Remotely controlled security lighting

• US 5,031,082 A
• Filed: 10/05/1990
• Issued: 07/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary D. Bierend
• Original Assignee: Gary D. Bierend
• Inventors: Bierend, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US07/582,927
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 362/233, 362/271, 362/272, 362/276, 362/286, 362/295, 362/386, 362/802, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 340/318, 340/332, 340/538
• US Class Current: 362/233
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

A remotely controlled security lighting system (10) that utilizes the common utility power lines of a building to provide communication between a master control/transmitting unit (12) and a plurality of remote light/receiving units (50). The unit (12) includes a light selector switch (16) that allows a particular light to be selected, a light power switch (18) that powers the selected light and a joystick (20) that positions the selected light in azimuth and elevation. The remote light/receiving unit (50) includes azimuth and elevation motors (64)(68) that are mechanically linked to the light (72), and a light power controller (70) that applies power to the light. In a typical situation, a remote light/receiving unit (50) would be attached to each upper corner of a structure and each unit (50) would be connected to the utility power line. The master control/transmitting unit (12) is then plugged into any utility power receptacle in any room; and by means of the switches (16)(18) and the joystick (20) any of the remote lights (72) can be selected, turned on and positioned.

Claims

1. A remotely controlled security lighting system comprised of a master control/transmitting unit and at least one remote light/receiving unit:

A. said master control/transmitting unit comprising;

(1) means for selecting a specific light and providing a light identification signal corresponding to said light selected,

(2) means for controlling the power applied to said light and providing a light-on signal corresponding to said light selected,

(3) means for controlling the position of the selected said light and providing a set of light positioning signals,

(4) a transmitter electronics module having the means for receiving and processing the light identification signal, light-on signal and set of light positioning signals, where the processed signals are applied to a standard first utility power connector from where the signals are communicated via the utility power lines, to a standard second utility power connector from where the signals are applied to said remote light/receiving unit,

B. said remote light/receiving unit comprising;

(1) an elevation motor mechanically linked to drive said light,

(2) an azimuth motor mechanically linked to drive said light,

(3) a receiver electronics module having the means to be connected to the second standard utility power receptacle from where the signals from said master control/transmitting unit are received and processed to subsequently produce;

(a) a set of power and directional signals that are applied to and control the position of said light via said elevation and azimuth motors and

(b) a light on or off signal that controls the application of power to said light.

2. The system as specified in claim 1 wherein said means for controlling the position of said light is accomplished by a joystick.

6. The system as specified in claims 2 or 3 wherein said joystick is comprised of a four-position switch that allows said light, via said azimuth and elevation motors, to be moved up, down, right or left.

7. The system as specified in claims 2 or 3 wherein said joystick is comprised of an eight-position switch that allows said light, via said azimuth and elevational motors, to be moved up, down, right or left as well as to intermediate positions between up and right, right and down, down and left and left and up.

19. The system as specified in claims 1 or 3 wherein said azimuth and elevation motors are bidirectional geared motors that operate on d-c power.

20. The system as specified in claims 1 or 3 wherein said azimuth and elevational motors are bidirectional geared motors that operate on a-c power.

21. The system as specified in claims 1 or 3 wherein said light is comprised of a high intensity incandescent light.

22. The system as specified in claims 1 or 3 wherein said light is comprised of a quartz-halogen light

23. The system as specified in claims 1 or 3 wherein said remote light/receiving unit is housed in a weather resistant enclosure that includes provisions to allow the light to move freely about its azimuth and elevation axis.

24. The system as specified in claims 1 or 3 wherein a plurality of remote light/receiving units can be located on buildings that are physically separated and be operated from a single said master control/transmitting unit as long as both said units are connected to a common utility power line.

3. A remotely controlled security lighting system comprised of a master control/transmitting unit and at least one remote light/receiving unit:

A. said master control/transmitting unit comprising;

(1) a multi-position light selector switch where at each switch position a light identification signal is produced that corresponds to a specific said light and light location,

(2) a light power switch where when said switch is placed in the "on" position, a light-on signal is produced that subsequently causes the specific said light selected by said light selector switch to illuminate,

(3) a joystick that when positionally displaced placed produces a set of light positioning signals that control the physical position of said specific light selected by said light selector switch,

(4) an encoder having the means to receive and encode the input signals from said light selector switch, said light power switch and said joystick into a binary coded signal,

