System and method are provided where a plurality of luminaires, control switches, occupancy detectors, and photocells are connected to a central control module including a
user interface which is used for setting up, testing, commissioning and maintaining the
system; a memory card interface and associated memory card which can be used to load and save configuration data, update
firmware, and log
system operation.
Lighting system can be set up and tested and then the configuration saved in a portable memory, such as on a memory card which can be transferred to another
system where it is read to facilitate faster and easier configuring of the other system to parallel, or to be exactly like, the original system. Data stored on a portable memory can be automatically recognized to perform appropriate actions such as, for example: update configuration, or update
firmware. Also provided is switching between different mutually exclusive lighting
modes where the lighting of each mode is sequenced such that the second lighting mode is initiated before the first mode is terminated, resulting in a continuity of lighting in the controlled area. Other features include
daylight harvesting control with multiple zone dimming and switching, programmable
attack and decay dimming rates, the ability to return a system to its previous dimming level after the lights have been turned off, and the ability to start the controlled lights at full
light level then dim down to the previous level to ensure the lighting
ballast have sufficient
voltage to
start up.