Photocontrol with radio-controlled timer and a decoder

• US 7,345,270 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electro Switch Corp.
• Original Assignee: Dale Thomas, Richard S. Jones
• Inventors: Jones, Richard S., Thomas, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US11/498,903
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.AL, 250/214.R, 250/214.1, 250/214.B, 250/214.SG, 250/214.D, 250/214.LS, 315/135, 315/136, 315/120, 315/154, 343/721, 343/703
• US Class Current: 250/214.0AL
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A photocontrol controls the activation of lighting based on ambient light and the time of day using a radio-controlled timer. Radio signals from a particular source of correct time, such as the National Institute for Science and Technology'"'"'s WWVB radio broadcast, carry encoded time information that can be decoded by the photocontrol to ascertain the current time on start up and periodically during operation. The correct date and time information is used to synchronize the photocontrol'"'"'s internal clock so that it can turn the lighting load off or on at specific times of the day in accordance with the user'"'"'s needs. Thus area, business signage, and security lighting, for example, can be turned off late at night and then back on early in the morning to reduce energy consumption by the lighting during those hours when the lighting is not needed.

Claims

1. A photocontrol, comprising:

a housing;

a light sensor carried by said housing, said light sensor sensing an ambient light level outside said housing and emitting a signal indicative of said ambient light level;

a microprocessor carried by said housing and in operative connection with said light sensor so that said microprocessor receives said signal indicative of said ambient light level sensed by said light sensor, said microprocessor emitting a first output signal when said ambient light level reaches a first preprogrammed level and a second output signal when said ambient light level reaches a second preprogrammed level;

an antenna carried by said housing;

a radio receiver carried by said housing and responsive to said antenna, said radio receiver for receiving a radio signal from a source via said antenna, said radio signal carrying coded current date and time information;

a decoder carried by said housing and in operative connection with said radio receiver, said decoder for extracting said coded current date and time information from said radio signal, said decoder sending current date and time information to said microprocessor when said decoder extracts data and time information from a radio signal; and

a first switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time at which said microprocessor is to emit said second output signal regardless of said ambient light level.

2. The photocontrol as recited in claim 1, wherein said source is an official source of date and time information, and said receiver is tuned to said official source.

3. The photocontrol as recited in claim 1, wherein said source is a satellite beaming current date and time information, and said radio receiver is tuned to said satellite.

4. The photocontrol as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time zone corresponding to the location of said housing.

5. The photocontrol as recited in claim 1, further comprising a third switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time at which said microprocessor is to emit said first output signal regardless of said ambient light level.

6. The photocontrol as recited in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is connected to a source of an alternating electrical voltage having a frequency, and wherein said microprocessor uses the reciprocal of said frequency of said alternating electrical voltage as a clock pulse duration.

7. The photocontrol as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and said second predetermined levels are equal.

8. A photocontrol, comprising:

a housing;

a light sensor carried by said housing, said light sensor sensing an ambient light level outside said housing and emitting a signal indicative of said ambient light level;

a microprocessor carried by said housing and in operative connection with said light sensor so that said microprocessor receives said signal indicative of said ambient light level sensed by said light sensor, said microprocessor emitting a first output signal when said ambient light level reaches a first preprogrammed level and a second output signal when said ambient light level reaches a second preprogrammed level;

an antenna carried by said housing tuned to a source transmitting coded current date and time information;

a radio receiver carried by said housing and responsive to said antenna, said radio receiver tuned to receive a radio signal from said source via said antenna;

a decoder carried by said housing and in operative connection with said radio receiver, said decoder for extracting said coded current date and time information from said radio signal, said decoder sending current date and time information to said microprocessor when said decoder extracts date and time information from said radio signal;

a first switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time at which said microprocessor is to emit said second output signal regardless of said ambient light level; and

a second switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for selecting a time zone so that said microprocessor can adjust said current date and time information for said selected time zone.

9. The photocontrol as recited in claim 8, further comprising a third switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time at which said microprocessor is to emit said first output signal regardless of said ambient light level.

10. The photocontrol as recited in claim 8, wherein said microprocessor is connected to a source of an alternating electrical voltage having a frequency, and wherein said microprocessor uses the reciprocal of said frequency of said alternating electrical voltage as a clock pulse.

11. The photocontrol as recited in claim 8, wherein said first and said second predetermined levels are equal.

12. A photocontrol, comprising:

a housing;

a light sensor carried by said housing, said light sensor sensing an ambient light level outside said housing and emitting a signal indicative of said ambient light level;

a microprocessor carried by said housing and in operative connection with said light sensor so that said microprocessor receives said signal indicative of said ambient light level sensed by said light sensor, said microprocessor emitting a first output signal when said ambient light level reaches a first preprogrammed level and a second output signal when said ambient light level reaches a second preprogrammed level, said microprocessor having a clock and a clock input, said clock marking the passage of time;

a power supply producing an output that includes an alternating voltage having a frequency, said clock using the inverse of said frequency of said alternating voltage for a clock pulse, said microprocessor marking the passage of time by counting clock pulses to determine the processor date and time;

an antenna carried by said housing;

a radio receiver carried by said housing and responsive to said antenna, said radio receiver for receiving a radio signal from a source via said antenna, said radio signal carrying coded current date and time information;

a decoder carried by said housing and in operative connection with said radio receiver, said decoder for extracting said coded current date and time information from said radio signal, said decoder sending current date and time information to said microprocessor, said microprocessor replacing said processor date and time with said current date and time information; and

a first switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time at which said microprocessor is to emit said second output signal regardless of said ambient light level.

13. The photocontrol as recited in claim 12, wherein said antenna and said receiver are tuned to said source.

14. The photocontrol as recited in claim 12, further comprising a second switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time zone corresponding to the location of said housing.

15. The photocontrol as recited in claim 12, further comprising a third switch, carried by said housing and in operational connection with said microprocessor, for inputting a time at which said microprocessor is to emit said first output signal regardless of said ambient light level.