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US 6,807,516 B2Granted
Lamp monitoring and control system and method
AssigneeA.L. Air Data, Inc.
InventorsLarry Williams, Michael F. Young
Life of this patent
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AssigneeA.L. Air Data, Inc.
InventorsLarry Williams, Michael F. Young
Estimating the term…
A system and method for remotely monitoring and/or controlling an apparatus and specifically for remotely monitoring and/or controlling street lamps. The lamp monitoring and control system comprises lamp monitoring and control units, each coupled to a respective lamp to monitor and control, and each transmitting monitoring data having at least an ID field and a status field; and at least one base station, coupled to a group of the lamp monitoring and control units, for receiving the monitoring data, wherein each of the base stations includes an ID and status processing unit for processing the ID field of the monitoring data.
A lamp monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling at least one lamp, comprising:
A method for monitoring a status of at least one lamp on a lamp pole, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Of two or more light sources connected in parallel: with communication between the lamps and a central unit
Controlling the light source: by remote control
By remote control: grouping of control procedures or address assignation to light sources
By remote control: via wireless transmission
Term ended 16 Apr 2017 (estimated)
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for remotely monitoring and/or controlling an apparatus and specifically to a lamp monitoring and control system and method for use with street lamps.
2. Background of the Related Art
The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a typical mercury-vapor lamp.
FIG. 2 shows a typical configuration of a lamp arrangement comprising a lamp sensor unit situated between a power source and a lamp assembly.
The preferred embodiments of a lamp monitoring and control system (LMCS) and method, which allows centralized monitoring and/or control of street lamps, will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures. While the invention is described with reference to an LMCS, the invention is not limited to this application and can be used in any application which requires a monitoring and control system for centralized monitoring and/or control of devices distributed over a large geographical area. Additionally, the term street lamp in this disclosure is used in a general sense to describe any type of street lamp, area lamp, or outdoor lamp.
FIG. 3 shows a lamp arrangement 301 which includes lamp monitoring and control unit 310, according to one embodiment of the invention. Lamp monitoring and control unit 310 is situated between a power source 220 and a lamp assembly 230. Lamp assembly 230 includes a lamp 240 and a starting circuit 250.
Power source 220 may be a standard 115 volt, 60 Hz source supplied by a power line. It is well known to those skilled in the art that a variety of alternatives are available for power source 220. In foreign countries, power source 220 may be a 220 volt, 50 Hz source from a power line. Additionally, power source 220 may be a DC voltage source or, in certain remote regions, it may be a battery which is charged by a solar reflector.