Universal Lighting Source Controller with Integral Power Metering

Abstract

A universal lighting source controller including integral power metering for use with substantially all light source types including fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode. The lighting source controller includes a line voltage dimming circuit that can control the intensity of light sources in a lighting circuit and measures the actual amount of power consumed by the light sources. The line voltage dimming circuit includes a triac circuit for controlling this intensity and current and voltage detection circuits for measuring the power consumption. The lighting source controller can also include low voltage dimming circuits to provide a control signal to light sources having electronic or magnetic dimming ballasts to set the intensity of these light sources.

1 . A lighting control system, comprising:
 a lighting control circuit operable to receive a control signal comprising a command to energize a light source and allow electrical energy to flow to the light source in response to the command; and   a controller communicably coupled to the lighting control circuit, the controller operable to transmit the control signal to the control circuit,   wherein the lighting control circuit is electrically coupled to the light source, and   wherein the lighting control circuit is operable for use with at least two of fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (LED), high intensity discharge (HID), neon, and cold cathode light sources.   
     
     
         2 . The lighting control system of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting control circuit comprises a microprocessor operable to receive the control signal and transmit an electrical signal allowing the flow of electrical energy to the light source in response to the command. 
     
     
         3 . The lighting control system of  claim 1 , wherein the control signal further comprises an intensity setting for the light source. 
     
     
         4 . The lighting control system of  claim 3 , wherein the lighting control circuit adjusts the intensity level of the light source by sequentially allowing and blocking the flow of electrical energy to the light source at a frequency. 
     
     
         5 . The lighting control system of  claim 4 , wherein the control circuit comprises a triac operable to sequentially allow and block the flow of electrical energy to the light source at the frequency. 
     
     
         6 . The lighting control system of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting control circuit further comprises a power metering circuit, wherein the power metering circuit measures an amount of electrical energy used by the light source. 
     
     
         7 . The lighting control system of  claim 6 , wherein the power metering circuit comprises:
 at least one voltage detection circuit; and   a current measurement circuit.   
     
     
         8 . The lighting control system of  claim 7 , further comprising a user interface communicably coupled to the controller, wherein the controller transmits a representation of the amount of electrical energy used by the light source to the user interface for outputting to a user. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting control system of  claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises an electronic dimming ballast. 
     
     
         10 . The lighting control system of  claim 9 , further comprising a low voltage dimming circuit communicably coupled to the electronic dimming ballast and operable to transmit a dimming level signal to the electronic dimming ballast, wherein the command comprises an intensity setting for the light source and wherein the dimming level signal corresponds to the intensity setting. 
     
     
         11 . The lighting control system of  claim 10 , wherein the dimming level signal comprises a variable analog voltage level. 
     
     
         12 . The lighting control system of  claim 10 , wherein the dimming level signal comprises a digital signal. 
     
     
         13 . A lighting circuit control card for use with a plurality of types of lighting sources, comprising:
 a control circuit, electrically coupled to at least one light source, the control circuit operable to receive a control signal comprising an indication that the at least one light source should be energized and operable to permit electrical energy to flow to the at least one light source in response to the indication; and   a power metering circuit operable to determine an amount of electrical power consumed by the at least one light source.   
     
     
         14 . The lighting circuit control card of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of types of lighting sources comprise at least two of fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode light sources. 
     
     
         15 . The lighting circuit control card of  claim 13 , wherein the power metering circuit comprises:
 at least one voltage detection circuit; and   a current detection circuit.   
     
     
         16 . The lighting circuit control card of  claim 13 , wherein the control signal further comprises a desired intensity level and wherein the control circuit adjusts an intensity level of the at least one light source based on the desired intensity level. 
     
     
         17 . The lighting circuit control card of  claim 16 , wherein the control circuit adjusts the intensity level of the at least one light source by sequentially allowing and blocking the flow of electrical energy to the at least one lighting source. 
     
     
         18 . The lighting circuit control card of  claim 17 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a triac, wherein the triac sequentially allows and blocks the flow of electrical energy to the at least one light source at a frequency. 
     
     
         19 . A method for controlling a light source, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a control signal at a lighting control circuit, the control signal comprising a command to energize the light source and a desired intensity level for the light source;   in response to receiving the control signal, allowing, by the lighting control circuit, electrical energy to flow to the light source; and   measuring, by the lighting control circuit, an amount of electrical energy used by the light source,   wherein the lighting control circuit is operable for use with at least two of fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode light sources.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of allowing electrical energy to flow to the light source comprises sequentially allowing and blocking the flow of electrical energy to the light source at a frequency corresponding to the desired intensity level. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the lighting control circuit comprises a microprocessor and a triac and wherein the triac receives a signal from the microprocessor and in response to the signal, the trial allows electrical energy to flow to the light source for a period of time corresponding to the frequency. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of transmitting a representation of the amount of electrical energy used by the light source to a user interface for outputting to a user. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of receiving the control signal at a panel controller from a source external to the panel controller and the lighting control circuit, wherein the control signal is received from the panel controller. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the source external to the panel controller and the lighting source comprises a building management system. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of receiving configuration information for the lighting control circuit. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the configuration information comprises a high power limit and a low power limit for the lighting source. 
     
     
         27 . A lighting system, comprising:
 a lighting controller operable to send control signals to line voltage dimming cards;   one or more line voltage dimming cards communicably coupled to the lighting controller, each line voltage dimming card comprising:
 a control circuit, electrically coupled to a lighting circuit comprising at least one light source, the control circuit operable to receive a control signal comprising an indication that the at least one light source should be energized and a desired intensity level for the at least one light source, the control circuit further operable to permit electrical energy to flow to the at least one light source in response to the indication and control an intensity level of the at least one light source in response to the desired intensity level; and 
 a power metering circuit operable to determine an amount of electrical power consumed by the at least one light source in the lighting circuit; and 
   a user interface communicably coupled to the lighting controller and operable to receive configuration information for the panel controller and the one or more line voltage dimming cards and further operable to output a representation of the amount of electrical power consumed by the at least one light source from the lighting controller,   wherein each of the line voltage dimming cards is operable for use with at least two of fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode light sources.   
     
     
         28 . The lighting system of  claim 27 , wherein the lighting controller is further operable to receive control signals from a controller via a network. 
     
     
         29 . The lighting system of  claim 27 , further comprising one or more low voltage dimming cards communicably coupled to the lighting controller, each line voltage dimming card operable to transmit a dimming control signal corresponding to the desired intensity level to a light source having an electronic dimming ballast. 
     
     
         30 . The lighting system of  claim 27 , wherein the control circuit controls the intensity level of the at least one light source by energizing and de-energizing the at least one light source at a frequency corresponding to the desired intensity level. 
     
     
         31 . The lighting system of  claim 30 , wherein the control circuit comprises a zero cross circuit for timing the energizing and de-energizing of the at least one light source. 
     
     
         32 . The lighting system of  claim 27 , wherein each of the line voltage dimming cards is operable for use with each of fluorescent, incandescent, and LED light sources without modification to any hardware of the line voltage dimming card.