Abstract: An article and circuit that controllably dims a luminaire, for example without controlling a line power of the luminaire. The luminaire includes a traditional three-contact socket to receive a photocontroller, such as that used for street lights. The article uses a desired dimming control signal to provide an output control signal that controls whether the light source in the luminaire is turned ON or turned OFF to thereby effect the desired amount of dimming. The output control signal may be a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal with a duty cycle that is related to the desired level of illumination or dimming. The system may use a dimming signal from a five or seven contact dimming photocontroller to provide such an output control signal to control the light-level for the luminaire.

Abstract: An illumination system verifies whether one or more aspects of an output signal provided by a photosensitive transducer fall within a threshold of an expected value for the aspect. The aspect may include a sunrise time, a sunset time, a dawn time, a dusk time, a solar noon time, a solar midnight time, or similar. Upon verification the illumination system uses a microcontroller to adjust one or more output parameters of a solid-state light source responsive to the output signal provided by the photosensitive transducer. Where verification is not possible, the illumination system uses the microcontroller to adjust one or more output parameters of the solid-state light source responsive to a schedule.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles for providing lighting or illumination systems having drive circuits that employ a magnetic amplifier (“mag-amp”) and one or more feedback circuits to form a power converter that powers solid-state light sources (e.g., LEDs). The magnetic amplifier includes one or more magnetic cores which provides a controllable reluctance for magnetic flux. The magnetic amplifier includes one or more power windings which receive energy from an alternating current (AC) supply (e.g., AC mains) and delivers rectified AC current as direct current (DC) to one or more solid-state light sources. The magnetic amplifier includes one or more control windings coupled to a DC control source. The drive circuit may have two or more rectifiers (e.g., solid-state rectifiers) to provide a direct current to drive the solid-state light sources and also to isolate the one or more control windings from interference from the magnetic flux of the one or more power windings.

Abstract: Illumination sources are turned ON and turned OFF in response to detected levels of illumination in an ambient environment reaching respective thresholds, which may be user set. The detection of these turn ON and turn OFF events is verified, for instance against expected events or conditions for the particular location, date and/or time. An alert or log entry may be generated if a detected event or condition appears to be invalid. For instance, if an amount of illumination in the environment is different than predicted by a threshold amount or if a time that the event occurs or is detected is different than expected or predicted by more than a threshold amount. A level of illumination may be decreased to some non-zero level after a specified time after turn ON, and increased at some specified time before turn OFF. Use of information from external sources (e.g., satellites, cell towers) may allow times to be using local time, including daylight savings if applicable.

Abstract: An illumination system verifies controls the operation of a luminaire without the use of any photometric data. The illumination system uses data indicative of a current time, date or latitude to determine one or more aspects of a solar event. Such aspects can include a scheduled, predicted or expected time of occurrence of the scheduled solar event. Responsive to the determination of a scheduled, predicted or expected time of occurrence of the scheduled solar event, a control subsystem can adjust the luminous output of a light source.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles for providing centralized control of area lighting hours of illumination. An illumination system includes a central control system operatively coupled to a plurality of luminaires through a power-line power distribution system. The central control system issues illumination commands to the plurality of luminaires through the power-line power distribution system. The central control system may generate commands directed to all luminaires in an illumination system, or to one or more subsets of luminaires in the lamination system. The central control system may sequentially turn on luminaires in the illumination system to reduce power surges that would otherwise occur.

Abstract: Photocontrol apparatus that controls a luminaire or other load such that the luminaire is switched on during nighttime hours and off during the daytime. The photocontrol consumes only microwatts of power in either the ON or the OFF state, unlike traditional relay- or triac-based photocontrols. The photocontrol does not require a voltage generating photo sensor to generate power for the photocontrol. A solar cell, semiconductor photo diode or photo diode string, cadmium sulfide cell, semiconductor ambient light sensor, etc., may be used as the sensor element. The photocontrol switches power to the load at the zero-crossing of an AC input voltage, which reduces inrush current and the switching currents caused by traditional photocontrols which may switch at any point on the AC input voltage waveform.

Abstract: An illumination system and methods to control a light source are provided. An illumination system includes a light source, a two-dimensional non-Passive Infrared (non-PIR) imager, and a controller. The light source may provide at least two levels of illumination. The non-PIR imager images an area and to produce image data representative of images across at least part of a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum. The controller is communicatively coupled to receive the image data from the non-PIR imager and process the received image data to detect at least one object in the area of a defined type of object. The controller is also coupled to control operation of the light source based on, at least in part, detection of the ambient characteristic of the environment. Alternatively, one or more components of a system may be used to monitor traffic, with or without active illumination.

Abstract: An illumination system and methods to control a light source are provided. An illumination system includes a light source, a two-dimensional non-Passive Infrared (non-PIR) imager, and a controller. The light source provides at least two levels of illumination. The non-PIR imager images an area and to produce image data representative of images across at least part of a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum. The controller is communicatively coupled to receive the image data from the non-PIR imager and process the received image data to detect at least one ambient environmental characteristic of the area in the part of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, where the ambient environmental characteristic is indicative of a presence or imminent presence of a body in the area. The controller is also coupled to control operation of the light source based on, at least in part, detection of the ambient characteristic of the environment.

Abstract: A photocontrol includes a switch that consumes very low power when the switch is turned ON and when it is turned OFF. The photocontrol can provide low-power digital control signals to high-impedance inputs of control devices that control the delivery of power to load devices, such as LED drivers that control the delivery of power to arrays of LEDs. The photocontrol also can provide power signals to control devices that control the delivery of power to light sources, such as electronic transformers that control the delivery of power to fluorescent lamps. The photocontrol may include a comparator that causes the photocontrol to have switching hysteresis.

