Multiple location dimming system
First Claim
1. A multiple location dimming system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
- a first dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the first dimmer comprising a first controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a first controller coupled to the first controllably conductive device for control of the first controllable conductive device, the first controller operable to monitor a first electrical characteristic of the first dimmer; and
a second dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the second dimmer comprising a second controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a second controller coupled to the second controllably conductive device for control of the second controllably conductive device, the second controller operable to monitor a second electrical characteristic of the second dimmer;
wherein the first dimmer is coupled to the second dimmer such that the first controllably conductive device is coupled in parallel electrical connection with the second controllably conductive device, the parallel combination of the first and second controllably conductive devices in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load; and
wherein the first controller is operable to render the first controllably conductive device conductive at a first time each half-cycle of the AC power source, the second controller operable to determine the first time in response to the second electrical characteristic, and to render the second controllably conductive device conductive at a second time before the first time during a first half-cycle, the first controller operable to determine whether the second controller has rendered the second controllably conductive device conductive before the first time during the first half-cycle, and to render the first controllably conductive device non-conductive in response to determining that the second controller rendered the second controllably conductive device conductive before the first time during the first half-cycle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple location dimming system comprises a plurality of dimmers coupled between an AC power source and a lighting load. Each of the plurality of dimmers is operable to control the intensity of the lighting load and comprises a controllably conductive device, e.g., a triac. The triacs of the plurality of dimmers are coupled in parallel electrical connection. Only an active one of the dimmers is operable to conduct a load current to the lighting load at any given time. A passive dimmer is operable to monitor the voltage across its triac in order to determine when the active dimmer is firing its triac. Accordingly, the passive dimmer is operable to fire its triac before the active dimmer fires its triac in order to “take over” control of the lighting load from the active dimmer to become the next active dimmer. Further, the passive dimmer is operable to determine the amount of power being delivered to the load and display this information on one or more status indicators.
35 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A multiple location dimming system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
-
a first dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the first dimmer comprising a first controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a first controller coupled to the first controllably conductive device for control of the first controllable conductive device, the first controller operable to monitor a first electrical characteristic of the first dimmer; and a second dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the second dimmer comprising a second controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a second controller coupled to the second controllably conductive device for control of the second controllably conductive device, the second controller operable to monitor a second electrical characteristic of the second dimmer; wherein the first dimmer is coupled to the second dimmer such that the first controllably conductive device is coupled in parallel electrical connection with the second controllably conductive device, the parallel combination of the first and second controllably conductive devices in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load; and wherein the first controller is operable to render the first controllably conductive device conductive at a first time each half-cycle of the AC power source, the second controller operable to determine the first time in response to the second electrical characteristic, and to render the second controllably conductive device conductive at a second time before the first time during a first half-cycle, the first controller operable to determine whether the second controller has rendered the second controllably conductive device conductive before the first time during the first half-cycle, and to render the first controllably conductive device non-conductive in response to determining that the second controller rendered the second controllably conductive device conductive before the first time during the first half-cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A multiple location dimming system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
-
a first dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the first dimmer comprising a first controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a first controller coupled to the first controllably conductive device for control of the first controllably conductive device, the first controller operable to monitor a first electrical characteristic of the first dimmer; and a second dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the second dimmer comprising a second controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a second controller coupled to the second controllably conductive device for control of the second controllably conductive device, the second controller operable to monitor a second electrical characteristic of the second dimmer; wherein the first dimmer is coupled to the second dimmer such that the first controllably conductive device is coupled in parallel electrical connection with the second controllably conductive device, the parallel combination of the first and second controllably conductive devices in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load; and wherein the first controller is operable to render the first controllably conductive device conductive for a first period of time each half-cycle of the AC power source and the second controller is operable to determine the first period of time of the first controllably conductive device in response to the second electrical characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A multiple location dimming system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
-
a first dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the first dimmer comprising a first controllably conductive device operable to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load by conducting load current from the AC power source to the electrical load at a first time each half-cycle of the AC power source; and a second dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the second dimmer comprising a second controllably conductive device operable to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load, the second dimmer coupled to the first dimmer such that the second controllably conductive device is coupled in parallel electrical connection with the first controllably conductive device, the parallel combination of the first and second controllably conductive devices in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load, only one of the first and the second controllably conductive devices operable to conduct the load current at a given time; wherein the second dimmer is operable to render the second controllably conductive device conductive at a second time before the first time; and wherein the first dimmer is operable to render the first controllably conductive device non-conductive in response to the second dimmer rendering the second controllably conductive device conductive at the second time.
-
Specification