Adjustable output solid-state lamp with security features

• US 8,922,124 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Imaging Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Express Imaging Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Reed, William G., DeGraff, Dale H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): LO, CHRISTOPHER KWOK YEUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/679,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 315/86, 315/291, 315/294, 315/307, 315/297, 315/360, 315/112, 315/132, 315/292, 315/293, 315/308, 315/152, 315/159, 315/320, 362/276
• US Class Current: 315/152
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a remotely adjustable lighting system with security features. The lighting system includes a lamp (e.g., luminaire) which carries solid-state light sources and a sensor. The solid-state light sources emit visible light at an adjustable output intensity. The sensor is responsive to line-of-sight wireless signals, and the lamp increases and decreases the output intensity of the light sources in response to output signals of the sensor. The lamp provides security features by selectively accepting and rejecting instructions carried by the line-of-sight wireless signals to vary the output intensity of the light sources.

Claims

1. A lighting system for use with lighting fixtures having at least one coupler configured to provide detachable physical and electrical connections therewith, the lighting system comprising:

a lamp, including;

a number of solid-state light sources;

at least one complementary coupler that physically and electrically detachably couples to the coupler of the lighting fixture;

at least one sensor responsive to a number of line-of-sight wireless signals to provide a number of wireless sensor output signals representative of the sensed line-of-sight wireless signals; and

a set of driver electronics electrically coupled between the complementary coupler of the lamp and the solid-state light sources of the lamp;

wherein the driver electronics includes a controller that validates an access identifier encoded in the received number of line-of-sight wireless signals; and

wherein, responsive to a successful validation of the access identifier, the controller executes a timer that defines a time period during which the controller is placed in a command mode in which the controller accepts adjustment instructions encoded in the received number of line-of-sight wireless signals.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote transmitter having a user interface selectively operable by a user to receive a number of user inputs, the remote transmitter operable to transmit the number of line-of-sight wireless signals in response to the user inputs received via the user interface.

3. The lighting system of claim 2 wherein the line-of-sight wireless signals include adjustment instructions indicative of an adjustment in the amount of light output by the solid-state light sources, and the driver electronics are responsive to the adjustment instructions to vary the amount of light output by the solid-state light sources based on the adjustment instructions.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller validates the access identifier against data stored in the memory.

5. The lighting system of claim 4 wherein the memory is writable and data stored therein is user-changeable.

6. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein in response to a validation of the access identifier by the controller, the controller enters a command mode within which the controller is responsive to a number of additional adjustment instructions to vary the output intensity of the solid-state light sources.

7. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the controller exits the command mode at an expiration of the timer.

8. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein in response to the validation of the access identifier the controller executes a timer, reinitiates the timer on receipt of each additional adjustment instruction, and exits the command mode at an expiration of the timer.

9. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the driver electronics includes a transformer having a primary and a secondary, the primary electrically coupled to the complementary coupler, and a switch mode power converter electrically coupled to the secondary of the transformer and to the solid-state light sources.

10. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the lamp takes the form of a luminaire and further includes:

a housing physically coupled to the complementary coupler and that at least partially encloses the driver electronics.

11. The lighting system of claim 10 wherein the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors recessed into the housing.

12. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the lamp takes the form of a luminaire and further includes a lens and the solid-state light sources and the at least one sensor are positioned relatively behind the lens with respect to a direction in which light is transmitted by the solid-state light sources.

13. A method of manufacturing a lamp for use with lighting fixtures having at least one coupler configured to provide detachable physical and electrical connections therewith, the method comprising:

electrically coupling a complementary coupler of the lamp, that physically and electrically detachably couples to the at least one coupler of the lighting fixture, to a number of solid-state light sources;

communicatively coupling a set of driver electronics to at least one sensor that is responsive to a number of line-of-sight wireless signals and that provides a number of wireless sensor output signals representative of the sensed line-of-sight wireless signals;

electrically coupling the set of driver electronics between the complementary coupler of the lamp and the solid-state light sources of the lamp to adjust an amount of light output by the solid-state light sources based at least in part on the line-of-sight wireless signals sensed by the at least one sensor;

validating, by a controller included in the driver electronics, an access identifier encoded in the line-of-sight wireless signals; and

responsive to a successful validation of the access identifier by the controller, executing, by the controller, a timer that defines a time period during which the controller is placed in a command mode in which the controller accepts adjustment instructions encoded in the received number of line-of-sight wireless signals.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

physically coupling a housing to the complementary coupler of the lamp; and

mounting the at least one sensor to the housing.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

positioning the at least one sensor and the solid-state light sources relatively behind a lens with respect to a direction in which light is transmitted from the solid-state light sources.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

configuring the set of driver electronics to validate an access identifier encoded in the number of line-of-sight wireless signals; and

after the set of driver electronics validates the access identifier, configuring the set of driver electronics to adjust the amount of light output by the solid-state light sources in response to output intensity adjustment instructions encoded in the number of line-of-sight wireless signals.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

communicatively coupling a rewriteable memory to the set of driver electronics; and

storing a user-changeable master access identifier in the rewriteable memory against which the set of driver electronics validates the encoded access identifier.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

electronically storing a set of adjustment instructions in the lamp that are indicative of output intensity adjustment instructions encodable in the number of line-of-sight wireless signals; and

configuring the set of driver electronics to adjust the amount of light output by the solid-state light sources in response to comparing the set of adjustment instructions to the output intensity adjustment instructions encoded in the number of line-of-sight wireless signals.

19. A method of operating a solid-state lamp for use with lighting fixtures having at least one coupler configured to provide detachable physical and electrical connections therewith, comprising:

physically and electrically coupling a complementary coupler of the solid-state lamp to the at least one coupler of the fixture to transfer power to the solid-state lamp;

receiving a number of wireless line-of-sight signals with a sensor that is electrically coupled to the solid-state lamp and that is carried by the solid-state lamp;

validating, by a controller included in the driver electronics, an access identifier encoded in the received number of line-of-sight wireless signals; and

responsive to the successful validation of the received access identifier, executing a timer that defines a time period during which the controller is placed in a command mode in which the controller accepts output intensity adjustment commands encoded in the received number of line-of-sight wireless signals; and

adjusting, with a set of driver electronics that are carried by the lamp, an amount of light output by the solid-state lamp in response to the output intensity adjustment commands encoded in the number of wireless line-of-sight signals.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

entering a command mode in response to validating, with the set of driver electronics, an access identifier embedded in the wireless line-of-sight signals;

receiving an additional number of wireless line-of-sight signals during a pendency of the timer; and

preventing an adjustment, that is based on the additional number of wireless line-of-sight signals, of the amount of light output by the solid-state lamp while not in the command mode.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

communicatively coupling a memory that is carried by the solid-state lamp to the set of driver electronics;

storing a digital potentiometer setting in the memory;

determining a resistance between at least two terminals of the digital potentiometer based upon the stored potentiometer setting; and

setting the amount of light output by the solid-state lamp based upon the resistance between the at least two terminals of the digital potentiometer.