WO2007080402A2

WO2007080402A2 - Control device for controlling a supply of electric power

Info

Publication number: WO2007080402A2
Application number: PCT/GB2007/000067
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Golding; Steve Wagstaff
Original assignee: Goldstaff Limited
Priority date: 2006-01-12
Filing date: 2007-01-11
Publication date: 2007-07-19
Also published as: WO2007080402A3; GB2434261A; GB0600566D0

Abstract

A control device for an electrical supply, the device comprising, a controller associated with a timer and a power supply regulator, the controller having a specifiable time value settable for control of the power supply regulator, the timer providing a timing signal to the controller for comparison with the specifiable time value, the controller providing a control signal to the regulator to adjust the power supply upon coincidence of the timing signal and the specifiable time value, the control signal increasing or decreasing the power supply over a time period to simulate a desired transient in a load device associated with the power supply.

Description

CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING A SUPPLY OF ELECTRIC POWER

This invention relates to control devices for controlling supplies of electrical power. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to wall switches, for example, wall switches for controlling supplies of electrical power to lighting apparatus. Embodiments of the invention relate to dimmer switches for controlling supplies of electrical power to lighting apparatus.

It has been found that dawn stimulation is an effective way of awakening people in the morning. It has been further found that it is not the intensity or quality of the light that provides the effective waking mechanism but it is the fact that light comes on as a gradual external signal to a sleeper.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a controller for controlling a supply of electric power, the controller comprising: a timer; a power regulator for controlling the electric power; and a processor arrangement for providing an adjustment signal to the regulator when the timer reaches a predetermined time, the adjustment signal effecting a gradual change in the electric power supplied.

Preferably, the controller comprises a wall switch, which may be a dimmer control switch unit.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a wall mountable dimmer switch control unit for lighting apparatus; the dimmer switch control unit comprising: a controller with a timer; a power regulator for controlling a supply of electric power to the lighting apparatus; and a processor arrangement for providing, an adjustment signal to the regulator when the timer reaches a predetermined time, the adjustment signal effecting a gradual change in the electric power supplied to the lighting apparatus. Generally, the change is to increase the electrical power.

The controller may control a supply of electric power to a lighting apparatus, such as a room light One embodiment of the control device may comprise a wall switch. This embodiment may comprise a mains connector to connect the control device to a mains electricity supply.

The processor arrangement may be configured to provide the adjustment signal to effect the aforesaid increase in the electric power over a period of time of between one minute and six hundred minutes, preferably between five minutes and four hundred minutes, or preferably between ten minutes and two hundred and forty minutes.

Preferably, the processor arrangement includes a trigger means to trigger the aforesaid signal to the power regulator. The trigger means may comprise an alternating current switch. The trigger means may comprise a triode-alternating current switch, or triac. The regulator may comprise a detector to detect when an alternating mains electricity supply wave crosses zero and then to provide a zero pulse signal to the processor for synchronisation.

The controller may further comprise a user input arrangement to allow the user to set the timer and or to set the aforesaid predetermined time and or to set the predetermined time period.

The user input arrangement may further include a display means to display the time. The display means may display the aforesaid predetermined time and/or the predetermined time period.

The user input arrangement may comprise operating members, such as push-buttons, to allow the user to set the timer with the time and the predetermined time. The user input arrangement may be configured to allow the user to set the period during which electric power supplied to the lighting apparatus is adjusted. .

The processor arrangement may include a memory to store information inputted by the user to the user input arrangement.

The processor arrangement may be configured to provide a decrease signal to the regulators to effect a steady decrease in the electric power supply to the lighting apparatus. Preferably, the processor arrangement is configured to provide the decrease signal to effect the aforesaid decrease in the electric power over a period of between one minute and six hundred minutes, preferably between five minutes and four hundred minutes. More preferably between ten minutes and two hundred and forty minutes.

The processor of the arrangement may be configured to determine when the timer reaches a preset time and at the preset time, the processor arrangement may provide the activation signal to provide electric power to the lighting apparatus to switch on the lighting apparatus. Said activation signal may be an on signal to provide immediate maximum electric power.

The processor arrangement may be configured to determine when the timer reaches a preset off time and at said preset off time, the processor arrangement may switch off the regulator, such that no electric power- is provided to the lighting apparatus, whereby the lighting apparatus is switched off.

The timer may comprise a real time clock. The timer may be actuatable by mains electricity. The timer may comprise a battery in the event of failure of the mains electricity. The control device may comprise a low voltage device to convert mains electricity to DC, preferably to 5 V DC. The low voltage device may be configured to take power from the mains electricity only during the region of the AC cycle. This region may be when the trigger means is not triggered.

The control device may comprise a filter to substantially prevent power from the trigger means and/or from the lower voltage device reaching the mains electricity.

