Two circuit lighting controller with sensors and RF remote

• US 9,585,232 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eucontrols Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eucontrols Corporation
• Inventors: Wenshu, Ji, O'Neil, Tom, Chiang, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Thai
• Application Number:
  US14/975,319
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting controller comprising a single circuit sensor switch on a first circuit. At least one infrared PIR sensor is configured to cover 360 degrees. The at least one infrared PIR sensor is electrically connected to control the single circuit sensor switch. An acoustic sensor is electrically connected to control the single circuit sensor switch. A photo sensor is electrically connected to control the single circuit sensor switch. The photo sensor has an infrared remote controller and receiver for controlling the single circuit sensor switch. A second circuit sensor switch is on a second circuit that is connected to the first sensor. The second circuit sensor switch is configured to be connected to the single circuit sensor switch, the photo sensor, the acoustic sensor, and the at least one infrared PIR sensor so that the second circuit sensor switch further improves lighting efficiency.

Claims

1. A lighting controller comprising:

a single circuit sensor switch on a first circuit;

at least one passive infrared sensor (PIR) that is configured to cover 360 degrees of infrared detection, wherein the at least one PIR sensor is electrically connected to control the single circuit sensor switch;

an acoustic sensor, wherein the acoustic sensor is electrically connected to control the single circuit sensor switch;

a photo sensor, wherein the photo sensor is electrically connected to control the single circuit sensor switch, wherein the photo sensor has a receiver controlled by an infrared remote controller for controlling the single circuit sensor switch; and

a second circuit sensor switch on a second circuit, wherein the second circuit is connected to the first circuit, wherein the second circuit sensor switch is configured being connected to the single circuit sensor switch, the photo sensor, the acoustic sensor, and the at least one PIR sensor, whereby the second circuit sensor switch further improves lighting efficiency;

an added RF receiver module having a power source +5 VDC enabled only after a first circuit relay is activated when the at least one PIR sensor detects motion in the target vicinity to turn on the first circuit and power up half of lamps controlled by the lighting controller.

2. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the second circuit sensor switch has a second relay driving an NPN transistor configured to turn ON or OFF a second circuit AC power source via an added RF receiver module, and wherein the added RF receiver module operates at either 315 MHz or 2.4 MHz having firmware configured to communicate with an added RF transmitter module to control a second circuit relay.

3. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the RF receiver module has a first digital output control logic signal and a second digital output control logic signal, wherein the second digital output control logic signal disables the first circuit relay that drives the NPN transistor so that it acts as a toggle switch for the first circuit AC power source.

4. The lighting controller of claim 3, wherein the RF remote transmitter has a power button to turn on or off the lamps controlled by the first circuit sensor switch.

5. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein once the first circuit is activated, only half of the lamps controlled by the lighting controller are turned on, wherein the RF remote transmitter has a power button to turn on or off the lamps controlled by the second circuit sensor switch.

6. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor is configured to activate only after the PIR sensors have detected motion and the PIR sensors have activated the first circuit, wherein the acoustic sensor maintains activation of the first circuit, when sound is detected, even when the PIR sensors do not sense motion.

7. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein a microcontroller firmware is configured to read a potentiometer value to determine a desired timeout duration;

and wherein the microcontroller firmware is configured to turn off the first circuit and the second circuit when no occupants are detected by the PIR sensors or the acoustic sensor within a timeout period.

8. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein a disclosed new design circuitry as shown in the block of “

Added RF Remote Control”

has only five wires to connect to the first circuit and does not require any microcontroller firmware changes.

9. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the at least one PIR sensor includes three PIR sensors, wherein an original first circuitry functions are maintained including the three PIR sensors, the acoustic sensor, the photo sensor, and an infrared (IR) communication with an IR receiver onboard and a handheld IR transmitter.

10. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein a built-in adjustable photo sensor can detect ambient light levels to avoid turning on the first circuitry lighting devices to save electrical energy when the existing ambient light is determined to be sufficient.

11. The lighting controller of claim 1, further including a manually adjustable potentiometer labeled “

LUX”

to adjust photo sensor threshold level (Ambient Light Sensing), the lights will be turned off when ambient light level is above this adjusted threshold level to save electrical energy.

12. The lighting controller of claim 1, further including an adjustable timeout duration labeled “

TIME”

to adjust a time out duration, wherein the lighting controller turns off lamps after the a time out duration lapses.

13. The lighting controller of claim 1, further including a PIR sensor sensitivity level adjustment labeled “

SENS”

to adjust a PIR triggering sensitivity to avoid miss-triggers.

14. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the RF remote controls are battery operated and handheld.

15. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the RF receiver module is replaced with an ultrasonic sensor module that works on a Doppler shift principle to detect any movement, wherein the ultrasonic sensor module is connected to a second circuitry lighting load and only turned on after the first circuit is turned on.

16. The lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the RF receiver module is replaced with a microwave sensor module using a RADAR principle to detect movement, and wherein a lamp connected to the second circuit is turned on only after the first circuit is turned on.