Intelligent outdoor lighting control system

• US 5,962,991 A
• Filed: 02/21/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelilite LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelilite LLC
• Inventors: Levy, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US08/804,714
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/323, 315/360, 340/310.01, 340/825.17, 340/825.06, 307/36, 307/38, 307/39, 307/40, 307/41
• US Class Current: 315/312
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• 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 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A new and improved outdoor lighting control system for an outdoor lighting system network for automatically sensing, conveying, and recording data relevant to the operation of the lighting system network so that both control and maintenance can be performed more efficiently. At each of plural lamp locations in the network, there is a controller module that receives electric power input and that supplies electric power to the remaining lamp locations. Each controller module has a first relay to deliver current to one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and a second relay for switching electric power on to a succeeding lamp location. A first current sensor monitors current to the lamps at each lamp location, and a second current sensor monitors current to the remaining locations. The network'"'"'s power lines form portions of a bi-directional data link via which data is transmitted from each controller module to a command station, and vice versa.

Claims

1. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

at each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller module'"'"'s input means;

in which each controller module comprises its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means and in which each controller module further comprises a first current sensing means for sensing current flowing through its first switching means and a second current sensing means for sensing current flowing through its second switching means.

2. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

for each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller module'"'"'s input means;

each controller module comprising its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means;

each controller module further comprising a first current sensing means for sensing current flowing through its first switching means and a second current sensing means for sensing current flowing through its second switching means; and

in which the second current sensing means of each controller module is operatively connected to the controller module'"'"'s electronic control unit, and the electronic control unit comprises means for causing the second switching means to interrupt flow of electric power from the output means when the second current sensing means senses a fault condition.

3. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

at each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller modules input means;

in which each controller module comprises its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means and in which each of said first switching means is a first relay and each of said second switching means is a second relay.

4. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

at each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller modules input means;

in which each controller module comprises its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means and in which said input means, said second switching means, and output means of the controller module at each of said plural locations form portions of a bi-directional data link between said plural locations.

5. An outdoor lighting control system as set forth in claim 4 further including a command station that controls said controller modules to operate the first switching means and the second switching means at each of said plural locations via the medium.

6. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

for each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller module'"'"'s input means;

each controller module comprising its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means;

in which electric power lines connect successive locations in the string, and in which said input means, said second switching means, and output means of the controller module at each of said plural locations, together with said power lines, provide a medium for both electric power delivery and electronic communication between said plural locations; and

further including a command station that controls said controller modules to operate the first switching means and the second switching means at each of said plural locations via the medium; and

in which the command station also controls the delivery of electric power to the string of outdoor illumination lamps via the power lines from a power source to the input means of a first of said controller modules, and from the output means of the controller module at each of said plural locations to an input means of a succeeding controller module in the string.

7. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

for each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller module'"'"'s input means;

each controller module comprising its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means;

in which electric power lines connect successive locations in the string, and in which said input means, said second switching means, and output means of the controller module at each of said plural locations, together with said power lines, provide a medium for both electric power delivery and electronic communication between said plural locations; and

further including a command station that controls said controller modules to operate the first switching means and the second switching means at each of said plural locations via the medium; and

in which each of said plural lamp locations further comprises a capacitor and a ballast, and each controller module provides to the command station, data identifying its location and the operation of the associated outdoor illumination lamp or lamps, the associated capacitor, and the associated ballast.

8. An outdoor lighting control system as set forth in claim 7 in which each of said plural locations comprises reset means that is operated by service personnel to send a signal to the command station to indicate that a component has been replaced, and the command station logs data concerning the replacement.

9. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

for each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller module'"'"'s input means;

each controller module comprising its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means;

in which electric power lines connect successive locations in the string, and in which said input means, said second switching means, and output means of the controller module at each of said plural locations, together with said power lines, provide a medium for both electric power delivery and electronic communication between said plural locations; and

further including a command station that controls said controller modules to operate the first switching means and the second switching means at each of said plural locations via the medium; and

in which a lighting cabinet is disposed between the command station and the string.

10. An outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising:

for each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string;

each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps;

each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module'"'"'s location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module'"'"'s input means to the controller module'"'"'s output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller module'"'"'s input means;

each controller module comprising its own electronic control unit for controlling its first switching means and its second switching means; and

in which each electronic control unit comprises a LON chip.

11. An outdoor lighting control system as set forth in claim 10 in which each of said plural lamp locations further comprises a pole containing said one or more outdoor illumination lamps, and each controller module is disposed in the base of its pole.