Process and system of power saving lighting

• US 8,194,061 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EE Systems Group, Inc. (Canada)
• Original Assignee: EE Systems Group, Inc. (Canada)
• Inventors: Wang, Randall, Parker, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US11/891,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20090039797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 345/82, 345/211, 315/149, 315/325, 323/283
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A process and system of lighting with green energy source and intelligent power management, which saves energy consuming and limits pollution. The system is using solar power, green battery, and LED which are clean, long life; save, and energy saving. A microcontroller coordinates devices and sensors to optimize the operation of the system to generate illumination. The process includes the steps of sensing the environment, selecting power source, determining the energy output and driving the light device in order to most efficiently using energy and generate sufficient light for different purposes.

Claims

1. A system of energy saving lighting, comprising:

a sensor component which comprises a motion sensor having a detecting area and a light sensor for measuring light intensity in said detecting area;

a power supply component, which comprises a solar power supply element which converts solar power to electrical energy, and a rechargeable battery element being charged by said solar power supply element to form a power source;

a light component which is electrically connected to said power supply component to generate light; and

a microcontroller which not only controls charging and discharging of said rechargeable battery element but also controls said light component in responsive to said sensor component, wherein when said motion sensor detects a motion within said detecting area, said light sensor is activated for measuring the light intensity in said detecting area, at the same time, said microcontroller determines a brightness of said light being required within said detecting area in responsive to the light intensity being measured by said light sensor, such that said light component is controlled to initially generate enough said light within said detecting area, wherein when there is not motion within said detecting area, said light component is switched off by said microcontroller.

2. The system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said microcontroller controls said light component to gradually reduce the brightness of said light after said light component is initially activated, so as to maximally save said electrical energy being stored in said rechargeable battery element.

3. The system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is controllably linked to said power supply component to monitor an energy level of said rechargeable battery element and is arranged in such a manner that when said energy level of said rechargeable battery element is detected below a predetermined threshold, said microcontroller is activated to automatically reduce the brightness of said light generated by said light component.

4. The system, as recited in claim 2, wherein said microcontroller is controllably linked to said power supply component to monitor an energy level of said rechargeable battery element and is arranged in such a manner that when said energy level of said rechargeable battery element is detected below a predetermined threshold, said microcontroller is activated to automatically reduce the brightness of said light generated by said light component.

5. The system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said light component comprises an LED matrix controlled by said microcontroller to generate said light and being switched on and off in a timely constant frequency by said microcontroller to selectively adjust the brightness of said light being generated by said LED matrix.

6. The system, as recited in claim 4, wherein said light component comprises an LED matrix controlled by said microcontroller to generate said light and being switched on and off in a timely constant frequency by said microcontroller to selectively adjust the brightness of said light being generated by said LED matrix.

7. The system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said motion sensor produces inputted energy signals to said microcontroller when said motion sensor detects the motion within said detecting area, wherein said microcontroller further comprises means for converting said inputted energy signals into data samples, wherein said data samples are constructed to form a predetermined number of constructed sample windows of constructed samples in time, wherein a control range is determined for each of said constructed sample windows, wherein by comparing said relationship between said successive constructed sample windows, said microcontroller is capable of determining whether there is a need to switch on said light component.

8. The system, as recited in claim 6, wherein said motion sensor produces inputted energy signals to said microcontroller when said motion sensor detects the motion within said detecting area, wherein said microcontroller further comprises means for converting said inputted energy signals into data samples, wherein said data samples are constructed to form a predetermined number of constructed sample windows of constructed samples in time, wherein a control range is determined for each of said constructed sample windows, wherein by comparing said relationship between said successive constructed sample windows, said microcontroller is capable of determining whether there is a need to switch on said light component.

9. The system, as recited in claim 7, wherein said motion sensor is a pyroelectric sensor which comprises a signal conversion module, and is adapted to sense energy radiation for motion detection, wherein said infrared radiation as an input signal is converted into an output signal through said signal conversion module, wherein said output signal contains real signal with low frequency and noise signal mixed therewith.

