Grid shifting system for a lighting circuit

• US 8,994,276 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Environment LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Recker, Michael V., Levine, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMMOND, DEDEI KHALIEAH
• Application Number:
  US13/315,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20120080944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 315/160
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/375 using buck topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• 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 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A power management system for a lighting circuit may include a grid shifting controller that includes a processor and a connection to an external power source. The power management system may also include a communication interface associated with the grid shifting controller. The grid shifting controller may be configured to provide control information to a processor of at least one grid shifting electrical fixture over the communication interface, the control information being configured to direct the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture on the use of power from the external power source and an energy storage device associated with the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture.

Claims

1. A power management system for a lighting circuit comprising:

a grid shifting controller that includes a processor, an electrical connection to the lighting circuit, and a connection to an external power source;

a communication interface associated with the grid shifting controller;

wherein the grid shifting controller is configured to provide control information to a processor of at least one grid shifting electrical fixture over the communication interface, the control information being configured to reduce power consumed from the external power source by shifting energy use associated with the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture to an energy storage device associated with the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture when power is available from the external power source.

2. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the control information is configured to enable control of one or more of an amount of power to supply from the energy storage device, when to supply power from the energy storage device, and when to recharge the energy storage device.

3. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device includes at least one of a rechargeable battery, a non-rechargeable battery, a photovoltaic cell, fuel cell, or super capacitor.

4. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface includes at least one of a wired communication channel or a wireless communication channel.

5. The power management system of claim 4, wherein the wired communication channel includes a power line communication interface.

6. The power management system of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication channel includes a Zigbee interface.

7. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the grid shifting electrical fixture includes at least one of a lighting fixture or a lighting device.

8. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the grid shifting controller includes an intelligent wall switch configured to control a lighting circuit.

9. A power management system for a lighting circuit comprising:

an external grid shifting controller that includes an electrical connection to the lighting circuit, a power input from an external power source, an energy storage device, a processor, and a power converter circuit; and

a communication interface associated with the external grid shifting controller;

wherein

the external grid shifting controller is configured to supply power to the lighting circuit via at least one of the external power source or the energy storage device;

the power converter circuit is configured to convert power from the energy storage device to provide power for the lighting circuit and to participate in the control of power consumption from the external power source and power consumption from the energy storage device;

the processor is configured to control the use of the external power source and energy storage device based on instructions received via the communication interface to control at least one of an amount of power to supply from the energy storage device, when to supply power from the energy storage device, and when to recharge the energy storage device; and

the processor is configured to reduce power consumed from the external power source by shifting energy use associated with at least one grid shifting electrical fixture including a light source to the energy storage device when power is available from the external power source.

10. The power management system of claim 9, wherein the energy storage device includes at least one of a rechargeable battery, a non-rechargeable battery, a photovoltaic cell, fuel cell, or super capacitor.

11. The power management system of claim 9, wherein the power converter circuit further comprises at least one of a DC/AC inverter, an AC/DC converter, a DC/DC converter a relay, an optoisolator, power sharing circuitry and a solid state switch.

12. The power management system of claim 9, wherein the instructions received are provided by at least one of a disparate grid shifting controller, a building management network, a lighting control network, a demand response server, or a smart grid controller.

13. The power management system of claim 9, wherein the external grid shifting controller is an intelligent wall switch controlling the lighting circuit.

14. The power management system of claim 9, wherein the external grid shifting controller provides power to at least one of an incandescent light source, a fluorescent light source, an LED light source or an AC power device that may derive power from the lighting circuit.

15. The power management system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to control at least one of an amount of power to supply from the energy storage device, when to supply power from the energy storage device, and when to recharge the energy storage device.