Providing Power to Remote Emergency Light Fixtures

• US 20160276867A1
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Mangiaracina, Anthony Audenzio, Bragg, Daniel Leland, Hetrick, Westly Davis
• Granted Patent: US 10,103,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A remote emergency light system provides a base unit that is electrically coupled to one or more remote emergency light fixtures using cables. The base unit may provide power to each of the remote emergency light fixtures using the cables to activate the remote emergency light fixtures during an emergency condition. Alternatively, the base unit may provide a trickle charge to one or more remote emergency light fixtures when each of the remote emergency light fixtures includes an energy charging device. The base unit may be configured to communicate with the remote emergency light fixtures and determine when a trickle charge should be sent to a remote emergency light fixture, when a trickle charge should be stopped for a remote emergency light fixture, and/or when an energy charging device needs to be replaced. The cables can meet the requirements for Class 2 circuits as defined by the National Electric Code.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a base unit electrically coupled to an AC power source, wherein the base unit is configured to receive power from the AC power source and send output power, wherein the base unit is further configured to generate a plurality of communication signals;

a plurality of series-connected devices comprising a first device and a second device, wherein the plurality of series-connected devices is electrically coupled in series to one another and to the base unit, wherein the plurality of series-connected devices is positioned in an area remote from the base unit, wherein the first device operates using, at least in part, a first energy storage device of the first device, wherein the first device and the second device receive the output power from the base unit; and

a first class 2 cable having a first end electrically coupled to the base unit and a second distal end electrically coupled to the first device; and

a second class 2 cable having a first end electrically coupled to the first device and a second end electrically coupled to the second device,

wherein the first class 2 cable delivers the output power and the plurality of communication signals from the base unit to the first device, wherein the second class 2 cable delivers the output power and the plurality of communication signals to the second device, wherein the first class 2 cable and the second class 2 cable are installed without requiring an electrical professional, and

wherein the first device and the second device operate based on the plurality of communication signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a junction box disposed electrically between the base unit and the first device, wherein the first class 2 cable has a first end coupled to the base unit and a second end coupled to the junction box; and

a third class 2 cable having a first end coupled to the junction box and a second distal end coupled to the first device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third device electrically coupled to the base unit in parallel with the plurality of series-connected devices, wherein the third device is coupled to the base unit using a third class 2 cable.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a fourth device electrically coupled to the third device using a fourth class 2 cable, wherein the base unit, the third device, and the fourth device are electrically coupled to each other in series.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the third device and the fourth device comprise an additional plurality of series connected devices that are electrically in parallel with the plurality of series-connected devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the the power supplied by the base unit to the first energy storage device of the first device through the class 2 cable comprises a trickle charge.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first energy storage device of the first device is removable and replaceable.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the first energy storage device is a battery.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a hardware processor, wherein the base unit executes on the hardware processor and is further configured to;

determine that an energy level of the first energy storage device is less than a lower energy level threshold; and

provide, in response to determining that the energy level is less than the lower energy level threshold, the trickle charge to the first energy storage device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises an emergency light.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device is an exit sign.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device is an egress light.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first class 2 cable is an Ethernet cable.

25. The system of claim 6, wherein the base unit supplies the trickle charge to the first fixture during a normal condition.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the AC power source provides the power to the base unit during the normal condition.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the AC power source is a battery.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a second energy storage device.

29. The system of claim 3, wherein the third device comprises a second energy storage device.

14-24. -24. (canceled)

30. A device among a plurality of series-connected devices, wherein the device comprises:

an energy storage device;

a first cable receiver configured to receive a first class 2 cable, wherein the first class 2 cable is electrically coupled to a base unit, wherein the base unit is electrically coupled to an AC power source, wherein the base unit generates output power using the AC power and a plurality of communication signals; and

a second cable receiver configured to receive a second class 2 cable, wherein the second class 2 cable is electrically coupled to another device of the plurality of series-connected devices,

wherein the output power received at the first cable receiver is altered to provide a charge signal to the energy storage device, wherein the charge signal is generated from the output power,

wherein the charge signal is further sent along the second class 2 cable from the second cable receiver to the additional device,

wherein the plurality of communication signals sent by the base unit is received at the first cable receiver using the first class 2 cable and provides instructions for operating the energy storage device, and

wherein the plurality of communication signals is further sent along the second class 2 cable from the second cable receiver to the additional device, wherein the plurality of communication signals further provides instructions for operating the additional device.

31. A device among a plurality of series-connected devices, wherein the device comprises:

a first cable receiver configured to receive a first class 2 cable, wherein the first class 2 cable is electrically coupled to an upstream device, wherein the upstream device comprises an energy storage device, wherein the upstream device is electrically coupled to a base unit, wherein the base unit is electrically coupled to an AC power source, wherein the base unit generates output power using the AC power and a plurality of communication signals,

wherein the output power received at the first cable receiver is altered to provide a charge signal to the energy storage device, wherein the charge signal is generated from the output power,

wherein the charge signal is further sent along the second class 2 cable from the second cable receiver to the additional device,

wherein the plurality of communication signals sent by the base unit is received at the first cable receiver using the first class 2 cable and provides instructions for operating the energy storage device, and

wherein the plurality of communication signals is further sent along the second class 2 cable from the second cable receiver to the additional device, wherein the plurality of communication signals further provides instructions for operating the additional device.