10. The system, as recited in claim 8, wherein said motion sensor is a pyroelectric sensor which comprises a signal conversion module, and is adapted to sense energy radiation for motion detection, wherein said infrared radiation as an input signal is converted into an output signal through said signal conversion module, wherein said output signal contains real signal with low frequency and noise signal mixed therewith.

11. The system, as recited in claim 9, wherein said converting means of said microcontroller comprises an analog to digital converter converting said output signals from said pyroelectric sensor to data samples for data processing.

12. The system, as recited in claim 10, wherein said converting means of said microcontroller comprises an analog to digital converter converting said output signals from said pyroelectric sensor to data samples for data processing.

13. The system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light.

14. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light.

15. The system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light and one or more visible light LEDs to generate visible light.

16. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light and one or more visible light LEDs to generate visible light.

17. A process of generating power saving lighting, comprising the step of:

(a) controlling charging and discharging of a rechargeable battery element, wherein said rechargeable battery element stores electrical energy being converted from solar energy which is collected by a solar power element;

(b) detecting any motion by a motion sensor within a detecting area thereof;

(c) measuring light intensity in said detecting area by a light sensor once said motion sensor detects a motion within said detecting area;

(d) determining a brightness of light being required within said detecting area in responsive to the light intensity being measured by said light sensor;

(e) activating a light component to initially generate enough light within said detecting area; and

(f) switching off said light component once there is not motion within said detecting area.

18. The process, as recited in claim 17, wherein the step (e) further comprises the steps of

(e.1) maximizing a power of said light component to initially generate enough light within said detecting area in responsive to the light intensity being measured by said light sensor;

(e.2) decreasing said power of said light component to gradually reduce the brightness of said light after said light component is initially activated; and

(e.3) maintaining minimum power of said light component to maximally save said electrical energy being stored in said rechargeable battery element.

19. The process, as recited in claim 18, wherein, in the step (e), an LED matrix of said light component is controlled by a microcontroller to generate said light and is switched on and off in a timely constant frequency by said microcontroller to selectively adjust the brightness of said light being generated by said LED matrix.

20. The process, as recited in claim 19, wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of:

(b.1) producing inputted energy signals by said motion sensor when said motion sensor detects a motion within said detecting area;

(b.2) converting said inputted energy signals into data samples, wherein said data samples are constructed to form a predetermined number of constructed sample windows of constructed samples in time;

(b.3) determining a control range is determined for each of said constructed sample windows; and

(b.4) by comparing a relationship between said successive constructed sample windows, determining whether there is a need to switch on said light component.

21. The process, as recited in claim 20, wherein said motion sensor is a pyroelectric sensor which comprises a signal conversion module, and is adapted to sense energy radiation for motion detection, wherein said infrared radiation as an input signal is converted into an output signal through said signal conversion module, wherein said output signal contains real signal with low frequency and noise signal mixed therewith.

22. The process as recited in claim 21 wherein, in the step (b.2), said output signals are converted from said pyroelectric sensor to said data samples for data processing by an analog to digital converter.

23. The process, as recited in claim 17, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light.

24. The process, as recited in claim 22, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light.

25. The process, as recited in claim 17, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light and one or more visible light LEDs to generate visible light.

26. The process, as recited in claim 22, wherein said light component comprises one or more infrared LEDs to generate infrared light and one or more visible light LEDs to generate visible light.

27. The process, as recited in claim 17, wherein the step (a) further comprises the step of:

(a.1) operating said solar power element when energy supply therefrom is sufficient;

(a.2) operating said rechargeable battery element when energy of said solar power element is not sufficient and when a voltage of said rechargeable battery is not lower than a predetermined level; and

(a.3) connecting to a AC power supply as a power supply when said solar power and said rechargeable battery element have insufficient energy.

28. The process, as recited in claim 26, wherein the step (a) further comprises the step of:

(a.1) operating said solar power element when energy supply therefrom is sufficient;

(a.2) operating said rechargeable battery element when energy of said solar power element is not sufficient and when a voltage of said rechargeable battery is not lower than a predetermined level; and

(a.3) connecting to a AC power supply as a power supply when said solar power and said rechargeable battery element have insufficient energy.