Sensing device for LED lighting equipment

• US 8,624,526 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IR-TEC International, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: IR-TEC International, Ltd.
• Inventors: Huang, Wen-I
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US13/301,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20130127347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 315/307, 315/158, 315/299, 315/149, 315/312, 315/291, 340/239.26, 340/540, 340/541, 340/545.3, 340/555, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• 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: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A sensing device, for controlling an LED lighting equipment, and more especially for electrical connection with at least one LED lighting equipment that can be driven by a DC power supply, is disclosed. The sensing device, which can be supplied with an external DC power source, comprises a control module, a signal adjusting unit, an object detecting unit, and a manual time-delay adjustor. The control module can send a control signal train of PWM or PFM to the signal adjusting unit, which will in turn send an amplified signal train of PWM or PFM to the LED lighting equipment, so as to control the illuminating level of the equipment. Thus, the problems of the conventional light modulators, resulting from the use of an AC power supply, can be alleviated. Also, the associated cost of the equipment can be reduced.

Claims

1. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment, and more especially for electrical connection with at least one LED lighting equipment that can be driven by a DC power supply, wherein the sensing device is supplied with an external DC power source and can actuate the LED lighting equipment, so that the LED lighting equipment can be controlled to be with an illuminating level being selected from a group of predetermined levels including full brightness and non-brightness, said sensing device comprising:

a control module, capable of receiving external signals and outputting control signals after the external signals being processed, and capable of sending a control signal train of pulse-width modulation;

a signal adjusting unit, being electrically connected to said control module for receiving the control signal train of pulse-width modulation from said control module and increasing the driving force of the control signal train, so that said signal adjusting module can output an amplified signal train of pulse-width modulation, which can directly actuate the LED lighting equipment;

an object detecting unit, being electrically connected to said control module, for detecting and determining whether a person is existed or not, so as to send a signal to said control module, whereby said control module can modify the control signal train of pulse-width modulation to allow the LED lighting equipment to be gradually changed to a different illuminating level in response to a state change of the signal sent from said object detecting unit; and

a manual time-delay adjustor, being electrically connected to said control module, for adjusting a delay time between a first illuminating level and a second illuminating level, whereby said control module can modify the signal train of pulse-width modulation, according to the delay time, to enable the LED lighting equipment to arrive at the second illuminating level upon the delay time expires.

2. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control module is a microcontroller unit or a control IC.

3. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object detecting unit can be a unit employing a technique of active infrared light, passive infrared light, ultrasound, or microwave.

4. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said manual time-delay adjustor comprises a variable resistor that can be adjusted to output a voltage to said control module so as to control the delay time between two illuminating levels.

5. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control module can select a time value for the delay time from a group of distinct predetermined values, each predetermined value corresponding to a voltage range, so that, if voltages outputted from said variable resistor are within a same voltage range, the delay time will be the same.

6. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sensing device further comprises a light detecting unit, being electrically connected to said control module, to cooperate with said object detecting unit so as to provide the LED lighting equipment with more illuminating levels.

7. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment, and more especially for electrical connection with at least one LED lighting equipment that can be driven by a DC power supply, wherein the sensing device is supplied with an external DC power source and can actuate the LED lighting equipment, so that the LED lighting equipment can be controlled to be with an illuminating level being selected from a group of predetermined levels including full brightness and non-brightness, said sensing device comprising:

a control module, capable of receiving external signals and outputting control signals after the external signals being processed, and capable of sending a control signal train of pulse-frequency modulation;

a signal adjusting unit, being electrically connected to said control module for receiving the control signal train of pulse-frequency modulation from said control module and increasing the driving force of the control signal train, so that said signal adjusting unit can output an amplified signal train of pulse-frequency modulation, which can directly actuate the LED lighting equipment;

an object detecting unit, being electrically connected to said control module, for detecting and determining whether a person is existed or not, so as to send a signal to said control module, whereby said control module can modify the control signal train of pulse-frequency modulation to allow the LED lighting equipment to be gradually changed to a different illuminating level in response to a state change of the signal send from said object detecting unit; and

a manual time-delay adjustor, being electrically connected to said control module, for adjusting a delay time between a first illuminating level and a second illuminating level, whereby said control module can modify the control signal train of pulse-frequency modulation, according to the delay time, to enable the LED lighting equipment to arrive at the second illuminating level upon the delay time expires.

8. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 7, wherein said control module is a microcontroller unit or a control IC.

9. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 7, wherein said object detecting unit can be a unit employing a technique of active infrared light, passive infrared light, ultrasound, or microwave.

10. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 7, wherein said manual time-delay adjustor comprises a variable resistor that can be adjusted to output a voltage to said control module so as to control the delay time between two illuminating levels.

11. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 10, wherein said control module can select a time value for the delay time from a group of distinct predetermined values, each predetermined value corresponding to a voltage range, so that, if voltages outputted from said variable resistor are within a same voltage range, the delay time will be the same.

12. A sensing device for controlling an LED lighting equipment as claimed in claim 11, wherein said sensing device further comprises a light detecting unit, being electrically connected to said control module, to cooperate with said object detecting unit so as to provide the LED lighting equipment with more illuminating levels.