LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS

• US 20130320862A1
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumenpulse Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lumenpulse Lighting Inc (Lumenpulse Inc.)
• Inventors: Campbell, Gregory, Hamel, Yvan, Racine, Philippe, Franzosa, Paul, Shea, Casey, Anderson, James William
• Granted Patent: US 9,253,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/152
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Light fixture systems and application of ambient light measurement for improving lighting system efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for controlling light emitting diode (LED) light fixtures, the method comprising:

monitoring a clock source signal to identify the presence of a feature in the clock source signal;

generating a trigger signal with a triggering module in response to identifying the presence of the feature in the clock source signal;

providing the trigger signal to each of a plurality of light fixtures to command each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light; and

measuring ambient light with a light sensor located with the plurality of light fixtures.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the clock source signal is an alternating voltage signal, and wherein the feature in the clock source signal is the occurrence of a zero-crossing in the alternating voltage signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering commands each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light for a predefined time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an ambient light monitor measures the ambient light in response to the trigger signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the clock source signal is:

an AC or DC signal also used to provide power to the plurality of light fixtures;

a power line communication signal carried by an AC or DC signal used to provide power to the plurality of light fixtures;

or

a signal transmitted by a clock source generator that generates the clock source signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ambient light is measured using one or more light emitting diodes in the one or more of the plurality of light fixtures.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising varying operating parameters of one or more of the light fixtures based on the measured ambient light.

8. A light fixture control system, the system comprising:

a monitoring module that monitors a clock source signal to identify the presence of a feature in the clock source signal;

a triggering module that generates a trigger signal in response to identifying the presence of the feature in the clock source signal;

a command module that provides the trigger signal to each of a plurality of light fixtures to command each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light; and

a ambient light module that monitors ambient light measured in proximity to the plurality of light fixtures.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the clock source signal is an alternating voltage signal, and wherein the feature in the clock source signal is the occurrence of a zero-crossing in the alternating voltage signal.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the command module commands each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light for a predefined time period.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the ambient light module measures the ambient light in response to the trigger signal.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the clock source signal is:

an AC or DC signal also used to provide power to the plurality of light fixtures;

a power line communication signal carried by an AC or DC signal used to provide power to the plurality of light fixtures;

or

a signal transmitted by a clock source generator that generates the clock source signal.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the ambient light is measured using one or more light emitting diodes in the one or more of the plurality of light fixtures.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein a light fixture control module varies operating parameters of one or more of the light fixtures based on the measured ambient light.

15. A method for commissioning a lighting system, the lighting system including a plurality of light fixtures, and a plurality of light sensors, where a light sensor from the plurality of light sensors is assigned to each light fixture, the method comprising:

measuring ambient light with the light sensor assigned to each light fixture; and

designating each light fixture to a lighting group based on the ambient light measured with the light sensor assigned to each fixture.

16. The method of claim 15, acquiring an updated measurement of ambient light with the light sensors assigned to each light fixture and designating each light fixture to a new lighting group based on the updated ambient light measurements.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the light sensors assigned to each light fixture include one or more light emitting diodes in the light fixture to measure the ambient light.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein a unique light sensor is assigned to each light fixture.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein a light sensor is assigned to more than one light fixture.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising prior to measuring ambient light with the light sensor assigned to each light fixture,

monitoring a clock source signal to identify the presence of a feature in the clock source signal;

generating a trigger signal with a triggering module in response to identifying the presence of the feature in the clock source signal;

providing the trigger signal to each of the plurality of light fixtures to command each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light.

21. The method of claim 15, comprising:

making a plurality of measurements of ambient light over a period of time with the light sensor assigned to each fixture;

modifying light fixture group designations based on the plurality of ambient light measurements.

22. The method of claim 15, comprising assigning one or more of the light sensors to a different light fixture based on the ambient light measurements.

