# US 5,703,442 A · Method and apparatus for interfacing a light dimming control with an automated control system

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- Number: US 5,703,442 A
- Document ID: US5703442A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/638,788
- Filed: 1996-04-29
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1996-04-29
- Assignees: Electronic Lighting, Inc.
- Inventors: Hubertus Notohamiprodjo; Kata Kukiatsakulchai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703442A

## CPC

- H05B 47/10: Controlling the light source
- Y10S 315/04: Dimming circuit for fluorescent lamps
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

The present invention is directed to providing building automation systems which can effectively control light output of a building in a manner which can significantly reduce power consumption, yet which goes virtually unnoticed by building occupants. Exemplary embodiments are directed to using existing building automation systems to control the dimming, rather than the turning off, of selected artificial lighting. Further, exemplary embodiments are directed to using the conventional relay network of existing building automation systems to control the dimming of the artificial lighting.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Apparatus for interfacing a lighting system with an automated energy control system comprising:
means for receiving energy control signals from an automated energy control system; and
means for converting said energy control signals from said receiving means into lamp intensity control signals to control lamp intensity of at least one light output device of a lighting system in response to a power consumption monitored by the automated energy control system, wherein said converting means includes at least one amplifier stage, said amplifier stage having a feedback path which includes a variable resistance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means includes at least one relay having relay contacts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said relay contacts are used to short circuit at least a portion of the variable resistance included in said feedback path of said amplifier stage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said at least one amplifier stage is supplied power from a signal path used to control said lamp intensity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said converting means includes at least one transistor as an input to said at least one amplifier stage, said at least one transistor establishing a reference voltage for said at least one amplifier stage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said convening means includes at least one additional amplifier stage for receiving an output from said at least one amplifier stage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said at least one additional amplifier stage provides a delay function.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said at least one additional amplifier stage includes an RC circuit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said at least one additional amplifier stage includes at least one transistor connected between an output of said at least one amplifier stage and a signal path used to control said lamp intensity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said converting means includes at least one RJ11 connector.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one amplifier stage is formed as a low power CMOS operational amplifier.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said at least one amplifier stage and said at least one additional amplifier stage are formed using low power CMOS operational amplifiers.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said converting means further includes:
a switching device which is gated by a pulsed signal having a pulse width proportional to a desired dimming of said lighting system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said converting means further includes:
a power input section having a rectifier bridge and a Zener diode for stepping down an AC input voltage to a DC voltage.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, in combination with said lighting system, wherein said lighting system includes:
at least one negative resistance load.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

Apparatus according to claim 1, in combination with said lighting system, wherein said lighting system includes:
at least one incandescent lamp.