US 6,188,181 B1 · Lighting control system for different load types

Abstract

An improved signal generator that is capable of providing a multitude of control schemes to connected ballasts or transformers to adjust the luminous output of an attached lamp or light source. The control scheme is preferably at least one of the type 0 to 10V sink, 0 to 10V source, pulse width modulated (PWM), and digital serial interface (DSI). A lighting control system for selectively controlling the respective light levels of a plurality of lighting loads of different load types, comprising a lighting control unit for generating zone-intensity information representing a desired light level for lighting loads including light sources on a communications link, each lighting load being one of a plurality of voltage controlled load types, duty cycle controlled load types, and digital signal controlled load types; a controller operatively connected to the lighting control unit via the communications link and responsive to the zone-intensity information on the communications link for adjusting the light level of the lighting loads; and a plurality of modules connected between the controller and the lighting loads, each module capable of controlling at least one of the lighting loads.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A lighting control system for selectively controlling the light level of a lighting load, comprising:

a lighting control unit for generating zone-intensity information representing a desired light level for said lighting load, said lighting load selected from the group consisting of a voltage controlled load, a duty cycle controlled load, and a digital signal controlled load;
a communications link;
a controller operatively connected to said lighting control unit via said communications link and responsive to said zone-intensity information for adjusting said light level of said lighting load;
means for generating a load signal indicating whether said lighting load is a voltage controlled load, a duty cycle controlled load, or a digital signal controlled load;
and
a module connected to said controller and adapted to be connectable to said lighting load, said module responsive to said zone-intensity information and said load signal for controlling the light level of said lighting load.

3 more elements

A module for use in a lighting control system for simultaneously controlling a first light intensity of a first lighting load and a second light intensity of a second lighting load, the lighting loads selected from the lighting load group consisting of a voltage-controlled load, a duty cycle-controlled load, and a digital signal-controlled load, the second lighting load different from the first lighting load, comprising:

a receiver for receiving light intensity information associated with said first and second light intensities;
a controller connected to receive said light intensity information from said receiver and provide a first light intensity signal and a second light intensity signal;
means for generating a first load signal and a second load signal, said load signals associated with said first and second lighting loads, respectively;
a first output drive in communication with said controller to receive said first light intensity signal and said first load signal, said first output drive for controlling said first light intensity;
and
a second output drive in communication with said controller to receive said second light intensity signal and said second load signal, said second output drive for controlling said second light intensity.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Lighting control system for different load types

Life of this patent

Lighting control system for different load types

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23