Powering a fixture from AC and DC sources

• US 9,583,979 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WTEC GmbH
• Original Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Covaro, Mark, Leonard, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAI T
• Application Number:
  US14/518,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20150069837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 340/538, 340/540, 340/541, 340/632.2, 307/37, 307/45, 307/46, 307/65, 307/75, 307/80
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/577 for plural loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A system comprises a fixture and a controller that is configured to power the fixture from an alternating current (AC) source and a direct current (DC) source. The controller is configured to automatically switch from powering the fixture from the DC source to powering the fixture from the AC source in response to a time of day. Related systems, methods and computer program products are described.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first fixture;

a second fixture; and

a controller that is configured to power the first fixture and the second fixture using an alternating current (AC) source and a direct current (DC) source;

the controller being further configured to automatically switch from powering the first fixture using the DC source to powering the first fixture using the AC source in response to a time of day, regardless of whether the DC source is capable of powering the first fixture; and

the controller being further configured to automatically switch from powering the second fixture using the DC source to powering the second fixture using the AC source in response to the DC source failing to provide sufficient power to the second fixture.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the DC source comprises a solar panel.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the AC source comprises a power grid.

4. A method comprising:

automatically switching from powering a first fixture using a direct current (DC) source to powering the first fixture using an alternating current (AC) source in response to a time of day, regardless of whether the DC source is capable of powering the first fixture; and

automatically switching from powering a second fixture using the DC source to powering the second fixture using the AC source in response to the DC source failing to provide sufficient power to the second fixture.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the DC source comprises a solar panel.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the AC source comprises a power grid.

7. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, causes the computer system to perform operations comprising;

automatically switching from powering a first fixture using a direct current (DC) source to powering the first fixture using an alternating current (AC) source in response to a time of day, regardless of whether the DC source is capable of powering the first fixture; and

automatically switching from powering a second fixture using the DC source to powering the second fixture using the AC source in response to the DC source failing to provide sufficient power to the second fixture.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the DC source comprises a solar panel.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the AC source comprises a power grid.