Remote control test apparatus
First Claim
1. A system for testing the ready status of an emergency exit sign including a lamp, a lamp driver powered by or connected to a power source for providing power the lamp, an emergency driver powered by the power source for charging a battery to supply power to the lamp when normal power is interrupted, wherein the system for testing the ready status of the emergency exit sign is remotely activated by a signal wherein the improvement comprises:
- a) a remote transmitter for sending a pulse-time coded infrared signal having a carrier frequency which exhibits a wavelength of about 770 nanometers to about 100 000 nanometers for initiating a test routine;
b) an infrared detector mounted adjacent the emergency exit sign for receiving said pulse-time coded infrared signal; and
c) a remotely controlled test circuit including a microcontroller connected to said infrared detector and to the emergency driver for the lamp, said microcontroller being programmed to initiate said test routine upon recognition of the pulse-time coded infrared signal by providing an output to the emergency driver simulating a failure of normal power;
whereby upon actuation of the remote transmitter, the remotely controlled test circuit causes the emergency driver for the lamp to operate the lamp according to the test routine.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control system for testing the ready status of lighting fixtures such as emergency exit signs and for operating such fixtures as by controlling the off/on status and dimming of the illumination in a high infrared and EMI noise environment. The transmitted control signal is an infrared beam containing a selected pulse-time code which the receiving circuit can reliably receive, recognize and process in an environment of high infrared noise typically produced by fluorescent lighting. Upon recognition and verification of the selected pulse-time code, in the ready status testing, the microcontroller disenables the charging circuit to the battery for supplying power to the exit sign in the emergency mode to cause the emergency circuit to sense an AC power failure whereby the lamp illuminates in the emergency mode for the selected test period. For the lighting fixture control, upon recognition and verification of the selected pulse-time code, the microcontroller outputs a signal to cause the lamp in the fixture to illuminate or go dark, or to change level of illumination. In preferred embodiments the detector for the infrared beam is in a grounded housing which is mounted in the lighting fixture, the cable connecting the detector to the microcontroller are all surrounded with an electrically conductive shielding which is grounded to the microcontroller.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A system for testing the ready status of an emergency exit sign including a lamp, a lamp driver powered by or connected to a power source for providing power the lamp, an emergency driver powered by the power source for charging a battery to supply power to the lamp when normal power is interrupted, wherein the system for testing the ready status of the emergency exit sign is remotely activated by a signal wherein the improvement comprises:
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a) a remote transmitter for sending a pulse-time coded infrared signal having a carrier frequency which exhibits a wavelength of about 770 nanometers to about 100 000 nanometers for initiating a test routine;
b) an infrared detector mounted adjacent the emergency exit sign for receiving said pulse-time coded infrared signal; and
c) a remotely controlled test circuit including a microcontroller connected to said infrared detector and to the emergency driver for the lamp, said microcontroller being programmed to initiate said test routine upon recognition of the pulse-time coded infrared signal by providing an output to the emergency driver simulating a failure of normal power;
whereby upon actuation of the remote transmitter, the remotely controlled test circuit causes the emergency driver for the lamp to operate the lamp according to the test routine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification