LOW VOLTAGE LIGHTING POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150123566A1
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kichler Lighting, LLC (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LD Kichler Company (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Tyson, Thomas Joseph, Andrisin, John J. III, Ascherl, John Joseph, Janos, Joseph John
• Granted Patent: US 9,635,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/023 Power supplies in a casing F21V23/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/109 of gardens
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/397 Current mirror circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

The present application discloses systems and methods for providing low voltage power for low voltage lighting sources, e.g., so-called landscape lighting. A low voltage lighting power supply includes an enclosure and a power circuit enclosed in the enclosure. In some embodiments the power circuit has a primary side and a secondary side. The primary side accepts power from a main power source and the secondary side has a plurality of separate output power circuits, each output power circuit generating a separate low voltage lighting power signal capable of lighting a plurality of low voltage light sources and each being rated for a particular output.

Claims

1. A low voltage lighting power supply, comprising:

an enclosure;

a power circuit enclosed in the enclosure and having a primary side and a secondary side;

the primary side accepting power from a main power source; and

the secondary side having a plurality of separate output power circuits, each output power circuit generating a separate low voltage lighting power signal capable of lighting a plurality of low voltage light sources and each being rated for a particular output.

2. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein the particular output is the power output.

3. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein the particular output is the current output.

4. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein each of the separate output power circuits is a separate module that can be inserted into the secondary side as a unit.

5. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein each of the separate output power circuits has substantially the same power rating.

6. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein each of the separate output power circuits generates at least two separate low voltage lighting power signals, each capable of lighting a plurality of low voltage light sources.

7. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, further comprising power measurement circuitry that measures on the secondary side in real time at least one power-related parameter of at least one of the separate low voltage lighting power signals.

8. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 7, wherein the power measurement circuitry measures on the secondary side in real time a value indicating the current drawn by at least one of the separate low voltage lighting power signals and the power-related parameter is a value indicating current.

9. The low voltage lighting power supply according claim 7, wherein the power measurement circuitry measures on the secondary side in real time a value indicating the power of at least one of the separate low voltage lighting power signals and the power-related parameter is a value indicating power.

10. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, further comprising power measurement circuitry that measures on the secondary side in real time a power-related parameter for each of the separate low voltage lighting power signals.

11. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein each of the separate output power circuits has power measurement circuitry that measures on the secondary side in real time a power-related parameter for each of the separate low voltage lighting power signals.

12. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 10, wherein the power measurement circuitry measures on the secondary side in real time a value indicating the current drawn by each of the separate low voltage lighting power signals and the power-related parameter is a value indicating current.

13. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 10, wherein the power measurement circuitry measures on the secondary side in real time a value indicating the power of each of the separate low voltage lighting power signals and the power-related parameter is a value indicating power.

14. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 7, wherein in a normal operation mode the low voltage lighting power supply automatically takes a power overload action in response to a comparison of one of the measured power-related parameters to a threshold.

15. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 7, wherein in a normal operation mode, for each of the separate output power circuits, the low voltage lighting power supply automatically compares the measured power-related parameter to a threshold and automatically takes a power overload action in response to the comparison indicating a power overload condition.

16. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 7, wherein in a normal operation mode, for each of the separate low voltage lighting power signals, the low voltage lighting power supply automatically compares the measured power-related parameter to a threshold and automatically takes a power overload action in response to the comparison indicating a power overload condition.

17. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 16, wherein the low voltage lighting power supply has logic to take at least one power overload action in response to the comparison indicating a power overload condition, the at least one power overload action being selected from the group consisting of:

(a) automatically shutting down the separate output power circuit having the power overload condition, (b) automatically shutting down the separate low voltage lighting power signals having the power overload condition, (c) automatically shutting down all the separate low voltage lighting power supply outputs, (d) automatically transmitting a message to a computer remote from the low voltage lighting power supply, (e) automatically reducing the voltage or available current of one or more of the outputs of the separate output power circuit(s) having the power overload condition, (f) automatically reducing the voltage or available current of the separate low voltage lighting power signal(s) having the power overload condition, (g) automatically indicating to a user that an overload condition exists, (h) shutting down the primary voltage to the power supply unit having the fault condition, (i) accepting from a pre-programmed remote computer an instruction to perform any of the foregoing.

18. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 17, wherein the specific at least one power overload action taken depends on a magnitude of difference resulting from the comparison.

19. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 17, wherein the low voltage lighting power supply has a plurality of thresholds for each separate low voltage lighting power supply outputs and the specific at least one power overload action taken depends on which thresholds are exceeded.

20. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 7, wherein the low voltage lighting power supply in a light source installation mode communicates to an installer in real time the real-time measured power-related parameter measured on the secondary side for at least one of the separate output power circuits.

21. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 20, wherein the communication to the installer is via a display.

22. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 20, wherein the communication to the installer is via a wireless transmission.

23. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 7, wherein the low voltage lighting power supply in a light source installation mode communicates to an installer in real time the real-time measured power-related parameter measured on the secondary side for at least one of the separate low voltage lighting power supply outputs.

24. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 22, wherein the communication to the installer is via a display.

25. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 22, wherein the communication to the installer is via a wireless transmission.

26. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 7, wherein the low voltage lighting power supply in a light source installation mode monitors in real time the real-time measured power-related parameter measured on the secondary side for at least one of the separate output power circuits and, in response to at least one of the real-time measured power-related parameters measured on the secondary side exceeding a threshold, indicating to an installer that the at least one real-time measured power-related parameter measured on the secondary side has exceeded a threshold that does not indicate a power overload condition.

27. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein each of the separate output power circuits comprises circuitry permitting unbalanced loading of a plurality of separate low voltage lighting power supply outputs output by that separate output power circuit permitting unbalanced distribution of the power output of that separate output power circuit among the various separate low voltage lighting power supply outputs.

28. The low voltage lighting power supply according to claim 1, wherein each of the separate output power circuits comprises circuitry generating direct-current separate low voltage lighting power supply outputs.

29. A method of installing a lighting fixture, comprising:

observing a real time power-related parameter of a power supply to which the lighting fixture is to be connected;

connecting the lighting fixture to the power supply; and

observing the change in the real time power-related parameter of a power supply to which the lighting fixture was connected.

30. A computer system, comprising a processor programmed to perform at least one action selected from the group consisting of:

provide a software user input which a user can indicate a desire to add a light to be controlled by that computer;

provide a software user input with which a user can identify one or more specific zones or low voltage power supplies being added;

provide a software user input with which a user can select a type of light source;

provide a software user input with which a user can select an incremental brightness offset to change the brightness of a particular low voltage lighting power supply;

provide a software user input with which a user can select at least one low voltage lighting power supply;

provide a software user input with which a user can control the brightness of a low voltage lighting power supply by inputting a brightness range;

provide a software user input with which a user can incrementally change the brightness of a low voltage lighting power supply with each actuation of that user input;

provide a graphical display displaying to a user an indication of how brightly a selected low voltage lighting power supply is being controlled.