Programmable landscape lighting controller with self-diagnostic capabilities and fail safe features

• US 9,295,170 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Woytowitz, Peter J., Schmuckle, Darrin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US14/517,612
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 361/601, 361/603, 361/610, 361614-615, 361/627, 361/640, 700 9- 18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/28 Circuit arrangements for protecting against abnormal temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0018 having an electronic display
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting controller includes a housing and a power transformer mounted in the housing for stepping down an inputted AC power signal at a first higher voltage to at least one output AC power signal at a second lower voltage for powering a plurality of light fixtures. The controller further includes a switching device that can be closed and opened to connect and disconnect a primary winding of the power transformer to a source of AC power that can provide the inputted AC power signal. At least one wire connection terminal is connected to a secondary winding of the power transformer. A face pack is removably mounted in the housing and is operatively connected to the source of AC power and the switching device. The face pack includes a display, at least one manually actuable input device, a processor, a memory operatively connected to the processor, and an operational program stored in the memory. The operational program is executable by the processor for allowing a user to enter ON and OFF times via the manually actuable input device and for closing and opening the switching device in accordance therewith. The processor can detect and display the current draw, and can detect overheat and current overload conditions, and disconnect the power transformer from the source of AC power in response to the same.

Claims

1. A lighting controller, comprising:

a housing;

a power transformer mounted in the housing;

a switching device configured to connect and disconnect a primary winding of the power transformer to a source of AC power;

at least one electrical connection connected to a secondary winding of the power transformer; and

operator controls mounted in the housing and operatively connected to the source of AC power and the switching device, the operator controls including a display, at least one manually actuable input device, a processor, a memory operatively connected to the processor, and an operational program stored in the memory and executable by the processor for allowing a user to enter operating times via the manually actuable input device and for closing and opening the switching device in accordance therewith.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the switching device is a relay.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the switching device is a solid state switch.

4. The controller of claim 1, comprising a first temperature sensor for providing a first temperature signal to the processor.

5. The controller of claim 4, wherein the operational program causes the switching device to disconnect the power transformer from the source of AC power if the first temperature signal indicates an overheat condition.

6. The controller of claim 4, further comprising at least one additional temperature sensor for providing an additional temperature signal to the processor.

7. The controller of claim 6, wherein the operational program causes the switching device to disconnect the power transformer from the source of AC power if the additional temperature signal indicates an overheat condition.

8. A lighting controller, comprising:

a housing;

a power transformer mounted in the housing configured to output an AC power signal at a voltage for powering a plurality of light fixtures;

a switching device configured to connect and disconnect a primary winding of the power transformer to a source of AC power;

at least one electrical connection connected to a secondary winding of the power transformer;

a current sensor that senses an amount of current drawn by a plurality of lights connected to the secondary winding; and

a control panel connected to the housing and operatively connected to the source of AC power, the switching device and the current sensor, the control panel including at least one manually actuable input device, a processor, a memory operatively connected to the processor, and an operational program stored in the memory and executable by the processor for allowing a user to enter operational instructions via the manually actuable input device and for closing and opening the switching device in accordance therewith.

9. The controller of claim 8, wherein the control panel is mounted in a face pack that is removably mounted in the housing and operatively connected to the source of AC power and the switching device.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein the face pack comprises:

a face pack housing;

a pair of pivot pins extending from a pair of opposite ends of the face pack housing; and

at least one locking pin extending from an end of the face pack housing.

11. The controller of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a pair of bearing slots configured to receive the pair of pivot pins in at least two rotational orientations.

12. The controller of claim 8, wherein the switching device is a relay and the processor controls the relay through a relay driver circuit.

13. The controller of claim 8, further comprising a first temperature sensor adjacent the power transformer for providing a first temperature signal to the processor.

14. The controller of claim 13, further comprising at least one additional temperature sensor in the control panel for providing an additional temperature signal to the processor.

15. The controller of claim 8 wherein the operational program allows the processor determine an overload condition utilizing a signal from the current sensor and automatically cause the switching device to disconnect the power transformer from the source of AC power.

16. The controller of claim 15 wherein the operational program will automatically cause the switching device to re-connect the power transformer to the source of AC power at a next scheduled ON time.

17. The controller of claim 15 wherein the operational program will automatically cause the switching device to re-connect the power transformer to the source of AC power after a pre-determined off time.

18. The controller of claim 8 and further comprising a photocell and wherein the operational program allows the processor to periodically determine a present light level based on an output signal from the photocell and detect an adjustable, or learned LIGHT/DARK threshold that is used to control the switching device to connect and disconnect the power transformer to the source of AC power in response to the detection of the LIGHT/DARK threshold.

19. The controller of claim 8 and further comprising an external input that allows the processor to be slaved to another controller.

20. The controller of claim 8 and further comprising a second transformer for connection to the AC power source and a rectifier circuit connected to the second transformer for supplying a DC power signal to the processor.

21. The controller of claim 8, wherein the switching device is a solid state switch.

22. A lighting controller, comprising:

a housing;

a power transformer mounted in the housing configured to output a voltage for powering a plurality of light fixtures;

a switching device configured to connect and disconnect a primary winding of the power transformer to a source of AC power that can provide an AC input power signal;

a photocell; and

a control panel mounted in the housing and operatively connected to the source of AC power, the switching device and the photocell, the control panel including a display, at least one manually actuable input device, a processor, a memory operatively connected to the processor, and an operational program stored in the memory and executable by the processor for allowing a user to enter ON and OFF instructions via the manually actuable input device and for closing and opening the switching device in accordance therewith and for allowing the processor to periodically determine a present light level based on an output signal from the photocell and detect a LIGHT/DARK threshold that is used to control the switching device to connect and disconnect the power transformer to the source of AC power in response to the detection of the LIGHT/DARK threshold.

23. The lighting controller of claim 22, wherein the LIGHT/DARK threshold can be adjusted via user input.

24. The lighting controller of claim 23, wherein the switching device connects and disconnect the power transformer to the source of AC power in response to the present light level measured by the photocell.