Radio paging electrical load control system and device

• US 5,661,468 A
• Filed: 12/13/1995
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Alfred Marcoux
• Original Assignee: Paul Alfred Marcoux
• Inventors: Marcoux, Paul Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERZ, EDWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/571,668
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.06, 340/825.44, 340/825.47, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 315/153, 315/159, 315/312, 315/315, 315/316, 362/153.1, 362/233, 362/802
• US Class Current: 340/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1066 with other provisions not elsewhere provided for, e.g. turn-off protection
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A system for remote control of electrical load devices, particularly electrical lighting where the commands are broadcast over a radio pager system. A radio pager receiver is located within or nearby the electrical light fixture and is normally in a standby state, receives the commands broadcast. The radio pager receiver is connected to a computer processor and electronic circuitry. The computer processor interprets the commands and instructs the electronic circuitry to perform a desired operation. These operations include but are not limited to turning an electrical light element or group of electrical light elements on or off, dimming the light element or reprogramming the electrical light element to be included in a different control group of lights. Before the operation is accomplished, the computer processor checks for the appropriate security code entry. In addition, there are protection mechanisms built into the computer processor so that if the decoding of the commands indicates that a large block of devices is to be turned on at the same time, the operation will be staggered so as to prevent a huge inrush of current. One preferred embodiment of this device is to be installed in a typical exterior roadway light fixture.

Claims

1. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of light fixtures, comprising:

a. a housing to be connected to an existing light fixture;

b. a receiver for accepting coded digital commands located within the housing;

c. a processor located within the housing and connected to the receiver for decoding received commands;

d. a lighting controller connected to the processor for accepting decoded commands and connected to the lighting unit for performing the command operation on the electrical light fixture;

e. a power supply connected to the receiver, processor and lighting controller;

f. the digital commands received and processed allow for;

I. the remote control of the operational state of a single electrical light fixture;

II. the remote programming and reprogramming of the electrical light fixtures into groups; and

III. the remote control of the operational state of a group of electrical light fixtures with one command while still being able to individually control the state of any single light fixture even while the fixture is part of the larger group of electrical light fixtures; and

g. said remote control of the operational state is accomplished by wireless communication.

2. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or group of light fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising a photoelectric sensor contained within the housing and connected to the controller for controlling the state of the electric light fixture according to the amount of daylight.

3. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising an infrared receiver contained within the housing and connected to the processor for accepting commands from an infrared remote control device.

4. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising a hardwired switch connected to the processor for manually overriding the state of the electric light fixture.

5. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the remote control of the operational state of an electric light fixture or group of electric light fixtures is set to the state specified in the digital input command and overrides the current state of the light fixture, even if the light fixture is physically set to off by a manual switch.

6. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising the capability of the digital commands received and processed to remotely control the light level of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures.

7. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the digital commands received and processed are alphanumeric paging commands.

8. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the digital commands received and processed are binary coded decimal paging commands.

9. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 2, wherein the housing is connected to a roadway light.

10. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 3 wherein the housing is connected to a roadway light.

11. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 4, wherein the housing is connected to a roadway light.

12. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of light fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising a power cord extending outward from the housing for connecting the housing to an existing light fixture.

13. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 12, further comprising:

a. an infrared override input receiver contained within the housing and connected to the processor; and

b. a photoelectric sensor contained within the housing and connected to the lighting controller.

14. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 13, wherein the power cord extending outward from the housing is connected to a roadway light.

15. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 13, wherein the processor comprises:

a. a decoder for decoding the received commands;

b. a non-volatile memory device for storing security, reprogramming, operational state data and unit and group data;

c. a central processing unit for comparing the decoded commands to the data stored in the memory device and storing new data for reprogramming in the memory device;

d. the security, reprogramming, operational state data and unit and group data remains stored in the non-volatile memory device until new data is received; and

e. the stored operational data is used to reenergize the state of the fixture or group of fixtures after a power interruption to the same operational state as prior to the power interrupt.

16. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 15, further comprising the capability of the processor of momentarily delaying the control and staggering the operation of the roadway electrical lighting control group so as to prevent a huge inrush of current.

17. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 15, further comprising the capability of the processor of remotely programming and reprogramming the roadway light fixture control group and unit and the capability of remotely programming and reprogramming and storing a new security code.

22. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 12, further comprising, the capability of reenergizing the state of the electrical light fixture or group of fixtures after a power interruption to the same operational state as prior to the power interruption.

23. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the housing is connected to a roadway light.

24. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 23, further comprising, the capability of reenergizing the state of the electrical light fixture or group of fixtures after a power interruption to the same operational state as prior to the power interruption.

25. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 23, further comprising the capability of the processor of momentarily delaying the control and staggering the operation of the roadway electrical lighting control group so as to prevent a huge inrush of current.

26. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 23, further comprising the capability of the processor of remotely programming and reprogramming the roadway light fixture control group and unit and the capability of remotely programming and reprogramming and storing a new security code.

18. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, comprising:

a. sending electrical light fixture control commands;

b. receiving electrical light fixture control commands;

c. decoding the received control commands using a processing unit connected to the receiving means;

d. using a lighting controller circuit for accepting the decoded command and performing the controlling operation on the electrical light;

e. the digital commands received and processed allow for;

I. remotely controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture;

II. remotely programming and reprogramming of the electrical light fixtures into groups; and

III. remotely controlling the operational state of a group of electrical light fixtures with one command while still being able to individually control the state of any single light fixture even while the fixture is part of the larger group of electrical light fixtures; and

f. accomplishing said remote control of the operational state by means of wireless communication.

19. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 18, wherein:

a. the sending of commands is via a radio paging network; and

b. the receiving of commands is via a pager receiver located within or nearby an electrical light fixture.

20. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 18, wherein:

a. the sending of commands is via an infrared device; and

b. the receiving of commands is via an infrared receiver located within or nearby an electrical light fixture.

21. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of a single electrical light fixture or group of fixtures, according to claim 18, wherein the sending of commands is via a photoelectric sensor located within or nearby an electrical light fixture.

27. A radio paging electrical load control device for controlling the operational state of a single electrical device or group of devices, comprising:

a. a housing to be connected to an existing electrical device;

b. a receiver for accepting coded digital commands located within the housing;

c. a processor located within the housing and connected to the receiver for decoding received commands;

d. a controller connected to the processor for accepting decoded commands and connected to the electrical device for performing the command operation on the electrical device; and

e. a power supply connected to the receiver, processor and controller;

f. the digital commands received and processed allow for;

I. the remote control of the operational state of a single electrical device;

II. the remote programming and reprogramming of the electrical devices into groups; and

Ill. the remote control of the operational state of a group of electrical devices with one command while still being able to individually control the state of any single electrical device even while the fixture is part of the larger group of electrical devices; and

g. said remote control of the operational state is accomplished by wireless communication.