Wireless illumination controller with the function to set the lowest driving power

• US 8,779,892 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arc Technologies Inc. (Hexcel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arc Technologies Inc. (Hexcel Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Wen-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/340,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 315149-160, 340/4.41, 340/5.51, 340/5.23, 340/5.5, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 340/5.62, 340/5.64
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/088 by wireless means, e.g. infrared transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A wireless illumination controller with the function to set the lowest driving power includes a microprocessor, a driver, an illumination control switch, and a wireless receiving module. The microprocessor is built in with an adjustable lowest power and connected with the driver, the illumination control switch, the wireless receiving module and a power processing module. The illumination control switch is used to set the lowest power of the microprocessor. After the wireless receiving module receives a wireless illumination adjustment command, the power of the driving signal output from the driver is controlled to be not lower than the lowest power. Therefore, when a user adjusts the illumination, the driving power is never lower than the lowest driving power of the corresponding light bulb, thereby avoiding flickering.

Claims

1. A wireless illumination controller with a function of setting a lowest driving power for controlling a light bulb, comprising:

a microprocessor built in with a designated lowest power for preventing the light bulb from flickering;

a driver connected with and controlled by the microprocessor to output a driving signal for driving the light bulb with a corresponding power, wherein the driver is adapted to connect to the light bulb;

an illumination control switch connected with the microprocessor for a user to operate and set the designated lowest power of the microprocessor; and

a wireless receiving module connected with the microprocessor for receiving a wireless illumination adjustment command;

wherein after receiving the wireless illumination adjustment command, the microprocessor controls the power of the driving signal for driving the light bulb to be no less than the designated lowest power.

2. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is built in with a plurality of different lowest power values;

and

a multi-step illumination control switch corresponding to the different lowest power values is operated with the microprocessor and has a plurality of switch steps and a knob;

the knob is used to select one of the lowest power values as the lowest power of the microprocessor.

3. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the microprocessor is built in with an illumination adjustment procedure;

the wireless illumination adjustment command includes an illumination adjustment initialization signal and an illumination adjustment confirmation signal;

the microprocessor executes the illumination adjustment procedure to continuously vary the power of the driving signal output by the driver after receiving the illumination adjustment initialization signal to find a required power; and

the microprocessor stops varying the power of the driving signal to continuously output the driving signal with the required power after receiving the illumination adjustment confirmation signal.

4. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the illumination adjustment procedure is built in with:

a high-speed varying rate that is used to make a larger change to the power of the driving signal in each unit time and corresponds to a high brightness range; and

a low-speed varying rate that is used to make a smaller change to the power of the driving signal in each unit time and corresponds to a low brightness range; and

the low-speed varying rate is applied to change the power of the driving signal when the wireless illumination adjustment command is received for continuously adjusting the brightness in the low brightness range, otherwise the high-speed varying rate is employed to change the power of the driving signal in the high brightness range.

5. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 4 further comprising

a power processing module having power input terminals and connected with the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module;

wherein the power input terminals are connected to a household AC power source, and the power processing module converts the household AC power to the power required by the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module; and

a wireless remote control controllable by a user to send the wireless illumination adjustment command to the wireless receiving module.

6. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 5, wherein the microprocessor outputs PWM signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

7. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 6, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.

8. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 2 further comprising

a power processing module having power input terminals and connected with the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module;

wherein the power input terminals are connected to a household AC power source, and the power processing module converts the household AC power to the power required by the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module; and

a wireless remote control controllable by a user to send the wireless illumination adjustment command to the wireless receiving module.

9. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 8, wherein the microprocessor outputs PWM signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

10. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 9, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.

11. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the microprocessor outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

12. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the microprocessor controls the driver to output the driving signals with power greater than or equal to the designated lowest power when the designated lowest power has been changed.

13. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 12, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.

14. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 3 further comprising

a power processing module having power input terminals and connected with the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module;

wherein the power input terminals are connected to a household AC power source, and the power processing module converts the household AC power to the power required by the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module; and

a wireless remote control controllable by a user to send the wireless illumination adjustment command to the wireless receiving module.

15. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 14, wherein the microprocessor outputs PWM signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

16. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.

17. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the microprocessor outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

18. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 17, wherein the microprocessor controls the driver to output the driving signals with power greater than or equal to the designated lowest power when the designated lowest power has been changed.

19. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 18, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.

20. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microprocessor outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

21. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 20, wherein the microprocessor controls the driver to output the driving signals with power greater than or equal to the designated lowest power when the designated lowest power has been changed.

22. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 21, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.

23. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 1 further comprising

a power processing module having power input terminals and connected with the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module;

wherein the power input terminals are connected to a household AC power source, and the power processing module converts the household AC power to the power required by the microprocessor, the driver, and the wireless receiving module; and

a wireless remote control controllable by a user to send the wireless illumination adjustment command to the wireless receiving module.

24. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 23, wherein the microprocessor outputs PWM signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

25. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 24, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.

26. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals of different pulse widths to the driver, thereby controlling the power of the driving signal output by the driver.

27. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 26, wherein the microprocessor controls the driver to output the driving signals with power greater than or equal to the designated lowest power when the designated lowest power has been changed.

28. The wireless illumination controller as claimed in claim 27, wherein the microprocessor stores an illumination adjustment setting value.