GB2430997A

GB2430997A - Programmable gradual lighting diminishing system

Info

Publication number: GB2430997A
Application number: GB0520423A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Baker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-07
Filing date: 2005-10-07
Publication date: 2007-04-11
Also published as: GB0520423D0

Abstract

A domestic lighting system for progressively dimming an electrically powered lamp. The system being programmable to cause the power supplied to the lamp to vary between a high setting and a low setting over a chosen time period, the lower setting can completely extinguish the light or maintain it at a relatively low level of illumination so as to function as a nightlight. The system is equipped with various controls to set the maximum and minimum outputs of the dimmer function and has a time control 18 for regulating the period over which electrical power is passed from the unit 14 to the lamp 11 and over which the illumination is decreased from a high level set by control 16 to the mm level set by control 17. System control can also be via a remote control 19 using electromagnetic (infrared) or acoustic (ultrasound) signals 21.

Description

Domestic Lighting: System The present invention relates to a domestic

lighting system.

Young children and the elderly often like to have the comfort and security arising from an illuminated lamp or light when they are going to sleep. However, if the light is not switched off, its brightness can often prevent them from going to sleep.

Moreover, on waking during the night, the brightness can lead to difficulties in going back to sleep resulting in a disturbed night.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a domestic lighting system which addresses one or more of the issues outlined above.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a domestic lighting system which operates to progressively reduce the brightness of a lamp or light.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a domestic lighting system which can be operated to reset the brightness of a light from a lower value to a higher value under the control of a person such as a person in the same room as the light or a person (such as a parent or nurse) having responsibility for the room and anyone in it.

The term "lower value" used herein relates to, but is not restricted to, no light or a relatively dim light. The term "higher value" used herein relates to a brightness higher than the brightness at the lower value.

Systems for progressively dimming lights are known and employed in cinemas, theatres and in the cabins of some automobiles. However, such systems are unsuited to domestic situations. The systems used in cinemas and theatres are complex and involve many lamps over extensive areas. The power involved is very high compared to domestic situations. Moreover, the lights are dimmed over a period of less than one minute. The systems used in the cabins of some automobiles are very low power systems and have fixed short intervals, usually less than 20 seconds, over which the light is dimmed from fulJy on to fully off.

The present invention provides a domestic lighting system as defined in claim 1 of the set of claims following this description. Preferred and/or optional features of the invention are specified in the other claims in the said set of claims.

The system of the present invention provides for the dimming of a domestic lamp over a relatively long period, which may be at least 5 minutes, e.g., at least 7 minutes, such as 10 minutes or more (e.g., up to 2 hours). A preferred period may be in the range 30 to 60 minutes, e.g. , about 45 minutes. The said period may be varied to suit the situation.

The domestic lamp employed may be of any type which is suitable, including (but not limited to) incandescent filament lamps, fluorescent lamps and LED lamps.

Preferably, the iamp may operate off domestic electricity supplies, e.g., at 220 volts in UK and other European countries and parts of north America, and 110 volts elsewhere.

During the operation of the system, the lamp dims from its higher value (e.g.. 40 to watts of an incandescent filament lamp, or the equivalent lighting output thereof when other types of lamp are employed) to its lower value (e.g., nil wattage output or low illumination such as 3 to 20 watts, e.g. 5 to 15 watts, of an incandescent filament lamp or the equivalent light output thereof with other types of lamp). Low illumination may be maintained when the lower value of lighting is attained so that the system can be used to provide a low lighting output nightlight. A nightlight of this type is convenient and reassuring, particularly for children and elderly persons. It is also economical to operate.

The higher and/or lower lighting values may be set or reset to different values, manually or remotely. The rate of dimming of the lamp may also be set or reset to different time periods, manually or remotely. The rate of reset from the lower value to the higher value may be at a selected rate, which may be a variable rate. The rate of reset may be substantially instantaneous.

The invention is now further described by way of non-limitative examples and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of an embodiment of a lighting system according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a component shown in Figure 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic rear view of the component shown in Figure 2; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the component shown in Figure 2; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a lighting unit embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is depicted a lighting system 10 comprising an electrically powered lamp 11 received in a lamp socket (not visible) within a lampshade 12. The lamp 11 receives electric power via a suitable cable 12, which is connected to a control unit 14.

