UPGRADEABLE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AQUARIUM LIGHTING

• US 20120152177A1
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Space Corporation
• Original Assignee: Orbital Technologies Corporation (Sierra Nevada Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Bourget, Christopher Michael, Anderson, Ronald J., Arneson, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 8,863,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/267
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/06 Arrangements for heating or lighting in, or attached to, receptacles for live fish
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/308 for aquaria
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases

Abstract

An LED-based aquarium lighting system having upgradeable control system and a method thereof are provided. The system includes an LED source having a plurality of LED lights, a marine habitat for housing a marine habitat life, a control system which comprises a motherboard, a control panel, and a control module. The control module is replaceable with a new control module to provide upgrades of operational modes and features of the aquarium lighting system. Accordingly, to perform an upgrade of the control system, a user replaces the control module with a new control module by removing the control module from the motherboard and plugging the new control module in the motherboard, thereby readily making upgrades of operational modes and features of the aquarium lighting system without requiring the entire aquarium lighting system be replaced.

Claims

1. An LED-based aquarium lighting system, comprising:

an LED source having a plurality of LED lights;

a marine habitat for housing a marine habitat life;

a control system which comprises a motherboard, a control panel, and a control module; and

wherein the control module is replaceable with a new control module to provide upgrades of operational modes and features of the aquarium lighting system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the motherboard includes a user display and a plurality of connectors to link the control module and the control panel, the motherboard provides an interface between the control module and the LED source.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control panel is a separate unit that plugs into the motherboard, and the control panel, along with the user display on the motherboard, comprises a user interface for the aquarium lighting system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the control panel provides means for changing settings, modes, and features of the aquarium lighting system, and providing feedback to the user.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the motherboard is disposed on the LED source such that the user display is visible to the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is a separate circuit board that plugs into the motherboard via an edge connector.

7. A control system for an LED-based lighting system, comprising:

a motherboard having a user display;

a control panel having means for changing settings, modes, and features of the LED-based lighting system, and providing feedback to a user; and

an upgradeable control module which can be removed and replaced by a new control module, the control module being a separate circuit board that plugs into the motherboard via an edge connector.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the motherboard further includes a plurality of connectors to link the control module and the control panel, the motherboard provides an interface between the control module and an LED source of the LED-based lighting system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the control panel is a separate unit that plugs into the motherboard, and the control panel, along with the user display on the motherboard, comprises a user interface for the LED-based lighting system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the motherboard is disposed on the LED source such that the user display is visible to the user.

11. A method of aquarium lighting, comprising:

providing an LED-based aquarium lighting system, comprising an LED source having a plurality of LED lights, a marine habitat for housing a marine habitat life;

providing a control system which comprises a motherboard, a control panel, and a control module, the control module and the control panel are connected to the motherboard;

providing aquarium lighting in an operational mode to the marine habitat life; and

replacing the control module with a new control module by removing the control module from the motherboard and plugging the new control module in the motherboard, wherein upgrades of operational modes and features of the aquarium lighting system are made without requiring the entire aquarium lighting system be replaced.