Control network for LED-based lighting system in a transit vehicle
First Claim
1. A lighting system for a transit vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of LED-based lighting fixtures, each of said LED-based lighting fixtures comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) collectively providing area lighting, and a slave node for controlling operation of the LEDs;
a master node for controlling the slave nodes of the respective LED-based lighting fixtures and thereby controlling the operation of said LED-based lighting fixtures;
a power bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; and
a communication bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes;
wherein each of said slave nodes further comprises a voltage regulator for providing low voltage power to digital electronics including a slave node micro-controller; and
wherein the slave node sets a target LED current level based upon a recorded age of the LEDs, and wherein the voltage regulator associated with that slave node adjusts the amount of current supplied to the LEDs of the LED-based lighting fixture according to the target current level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transit vehicle lighting system has a plurality of LED-based lighting fixtures for providing interior illumination. A control network comprises a plurality of slave nodes for controlling the LED-based lighting fixtures, and a master node for controlling the slave nodes. The master node may be connected to the slave nodes by a combined power/communication bus in a daisy chain fashion. The slave node may include a power regulator and a controller for providing a target current command to the power regulator, and may adjust the target current based upon temperature measurements or a recorded age of the LEDs. An optical sensor may provide automatic dimming. A reduced number of LEDs may be used in an emergency mode. The lighting fixture may include a ceiling panel fixture and a riser panel attachable by way of a hinge mechanism.
55 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A lighting system for a transit vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of LED-based lighting fixtures, each of said LED-based lighting fixtures comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) collectively providing area lighting, and a slave node for controlling operation of the LEDs; a master node for controlling the slave nodes of the respective LED-based lighting fixtures and thereby controlling the operation of said LED-based lighting fixtures; a power bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; and a communication bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; wherein each of said slave nodes further comprises a voltage regulator for providing low voltage power to digital electronics including a slave node micro-controller; and wherein the slave node sets a target LED current level based upon a recorded age of the LEDs, and wherein the voltage regulator associated with that slave node adjusts the amount of current supplied to the LEDs of the LED-based lighting fixture according to the target current level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)
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16. A lighting system for a transit vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of LED-based lighting fixtures, each of said LED-based lighting fixtures comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) collectively providing area lighting, and a slave node for controlling operation of the LEDs, wherein the slave node of at least one of said LED-based lighting fixtures is operable to operate the LEDs in a night mode at a first level of brightness or a daylight mode at a second level of brightness less than the first level of brightness; a master node for controlling the slave nodes of the respective LED-based lighting fixtures and thereby controlling the operation of said LED-based lighting fixtures; a power bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; a communication bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; and an optical sensor for sensing a level of ambient illumination, whereby the LEDs of said at least one LED-based lighting fixture are automatically dimmed from the first brightness level to the second brightness level if the level of ambient illumination surpasses a dimming command threshold.
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18. A distributed control network for a transit vehicle lighting system, comprising:
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a plurality of LED-based lighting fixtures, each of said LED-based lighting fixtures comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle; a plurality of slave nodes for controlling the LED-based lighting fixtures; a master node in communication with said slave nodes; a digital communications bus for communicating among the master node and the slave nodes; and a power bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; wherein said power bus is integrated with the digital communications bus in a plurality of power/data cable segments, and wherein said master node is communicatively coupled to said slave nodes by connecting said slave nodes in a daisy chain using with said power/data cable segments; wherein each of said slave nodes is configured to control an LED current based upon one or both of a recorded age of the LEDs and a measured temperature of at least one of the LEDs. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A distributed control network for a transit vehicle lighting system, comprising:
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a plurality of LED-based lighting fixtures, each of said LED-based lighting fixtures comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle; a plurality of slave nodes for controlling the LED-based lighting fixtures; a master node in communication with said slave nodes; a digital communications bus for communicating among the master node and the slave nodes; a power bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; and an optical sensor, whereby said master node operates according to a plurality of brightness modes and automatically commands said slave nodes to dim the LEDs in conditions of brighter ambient illumination; wherein said power bus is integrated with the digital communications bus in a plurality of power/data cable segments, and wherein said master node is communicatively coupled to said slave nodes by connecting said slave nodes in a daisy chain using with said power/data cable segments.
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22. A distributed control network for a transit vehicle lighting system, comprising:
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a plurality of LED-based lighting fixtures, each of said LED-based lighting fixtures comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle; a plurality of slave nodes for controlling the LED-based lighting fixtures; a master node in communication with said slave nodes; a digital communications bus for communicating among the master node and the slave nodes; and a power bus interconnecting said master node and slave nodes; wherein said power bus is integrated with the digital communications bus in a plurality of power/data cable segments, and wherein said master node is communicatively coupled to said slave nodes by connecting said slave nodes in a daisy chain using with said power/data cable segments; and wherein the distributed control network implements an emergency lighting mode wherein a reduced number of LEDs are activated by one or more slave nodes. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An LED-based lighting fixture for a transit vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle; a power regulator receiving an input power supply signal; a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of one or more of said LEDs; and a controller for providing a target current command to said power regulator, said controller receiving temperature measurements from said temperature sensor and adjusting the target current command in response thereto; wherein said controller sets the target current command based at least in part upon a recorded age of the LEDs. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An LED-based lighting fixture for a transit vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle; a power regulator receiving an input power supply signal; a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of one or more of said LEDs; a controller for providing a target current command to said power regulator, said controller receiving temperature measurements from said temperature sensor and adjusting the target current command in response thereto; a ceiling panel adapted to abut a transit vehicle interior sidewall, an LED lighting mount on which said LEDs are disposed; and a riser panel adapted to abut a transit vehicle ceiling or interior top mounting surface; wherein said riser panel includes a locking mechanism for securing the riser panel to the transit vehicle ceiling or interior top mounting surface, and a detachable hinge for releasably attaching to said LED lighting mount, whereby the riser panel may be fully removed from and reattached in position by releasing said locking mechanism.
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40. An LED-based lighting fixture for a transit vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle; a power regulator receiving an input power supply signal; a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of one or more of said LEDs; a controller for providing a target current command to said power regulator, said controller receiving temperature measurements from said temperature sensor and adjusting the target current command in response thereto; a ceiling panel adapted to abut a transit vehicle interior sidewall, an LED lighting mount on which said LEDs are disposed; and a riser panel adapted to abut a transit vehicle ceiling or interior top mounting surface; wherein said riser panel includes a locking mechanism for securing the riser panel to the transit vehicle ceiling or interior top mounting surface, and a hinge for attaching the riser panel to said LED lighting mount, whereby the riser panel may be rotationally swung open by releasing said locking mechanism.
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Specification