Industrial lighting control system and method

• US 6,731,079 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Andersen, Bo Lundager
• Primary Examiner(s): Clinger, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alemu, Ephrem
• Application Number:
  US09/681,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 315/129, 315/119, 315/151, 315/307, 315/308, 315/291, 315/323, 315/292-295, 315/312, 315/316, 315/318, 315/320, 315/324, 702/188
• US Class Current: 315/312
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit

Abstract

A lighting control module for controlling power to a lamp is presented. The lighting control module comprises a receiver for receiving electronic communications from a central controller, a current sensor, a current controller for controlling current in a power circuit passing through the module, the current controller operating to open and close the power circuit, a control unit connected to the current controller and the receiver, the control unit operating to cause the current controller to open and close the power circuit in response to the communications, and an indicator connected to the control unit. The control unit causes the indicator to illuminate when the current sensor indicates that current fails to flow in the power circuit when the current controller is operated to close the power circuit.

Claims

1. A lighting control system for controlling a plurality of lamps comprising:

at least one central controller in electronic communication with a plurality of modules for controlling power to respective one of said lamps, each said module comprising;

a means for receiving electronic communications from said central controller;

a current sensor;

a current controller for controlling current in a power circuit passing through said module, said current controller operating to open and close said power circuit;

control unit connected to said current controller and said means for receiving electronic communications, said control unit operating to cause said current controller to open and close said power circuit in response to said communications;

an indicator connected to said control unit;

timer for counting hours-of-operation of the lamp, said timer including means for resetting the timer when said lamp is replaced with a new lamp;

wherein said control unit causes said indicator to illuminate in response to said timer having counted a selected number of said hours-of-operation, for indicating that the lamp is due to be replaced;

wherein said central controller is operable to uniquely identify and communicate with individual ones of said modules; and

wherein said central controller operates to prevent a selected number of said lamps from being simultaneously turned on by delaying turning on selected ones of said lamps by delaying instructions to corresponding modules.

2. A lighting control module for controlling power to a lamp, said module comprising:

a means for receiving electronic communications from a central controller;

a current sensor;

a current controller for controlling current in a power circuit passing through said module, said current controller operating to open and close said power circuit;

a control unit connected to said current controller and said means for receiving electronic communications, said control unit operating to cause said current controller to open and close said power circuit in response to said communications,

said control unit operating to delay closing said power circuit by a user-selectable amount of time after said means for receiving electronic communications receives an instruction to close said power circuit.

3. The lighting control module of claim 2 further comprising:

a delay timer control connected to said control unit, said user-selectable amount of time being determined by a setting of said delay timer control.

4. The lighting control module of claim 3 wherein said delay timer control comprises a turn-wheel.

5. The lighting control module of claim 2 wherein a random amount of time is selectable as said user-selectable amount of time wherein when said user-selectable amount of time is said random amount of time, said control unit operates to delay closing said power circuit by a randomly generated amount of time.

6. A lighting control system for controlling a plurality of lamps comprising:

at least one central controller in electronic communication with a plurality of modules for controlling power to respective one of said lamps, each said module comprising;

a means for receiving electronic communications from said central controller;

a current sensor;

a current controller for controlling current in a power circuit passing through said module, said current controller operating to open and close said power circuit;

a control unit connected to said current controller and said means for receiving electronic communications, said control unit operating to cause said current controller to open and close said power circuit in response to said communications;

said centrol controller operable to uniquely identify and communicate with individual ones of said modules; and

said control unit operating to delay closing said power circuit by a user-selectable amount of time after said means for receiving electronic communications receives an instruction to close said power circuit.

7. The lighting control system of claim 6, said control module further comprising;

a delay timer control connected to said control unit, said user-selectable amount of time being determined by a setting of said delay timer control.

8. The lighting control system of claim 7 wherein said delay timer control comprises a turn-wheel.

9. The lighting control system of claim 6 wherein a random amount of time is selectable as said user-selectable amount of time wherein when said user-selectable amount of time is said random amount of time, said control unit operates to delay closing said power circuit by a randomly generated amount of time.