrangement is responsive to brief interruptions in the supply of electrical power of less than a predetermined period to simultaneously de-energize all of the light sources for a full duration of the interruption and to subsequently toggle energization from one light source to the next and thereby produce different color light in response to the cessation of the brief interruption.

Claims

1. A lighting arrangement comprising:

a light fixture including a plurality of light sources wherein each light source is configured to generate a different color light when energized; and

a circuit arrangement included in the light fixture and operatively interposed between the plurality of light sources and a source of electrical power, the circuit arrangement being responsive to interruptions in the supply of electrical power of less than a predetermined period to simultaneously de-energize all of the light sources for a full duration of the interruption and to subsequently toggle energization from one light source to the next and thereby produce different color light in response to each interruption cessation.

2. A lighting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the circuit arrangement comprises a microcontroller and a temporary power source which is configured to energize and maintain the microcontroller in an operational state for a period equal to the predetermined period and which allows the microcontroller to power down and reset to a default in response to a duration of the interruption being in excess of the predetermined period.

3. A lighting arrangement as set forth in claim 2 wherein the default is selected to be one wherein no light source is energized and wherein the toggle sequence is reset to a predetermined sequence.

4. A lighting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein a switch is disposed outboard of the light fixture and arranged to interrupt the supply of electrical power to the light fixture.

5. A lighting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the switch is a normally closed switch.

6. A lighting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein each light source comprises at least one LED (light emitting diode).

7. A lighting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one more light fixture which has a power input connected the supply of electrical power and which is responsive to interruptions of electrical power in the supply of electrical power of less than a predetermined period to simultaneously de-energize all light sources included therein for a full duration of the interruption and to subsequently toggle energization from one light source to the next and thereby produce color light corresponding to the color light produced by the first said light fixture, in response to each interruption cessation.

8. A lighting arrangement as set forth in claim 4 wherein the supply of electrical power is connected to the light fixture via a first line and a second line in which the switch is disposed and a second line which acts as a common line.

9. A control system for changing a light color output from a light fixture, the control system being included in the light fixture and having a power input, the control system comprising:

a switching regulator connected to the power input;

a microcontroller connected to the power input and the switching regulator, the microcontroller being arranged with a temporary supply of electrical power configured to maintain a supply of electrical power to the microcontroller for a predetermined period in the absence of electrical power being supplied to the power input;

at least one first LED capable of emitting a first color, the at least one first LED having a terminal connected with the switching regulator for receiving electrical power therefrom;

at least one second LED capable of emitting a second color the at least one second LED having a terminal connected with the switching regulator for receiving electrical power therefrom;

a first FET (field effect transistor) connected between the at least one first LED and a ground, the gate of the first FET being connected to a first output of the microcontroller;

a second FET connected between the at least one second LED and a ground, the gate of the second FET being connected to a second output of the microcontroller;

a switch arranged externally of the light fixture to interrupt the supply of power to the power input and therefore interrupt the supply of power to the switching regulator, the microcontroller being connected with the power input such that the microcontroller selectively applies a voltage to one of the first and second gates enabling power to flow through the respective one of the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED upon cessation of the power supply interrupt.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the each FET comprises at least a NMOS field effect transistor or a PMOS field effect transistor.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the power supply is a 5V DC power supply.

12. The control system of claim 9, wherein the switching regulator is electrically controlled by the microcontroller.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the temporary supply of electrical power comprises a capacitor.

14. A method of controlling a light fixture comprising:

de-energizing all of a plurality of color generating light sources included in the light fixture during an interruption in a supply of electrical power via which the light sources are energized;

maintaining the operation of a microcontroller, which selectively controls which of the plurality of light sources is permitted to have electrical current pass therethrough and thus be energized, using a temporary supply of electrical power operatively connected with the microcontroller and configured to provide electrical power to the microcontroller for a predetermined limited length of time;

inducing the microcontroller to toggle from a current light source selection to the next in a predetermined sequence in response to the interruption and to enable energization of the next color generating light source upon cessation of the interruption provided that the cessation occurs within the predetermined limited length of time.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising causing the microcontroller to power down when the interruption is longer than the predetermined limited length of time and to subsequently reset to a default condition when the interruption ceases.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, comprising using a switch to cause an interruption having a duration less than the predetermined length of time if briefly opened for a period less than the predetermined length of time, and to cause an interruption in excess of the predetermined length of time if opened for a prolonged period in excess of the predetermined length of time.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

using a first plurality of LEDs in a first of the plurality of light sources to produce a first color;

using a second plurality of LEDs in a second of the plurality of light sources to produce a second color; and

using a third plurality of LEDs in a third of the plurality of light sources to produce a third color.

18. A light replacement kit comprising:

a replacement light fixture which is configured to replace an existing light fixture, the replacement light fixture being configured to receive electrical power at a power input via a positive wire and a ground wire, and comprising;

a plurality of light sources which are each configured to produce a different color light and which are all de-energized for a duration of an interruption of electrical power to the power input; and

a control circuit configured to enable energization of each of the light sources in turn, the control circuit being arranged to have first and second connections with the power input, the first connection being established via a capacitor and the second connection being directly connected with power input to enable detection of an interruption of electrical power, the capacitor being selected to maintain a microcontroller of the control circuit in an operative state in response to electrical power, being interrupted for a relatively short period, the control circuit being arranged to respond to relatively short interruptions to toggle energization between the plurality of light sources and thus cause the replacement light fixture to produced different colors in response thereto.

19. A light replacement kit as set forth in claim 18, wherein the control circuit is configured to respond to an interruption which is sufficiently long as to allow the capacitor to discharge and cause the microcontroller to power down and conditioned to reset to a default setting when the interruption ceases.

20. A light replacement kit as set forth in claim 18, wherein the control circuit includes a plurality of switches each associated with one of the plurality of light sources, the microcontroller being configured so that each of the switches can be selectively activated to establish a ground connection with one of the plurality of light sources and complete a circuit that enables current from the power input to pass through the light source associated with the activated switch.

21. A light replacement kit as set forth in claim 18, wherein each of the switches comprises a field effect transistor (FET).

22. A method of illumination control comprising:

disposing a plurality of light sources, each capable of producing a different color, in light fixture;

connecting a power input of the light fixture to a source of electrical energy via a switch which is configured to interrupt the supply of electrical power to the power input and to simultaneously de-energize all of the plurality of light sources; and

toggling energization of the light sources in response to interruptions in electrical energy supplied to the power input via the single wire.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising storing electrical energy within the light fixture sufficient to maintain a circuit arrangement in an operative condition during an interrupt of less than a predetermined duration so that the circuit arrangement can respond to the interrupt and selectively close a switch associated with a light source to enable selective energization of that light source.

24. A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising:

using a parallel connection between the power input and a circuit arrangement which selectively controls energization of the light sources; and

arranging a capacitor with one of the parallel connections to store electrical energy within the light fixture, and using the other of the parallel connections to provide interrupt indicative input to the circuit arrangement.

25. A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising controlling the toggling using a circuit arrangement which is responsive to the interruptions in power which is supplied to the light fixture and arranging the circuit arrangement so that it maintains its operation during relatively short interrupts to the power and is deprived of electrical current when the interrupt exceeds a predetermined period.