Lighting device monitor and communication apparatus

• US 9,049,753 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALSI Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Appalachian Lighting Systems, Inc. (ALSI Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Wassel, James J., Roney, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOUSTON, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US13/588,926
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 315/151, 315/158
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A smart metered light fixture including a light source. The light fixture includes a surge protection device with a monitor that indicates when surge protection fails. The light fixture includes a power supply monitor configured to collect real-time AC current, voltage, and power factor measurements from a power supply. An operational characteristic monitor monitors an operational characteristic of the light source, such as current consumption, wattage, real-time temperature, a brightness level, and/or an efficiency of the light fixture. A communication device positioned between the power supply receives information from the monitors and wirelessly transmits information regarding the monitored operational characteristic and information and/or power supply measurements to a remote user equipment. The communications device may also receive control instructions from the remote user equipment for controlling aspects of the light source.

Claims

1. A light fixture monitoring and communication device, the device comprising:

a monitor for monitoring an operational characteristic of a light source comprised in the light fixture;

a communication component positioned between the power supply device and the light source, the communication component including;

a wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit information regarding the monitored operational characteristic to a remote management device,

wherein the device is located internal to the light fixture and integrated with the light fixture.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the communication component comprises a two-way, Radio Frequency (RF) to WiFi communications device.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the communication component comprises a receiver configured to receive instructions to control the light fixture from the remote management device.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to control a dimming function of the light fixture.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is positioned on a direct current (DC) side of a power supply comprised in the light fixture.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to receive measurement information from a power monitor configured to collect real-time alternating current (AC) current, voltage, and power factor measurements within the power supply.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to receive surge protection information from a surge protection component, the surge protection component including a surge protection monitor configured to indicate whether surge protection is currently provided by the surge protection component, and

wherein the communications component is configured to report when surge protection is not being provided by the surge protection component.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the monitored characteristic comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of current consumption, wattage, real-time temperature, a brightness level, and an efficiency of the light fixture.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to modify operation of the light fixture based on instructions received from a remote management device.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the device comprises a dimmer that is controlled via the communications component.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a programmable photocell device having a photocell sensor configured to detect the amount of light in an environment surrounding the light fixture, wherein the photocell device is configured to be programmed wirelessly from a remote management device in order to adjust a threshold level of the photocell.

12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a light transmission tube that protrudes from the light fixture and that is configured to pass light from the exterior of the light fixture to the photocell sensor.

13. A remote management device for controlling a remote light fixture, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to wirelessly receive operational metrics transmitted from the light fixture; and

a transmitter configured to transmit instructions for controlling the light fixture.

14. The remote management device according to claim 13, wherein the operational metrics comprise at least one selected from a group consisting of current consumption, wattage, real-time temperature, a brightness level, and an efficiency of the light fixture.

15. The remote management device according to claim 13, wherein the device is configured to receive operational metrics from a plurality of light fixtures that are physically located remotely from each other.

16. The remote management device according to claim 15, wherein the transmitter is configured to control a dimming feature at each of the plurality of light fixtures.

17. The remote management device according to claim 16, wherein the device is configured to control the dimming feature of at least a subset of the plurality of light fixtures contemporaneously as part of an array.

18. The remote management device according to claim 17, wherein the device is configured to control the dimming feature of a second subset of the plurality of light fixtures as a second array at a different dimming level than the other array.

19. A surge protection device comprising:

an input configured to be connected to an alternating current (AC) power source;

an output;

a connection between the input and output for transmitting power from the input to the output;

a surge protection component configured to provide surge protection to the connection between the input and output; and

a monitor coupled to the surge protection component, the monitor configured to monitor the surge protected connection,

wherein the monitor is configured to provide a signal via an optical isolation device contemporaneously with the surge protection component functioning to provide the surge protected connection between the input and the output, and

wherein the monitor is configured to cease the signal to the optical isolation device when operation of the surge protection component ceases.

20. A smart metered light fixture comprising:

a light source;

a power supply device;

a monitor configured to collect real-time alternating current (AC) current, voltage, and power factor measurements used by a power supply for the light source; and

a connection through an optical isolation device configured to transmit the collected measurements to a communications device located on a DC side of the power supply.

21. A light fixture comprising:

a solid state light source;

a surge protection device;

a power supply positioned between the surge protection device and the light source;

a communications device positioned between the power supply device and the light source;

a monitor configured to collect real-time alternating current (AC) current, voltage, and power factor measurements from a power supply having an first optical isolation device configured to transmit the collected measurements to the communications device,

wherein the surge protection device is circuitably positioned between an AC power source and the power supply, the surge protection device having;

an input configured to be connected to the AC power source;

an output;

a connection between the input and output for transmitting power from the input to the output;

a surge protection component configured to provide surge protection to the connection between the input and output; and

a monitor connected to the surge protection component, the monitor configured to monitor the surge protected connection,

wherein the monitor is configured to provide a signal via a second optical isolation device contemporaneously with the surge protection component functioning to provide the surge protected connection between the input and the output,

wherein the monitor is configured to cease the signal to the optical isolation device when the surge protection component ceases operation, and

wherein the communications device includes;

an operational characteristic monitor for monitoring an operational characteristic of the light source;

a receiver configured to receive a signal from the first and second optical isolation devices and to receive data from the operational characteristic monitor; and

a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting information regarding the monitored operational characteristic and information from the optical isolation devices.

22. The light fixture according to claim 21, further comprising:

a programmable photocell device having a photocell sensor configured to detect the amount of light in an environment surrounding the light fixture, wherein the photocell device is configured to be programmed wirelessly from a remote management device in order to adjust a threshold level of the photocell; and

a light transmission tube that protrudes from the light fixture and that is configured to pass light from the exterior of the light fixture to the photocell sensor.

23. A programmable photocell device for use with a light fixture, the device comprising:

a photocell sensor configured to detect the amount of light in the environment surrounding the light fixture,

wherein the photocell device is configured to be programmed wirelessly from a remote management device in order to adjust a threshold level of the photocell.

24. The device according to claim 23, further comprising:

a light transmission tube that protrudes from the light fixture and that is configured to pass light from the exterior of the light fixture to the photocell sensor.