WO2014124501A1

WO2014124501A1 - Improvements in exterior lighting

Info

Publication number: WO2014124501A1
Application number: PCT/AU2014/000138
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter ATTFIELD
Original assignee: Sylvania Lighting Australiasia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2013-02-18
Filing date: 2014-02-18
Publication date: 2014-08-21

Abstract

An outdoor light controller (OLC) (50; 60; 100) for controlling the operation of lighting, particularly exterior lighting such as street lights or flood lights, is disclosed. The outdoor light controller (50; 60; 100) includes a controller located in a housing, contacts external to the housing for plugging the outdoor light controller into a socket on the exterior lighting, the contacts being configured to be received by an existing socket (20) defined on the exterior lighting for receiving a photocell. The controller (50; 60; 100) includes means for transmitting and for receiving signals to and from a central controller and means for switching the light ON and OFF. OLCs can be installed in an existing luminaire by removing its photoelectric cell from its socket (20) and replaced it with an OLC cell. The photocell is not required for switching the light on and off at sunset and sunrise as the controller switches the light on and off. In the event of failure of the OLC cell the failed OLC can be removed and replaced without requiring wiring in.

Description

Improvements in Exterior Lighting

Cross-reference to related applications

This invention claims priority from Australian provisional application No 2013900512 entitled improvements in exterior lighting and Australian provisional application No 2013904594 filed 28 November 2013 also entitled improvements in exterior lighting, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to improvements in exterior lighting, in particular, in particular to improvements in street lights, flood lights and the like.

Background of the Invention

Street lights are switched on at night when it becomes dark, and are switched off in the morning when it becomes light. In the past street, lights have been arranged in grids or networks and have often been switched on and off using a timer. Some street lights include photocells (also referred to as photo-electric cells or PE Cells) that detect the amount of ambient light and switch the light on or off depending on the level of ambient light. Street lighting uses a considerable amount of electricity and Councils and other providers of street lighting will often try to reduce their electricity usage by using highly efficient luminaires, and switching them on only when necessary.

More recently intelligent street lights have been introduced into Australia and other countries. These have been introduced to control and reduce power and maintenance costs of street lighting networks. An outdoor light controller (OLC) which includes a base transmitter and receiver or transceiver in the street light monitors the performance of the lamp and communicates with a central Controller, typically a computer. This is done either through the power lines or wirelessly, and often via the Internet. There are numerous lighting control systems on the market which can be used for switching/monitoring/reporting of lighting circuits which use some or all of various protocols including DALI, SCADA ZIGBY, Power Line, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the like. One known system is based on power-line and wireless radio frequency networks. That system uses device centric data model including a web application server and a web interface to provide an ability to monitor all components and devices of streetlight networks. The controller communicates with the OLC and is able to control the luminaire (e.g. switch it ON or OFF, and dim it to a pre-set level) and collect data (including supply voltage, power current etc..) for the user. One of the major advantages of an OLC is that it can report back lamp and/or ballast failures to the controller.

Street lights have a relatively long life and although new installations will often use intelligent lights, there are a very large number of existing street lights, flood lights and the like, which need to be retrofitted with an OLC if they are to be part of an intelligent lighting network. For retrofitting, the OLC is wired into the existing luminaire on the gear tray, if there is space. In some cases, for older luminaires which have a magnetic ballast, but no space for the OLC, space can be created by removing the magnetic ballast (which typically have many more years of use left in them) and replacing them with a smaller electronic ballast. In other cases, the OLC can be located inside the pole of the street light, or outside the luminaire in a separate gear box.

Retrofitting is thus time consuming and relatively expensive, and requires a qualified electrician which is a cost deterrent for Councils seeking to improve the efficiency of their street lighting networks.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Summary of the Invention

In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outdoor light controller for controlling the operation of lighting, particularly exterior lighting such as street lights or flood lights or the like, the controller including:

a controller unit located in a housing,

contacts external to the housing for plugging the outdoor light controller into a socket on the exterior lighting, the contacts being configured to be received by an existing socket defined on the exterior lighting for receiving a photocell

means for transmitting and for receiving signals to and from a central controller; wherein the controller unit includes means for switching the light ON and OFF.

Typically the outdoor light controller as well switching the light ON and OFF will be able to dim the light to one or more pre-set lighting levels as well as monitoring and reporting one or more of:

whether the lamp is ON or OFF in relation to the remote instructions, which identifies if the lamp has failed, the lamp current, lamp power usage, and lamp voltage, and whether there has been a ballast failure. In a related aspect, there is provided a method of converting an existing exterior light such as a street light or floodlight for inclusion in a lighting network comprising the steps of:

removing (unplugging) a photocell from a socket provided on the exterior of the exterior light, if a photocell is plugged into the socket; and

inserting the contacts of an outdoor light controller embodying the first aspect of the present invention into the socket.

