Conductor rail system with control line

• US 6,933,444 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EUTRAC Stromschienen GmbH
• Original Assignee: Semperlux AG Lichttechnische Werke
• Inventors: Knoop, Thomas, Albert, Dieter, Bansbach, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US10/390,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/691.8, 340/568.2, 340/619, 340/687, 700/9, 702/188, 708/140, 174/68.1, 174/96, 315/76
• US Class Current: 174/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/35 with direct electrical contact between the supporting element and electric conductors running along the guiding element
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/14 Rails or bus-bars constructed so that the counterparts can be connected thereto at any point along their length supporting elements for lighting devices, displaceable along guiding elements and making electrical contact with conductors running along the guiding elements F21V21/35
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical supply and control system for supplying electrical energy to an electrical device arrangement, which includes at least one sensor means, and for remote-controlling said electrical device arrangement. In order to provide an inexpensive conductor rail system, which permits the control of connected electrical devices depending on an environmental situation, the invention provides at least one profiled conductor rail with a power conductor and control lines extending along the conductor rail. Adapters are provided for releasably attaching at least on electrical device of the electrical device arrangement to the conductor rail and for, thereby, electrically connecting the power conductor and the control lines to the device. A central control computer is connected to the control lines for receiving, through the control lines, signals from the electrical device arrangement and for transmitting, through the control lines, control signals for controlling at least one electrical device of the electrical device arrangement. The sensor or sensors transmit sensor signals exclusively to said central control computer. The electrical device arrangement is controlled exclusively by the central control means, each electrical device of said electrical device arrangement being individually addressable by the central control computer.

Claims

1. An electrical supply and control system for supplying electrical energy to a lamp arrangement and for remote-controlling said lamp arrangement, comprising:

at least one profiled conductor rail with power conductor means and control line means extending along said conductor rail,

means for releasably attaching said lamp arrangement to said conductor rail and for, thereby, electrically connecting said power conductor means and said control line means to said lamp arrangement,

sensor means independent of said lamp arrangement and having adapter means for releasably attaching said sensor means at any location along said conductor rail mechanically to said profiled conductor rail and for contacting said sensor means with said control line means,

and central control means connected to said control line means for receiving, through said control line means, signals from said sensor means and for transmitting, through said control line means, control signals for controlling at least one lamp of said,

said sensor means transmitting sensor signals exclusively to said central control means,

said lamp arrangement being controlled exclusively by said central control means in such a manner that each lamp of said arrangement being individually addressable by said central control means.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central control means are contained in a control unit and comprise adapter means for attaching said control unit to said profiled conductor rail and for, thereby, electrically connecting said power conductor means and said control line means to said central control means.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor means comprise means for detecting the presence of a person, said control signals from said central control means activating at least one of said lamps, when said sensor means detect the presence of a person, and de-activating said lamp, when said sensor means no longer detect the presence of a person.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lamp arrangement comprises a movable element and actuator means, coupled to said movable element and controlled by said control signals from said central control means to adjust the position or orientation of said movable element.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lamp arrangement comprises means for varying a characteristic of said lamp arrangement, said varying means being controlled by said control signal from said central control means due to said control means receiving said sensor signal from said sensor means to vary said characteristic of said lamp arrangement depending on said sensor signal.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lamp arrangement comprises means for varying the color of said lamps, said varying means being controlled by said control signal from said central control means due to said control means receiving said sensor signal from said sensor means to vary the color of said lame arrangement depending on said sensor signal.

7. An electrical supply and control system for supplying electrical energy to an electrical device arrangement and for remote-controlling said electrical device arrangement, comprising:

at least one profiled conductor rail with power conductor means and control line means extending along said conductor rail,

means for releasably attaching at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement to said conductor rail and for electrically connecting said power conductor means and said control line means to said device,

sensor means separate from other electrical devices and having adapter means for releasably attaching said sensor means at any location along said conductor rail mechanically to said profiled conductor rail and for connecting said sensor means with said control line means, and central control means connected to said control line means for receiving, through said control line means, signals from said electrical device arrangement and for transmitting, through said control line means, control signal for controlling said at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement,

said sensor means transmitting sensor signals exclusively to said central control means,

said electrical device arrangement being controlled exclusively by said central control means, each said electrical device of said electrical device arrangement being individually addressable by said central control means,

wherein said electrical device arrangement further comprises replay system means for replaying acoustic signals in continuous operation, said replay system means and means for triggering said replay system means, when receiving said control signal from said central control means due to said central control means, are receiving said sensor signal from said sensor means.

8. An electrical supply and control system for supplying electrical energy to an electrical device arrangement and for remote-controlling said electrical device arrangement, comprising:

at least one profiled conductor rail with power conductor means and control line means extending along said conductor rail, means for releasably attaching at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement to said conductor rail and for electrically connecting said power conductor means and said control line means to said device,

sensor means separate from other electrical devices and having adapter means for releasably attaching said sensor means at any location along said conductor rail mechanically to said profiled connector rail and for connecting said sensor means with said control line means,

and central control means connected to said control line means for receiving, through said control line means, signals from said electrical device arrangement and for transmitting, through said control line means, control signal for controlling said at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement,

said sensor means transmitting sensor signals exclusively to said central control means,

said electrical device arrangement being controlled exclusively by said central control means, each said electrical device of said electrical device arrangement being individually addressable by said central control means,

wherein said electrical device arrangement further comprises display means for displaying video sequences or pictures and means for triggering said display means, when receiving said control signal from said central control means due to said central control means, are receiving said sensor signal from said sensor means.

9. An electrical supply and control system for supplying electrical energy to an electrical device arrangement and for remote-controlling said electrical device arrangement, comprising:

at least one profiled conductor rail with power conductor means and control line means extending along said conductor rail,

means for releasably attaching at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement to said conductor rail and for electrically connecting said power conductor means and said control line means to said device,

sensor means separate from other electrical devices and having adapter means for releasably attaching said sensor means at any location along said conductor rail mechanically to said profiled connector rail and for connecting said sensor means with said control line means,

and central control means connected to said control line means for receiving, through said control line means, signals from said electrical device arrangement and for transmitting, through said control line means, control signal for controlling said at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement,

said sensor means transmitting sensor signals exclusively to said central control means,

said electrical device arrangement being controlled exclusively by said central control means, each said electrical device of said electrical device arrangement being individually addressable by said central control means,

wherein said electrical device arrangement, further comprises direction display means for displaying a direction and means for controlling said display means to indicate the direction, when receiving said control signal from said central control means due to said control means, are receiving said sensor signal from said sensor means.

10. An electrical supply and control system for supplying electrical energy to an electrical device arrangement and for remote-controlling said electrical device arrangement, comprising:

at least one profiled conductor rail with power conductor means and control line means extending along said conductor rail,

means for releasably attaching at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement to said conductor rail and for electrically connecting said power conductor means and said control line means to said device,

sensor means separate from other electrical devices and having adapter means for releasably attaching said sensor means at any location along said conductor rail mechanically to said profiled conductor rail and for connecting said sensor means with said control line means,

and central control means connected to said control line means for receiving, through said control line means, signals from said electrical device arrangement and for transmitting, through said control line means, control signal for controlling said at least one electrical device of said electrical device arrangement,

said sensor means transmitting sensor signals exclusively to said central control means,

said electrical device arrangement being controlled exclusively by said central control means, each said electrical device of said electrical device arrangement being individually addressable by said central control means,

wherein said electrical device arrangement further comprises alarm or emergency call means and means for triggering said alarm or emergency call means, when receiving said control signal from said central control system means due to said central control means, are receiving said sensor signal from said sensor means.