IP Library Granted Patent US 10,978,905
Granted Patent B2
US 10,978,905 · App. 15/970,473 · Granted Apr 13, 2021

System and method for controlling auxiliary power supply

Inventors: Jessica Lynn Burk (Mayfield Heights, OH); David Joseph Tracy (Cleveland Heights, OH); Nina Rose Scheidegger (Cleveland, OH); Matthew Heida (Mentor, OH); Tamas Istvan Vegh (Budapest, HU)
Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC
H02J9/061H02J9/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,978,905
App. No.
15/970,473
Granted
Apr 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

There are provided systems, apparatuses, and methods for controlling power delivery from an auxiliary power supply. For example, there is provided a method that includes generating a first random number to define a timeout period. During the timeout period, the method may detect whether a voltage is present at an output of an auxiliary power supply, may disable the auxiliary power supply when the voltage is detected at the output, and may enable the auxiliary power supply when the voltage is not detected at the output.

Claims (51)

1. A system for controlling an auxiliary power supply, the system comprising:

an auxiliary power supply having an output;

a controller configured to communicate a first control signal to the auxiliary power supply to enable the auxiliary power supply after expiration of a timeout period if no voltage is sensed at the output of the auxiliary power supply during the timeout period, the controller further configured to communicate a second control signal to the auxiliary power supply to disable the auxiliary power supply if voltage is sensed at the output of the auxiliary power supply during the timeout period.

2. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to define the timeout period; and

during the timeout period, the controller monitors the output of the auxiliary power supply.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the timeout period is defined based on a random number.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to sense a current at the output of the auxiliary power supply; and

the controller configured to communicate the first control signal to the auxiliary power supply to enable the auxiliary power supply after expiration of the timeout period if no current is sensed at the output of the auxiliary power supply during the timeout period, the controller further configured to communicate the second control signal to the auxiliary power supply to disable the auxiliary power supply if current above a threshold is sensed at the output of the auxiliary power supply during the timeout period.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to sense a power at the output of the auxiliary power supply; and

the controller configured to communicate the first control signal to the auxiliary power supply to enable the auxiliary power supply after expiration of the timeout period if no power is sensed at the output of the auxiliary power supply during the timeout period, the controller further configured to communicate the second control signal to the auxiliary power supply to disable the auxiliary power supply if power above a threshold is sensed at the output of the auxiliary power supply during the timeout period.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a light emitting diode system having a driver with an auxiliary power supply;

wherein the auxiliary power supply delivers power to a load when the auxiliary power supply is enabled, and the auxiliary power supply does not deliver power to the load when the auxiliary power supply is disabled.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diode systems, each having a driver with an auxiliary power supply, the plurality of light emitting diode systems being electrically connected via a bus;

wherein the auxiliary power supply delivers power to the bus when the auxiliary power supply is enabled, and the auxiliary power supply does not deliver power to the bus when the auxiliary power supply is disabled.

8. A method for controlling an auxiliary power supply, the method comprising;

generating a first random number to define a first time period;

during the first time period:

detecting whether a voltage is present at an output of a first auxiliary power supply; and

communicating a second control signal to the first auxiliary power supply to disable the first auxiliary power supply when the voltage is detected at the output of the first auxiliary power supply during the first time period; and

after an expiration of the first time period, communicating a first control signal to the first auxiliary power supply to enable the first auxiliary power supply when the voltage is not detected at the output of the first auxiliary power supply during the first time period.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communicating the second control signal to the first auxiliary power supply to disable the first auxiliary power supply when the voltage is detected at the output of the first auxiliary power supply during the first time period comprises maintaining the first auxiliary power supply as disabled when the voltage is detected at the output of the first auxiliary power supply during the first time period.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

generating a second random number to define a second time period;

during the second time period:

detecting whether a voltage is present at an output of a second auxiliary power supply; and

communicating a fourth control signal to the second auxiliary power supply to disable the second auxiliary power supply when the voltage is detected at the output of the second auxiliary power supply during the second time period; and

after an expiration the second time period, communicating a third control signal to the second auxiliary power supply to enable the second auxiliary power supply when the voltage is not detected at the output of the second auxiliary power supply during the second time period.

11. A system for controlling power for a load, the system comprising:

a first power supply configured to provide a first power to a load;

a second power supply configured to provide a second power to the load;

a first controller in electrical communication with the first power supply, the first controller configured to define a first timeout period based on a random number, and during the first timeout period:

monitoring whether a voltage is present at an output of the first power supply; and

communicating a first control signal to the first power supply to disable the first power supply from supplying the first power to the load if voltage is present at the output of the first power supply; and

after the first timeout period, communicating a second control signal to the first power supply to enable the first power supply if no voltage is present at the output of the first power supply during the first timeout period.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

a second controller in electrical communication with the second power supply, the second controller configured to define a second timeout period based on a random number, and during the second timeout period:

monitoring whether a voltage is present at an output of the second power supply; and

communicating a third control signal to the second power supply to

disable the second power supply from supplying the second power to the load if voltage is present at the output of the second power supply; and

after the second timeout period, communicating a fourth control signal to the second power supply to enable the second power supply if no voltage is present at the output of the second power supply during the second timeout period.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first controller is electrically coupled to the first power supply via one or more control leads, and wherein the second controller is electrically coupled to the second power supply via one or more control leads.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the load is a sensor.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the load is a control module.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first power supply is configured to deliver power to a sensor, and the second power supply is electrically coupled to the first power supply; and

the first controller is further configured to:

communicate, after the first timeout period, the second control signal to the first power supply to enable the first power supply to provide the first power to the sensor if no voltage is present at the output of the first power supply during the first timeout period; and

communicate, during the first timeout period, the first control signal to disable the first power supply if voltage is present at the output of the first power supply during the first timeout period.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first controller is further configured to sense whether a short circuit current is present at the output of the first power supply, and further configured to communicate the first control signal to the first power supply to disable the first power supply if the short circuit current is present at the output of the first power supply during the first timeout period.

Assignments (11)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 059034 FRAME: 0469. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jan 25, 2024
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ATLANTIC PARK STRATEGIC CAPITAL FUND, L.P., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066372/0590 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NUMBER 10841994 TO PATENT NUMBER 11570872 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 058982 FRAME 0844. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Jan 19, 2024
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066355/0455 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2022
From: ALLY BANK
To: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; FORUM, INC.
Reel/Frame 059432/0592 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2022
From: ALLY BANK
To: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; FORUM, INC.
Reel/Frame 059392/0079 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2022
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ATLANTIC PARK STRATEGIC CAPITAL FUND, L.P., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059034/0469 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NEETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058982/0844 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 27, 2020
From: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052763/0643 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051047/0210 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049672/0294 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2019
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC F/K/A GE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 048791/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2018
From: GE HUNGARY KFT.
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 046040/0443 →