Power control system and method for providing an optimal power level to a designated light assembly

• US 9,055,630 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dale B. Stepps, Jose Luis Suarez
• Original Assignee: Dale B. Stepps, Jose Luis Suarez
• Inventors: Suarez, Jose Luis, Stepps, Dale B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHILOGENE, HAISSA
• Application Number:
  US14/171,842
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/294, 315/247, 315/224, 315/308, 315/312, 315/129, 315/131, 340/815.45, 340/332, 362/249.02, 362/373
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A control system and method for automatically and seamlessly providing optimal power and/or voltage levels to an integrated, connected or other designated light assembly. In particular, the control system comprises corresponding boost, buck and feedback circuitry cooperatively utilized to intelligently increase, decrease or maintain the signal or power delivered to the light assembly at an optimal level, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity of the light assembly and allowing the light assembly to operate even in the event of a severely degraded signal due to resistance or impedance resulting from a lengthy power wire or other factors.

Claims

1. A method for providing optimal voltage to a light assembly comprising:

receiving an input signal comprising a voltage from an electrical power source and transmitting an output signal to the light assembly,

receiving a feedback signal from the light assembly, the feedback signal being structured to indicate a status of the output signal in relation to an optimal output signal,

manipulating an output voltage based on the received feedback signal,

defining manipulating the output voltage as either incrementally increasing or incrementally decreasing the output voltage as needed, until the feedback signal indicates the output voltage is substantially equal to the optimal output voltage, and

transmitting the manipulated output voltage to the light assembly.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising defining the optimal output voltage as comprising an optimal light fixture voltage plus an optimal feedback voltage.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 comprising manipulating the output voltage by implementing a boost converter to incrementally increase the feedback signal and implementing a buck converter to incrementally increase the feedback signal.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising defining the optimal feedback voltage as comprising a minimum amount of power required to operatively power the buck converter.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising defining the optimal light fixture voltage as comprising a minimum operative power to operate the light assembly.

6. A power control system electrically interconnected to a light assembly, said power control system comprising:

a voltage manipulation assembly structured to receive an input signal from an electrical power source and transmit an output signal to the light assembly,

said voltage manipulation assembly structured to receive a feedback signal;

said feedback signal indicative of a status of said output signal in relation to an optimal output signal,

a feedback signal carrier disposed in operative communication between said voltage manipulation assembly and the light assembly, said feedback signal carrier being structured to transmit a feedback signal to said voltage manipulation assembly, and

said voltage manipulation assembly further structured to generate a manipulated output signal based on said feedback signal and transmit said manipulated output signal to the light assembly.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein said manipulated output signal is operative to implement an incremental increase or an incremental decrease in an output voltage sufficient to establish said feedback signal being indicative of said output voltage being substantially equivalent to an optimal output voltage.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said voltage manipulation assembly is structured and configured to analyze said feedback signal and thereby implement said incremental increase or incremental decrease of said output voltage until said feedback signal indicates that said output voltage is substantially equal to an optimal output voltage.

9. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said optimal output voltage comprises an optimal light fixture voltage plus an optimal feedback voltage.

10. The system as recited in claim 9 wherein said optimal feedback voltage comprises a predetermined minimum voltage structured to operatively power at least a portion of said voltage manipulation assembly.

11. The system as recited in claim 9 wherein said optimal light fixture voltage comprises a predetermined minimum voltage structured to operatively power the light assembly.

12. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein said voltage manipulation assembly comprises a boost converter and a buck converter.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 wherein said optimal feedback voltage comprises a predetermined minimum voltage structured to operatively power said buck converter.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein said feedback signal comprises a voltage substantially equal to said output voltage minus a voltage utilized by the light assembly.

15. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein said feedback signal comprises a voltage substantially equal to said output voltage minus a voltage utilized by the light assembly.