SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN OUTDOOR LIGHTING FEATURE WITH AN INTEGRATED SOLAR PANEL

• US 20110018448A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles R. Iii Metchear, Elizabeth K. Piper
• Original Assignee: Charles R. Iii Metchear, Elizabeth K. Piper
• Inventors: Piper, Elizabeth K., Metchear, Charles R. III
• Application Number:
  US12/508,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018448A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/152
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/083 of bollard type, i.e. with lighting fixture integrated into the standard or mounted on top of it and having substantially the same diameter
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/035 the solar unit being integrated within the support for the lighting unit, e.g. within or on a pole
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/023 for pedestrian walkways
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/04 for waterways
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting

Abstract

A system and method for operating an outdoor lighting feature is provided, the outdoor lighting feature including a bollard, a solar panel disposed within a recess on the top of the bollard, a battery disposed within the bollard, the battery being electrically coupled to the solar panel and configured to receive and store energy from the solar panel, and a light source oriented to direct a light beam to a region external to the bollard, the light source being configured to draw an electric load from the battery. The system detects a change in an ambient light level, starts a timer and places a light source in a high-on state in response to the change in the ambient light level, monitors the timer, places the light source in a low-on state upon measuring a first predefined amount of lapsed time on the timer, and places the light source in an off state upon measuring a second predefined amount of lapsed time on the timer.

Claims

1. An outdoor lighting feature comprising:

a bollard;

a solar panel disposed on the top of the bollard;

a battery disposed within the bollard, the battery being electrically coupled to the solar panel and configured to receive and store energy from the solar panel; and

a light source disposed at least partially within the bollard and oriented to direct a light beam to a region external to the bollard, the light source being configured to draw an electric load from the battery.

2. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, wherein the bollard is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of stone, concrete, brick, and masonry.

3. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 2, wherein the bollard comprises a decorative exterior.

4. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least one light emitting diode.

5. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, further comprising a charge controller electrically coupled to the solar panel and the battery, the charge controller being configured to controllably charge the battery with the energy from the solar panel.

6. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, further comprising a system controller disposed within the bollard and electrically coupled to the battery and the light source, the system controller being configured to selectively activate and deactivate the light source.

7. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 6, wherein the system controller comprises a timing device.

8. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 7, wherein the timing device comprises a capacitor.

9. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 6, wherein the solar panel is pivotally connected to the bollard and can be articulated between an open position in which the system controller and the battery can be accessed and a closed position in which the system controller and the battery are fully concealed within the bollard.

10. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 6, further comprising a motion sensor electrically coupled to the system controller, the motion sensor configured provide a signal to the system controller responsive to motion within a vicinity of the outdoor lighting feature.

11. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 6, further comprising an inverter electrically coupled to the battery and the system controller, wherein the inverter is configured to receive a direct current from the battery and provide an alternating current to the system controller.

12. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 6, further comprising a light level monitor configured to provide a signal to the system controller responsive to ambient light levels.

13. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 12, wherein the light level monitor is configured to measure an output voltage of the solar panel.

14. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 6, further comprising a battery voltage monitor coupled to the battery and configured to provide a signal to the system controller responsive to a measurement of the voltage of the battery.

15. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 6, wherein the system controller further comprises a microcontroller configured to implement logic to selectively activate and deactivate the light source.

16. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 15, wherein the microcontroller is implemented as a state machine.

17. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, wherein the light source is oriented substantially downward to direct the light beam onto a surface adjacent the bollard.

18. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, wherein the light source can be controllably set at one of a plurality of brightness levels.

19. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, wherein the solar panel has an energy-collecting capacity and the battery has an energy-storing capacity such that the light source is capable of operating for a time period of at least about 5 days where the battery does not store any energy during the time period.

20. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, wherein the solar panel has an energy-collecting capacity and the battery has an energy-storing capacity such that the light source is capable of operating at an intensity of at least about a 40-watt lamp.

21. The outdoor lighting feature of claim 1, wherein the battery has an energy-storing capacity of at least about 18 Amp hours.

22. A method for controllably activating a solar-powered light source disposed within a decorative bollard, comprising acts of:

detecting a change in an ambient light level;

starting a timer and placing a light source in a high-on state in response to the change in the ambient light level;

comparing the timer to a plurality of predefined time durations;

placing the light source in a low-on state upon the timer equaling a first predefined time duration of the plurality of predefined time durations;

placing the light source in an off state upon the timer equaling a second predefined time duration of the plurality of predefined time durations.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the acts of:

detecting a voltage level of a battery;

placing the light source in the off state in response to a voltage level of the battery being below a predefined threshold; and

maintaining the light source in the off state in continued response to the voltage level of the battery being below the predefined threshold.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the acts of:

detecting motion in a region while the light source is in one of the low-on state and the off state;

starting a timer and placing the light source in the high-on state in response to motion in the region; and

placing the light source in the off state upon the timer equaling a third predefined time duration of the plurality of predefined time durations.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of detecting motion in a region while the light source is in one of the low-on and the off state detects a first motion, further comprising:

detecting a second motion in the region while the light source is in the high-on state; and

restarting the timer and maintaining the light source in the high-on state in response to the second motion in the region.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the act of detecting a change in an ambient light level further comprises detecting that the ambient light level has been below a predefined threshold for a third predefined time duration of the plurality of predefined time durations.