EP0447136A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A method for automatic switching and control of lighting
Assignee: TLG PLC
•
Filing: 1991-03-08
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-03-08
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a method for automatic switching and control of lighting to a localised area, the switching of the lighting being dependent on the presence or absence of a person in that localised area and the control of the lighting intensity being dependent on the sensed background level of lighting in that localised area.The invention also relates to a lamp fitting and to an automatic control device for controlling the light output of a light source in a "self managed" and "self controlled" energy saving luminaire. In a preferred embodiment the light source is connected to a dimmable electronic ballast (12),the ballast (12) providing the power to drive a presence detector (5) and a light detector (6). <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Lou Bedocs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:48
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/36; H05B41/38; H05B41/39; H05B41/392; H05B41/3921; H05B41/3922; H05B47/00; H05B47/10; H05B47/105; H05B47/11; H05B47/115; H05B47/13; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B20/00; Y02B20/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of controlling the illumination to a localised area (7) using a light source (3,4) associated with said localised area (7), including maintaining said light source (3,4) in a first condition to provide a dark or dim background lighting to said localised area (7), sensing the presence of a person in said localised area (7), switching said light source (3,4) automatically to a second condition to increase the lighting from the dark or dim background level initially provided to a level of greater intensity upon the sensing, sensing the departure of the person from said localised area (7), and returning automatically said light source (3,4) to its first condition upon the sensing of the departure, characterised by sensing the light intensity in said localised area (7) during the detected presence and switching said light source (3,4) automatically into one or more further conditions to vary the lighting in dependence on the intensity of light sensed in said localised area (7) during the presence of the person in said localised area (7).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
An automatic control device for controlling the light output from a light source (3,4), including a presence detecting means (5) and a light detecting means (6) for detecting respectively the presence of a human being and the level of light intensity in a localised area (7), control means responsive to a presence detection signal received from said presence detecting means (5) for increasing the intensity of light emanating from said light source(3,4), characterised in that said control means is also responsive to a light detection signal from said light detecting means (6) for varying the light intensity emanating from said light source (3,4) in dependence on the intensity of light detected by said light detecting means (6) when said presence detecting means (5) has detected the presence of a human being.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
166 words
A lamp fitting (1) incorporating a light source (3,4) and an automatic control device for controlling the light output from said light source (3,4), characterised in that said automatic control device includes a presence detector (5) for detecting the presence of a person in a localised area (7) and a light detector (6) for detecting the level of light intensity in the localised area (7), and further characterised by control means (12) for varying the light intensity from said light source (3,4) between first and second intensity levels in dependence on a signal from said presence detector (5) indicative of the presence of the person in the localised area(7), said control means (12) being responsive to a signal from said light detector (6) indicative of the sensed light intensity in the localised area (7) to control said light source (3,4) to at least one further intensity level lying between the first and second intensity levels to maintain a minimum light intensity in the localised area (7).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A lamp fitting (1) as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said light source (3,4) is electrically coupled to a dimmable electronic ballast (12), said ballast (12) providing a power supply (21) to drive said presence detector (5) and said light detector (6).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A lamp fitting (1) as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said presence detector (5) is a passive infra-red detection device (5) and said light detector (6) is a photoresponsive device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A lamp fitting (1) as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, characterised by switch means (9) for adjusting the maximum power output of said light source (3,4).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A lamp fitting (1) as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, characterised by timing means responsive to the departure of the person from the localised area (7) for delaying the fall in intensity of said light source (3,4) to the first intensity level until after the passage of a predetermined period.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A lamp fitting (1) as claimed by any one of claims 3 to 7, characterised by indicating means (N1) to indicate that mains supply is still connected to said lamp fitting (1) even though said light source (3,4) is extinguished.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
A lamp fitting (1) as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that said control means (12) , said presence detector (5) and said light detector (6) are mounted on a control plate (8) situated in a central location of said lamp fitting(1).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A lighting system for controlling the lighting conditions in a room including a plurality of lamp fittings disposed at different locations in the room, characterised in that said lamp fittings (1) are as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 10.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.