Underwater LED light with replacement indicator

• US 9,924,577 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Potucek, Kevin L., Carter, James, Murdock, James, Mitchell, Steven, Fournier, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US14/208,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 315134, 315291, 315297, 315307, 315308
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/58 involving end of life detection of LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 with communication between the lamps and a central unit

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of determining depreciation of a lumen output of an LED. More particularly, disclosed is a method of determining depreciation of a lumen output of an LED comprising monitoring, by a processing device, an operating characteristic of an AC power source operatively coupled to the LED; determining, by the processing device, whether a lumen output the LED depreciated beyond a specified lumen value based on the monitoring; and causing, by the processing device, an indicator to provide notification to a user based on determining the lumen output of the LED depreciated beyond the specified lumen value.

Claims

1. A method of determining depreciation of a lumen output of an LED, comprising:

monitoring, by a processing device, an operating characteristic of an AC power source operatively coupled to the LED;

determining, by the processing device, whether a lumen output of the LED depreciated beyond a specified lumen value based on the monitoring; and

causing, by the processing device, an indicator to provide notification to a user based on determining the lumen output of the LED depreciated beyond the specified lumen value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step comprises detecting zero crossing events of an AC voltage signal provided by the AC power source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises counting a number of zero crossing events of an AC voltage signal provided by the AC power source that occur when the LED is energized;

and comparing the counted number of zero crossing events to a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold value is based on a specified total time of operation corresponding to a predetermined lumen depreciation of the LED.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises counting a number of zero crossing events of an AC voltage signal provided by the AC power source that occur when the LED is energized;

multiplying the counted number by half of a period of the AC voltage signal to compute a total time of operation; and

comparing the total time of operation to a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the indicator to provide notification comprises at least one of causing the LED to blink on and off, or causing a replacement indicator light to shine a red light.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the LED is one of a plurality of LEDs disposed in a light fixture submersible under water.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing device is connected to the LED via a control system through at least one of a wired connection or a wireless connection.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

an LED disposed within the housing;

a processor operatively coupled to the LED and to an AC power source, the processor configured to;

monitor an operating characteristic of the AC power source;

determine whether a lumen output of the LED depreciated beyond a specified lumen value based on the monitoring; and

cause an indicator to provide notification to a user based on determining the lumen output of the LED has depreciated beyond the specified lumen value.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein processor determines whether the lumen output depreciated beyond the specified value based on counting a number of zero crossing events of an AC voltage signal provided by the AC power source that occur when the LED is energized;

and comparing the counted number of zero crossing events to a threshold value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the threshold value is based on a specified total time of operation corresponding to a predetermined lumen depreciation of the LED.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor causes the indicator to provide notification by at least one of causing the LED to blink on and off, or causing a replacement indicator light to shine a red light.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a light fixture submersible under water.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is connected to the LED via a control system through at least one of a wired connection or a wireless connection.

15. An LED replacement indicator comprising a memory and a processor, the memory storing non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to,

monitor an operating characteristic of an AC power source operatively coupled to an LED;

determine whether a lumen output of the LED depreciated beyond a specified lumen value based on the monitoring; and

cause an indicator to provide notification to a user based on determining the lumen output of the LED depreciated beyond the specified lumen value.

16. The LED replacement indicator of claim 15, wherein the processor determines whether the lumen output depreciated beyond the specified value based on counting a number of zero crossing events of an AC voltage signal provided by the AC power source that occur when the LED is energized;

and comparing the counted number of zero crossing events to a threshold value.

17. The LED replacement indicator of claim 16, wherein the threshold value is based on a specified total time of operation corresponding to a predetermined lumen depreciation of the LED.

18. The LED replacement indicator of claim 15, wherein the processor causes the indicator to provide notification by at least one of causing the LED to blink on and off, or causing a replacement indicator light to shine a red light.

19. The LED replacement indicator of claim 15 wherein the housing comprises a light fixture submersible under water.

20. The LED replacement indicator of claim 15, wherein the processor is connected to the LED via a control system through at least one of a wired connection or a wireless connection.