WO2012009622A2

WO2012009622A2 - Powerline communication control of light emitting diode (led) lighting fixtures

Info

Publication number: WO2012009622A2
Application number: PCT/US2011/044159
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gregory Campbell
Original assignee: Lumenpulse Lighting Inc.
Priority date: 2010-07-16
Filing date: 2011-07-15
Publication date: 2012-01-19
Also published as: WO2012009622A3

Abstract

A powerline communication control system for controlling an LED lighting unit, including a master controller for receiving lighting unit control inputs from a lighting controller and generating corresponding lighting unit command outputs in a lighting system command format and transmission mode and superimposing the lighting unit command outputs onto the power distribution system and at least one lighting slave unit for receiving the lighting command signal, separating the lighting command signal from the power signal and for providing lighting unit control commands to the at least one lighting unit to control illumination thereof.

Description

POWERLINE COMMUNICATION CONTROL OF

LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) LIGHTING FIXTURES

[001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[002] The present invention is related to the powerline communication control of lighting fixtures and, in particular, the powerline communication control of light emitting diode (LED) lighting fixtures.

[003] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[004] Powerline communication systems, often called powerline carrier communication system, are method for enabling systems to carry data on a conductorthat is also used for electric power transmission, such as a conventional 117 volt AC line, a 230 volt AC line (such as used in Europe), a 100 volt AC line (such as used in Japan), a 277 volt AC line (such as used in certain commercial applications in the United States) or a 347 volt AC line (such as used in certain commercial applications in the Canada). There are many different ways to communicate on a powerline, but ultimately all communication is done by impressing a modulated carrier signal onto the system power conductors together with the 117 volt AC power signal and separating the power signal and the communications signals at a receiving point. While powerline communication applications are commonly seen in the utility meter reading and home automation markets, for example, for a number of reasons they are essentially nonexistent in architectural solid state lighting systems.

[005] Among the problems that are hindering the adoption of solid state lighting systems, that is, light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems, and especially white light lighting systems, is the question of control of the light level output of LED lighting systems, that is, dimming control, which is much more complex than in the case of conventional lighting systems because of the greater electrical complexity of the LED lighting fixtures. For example, two of the common industry standard methods for dimming control of lighting systems are 0-10V dimmers and the Digital Array Lighting Interface (DALI), both of which provide digital control of the power output of lighting systems. Both of these methods are effective, but require the provision of control wiring separate from the conventional AC power lines. The addition of 0- 0V dimmers or DALI to a lighting installation thus generally requires the retrofitting of any proposed installation site with the necessary control wiring, which typically requires ripping out existing wiring and the addition of new control wiring. The addition of convention dimming controls, such as 0-10V dimmers or DALI to a lighting installation thereby often imposes significant additional costs as well as additional time to accomplish the installation of the control wiring and controls.

[006] There are existing dimming technologies used for traditional lighting sources which do not require extra communication wires. While there are many, two of the most popular are TRIAC (triode for alternating current) dimmer and Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) dimming. Both "phase chop" the AC signal, making less AC power available forthe traditional light sources, hence causing the traditional light sources to provide less light output. These dimming technologies have been adapted to solid state lighting fixtures, however, since they are analog in nature, they are not an ideal solution due to the strictly digital nature of LEDs. There are two distinct disadvantages to incorporating TRIAC or ELV on the LED fixture. For example, there is an added cost associated with adding analog circuitry in order to transmit TRIAC or ELV dimming signals over a power line and to convert the analog signals to digital signals suitable for controlling LED fixtures. In addition, the addition of such specific purpose circuitry commits the LED fixture manufacturer to one technology, thus limiting the ability of the manufacturer to adapt to other dimming technologies that may be required in different applications and installations.

[007] The present invention provides a solution to the above noted as well as other related problems associated with the prior art.

[008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[009] The present invention is directed to a powerline communication control system for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting unit comprised of one or more white or red, green and blue LEDs, or combinations thereof, and the associated circuitry for controlling the light outputs of the LEDs of the fixture.

