Lighting device

• US 9,363,871 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Litonics Limited
• Original Assignee: Litonics Limited
• Inventors: Williams, Nicolas Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US14/398,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20150091451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 315160-164, 315/200.R, 315/185.R, 315/246, 315/274, 315/275, 315/276, 315/291
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/045 the sensor receiving a signal from a remote controller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/9453 for screw type coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/065 for lighting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 35/00 Electric light sources using a combination of different types of light generation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

A lighting control includes a primary and a secondary input power connection for connection to a primary (mains) and a secondary (battery) power supply respectively, control circuitry for controlling delivery of power from the input power connections to one or more light sources, sensing circuitry configured to sense an external impedance coupled, in use, to the primary input power connection and a controller for determining a present operating state of the one or more light sources. The controller includes a latching module adapted to maintain a state information indicating the present operating state of the one or more light sources. The control circuitry is operable to control delivery of power to the one or more light sources in dependence upon the sensed impedance measure and the determined operating state. The lighting devices may be installed in a conventional lighting circuit that uses momentary toggle switches.

Claims

1. A lighting control apparatus comprising:

a primary input power connection for connection to a primary power supply circuit external to the lighting control apparatus;

a secondary input power connection for receiving secondary power from a secondary power supply; and

electronic circuitry arranged to control power delivery to one or more light sources;

wherein the electronic circuitry comprises;

control circuitry for controlling delivery of power from said input power connections to one or more light sources; and

sensing circuitry configured to sense and obtain a measure of impedance of the external primary power supply circuit that is coupled, in use, to the primary input power connection by applying one or more voltage or current pulses to the primary input power connection;

wherein the control circuitry is arranged to determine a present operating state of the one or more light sources;

wherein the control circuitry is arranged to determine a new operating state of the one or more light sources using the determined present operating state of the one or more light sources and the measure of said impedance obtained from the sensing circuitry;

wherein the control circuitry is arranged to control delivery of power to the one or more light sources in dependence upon the determined new operating state of the one or more light sources; and

wherein the control circuitry is configured to control delivery of power to the one or more light sources dependent of presence of primary power at the primary input power connection such that if the determined operating state of the one or more light sources is off, then the control circuitry does not deliver power to the one or more light sources even when primary power for powering the one or more light sources is available at the primary input power connection.

2. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control circuitry comprises a latching module arranged to maintain state information indicating the present operating state of the one or more light sources.

3. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is arranged to control the state information maintained by said latching module in dependence upon detected changes in impedance sensed by said sensing circuitry.

4. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control circuitry is arranged to determine state information indicating a present illumination state of the one or more light sources.

5. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control circuitry is arranged to determine present state information indicative of one of at least two different illumination levels of said one or more light sources.

6. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control circuitry is arranged to determine present state information indicative of one of at least three or more different illumination levels of said one or more light sources.

7. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is arranged to generate control signals for controlling dimming of the one or more light sources in dependence upon changes in said sensed impedance and said determined operating state of the one or more light sources.

8. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is arranged to detect removal of a primary power supply from said primary input power connection and is arranged to use the sensed measure of impedance to distinguish between:

i) removal of the primary supply from the primary input power connection by a user opening a switch coupled, in use, to the lighting control apparatus; and

ii) primary power supply failure; and

, upon detection of primary power supply failure, is configured to control power delivery to the one or more light sources using power received at the secondary input power connection to provide emergency lighting functionality.

9. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein if the control circuitry is controlling power delivery such that no power is being delivered to the one or more light sources when primary power is initially available at the primary input power connection and the control circuitry subsequently detects primary power supply failure, the control circuitry is arranged to provide power to the one or more light sources using power from the secondary input power connection.

10. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensing circuitry is arranged to detect transient signals on the primary input power connection, from which the sensing circuitry determines said impedance measure.

11. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry is arranged to use the impedance measure obtained from the sensing circuitry to determine if manually operable switches within the external primary power supply circuit that is coupled, in use, to the primary input power connection are in an open or a closed state.

12. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry is arranged to determine a plurality of measurements of said external impedance and is arranged to combine two or more of said measurements to determine an average measurement.

13. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, provided in a housing adapted for connection to a lighting circuit.

14. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is arranged to send a control signal to one or more light sources to control delivery of power to the one or more light sources.

15. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the control apparatus is arranged to send said control signal to said one or more light sources over a wireless link or over a primary supply line connected, in use, to the primary input power connection.

16. A kit comprising:

a lighting control apparatus according to claim 14 for generating and transmitting a control signal for controlling the application of power to one or more lighting devices; and

one or more lighting devices, each of the one or more lighting devices comprising;

one or more light sources;

a primary input power connection for connection to a primary power supply;

a secondary input power connection for receiving secondary power from a secondary power supply; and

electronic circuitry arranged to receive the control signal from said control apparatus and arranged to control the delivery of power to the one or more light source(s) using power from the primary input power connection or using power from the secondary input power connection in dependence upon the control signal received from the control apparatus.

17. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is arranged to control when the sensing circuitry senses said external impedance.

18. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control circuitry is arranged to cause said sensing circuitry to initiate sensing when the control circuitry detects an absence of primary power from the primary input power connection.

19. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, having a first mode of operation in which the control circuitry operates in a first operating mode and a second mode of operation in which the control circuitry operates in a second mode of operation and wherein the lighting control apparatus is arranged to operate in said first mode if the primary input power connection is connected to a primary power supply circuit that provides a substantially permanent primary power supply and is arranged to operate in said second mode if the primary input power connection is connected to a primary power supply circuit that uses manually operable toggle switches that remove the primary power supply from the primary input power connection.

20. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the lighting control apparatus is arranged to operate in said first mode if the primary input power connection is connected to a primary power supply circuit that uses manually operable momentary switches that, when activated by the user, momentarily remove primary power from the primary input power connection.

21. A lighting control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises charging circuitry for using power obtained at the primary input power connection to charge the secondary power supply and wherein the control circuitry is arranged to cause the charging circuitry to initiate charging of the secondary power supply immediately after the primary power supply is restored to the primary input power connection following a primary power supply failure.

22. A lighting device comprising:

one or more light sources; and

a lighting control apparatus according to claim 1 for controlling the application of power to the one or more light sources.

23. A method of controlling power delivery to one or more light sources using a control apparatus, the method comprising:

connecting a primary input power connection of the control apparatus to a primary power supply circuit that is external of the control apparatus;

connecting a secondary input power connection of the control apparatus to a secondary power supply;

sensing and obtaining a measure of impedance of the external power supply circuit that is connected to the primary input power connection by applying one or more voltage pulses or current pulses to the primary input power connection;

using control circuitry of the control apparatus to determine a present operating state of the one or more light sources;

using the control circuitry of the control apparatus to determine a new operating state of the one or more light sources, and using the determined present operating state of the one or more light sources and the measure of said impedance obtained from said sensing; and

controlling delivery of power to the one or more light sources in dependence upon the determined operating state of the one or more light sources;

wherein the controlling controls delivery of power to the one or more light sources independent of the presence of primary power of the primary input power connection such that if the determined operating state of the one or more light sources is off, then the controlling does not deliver power to the one or more light sources even when primary power for powering the one or more light sources is available at the primary input power connection.