In a yet further aspect, there is provided a street light having a socket for receiving a photocell in which the photocell has been removed from the socket and the contacts of an outdoor light controller embodying the first aspect of the present invention into the socket have been inserted into the socket.

In one embodiment, the outdoor light controller includes a socket for receiving the photocell.

In this way the controller may be plugged into the socket in between the photocell and the street light.

Thus, in a yet further aspect, there is provided a street light having a socket for receiving a photocell in which the photocell has been removed from the socket and the contacts of an outdoor light controller embodying the first aspect of the present invention into the socket have been inserted into the socket, and a photocell is inserted into a socket in the outdoor light controller.

Typically the photocell controls the switching ON and OFF of the light until the controller is commissioned/made operational. In the event of failure of the controller, the photocell may control the switching ON and OFF of the light.

The controller may communicate with a network either wirelessly or via power lines.

A high percentage of street lights (in Australia approximately 70%) have photoelectric cells fitted to the street head and typically plug into a "NEMA" (National Electrical Manufacturers' Association) socket in the underside of the street light. A key advantage of the present invention is that the cost of installation and maintenance of the OLCs decreases significantly. OLCs can be installed in an existing luminaire by removing its photoelectric cell and replacing it with an OLC cell. The photocell is not required for switching the light on and off at sunset and sunrise as the controller switches the light on and off e.g. using an astronomical clock. In the event of failure of the OLC cell the failed OLC can be removed and replaced without requiring wiring in. This can be done by a trained worker rather than requiring an electrician. Further since the OLC is outside of the luminaire it will be less affected by the heat generated by the luminaire and can be expected to have a longer life.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 shows an existing photocell and in particular its connector for attachment to a luminaire;

Figure 2 shows a NEMA socket on the underside of a luminaire;

Figure 3 shows an OLC placed in a traditional photocell casing and fitted into the socket; and

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a controller mounted between a luminaire and a photocell. Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a photoelectric cell 10, in particular the underside of the photoelectric cell/photocell showing its contacts 12, 14 and 16. Figure 2 shows the underside of a street light 18 showing the standardised universal socket 20 for receiving the contacts of a photocell.

Figure 3 shows the underside of a street light whose photocell unit has been removed and replaced with an outdoor light controller (OLC) cell 100. The OLC has been miniaturised and placed in a standard photocell casing. It defines the same plug connections for fitting into the socket of the street light.

OLC cells 100 may be provided having differing functions. For example, in one basic embodiment the cell includes a custom printed circuit board (PCB) with a photocell (PE Cell), and an "Echelon" OLC system. Communication may be via power lines only, and the functionality of the system may be limited to providing a node address, and ON/OFF switching capability from a Segment Controller. In the basic embodiment, the PE Cell may have primary control over when the luminaire switches ON and OFF due to ambient light levels. The OLC may only be able to override the PE Cell during daylight hours, but is not able to switch the luminaire OFF at night. However, the OLC is arranged to feedback its ON/OFF state to its Segment Controller at all times.

In more sophisticated versions, the OLC cell 100 will typically include a microprocessor or the like, programmed to provide the following functionality. It will switch the light ON or OFF using the same switch that the photocell previously used to switch the lamp ON and OFF. It will also be able to dim the lamp to one or more preset levels of brightness where appropriate dimming gear is installed in the street light. It also includes a receiver and transmitter for reporting to a central controller (not shown) either along the power lines or wirelessly using one of various protocols such as DALI, SCADA, ZIGBY, Power Line, Blue-tooth, Wi-Fi or other suitable protocol. The OLC cell 100 is also able to report the status of the street light to a central controller including whether the lamp is ON or OFF in relation to the remote instructions, which identifies if the lamp has failed, the lamp current, power usage, and voltage, and whether there has been a ballast failure.

In use, an OLC 100 can be installed in an existing luminaire 18 by simply removing the existing photoelectric cell 10 and replacing it with an OLC cell 100. The OLC cell communicates with the central controller. The photocell 100 is not required for switching the light on and off at sunset and sunrise, as the controller switches the light on and off using an astronomical clock or any suitable ON/OFF profile. The OLC enables the existing street light to be part of a "smart" lighting network and enables the performance and state of the luminaire to be monitored and controlled. In the unlikely event of failure of the OLC cell 100, the failed OLC can be removed (unplugged) and replaced with a new OLC 100 without requiring wiring in. This can be done by a trained worker, rather than requiring an electrician, thus saving on costs.

