FR2551300A1 - DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING GAS DISCHARGE LAMPS USING SWITCHING CONTACT INPUTS - Google Patents

Abstract

GAS DISCHARGE LAMP CONTROL DEVICE USING A PROPORTIONALLY CONTROLLED ATTENUATION CIRCUIT. THE PROPORTIONAL CONTROL IS DETERMINED BY A CIRCUIT WHICH PROVIDES AN INPUT FROM CONTACTS THAT ARE SWITCHED BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPENED POSITIONS BASED ON A PREDETERMINED TIME PROGRAM OR ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. THE OUTPUTS OF THE CONTACTS 20, 21, 22 ARE APPLIED TO A DIGITAL-TO-ANALOGUE CONVERTER 28 WHICH TRANSFORMS THE DIGITAL SWITCHING INFORMATION OF THE CONTACTS INTO AN ANALOGUE SIGNAL LINKED TO A MITIGATION LEVEL OF THE GAS DISCHARGE LAMPS. THE ANALOGUE OUTPUT SIGNAL IS SENT THROUGH PROGRESSIVE VARIATION CIRCUIT 29 TO THE PROPORTIONAL CONTROL ELECTRODE OF THE ATTENUATION CIRCUIT 10 OF THE GAS DISCHARGE LAMPS 13.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for controlling lamps with

  gas discharge, the light intensity of which can be adjusted progressively from open-close I 'switching contacts actuated according to the time or from the output of a calculation device for energy management Energy management devices, for controlling gas discharge lamps, are known and are described, for example, in US Pat. No. 4,350,935, dated September 10, 21, 1982, in the names of Joel S Spira and others, entitled "Gas discharge lamp control" In such devices, the emission of the lamp is regulated as a function of an input signal produced from an ambient condition, for example the intensity of external light, the interior light intensity, or by manual control The input signal to the intensity adjustment or attenuation structure is generally a continuous analog signal

  to obtain a proportional control.

  Other control modes are known in which the device is actuated in response to the opening or closing of a contact. For example, contacts can be operated in response to the time and / or to the output of the device. 'an energy management computer The operation of the contacts then turns on or off various consumption circuits, for example air conditioners, desbr Qleurs, fans, etc. The control of such receivers from input switching signals is acceptable and even desirable, since receivers such as air conditioners, ovens and fans do not readily respond to proportional control In some cases, switching contacts have been used to control interior lighting, by periodic operation

  appropriate lighting on / off, instead of proportional control.

  Interior lighting control is desired

  table, as an energy saving measure, when it is possible to reduce the lighting during periods of strong ambient light or low activity in certain areas depending on the time, for example the time of day meals, cleaning, etc. Such an order is also desirable depending on peak loads or other conditions. However, it has so far been impossible to use the switching signals supplied by a clock, a computer. management system, a peak demand meter, and other device output contacts, for controlling circuits

  dimming of gas discharge lamps, adjustable proportionally.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of 15 contacts, which are linked to the measurement of the time and / or to the output of devices such as energy management means, peak demand measurement devices, etc. , are arranged to provide respective digital inputs to a digital-to-analog converter 20 Thus, depending on the position of the plurality of contacts that are used, a particular number is defined in binary digit format in series or in parallel and it is used as input to the digital-to-analog converter The output of the analog converter is an analog signal having a value corresponding to the particular binary number applied to the input of the converter This analog signal is then sent, through a progressive variation circuit , to the proportional input control terminal of a usual attenuation circuit 30 or of luminous intensity adjustment of a gas discharge lamp The attenuation circuit tion uses this information to adjust the output power applied to gas discharge lamps based on the binary number entered

  in the digital-to-analog converter The progressive variation circuit causes a slow modification of the

  general analog sent to the attenuation circuit, although the binary number varies by stage This avoids annoying rapid variations of the lighting inside the controlled area Appropriate isolation circuits can be provided to separate the circuit from lamp attenuator input and digital device input terminals, so that faults in the lamp attenuator or energy management calculator do not affect the operation of the associated devices , and so as to reduce the coupling of

  external noise between devices in the system.

  It should also be noted that this type of input can be used in combination with daylight, interior light or other measurements by photocell, and can set the value of

  set point of the photoelectric adjustment device.

  An important advantage of the invention is that any desired number of parallel output circuits (combinations of lamps, ballasts and attenuation circuits) can be used without adversely affecting the value of the input signal En Indeed, when a large number of output circuits can be controlled from an analog input signal and the actual number of output circuits is unknown, the value of the analog signal can be disturbingly altered by the connection of a large number of output circuits When using a contact for

  input circuit, this contact is open or closed and the control signal is therefore substantially independent of the number of controlled output circuits.

  The invention will be better understood in the light of

  the description of its non-limiting embodiment,

  illustrated by the schematic diagram attached.

  This diagram first shows a conventional device 35 10 for attenuating gas discharge lamps, which can be of the type described in US Pat. No. 4,350,935, of September 21, 1982, in the names of Joel S Spira and others, entitled "Gas discharge lamp control" The AC power supply, indicated diagrammatically at terminals 11 and 12, is applied via the attenuation device 10 which operates so as to create a notch of variable width in the output AC power supply sent to gas discharge lamps and ballasts shown schematically by block 13 The notched waveform is shown schematically on the output line of the attenuation device In known manner, the waveform notch is controlled in response to input signals which can be applied by lines 14, 15

  or 16 and which correspond to a manual control, to the input coming from an exterior light detector and to the input coming from an interior light detector, respectively, all these devices being of known type.

  According to the invention, an additional input 17 is provided for the attenuation circuit 10 The input 20 acts in the same way as the inputs connected to lines 14, 15 and 16 However, the control input 17 intervenes in response to the opening and closing of one or more contacts Thus, as shown in the drawing, a plurality of contacts 20, 21 and 22 are provided which are usual contacts actuated by a clock and /

  or by a known type of energy management calculator.