[010] A powerline communication control unit of the present invention includes a master controller that includes a lighting control command processor for receiving a lighting unit control input from a lighting controller and generating corresponding lighting unit command outputs in a lighting system command format and a power distribution system interface connected to a power distribution system for superimposing the lighting unit command outputs onto the power distribution system and a power signal present thereon as a lighting command signal according to a lighting unit command transmission mode.

[011] The system further includes at least one lighting slave unit including at least one LED lighting unit, a command receiving interface connected from the power distribution system for receiving the lighting command signal, separating the lighting command signal from the power signal and generating corresponding slave control commands, a slave control processor for converting the received slave control commands into lighting unit control commands, and a lighting unit interface for providing the lighting unit control commands to the at least one lighting unit to control the at least one lighting unit.

[012] In one embodiment of the present invention, each master controller includes:

for each lighting controller, a corresponding lighting control conversion circuit for converting control inputs from a corresponding lighting controller into corresponding command inputs to the microprocessor.

[013] In another embodiment of the present invention, a master controller includes:

a lighting controller and a lighting control conversion circuit for converting control inputs from the lighting controller into the command inputs to the microprocessor.

[014] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[015] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[016] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a powerline communication control system for

LED lighting fixtures;

[017] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a master controller of a powerline communication control system for LED lighting fixtures;

[018] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a slave LED lighting fixture unit of a powerline communication control system for LED lighting fixtures; and

[019] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an alternate embodiment of a powerline communication control system for LED lighting fixtures.

[020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[021] Referring to Fig. 1 , a block diagram of a powerline communication control system 10 for LED lighting fixtures is shown therein. As illustrated, a powerline communication control system 10 of the present invention includes a conventional power distribution system 12, such as a 117 volt AC network, at least one master controller 14 and one or more LED fixture slave units 16 (three of which are diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 but it is to be appreciated that the amount of the slave units 16 can vary depending upon the particular application). The control output 14A, from each master controller 14, is connected via the power distribution system 12, so as supply a separate control input to at least one, and more preferably a plurality, of the slave unit 16

[022] Referring first to an exemplary master controller 14 is coupled to one or more conventional dimmer controllers 18 (four of which are diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 but it is to be appreciated that the amount of the dimmer controllers 18 can vary depending upon the particular application). Each master controller 14 receives one or more dimmer control inputs 18A from one or more of the conventional dimmer controllers 18. It is to be appreciated that the dimmer controller 18 may include, for example, a Digital Multiplex (DMX) controller(s), a 0- 10VDimmer(s), a TRIAC dimmer(s) or an Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) Dimmer(s) and the dimmer control inputs 18A are conventional, standard output control signals of the corresponding types of dimmer controllers 18.

[023] The master controller 14, upon receipt of the dimmer control inputs 18A, first converts the conventional, standard control input or inputs 18A from the one or more master controllers 18 into corresponding powerline control signals 14A. Next, the master controller 14 imposes the powerline control signals 14A onto the wiring of the power distribution system 12, together with the conventional power signal 12P present on power distribution system 12, and also transmits the powerline control signals 14A through the power distribution system 12 to each one of the slave units 16. In a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the powerline control signals 14A may be, for example, in the form of a frequency shift keyed signal (FSK), a differential frequency signal (DFSK) or a differential phase shift keyed signal (DPSK). The command code format of the powerline control signals 14A may, for example, be that of a commercially available controller format or a version thereof modified for the specific needs of a powerline communication control system 10 or may be designed specific for the powerline communication control system 10.

[024] According to the present invention, the powerline control signal 14A may be in the form of broadcast commands to all of the slave units 16 connected with the power distribution system 12, so that all slave units 16 are controlled concurrently and in parallel with one another. Alternately, the powerline control signals 14A may be specifically addressed to an individual slave unit 16, or to groups of the slave units 16, thereby allowing individualized control of one or more of the slave units 16 of the powerline communication control system 10. [025] Next referring to an exemplary slave unit 16, as illustrated in Fig. 1 , the slave unit 16 includes one or more LED lighting units 6L (only three of which are diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 but it is to be appreciated that the amount of the LED lighting units 16L can vary depending upon the particular application) and a communication and power supply node 16A. As indicated, each communication and power supply node 16A has a power and control input 16B which is connected with the power distribution system 12 in order to receive both the powerline control signals 14A and the power signal 12P from the power distribution system 12. As indicated in Fig. 1 , the communication and power supply node 16A, of each slave unit 16, initially separates the received powerline control signals 14A from the received power signal 12P, and then generates a DC power output 16P from the power signal 12P, and then supplies the generated DC power signal 16P to the lighting units 16L in order to power the lighting units 16L as controlled by the master controller 14. The communication and power supply node 16A, of each slave unit 16, also decodes the received powerline control signals 14A and, in turn, then generates corresponding lighting control commands 16C and subsequently supplies the control commands 16C to the lighting units16L so as to control the operation of the lighting units 16L.

