Multimode motion-activated lighting

1. A method of operating a motion detector circuit adapted for energizing a light when motion is detected, the circuit providing a plurality of user selectable modes of operation, each mode producing a characteristic background lighting level in the absence of motion, the method comprising:

providing a lighting level signal for indicating the background level at which said light is to be energized in the absence of motion in said plurality of modes of operation;

applying said lighting level signal so as to cause said light to be energized at the background level associated with a user selected mode of operation; and

applying said lighting level signal so as to effectuate one or more features, characteristics or functions associated with said user selected mode of operation other than the characteristic background lighting level.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said circuit includes a manual override feature and said plurality of modes of operation includes an accent mode of operation, wherein

said step of applying said lighting level signal so as to effectuate one or more features, characteristics or functions comprises applying said lighting level signal so as to disable said manual override feature in said accent mode.

3. A circuit arrangement for use in a PIR motion-activated light, said circuit arrangement including a PIR motion detector for energizing said light at a nominal full-brightness illumination level in response to motion and further including background level circuitry for setting a plurality of background lighting levels in the absence of motion, said circuit arrangement being characterized in that:

said background level circuitry provides a dual use background lighting level signal;

said dual use lighting level signal is applied to effectuate a selected background lighting level from said plurality of background lighting levels; and

said dual use lighting level signal is further applied to set at least one other feature, characteristic or function of said motion-activated light associated with said selected background level other than the setting of the background lighting level.

4. The circuit arrangement of claim 3 further including a manual override, said circuit arrangement being further characterized in that:

said dual use lighting level signal is applied to disable said manual override in response to said dual use lighting level signal indicating a background lighting level greater than zero, whereby a manual override function is set only for zero background lighting level.

5. Motion detector circuitry for energizing a light, the motion detector circuitry providing a security mode of operation, an accent mode of operation and a dusk to dawn mode of operation and a manual override, characterized in that:

said manual override is disabled in said accent mode; and

said manual override is enabled in said security mode.

6. Motion detector circuitry for energizing a light, the motion detector circuitry providing a security mode of operation, an accent mode of operation and a dusk to dawn mode of operation and including a triac circuit for energizing said light and a manual override, characterized in that:

said circuitry defines a lighting level signal for indicating the background level at which said light is to be energized in the absence of motion in said security mode and in said accent mode, said lighting level signal providing a non-energizing level in said dusk to dawn mode;

said lighting level signal is applied to said triac circuit for effectuating a background lighting level in the absence of motion; and

wherein said lighting level signal is applied to disable said manual override when said lighting level signal is greater than the non-energizing level.

7. In a PIR motion detector circuit for energizing a light in an accent mode of operation, said motion detector circuit being adapted for connection to an AC power source and including a triac circuit for electrically connecting said light to said AC power source in response to a firing signal, the improvement comprising:

a first voltage divider for receiving an AC power signal from said source and providing a first voltage divided AC signal;

a second voltage divider for receiving said AC power signal from said source and providing a second voltage divided AC signal different from said first voltage divided AC signal;

a phase shifting network for shifting the relative phase of said first and second voltage divided AC signals; and

a comparator receiving the phase shifted first and second voltage divided AC signals and providing a pulsed signal for firing said triac circuit at an accent lighting level.

8. The circuit of claim 7 , further comprising a variable resistance for adjusting at least one of the voltage magnitude or phase of one of said first and second voltage divided AC signals, whereby the duty cycle of said pulsed signal may be adjusted for adjusting said accent lighting level.

9. The circuit of claim 7 , further comprising:

a daylight blanking op amp for providing a characteristic output during daylight, said characteristic output being applied to disable said comparator for disabling said accent mode during daylight.