Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.

Douglas Lighting Controls

Travis L Berry

Wei Xiong

Keith Davis

John Cavacuiti

Rob Mahaffey

Donald Folker

Mike LeBlanc

Theodore E Kluska

Christopher Radzinski

Ted Kluska

Matthew Sullivan

Brandon Dyer

Mark Bauer

Masaaki Ikehara

Eric Spika

An LED driver for light modulation control includes a power converter circuit, a feedback circuit, a buffer circuit, an energy recovery circuit, and a controller. The power converter circuit is configured to provide an output current to an LED load coupled thereto. The feedback circuit is configured to generate an error signal which is fed back to the power converter circuit for maintaining the power converter circuit in a constant current output state. The buffer circuit is coupled to the LED load and configured for quick turn off of the LED load and for temporary storage of power. The energy recovery circuit is configured to reuse the power stored in the buffer circuit before relying on an external power source to power the controller and the feedback circuit. The controller is configured to control at least one aspect of each of the circuits of the LED driver.

Light modulating control method for dimming analog constant current LED driver

A tunable magnetic assembly includes a bobbin, an outer core, and an inner core. The bobbin has a first and second flanges. The bobbin has a passageway extending between the first and second flange. The passageway has a spiral track defined in a passageway surface. The outer core is positioned around the first and second flanges. The outer core includes an opening positioned near the first flange. The inner core is positioned in the opening and in the cylindrical passageway. The inner core includes at least one protrusion extending from an outer surface and configured to engage the spiral track. A gap distance is defined between the inner core and a portion of the outer core near the second flange. The gap distance is adjustable by moving the protrusion within the spiral track. Adjusting the gap distance modifies the inductance.

Tunable magnetic core structure

A control system for a vehicle parking area includes occupancy sensing devices, which may be associated with light fixtures. During a device commissioning mode, each device emits position signals and identifies signal characteristics of position signals received from proximate devices thereto. A central controller collects the position signals from the devices and generates a data set comprising identified locations for each device relative to predetermined baseline locations, based on the received position signals and the identified signal characteristics. The controller further maps the identified locations for each of the devices to specified locations in the parking area comprising the predetermined baseline locations. During a normal operating mode, the controller may generate signals directing drivers in the parking area to unoccupied parking spaces, and/or regulate a lighting state for light fixtures in the parking area based at least partly on detected occupancy states.

Method for automatically locating and commissioning lighting system components

A light fixture, and lighting systems and methods, are provided for selectively receiving one of a modulator or a jumper plug at a connector port of the light fixture. The connector port is coupled between and electrically isolates a driver and a light emitting unit of the light fixture. The modulator, when connected to the connector port, is configured to receive unmodulated power from the driver and to provide modulated power to the light emitting unit. The jumper plug, when connected to the connector port, is configured to provide unmodulated power from the driver to the light emitting unit.

Power track and method of mounting and connecting a light modulator to supported luminaires

An apparatus, and lighting systems and methods are provided for controlling and reporting power usage of an LED driver having an LED load driven by the LED driver. The apparatus is coupled to at least an auxiliary port of the LED driver for monitoring a dimming control voltage associated with the LED driver. The apparatus is configured to estimate the power usage of the LED driver and the LED load based on programmed relationships between the monitored dimming control voltage and a selected dimming profile associated with the LED driver. The dimming profile may either be a selected generic dimming profile for adequate reporting of the power usage or a selected specific dimming profile for increased accuracy of the power usage estimation. The apparatus is further configured to transmit the estimated power usage to an external device for dashboarding and energy savings purposes.

Fixture mount sensor with remote energy usage reporting

A lighting control system is provided to reduce the time, cost, and potential for error during device commissioning. A controller is programmed to obtain voice commands from a user and to identify and implement device commissioning modes based at least on the obtained voice commands. In a first commissioning mode, the controller configures one or more buttons or equivalent actuators on a control switch mounted in association with a lighting zone. In a second commissioning mode, the controller assigns device grouping and/or configuration data for a plurality of lighting devices (e.g., lighting fixtures, occupancy sensors, light sensors) in operable connection with the control switch. The controller may further in another commissioning mode identify one or more second lighting devices added to or exchanged with one or more of the plurality of first lighting devices and assign device grouping and/or configuration data thereto.

Method for commissioning lighting system components using voice commands

A DC-to-AC inverter provides an AC voltage to the primary winding of an output isolation transformer having at least one secondary winding and having an auxiliary winding. The current supplied to a secondary load is reflected back into the primary winding as a reflected secondary current. A first feedback signal has a reflected secondary current component and has a primary magnetizing current component. An auxiliary winding voltage is applied to an inductor to generate an auxiliary current proportional to the primary winding magnetizing current. A second feedback signal is responsive to the auxiliary current. The second feedback signal is combined with the first feedback signal to produce a total feedback signal responsive only to the reflected secondary current. The DC-to-AC inverter responds to the total feedback signal and a reference signal to adjust the AC voltage to maintain the total feedback signal at a magnitude corresponding to the reference signal.

