Self-powered modification kit for hid luminaire installations

• US 6,393,608 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald Stephen Moore, William Miles Pulford
• Original Assignee: Donald Stephen Moore, William Miles Pulford
• Inventors: Pulford, William Miles, Moore, Donald Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/713,853
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 363/15,16,95,97,131 315/267,276,291,306,DIG. 4
• US Class Current: 363/16
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/42 in two steps only
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/04 Dimming circuit for fluorescent lamps

Abstract

A lamp dimming system, designed to be added to existing HID fixtures with an absolute minimum of installation time and no external wiring is disclosed. Any existing ballast may be converted to a bi-level device for intelligent energy savings. The modification kit is wired in series with one of the lamp leads to effect both powering of the unit and control of the lamp. All timing and control is on an individual lamp basis so that the lamp temperature stabilization is completed before dimming is attempted. No external wiring, either to power the control unit or to effect control of the lamp dimming is required. Several versions are described. In one version the unit senses an occupant and stops dimming both of itself and other lamps in a network. In another version the unit receives a radio command to dim or brighten, which is inhibited until the initial power up delay sequence is completed. Self powered versions of both receiver and transmitter implementations are included.

Claims

1. An intelligent High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp dimming system which obtains its internal electrical supply power and power to operate external sensors directly from the current supplied to the controlled HID lamp comprising:

a. a power extraction circuit having a current operated power transformer incorporated within the unit whose primary is effectively connected in series with one of the HID lamp supply leads without access to the interior of the HID lamp ballast. The isolated, low voltage from the transformer secondary is sufficient to power the internal circuitry of the control device as well as provide external sensor power even during HID lamp start-up and dimming periods.

b. a series, reactive component when inserted by said electronic control device, causes a reduction of input power to high intensity discharge lamp and concurrently reduces said lamp lumen output.

c. a means for controlling the insertion of said series, reactive component when predetermined conditions have developed thereby reducing the input power to High Intensity Discharge lamp, resulting in an electrical energy saving.

2. The electronic control device of claim 1 is contained in an independent enclosure and may be mounted by various means sufficiently close to interface and connect to either wire between high intensity discharge lamp ballast and the high intensity discharge lamp, whereby eliminating the necessity of obtaining accessibility to the exterior or interior of ballast compartment to obtain the aforementioned results and whereby substantially reducing installation costs.

3. The means for control of claim 1 whereas the individual electronic control device provides for stabilization of arc tube temperature of the high intensity discharge lamp and enables said means for control to process internal and external signals form multiple input control devices, whereby eliminating the necessity of external wiring and/or connections.

4. The means for control of claim 1 wherein provides for capability of one apparatus utilizing a transmitter with an encoder for said means for control, wherein controlling one or multiple apparatus or groups apparatus utilizing a receiver with a decoder for said means for control, whereby eliminating the need for apparatus control wiring, therefor substantially reducing installation, maintenance, and reconfiguration costs of said multi-level high intensity discharge lamp controls apparatus.