Wireless detection device

• US 8,981,911 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Raisigel, Hynek, Leger, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US13/617,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.22, 340/509, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/541, 315/159, 315/149, 315/150
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• 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

A detection device designed to detect the intensity of a signal emitted by a source powered by pulse-width modulation at a first frequency. The device includes a reactivation circuit including circuitry for detecting a signal modulated at a second frequency, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and tripping circuitry or tripping a reactivation of the detection device when the signal is modulated at the second frequency.

Claims

1. A wireless brightness detection device for detecting the intensity of a light output signal emitted by a light source controlled by a control device and for providing feedback information to the control device concerning actual light intensity levels of said light source for further control adjustment of the light source, said light source being powered by pulse-width modulation at a first frequency and at a second frequency different from the first frequency selectively, said device comprising:

a standalone energy generator supplying a charging current converted from said signal of either said first frequency or said second frequency;

electrical energy storage means for receiving and storing the charging current supplied by the standalone energy generator;

a sensor designed to generate light intensity measurement values of said signal to provide said feedback information, wherein said wireless brightness detection device is in a standby mode when receiving said light output signal at said first frequency; and

a reactivation circuit connected to the standalone energy generator to reactivate the sensor to provide said feedback information to the control device, comprising,

signal detecting means including a resonant circuit for detecting the signal pulse-width modulated at the second frequency different from the first frequency;

tripping means connected to the signal detecting means for tripping a reactivation of the detection device when the signal detected by the signal detecting means is pulse-width modulated at the second frequency different from tile first frequency, said tripping means receiving as input a voltage that is a function of the charging current generated by the standalone energy generator, and

means for eliminating false reactivations, said false reactivations being due to a single variation of the intensity of the signal and/or to a modification of the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the means for eliminating false reactivations of the detection device comprises a rectifier circuit designed to detect a maximum amplitude of the charging current.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the tripping means comprise a comparator with two inputs each of which has an electrical potential applied to it.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein the first input of the comparator is connected to the rectifier circuit to receive a voltage equal to the sum of the voltage measured at the terminals of the resonant circuit and of the voltage measured at the terminals of the rectifier circuit and in that the second input of the comparator is connected to a reference voltage representative of the voltage at the terminals of the energy storage means.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the standalone energy generator comprises a photovoltaic module configured to also function as the sensor.

6. Device according to claims 1, wherein the sensor is a brightness sensor.

7. Communication system comprising:

a coordinator provided with a source of a signal modulated at a first frequency or at a second frequency different from the first frequency by pulse-width modulation, said source being a light source;

a plurality of wireless brightness detection devices for detecting the intensity of a light output signal emitted by the light source connected to said coordinator via a communication network, wherein each wireless brightness detection device provides feedback information to the coordinator concerning actual light intensity levels for further control adjustment of the light source, each wireless brightness detection device comprises;

a standalone energy generator supplying a charging current signal converted from either said first frequency or said second frequency;

electrical energy storage means for receiving and storing the charging current supplied by the standalone energy generator;

a sensor designed to generate light intensity measurement values of said signal to provide said feedback information, wherein said wireless brightness detection device is in a standby mode when receiving said light output signal at said first frequency; and

a reactivation circuit connected to the standalone energy generator to reactivate the sensor to provide said feedback information to a control device, comprising,

signal detecting means including a resonant circuit for detecting the signal pulse-width modulated at the second frequency different from the first frequency;

tripping means connected to the signal detecting means for tripping a reactivation of the detection device when the signal detected by the signal detecting means is pulse-width modulated at the second frequency different from tile first frequency said tripping means receiving as input a voltage that is a function of the charging current generated by the standalone energy generator, and

means for eliminating false reactivations, said false reactivations being due to a single variation of the intensity of the signal and/or to a modification of the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation.