LIGHT DIMMING CONTROL

• US 20120062128A1
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise Technologies Incorporated (Electro Switch Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sunrise Technologies Incorporated (Electro Switch Corp.)
• Inventors: Spillman, Vance P., Rosenquist, Craig H., Barber, Jeremy B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,210,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/152
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A power supply to an LED-based street or area light is operated to provide a dimming control signal, which is in turn processed by a circuit to produce 0-10 V DC, pulse width modulated (PWM) signals, or any other suitable signal that can variably control LEDs within the light. The on/off power interruptions could be provided, for example, from a photoelectric control, a timer circuit, or a pre-programmed or manually controlled timer/contactor. The signal to the on/off device could also or instead be initiated by an RF or power line carrier signal to cause the power interruptions.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an outdoor light fixture;

an LED array mounted in the outdoor light fixture;

a power line coupled to the outdoor light fixture;

an actuator that independently switches power from the power line, thereby providing a switched output; and

a circuit coupled between the switched output and the LED array, the circuit responsive to one or more predetermined power cycles of the switched output to vary an intensity of illumination from the LED array.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit, the first circuit operable to detect the one or more predetermined power cycles and responsively create an intensity control signal and the second circuit including a driver operable to receive the intensity control signal and to create a corresponding power signal to drive the LED array.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator is removably and replaceably coupled to the outdoor light fixture through a NEMA locking three prong receptacle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outdoor light fixture includes a street light fixture.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outdoor light fixture includes a gas lamp fixture.

6. An apparatus comprising:

an outdoor light fixture for a gas lamp;

an LED array mounted in the outdoor light fixture;

a power line coupled to the outdoor light fixture;

a coupling for an actuator to provide a switched output for at least one lead of the power line; and

a circuit coupled between the switched output and the LED array, the circuit responsive to one or more predetermined power cycles of the switched output to vary an intensity of illumination from the LED array.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the coupling includes a NEMA locking three prong receptacle.

8. A method comprising:

powering an LED array of an outdoor light fixture based upon a power signal received from a power line;

detecting a predetermined power cycle in the power signal, the predetermined power cycle corresponding to a predetermined intensity for the LED array; and

in response to the predetermined power cycle, controlling the LED array to provide illumination at the predetermined intensity.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a first pair of leads from the housing;

a second pair of leads from the housing;

a first circuit within the housing including circuitry to convert electricity from the first pair of leads to a predetermined direct current voltage;

a capacitive element coupled to the first circuit, the capacitive element providing power to the first circuit for a continued operation of the first circuit during an interruption of power on the first pair of leads;

a second circuit within the housing coupled to the first circuit and receiving the predetermined direct current voltage, the second circuit further coupled to at least one of the first pair of leads as a control input and coupled to the second pair of leads to provide an LED control signal or an LED power signal to the LED array, wherein the second circuit controls the LED control signal or the LED power signal to vary an intensity of illumination from the LED array in response to the control input.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a street light power supply coupled to the first pair of leads.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the street light power supply includes a light-activated actuator that selectively switches power to the first pair of leads according to ambient light.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a master controller coupled to the first pair of leads, the master controller controlling delivery of power to a plurality of street lights.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a timed contactor coupled to the first pair of leads, the timed contactor providing time-based control of delivery of power.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising an LED array electrically coupled to the second pair of leads.

15. A method comprising:

receiving an alternating current signal;

converting the alternating current signal to a direct current signal with a circuit;

supplementing the direct current signal with a capacitive element that provides the direct current signal for an interval during an interruption of the alternating current signal;

controlling an intensity of illumination from an LED array with a second circuit, wherein the intensity is responsive to the interruption of the alternating current signal and wherein the second circuit is powered by the direct current signal.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing the alternating current signal from a master controller that controls a plurality of street lights.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a pair of input leads to the housing;

a pair of output leads from the housing;

a first circuit within the housing including circuitry to convert electricity from the pair of input leads to a predetermined direct current voltage;

a non-volatile memory; and

a second circuit within the housing coupled to the first circuit and powered by the predetermined direct current voltage, the second circuit configured to estimate a predetermined intermediate point of an on duration of a power signal on the first pair of input leads, and to store the predetermined intermediate point in the non-volatile memory, the second circuit further configured to provide a first signal to an LED array on the pair of output leads when the power signal turns on, and a second signal to the LED array at the predetermined intermediate point of the on duration, wherein the second signal specifies lower intensity of light from the LED array than the first signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the pair of input leads is coupled to a street light power source through a light-activated actuator that selectively switches power to the first pair of leads according to ambient light.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the light-activated actuator turns power on at dusk and turns power off at dawn.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined intermediate point is a halfway point between dusk and dawn.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined intermediate point is midnight.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined intermediate point is a predetermined interval following a halfway point of the on duration.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined intermediate point is two hours before midnight.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined intermediate point is a predetermined interval prior to a halfway point of the on duration.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the predetermined intermediate point is two hours after midnight.

26. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the pair of input leads is coupled to a master controller that controls delivery of power to a plurality of street lights.

27. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the pair of input leads are coupled to a street light power supply including a timed contactor for time-based control of delivery of power.

28. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of LEDs in an array coupled to the pair of output leads.

29. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first signal and the second signal are LED control signals.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the first signal and the second signal include LED intensity data encoded as pulse width modulation signals.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the first signal and the second signal include LED intensity data encoded as 0-10 VDC signals.

32. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first signal and the second signal are LED power signals adapted to directly drive a plurality of light emitting diodes in an array.

33. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a pair of input leads to the housing;

a pair of output leads from the housing;

a first circuit within the housing including circuitry to convert electricity from the pair of input leads to a predetermined direct current voltage;

a capacitive element coupled to the first circuit to maintain, the capacitive element maintaining the predetermined direct current voltage during an interruption of a power signal on the pair of input leads;

a second circuit within the housing coupled to the first circuit and powered by the predetermined direct current voltage, and further coupled to at least one of the pair of input leads and configured to detect a power interruption of a predetermined duration on the pair of input leads, the second circuit further configured to provide a first signal to an LED array on the pair of output leads when the power signal turns on and a second signal to the LED different from the first signal in response to the power interruption drop, wherein the second signal specifies lower intensity of light from the LED array than the first signal.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the pair of input leads is coupled to a street light power source.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the power interruption of a predetermined duration signals an intermediate night time.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the intermediate night time is midnight.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the intermediate night time is a predetermined interval following midnight.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the intermediate night time is a predetermined interval before midnight.

39. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a plurality of LEDs in an array coupled to the pair of output leads.

40. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the first signal and the second signal are LED control signals.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the first signal and the second signal include LED intensity data encoded as pulse width modulation signals.

42. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the first signal and the second signal include LED intensity data encoded as 0-10 VDC signals.

43. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the first signal and the second signal are LED power signals adapted to directly drive a plurality of light emitting diodes in an array.

44. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a night timing circuit configured to detect a dusk and a dawn based upon input from a light-activated street light power supply and to create the power interruption of the predetermined duration at a predetermined intermediate point between the dusk and the dawn.