Illumination – Light source and modifier – Laser type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-26
2001-01-16
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light source and modifier
Laser type
C362S394000, C340S870030, C340S870030, C315S312000, C315S318000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174073
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the control of lighting units and in particular to a system for controlling light units within a building.
2. Related Art
Lighting systems within buildings conventionally comprise a plurality of lighting units which are distributed throughout the various rooms of the building. The lighting units are connected by electrical wiring to the electrical mains to provide power for the lighting and also by other wiring to switches which enable the lighting units to be switched on and off as required. The switches are usually mounted on a wall and the wiring connecting the switch to the lighting unit is usually set into the wall. It is not uncommon for the layouts within the rooms of buildings to be changed periodically. This can result in the positions of the switches having to be changed and accordingly, new wiring has to be provided between the lighting units and the switches. As a consequence there is a need to repair the surface of the wall resulting from the damage which is inevitably caused in providing the new wiring and then subsequently redecorating the room. This can be a costly and time consuming exercise.
Furthermore hard wired switches severely limit the way in which a number of switches can be used to control lighting. If more than one switch is to control a light there must be a three way cable connection on all of the switches.
The present invention is concerned with a lighting unit control arrangement which does not require electrical wiring between the switch control and the lighting unit and therefore inter alia obviates the above-mentioned problems.
Techniques for the remote control of lights have been described in, for example, GB-A-2174282, EP-A-0255580, and GB-A-2280291. These arrangements are limited to control within a room and do not provide building wide control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a lighting system comprising a plurality of lighting units each having an element capable of illumination and an associated switch unit which can respond to a radio frequency signal to connect the element to or disconnect the element from a source of electrical energy, and one or more remote control switch units which are operable to transmit control signals to control operation of the lighting units, the or each remote control switch unit being arranged to transmit radio frequency signals which include an identification portion to ensure only the correct lighting units are to respond to the transmitted signals.
Thus the link between each switch unit and an associated lighting unit is by means of radio communication. Each lighting unit can have a receiver and control circuit responsive to a received signal to operate a lighting unit switch. The use of radio communication enables the system to be used on a building wide basis so that a switch unit in one room can be used to control lighting units in another room or rooms.
Each remote control switch unit may be arranged to transmit a signal which comprises an identification portion and an instruction portion. The transmitter of each remote control switch unit may be arranged to transmit a control signal a predetermined number of times. The intervals at which the control signals are transmitted may be regular or random. The identification portion of the control signal should have sufficient capacity to provide for the required number of lighting unit combinations.
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Griew Paul V
Regan Bernard
Cariaso Alan
DelGizzi Ronald E.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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