LED lighting systems

• US 9,253,852 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumenpulse Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lumenpulse Inc.
• Inventors: Campbell, Gregory, Hamel, Yvan, Racine, Philippe, Franzosa, Paul, Anderson, James William, Shea, Casey
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sathiraju, Srinivas
• Application Number:
  US13/768,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20130320862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/199 Commissioning of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Light fixture systems and application of ambient light measurement for improving lighting system efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for controlling light emitting diode (LED) light fixtures, the method comprising:

monitoring a clock source signal to identify the presence of a feature in the clock source signal;

generating a trigger signal with a triggering module in response to identifying the presence of the feature in the clock source signal;

providing the trigger signal to each of a plurality of light fixtures to command

each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light; and

measuring ambient light with a light sensor located with the plurality of light fixtures;

wherein the clock source signal is a power line communication signal carried by an AC or DC signal used to provide power to the plurality of light fixtures.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering commands each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light for a predefined time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an ambient light monitor measures the ambient light in response to the trigger signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ambient light is measured using one or more light emitting diodes in the one or more of the plurality of light fixtures.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising varying operating parameters of one or more of the light fixtures based on the measured ambient light.

6. A light fixture control system, the system comprising:

a monitoring module that monitors a clock source signal to identify the presence of a feature in the clock source signal;

a triggering module that generates a trigger signal in response to identifying the presence of the feature in the clock source signal;

a command module that provides the trigger signal to each of a plurality of light fixtures to command each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light; and

a ambient light module that monitors ambient light measured in proximity to the plurality of light fixtures;

wherein the clock source signal is a power line communication signal carried by an AC or DC signal used to provide power to the plurality of light fixtures.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the command module commands each of the plurality of light fixtures to stop outputting light for a predefined time period.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the ambient light module measures the ambient light in response to the trigger signal.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the ambient light is measured using one or more light emitting diodes in the one or more of the plurality of light fixtures.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein a light fixture control module varies operating parameters of one or more of the light fixtures based on the measured ambient light.