Patent · US Expired

Fail-safe lighting system with load shedding and dimming

US5734230A · kind A · utility

45Cited by
11References
49Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 26, 1997
Grant dateMar 31, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 26, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY04S20/248
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A fail-safe lighting system which includes provision for setting priorities or sequences of operation for different lights or sets of lights. When normal power is interrupted, all or a selected number of lights remain lit and/or are dimmed, thus providing a first level of illumination during a predetermined period of time. However, when a selected interval of time has elapsed and the level of charge remaining on the battery or batteries which supply power during the interruption decreases, preselected one or ones of the lights are progressively dimmed or disconnected from the battery acccording to a predetermined schedule. Thus, the time during which one or more extremely critical lights remain lit can be substantially extended without depleting the charge on the battery.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.