Circuit and method for indirect primary-side load current sensing in an isolated power supply

An LED driver is provided having a gate drive integrated circuit with an adaptive operating mode which operates between a first operating mode and a second operating mode. The gate drive integrated circuit is designed to primarily operate in the first operating mode which includes a predetermined minimum on-time and a predetermined maximum off-time for enabling and disabling gate drive signals to a switch, respectively. The second operating mode begins at the minimum on-time and the maximum off-time. The LED driver further includes a controller configured to monitor an on-time and an off-time of the gate drive signals. The controller is further configured responsive to the second operating mode to fix the on-time equal to the predetermined minimum on-time and to continually adjust the off-time greater than or equal to the maximum off-time.

Gate drive IC with adaptive operating mode

An LED driver circuit controls the currents through a plurality of strings of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are connected in series. Each LED string has an associated current regulator. The LED strings are connected between the voltage rail and a reference rail on the output of an AC-to-DC rectifier to receive an unfiltered rectified DC voltage. A first current regulator is active during a first voltage range of the DC voltage to provide a current of a first magnitude to a first LED string only. A second current regulator is active during a second voltage range to provide a current of a second magnitude to the first LED string and to a second LED string. A third current regulator is active during a third voltage range to provide a current of a third magnitude to the first LED string, to the second LED string and to a third LED string.

AC LED driver circuit

A magnetic device for an electronic circuit includes a bobbin having a bobbin body with an axial passage, a first pin rail, and a second pin rail. A winding can be disposed around the bobbin body. A core can have a core leg extending into the axial passage. The bobbin can be disposed on a printed circuit board. The core and the winding can be elevated off of the printed circuit board. The bobbin can include a first spacing member positioned between the bobbin body and the first pin rail, and a second spacing member positioned between the bobbin body and the second pin rail. The core can be positioned on the first and second spacing members such that the core is at an offset position from the first and second bobbin pin rails. The winding can additionally be offset from the first and second pin rails.

Magnetic component with elevated bobbin

An LED driver tuning system includes an LED driver configured to receive a tuning interface device at line and neutral mains inputs. During online operation, a power converter generates output power to LED arrays based on dimming control signals and programmed operating parameters. The tuning interface device provides predetermined sequences of digital pulses to a controller during offline mode of operation, wherein the controller modifies programmed operating parameters upon decoding the predetermined sequence of digital pulses and determining a corresponding target value for the parameter(s). Upon reinitiating online operation, the output power generated by the power converter is regulated based on the dimming control signal, a sensed output from the power converter, and the modified programmed operating parameters. A tuning confirmation circuit is configured to generate an inverse of the predetermined sequence of digital pulses so the tuning device can confirm proper receipt of the signals.

LED driver with offline tuning interface using hot and neutral inputs

An area lighting control system is provided for a light fixture and occupancy sensors. In a pairing mode, the occupancy sensors transmit messages with respective unique addresses to the light fixture, which identifies an associated sensor network. Upon lapsing of the pairing mode, an operating mode follows during which the sensors transmit output signals representative of occupancy in the area, and the light fixture regulates respective light sources based on an occupancy state determined according to output signals received from the associated network. The output signals are transmitted according to pseudo-random time intervals in order to reduce wireless transmission collisions, and only upon determining no occupancy in the defined area. When signals are received from all sensors in the network during a predetermined time period, the light fixture dims the light sources, whereas otherwise the light fixture operates the light sources at full lighting state.

Lighting control system and method for communication of short messaging

A lighting control system is provided with a communication method utilizing downstream current modulation. A primary controller is electrically coupled to a plurality of lighting devices via a mains power transmission network. Each of the respective lighting devices includes an occupancy sensor and is configured to provide full illumination when occupancy is detected in the associated area. The controller identifies occupancy by an increase in current on the mains lines, directs the other devices to fully illuminate, and activates a timer. Prior to lapsing of the timer, any of the devices may indicate continued occupancy by adjusting an operating current to a respective light source according to a predetermined pattern. Upon identifying the pattern, the controller generates control signals directing each of the other devices to remain fully illuminated, and resets the timer. The predetermined pattern may for example include amplitude modulation, threshold numbers of cycles, or both.

Power line communication method and apparatus using downstream current modulation

A lighting control system for a light fixture has an ambient light sensor mounted therein. A switching circuit provides power for driving lighting sources. A controller receives signals from the light sensor and regulates switching frequencies based on desired lighting output level and the ambient light condition. An ambient lighting channel extends from the ambient light sensor to an aperture between outer and inner surfaces of the housing. The ambient lighting channel may include a fiber optic light pipe which extends from the aperture to surround the light sensor. The fiber optic light pipe may extend through the aperture from the ambient light sensor to an ambient light source external to the light fixture. The light sensor may mount on a shared PCB with respect to the lighting sources, such as an LED array, and transmit ambient lighting information to the controller via a feedback loop.

Photosensor employing a fiber optic collector

An LED driver circuit is provided with a dynamic operating range which can be set using an offline tuning interface. During an online mode of operation, a controller for a power converter is configured to regulate the output voltage and the output current generated by the power converter based on a dimming control signal from a dimming control interface, a sensed output from the power converter, and programmed maximum output voltage and maximum output current values. During an offline mode of operation, the tuning interface may be coupled to the dimming control interface and provides a sequence of digital pulses corresponding to a desired maximum output voltage and/or maximum output current. The controller then modifies the programmed maximum output voltage and the maximum output current values based on the predetermined sequence of digital pulses received via the tuning interface circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, AL, United States of America

Travis L Berry