In a variant, the OLC 100 may also include a photocell so that in the event of a communications failure it "fails safe" by switching the lamp ON and OFF at around dusk and dawn respectively.

Further since the OLC is mounted outside of the luminaire, it will be less affected by the heat generated by the luminaire and can be expected to have a longer service life.

In a variant, illustrated in Figure 4, instead of providing an OLC incorporated in the photocell, a device is plugged into the standard NEMA socket in between the photocell and the street light.

Figure 4 shows two devices 50 and 60, for plugging into the NEMA socket. Only one of the two devices will be used in each street light.

The first device 50 uses a "Silver Spring Networks" wireless communication device based on the NIC450 communications module.

The second device 60 uses an "Echelon" OLC using power line communication similar to the OLC cell 100 described above. In both cases the devices 50 or 60 are the primary control of the system and the photocell becomes the slave of the system. When the devices 50 or 60 are first installed, prior to commissioning of the system, the device allows the photocell to control the light as normal, and the photocell switches the light ON at dusk and OFF at dawn at the predetermined lux/light levels of the photocell. Thus the luminaire will function as if the photocell is operating normally.

After the devices 50 or 60 are commissioned and operational, the device takes over the operation of the lamp, (and the photocell becomes redundant unless the device 50/60 fails).

In the case of luminaires fitted with the device 50, the device will control the ON/OFF functions of the luminaire, via a Mesh Network.

In the case of luminaires fitted with the device 60, the device will control the ON/OFF functions of the luminaire, via a Segment Controller.

Both devices also include metering capabilities that provide true power values to the network as well as providing lamp failure notifications.

Bothe devices may also be able to dim the lamp.

Although the above description and drawings refer to street lights it will be appreciated that the invention may be applied to other types of exterior lighting which include photocells including, inter alia, flood lights.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An outdoor light controller for controlling the operation of lighting, particularly exterior lighting such as street lights or flood lights or the like, the controller including: a controller unit located in a housing,

contacts external to the housing for plugging the outdoor light controller into a socket on the exterior lighting, the contacts being configured to be received by an existing socket defined on the exterior lighting for receiving a photocell;

2. An outdoor light controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outdoor light controller as well switching the light ON and OFF is arranged to dim the light to one or more pre-set lighting levels as well as monitoring and reporting one or more of:

whether the lamp is ON or OFF in relation to the remote instructions, which identifies if the lamp has failed, the lamp current, lamp power usage, and lamp voltage, and whether there has been a ballast failure.

3. An outdoor light controller as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein, the outdoor light controller includes a socket for receiving a photocell.

4. An outdoor light controller as claimed in claim 3 wherein the device is arranged to control the ON/OFF functions of the luminaire via a Mesh Network.

5. An outdoor light controller as claimed in claim 4 wherein, the device is arranged to control the ON/OFF functions of the luminaire, via a Segment Controller.

6. An outdoor light controller as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the outdoor light controllers include metering capabilities that are arranged to provide true power values to a network as well as providing lamp failure notifications.

7. An outdoor light controller as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the outdoor light controllers are arranged be able to dim the lamp.

8. A method of converting an existing exterior light such as a street light or floodlight for inclusion in a lighting network comprising the steps of: unplugging a photocell from a socket provided on the exterior of the exterior light, if a photocell is plugged into the socket; and

inserting the contacts of an outdoor light controller into the socket,

the outdoor light controller including:

a controller unit located in a housing,

means for transmitting and for receiving signals to and from a central controller; wherein the controller includes means for switching the light ON and OFF.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the outdoor light controller as well switching the light ON and OFF is arranged to dim the light to one or more pre-set lighting levels as well as monitoring and reporting one or more of:

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein, the outdoor light controller includes a socket for receiving a photocell and the method includes the step of placing a photocell in the socket.

11. A street light having a socket for receiving a photocell in which the photocell has been removed from the socket and the contacts of an outdoor light controller as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 have been inserted into the socket.

12. A street light as claimed in claim 1 1 wherein the outdoor light controller defines a socket for receiving a photocell and a photocell is inserted into a socket in the outdoor light controller and wherein the photocell is arranged to control the switching ON and OFF of the light until the controller is commissioned made operational and wherein In the event of failure of the controller, the photocell may control the switching ON and OFF of the light.

13. A street light as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 12 or a method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the controller is arranged to communicate with a network either wirelessly or via power lines.