Systems, apparatus, and methods for converting a bi-level lighting system to a dimmable lighting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10285235-B2
Application number	US-201715487422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2017
Priority date	Dec 5, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A dimmable lighting system may replace a bi-level lighting system without having to modify or supplement the existing wiring between a bi-level control unit and one or more light fixtures. The dimmable lighting system may include a dimming controller that may be configured to replace a bi-level control unit in situ (i.e., e.g., in a wall-mounted dual-gang switch box). The dimmable lighting system may also include a dimming driver that may be coupled to the dimming controller via the existing wiring of the bi-level lighting system. The dimming controller may output to the dimming driver a 0-10 volt DC dimming signal referenced to an AC utility voltage. In response, a dimmable lighting device coupled to the dimming driver may output light over a wide range of dimming light levels. Methods of replacing a bi-level lighting system with a dimmable lighting system are also provided, as are other aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of replacing a bi-level lighting system with a dimmable lighting system, the method comprising:
installing a dimming controller in a switch box, the dimming controller having a voltage input, a first output, and a second output, the dimming controller operative to output a dimming signal at the first output indicative of a dimming light level, the dimming signal referenced to an AC voltage received at the voltage input; and
connecting the dimming controller to only Class 1 conductors received in the switch box.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installing comprises installing the dimming controller in a wall-mounted dual-gang switch box.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dimming signal comprises a 0-10 volt DC dimming signal indicative of a dimming light level and referenced to the AC voltage received at the voltage input.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a bi-level control unit from the switch box prior to the installing of the dimming controller.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the installing, providing the dimming controller having a dimming signal generator, the dimming signal generator including a voltage reference coupled to the second output and including a dimming signal output coupled to the first output, the dimming signal generator operative to provide the dimming signal at the dimming signal output.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the installing, providing the dimming controller having:
a switching device coupled between the voltage input and the second output;
a power supply controller coupled to the voltage input;
a transformer having a primary winding coupled to an output of the power supply controller; and
a low voltage power supply having an input and an output, the input coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer and the output coupled to the dimming signal generator, the low voltage power supply galvanically isolated from the power supply controller in response to the switching device electrically decoupling the voltage input from the second output.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connecting of the dimming controller comprises:
connecting the voltage input to a Class 1 power conductor received in the switch box and configured to provide an AC voltage from a power source to the switch box;
connecting the first output of the dimming controller to a first Class 1 conductor received in the switch box; and
connecting the second output of the dimming controller to a second Class 1 conductor received in the switch box.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dimming controller further comprises a ground input, and the method further comprises connecting the ground input to an earth ground conductor received in the switch box.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
installing a dimming driver at a light fixture location, the dimming driver operative to receive the dimming signal indicative of a dimming light level, the dimming driver also operative to provide power indicative of the dimming light level to a dimmable lighting device; and
connecting the dimming driver to only the Class 1 conductors received at the switch box and routed to the light fixture location.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising installing a dimmable lighting device at a light fixture location.

11. A method of replacing a bi-level lighting system with a dimmable lighting system, the method comprising:
installing a dimming driver at a light fixture location, the dimming driver having a voltage input, a first input, and a second input coupled to the voltage input, the dimming driver operative to receive a dimming signal at the first input indicative of a dimming light level, the dimming signal referenced to an AC voltage, the dimming driver also operative to provide power indicative of the dimming light level to a dimmable lighting device; and
connecting the dimming driver to only Class 1 conductors received at the light fixture location.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dimming signal comprises a 0-10 volt DC dimming signal referenced to the AC voltage.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, prior to the installing, providing the dimming driver having:
a dimming signal receiver coupled to the first input and to the second input and having an output, the dimming signal receiver operative to receive a dimming signal referenced to the AC voltage and operative to provide at the dimming signal receiver output a dimming control signal indicative of a dimming light level; and
a lighting controller having an input coupled to the dimming signal receiver output, the lighting controller operative to provide the power indicative of the dimming light level to the dimmable lighting device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the providing of the dimming driver further comprises providing the dimming driver further having an optical isolator coupled between the dimming signal receiver output and the lighting controller input.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the connecting of the dimming driver comprises:
connecting the first input of the dimming driver to a first Class 1 conductor received at the light fixture location; and
connecting the second input of the dimming driver to a second Class 1 conductor received at the light fixture location.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dimming driver further comprises a ground input and a neutral input, and the method further comprises connecting the ground input to an earth ground conductor received at the light fixture location and connecting the neutral input to a neutral conductor received at the light fixture location.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising installing a dimmable lighting device at the light fixture location.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising connecting the dimmable lighting device to the dimming driver at the light fixture location.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising removing a non-dimmable lighting device from the light fixture location prior to the installing of the dimmable lighting device.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
installing a dimming controller in a switch box, the dimming controller operative to output the dimming signal indicative of a dimming light level; and
connecting the dimming controller to only the Class 1 conductors routed from the light fixture location to the switch box.

Assignees

• Abl Ip Holding Llc

Inventors

• Fassbender William J
• Lydecker Stephen H
• Kruse Glen A
• Zaveruha Ryan A
• Behnke David M

Classifications

• H05B41/36

  Controlling · CPC title

• H05B39/086

  with possibility of remote control · CPC title

• B23P6/00

  Restoring or reconditioning objects (straightening or restoring form of sheet metal, metal rods, metal tubes, metal profiles, or specific articles made therefrom B21D1/00, B21D3/00; repairing defective or damaged objects by casting techniques B22D19/10) · CPC title

• Y02B20/40

  Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection · CPC title

• H05B41/39

  continuously · CPC title