In accordance with further aspects of the present invention there is provided a control device for an electrical supply, the device comprising a controller associated with a timer and a power supply regulator, the controller having a specifiable time value settable for control of the power supply regulator, the timer providing a timing signal to the controller for comparison with the specifiable time value, the controller providing a controi signal to the regulator to adjust the power supply upon coincidence of the timing signal and the specifiable time value, the control signal increasing or decreasing the power supply over a time period to simulate a desired transient in a load device associated with the power supply.

Generally, the load device is a lamp.

Typically, the power supply is an ac mains electrical supply.

Normally, the controller is coupled to a low voltage power supply powered by the ac mains electrical supply.

Advantageously, the low voltage power supply is arranged to be powered only during a proportion of the ac mains electricity supply cycle.

Typically, a zero converting detector for ac mains electrical supply is provided to present a zero pulse signal to the controller. Normally, the zero pulse signal is used for synchronisation.

Generally, the controller or wall mounted dimmer switch control unit is shaped and sized to replace an existing control switch such as a wall mounted light switch.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig 1 is a front view of a control device; and,

Fig 2 is a schematic diagram of the components of the control device shown in Fig 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a control device in the form of a wall mountable dimmer switch 10, mounted on a wall 12 of a room. The control device generally is mounted in a conventional mounting box for a lighting switch. The dimmer switch 10 comprises a face plate 14 defining apertures for a user interface 15. The apertures are a display aperture _.16 through which display means in the form of an LCD screen 18 can be seen, and three button apertures 20A₁ 2OB, 2OC through which user input members in the- form of push buttons 22A, 22B and 22C project. As explained in more detail below, the central push button 22B is a mode button for selecting the various modes of the dimmer switch. The left hand button 22A is a "down" button for controlling the timer and moving the time shown on the display backwards. The right-hand button is an "up" button for moving the time shown on the display 18 forwards.

Referring to Fig 2, there is shown a block diagram of the components of the dimmer switch 10. The switch 10 comprises a control processor 24 comprising a RAM, a ROM, an EEPROM, 10, and Analogue to Digital converter. The processor 24 is connected to a timer device in the form of a real time clock 26 having a battery backup.

The control processor 24 receives power from a low voltage power supply 28 which, in turn receives electrical power from a power regulator 30.

The power regulator.30 is connected to mains electricity 32 via and across lighting apparatus in the form of an electric lamp 34. A filter 36 is provided between the regulator 30 and the mains circuitry 32 to prevent power supply switching transients within the power control arrangement from reaching the external wiring. The regulator 30 comprises a zero crossing detector- to determine when the alternating current of the mains electricity crosses zero and provides a zero pulse 38 to the processor 24 for synchronisation and processor timing.

The processor 24 includes a triode-alternating current switch, also known as a triac 40. The processor 24 provides a trigger to the triac 40 by reference to the zero pulse which in turn provides a trigger as represented by the arrow 42 of electrical power to the regulator 30 when the alternating - current cycle crosses zero. The trigger provided by the triac 40 is determined by the processor 24 and is dependent on the brightness required, as programmed into the user interface 15. The brightness is a function of the electrical power passing through the lamp 34 and the value of that electrical power is dependent upon the trigger in terms of length and/or amptitude. The actual trigger provided may correspond with an absolute or incremental value of the potential electrical power provided by the regulator 30.

In use, the user sets the correct time on the timer 26 by the use of the user interface 15. In one embodiment, the user can set the time by pressing all three buttons 22A, 22B, 22C for, e.g. two seconds. Then, by pressing the up push-button 22A, and/or the down push-button 22C, as desired, the time shown on the display can be moved forward and backwards. As soon as the correct time is reached, the mode button 22C can then be pressed to set the correct time, into the real time clock 26, the time being displayed on the display 18. After the correct time has been set, the date can be set, for example by pressing the push-button and the down button until the correct date is reached. When the date has been set correctiy, the mode button 22B can be pressed to store the date in the memory of the processor 24.

After the date has been set, the correct day can then be set by pressing the up and down push-buttons, 22A and/or 22C to change the date shown on the display 18. When the correct day has been set, the mode button 22B is then pressed.

The processor 24 can be programmed to provide a "dusk simulation", i.e. a period of time during which the lamp 34 fades to off by gradually reducing the electrical power supplied to the lamp 34. The dusk simulation start time can be set by pressing the up push-button in ten minute steps to vary the dusk simulation start time, i.e. the time at which the power to the lamp 34 starts to decrease. Pressing the down push-button 22C decreases the dusk simulation start time in ten minute steps. As soon as the desired dusk simulation start time is reached, the mode button 22C is pressed to set this start time. When the dusk simulation start time has been reached, the power to the lamp 24 will be reduced over a period of thirty minutes.