  The time input and the energy management calculator are indicated schematically in block 23 Peak demand devices, or other analog devices having output contacts, can also be used. It can be seen that the inputs in block 23 are, for example, the time, the outside temperature, the total demand for energy in the network which includes terminals 11 and 12 for supplying alternating current, the lighting level and a manual control D other entries may

  also be applied to the computing device 23.

  If desired, the contacts 20, 21 or 22 can also be actuated manually. For example, means for operating the contacts can be fixed in a wall box or the like, to allow manual control. The output of the calculator 23 opens and closes the contacts 20, 21 and 22, in a predetermined manner for the usual control of devices such as air conditioners, fireplaces and fans shown schematically in block 24 For example, the calculator 23 may include an appropriate microprocessor, or consist of more

  simply in a synchronized cam, the lobes of which actuate the contacts 20, 21 and 22 between open and closed positions, as described below.

  According to the invention, the three contacts shown are combined so as to supply a three-binary digit number, through isolation circuits 25, 26 and 27, to the digital input circuits of a digital-to-digital converter. -analogical 28 usual The particular number with three binary digits thus obtained takes one of eight values, according to the states of opening or

  for closing contacts 20, 21 and 22.

  The output of the digital-to-analog converter 28 which is then provided by an appropriate analog output signal, linked to the value of the binary number which has been defined This output signal is preferably sent through a circuit 29 of progressive variation to the line input 17 which

  performs proportional control of the control device for gas discharge lamps.

  The progressive variation circuit 29 is of known type and acts so as to limit the variation speed of the output signal of this circuit to a predetermined value, although the input signal sent to the circuit

  gradual variation by the digital converter 28

  to-analog varies by step, from one binary number to another.

  The isolation circuits 25, 26 and 27 are desirable for isolating the input circuit 17 of the attenuation device 10 from the input circuits coming from the contacts, 21 and 22, as well as power devices 24 and the calculator. 23 This isolation greatly reduces the possible coupling of external noise between the various circuits

  It also prevents faults in one of the cooked cir10s from affecting the others.

  The table on page 8 indicates the eight binary numbers that can be formed by the three contacts 20, 21 and 22, as well as the condition causing the closing or opening and the percentage of attenuation that is desired. 15 This table relates to the switching only responds to the time, for an area in which the sun arrives in the morning in the working area. So, in the morning, the interior lighting is reduced to 60% of its nominal value L ' lighting intensity is gradually increased as the sunlight decreases in the building, until the lighting intensity of the lamps is at its maximum value between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. that at lunch time, between 12 and 1 pm, the lamps are reduced to 50% of their maximum value 25 At the end of the working day, between 18 and

  the lamps are reduced to 40% and after 20 hours to 30% of their maximum value.

  Other inputs, not shown, can control other switching operations. For example, if clouds prevent the interior of the room from being sufficiently lit, an outdoor light detector can short-circuit the time input of contacts 20, 21 and 22 Likewise, if the energy demand is excessive compared to the value determined by the local distribution company, the closing of the contacts as a function of the time can be modified, to reduce the lighting to a percentage lower than that which would be produced only as a function of the time. External temperature inputs can also actuate the contacts 20, 21 and 22 as appropriate, to modify the percentage of attenuation of the lamps according to a

predetermined program.

  One can use additional contacts in the device, to obtain at the exit a greater quantity of binary numbers, obtaining a greater

  number of possible attenuation conditions for the device A smaller number of contacts can also be used when such precision is not necessary.

  In the diagram, the device is illustrated in the case of the use of binary digit information in parallel from the contacts 20, 21, 22, in the digital-to-analog converter 28 It is understood that one can use known techniques to allow the use of serial binary digit information, if

the desire.

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Claims (10)

Claims   1 control device for gas discharge lamps, characterized in that it comprises, in combination: a gas discharge lamp (13) and its ballast; a source of electrical energy (11,12); attenuation control means (10), comprising a proportional control circuit with analog input (17) and comprising output terminals, branches between the gas discharge lamp and its ballast on the one hand and the source d electricity on the other hand; at least one input control contact which can be actuated between an open position and a closed position, depending on predetermined external conditions requiring a predetermined change in the light emitted by the lamp and its ballast; a digital-to-analog converter (28) having a digital input circuit and an analog output circuit; the said at least one input control contact being connected to the digital input circuit; the output signal of the analog output circuit being a function of the position of said at least one input control contact; and a coupling circuit (29) for linking the analog output circuit to the control circuit   proportional input of the attenuation control means.   2 control device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of control contacts (20, 21, 22) which can be operated independently,   the output signal of the analog output circuit being a function of the closing configuration of these contacts.   3 control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the coupling circuit (29) comprises a progressive variation circuit which determines the speed of variation of the analog signal of the circuit   analog output, caused by a change in the digital input signal to the digital-to-analog converter (28).   4 control device according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the digital signal   supplied by the control contacts to the digital input circuit is in the form of binary digits in parallel.   5 Control device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the digital signal supplied by the control contacts to the digital input circuit   is in the form of serial binary digits.   6 Control device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises isolation circuits (25,26,27) branches between the input circuit   digital and input control contacts.   7 control device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises an apparatus   sensitive to the level of lighting, connected to the input control contacts and actuated in response to their position.   8 control device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the predetermined external conditions for operating the control contacts   input include light level and power consumption.   9 Control device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises circuits   analog inputs (14,15,16) sensitive to ambient lighting conditions, connected to said attenuation means so as to control the power supplied to the gas discharge lamp and its ballast as a function of partial ambient lighting conditions.   10. Control device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the control contacts   input are manually accessible and maneuverable manually.