# US 2019/0174609 A1 · Methods and devices for auto-calibrating light dimmers

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- Number: US 2019/0174609 A1
- Document ID: US20190174609A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/273,726
- Filed: 2019-02-12
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-14
- Assignees: The Watt Stopper, Inc.
- Applicants: The Watt Stopper, Inc.
- Inventors: Jonathan P. Cartrette; Peter J. Horton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174609A1

## CPC

- F21V 23/003: {the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array}
- H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light
- H05B 47/11: by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
- H05B 47/14: by determining electrical parameters of the light source
- H05B 47/165: following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
- F21S 2/00: Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
- F21V 23/04: the elements being switches (safety devices F21V25/00)
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- F21Y 2115/15: Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
- Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

An automated dimming load controller automatically measures the relationship between the current draw and the dimmer setting for each light or group of lights connected to the load controller. Once measured, the relationship between the current draw and the dimmer setting can be used to enable the dimmer controller to adjust the lights between their minimum and maximum effective illumination. This automatic setting of the dimmer controller may be performed regularly to accommodate changes in performance or replacement of any of the connected lights, drivers or ballasts.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lighting controller for controlling one or more light assemblies comprising:
a dimmer controller having a dimmer setting;
a current measurement module for measuring current applied to one of the one or more light assemblies;
a microprocessor operably connected to the dimmer controller and the current measurement module;
a memory operably connected to the microprocessor; and
an algorithm stored in the memory to enable the microprocessor to use the measured current to calibrate the dimmer controller.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dimmer controller of claim 1 wherein the current measurement module includes a current transducer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The dimmer controller of claim 1 wherein the current measurement module includes a current shunt circuit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method of calibrating a lighting controller for controlling one or more light assemblies comprising the steps of:
providing the automated lighting controller of claim 1;
selecting one of the one or more light assemblies to be exercised by the application of varying voltage and measuring current drawn by the selected light assembly;
setting the dimmer setting to 0% for the selected light assembly;
measuring the current drawn by the selected light assembly;
recording the current drawn as a ballast current minimum;
increasing the dimmer setting by a selected amount;
measuring the current drawn by the selected light assembly and determining if the measured current is greater than the ballast current minimum;
if the measured current is within a tolerance value of the ballast current minimum, recording the dimmer setting as a dimmer minimum and then returning to the step of increasing the dimmer setting by a selected amount;
if the measured current increases beyond the tolerance value of the current, recording the dimmer minimum as the final dimmer minimum and the current minimum as the final current minimum;
recording the measured current as a ballast current maximum and the dimmer setting as ballast dimmer maximum;
increasing the dimmer setting by the selected amount;
measuring the current drawn by the selected light assembly and determining if the measured current is greater than the ballast current maximum;
if the measured current increases beyond a tolerance value of the ballast current maximum, recording the dimmer setting as a ballast dimmer maximum and the measured current as the ballast current maximum and then returning to the step of increasing the dimmer setting by the selected amount;
if the measured current is within the tolerance value of the current maximum, recording the ballast dimmer maximum as the final dimmer maximum and the ballast current minimum as the final current maximum; and
controlling the dimming of the selected light assembly using the final dimmer minimum, the final current minimum, the final dimmer maximum and the final current maximum.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of setting a low current tolerance of the ballast current minimum and using the low current tolerance to determine if the measured current is within or exceeds the low current tolerance of the ballast current minimum.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of setting a high current tolerance of the ballast current maximum and using the high current tolerance to determine if the measured current is within or exceeds the high current tolerance of the ballast current maximum.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of setting a current tolerance and using the current tolerance to determine if the measured current is within or exceeds the current tolerance of the ballast current minimum, or is within or exceeds the current tolerance of the ballast current maximum.