The dimmer switch 10 can be programmed for a dawn simulation start time, i.e. a time at which the dimmer switch 10 will gradually increase the electrical power supplied to the lamp 34 over a desired dawn simulation period, thereby simulating dawn.

The dawn simulation start time is set for each day of the week respectively. The time is adjusted by pressing the up push-button 22A, and/or the down push-button 22C until the desired dawn simulation start time is reached, at which point the mode button 22B is pressed to store the time in the memory of the processor 24. • When, the mode button 22B has been crossed, the next day is displayed on the display means 18, to allow the dawn simulation time to be set for that day. This procedure follows for the remainder of the days of the week.

After the dawn simulation start time has been set, the dawn simulation period, i.e. the length of time required for dawn simulation can also be set. This can be set in increments of ten minutes by pressing the up push-button 22A, or the down push-button 22C in increments from ten minutes to two hundred and forty minutes. When the desired dawn simulation period has been set, the mode push-button 22B is pressed to store this in the memory of the processor 24.

After the dawn simulation period has been set, it is then possible to set a security function on the dimmer switch 10. Initially, an on time, at which the lamp 34 is to come on can be set by pressing the up push-button 22A and/or the down push-button 22C until the desired on time is revealed. The mode button 22B is pressed to store this time in the memory of the processor 24. An off time, at which the lamp 34 is switched off can then be set in ten minute intervals from ten minutes to two hundred and forty minutes by pressing the up push-button 22A, and/or the down push-button 22C. After the correct off time has been set, the mode button 22B is pressed and the off time is stored in the memory of the processor 24. The security function allows a householder to set the time at which the lamp 34 will switch on and will switch off, for example, when the householder will be absent from the house thereby giving the impression of the house being occupied.

There is thus described a simple and effective device to allow dawn simulation and other programmable effects of the main lamp in a room by the use of a wall mounted dimmer control unit.

It will be appreciated that the low voltage supply 28 converts raw rectified mains power supply to a regulated 5 volt DC for the processor 24 and clock 26. In such circumstances, the low voltage power supply 28 is a load upon the mains electrical current and so in order not to significantly reduce the lamp 34 maximum brightness the low voltage power supply 28 only takes energy in the first and last few degrees of the mains half cycles. Normally, this is before the triac 40 and after the triac drop out period, that is to say when the. regulator 30 is moving through adjustment signals to vary electrical power supplied to the lamp 34. It will be understood by the low voltage power supply taking energy only during these short periods of the alternating current electrical power supply there is a reduction in waste heat generated in the supply 28 and also enables correct operation well below minimum input voltages.

It will be appreciated that the triac 40 is a bi-directional gate control thyristor^' which allows full wave control of the alternating current electrical power provided through the regulator 30. In such circumstances by altering the phase of the gate switching signal a load electrical current can be adjusted from a few percent to approximately 98% of the full load current available to the lamp 34. In such circumstances, the processor 24 as a part of the controller in accordance with aspects of the present invention alters this phase of the gate switching signal by reference to the zero pulse 38 provided by the zero crossing detector in the regulator 30. Such referencing to the zero pulse is required for synchronisation in the gate switching signal for the triac 40. It would be appreciated that the intensity and brightness of the lamp 34 is a function of the electrical current load regulated through the regulator 30 in terms of the triac trigger signal 40 provided to that regulator 30.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example, the display means 18 and the buttons 22A, 22B and 22C could have other positions on the dimmer switch 10.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling a supply of electric power, the controller comprising: a timer; a power regulator for controlling the electric power; and a processor arrangement for providing an adjustment signal to the regulator when the timer reaches a predetermined time, the adjustment signal effecting a gradual change in the electric power supplied.

2. A controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a wall switch, which may be a dimmer control switch unit.

3. A controller for controlling a supply of electric power substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A wall mountable dimmer switch control unit for lighting apparatus; the dimmer switch control unit comprising: a controller with a timer; a power regulator for controlling a supply of electric power to the lighting apparatus; and a processor arrangement for providing an adjustment signal to the regulator when the timer reaches a predetermined time, the adjustment signal effecting a gradual change in the electric power supplied to the lighting apparatus.

5. A control unit as claimed in claim 3 wherein the change is to increase the electrical power.

6. A control unit as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the controller may control a supply of electric power to a lighting apparatus, such as a room light.

7. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the control unit may comprise a wall switch.

8. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 wherein a control. unit may comprise a mains connector to connect the control device to a mains electricity supply. . . _. .

9. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 8 wherein the processor arrangement may be configured to provide_. the adjustment signal to effect the aforesaid increase in the electric power over a period of time of between one minute and six hundred minutes.