Abstract: Photocontrol apparatus that controls a luminaire or other load such that the luminaire is switched on during nighttime hours and off during the daytime. The photocontrol generates a micro-amp power supply using the voltage generated across a high value resistor in series with an alternating current (AC) power line. The photocontrol consumes only microwatts of power in either the ON or the OFF state, unlike traditional relay- or triac-based photocontrols. The photocontrol does not require a voltage generating photo sensor to generate power for the photocontrol. A solar cell, semiconductor photo diode or photo diode string, cadmium sulfide cell, semiconductor ambient light sensor, etc., may be used as the sensor element.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles for providing centralized control of area lighting hours of illumination. An area illumination system includes a central control system operatively coupled to a plurality of luminaires through a data communications network. In some implementations, the data communications network may include a power-line power distribution system and/or a wired or wireless communications network. Each of the plurality of luminaires includes a local illumination control system, which may include a photosensor. The central control system identifies one or more luminaires as having a faulty local illumination control system and issues illumination commands to such luminaires through the data communications network so that the luminaires continue to operate normally without a working local illumination control system. The central control system may store data relating to luminaires having faulty illumination control systems, such as addresses, map data, routing data, or the like.

Abstract: A number of luminaires can be communicably coupled and networked. Some or all of the luminaires may be equipped with a number of sensors including motion sensors. Upon detecting motion of an object in the vicinity of a luminaire, the luminaire can increase the luminous output of the lighting subsystem in the luminaire and communicate a targeted or broadcast output signal to some or all of the remaining luminaires in the network. The output signal may variously contain data indicative of one or more parameters related to motion of the object (direction of travel, velocity, etc.) or one or more parameters related to the increased luminous output of the luminaire. Responsive to the receipt of an output signal generated by another luminaire, the luminaire may autonomously adjust the luminous output of the lighting subsystems responsive to an event detected by the other luminaire.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles for providing lighting or illumination systems having drive circuits that employ a magnetic amplifier (“mag-amp”) and one or more feedback circuits to form a power converter that powers solid-state light sources (e.g., LEDs). The magnetic amplifier includes one or more magnetic cores which provides a controllable reluctance for magnetic flux. The magnetic amplifier includes one or more power windings which receive energy from an alternating current (AC) supply (e.g., AC mains) and delivers rectified AC current as direct current (DC) to one or more solid-state light sources. The magnetic amplifier includes one or more control windings coupled to a DC control source. The drive circuit may have two or more rectifiers (e.g., solid-state rectifiers) to provide a direct current to drive the solid-state light sources and also to isolate the one or more control windings from interference from the magnetic flux of the one or more power windings.

Abstract: A solid-state lighting device has user-engageable actuator physically manipulable by a user and accessible from an exterior of the device to adjust an amount of light output. The user-engageable actuator may take the form of a knob, slider, lever, or other manipulable surface or structure. The user-engageable actuator may extend partially or fully from a housing, or alternatively be recessed or otherwise within the housing with access provided via an aperture, slot or opening. Access may be directly by the user (e.g., finger) or via a tool (e.g., screw driver, Allen wrench, socket) manipulated by the user. The actuator may form part of an adjustment component (e.g., potentiometer, rheostat) which supplies an adjustable output to a drive circuit or electronics. The adjustment component may be electrically coupled to either a primary or secondary side of a transformer, which forms part of a power converter (e.g., flyback).

Abstract: The efficiency and color contrast of a lighting device may be improved by using wavelength shifting material, such as a phosphor, to absorb less desired wavelengths and transmit more desired wavelengths. A double-notch reflective filter may pass desired wavelengths such as red and green, while returning or reflecting less desired wavelengths (blue and yellow) away from an optical exit back toward wavelength shifting material and re-emitted as light of more desirable wavelengths.

Abstract: The power consumption of a switch-mode power converter can be determined based upon at least one of a converter drive signal pulse width or a converter drive signal frequency. Such power consumption can be determined using an algorithm providing a functional relationship between switch-mode power converter power consumption and at least converter drive signal pulse width or frequency. Such algorithms can be either calculated using known component values or empirically determined. Such power consumption may also be determined using store power consumption data in a data store that is indexed by at least one of the converter drive signal pulse width or frequency.

Abstract: A line voltage signal at a first voltage and a first current supplied by a line voltage switching device responsive to a sensed or detected event can be provided to a first node of a regulator. A portion of the line voltage signal can be passed at the first voltage through a capacitive device in the regulator and provided at a second node for return to an electrical circuit containing a load device. The remaining portion of the line voltage signal can be passed to a voltage divider comprising at least a first resistive device and a second resistive device. A signal output at a second voltage and a second current that is suitable for introduction to a high-impedance controller input can be obtained at a third node electrically coupled to a point between the first resistive device and the second resistive device.

Abstract: An illumination device comprises a circuit board that carries solid-state light sources and a heat transfer structure to which the circuit board is intimately physically coupled such that the circuit board is curved along at least one of a longitudinal dimension or a lateral dimension thereof. Such may allow less fasteners to be used than would otherwise be possible, while maintaining close contact over a large portion of the surface area. Some embodiments may employ a clamp, for example a peripheral clamp such as a cover or bezel clamp.

Abstract: A power converter output stage provides acceptable current matching between sets or strings of solid state light sources (e.g., LEDs) with different forward voltages, and protects the sets or strings from excessive over-current in the case of a light source failing as a short. The sets or strings are electrically coupled across respective inductors of a secondary of a transformer, the sets or strings not electrically in parallel with one another. The secondary of the transformer essentially self balances. The embodiments described employ an LLC resonator converter topology, but could be implemented as part of a Flyback, LLC resonator or other switch mode topology.