Bicolor indicator lamp for room occupancy sensor

• US 6,166,640 A
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Blau, David A., Nishihira, Thomas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US09/340,113
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/540, 340/567, 340/565, 340/815.43, 340/815.45, 340/541, 362/276
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A bicolor indicator is provided for a lighting control system which controllably switches one or more lkighting fixtures on or off in accordance with detected motion, ambient light level and a selected time out period. The indicator indicates when the lighting control system is operating in a bypass on or off mode (i.e., overriding controlled switching based on motion detection and ambient light level) or in an automatic time out mode. The indicator also indicates occurrences of motion detection and whether or not the ambient light level is exceeded.

Claims

1. A method of operating an indicator device in a lighting control system, the lighting control system comprising a lighting fixture, a switching device for controllably switching the lighting fixture on and off in accordance with control signals from a controller, a motion detector for detecting motion, and a controller operable to switch the lighting fixture on when motion is detected and to switch the lighting fixture off when a selected period of time has elapsed following the last detected motion, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first indication via said indicator device when said lighting control system is in one of a bypass off mode and a bypass on mode, said lighting control system operating in a bypass off mode when said lighting fixture is not switched on after said motion is detected, said lighting control system operating in said bypass on mode when said lighting fixture is switched on even though motion is not detected; and

providing a second indication via said indicator device when said lighting control system is in a time out mode, said lighting control system operating in a time out mode when said lighting fixture is switched off after said selected period of time has elapsed following the most recent occurrence of detected motion, said first indication and said second indication being different.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indicator device is a light emitting device, one of said providing step for said first indication and said providing step for said second indication comprises the step of operating said light emitting device to provide a steady illuminated output, and the other one of said providing step for said first indication and said providing step for said second indication comprises the step of operating said light emitting device to provide a pulsed illuminated output when motion is detected.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lighting control system comprises an ambient light detector and an ambient light control input for selecting an ambient light level above which said lighting fixture operates in an inhibit mode and is not switched on via a relay following motion detection, and said providing for said first indication comprises the step of controlling said indicator device to operate in a first mode when said ambient light level is exceeded and in a second mode when said ambient light level is not exceeded.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said indicator device is one of a bicolor light emitting device and a visual indicator comprising at least two lighting emitting devices that are operated independently via said controller, said indicator device being operable to provide a first color output in said first mode and a second color output in said second mode.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said providing step for said first indication and said providing step for said second indication comprises the step of operating said indicator device to provide a steady illuminated output, and the other one of said providing step for said first indication and said providing step for said second indication comprises the step of operating said indicator device to provide a pulsed illuminated output when motion is detected.

6. An indicator apparatus for a lighting control system, said lighting control system comprising a lighting fixture, and a switching device for controllably switching the lighting fixture on and off, said indicator apparatus comprising:

a controller programmed to generate control signals to control said switching device;

a motion detector for detecting motion and providing an output signal indicating detected motion to said controller, said controller being operable to switch said lighting fixture on when said motion is detected and to switch said lighting fixture off when a selected period of time has elapsed following the most recent occurrence of said detected motion; and

an indicator device for providing a first indication when said lighting control system is in one of a bypass off mode and a bypass on mode, said lighting control system operating in a bypass off mode when said lighting fixture is not switched on after said motion is detected, said lighting control system operating in said bypass on mode when said lighting fixture is switched on even though motion is not detected;

wherein said indicator device provides a second indication when said lighting control system is in a time out mode, said lighting control system operating in a time out mode when said lighting fixture is switched off after said selected period of time has elapsed following the most recent occurrence of detected motion, said first indication and said second indication being different.

7. An indicator apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said indicator device is a light emitting device, one said first indication and said second indication being generated by operating said light emitting device to provide a steady illuminated output, and the other one of said first indication and said second indication being generated by operating said light emitting device to provide a pulsed illuminated output when motion is detected.

8. An indicator apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said lighting control system comprises an ambient light detector and an ambient light control input for selecting an ambient light level above which said lighting fixture operates in an inhibit mode and is not switched on via a relay following motion detection, said indicator device being configured to operate in a first mode when said ambient light level is exceeded and in a second mode when said ambient light level is not exceeded.

9. An indicator apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said indicator device is one of a bicolor light emitting device and a visual indicator comprising at least two lighting emitting devices that are operated independently via said controller, said indicator device being operable to provide a first color output in said first mode and a second color output in said second mode.

10. An indicator apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein one of said first indication and said second indication is generated by operating said indicator device to provide a steady illuminated output, and the other one of said first indication and said second indication being generated by operating said indicator device to provide a pulsed illuminated output when motion is detected.