Wireless lighting system for staircases and passageways

• US 8,497,634 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovation Sports, Inc. (Ossur hf)
• Original Assignee: Innovation Sports, Inc. (Ossur hf)
• Inventors: Scharf, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US12/583,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.01, 340/309.16, 340/541, 340/573.1, 315/134, 315/136, 315/149, 315/153, 315/159, 315/312, 315/324, 315/360, 362/145, 362/146
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/027 for indicating kerbs, steps or stairs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• 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

The invention discloses an illumination system having a first proximate detector with a first zone detector and a first transmitter. The first zone detector can detect the passing of a human body and the transmitter can send a signal upon such detection. The invention may further include a second zone detector and a second transmitter having similar capacities. In addition, the invention may also have a first staircase illuminator and a second staircase illuminator. Detection of a person passing near a zone detector may cause a staircase illuminator to illuminate a staircase area. The process of transmitting, receiving and illuminating may continue for as long as any of the illuminators within the illumination system that has not yet been illuminated.

Claims

1. A staircase illumination system comprising:

a first proximate detector, the proximate detector having;

a first zone detector, the first zone detector detecting the passing of a human body;

a first transmitter, the first transmitter sending a signal upon the activation of the first zone detector;

a first staircase illuminator, the first staircase illuminator illuminating a first staircase area;

a receiver, the receiver having

a second staircase illuminator;

the second staircase illuminator illuminating a second staircase area;

a second zone detector, the second zone detector detecting the passing of the human body; and

a second transmitter, the second transmitter sending a signal upon the activation of the second zone detector;

so that when a human body passes near the first proximate detector, the first zone detector is activated and the signal is sent from the first transmitter to the receiver,

and the receiver illuminates the second staircase area; and

wherein the first staircase illuminator illuminates the first staircase area;

and so that when a human body passes near the second proximate detector, the second zone detector is activated and the signal is sent from the second transmitter to a receiver on a third staircase illuminator illuminating a third staircase area;

or the signal is sent from the second transmitter back to the receiver on the first staircase illuminator illuminating the first staircase area.

2. The staircase illumination system as in claim 1 wherein the first proximate detector is an infrared sensor.

3. The staircase illumination system as in claim 1 wherein the first proximate detector is a photocell.

4. The staircase illumination system as in claim 1 wherein the first zone detector is activated from 0 to 10 minutes.

5. The staircase illumination system as in claim 1 wherein the first zone detector is activated from 0 to 1 minute.

6. The staircase illumination system as in claim 1 wherein the first transmitter transmits on a frequency of approximately 315 Mhz.

7. The staircase illumination system as in claim 1 wherein the first transmitter transmits on a frequency in the range of 400 to 500 Mhz.

8. An illumination system comprising:

a first proximate detector, the first proximate detector having a first illuminator;

a first transmitter, the first transmitter sending a signal upon the activation of the first proximate detector;

at least a second illuminator having a receiver receiving the signal from the first transmitter and activating the second illuminator;

and a timer mechanism, said timer mechanism deactivating said first illuminator and said second illuminator after a passage of time ranging between 30 seconds and 10 minutes.

9. The illumination system of claim 8, wherein said first illuminator further comprises said receiver.

10. The illumination system of claim 9, further comprising a remote control having a light switch activator and a remote control transmitter, wherein said light switch activator sending a signal from said remote control transmitter to said receiver on said first illuminator and at least said second illuminator.

11. The illumination system of claim 8, wherein the first proximate detector is an infrared sensor.

12. The illumination system of claim 8, wherein the first proximate detector is a photocell.

13. The illumination system of claim 8, wherein said first transmitter transmits the signal within a frequency between 300 Mhz-500 Mhz.

14. The illumination system of claim 8, further comprising multiple illuminators.

15. The illumination system of claim 8, further comprising multiple proximate detectors.

16. An illumination system comprising:

a first illuminator having a first proximate detector;

a second illuminator, having a second proximate detector;

said first and said second illuminators each having a first transmitter, a receiver, and a power source;

wherein

said first proximate detector detecting a passing of a human body and activating said first transmitter to send a signal to said receiver on said second illuminator;

or

said second proximate detector detecting a passing of a human body and activating said first transmitter to send the signal to said receiver on said first illuminator;

and a timer mechanism, the timer mechanism disabling said first and said second illuminators upon passage of time between 30 seconds and 10 minutes.

17. The illumination system of claim 16, further comprising a remote control having a light switch actuator and a remote control transmitter, wherein said remote control transmitter sends a signal activating said first illuminator.

18. The illumination system of claim 16, wherein the first proximate detector or said second proximate detector is an infrared sensor.

19. The illumination system of claim 16, wherein the first proximate detector or said second proximate detector is a photocell.

20. A method of illuminating a contiguous illumination system comprising the steps of:

activating a proximate sensor by passing a transient object within a monitored zone;

transmitting an activation signal to all staircase illuminators within a contiguous illumination system;

illuminating all staircase illuminators within said contiguous illumination system;

using a timer to send a deactivation signal to all light fixtures within said contiguous illumination system;

disabling illumination of all staircase illuminators within said contiguous illumination system.

21. The method of illuminating a contiguous illumination system of claim 20, further comprising the step of sending a remote control activation signal to illuminate all staircase illuminators within said illumination system.