Remote lighting-control apparatus

• US 4,388,567 A
• Filed: 02/25/1981
• Issued: 06/14/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Electric Equipment (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Electric Equipment (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Kyoji, Kamiya, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): LAROCHE, EUGENE
• Application Number:
  US06/238,089
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/294, 315/312, 315/316, 315/361, 315/195, 315/250, 315/DIG. 4, 364/492, 364/493, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 340/825.03, 340/825.04, 307/40
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/04 Dimming circuit for fluorescent lamps

Abstract

A main control device comprises a plurality of lighting-control signal generators for generating lighting-control signals whose contents can be analogously varied, and a keyboard for specifying the contents of mode signals corresponding to those of the lighting-control signals. The lighting-control signals are supplied to the terminal control devices through a signal line. Mode signals and address signals are supplied to the terminal control devices through the signal lines. A terminal control device selected by the address signal selects a lighting-control signal corresponding to a mode signal. The selected lighting-control signal controls the lighting of a lighting load by phase control.

Claims

1. A remote lighting-control apparatus which comprises:

a main control device provided with means for transmitting selectively address data and any of a plurality of mode data and a lighting-control data generating section which generates a plurality of lighting-control data corresponding to said mode data, said main control device transmitting separately the lighting-control data and a group of the address and mode data; and

a plurality of terminal control devices, each of which comprises means for receiving the address and mode data, means for selecting the lighting-control data in accordance with the mode data, and means for controlling the lighting of at least one lighting load in accordance with the contents of a lighting-control data selected by the signal-selecting means.

2. A remote lighting-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lighting-control data are transmitted to respective signal lines.

3. A remote lighting-control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lighting-control means comprises:

an electronic switching circuit connected to each of lighting loads; and

a phase control circuit which is connected to the switching circuit to control the phase of the switching circuit in accordance with the contents of the lighting-control data.

4. A remote lighting-control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lighting-control data generating section includes means for analogously changing the lighting-control data.

5. A remote lighting-control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lighting-control data generating section sends forth lighting-control data denoting different duty ratios.

6. A remote lighting-control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mode data has its contents specified by an output from the photosensor.

7. A remote lighting-control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mode data has its contents specified by an output from the timer.