Patent ID: 8040239

Claim:
Master luminaire suitable for use in a lighting control system, the luminaire comprising: a master controller, a master timer associated with the master controller, and a lamp and a lamp operation controller controlled by the master controller; wherein the master controller has an output for generating a master command signal for a communication bus; wherein the master controller has an input for receiving a detection signal from an extension detector that is separate and remote from said master controller; wherein the master controller is capable of operating in an OFF mode or in an ON mode; wherein the master controller, when operating in its OFF mode, is designed to continuously or repeatedly generate the master command signal having a first value for keeping lamps switched OFF, to continuously monitor its input to check for the receipt of a detection signal from the extension detector, to continue operating in the OFF mode as long as the detection signal is not received, and to make a transition to the ON mode as soon as the detection signal is received; wherein the master controller, when operating in its ON mode, is designed to continuously or repeatedly generate the master command signal having a second value for keeping lamps switched ON, to continuously monitor the input to check for the receipt of the detection signal from the extension detector, and to make a transition to the OFF mode if, after having received a previous of the detection signal, no new of the detection signal is received during a time interval determined by said master timer.