The control unit 14 is shown diagrammatically in side elevation in Figure 2, rear elevation in Figure 3 and plan view in Figure 4. In Figures 1,2,3 and 4 the unit is shown to have three electrically conductive pins 15 of the type used with wall sockets in the United Kingdom to conduct electricity from a wall socket (not shown) into the unit 14. The system 10 is not limited to this type of pin or number of pins 15.

On the front face of the unit 14, as shown in Figure 1, there are three manually adjustable controls. The control 16, labelled "Max", is for regulating the maximum amount of electrical power which the unit 14 can pass to the lamp 11. The control 17, labelled "Mm", is for regulating the minimum amount of power which the unit 14 can pass to the lamp 11. The control 18 labelled "Time" is for regulating the time period during which electric power passed from the unit 14 to the lamp 11 is decreased from a higher level as regulated by control 16 to a lower level as regulated by control 17.

The control unit 14 may comprise an on-off switch (not shown).

Devices corresponding to controls 16,17,18 ar- well knowr and ommerciaI1y available.

When the system is to be used, the user sets the controls 16, 17, 18 to suit the conditions in which the system is employed. For example, if the lamp 11 is an incandescent filament lamp having a normal output of (e.g.) 100 watts and is used to illuminate a child's bedroom, the maximum control might be set to 60 watts, and the minimum to 5 watts, so that the illumination will vary between moderate intensity and a low intensity suitable as a night light. The time control might be set for (e.g.) 45 minutes, so that when the system is operative, the light intensity decreases from 60 watts to 5 watts over a period of 45 minute, during which a child might fall asleep.

The lighting system further comprises a remote operating device 19. The device 19 comprises an actuating button 20 which can be depressed by manual or digital pressure. When the button 20 is depressed, the device emits an electromagnetic or acoustic signal, indicated by 21. The signal may conveniently be in the infrared spectrum. Devices of this type are well known and are commonly used to remotely operate domestic equipment such as television sets.

The unit 14 comprises a part, not shown, which responds to the signal 21 from device 19 to reset the electrical power output of unit 14 to the maximum value setting of control 16 whereby the power of the lamp 11 is reset to 60 watts. The signal 21 also resets the time control 18 to the start of the time period during which the light intensity decreases from a higher or maximum value to a lower or minimum value.

The reset to maximum value (e.g., higher value) takes place virtually instantaneously. However, in another embodiment, the unit 14 may be adapted to be programmed for the reset to occur over a longer period. A longer period might be used to provide the effect of dawn breaking or to signal the end of a time period assigned for sleeping.

The device 19 may be attached to a wall or piece of furniture so as to be reasonably easily accessible by a person in the room illuminated by the lamp 11. Alternatively the device 19 may be unattached and may be a handheld device, which could be kept under a pillow or on a bedside table so that it can be readily accessed when desired.

in a variant, the lighting system may comprise a random reset device of known type, operating at random timed intervals on the part regulated by control 18 so that the light is switched to a selected maximum output at intervals, whereby the system may be employed to give the impression that a person is in an unoccupied room or building. In this variant, the system may be used as a deterrent to intruders (e.g. burglars). The random reset device may be incorporated in the control unit 14 or in the operating device 19. A suitable switch or other actuator of known type (not shown) may be incorporated in the unit 14 or the device 19 to activate the random reset.

In one embodiment, one or more of the controls 16, 17, 18 on the unit 19 may be remotely programmable, e.g. by electromagnetic signals (such as infrared signals) or by acoustic signals rather than being manually adjustable. In this embodiment, remote programming may be effected by a portable device such as the device 19 or by a device separated from the unit 14 (e.g. outside the room in which the lamp 11 is located).

