Lighting system to facilitate remote modification of a light fixture modifiable operating parameter

• US 7,880,394 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heathco LLC (Transom Capital Group)
• Original Assignee: Heathco LLC (Transom Capital Group)
• Inventors: Sibalich, Gregory L., Karasak, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; David Hung
• Application Number:
  US12/104,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20090261735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 315/149, 315/156, 315/157, 315/158, 315/159
• US Class Current: 315/149
• 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 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting system comprises a light fixture (100) and a corresponding remote control transmitter (200). The light fixture can comprise at least one electrically energizable light source (102), at least one local condition sensor (103), a receiver (105), a memory (104), and a controller (101). The controller automatically controls energization of the light source as a function of input from the location condition sensor(s) and at least one stored modifiable operating parameter. The controller also automatically modifies the modifiable operating parameter(s) in response to instructions (106) as are received via the receiver. The wireless remote control transmitter (200) comprises a transmitter (202), an end user interface (203), and a controller (201). The controller processes inputs from an end user (as entered via the end user interface) regarding at least one of the aforementioned manipulable operating parameters and transmits this information to the aforementioned light fixture.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a light fixture comprising;

at least one electrically energizable light source;

at least one local condition sensor;

a receiver;

a memory;

a controller that is operably coupled to the at least one electrically energizable light source, the at least one local condition sensor, the memory, and the receiver and that is configured and arranged to;

automatically control energization of the at least one electrically energizable light source as a function of input from the at least one local condition sensor and at least one modifiable operating parameter as is stored in the memory;

automatically modify the at least one modifiable operating parameter in response to instructions that are received via the receiver.

2. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the at least one local condition sensor comprises at least of one:

an ambient light sensor;

an animate object sensor.

3. The lighting system of claim 2 wherein the at least one local condition sensor comprises both of the ambient light sensor and the animate object sensor.

4. The lighting system of claim 2 wherein the at least one modifiable operating parameter comprises a sensitivity level as corresponds to the animate object sensor.

5. The lighting system of claim 2 wherein the at least one modifiable operating parameter comprises a level as corresponds to the ambient light sensor.

6. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the at least one modifiable operating parameter comprises a temporal modifiable operating parameter.

7. The lighting system of claim 6 wherein the temporal modifiable operating parameter comprises at least one of:

a duration of time to maintain the at least one electrically energizable light source in an energized state when causing the at least one electrically energizable light source to become automatically energized in response to detecting a particular level of ambient light;

a duration of time to maintain the at least one electrically energizable light source in an energized state when causing the at least one electrically energizable light source to become automatically energized in response to detecting an animate object.

8. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured and arranged to automatically modify the at least one modifiable operating parameter in response to instructions that are received via the receiver by using a learn-by-example mode of operation.

9. The lighting system of claim 1 further comprising:

a remote control transmitter that is configured and arranged to selectively transmit the instructions to the receiver in response to end user input.

10. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises a wired receiver.

11. The lighting system of claim 10 wherein the wired receiver comprises a Power Line Communication-based receiver.

12. A lighting system comprising:

a remote control transmitter comprising;

a transmitter;

an end user interface;

a controller that is operably coupled to the transmitter and the end user interface and that is configured and arranged to;

process inputs from an end user as are entered via the end user interface regarding at least one modifiable operating parameter as pertains to automatically controlling energization of at least one electrically energizable light source as a function of input from at least one local condition sensor and the at least one modifiable operating parameter;

transmit information as corresponds to the at least one modifiable operating parameter to a light fixture that comprises the at least one electrically energizable light source.

13. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the at least one modifiable operating parameter comprises a sensitivity level as corresponds to an animate object sensor.

14. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the at least one modifiable operating parameter comprises a level as corresponds to an ambient light sensor.

15. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the at least one modifiable operating parameter comprises a temporal modifiable operating parameter.

17. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the end user interface comprises a plurality of dedicated buttons that each correspond to a different category of modifiable operating parameter.

18. The lighting system of claim 17 wherein the end user interface comprises a display element that provides information to the end user regarding a particular present selection of a setting for each different category of modifiable operating parameter.

19. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured and arranged to transmit information as corresponds to the at least one modifiable operating parameter to a light fixture that comprises the at least one electrically energizable light source by batch transmitting information as corresponds to a plurality of different modifiable operating parameters to the light fixture.

20. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the controller is further configured and arranged to:

detect, via the end user interface, an end user inquiry regarding present settings for the at least one modifiable operating parameter;

provide, via the end user interface and in response to detecting the end user inquiry, information regarding the present settings.

21. The lighting system of claim 12 further comprising:

a light fixture comprising;

the least one electrically energizable light source;

at least one local condition sensor;

a receiver;

a memory;

a controller that is operably coupled to the at least one electrically energizable light source, the at least one local condition sensor, the memory, and the receiver and that is configured and arranged to automatically control energization of the at least one electrically energizable light source as a function of input from the at least one local condition sensor and the at least one modifiable operating parameter as is received from the remote control transmitter via the receiver and as is stored in the memory.

22. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the transmitter comprises a wired transmitter.

23. The lighting system of claim 22 wherein the wired transmitter comprises a Power Line Communication-based transmitter.

24. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter.

16. The lighting system of 15 wherein the temporal modifiable operating parameter comprises at least one of:

a duration of time to maintain the at least one electrically energizable light source in an energized state when causing the at least one electrically energizable light source to become automatically energized in response to detecting a particular level of ambient light;

a duration of time to maintain the at least one electrically energizable light source in an energized state when causing the at least one electrically energizable light source to become automatically energized in response to detecting an animate object.