Wireless power inverter for lighting

• US 9,066,393 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• 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): Chen, Jianzi
• Application Number:
  US13/335,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 315/86, 315/129, 315/209.R, 315/226, 315/291, 315/308, 315/307, 315/64, 315/65, 315/66, 340/693.1, 340/693.2, 340/693.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/375 using buck topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/385 using flyback topology
• 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 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for systems and methods that employ a control component and/or power source integrated in an LED based light source to control and/or power the LED light source wirelessly. In embodiments, the LED based light source may take the form of a standard light bulb that plugs into a standard lighting socket or fixture.

Claims

1. A power module for providing power to an electrical circuit that includes at least one light source, comprising:

an alternating current (AC) power input configured to receive AC power for supplying to the electrical circuit and powering the at least one light source;

a receiver configured to receive a power outage indication signal from a power outage detection unit located remotely from the power module, wherein the power outage detection unit is configured to monitor a change in the received AC power;

a battery;

an inverter circuit configured to convert direct current (DC) power from the battery to AC power for powering the at least one light source; and

a controller configured to;

selectively control application of AC power from the AC power input to the electrical circuit; and

selectively control application of AC power from the inverter circuit to the electrical circuit based on the power outage indication signal.

2. The power module of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control at least one of the application of AC power from the AC power input to the electrical circuit or the application of AC power from the inverter circuit to the electrical circuit based on input that is received via a user interface on the power outage detection unit and transmitted to the receiver.

3. The power module of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver, and the power outage indication signal includes a loss of AC power signal wirelessly transmitted to the receiver.

4. The power module of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively control application of AC power from the inverter circuit and the AC power input such that either all power supplied to the electrical circuit originates from the battery or a part of the power supplied to the electrical circuit originates from the battery and a part of the power supplied to the electrical circuit originates from the AC power from the AC power input.

5. The power module of claim 1, wherein the inverter circuit further includes a grid-tie inverter in electrical communication with both the battery and the AC power input.

6. The power module of claim 1, wherein the AC power input is in electrical communication with and receives the AC power from a connector configured to connect with an electric wall outlet.

7. The power module of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the application of AC power from the inverter circuit by selectively controlling application of DC power to the inverter circuit.

8. The power module of claim 1, wherein the battery includes a rechargeable battery.

9. A power adapter, comprising:

an Edison socket interface configured to supply alternating current (AC) power to a light source connected to the Edison socket interface;

an Edison base interface configured to receive AC power for providing to at least one of an electrical circuit in electrical communication with at least one light source or the Edison socket interface;

a battery;

a receiver configured to receive an AC power loss signal provided by a power outage detection unit located remotely from the power adapter, wherein the power outage detection unit is configured to monitor a change in the received AC power;

an inverter circuit configured to convert direct current (DC) power from the battery to AC power for powering one or more of the at least one light source or the light source connected to the Edison socket interface; and

a controller configured to;

selectively control application of AC power from the Edison base interface to one or more of the at least one light source or the Edison socket interface; and

selectively control application of AC power from the inverter circuit to one or more of the at least one light source or the Edison socket interface based on the AC power loss signal.

10. The power adapter of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the application of AC power from the inverter circuit by selectively controlling application of DC power to the inverter circuit.

11. The power adapter of claim 10, wherein the power outage detection unit is configured to generate the AC power loss signal by monitoring power supplied by a wall outlet.

12. The power adapter of claim 11, wherein the power outage detection unit is configured to be removably inserted into the wall outlet.

13. The power adapter of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control at least one of the application of AC power from the Edison base interface to one or more of the at least one light source or the Edison socket interface or the application of AC power from the inverter circuit to one or more of the at least one light source or the Edison socket interface based on input that is received via a user interface on the power outage detection unit and transmitted to the receiver.

14. The power adapter of claim 9, wherein the receiver includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver, and the AC power loss signal is wirelessly transmitted to the receiver.

15. The power adapter of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively control application of AC power from the inverter circuit and the Edison base interface such that either all power supplied to the at least one light source and the light source connected to the Edison socket interface originates from the battery or a part of the power supplied to the at least one light source and the light source connected to the Edison socket interface originates from the battery and a part of the power supplied to the at least one light source and the light source connected to the Edison socket interface originates from the AC power from the Edison base interface.

16. The power adapter of claim 9, wherein the at least one light source connected to the Edison socket interface includes at least one of an incandescent light source, a fluorescent light source or an LED light source.

17. The power adapter of claim 9, wherein the battery includes a rechargeable battery.

18. An emergency lighting system configured to provide power to at least one light source, the emergency lighting system comprising:

a power outage detection unit including an interface configured for removable insertion into a wall outlet, the power outage detection unit being configured to monitor the presence of AC power at the wall outlet and to generate a power outage indication signal in the absence of AC power at the wall outlet; and

a power module including;

an alternating current (AC) power input configured to receive AC power for supplying to an electrical circuit and powering the at least one light source;

a battery;

an inverter circuit configured to convert direct current (DC) power from the battery to AC power for powering the at least one light source; and

a controller configured to;

selectively control application of AC power from the AC power input to the electrical circuit; and

selectively control application of AC power from the inverter circuit to the electrical circuit based on the power outage indication signal.

19. The emergency lighting system of claim 18, wherein the AC power loss signal is wirelessly transmitted to a radio frequency (RF) receiver of the power module.

20. The emergency lighting system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the application of AC power from the inverter circuit by selectively controlling application of DC power to the inverter circuit.

21. The emergency lighting system of claim 18, further comprising a user interface on the power outage detection unit, wherein the controller of the power module is configured to selectively control at least one of the application of AC power from the AC power input to the electrical circuit or the application of AC power from the inverter circuit to the electrical circuit based on input that is received via the user interface.