Method and device to emulate a railway searchlight signal with light emitting diodes

• US 6,642,666 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2000
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: Gelcore (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: St-Germain, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUYET THI
• Application Number:
  US09/693,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 315/185.5, 315/185.R, 315/178, 315/179, 315/180, 315/312, 315/314, 315/316, 315/169.1, 315/363, 315/320, 362/800, 362/13, 362/12, 362/802, 362/803, 362/806, 362/808, 362/809, 362/812
• US Class Current: 315/185.00S
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A railway searchlight signal uses a printed circuit board populated by three arrays (green, red and yellow) of LEDs. The LEDs are lit by a standard color light power supply unit (PSU). As only one array of LEDs is lit at a time, an interface between the PSU and the LEDs is provided to select which LED array to couple with the PSU. External repeater contacts provide information on which aspect is displayed. This searchlight system design is failsafe in that no single failure of a component will produce a less restrictive aspect.

Claims

1. A searchlight signal with a multiple color display aspects comprising:

a color selection interface to select the display aspect, said color selection interface connected to repeater contacts,

a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes, and

a switching power supply,

the switching power supply coupled to the Light Emitting Diodes via the color selection interface;

wherein the display aspect is selected from the group consisting of red, yellow, green and off.

2. The signal of claim 1, wherein the switching power supply has a pre-set turn-off voltage.

3. The signal of claim 1, wherein the switching power supply has fuse blow out circuitry.

4. The signal of claim 1, wherein said Light Emitting Diodes are arranged in arrays, one array for each color of light.

5. The signal of claim 4, wherein said Light Emitting Diodes emit red, green and yellow light.

6. The signal of claim 4, wherein said Light Emitting Diodes arranged in said arrays are electrically interconnected in both series and parallel.

7. A searchlight signal with a multiple color display aspect comprising:

a color selection interface;

a plurality of light emitting diodes; and

a switching power supply having cold filament test capability,

the switching power supply coupled to the light emitting diodes via the color selection interface.

8. The signal of claim 7, wherein the switching power supply has a preset turnoff voltage.

9. The signal of claim 7, wherein the switching power supply has fuse blowout circuitry.

10. The signal of claim 7, wherein switch means are used in the color selection interface, said switch means configured in a failsafe manner so that if one switch means fails, the resulting display aspect will not be less restrictive than input means request.

11. The signal of claim 10, wherein the switch means are electromechanical relays.

12. The signal of claim 7, wherein said light emitting diodes are arranged in arrays, one array for each color of light;

and

said light emitting diodes arranged in said arrays are electrically interconnected in both series and parallel.

13. The signal of claim 12, wherein said light emitting diodes emit red, green, and yellow light.

14. A searchlight signal with a multiple color display aspect comprising:

a color selection interface comprising a switch means;

a plurality of light emitting diodes; and

a switching power supply;

the switching power supply coupled to the light emitting diodes;

wherein said switch means configured in a fail safe manner so that if one switch means fails the resulting display aspect will not be less restrictive than input means request.

15. The signal of claim 14, wherein the switch means are electromechanical relays.

16. The signal of claim 14, wherein the switching power supply has a preset turnoff voltage.

17. The signal of claim 14, wherein the switching power supply has cold filament detection test capability.

18. The signal of claim 14, wherein the switching power supply has fuse blowout circuitry.

19. The signal of claim 14, wherein said light emitting diodes are arranged in arrays, one array for each color of light;

and

said light emitting diodes arranged in said arrays are electrically interconnected in both series and parallel.

20. The signal of claim 19, wherein said light emitting diodes emit red, green, and yellow light.