Calibration of lamps

• US 8,482,223 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Inventors: Draper, William A., Grisamore, Robert T., Melanson, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Jianzi
• Application Number:
  US12/433,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/307, 315/294, 315/297, 315/299, 315/308, 315/312, 315/326
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a lamp includes a controller configured to generate power control signals for a lamp is also configured to receive lamp calibration data received via one or more power terminals of the lamp. The controller is configured to process the calibration data to calibrate the lamp. In at least one embodiment, the lamp includes one or more light emitting diodes.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to generate one or more power control signals for a lamp, wherein the controller is further configured in calibration mode to receive lamp calibration data received via one or more power terminals of the lamp and to process the calibration data to calibrate the lamp within a tolerance level and in normal mode receive a phase angle modulated voltage via the one or more power terminals of the lamp to operate the lamp in accordance with the calibration data and the phase angle modulated voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the calibration data comprises a phase angle modulated, alternating current voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the calibration data comprises a pulse width modulated voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured for incorporation into a housing of the lamp.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to calibrate a lamp that comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises a decoder to decode the calibration data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller further includes a processor to process the calibration data and generate output data for use in causing the lamp to meet one or more predetermined specifications.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the one or more predetermined specifications comprise light output intensity.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the output data is useful for setting a reference used to adjust current to one or more lamps in the lamp.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the reference is useful to compare against a feedback value representing the current to the one or more lamps of the lamp.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to pulse the lamp to send information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the lamp is further configured to pulse the lamp to send information in response to a request from a calibration unit sending the calibration data.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tolerance level comprises one or more members of a group consisting of:

a specific value, a range of values, and a predetermined brightness level of the lamp.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein generating one or more power control signals further comprises generating output data for use in causing the lamp to meet one or more predetermined specifications.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the one or more predetermined specifications comprise light output intensity.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the output data is useful for setting a reference used to adjust current to one or more lamps in the lamp.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the reference is useful to compare against a feedback value representing the current to the one or more lamps of the lamp.

14. A method comprising:

receiving lamp calibration data via one or more power terminals of a lamp during a calibration mode;

processing the lamp calibration data to calibrate the lamp within a tolerance level during the calibration mode;

receiving a phase angle modulated voltage via the one or more power terminals of the lamp during a normal mode; and

generating one or more power control signals for the lamp using the calibration data and the phase modulated voltage during the normal mode.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein processing the lamp calibration data comprises processing the lamp calibration data using one or more components located within the lamp.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein generating the one or more power control signals comprises generating one or more power control signals using one or more components located within the lamp.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein:

processing the lamp calibration data comprises processing the lamp calibration data using one or more components located within the lamp; and

generating the one or more power control signals comprises generating one or more power control signals using one or more components located within the lamp.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving lamp calibration data comprises receiving phase angle modulated, alternating current voltage.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving lamp calibration data comprises receiving a pulse width modulated voltage.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving lamp calibration data comprises receiving lamp calibration data with a controller disposed in a housing of the lamp.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein processing the calibration data comprises processing the calibration data for a lamp that comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

decoding the calibration data using a decoder disposed in the lamp.

27. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

pulsing light generated by the lamp to send information.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

receiving a request from a calibration unit that sent the calibration data;

wherein pulsing the lamp to send information comprises pulsing the lamp to send information in response to a request from a calibration unit that sent the calibration data.

29. The method of claim 14 wherein the tolerance level comprises one or more members of a group consisting of:

a specific value, a range of values, and a predetermined brightness level of the lamp.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a calibration unit configured to send calibration data to one or more power terminals of a lamp for calibrating the lamp within a tolerance level during a calibration mode of the lamp, wherein the calibration data is distinct from a phase angle modulated voltage received via the one or more power terminals of the lamp during a normal mode of the lamp.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising:

a controller coupled to the calibration unit and configured to generate one or more power control signals for the lamp, wherein the controller is further configured to receive lamp calibration data received via one or more power terminals of the lamp and to process the calibration data to calibrate the lamp.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

a light meter coupled to the controller and the calibration unit to receive light from the lamp and send data representing one or more properties of the light to the calibration unit.

33. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the tolerance level comprises one or more members of a group consisting of:

a specific value, a range of values, and a predetermined brightness level of the lamp.