Portable electric lamp with a power supply current control device and method for controlling a power supply current of such a lamp

A portable electric lamp comprising:

• a lighting module,
• a compact housing enclosing an electric power storage unit configured to provide a power supply current to the lighting module,
• a measurement device configured for measuring a current consumed by the lighting module,
• a power supply current limiter configured to limit the power supply current, and
• an electronic control unit connected to the electric power storage unit and to the lighting module, the electronic control unit comprising a non-volatile memory saving a lamp autonomy time and being configured for:
• generating a lighting current set point,
• calculating a maximum authorized current from a difference between the consumed current and a reference current,
• calculating a maximum authorized current threshold from the minimum value between the lighting current set point and the maximum authorized current, and
• controlling the power supply current limiter to limit the power supply current to a value smaller than or equal to the maximum authorized current threshold.

A method for controlling a power supply current provided by an electric power storage unit to a lighting module of a portable electric lamp, the method comprising:

• generating a maximum authorized current threshold;
• and
• limiting the power supply current to a value lower than or equal to the maximum authorized current threshold;
• wherein generating the maximum authorized current threshold comprises:
• measuring a current consumed by the lighting module,
• generating a lighting current set point,
• estimating an initial capacity of the storage unit,
• saving a lamp autonomy time,
• calculating an average current threshold equal to the ratio of the initial capacity of the storage unit to the lamp autonomy time,
• calculating a maximum authorized current from a difference between the consumed current and the average current threshold, and
• calculating the maximum authorized current threshold from the minimum value between the lighting current set point and the maximum authorized current.

A method for controlling a power supply current provided by an electric power storage unit to a lighting module of a portable electric lamp, the method comprising;

• generating a maximum authorized current threshold;
• and
• limiting the power supply current to a value lower than or equal to the maximum authorized current threshold;
• wherein generating the maximum authorized current threshold comprises:
• measuring a current consumed by the lighting module,
• generating a lighting current set point,
• saving a reference current,
• calculating a maximum authorized current from a difference between the consumed current and the reference current, and
• calculating the maximum authorized current threshold from the minimum value between the lighting current set point and the maximum authorized current.