METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS FOR EMERGENCY LIGHTING

• US 20180259143A1
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: SHIRA, RAHUL
• Application Number:
  US15/537,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20180259143A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/065 for lighting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

In various embodiments, on occurrence of a power up event, at least one lighting unit of a group of lighting units may be initiated in an emergency state in which the at least one lighting unit emits light having a fixed lighting property. A presence signal may be detected from one or more presence sensors associated with the group of lighting units. In response to detection of the presence signal, the at least one lighting unit may be transitioned from the emergency state to an occupancy lighting operational state in which the at least one lighting unit is selectively energized responsive to one or more presence signals from the one or more presence sensors.

Claims

1. A lighting control method, comprising:

initiating, on occurrence of a power up event, at least one lighting unit of a group of lighting units in an emergency state in which the at least one lighting unit emits light having a fixed lighting property;

detecting a presence signal from one or more presence sensors associated with the group of lighting units; and

transitioning, in response to the detecting, the at least one lighting unit from the emergency state to an occupancy lighting operational state in which the at least one lighting unit is selectively energized responsive to one or more presence signals from the one or more presence sensors.

2. The lighting control method of claim 1, wherein the fixed lighting property comprises a brightness or intensity level commensurate with task lighting.

3. The lighting control method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting, from a presence sensor incorporated with the at least one lighting unit, the presence signal.

4. The lighting control method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting, from a presence sensor incorporated with a lighting unit of the group of lighting units other than the at least one lighting unit, the presence signal.

5. The lighting control method of claim 1, further comprising powering at least one of the one or more presence sensors solely with a non-emergency power source.

6. The lighting control method of claim 5, wherein the power up event comprises power being supplied from an emergency power source to the at least one lighting unit, and no power being supplied by the non-emergency power source.

7. The lighting control method of claim 1, further comprising powering the at least one lighting unit with an emergency power source and bypassing the one or more presence sensors.

8. The lighting control method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the at least one lighting unit to one or more other lighting units of the group of lighting units, data indicative of the presence signal.

9. The lighting-control method of claim 8, further comprising transitioning, in response to the transmitted data, the one or more other lighting units from the emergency state to the occupancy lighting operational state in which the one or more other lighting units are selectively energized responsive to one or more presence signals from the one or more presence sensors.

10. A lighting system comprising:

one or more light sources;

a presence sensor; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the one or more light sources and the presence sensor, the controller configured to;

enter, on occurrence of a power up event, a first operational state in which the controller energizes the one or more light sources to emit light having a fixed lighting property;

receive, from the presence sensor, a presence signal indicative of detected movement; and

transition, in response to the presence signal, from the first operational state to a second operational state in which the controller selectively energizes the one or more light sources to emit light having varying lighting properties.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the controller and the one or more light sources are integral in a lighting unit.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the lighting unit further includes the presence sensor.

13. The lighting system of claim 10, further comprising a network communication interface.

14. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to receive, through the network communication interface from one or more other lighting units, one or more signals indicative of movement sensed by presence sensors associated with the one or more other lighting units.

15. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the one or more light sources are coupled with an emergency power source and an additional, non-emergency power source.

16. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein the presence sensor is coupled solely with the non-emergency power source.

17. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the first operational state comprises an emergency lighting state.

18. The lighting system of claim 17, wherein the fixed lighting property comprises a brightness or intensity level commensurate with task lighting.

19. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the second operational state comprises an occupancy lighting operational state, and wherein the controller, when in the occupancy lighting operational state, is further configured to selectively energize the one or more light sources based on one or more signals from the presence sensor.

20. A luminaire, comprising:

one or more sockets for receiving one or more lighting units; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the one or more sockets, the controller configured to;

enter, on occurrence of a power up event, an emergency operational state in which the controller provides a fixed amount of power to the one or more sockets;

receive, from one or more presence sensors, a signal indicative of detected movement; and

transition, in response to the signal, from the emergency operational state to an occupancy lighting operational state in which the controller selectively provides variable amounts of power to the one or more sockets based on one or more additional signals indicative of detected movement from the one or more presence sensors.