Reference is now made to Figure 5, which shows a diagrammatic side elevation of a lighting unit of the invention. The lighting unit may be a bedside lamp, pedestal lamp, floor lamp (i.e., a lamp which stands on the floor), inter alia. The lighting unit comprises a base 22 and a shaft 23 attached to the base and extending vertically upwardly therefrom. At the top of the shaft is disposed a lamp socket 24 in which a lamp 25 is received and secured. There may be more than one lamp socket, each receiving a respective lamp. The lamp(s) may be of any type, e.g., incandescent filament, fluorescent, LED(s), etc. A lampshade 26, shown in broken lines, extends around the lamp 25 to reduce glare. A cable 27 conducts electric power to the lighting unit. An on/off switch (not shown) may also be provided. The on/off switch may be incorporated in the lighting unit or it may be attached to the cable. A control unit 28, similar to control unit 14 as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, is mounted on or incorporated with the base 22. The control unit 28 may be formed integrally, at least in part, with the base 22. The control unit 28 has adjusting knobs or screws 29, 30, 31. The functions of the knobs or screws 29, 30, 31 are respectively the same as the functions of the controls 16, 17 and 18 of Fig. 1. The knobs or screws 28, 30, 31 can be adjusted to control the operation of the control unit 28 by rotating them in an appropriate sense. For example, knob or screw 29 may correspond with, and perform the same function as, control 16 of Fig. 1, and knobs/screws 30, 31 may correspond with, and perform the same functions as, controls 17 and 18 respectively of Fig. 1. The knobs or screws 29, 30, 31 are adjusted to regulate, respectively, the maximum electrical power, minimum electrical power and the time during which the electrical power supplied to the lamp 25 decreases from a higher level (as set by knob or screw 29) to a lower level (as set by the knob or screw 30). The control unit 28 comprises a part (not shown) for activating and de-activating the unit 28. The said part may comprise a reset switch (not shown) which operates to reset: (1) the control unit 28 to the higher power setting of knob or screw 29 and (2) the time control 31 to the start of the time period during which the light intensity is decreased from higher power to lower power. The said part may be integral with or incorporated with the control unit 28. Alternatively, the said part may be a remote operating device of the type indicated as device 19 in Figure 1. In this latter embodiment, the remote operating device 19 may operate in the same manner as described with reference to Fig. 1, the control unit 28 of the lighting unit responding to signals from the device in the same manner as described with reference to Fig. 1.

Claims

CLAIMS: I. A domestic lighting system comprising; a) an electrically

powered domestic lighting means such as a lamp or one or more LED's; b) first means for supplying electric power to the said lighting means; c) second means operable to cause electric power supplied to the lamp to vary between a higher value and a lower value; d) third means operable to regulate the rate at which the electric power supplied to the lamp decreases from the said higher value to the said lower value; e) fourth means operable manually to cause electric power to be supplied to the lamp at the said higher value.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the fourth means operates to reset the second means to cause the electric power supplied to the lamp to be at the higher value.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the said resetting is caused either substantially instantaneously or over a selected period of time.
4. The system of any preceding wherein the fourth means comprises a manually operable electrical switch device.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the said manually operable electrical switch device is electrically connected to the second means.
6. The system of claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the switch device is physically connected to the second means.
7. The system of any of claims 4-6 wherein the switch device is integral with the second means.
8 The system of any of claims 1-4 wherein the fourth means is a manually actuated remote operating device which is operable to generate an electromagnetic or acoustic signal which causes the second means to operate to cause electric power to be supplied to the lamp at the said higher rate.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the second means comprises means responsive to an electromagnetic or acoustic signal from the fourth means to cause resetting the second means.
10. The system of claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the electromagnetic wave is in the infrared part of the electromagnetic wave spectrum, and the acoustic wave is in the ultrasound range.
11. The system of any preceding claim wherein the third means is adapted to have a selectively variable rate at which electrical power decreases from the higher value to the lower value.
12. The system of claim 11 comprising means for selecting the variable rate of the third means.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the variable rate of the third means is selected either by means physically connected to the third means or by remote means which operate to generate electromagnetic or acoustic signals, which act to operate the third means.
14. The system of any preceding claim wherein the second means is adjustable to select the magnitude of the higher andlor lower values of electric power.
15. The system of any preceding claim wherein the third means is adjustable to vary the rate at which the electric power decreases from the higher value to the lower value.
16. The system of any preceding claim wherein the second and third means, and optionally the first means, are incorporated in a single unitary part.
17. The system of any preceding claim wherein the first means comprises electrically conductive pins for conducting electricity from a wall socket to the second and/or third means.
18. The system of any preceding claim wherein the domestic lighting means has a power output in the range 5-200 watts.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the lamp is mounted in a room of a house or on a moveable stand.
20. The system of any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein the first means, second means and third means are incorporated as an integral or unitary part of a lighting unit.
21. The system of claim 20 wherein the lighting unit comprises a mounting for the lamp.
22. A domestic lighting system substantially as described with reference to the drawings.