Photocontroller diagnostic system

• US 6,452,339 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Acuity Brands, Inc.
• Inventors: Walters, Jeff, Morrissey, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US09/461,983
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 315/119, 315/149-159, 315/360, 315/362, 315/120, 315/291, 315/224, 315/307, 362/1, 362/4, 362/5
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection

Abstract

A photocontroller diagnostic system including a photocontroller with a sensor for determining the presence of daylight, and a relay, responsive to the sensor, for de-energizing a lamp during periods of daylight. The diagnostic subsystem is responsive to the photocontroller, and includes a microprocessor programmed to verify the operability of the relay and/or the sensor and programmed to transmit a signal representative of the operability of the relay or the sensor.

Claims

1. An electrical system, comprising:

an electrically activated device;

a photocell for detecting ambient light conditions and for generating a photocell signal that varies with a magnitude of ambient light;

a relay for selectively providing power to the electrically activated device upon receipt of a control signal; and

a processor for receiving the photocell signal and for generating the control signal when the magnitude of the photocell signal is at a first level;

the processor for monitoring the power being provided to the electrically activated device;

wherein the processor determines that the relay is faulty when power is being provided to the electrically activated device while the magnitude of the photocell signal is at a second level, the second level being different than the first level.

2. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrically activated device is a lamp;

the processor generates the control signal when the magnitude of the photocell signal indicates nighttime; and

the processor determines that the relay is faulty when power is being delivered to the lamp when the magnitude of the photocell signal indicates daylight.

3. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the processor monitors a load current delivered to the electrically activated device.

4. The electrical system of claim 1, further comprising an indicator and wherein the processor activates the indicator upon detecting the faulty relay.

5. The electrical system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter and wherein the processor transmits signals indicative of the faulty relay to a remote location through the transmitter.

6. An electrical system, comprising:

an electrically activated device;

a photocell for detecting ambient light conditions and for generating a photocell signal that varies with a magnitude of ambient light;

a relay for selectively providing power to the electrically activated device upon receipt of a control signal; and

a processor for receiving the photocell signal and for generating the control signal when the magnitude of the photocell signal is at a first level;

the processor for monitoring the power being provided to the electrically activated device;

wherein the processor determines that the photocell is faulty when a status of whether power is being provided to the electrically activated device remains unchanged for an extended period of time.

7. The electrical system of claim 6, wherein:

the electrically activated device is a lamp;

the processor generates the control signal when the magnitude of the photocell signal indicates nighttime; and

the processor determines that the photocell is faulty when power is provided to the lamp for 24 hours.

8. The electrical system of claim 6, wherein:

the electrically activated device is a lamp;

the processor generates the control signal when the magnitude of the photocell signal indicates nighttime; and

the processor determines that the photocell is faulty when power is not provided to the lamp for 24 hours.

9. The electrical system of claim 6, wherein the status of whether power is being provided is one of power being provided during the entire extended period of time or power is not provided during any of the extended period of time.

10. The electrical system of claim 6, further comprising an indicator and wherein the processor activates the indicator upon detecting the faulty photocell.

11. The electrical system of claim 6, further comprising a transmitter and wherein the processor transmits signals indicative of the faulty photocell to a remote location through the transmitter.

12. A luminaire, comprising:

a lamp;

a photocell for detecting ambient light conditions and for generating a photocell signal that varies with a magnitude of ambient light;

a relay for selectively providing power to the lamp upon receipt of a control signal; and

a processor for receiving the photocell signal and for generating the control signal when the magnitude of the photocell signal indicates nighttime;

the processor for monitoring the power being provided to the electrically activated device;

the processor determines that the photocell is faulty when a status of whether power is being provided to the lamp remains unchanged for an extended period of time; and

the processor determines that the relay is faulty when power is being provided to the lamp while the magnitude of the photocell signal indicates daylight.

13. The luminaire of claim 12, wherein the processor monitors the load being provided to the lamp during a start-up mode and detects failure of the lamp when the load decreases during the start-up mode.

14. The luminaire of claim 12, wherein the processor monitors the load being provided to the lamp during a start-up mode and determines that the lamp is cycling when a change in the load exceeds a threshold percentage for a predetermined number of times.

15. The luminaire of claim 12, further comprising an indicator and wherein the processor activates the indicator upon detecting any one of the faulty relay or the faulty photocell.

16. The luminaire of claim 12, further comprising a transmitter and wherein the processor transmits signals indicative of a fault to a remote location through the transmitter upon detecting any one of the faulty relay or the faulty photocell.