10. A control unit as claimed in claim 9 wherein the time period is between five minutes and four hundred minutes, preferably between ten minutes and two hundred and forty minutes.

11. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 10 wherein the processor arrangement includes a trigger means to trigger the aforesaid signal to the power regulator.

12. A control unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the trigger means may comprise .an alternating current switch.

13. A control unit as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the trigger means may comprise a triode-alternating current switch, or triac.

14. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 13 wherein the regulator may comprise a detector to detect when an alternating mains electricity ^• supply wave crosses zero and then to provide a zero pulse signal to the processor for synchronisation.

15. A control unit as claimed in any of claim 4 to 14 wherein the controller may further comprise a user input arrangement to allow the user to set the timer and or to set the aforesaid predetermined time and or to set the predetermined time period.

16. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 15 wherein the user input 5 arrangement may further include a display means to display the time.

17. A control unit as claimed in claim 16 wherein the display means may display the aforesaid predetermined time and/or the predetermined time period.

T O

18. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 17 wherein the user input arrangement may comprise operating members, such as push-buttons, to ^■ allow the user to set the timer with the time and the predetermined time.

1 5 19. ^• A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 18 wherein the user input arrangement may be configured to allow the user to set the period during which electric power supplied to the lighting apparatus is adjusted.

20. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 19 wherein the processor 20 arrangement may include a -memory to store information inputted by the user to the user input arrangement.

21. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 20 wherein the processor arrangement may be configured to provide a . decrease signal to the regulators 5 to effect a steady decrease in the electric power supply to the lighting apparatus.

22. A control unit as claimed in claim 21 wherein the processor arrangement is configured to provide the decrease signal to effect the 0 aforesaid decrease in the electric power over a period of between one minute and six hundred minutes.

23. A control unit as claimed in claim 22 wherein the time period is between five minutes and four hundred minutes.

24. A control unit as claimed in claim 23 wherein the time period is between ten minutes and two hundred and. forty minutes.

25. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 24 wherein the processor of the arrangement may be configured to determine when the timer reaches a preset time and at the preset time, the processor arrangement may provide the activation signal to provide electric power to the lighting apparatus to switch on the lighting apparatus.

26. A control unit as claimed in claim 25 wherein said activation signal may be an on signal to provide immediate maximum electric power.

27. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 26 wherein the processor arrangement may be configured to determine when the timer reaches a preset off time and at said preset off time, the processor arrangement may switch off the regulator, such that no electric power is provided to the lighting apparatus, whereby the lighting apparatus is switched off.

28. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 27 wherein the timer may comprise a real time clock.

29. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 28 wherein the timer may be actuatable by mains electricity.

30. A control unit as claimed in claim 29 wherein the timer may comprise a battery in the event of failure of the mains electricity.

31. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 30 wherein the control device may comprise a low voltage device to convert mains electricity to DC, preferably to 5 V DC.

32. . A control unit as claimed in claim 31 wherein the low voltage device may be configured to take power from the mains electricity only during a region of the AC cycle.

33. A control unit as claimed in claim 32 wherein this region may be when the trigger means is not triggered.

34. A control unit as claimed in any of claims 4 to 33 wherein the control unit may comprise a filter to substantially prevent power from the trigger means and/or from the lower voltage device reaching the mains electricity.

35. A wall mountable dimmer switch control unit for lighting apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

36. A control device for an electrical supply, the device comprising a controller associated with a timer and a power supply regulator, the controller having a specifiable time value settable for control of the power supply regulator, the timer providing a timing signal to the controller for comparison with the specifiable time value, the controller providing a control signal to the regulator to adjust the power supply upon coincidence of the timing signal and the specifiable time value, the control signal increasing or decreasing the power supply over a time period to simulate a desired transient in a load device associated with the power supply.

37. A control device as claimed in claim 36 wherein the load device is a lamp.

38. A control device as claimed in claim 36 or claim 37 wherein the power supply is an ac mains electrical supply.

39. A control device as claimed in any of claims 36 to 38 wherein the controller is coupled to a low voltage power supply powered by the ac mains electrical supply.

40. A control device as claimed in any of claims 36 to 39 wherein the low voltage power supply is arranged to be powered only during a proportion of the ac mains electricity supply cycle.

41. A control device as claimed in any of claims 36 to 40 wherein a zero converting detector for ac mains electrical supply is provided to present a zero pulse signal to the controller.

42. A control device as claimed in any of claims 36 to 41 wherein the zero pulse signal is used for synchronisation.

43 A control device as claimed in any of claims 36 to 42 wherein the controller or wall mounted dimmer switch control unit is shaped and sized to replace an existing control switch such as a wall mounted light switch.

44. A control device for electrical supplies substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

45. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.