Electronic ballast with embedded network micro-controller
US6388396B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 2, 2000 |
| Grant date | May 14, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 10, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S315/07
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention features an electronic ballast for use with gas discharge lamps incorporating a microprocessor-based network controller which facilitates the direct attachment of the ballast to a local or building-wide energy management systems. The use of the inventive ballast allows the production of a lighting luminaire whose light output, power consumption, and other operational or environmental parameters can be monitored and controlled as part of the distributed building control network. A building control computer network can control lighting functions, such as power on/off and dimming. The ballast of the present invention includes provision allowing connection to a local utility so that lighting in large buildings can be cut back in times of high power demand to help balance system loading.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.