Universal load control module

• US 9,496,691 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Westrick, Richard L. Jr., Zulim, Dalibor
• Primary Examiner(s): Taningco, Alexander H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garcia, Christian L
• Application Number:
  US14/256,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20140312798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 315/224, 315/291, 315/307, 315/209.R, 315/276, 323260-272, 323/282, 323/369, 323/370
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/32 Mounting of devices therein
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/00 Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems H02H7/00; systems for change-over to standby supply H02J9/00 ; integrated protection for motors H02H7/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/327 against abnormal temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/293 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/2935 using reverse phase control, i.e. turn-on of switches in series with load at zero crossing of input voltage, turn-off before next zero crossing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2828 using control circuits for the switching elements H05B41/2827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/07 Starting and control circuits for gas discharge lamp using transistors

Abstract

A universal load control module may include a power supply that operates over a wide voltage range, a microcontroller, and one or more functional control blocks. A functional control block may include a dimmer circuit for controlling a lighting load that provides reverse phase cut mode dimming, forward phase cut mode dimming, and hybrid phase cut mode dimming, as well as thermal protection. One or more universal control modules may be housed in a cabinet that include a cabinet control module. The cabinet may include additional thermal protection measures.

Claims

1. A load control module, comprising:

a first functional control block that includes a first power supply block, a first signal isolation block, and a first load control circuit;

a second functional control block that includes a second power supply block, a second signal isolation block, and a second load control circuit;

wherein the first functional control block and second functional control block operate independently of each other to control separate loads;

a microcontroller capable of providing a first control signal to control the first functional control block and a second control signal to control the second functional control block;

a zero cross detection circuit capable of operating over a wide voltage range by sampling an input voltage using a voltage divider network, wherein an output of the zero cross detection circuit is input to the microcontroller; and

a power supply that operates over the wide voltage range by detecting the input voltage and adjusting its operation based on the input voltage to provide at least one direct current (DC) output voltage to the first power supply block and the second power supply block,

wherein the DC output voltage is independent of the input voltage,

wherein the first power supply block provides isolation between the DC output voltage received from the power supply and a low voltage provided to the first load control circuit,

wherein the first signal isolation block receives the first control signal from the microcontroller, and provides a first isolated control signal to the first load control circuit, and

wherein an output of the control module provided by the first load control circuit controls a first load.

2. The load control module of claim 1, wherein the first load is a lighting load and the first load control circuit functional control block includes a dimmer circuit.

3. The load control module of claim 1, wherein the second load control circuit includes a second dimmer circuit, and the second power supply block provides isolation between the output voltage received from the power supply and an additional low voltage provided to the second load control circuit.

4. The load control module of claim 2, wherein the dimmer circuit controls a phase control signal and supports reverse phase cut dimming, forward phase cut dimming, and hybrid phase cut dimming.

5. The control module of claim 1, further comprising:

a third functional control block.

6. A load control module, comprising:

a first functional control block that includes a first power supply block, a first signal isolation block, and a dimmer circuit;

a second functional control block;

wherein the first functional control block and second functional control block operate independently of each other to control separate loads;

a microcontroller capable of providing a first control signal to control the first functional control block and a second control signal to control the second functional control block;

a zero cross detection circuit capable of operating over a wide voltage range by sampling an input voltage using a voltage divider network, wherein an output of the zero cross detection circuit is input to the microcontroller; and

a power supply that operates over the wide voltage by detecting the input voltage and adjusting its operation based on the input voltage to provide at least one direct current (DC) output voltage to the first power supply block and the second functional control block,

wherein the DC output voltage is independent of the input voltage,

wherein the first power supply block provides isolation between the DC output voltage received from the power supply and a low voltage provided to the dimmer circuit,

wherein the first signal isolation block receives the first control signal from the microcontroller, and provides a first isolated control signal to the dimmer circuit, and

wherein an output of the load control module provided by the dimmer circuit powers a first load.

7. The load control module of claim 6, wherein the dimmer controls a phase control signal and supports reverse phase cut dimming, forward phase cut dimming, and hybrid phase cut dimming.

8. The load control module of claim 6, wherein the second functional control block provides a communications interface based on one of the following interfaces:

DALI, RS422, RS485, DMX, DMX/RDM, CAN, USB, I2C, SPI, 0-10V.

9. The load control module of claim 6, wherein the second functional control block provides a wireless communication interface.

10. The load control module of claim 6, wherein the second functional control block interfaces with a cabinet control module located in a same cabinet as the load control module.

11. The load control module of claim 6, wherein the second functional control block interfaces with a remote control module located external to a cabinet housing the load control module.

18. The load control module of claim 6, wherein the zero cross detection circuit is further capable of storing energy from the sampled input voltage, and providing the stored energy to the output of the zero cross detection circuit when the sampled input voltage is below a threshold level of voltage,

wherein the microcontroller receives the output of the zero cross detection circuit as an input, and

wherein, based on the received output of the zero cross detection circuit, the microcontroller synchronizes the first control signal and the second control signal with the output voltage provided by the power supply.

19. The load control module of claim 6, wherein the first control signal provided by the microcontroller is a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal, and the low voltage provided by the first power supply block is adjusted based on the PWM signal.

12. A load control module, comprising:

a first functional control block that includes a first power supply block, a first signal isolation block, and a lighting control circuit;

a second functional control block;

wherein the first functional control block and second functional control block operate independently of each other to control separate loads;

a microcontroller capable of providing a first control signal to control the first functional control block and a second control signal to control the second functional control block;

a zero cross detection circuit capable of operating over a wide voltage range by sampling an input voltage using a voltage divider network, wherein an output of the zero cross detection circuit is input to the microcontroller; and

a power supply that operates over the wide voltage range by detecting the input voltage and adjusting its operation based on the input voltage to provide at least one direct current (DC) output voltage to the first power supply block and the second functional control block,

wherein the DC output voltage is independent of the input voltage,

wherein the first power supply block provides isolation between the DC output voltage received from the power supply and a low voltage provided to the lighting control circuit,

wherein the first signal isolation block receives the first control signal from the microcontroller, and provides a first isolated control signal to the lighting control circuit, and

wherein an output of the load control module provided by the lighting control circuit powers a first load.

13. The load control module of claim 12, wherein the first functional control block provides ON/OFF lighting control.

14. The load control module of claim 12, wherein the first functional control block provides dimming.

15. The load control module of claim 12, wherein the second functional control block provides a wireless communications or control interface.

16. The load control module of claim 12, wherein the second functional control block interfaces with a cabinet control module located in a same cabinet as the load control module.

17. The load control module of claim 12, wherein the second functional control block interfaces with a remote control module located external to a cabinet housing the load control module.