Lighting device with battery backup

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12422115-B2
Application number	US-202318389514-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2023
Priority date	Nov 14, 2023
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A lighting device controller includes a power supply, a switch, a battery, and a status indicator. The switch can be set to either an AC only or battery backup position, indicating whether the lighting device controller provides a battery backup signal to the lighted sign. When set to the battery backup position, the lighting device controller powers the lighted sign and charges the battery. If AC power is lost while in the battery backup mode, backup power is supplied from the battery to the lighted sign. The status indicators behavior changes as a function of the switch position to indicate whether AC power is present in the AC only mode or in the battery backup mode indicates one color for AC present and battery charging, and provides a second color to indicate battery not present or low.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device controller within a lighting device, the lighting device controller receiving a higher voltage, alternating current (AC) power signal and providing a low voltage, low power signal to illuminate a lighted sign coupled to the lighting device controller, the lighting device controller comprising:
a power supply for transforming the higher voltage, AC power signal into the low voltage, low power signal;
control circuitry coupled to the power supply, the control circuitry detecting whether AC power is received within the lighting device controller, the control circuitry transmitting the low voltage, low power signal to the lighted sign when AC power is detected;
a switch coupled to the control circuitry, the switch including a AC only position and a battery backup position; and
a battery coupled to the control circuitry, the battery receiving a charging power signal from the control circuitry when the switch is set to the battery backup position, wherein:
the control circuitry transmits a battery control signal to the battery when the control circuitry detects no AC power received in the lighting device controller and determines that the switch is set to the battery backup position, and the battery transmits the low voltage, low power signal to the lighted sign when receiving the battery control signal from the control circuitry; and
the battery is disconnected and cannot receive a charging control signal from the control circuitry when the switch is set to the AC only position.

2. The lighting device controller of claim 1 further comprising:
a status indicator coupled to the control circuitry, the status indicator receiving status control signals from the control circuitry indicating whether AC power is received in the lighting device controller and whether the battery is charging.

3. The lighting device controller of claim 2 , wherein the status indicator further comprises:
a first display indicating whether AC power is present in the lighting device controller, the first display lit to a first display first color when AC power is detected in the lighting device controller and lit to a first display second color or OFF when AC power is no longer detected in the lighting device controller; and
a second display indicating whether the battery is charged, the second display lit to a second display first color when the battery is charging and lit to a second display second color when the battery is not charging or not charged sufficiently to illuminate the lighted sign.

4. The lighting device controller of claim 2 , wherein the status indicator further comprises a single display, and wherein when the switch is in the AC only position the single display is lit to a first color when AC power is detected in the lighting device controller and the single display is lit to a second color or OFF when AC power is not present; and wherein, when the switch is in the battery backup position, the single display is lit to:
the first color when the battery is present and charging or charged; and
the second color or OFF when the battery is not present or has insufficient charge to deliver power to the lighted sign.

5. The lighting device controller of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry further comprises:
switch position logic for determining whether the switch is set to the AC only or battery backup position; and
power detecting logic for detecting whether AC power is received at the lighting device controller; and
status control circuitry for generating and transmitting the status control signals to the status indicator.

6. A control circuitry included in a lighting device controller, the lighting device controller receiving a higher voltage, alternating current (AC) power signal and providing a low voltage, low power signal to illuminate a lighted sign, the lighting device controller coupled to the lighted sign, the control circuitry comprising:
switch position logic for determining whether a switch is set to an AC only position or a battery backup position, the switch coupled to the control circuitry;
power detecting logic for detecting whether AC power is received at the lighting device controller, the power detecting logic coupled to a power supply, the power supply transforming the higher voltage, AC power signal into the low voltage, low power signal and transmitting the low voltage, low power signal to the control circuitry;
battery charging circuitry for generating and transmitting a charging power signal to a battery, the battery charging circuitry coupled to the battery, the battery charging circuitry further detecting whether the battery is charging; and
battery control circuitry for generating and transmitting a battery control signal to the battery, wherein:
the control circuitry transmits the low voltage, low power signal from the power supply to the lighted sign when the power detecting logic detects AC power is received at the power supply; and
the battery charging circuitry transmits no charging power signal to the battery when the switch position logic determines the switch is set to the AC only position.

7. The control circuitry of claim 6 , wherein the battery control circuitry uses battery power to provide low voltage, low power signal to the lighted sign if the switch is set to the battery backup position, and when the power detecting logic detects AC power is no longer received at the power supply.

8. The control circuitry of claim 6 , further comprising status control circuitry for generating and transmitting status control signals to a status indicator, the status control circuitry coupled to the status indicator, the status control signals indicating whether the power detecting logic detects AC power received at the power supply, the status control signals further indicating whether the battery charging circuitry detects the battery is charging.

9. The control circuitry of claim 8 , wherein the status indicator further comprises:
a first display indicating whether AC power is present in the lighting device controller, the first display lit to a first display first color when AC power is detected in the lighting device controller and lit to a first display second color or OFF when AC power is no longer detected in the lighting device controller; and
a second display indicating whether the battery is charged, the second display lit to a second display first color when the battery is charging and lit to a second display second color when the battery is not charging or not charged sufficiently to illuminate the lighted sign.

10. The control circuitry of claim 8 , wherein the status indicator further comprises a single display, and wherein when the switch is in the AC only position the single display is lit to a first color when AC power is detected in the lighting device controller and the single display is lit to a second color or OFF when AC power is not present; and wherein, when the switch is in the battery backup position, the single display is lit to:
the first color when the battery is present and charging or charged; and
the second color or OFF when the battery is not present or has insufficient charge to deliver power to the lighted sign.

11. A method within a lighting device controller for providing a backup power source for illuminating a lighted sign coupled to the lighting device controller, the lighting device controller receiving a higher voltage, alternating current (AC) power signal and providing a low voltage, low power signal to the lighted sign, the method comprising:
transforming the higher voltage, AC power signal into the low voltage, low power signal, using a power supply included within the lighting de

Assignees

• Abl Ip Holding Llc

Inventors

• Hanley Michael
• Dobbs Bradley

Classifications

• H02J7/865 Primary

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08B7/062

  indicating emergency exits · CPC title

• H02J9/065

  for lighting purposes · CPC title

• G08B5/36

  using visible light sources · CPC title

• G09F13/0418

  Constructional details · CPC title