CONTROL SYSTEM WITH USER INTERFACE FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES

• US 20130221872A1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PQJ Corp., PQJ, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jun Dong, Quan Gan
• Inventors: GAN, Quan, DONG, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 9,204,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/292
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

The present invention discloses a control system, comprising user interface that includes an input/output module for assignment of address and control configurations for a fixture; and uses a light for outputting a precise indication and feedback confirmation of exact settings for address and control configurations

Claims

1. A lighting fixture, comprising:

integrated control system;

the integrated control system includes a user interface that has an input for assignment of address and control configurations, with the integrated control system using light modulations from the lighting fixture as an output for confirmation of the assigned address and control configurations.

2. A lighting fixture, comprising:

an intelligent micro-spotlight that includes;

one or more light sources;

a control circuit for receiving signals;

a coupler comprised of a first and a second couplers and coupled with the light source and the control circuit for delivery of power and signals to the light source and the control circuit of the intelligent micro-spotlight; and

the intelligent micro-spotlight providing confirmation of received signals using the one or more light sources.

3. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the coupler is one of a cable and a port; and

the first and second couplers are one of a wiring cable and a port.

4. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a mounting stand for securing the intelligent micro-spotlight onto a structure;

the mounting stand includes;

one or more fastening apertures for insertion of a fastener for securing the mounting stand onto a structure;

one or more pivot knobs that detachably couples the mounting stand with one or more holes on the intelligent micro-spotlight housing, and enables the intelligent micro-spotlight to pivot to desired orientation.

5. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the light source is one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LED).

6. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the control circuit is mounted on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

7. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the first coupler includes a power plug for receiving power; and

the second coupler includes a signal plug for receiving signal.

8. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the power plug is coupled with a power source via a power plug adapter; and

the signal plug is coupled with a signal source via a signal plug adapter.

9. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

the power plug adapter is a power screw terminal adapter; and

the signal plug adapter is a Tip Ring Sleeve (TRS) signal screw terminal adapter.

10. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the signal plug is a Tip Ring Sleeve (TRS) connector used for communication and processing of DMX signals.

11. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

intelligent micro-spotlight further includes;

a housing that accommodates;

a lens;

light source;

control circuit mounted on the PCB;

a front cap for containing the lens and the light source;

an end cap for containing the PCB with the mounted control circuit.

12. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

the housing includes a partition that is comprised of a first and second partition sides with one or more through-holes;

the first partition side accommodates the light source,

the second partition side accommodates the PCB;

the partition walls function as a heat conducting substrate to pull heat away from components of high thermal activity

with the one or more through-holes allowing wiring from the control circuit to pass and couple with the light source.

13. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

the light source is secured to the housing by a light source mounting base that dissipates heat from the light source and enables the light source to be secured within the housing, forming the light source module.

14. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

the end cap includes a hole for passage of the cable for delivery of power and signal.

15. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the control circuit is comprised of;

Central Processing Unit (CPU);

storage module;

voltage regulator that receives power from the first coupler and provides regulated voltage to the CPU;

signal receiver that receives signal from the second coupler and provides signal to the CPU;

one or more light source driver modules that receive power from the first coupler and processed signal from the CPU to power and operate one or more light sources.

16. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 15, wherein:

the CPU is comprised of;

Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART) module for receiving the signal;

Logic Unit for decoding received serial signal from the UART module and for outputting one or more processed signals for operation of one or more light sources.

17. The lighting fixture as set forth in claim 16, wherein:

the processed signals are modulation signals for operation of the one or more light source driver modules.

18. A control system, comprising:

programming device for configuring an external device;

the programming device includes;

a user interface comprised of;

an input and output module;

the input module for inputting values for desired configuration of the external device;

an output module for displaying information for settings and configurations for the external device;

a Central Processing Unit that is powered by a voltage regulator and receives input from the input module and displays processed signals to the output module and a signal transmitter.

19. The control system as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

setting configurations of the external device includes assignment of address and control configurations.

20. The control system as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

the input module enables access, selection, and setting of modes of operations of the programming device for configuration of the external device;

the set modes of operations, including settings of values for attributes for a selected mode of operation, with the set values defining the attributes of the selected mode of operation stored in a storage module of the programming device and transmitted to the external device;

the external device includes attributes for various modes of operation, the values of which are set by the transmitted signal from the programming device.

21. The control system as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

the programming device includes;

a power input terminal for receiving power via first power connector;

a power output terminal for providing power to an external device;

the power from the power input terminal is used to power the programming device and is directly coupled with the power output terminal.

22. The control system as set forth in claim 21, wherein:

the power output terminal of the programming device is coupled with the external device via a second power connector.

23. The control system as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

the programming device includes;

signal output terminal for transmission of signal to the external device.

24. The control system as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

the signal output terminal of the programming device is coupled with the external device via a signal connector

25. The control system as set forth in claim 24, wherein:

the external device is one of the intelligent micro-spotlight and an intermediary module, configured by the programming device.

26. The control system as set forth in claim 24, wherein:

a configured external device operates in standalone in accordance with the set values of the attributes of the various modes of operation, requiring only power.

27. A method for processing control signals, comprising:

retrieving stored address data related to start address of light source;

outputting retrieved address data to operate light source in accordance with address attributes;

retrieving stored data related to attributes of mode of operation of light source;

outputting retrieved data to operate light source in accordance with attributes associated with the mode of operation; and

determining if an incoming signal is received.

28. A method for processing control signals in accordance with claim 27, wherein:

If incoming signal is received,

determining if the received signal is control command or manufacturers code;

if a control command is received, decoding the control command and modulating light sources according to the control command;

if a manufacturers code is received, determining if the manufacturers code is a configuration code or an address command;

if the manufacturers code is an address command, decoding the address from the manufacturers code, storing the decoded address in a storage module, and rebooting light fixture;

if the manufacturers code is a configuration command, storing configuration command in a storage module.

29. A method for processing control signals, comprising:

loading stored data to memory;

loading current mode onto user interface;

determining if address mode or control mode is selected;

if address mode, inputting and displaying selected address;

determining the receipt of confirmation signal of the selected address;

if confirmation of address is received, forwarding a manufacturer'"'"'s code encoded with address mode code with the set address and storing the set address to a storage module.

30. A method for processing control signals as set forth in claim 29, wherein:

if control mode is selected, inputting desired control, and continuously transmitting control signal for modulation of lights of an externally coupled device for confirmation feedback of set controls.

31. A control system, comprising:

user interface that includes;

an input mechanism for assignment of address and control configurations for a lighting fixture; and

an output mechanism that uses the lighting fixture for outputting a precise indication of exact settings for address and control configurations.

32. A control system, comprising:

user interface that includes;

an input mechanism for assignment of address and control configurations for a lighting fixture; and

an intermediary module that uses one of the lighting fixture and built-in light sources as an output mechanism for outputting a precise indication of exact settings for address and control configurations.

33. A control system as set forth in claim 32, wherein:

the lighting fixture is a non-intelligent micro-spotlight with the intermediary module providing necessary intelligence to the non-intelligent micro-spotlight to function as an intelligent micro-spotlight.