Luminaire controller

• US 9,526,142 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schreder SA
• Original Assignee: Schreder SA
• Inventors: Schroder, Helmut, Brand, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaiser, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US14/395,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20150115807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/130, 315/152, 315/297, 315/294, 315/308, 315/317, 315/158
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/007 enclosed in a casing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Described herein is a luminaire controller for a luminaire in which dimming signals can be provided to control the operation of the luminaire. The controller also includes an energy measurement module connected to a mains supply, a sensor module, a power switch, a central processing module and a ZigBee transceiver module. The controller, in addition to providing dimming signals in accordance with ambient lighting conditions sensed by a photocell in the sensor module, provides efficient energy metering. In one embodiment, the luminaire controller is directly mountable on a luminaire for control thereof.

Claims

1. A luminaire controller configured for being mountable to a luminaire and for being operable for controlling the operation of the luminaire to which it is mounted, the luminaire controller comprising:

a housing mountable to the luminaire;

mains input terminals mounted within the housing and configured for being connected to a mains supply;

a power switch module mounted within the housing and configured for being connected to the mains supply by way of the mains input terminals;

a central processing module mounted within the housing and configured for being connected for controlling central processing functions of the luminaire controller;

a communications module mounted within the housing and configured for interacting wirelessly with at least one other communications module;

a dimming interface mounted within the housing and configured for being controlled by the central processing module, the dimming interface including interfaces for both ‘

0-10V’ and

DALI protocols; and

a sensor module mounted in the housing and configured for providing control signals to the central processing module in accordance with sensed ambient conditions;

wherein the luminaire controller is configured to be mountable on one of;

a ‘

0-10V’

-type receptacle and a DALI-type receptacle provided on the luminaire, the central processing module being configured for switching between the ‘

0-10V’

interface and the DALI interface in accordance with the type of receptacle and the protocol associated therewith.

2. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, wherein the sensor module comprises a photocell for sensing ambient lighting conditions in the vicinity of the housing.

3. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, wherein the sensor module comprises a temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperature conditions within the housing, the temperature sensor providing temperature compensating signals to the central processing module.

4. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, wherein the dimmable interface is operated in accordance with control signals provided by the sensor module.

5. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, wherein the dimmable interface is operated in accordance with a pre-programmed dimming profile.

6. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, directly mountable on the luminaire.

7. The luminaire controller according to claim 6, further comprising:

a pin connector connecting directly with a complementary plug connector within the luminaire, the plug connector providing at least five connections with the luminaire.

8. The luminaire controller according to claim 7, further comprising:

at least a three-pin NEMA connector connectable to the luminaire.

9. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, wherein the dimming interface comprises at least one additional connector for connection with the luminaire.

10. The luminaire controller according to claim 9, wherein the at least one additional connector comprises an optical interface.

11. The luminaire controller according to claim 9, wherein the at least one connector comprises at least one additional arcuate pin.

12. The luminaire controller according to claim 9, wherein the at least one connector comprises a central stereo-type plug.

13. The luminaire controller according to claim 9, wherein the at least one connector comprises a coaxial type plug.

14. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, further comprising at least one service link through which system updates can be uploaded.

15. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, further comprising an energy measurement module connected to the mains input terminals.

16. The luminaire controller according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one transparent window through which ambient conditions can be determined.

17. A luminaire, comprising:

a luminaire controller, which comprises;

a housing mountable to the luminaire;

mains input terminals mounted within the housing and configured for being connected to a mains supply;

a power switch module mounted within the housing and configured for being connected to the mains supply by way of the mains input terminals;

a central processing module mounted within the housing and configured for being connected for controlling central processing functions of the luminaire controller;

a communications module mounted within the housing and configured for interacting wirelessly with at least one other communications module;

a dimming interface mounted within the housing and configured for being controlled by the central processing module, the dimming interface including interfaces for both ‘

0-10V’ and

DALI protocols; and

a sensor module mounted in the housing and configured for providing control signals to the central processing module in accordance with sensed ambient conditions;

wherein the luminaire controller is configured to be mountable on one of;

a ‘

0-10V’

-type receptacle and a DALI-type receptacle provided on the luminaire, the central processing module being configured for switching between the ‘

0-10V’

interface and the DALI interface in accordance with the type of receptacle and the protocol associated therewith.

18. A method for controlling a luminaire, comprising the steps of:

mounting a luminaire controller on one of;

a ‘

0-10V’

-type receptacle and a DALI-type receptacle provided on the luminaire;

connecting mains input terminals of the luminaire controller to a mains supply mounted within a housing of the luminaire controller;

connecting a power switch module mounted within the housing to the mains supply by way of the mains input terminals;

switching, by a central processing module, between a ‘

0-10V’

interface and a DALI interface included in a dimming interface mounted within the housing in accordance with the type of receptacle provided on the luminaire and the ‘

0-10V’

or DALI protocol associated therewith; and

controlling, by the central processing module, the dimming interface and central processing functions of the luminaire controller.