Method for Initiating and Controlling a Lighting Equipment

• US 20100084989A1
• Filed: 08/01/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everspring Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Everspring Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chuang, Shih-Yi, Huang, Cheng-Hung, Zhuo, Chia-Liang
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/246
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/04 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/044 continuously H05B39/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

The present invention primarily relates to a method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment by detecting and determining through an algorithm whether a flicker of light may occur during the period of initiating or dimming the lighting equipment. The method further calculates to obtain a current compensation ratio that the current level need be elevated to prevent the occurrence of flicker and performs a real-time compensation for the electrical current, when necessary. The method according to the invention will initiate the lighting equipment at an electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment, so as to further prevent the occurrence of flicker of light during the initiation of the lighting equipment and achieve the energy saving purpose.

Claims

1. A method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment, comprising the steps of:

a initiating the lighting equipment at a maximum lighting level according to the specification required by the original manufacturer by applying a first electrical current, provided that no electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored;

b. detecting and determining through an algorithm whether a flicker of light may occur;

c. if determining that a flicker of light may occur, calculating to obtain a current compensation ratio that the electrical current used in step b must be increased to a second current to prevent the occurrence of flicker and performing immediately a current compensation by applying the second current to prevent the occurrence of flicker; and

d. allowing the lighting equipment to stably operate at the second current level and storing the second current level for initiating the lighting equipment next time.

2. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 1, wherein the step b further comprises performing a dimming operation to modulate the power load of the lighting equipment from the first electrical current to a third electrical current and detecting and determining through an algorithm whether a flicker of light may occur.

3. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 2, further comprising a step of reversing the dimming direction if the lighting equipment is dimmed during the dimming operation in step b to a level higher than a previously stored minimum lighting level and determined that no flicker of light occurs, and maintaining the resultant electrical current level to allow a stable operation of the lighting equipment and further storing the resultant electrical current level for initiating the lighting equipment next time.

4. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 2, wherein the detecting and determining in the step b comprises detecting and analyzing consecutive alternative current (AC) wave peaks supplied to the lighting equipment using an analog-to-digital converter, followed by comparing the maximum peak value with the minimum peak value by the algorithm.

5. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 2, wherein the step a further comprises, before initiating the lighting equipment, determining whether any electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored, and if there is a first electrical current level stored, initiating the lighting equipment by applying a first electrical current.

6. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 1, wherein the detecting and determining in the step b comprises detecting and analyzing consecutive alternative current (AC) wave peaks supplied to the lighting equipment using an analog-to-digital converter, followed by comparing the maximum peak value with the minimum peak value by the algorithm.

7. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 1, wherein the step a further comprises, before initiating the lighting equipment, determining whether any electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored, and if there is a first electrical current level stored, initiating the lighting equipment by applying a first electrical current.

8. A method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment, comprising the steps of:

a. initiating the lighting equipment at a first electrical current used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment;

b. detecting and determining through an algorithm whether a flicker of light may occur;

c. if determining that a flicker of light may occur, storing and setting a lighting level of the lighting equipment provided by the electrical current used in step b as a minimum lighting level and calculating to obtain a current compensation ratio that the electrical current used in step b must be increased to a second current to prevent the occurrence of flicker;

d. performing immediately a current compensation by applying the second current to prevent the occurrence of flicker; and

e. allowing the lighting equipment to stably operate at the second current level and storing the second current level for initiating the lighting equipment next time.

9. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 8, wherein the step b further comprises performing a dimming operation to modulate the power load of the lighting equipment from the first electrical current to a third electrical current and detecting and determining through an algorithm whether a flicker of light may occur.

10. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 9, further comprising a step of reversing the dimming direction if the lighting equipment is dimmed during the dimming operation in step b to a level higher than a previously stored minimum lighting level and determined that no flicker of light occurs, and maintaining the resultant electrical current level to allow a stable operation of the lighting equipment and further storing the resultant electrical current level for initiating the lighting equipment next time.

11. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 9, wherein the detecting and determining in the step b comprises detecting and analyzing consecutive alternative current (AC) wave peaks supplied to the lighting equipment using an analog-to-digital converter, followed by comparing the maximum peak value with the minimum peak value by the algorithm.

12. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 9, wherein the step a further comprises, before initiating the lighting equipment, determining whether any electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored.

13. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 8, wherein the detecting and determining in the step b comprises detecting and analyzing consecutive alternative current (AC) wave peaks supplied to the lighting equipment using an analog-to-digital converter, followed by comparing the maximum peak value with the minimum peak value by the algorithm.

14. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 8, wherein the step a further comprises, before initiating the lighting equipment, determining whether any electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored.

15. A method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment, comprising the steps of:

a. initiating the lighting equipment at a first electrical current used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment;

b. detecting and determining through an algorithm whether a flicker of light may occur;

c. if determining that a flicker of light may occur, calculating to obtain a current compensation ratio that the first electrical current must be increased to a second current to prevent the occurrence of flicker and performing immediately a current compensation by applying the second current to prevent the occurrence of flicker;

d. reducing the second current level down to the first current level and allowing the lighting equipment to stably operate at the first current level; and

e. storing the first current level for initiating the lighting equipment next time.

16. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 15, wherein the detecting and determining in the step b comprises detecting and analyzing consecutive alternative current (AC) wave peaks supplied to the lighting equipment using an analog-to-digital converter, followed by comparing the maximum peak value with the minimum peak value by the algorithm.

17. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 15, wherein the step a further comprises, before initiating the lighting equipment, determining whether any electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored.