Energy saving lighting systems and units providing coordinated operation of holding current units
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lighting system comprising:
- a dimmer that requires at least a holding current to be drawn for proper operation;
a plurality of solid state light sources connected in parallel to an output of the dimmer, each of the solid state light sources comprising;
a light emitter;
a holding current circuit operable to draw a current from the dimmer; and
a control circuit connected to selectively control the current drawn by the holding current circuit; and
a control system configured to automatically reduce an excess of the sum of the currents drawn by the holding current circuits over the holding currentwherein the control system comprises a path by way of which the control circuits of the solid state light sources are configured to exchange information and the control circuits are configured to disable the corresponding holding current circuits or reduce the current drawn by the corresponding holding current circuit in response to information received from other ones of the control circuits.
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Abstract
Holding current circuits in light sources controlled by a dimmer are operated in a coordinated manner to maintain proper operation of the dimmer without wasting energy. A plurality of light sources each including a separate holding current circuit may be controlled by a dimmer. The holding current units are selectively disabled and/or a maximum holding current drawn by the holding current units are selectively adjusted to maintain a desired current draw.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A lighting system comprising:
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a dimmer that requires at least a holding current to be drawn for proper operation; a plurality of solid state light sources connected in parallel to an output of the dimmer, each of the solid state light sources comprising; a light emitter; a holding current circuit operable to draw a current from the dimmer; and a control circuit connected to selectively control the current drawn by the holding current circuit; and a control system configured to automatically reduce an excess of the sum of the currents drawn by the holding current circuits over the holding current wherein the control system comprises a path by way of which the control circuits of the solid state light sources are configured to exchange information and the control circuits are configured to disable the corresponding holding current circuits or reduce the current drawn by the corresponding holding current circuit in response to information received from other ones of the control circuits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A solid state light source comprising:
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a light emitter, a holding current circuit operable to draw a holding current, and a control circuit connected to selectively enable or disable the holding current circuit or to selectively control a value for the upper limiting current that the holding current circuit is configured to draw wherein the solid state light source comprises a signal input for receiving signals and the control circuit is configured to disable the holding current circuit upon receipt of a signal indicating that another solid state light source is drawing a holding current. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A solid state light source comprising:
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a light emitter, a holding current circuit operable to draw a holding current, and a control circuit connected to selectively enable or disable the holding current circuit or to selectively control a value for the upper limiting current that the holding current circuit is configured to draw wherein the holding current circuit comprises a variable attenuator connected in series in a holding current path and the control circuit is configured to set an impedance of the variable attenuator. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification