Scotopically enhanced emergency light and control thereof

• US 20100277070A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell Lighting Incorporated (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Butteris, Jamey L., Starinki, Michael A., Heaton, Thomas K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,258,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/113
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light

Abstract

System and method are provided for controlling emergency lighting where emergency lights turn on when main source of power goes out for controlling emergency lighting to conserve energy utilized by the emergency light, while maintaining good visibility of the emergency lighting. Solid state lighting, such as LED, is used within an emergency light to add light in blue wavelength region matching the light output to the most sensitive of wavelength response of the human eve to increase color perception and allows faster response time. Electrical current to the device and light output are reduced while LED light tends to increase its blue wavelength component as it is dimmed thus increasing effective light output. After a predetermined time, the light is purposefully dimmed to conserve energy and to allow the eye to slowly and safely adjust to the new lighting conditions. By reducing electrical current, energy storage batteries may be smaller than for similar unit that maintains constant light output.

Claims

1. A light system comprising:

a light source comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED); and

a controller that outputs a control signal to the LED to correspondingly vary luminous output of the LED,

wherein the spectral output of the LED remains substantially unchanged scotopically when the luminous output of the LED is varied.

2. The light system of claim 1, further comprising a power monitoring circuit connected to an AC power source and, if power from the AC power source is absent for a certain period of time, providing an indication to the controlled of an emergency event.

3. The light system of claim 2, wherein, if the controller receives the indication of the emergency event, the control signal comprises a first control signal to the LED to maintain the luminous output of the LED at the first level for a first period of time.

4. The light system of claim 2, wherein, if the controller receives the indication of the emergency event, the control signal comprises a second control signal to the LED to reduce the luminous output of the LED from a first level to a second level over a second period of time.

5. The light system of claim 4, wherein, when the luminous output of the LED is reduced to the second level, the control signal comprises a third control signal to the LED to maintain the luminous output of the LED at the second level.

6. The light system of claim 1, further comprising a power source for providing power to the LED.

7. The light system of claim 6, further comprises a voltage to current converter,

wherein the control signal output form the controller comprises a voltage and the voltage to current converter converts the voltage to a current and outputs the current to the LED, and

wherein the controller varies a pattern of the voltage to vary the current output to the LED to correspondingly vary the luminous output of the LED.

8. The light system of claim 7, further comprising a current regulator connected to the controller for regulating the current output to the LED.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs, and the controller outputs the control signal to the LEDs to correspondingly vary luminous output of the LEDs.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs, the system further comprising a plurality of voltage to current converters each configured to convert the voltage output from the controller to the current output to the respective LEDs.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a reflector configure with respect to the light source to direct light output from the light source;

a heat sink configured to dissipate heat associated with the LED; and

a mounting bracket for attaching the light source.

19. The system of claim 4, wherein the first level of output is essentially at 100%, the second level of output is essentially at 70%, the second period of time is approximately 30 minutes, and the reduction of the luminous output of the LED from the first level to the second level is essentially gradual over the second time period.

12. A method for controlling output of light, the method comprising:

outputting light from at least one light emitting diode (LED);

generating a control signal supplied to the LED to correspondingly vary luminous output of the LED, wherein the spectral output of the LED remains substantially unchanged scotopically when the luminous output of the LED is varied.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring power output from an AC power source; and

if power from the AC power source is absent for a certain period of time, generating an indication of an emergency event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, if detecting the indication of the emergency event, the generating of the control signal comprises outputting a first control signal to the LED to maintain the luminous output of the LED at the first level for a first period of time.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein, if detecting the indication of the emergency event, the generating of the control signal comprises outputting a second control signal to the LED to reduce the luminous output of the LED from a first level to a second level over a second period of time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, when the luminous output of the LED is reduced to the second level, the generating of the control signal comprises outputting a third control signal to the LED to maintain the luminous output of the LED at the second level.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the generating of the control signal supplied to the LED comprises:

generating a voltage pattern;

converting the voltage pattern to a current; and

supplying the current to the LED,

wherein varying the voltage pattern varies the current supplied to the LED to correspondingly vary the luminous output of the LED.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising outputting light from a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs),

wherein the generating of the control signal further comprises supplying the control signal to the LEDs to correspondingly vary luminous output of the LEDs, wherein the spectral output of the LEDs remains substantially unchanged scotopically when the luminous output of the LEDs is varied.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first level of output is essentially at 100%, the second level of output is essentially at 70%, the second period of time is approximately 30 minutes, and the reduction of the luminous output of the LED from the first level to the second level is essentially gradual over the second time period.