LED Light Controller System and Method

• US 20090204239A1
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Agarwal, Abhinay, Teran, Louis F., Netzel, Robert J. SR., Barsamian, Jeffrey S., Dunn, Dennis C., Roy, Santanu, Armstrong, Daniel A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/046 Dealing with screen burn-in prevention or compensation of the effects thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/025 Reduction of instantaneous peaks of current
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/382 with galvanic isolation between input and output
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system for selecting a color show generated by LED landscape, pool, and/or spa lights. The system can include a faceplate indicating the color shows available to select from. The faceplate includes a selector positioned to select one of the color shows. The system includes a microcontroller in communication with the selector and a triac circuit in communication with the microcontroller. The microcontroller controls the LED landscape, pool, and/or spa lights using the triac circuit in response to the position of the selector.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a plurality of light emitting diode sources to generate a user-selected color show, a voltage being provided to the system by an alternating current source, the system comprising:

a user interface that receives data regarding the user-selected color show;

a microcontroller that receives data from the user interface;

a triac in communication with the microcontroller, the triac providing communication between the alternating current source and the plurality of light emitting diode sources, the triac receiving signals from the microcontroller based on the data received from the user interface, the triac clipping the voltage from the alternating current source to the plurality of light emitting diode sources in order to provide at least one voltage pulse to the plurality of light emitting diode sources to generate the user-selected color show based on the signals received from the microcontroller.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes at least one of a rotary switch, an encoder, and a potentiometer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a recall button.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a hold button.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of light emitting diode sources includes decode circuitry capable of interpreting the at least one voltage pulse and producing light output based on the at least one voltage pulse.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a current sensing circuit in communication with the microcontroller, the current sensing circuit providing a voltage signal to the microcontroller proportional to current from the alternating current source to the plurality of light emitting diodes.

7. A system for controlling a plurality of light emitting diode sources to generate a user-selected color show, a voltage being provided to the system by an alternating current source, the system comprising:

a microcontroller;

an output power trace from the alternating current source to the plurality of light emitting diode sources; and

a sensing circuit positioned near the output power trace to detect a characteristic of the output power trace, the sensing circuit transmitting data to the microcontroller corresponding to the characteristic of the output power trace, the microcontroller controlling the plurality of light emitting diode sources to generate the user-selected color show based on the data transmitted by the sensing circuit.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the characteristic of the output power trace is current.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the data transmitted by the sensing circuit is a voltage proportional to the current of the output power trace.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the microcontroller includes a comparator circuit to compare the voltage proportional to the current of the output power trace to a reference voltage.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the sensing circuit includes a magnetic field sensor.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the sensing circuit includes a ferrite bead positioned near the output power trace to amplify a magnetic field.

13. A system for selecting one of a plurality of color shows generated by at least one of light emitting diode landscape, pool, and spa lights, the system comprising:

a faceplate indicating the plurality of color shows available to select from, the faceplate including a selector positioned to select one of the plurality of color shows;

a microcontroller in communication with the selector; and

a triac circuit in communication with the microcontroller, the microcontroller controlling the at least one of light emitting diode landscape, pool, and spa lights using the triac circuit in response to the position of the selector.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the faceplate includes a recall button in communication with the microcontroller and the microcontroller controls the at least one of light emitting diode landscape, pool, and spa lights using the triac circuit in response to the status of the recall button.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the faceplate includes a hold button in communication with the microcontroller and the microcontroller controls the at least one of light emitting diode landscape, pool, and spa lights using the triac circuit in response to the status of the hold button.

16. The system of claim 13 and further comprising a current sensing circuit in communication with the microcontroller and the microcontroller controls the at least one of light emitting diode landscape, pool, and spa lights using the triac circuit in response to the current sensing circuit.

17. The system of claim 13 and further comprising a gang box including a front panel, wherein the faceplate is coupled to the front panel and the microcontroller is housed within the gang box.