RF-Enabled Fluorescent Lamp Starter Units for Simultaneous Wireless Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-lamp fluorescent light fixtures often consume electrical energy unnecessarily when unoccupied, as existing systems lack efficient wireless control mechanisms for starter units, leading to energy waste.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating RF-enabled starter units with built-in microcontrollers that can be wirelessly controlled by a master unit to turn off fluorescent lamps simultaneously, minimizing electromagnetic interference and allowing for remote energy conservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional wall switches with infrared motion detectors are used to control fluorescent lights, then energy waste can be prevented by turning off lights when unoccupied, but the system requires hardwired power lines and cannot provide wireless control of starter units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical hardwired control system with a wireless radio frequency (RF) communication system. Starter units are equipped with RF receivers that receive turn-off commands wirelessly from remote devices, eliminating the need for physical modification of electrical wiring while maintaining the ability to control fluorescent lights and prevent energy waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces RF communication as an intermediary between the user/control system and the starter units. This intermediary enables wireless transmission of control signals to the starters, allowing them to be controlled remotely without direct electrical connection or physical access to the AC power mains.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fluorescent lamps are turned off individually by separate starter units, then each lamp can be controlled independently, but the lamps may not turn off simultaneously causing extended energy consumption and potential electromagnetic interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control functionality of multiple independent starter units through a common wireless communication protocol. All starter units receive the same RF turn-off command simultaneously and execute the lamp shutdown operation at the same time, achieving both individual controllability and simultaneous operation to prevent extended energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a coordinated control system where the master control unit sends synchronized RF commands to multiple starter units. This feedback mechanism ensures that all lamps are turned off simultaneously, preventing the extended energy consumption that would occur if lamps were turned off at different times, while still maintaining the ability to control each lamp individually through the wireless system.
3Ease of repair
If replaceable starter units are used in multi-lamp fluorescent fixtures, then maintenance and replacement become easier, but the starters lack wireless control capability and cannot be remotely managed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the replaceable starter units multi-functional by integrating both the traditional lamp-starting functionality and wireless RF reception capability into a single device. This allows the starters to maintain their replaceability for ease of repair while simultaneously gaining automated remote control capability, enabling users to turn off lamps without physical access to the fixtures or AC power mains.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-lamp fluorescent light fixture includes a plurality of replaceable fluorescent lamp starter units. Each starter unit has a built-in microcontroller, an RF (Radio-Frequency) receiver, and communicates wirelessly with a master unit. Each starter unit can be wirelessly controlled to turn off coupled fluorescent lamps. Each starter unit receives a turn off command, monitors the AC voltage supplied to coupled lamps, and initiates turn off when the AC voltage reaches a threshold voltage stored in a memory of the microcontroller. In one novel aspect, each threshold voltage is selected such that turn off of lamps coupled to each starter is initiated within one millisecond. Systems of existing light fixtures are retrofitted with such wireless starter units, and thereby made controllable by a master unit so that the master unit can turn off the lights if room occupancy is not detected or if sufficient ambient light is available.