Demand illumination control apparatus

• US 4,247,766 A
• Filed: 01/12/1979
• Issued: 01/27/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl Warren, Jimmie Arline, Julius Lapalme
• Original Assignee: Carl Warren, Jimmie Arline, Julius Lapalme
• Inventors: Warren, Carl, LaPalme, Julius, Arline, Jimmie
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Application Number:
  US06/003,486
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 315/151, 315/154, 315/158, 250/20 S, 250/214 R, 250/214 AL
• US Class Current: 250/214.0AL
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/081 by measuring the incident light H05B39/083 takes precedence

Abstract

Solar illuminating compensating apparatus is disclosed whereby the interior of a building is illuminated to a substantially constant, predetermined level of light intensity by a combination of natural illumination from the sun and artificial illumination from electricity wherein the intensity of said artificial illumination is controlled by fully electronic means which increases the level of artificial illumination when the natural illumination is inadequate and vice versa.

Claims

1. Illumination control apparatus for combining artificial light with light from natural sources comprising

one or more artificial devices connected to a power source,

electronic switching means operatively connected to said one or more light devices for switching said light device on and off,

light sensor means operatively connected to said switching means for controlling said switching means by sensing the level of illumination in a room,

electronic timing means operatively connected to said light sensor means and said switching means for delaying for a preset period of time the operation of said switching means,

comparitor means connected between said switching means and said light sensor means for receiving a signal from said light sensor means and activating said switching means to increase or decrease the level of artificial light so as to maintain a substantially constant preset level of illumination in said room for a combination of natural light and said artificial light,

means for activating said switching means to sequentially turn on or turn off said one or more light devices, said sequential activating means being operatively connected between said comparitor means and said switching means and being operatively connected to said timing means such that said switching means is activated by a combination of signals from said comparitor means and said timing means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said one or more light devices are connected to a power source comprising alternating current and said electronic switching means are connected to a power source comprising direct current.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sequential activating means comprises a shift register.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, including a first control means operatively connected to said light sensor means for setting a desired level of illumination which is to be maintained within a room and including a second control means operatively connected to said light sensor means for setting an illumination range above and below said desired level of illumination such that when the illumination within a room drops to said illumination level below said desired level then said illumination control apparatus functions to increase the artificial light and when the illumination within a room raises to said illumination level above said desired level then said illumination control apparatus functions to decrease the artificial light.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic timing means comprises a pulse generator which is operatively connected to the output side of said comparitor means and is operatively connected to the input side of said sequential activating means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said pulse generator emits pulsed voltages of approximately 2.5 volts DC to said sequential activating means.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said comparitor means includes two gating circuits which are normally open, one of said gating circuits being closed when said light sensing means senses a decrease in the preset level of illumination and the other gating circuit being closed when said light sensing means senses an increase in the preset level of illumination.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said shift register means comprises a first shift register and a second shift register, each of said two shift registers being operatively connected in parallel with said comparitor means and in parallel with said timing means, said first shift register being operatively connected with first switching means and said second shift register being operatively connected with second switching means.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light sensor means comprises at least two light sensors each being separately connected to said comparitor means, whereby the output of said comparitor means is controlled by either of said light sensors.

5. The apparatus of claim 5, including a third electrical power source comprising alternating current, said third power source being of a voltage higher than said first power source and higher than said second power source and transformer means connected between said first and third power sources and between said second and third power source for lowering the voltage of said first and said second power sources.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first electrical power source comprises approximately 24 volts AC, said second electrical power source comprises approximately 5 volts DC, and said third electrical power source comprises approximately 120 volts AC.