23. A lighting system commissioning apparatus, the lighting system including a plurality of light fixtures, and a plurality of light sensors, where a light sensor from the plurality of light sensors is assigned to each light fixture, the apparatus comprising:

an ambient light module configured to measure ambient light with the light sensor assigned to each light fixture; and

a commissioning module configured to designate each light fixture to a lighting group based on the ambient light measured with the light sensor assigned to each fixture.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein

the ambient light module is configured to acquire an updated measurement of ambient light with the light sensors assigned to each light fixture, and

the commissioning module is configured to designate each light fixture to a new lighting group based on the updated ambient light measurements.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the light sensors assigned to each light fixture include one or more light emitting diodes in the light fixture to measure the ambient light.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein a unique light sensor is assigned to each light fixture.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein a light sensor is assigned to more than one light fixture.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, comprising:

a monitoring module;

a triggering module; and

a command module,

wherein prior to measuring ambient light with the light sensor assigned to each light fixture,

the monitoring module monitors a clock source signal to identify the presence of a feature in the clock source signal,

the triggering module generates a trigger signal in response to identifying the presence of the feature in the clock source signal, and

the command module provides the trigger signal to each of a plurality of light fixtures to command each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light.

29. A method for commissioning a lighting system, the lighting system including a plurality of light fixtures, the method comprising:

measuring ambient light with a light sensor located with the plurality of light fixtures; and

designating one or more of the plurality of light fixtures to a first lighting group based on the measured ambient light.

30. A method for grouping light fixture in a lighting system;

assigning a light sensor to each light fixture in the lighting system;

measuring ambient light with the light sensor assigned to each light fixture over a period of time; and

designating each light fixture to a lighting group based on the ambient light measured with the light sensor assigned to each fixture.

31. A method for calibrating an LED light fixture, the method comprising:

generating a reference light output from a light source;

measuring the reference light output from the light source by using at least one LED in the light fixture as a light sensor;

determining a calibration value by comparing the reference light output measurement to a reference value, such that by application of the calibration value to the operation of the LED light fixture, the LED light fixture will operate having properties associated with the reference value.

32. The method of claim 31, comprising storing the calibration value in a memory associated with the LED light fixture.

33. The method of claim 31, comprising placing the light source and LED light fixture in an enclosure and, in the absence of ambient light, generating the reference light output and measuring the reference light output.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein measuring the reference light output from the light source includes measuring the reference light output using the plurality of LEDs in the light fixture as light sensors, wherein each LED of the plurality of LEDs acquires a different reference light output measurement.

35. The method of claim 34, comprising determining a calibration value for each LED in the LED light fixture by comparing the reference light output measurement of each LED to a reference value.

36. The method of claim 35, comprising storing each LED'"'"'s calibration value in a memory associated with the LED light fixture.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein, by application of the calibration value to the operation of the LED light fixture, the LED light fixture will sense light having properties associated with the reference value.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein measuring the reference light output from the light source includes measuring the reference light output using the plurality of LEDs in the light fixture as light sensors, wherein the plurality of LEDs is configured as a string of LEDS to acquire the light output measurement.

39. An LED light fixture calibration system, the system comprising:

a light source to generate a reference light output; and

a calibration module coupled to the light source and an LED light fixture, wherein the calibration module measures the reference light output from the light source by using at least one LED in the light fixture as a light sensor and, wherein the calibration module determines a calibration value by comparing the reference light output measurement to a reference value, such that by application of the calibration value to the operation of the LED light fixture, the LED light fixture will operate having properties associated with the reference value.

40. The system of claim 39, comprising a processor for storing the calibration value in a memory associated with the LED light fixture.

41. The system of claim 39, comprising an enclosure in which the light source and LED light fixture are placed and, in the absence of ambient light, the light source generates the reference light output and the LED light fixture measures the reference light output.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the LED light fixture has a plurality of LEDS and the LEDs measure the reference light output using the plurality of LEDs in the light fixture as light sensors, wherein each LED of the plurality of LEDs acquires a different reference light output measurement.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the calibration module determines a calibration value for each LED in the LED light fixture by comparing the reference light output measurement of each LED to a reference value.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the processor stores each LED'"'"'s calibration value in a memory associated with the LED light fixture.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein, by application of the calibration value to the operation of the LED light fixture, the LED light fixture will sense light having properties associated with the reference value.

46. The system of claim 39, wherein measuring the reference light output from the light source includes measuring the reference light output using the plurality of LEDs in the light fixture as light sensors, wherein the plurality of LEDs is configured as a string of LEDS to acquire the light output measurement.