Universal Lighting Source Controller with Integral Power Metering

A lighting circuit control card for use with a plurality of types of lighting sources, comprising:

• a control circuit, electrically coupled to at least one light source, the control circuit operable to receive a control signal comprising an indication that the at least one light source should be energized and operable to permit electrical energy to flow to the at least one light source in response to the indication;
• and
• a power metering circuit comprising a first meter operable to determine a first power usage of a first portion of the control circuit and a second meter operable to determine a second power usage of a second portion of the control circuit,
• wherein the control circuit is operable to control the at least one light source and the at least one other light source,
• wherein the first power usage and the second power usage are made available to a building management system,
• wherein the control circuit is operably coupled to a panel controller, wherein the panel controller is operable to send the control signal, wherein the control signal comprises a command to the control circuit based on the first power usage determined by the first meter and the second power usage determined by the second meter,
• wherein the control circuit is operable to receive a subsequent control signal based on the first power usage measured by the first meter and the second power usage measured by the second meter, and
• wherein the at least one light source and the at least one other light source comprises at least two selected from a group consisting of fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode light sources.

A method for controlling a light source, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving from a panel controller a control signal at a lighting control circuit, the control signal comprising a command to energize the light source and a desired intensity level for the light source;
• in response to receiving the control signal, allowing, by the lighting control circuit, electrical energy to flow to the light source;
• measuring, using a first meter of a power metering circuit communicably coupled to the lighting control circuit, a first power usage of a first portion of the lighting control circuit;
• measuring, using a second meter of the power metering circuit communicably coupled to the lighting control circuit, a second power usage of a second portion of the lighting control circuit;
• and
• receiving, from the panel controller based on the first power usage measured by the first meter and the second power usage measured by the second meter, a subsequent control signal at the lighting control circuit,
• wherein the lighting control circuit is operable to control the light source and at least one other light source,
• wherein the first power usage and the second power usage are made available to a building management system,
• wherein the light source and the at least one other light source comprises at least two selected from a group consisting of fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode light sources.

A lighting system, comprising:

• a lighting controller operable to send control signals to line voltage dimming cards;
• one or more line voltage dimming cards communicably coupled to the lighting controller, each line voltage dimming card comprising:
• a control circuit, electrically coupled to a lighting circuit comprising at least one light source, the control circuit operable to receive a control signal comprising an indication that the at least one light source should be energized and a desired intensity level for the at least one light source, the control circuit further operable to permit electrical energy to flow to the at least one light source in response to the indication and control an intensity level of the at least one light source in response to the desired intensity level;
• and
• a power metering circuit comprising at least a first meter operable to determine a first power usage of a first portion of the control circuit and a second meter operable to determine a second power usage of a second portion of the control circuit;
• and
• a user interface communicably coupled to the lighting controller and operable to receive configuration information for the lighting controller and the one or more line voltage dimming cards and further operable to output a representation of the amount of electrical power consumed by the at least one light source from the lighting controller,
• wherein each of the line voltage dimming cards is operable to control the at least one light source and at the least one other light source,
• wherein the first power usage and the second power usage are made available to a building management system,
• wherein the control circuit is operable to receive, from the lighting controller based on the first power usage measured by the first meter and the second power usage measured by the second meter, a subsequent control signal, and
• wherein the at least one light source and the at least one other light source comprises at least two selected from a group consisting of fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode light sources.