Lighting control system and method

• US 7,221,110 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bruce Aerospace, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bruce Industries, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Martinelli, John, Sears, Storm S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Haissa
• Application Number:
  US11/015,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/297, 315/317, 315/318, 315/362, 315291-295, 315/324, 700 19- 21, 719/318, 719/320, 719/328, 362/545
• US Class Current: 315/312
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting control system includes a plurality of light controllers. Each light controller contains a microprocessor-based intelligence. The plurality of light controllers form a distributed architecture. The microprocessor-based intelligence is operative to store, calculate, and execute complex lighting scenarios. The microprocessor-based intelligence executes a lighting control script during operation. The lighting control script is sufficiently detailed and the light controller is sufficiently intelligent so as to allow the light controller to control lighting without the necessity of a having a present external control architecture.

Claims

1. A lighting control system comprising:

a plurality of light controllers, each light controller containing a microprocessor-based intelligence such that the plurality of light controllers form a distributed architecture, the microprocessor-based intelligence being operative to store, calculate, and execute complex lighting scenarios,

wherein each light controller is configured with a lighting control script and the microprocessor-based intelligence executes the lighting control script during operation, whereby the lighting control script directs the control of the lighting, wherein the lighting control script is sufficiently detailed and the light controller is sufficiently intelligent so as to allow the light controller to control lighting without the necessity of having a present external control architecture wherein each light controller includes a power-fail safe real time clock (RTC) device for allowing resynchronization of the plurality of light controllers to an existing scenario execution.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the light controllers includes a fluorescent lamp ballast.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the light controllers includes a light emitting diode (LED) power source.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of light controllers are configured so as to collectively control lighting over a wide area in accordance with a desired lighting scenario.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein each light controller has a hardware address provided during manufacturing.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein each light controller includes at least one signal input, wherein the light controller supports the modification of the lighting conditions in response to external events as determined from the at least one signal input.

7. A lighting control method comprising:

providing a plurality of light controllers, each light controller containing a microprocessor-based intelligence such that the plurality of light controllers form a distributed architecture, the microprocessor-based intelligence being operative to store, calculate, and execute complex lighting scenarios,

wherein each light controller is configured with a lighting control script and the microprocessor-based intelligence executes the lighting control script during operation, whereby the lighting control script directs the control of the lighting, wherein the lighting control script is sufficiently detailed and the light controller is sufficiently intelligent so as to allow the light controller to control lighting without the necessity of having a present external control architecture wherein each light controller includes a power-fail safe real time clock (RTC) device for allowing resynchronization of the plurality of light controllers to an existing scenario execution.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

controlling a selected light controller, including commanding the selected light controller via a multi-wire serial link.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

configuring the plurality of light controllers so as to collectively control lighting over a wide area in accordance with a desired lighting scenario.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

providing a master controller;

providing a communications network providing a communication path between the master controller and the plurality of light controllers; and

sending a lighting control script from the master controller to a selected light controller, the lighting control script defining light controller operation within an overall lighting scheme.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

sending a direct command from the master controller to the selected light controller.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

designating a group of light controllers as a zone; and

sending the lighting control script from the master controller to each light controller in the group designated as the zone.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

designating a group of light controllers as a zone; and

sending a direct command from the master controller to each light controller in the group designated as the zone.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the master controller contains software operable to provide a lighting scheme editor and a lighting scheme compiler.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

controlling a selected light controller wherein the selected light controller is programmed for a scenario sequence, including commanding the selected light controller to the “

on”

condition via a digital control input to initiate the scenario sequence.

16. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

controlling a selected light controller, including commanding the selected light controller via a one-wire serial interface.