OUTDOOR LIGHTING FIXTURES CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120038281A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Verfuerth, Neal R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,476,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/152
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• 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

One embodiment of the invention relates to a system for operating a plurality of streetlights in response to motion from a vehicle. The system includes a sensor associated with at least one of the streetlights and configured to detect the presence of a moving vehicle and to provide a signal representative of the moving vehicle. The system further includes a radio frequency transceiver associated with each of the streetlights. The system yet further includes processing electronics configured to receive the signal representative of the moving vehicle from the sensor and to cause the radio frequency transceiver to transmit a command to one or more of the plurality of the streetlights to change lighting states along a pathway for the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for operating a plurality of streetlights in response to motion from a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor associated with at least one of the streetlights and configured to detect the presence of a moving vehicle and to provide a signal representative of the moving vehicle;

a radio frequency transceiver associated with each of the streetlights; and

processing electronics configured to receive the signal representative of the moving vehicle from the sensor and to cause the radio frequency transceiver to transmit a command to one or more of the plurality of the streetlights to change lighting states along a pathway for the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects a speed of the moving vehicle and streetlights in the pathway are illuminated in a sequence that is at least as fast as the speed of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects direction of the moving vehicle and the pathway corresponds to the direction of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein once activated, the streetlights remain on for a predetermined period of time and then deactivate until the sensor detects the presence of another moving vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of streetlights are configured into zones and one or more of the zones are completely or at least partially activated to illuminate the pathway.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the streetlights comprise high intensity discharge fluorescent lamps.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the pathway comprises streets.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pathway comprises at least a portion of a parking lot.

9. A system for illuminating an outdoor area, comprising:

a first outdoor lighting fixture;

a first control circuit for the first outdoor lighting fixture;

a first radio frequency transceiver coupled to the first control circuit via a wired communications link;

a sensor associated with the first outdoor lighting fixture and configured to provide a sensor output to the first control circuit for the first outdoor light; and

a second outdoor lighting fixture;

wherein the first control circuit is configured to cause the first radio frequency transceiver to send data to the second outdoor lighting fixture in response to the sensor output;

wherein the second outdoor lighting fixture includes a second control circuit configured to use the data sent by the first radio frequency transceiver to determine whether to change lighting states.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second outdoor lighting fixture comprises a first ballast and a second ballast, and wherein changing lighting states comprises activating at least one of the first ballast and second ballast.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second control circuit is configured to hold one of the first ballast and the second ballast in an activated state by default and to activate the other ballast in response to the data sent by the first radio frequency transceiver and used by the second control circuit to determine whether to change states.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data sent by the first radio frequency transceiver is representative of motion in the outdoor area and wherein the second control circuit is configured to hold one of the first ballast and the second ballast in an activated state according to a schedule and when no data representative of motion in the outdoor area has been received within a predetermined time period;

and

wherein the second control circuit is configured to cause both the first and second ballast to activate in response to receiving data representative of motion from the first radio frequency transceiver.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second outdoor lighting fixture is physically coupled to a second radio frequency transceiver electrically coupled to the second control circuit, and wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to receive the data from the first radio frequency transceiver and to provide the data to the second control circuit.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to retransmit the data representative of motion for use by additional outdoor lighting fixtures.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second control circuit is configured to cause the second radio frequency transceiver to transmit a new data message to additional outdoor lighting fixtures in response to reception of the data from the first radio frequency transceiver.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second control circuit is configured to determine an identifier to include with the new data message based on information identifying the outdoor lighting fixture that last transmitted the data sent by the first radio frequency transceiver.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second control circuit is configured to determine the identifier to include with the new data message by looking up the identifier to include with the new data message using an identifier of the data sent by the first radio frequency transceiver.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the data sent by the first radio frequency transceiver includes an indication of time.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second control circuit is communicably coupled to a second sensor and wherein the second sensor is at least one of a motion sensor and a camera, and wherein the second control circuit is further configured to determine at least one of a speed, a direction, or a next lighting fixture.

20. A lighting fixture, comprising:

a first ballast for illuminating a first light and a second ballast for illuminating a second light;

a motion sensor;

a radio frequency transceiver; and

a circuit coupled to the first ballast, the second ballast, the motion sensor, and the radio frequency transceiver;

wherein the circuit is configured to cause the first ballast to be in an activated state of operation such that the first light is illuminating and the second ballast to be in a deactivated state of operation such that the second light is not illuminated;

wherein the circuit is further configured to receive a signal from the motion sensor and to determine whether the signal is representative of motion;

wherein the circuit is further configured to respond to a determination that the signal is representative of motion by causing the second ballast to enter an activated state of operation such that the second light is illuminated;

wherein the circuit is further configured to cause the radio frequency transceiver to transmit at least one of a message indicating motion and an illuminate command for receipt by other lighting fixtures.