(5) a first universal asynchronous receiver/ transmitter (first UART) having the means to receive and convert the binary coded signal from said encoder into a digital serial data format,

(6) a first power line modem having the means to receive and convert the serial data format from said first UART into a modulated signal,

(7) a first power line interface having the means to receive, process and apply the modulated signal to a standard first utility power connector from where the signals are communicated via the utility power lines to a remote standard second utility power connector from where the signals are applied to said remote light/receiving unit,

(8) a first power supply having the means to provide the required power levels to operate the circuits of said master control/transmitting unit,

B. said remote light/receiving unit comprising;

(1) a second power line interface having the means to receive and process the modulated signal from said first power line interface via the structure electrical wiring,

(2) a power line modem having the means to receive and convert the modulated signal from the second power line interface back into a digital serial data format,

(3) a second universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter (second UART) having the means to receive and process the serial data format from said second power line modem and perform the following functions;

(a) uses the "start" and "stop" bits to synchronize the received data to allow the coded information to be retrieved,

(b) deletes the original 8-bit code out of the serial data format and converts it back to an 8-bit parallel digital code,

(c) examines the parity bit and determines data validity,

(d) performs other ancillary tasks to insure good data reception,

(4) a decoder having the means to receive and convert the 8-bit parallel digital codes from said second UART to the following individual light control signals;

(a) azimuth motor - right,

(b) azimuth motor - left,

(c) elevation motor - up,

(d) elevation motor - down,

(e) light on or off,

(5) an azimuth motor mechanically linked to drive said light,

(6) an elevation motor mechanically linked to drive said light,

(7) an azimuth motor controller that comprises a switching means to control the application of power to said azimuth motor along with the right or left directional signals as received from said decoder,

(8) an elevation motor controller that comprises a switching means to control the application of power to said elevation motor along with the up or down directional signals as received from said decoder,

(9) a light power controller that comprises a switching means to control the application of power to said light when the light on or off signal is received from said decoder, and

(10) a second power supply having the means to provide the required power levels to operate the circuits of said remote light/receiving unit.

4. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein said master control/transmitting unit further comprises a master power switch that is electrically connected to allow all said lights to turn-on simultaneously when said master power switch is placed in the "on" position.

5. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein said master control/transmitting unit further comprises a light emitting diode (LED) placed adjacent to each of the switch positions of said light selector switch where an illuminating said LED identifies the specific light that has been selected for operation.

8. The system as specified in claim 3 further comprising a combination light selector/power switch that combines the functions provided by said light selector switch and said light power switch.

9. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein said first UART serial data format consists of an 8-bit code with the addition of a parity bid to check data validity and "start" and "stop" bits that are used by said remote light/receiving unit to synchronize the data.

10. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein the modulated signal produced by said first power line modem consists of an amplified shift key (ASK) carrier on/off modulated signal.

11. The system as specified in claim 10 wherein when the ASK carrier on/off modulated signal transmits a "1" bit, said modem outputs the carrier frequency and when an "0" bit is transmitted said modem turns off and sends no signal.

12. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein said first power line interface has the means to provide isolation between said first power line modem and the utility power lines so that any relatively high voltage present in the utility power lines cannot feed back and damage the electronic circuits in said master control/ transmitting unit.

13. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein said first power supply converts the utility power a-c voltage to a d-c voltage suitable to operate the circuits of said control/transmitting unit.

14. The system as specified in claim 3 further comprising a first frequency selection switch connected to said first power line modem, where said switch selects the operational frequency of said master control/transmitting unit, where the frequency is selected to prevent interference from similar units operating within an interference range of said unit.

15. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein said second power line interface comprises circuit means that allows the signal received from said first power line interface via the utility power lines to be coupled from the power lines to said second power line modem, while maintaining isolation so that any relatively high voltage present in the power lines cannot enter and damage the electronics circuits in said remote light/receiving unit.

16. The system as specified in claim 3 further comprising a second frequency selection switch connected to said second power line modem, where said switch selects the same operational frequency that is set at said first frequency selection switch and where the frequency is selected to prevent interference from similar units operating within an interference range of said remote light/receiving unit.

17. The system as specified in claim 3 further comprising a multi-position light identification switch connected to said decoder, where each said light identification switch position corresponds to the light selection position set at said light selector switch.

18. The system as specified in claim 3 wherein said power switching means of said azimuth and elevation motor controllers and said light controller comprises a relay.