Lighting system

• US 9,839,087 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: enLighten Australia Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: enLighten Australia Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Whitfield, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ortiz, Elim
• Application Number:
  US13/980,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20140139019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/00 Lighting devices or systems producing a varying lighting effect
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/00 Lighting devices with a built-in power supply; Systems employing lighting devices with a built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/40 Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source

Abstract

A lighting system (1) has a first lighting circuit (2) configured to provide a first predetermined level of lighting intensity. The first lighting circuit (2) is configured to receive power from a mains electricity supply (3) or from a battery source (4) if the mains supply is unavailable. The first lighting circuit (2) is connected to at least one first Light source (5) and configured, when actuated, to provide lighting at the first predetermined level of lighting intensity. At this time, the first light source is in either an on or off state or a level of light required to raise ambient light level above a predetermined level. The system (1) further has a second lighting circuit (13) configured to provide lighting at least a second predetermined level of lighting intensity. The second lighting circuit (13) is configured to receive power from the mains electricity supply (3) and is connected to at least one second light source (14). The second lighting circuit (13) has at least one sensor (18) with an input such that actuation thereof causes the second light source (14) to provide the second predetermined level of lighting intensity for a predetermined period of time, in response to ambient illumination meeting or exceeding a predetermined intensity, when said sensor has no input or has had no input for a predetermined period of time, or until re-set. In the system (1), the second predetermined level of lighting intensity is greater than said first predetermined level of lighting.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a first lighting circuit configured to provide a first predetermined level of lighting intensity and to receive power from a mains electricity supply or from a battery source if said mains supply is unavailable, said first lighting circuit connected to at least one first light source and configured, when actuated, to provide lighting at said first predetermined level of lighting intensity wherein said first light source is in either an on or off state or at a level of light required to raise ambient light levels above a predetermined level; and

a second lighting circuit configured to provide lighting at least a second predetermined level of lighting intensity, said second lighting circuit configured to receive power from a mains electricity supply and being connected to at least one second light source, said second lighting circuit having a separate control circuit to the first lighting circuit, the second lighting circuit having at least one sensor input such that actuation of said sensor causes said second light source to provide said second predetermined level of lighting intensity;

for a predetermined period of time;

in response to ambient illumination meeting or exceeding a predetermined intensity;

when said sensor has no input or has had no input for a predetermined period of time;

or until re-set;

wherein said second predetermined level of lighting intensity is greater than said first predetermined level of lighting.

2. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first light source lighting intensity is sufficient in response to a background lighting intensity to maintain an energy or background lighting intensity at a predetermined intensity level.

3. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first and second light sources each include a plurality of LED light elements;

said first lighting circuit includes a charger receiving mains electricity input and an output connected to said battery and includes a charge controller connected to said battery, said battery being connected to a first first-circuit LED driver circuit configured to control power to said first LED light source when under battery power and for when operating under mains electricity power said first lighting circuit further includes a second first-circuit LED light driver connected to said mains electricity supply and an output connected to said first LED light source such that said second first-circuit LED driver circuit is configured to drive said first LED light source when mains electricity is available; and

said second lighting circuit including a power converter having mains electricity input and an output connected to an input of a first second-circuit LED driver circuit having an output connected to said second LED light source;

wherein said second predetermined level of lighting intensity is provided at some constant predetermined intensity, or it is variable to compensate for a non-fixed ambient lighting intensity to provide an area with a predetermined level of lighting intensity when ambient lighting is inadequate.

4. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first light source is configured to either emit light or to not emit light when said second light source is actuated to provide said second predetermined level of lighting intensity;

and/or wherein said lighting system only provides said second level of predetermined lighting intensity when said sensor is a motion sensor or a sensor detecting the presence of an object receiving input that an adjacent area is being occupied.

5. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first lighting circuit includes a photovoltaic sensor input to allow actuation of said first light source only if an ambient light level is below a predetermined level.

6. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said second lighting circuit includes a photovoltaic sensor input to allow actuation of said second light source only if an ambient light level is below a predetermined level.

7. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor of said second lighting circuit is a photovoltaic sensor, an infra-red or motion detector or a microwave sensor.

8. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first and/or second light sources each include two or more groups of LED light elements.

9. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said system includes a camera configured to record images in response to operation of said second light source, or includes an alarm configured to actuate in response to operation of said second light source.

10. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first and second lighting circuits are configured to provide no lighting if ambient light levels exceed first and second predetermined lighting intensity levels respectively.

11. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first lighting circuit including a sensor input such that actuation thereof actuates said first light source.

12. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first light source is configured to provide said first predetermined level of lighting intensity corresponding to an emergency lighting intensity level.

13. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said first and second lighting circuits provide, when actuated, sufficient level of lighting intensity to increase ambient lighting to some predetermined level.

14. An emergency lighting system comprising:

a first lighting circuit connected to at least one LED lighting element, a mains electricity supply, and a battery source, said first lighting circuit being configured to actuate said at least one LED lighting element of said first lighting circuit if said mains supply is unavailable and provide light at a first predetermined emergency intensity;

a second lighting circuit connected to at least one LED lighting element, said second lighting circuit including a separate control circuit to the first lighting circuit, the second light circuit being configured to actuate said at least one LED lighting element of said second lighting circuit to provide light at a second predetermined intensity when said mains electricity supply is available, said second lighting circuit having a sensor input adapted to detect availability of the mains electricity supply; and

wherein said second predetermined intensity is greater than said emergency intensity.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein:

said first lighting circuit including a charger receiving mains electricity input and an output connected to said battery source, a charge controller, said battery connected to a first circuit LED driver configured to control battery power provided to said at least one LED lighting element of said first lighting circuit; and

a power converter associated with said second lighting circuit, said power converter having mains supply input and an output connected to said input of a second circuit LED driver having an output connected to said at least one LED lighting element of said second lighting circuit.