Light management system device and method

• US 6,888,323 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Watt Stopper Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: The Watt Stopper Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Null, Jonathan, Beyer, TJ, Smith, Melissa Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hoanganh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Chuc
• Application Number:
  US10/255,659
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 315/294, 315/291, 315/219, 315/308, 315/307, 315/159, 315/361, 315/295, 315/158, 315/360, 315/154, 315/306, 315/149, 315/156, 364/140, 364/143, 364/141, 340/573.1, 340/565, 340/541, 340/511, 340/521, 700/28, 700/54, 250/342
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A light management system for controlling a load circuit is disclosed. The system preferably comprises a switch unit with a momentary switch for manually controlling the load circuit, a night light to provide low-level or reduced room lighting from the switch unit and a motion sensor for sensing motion from the switch unit. The motion sensor is configured to automatically control the load circuit and/or the night light based on detected motion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the load circuit operates a room lighting system, the light unit comprises light emitting diodes to provide the low-level light. The switch unit is preferably programmable to customized modes of operation to suit a wide range of applications. In yet further embodiments of the invention, the system comprises a light sensor for controlling the load circuit or the night light in response to a level of detected room lighting.

Claims

1. A switch unit for coupling to a load circuit, the switch unit comprising:

a. a switch for manually opening and closing the load circuit;

b. a night light unit integral with the switch unit and configured to emit light output for a selectable duration of time in response to placing the switch in an opened position; and

c. a motion sensor unit integral with the switch unit and configured to control the light output from the night light unit in response to a level of detected motion from the motion sensor unit.

2. The switch unit of claim 1, wherein the night light unit is configured to reduce a level of light after the duration of time.

3. The switch unit of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

4. The switch unit of claim 1, further comprising a micro-processor for programming the selectable duration of time.

5. The switch unit of claim 4, wherein the switch is a momentary switch.

6. The switch unit of claim 5, wherein the micro-processor is programmable through the momentary switch.

7. The switch unit of claim 1, wherein the night light unit comprises a light emitting diode.

8. The switch unit of claim 1, further comprising a light sensor unit for detecting light and for controlling the light output emitted from the night light unit in response to detected light.

9. The switch unit of claim 1, wherein the switch unit is configured to automatically open the load circuit after a selectable delay of time.

10. A light control unit for electrically coupling to a load circuit with a light, the light control unit comprising:

a. a switch integral with the light control unit for manually controlling an electrical load through the load circuit;

b. a night light unit configured to respond to the electrical load, wherein the night light unit emits light from the switch when the load circuit is placed in an opened position; and

c. a motion sensor unit for automatically controlling the night light unit in response to detected motion, wherein the night light unit and the motion sensor unit are integrated into the switch.

11. The light control unit of claim 10, where the night light unit is configured to emit light when the electrical load corresponds to a predetermined level.

12. The light control unit of claim 11, wherein the night light unit is configured to emit a reduced level of light after a delay of time and in the absence of the detected motion.

13. The light control unit of claim 10, wherein the motion sensor unit instructs the light control unit to automatically adjust the electrical load based on a level of the detected motion.

14. The light control unit of claim 12, further comprising a microprocessor for programming a mode of operation, wherein the mode of operation includes the duration delay of time.

15. The light control unit of claim 10, further comprising a light sensor unit, wherein the night light unit is configured to automatically respond to a detected level of light from the light sensor.

16. A light management system comprising:

a. means for manually controlling a primary light source to turn on and off, wherein the means for manually controlling the primary light source comprises a switch unit with a switch, wherein the switch unit is configured for coupling to an electrical wall receptacle;

b. means for providing a secondary light source that emits light from the switch unit when the primary light source is off; and

c. means for automatically controlling the secondary light source in response to detected motion and detected light levels.

17. The light management system of claim 16, wherein the means for automatically controlling the secondary light source comprises a motion detector unit integrated with the switch unit.

18. The light management system of claim 17, wherein the motion detector unit comprises an infrared motion detector.

19. The light management system of claim 16, wherein the means for 2 providing the secondary light source comprises a light emitting diode.

20. The light management system of claim 19, wherein the light emitting diode is integrated with the switch unit.

21. A method of controlling lighting comprising:

a. monitoring motion in an area with a motion detector that is integrated with a wall mounted light switch, wherein the light switch is configured to manually turn a primary light source on and off; and

b. controlling a level of emitted light from a secondary light source integral with the wall mounted light switch in response to a level of motion detected from a motion sensor integral with the wall mounted light switch wherein the secondary light source automatically turns on when the primary light source is manually turned off with the wall mounted light switch.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling the level of emitted light from the secondary light source comprises reducing the intensity of the light emitted from secondary light source after a selected delay of time when the level of motion detected is below a threshold level.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling the secondary light source comprises increasing the intensity of the light emitted from the secondary light source motion is detected.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising controlling the primary light source in response to at least one of the level of motion detected and a level of light detected in the area.

25. A method of making a wall mounted light controller comprising:

a. integrating a night light and a motion sensor unit into a momentary light switch; and

b. coupling the night light and the motion sensor unit and light switch to a microprocessor, wherein the night light is programmed to turn on to emit light and turn off after a programmed delay of time when the light switch is placed in an off position and turned on to emit light when the motion sensor unit detects motion.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising integrating a light sensor unit into the momentary light switch, wherein the night light is programmed to turn off and on in response to a level of detected light.

27. A switch unit for coupling to a load circuit through a wall receptacle, the switch unit comprising:

a. a switch for manually opening and closing the load circuit;

b. a night light unit configured to emit light output for a programmable time when the switch is in an opened position; and

c. means for controlling a level of the light output from the night light with the switch in the opened position in response to a level of detected motion, wherein the night light unit and the means for controlling light output from the night light are integrated into the switch.

28. The switch unit of claim 27, further comprises means for controlling the level of the light output from the night light with the switch in the opened position in response to a level of detected light.