NEMA Dimmer Plug for Outdoor Lighting Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional outdoor lighting systems, such as street and area lights, lack the ability to dim intensity effectively using wireless or Power Line Carrier control systems, as they are limited to simple ON/OFF control via 3-contact NEMA sockets.
Innovation Solution
A dimmer plug designed for 3-contact sockets, featuring a housing with three male electrical contacts and circuitry that produces pulse-width modulated, frequency modulated, or digitally coded signals to control luminaire dimming without altering line power, using a receiver for input signals, including wireless or Power Line Carrier communication, and a light sensor for environmental light adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a 3-contact NEMA socket is used for outdoor lighting, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of installation is improved, but the control functionality is limited to simple ON/OFF without dimming capability
Solution Approach 1:
The dimmer plug is designed to work with standard 3-contact NEMA sockets while providing advanced dimming capabilities through wireless or Power Line Carrier communication. The device incorporates multiple receiver types (radio receiver with antenna or wire-line receiver) and multiple output signal types (pulse-width modulated, frequency modulated, digitally coded, or analog signals) to achieve multi-functionality within a universal 3-contact interface, resolving the contradiction between simple installation and advanced control functionality
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional 5 or 7 contact NEMA sockets are used for dimming control, then the control functionality is improved, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dimmer plug acts as an intermediary device that interfaces between the simple 3-contact NEMA socket and the luminaire's control circuitry. It contains all the complex control electronics (receiver, circuitry for generating dimming signals) within the plug itself, allowing the socket to remain simple while achieving advanced control functionality through the plug's internal components
3Adaptability or versatility
If line power control is used for dimming, then the control capability is achieved, but the power consumption and energy loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical line power control (which varies voltage to dim lights) with electronic control methods. The dimmer plug generates pulse-width modulated, frequency modulated, digitally coded, or analog control signals that interface with the luminaire's internal driver circuitry, allowing the light source to be dimmed efficiently by controlling the switching duty cycle rather than reducing voltage, thereby minimizing energy loss
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables adjustable illumination levels in outdoor lighting systems, enhancing control and energy efficiency by allowing for selective dimming of light sources without affecting line power, using a dimmer plug that fits NEMA standards and communicates effectively with existing lighting control systems.
Implementation Method 1
a light sensor communicatively coupled to the circuitry to provide the circuitry with an electrical signal representative of light sensed by the light sensor
Implementation Method 2
The receiver may be a radio receiver and may further include an antenna communicatively coupled to the radio receiver to wirelessly receive the input signals
Data Source
AI summary
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.