[026] Referring next to Figs. 2 and 3, more detailed block diagrams of both the master controller 14 and the slave unit 16, according to the present invention, are respectively shown therein. As illustrated in Fig. 2, each master controller 14 includes one or more dimmer control conversion circuits 14B for converting the control inputs 18A, from the corresponding dimmer controllers 18, into the corresponding dimmer command inputs 14C to a microprocessor 14D which, under control of at least one program(s) residing in a resident memory (not shown for purposes of clarity) to generate the corresponding powerline control signals 14A, which are then superimposed onto the wires of the power distribution system 12 and the power signal 12P present thereon by a powerline interface 14E for transmission of the slave units 16. As indicated, each master controller 14 will also include other necessary circuitry, such as a power supply 14F for receiving electrical power from the power distribution system 12.

[027] Referring to Fig. 3, the power and control input 16B of each communication and power supply node 16A of each slave unit 16 includes a control input 16BA, connected to the power distribution system 12 and to the input of a communication interface 16B which receives the powerline control signals 14A and the power signal 12P from the power distribution system 12, separates the powerline control signals 14Afrom the power signal 12P, and provides corresponding control signals 14A to an input of a slave control microprocessor 16D. The slave control microprocessor 16D, operating under control of at least one program(s) residing in a memory (not shown for purposes of clarity), in turn, decodes control signals 14A and generates corresponding slave control signals 16E, which are converted into corresponding analog or digital lighting control commands 16C, by a fixture interface 16F, and then communicated to each one of the lighting units 16L.

[028] A power input 16BP is likewise connected to the power distribution system

12 to receive the power signal 12 with the superimposed powerline control signals 14A and is connected to the input of a power supply 16G which, in turn, generates DC power outputs 16P which are supplied to the circuits of the communication and power supply node 16Aand eventually to the lighting units 16L of the slave unit 16.

[029] Lastly referring to Fig.4, a block diagram of an alternate embodiment of the powerline communication control system 10, according to the present invention, is shown therein. This embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is generally similar to the embodiments of a powerline communication control system 10 as illustrated in Figs. 1 , 2 and 3. However, according to this embodiment, the dimmer controllers 18 and the dimmer control inputs 18A are replaced with a human interface controller 20 for generating human interface control inputs 20A. It is to be appreciated that the control inputs 20A may be generated under the control of, for example, a knob, a slider, a keypad or some other conventional direct human input control device, thereby allowing direct human control of the slave units 16 without the associated intervention and cost of standardized, conventional dimmer controls 18.

[030] While Figs. 1 and 2 generally show use of a hard wire connection for coupling the standardized, conventional dimmer control 18 to the dimmer control conversion circuit 14B of the master controller 14 for supplying an input thereto, it is to be appreciated that such input signals can be supplied from the dimmer control 18 to the respective dimmer control conversion circuit 14B via either a conventional wireless connection or via a conventional ethernet connection. As such arrangements are conventional and well known in the art, a further detailed description concerning the same is not provided.

[031] It will be recognized with regard to the above descriptions of possible implementations of the powerline communication control system, according to the present invention that certain changes may be made in the above described improved powerline communication control system, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein involved. For example, while a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is described and discussed in detail herein above, it must be recognized that different circumstances, other features or combinations of features described herein above may comprise a preferred embodiment other than the exemplary presently preferred embodiment described herein above. It is therefore intended that all of the subject matter of the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted merely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.

Claims

Wherefore, l/we claim:

1. A powerline communication control system for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting unit, the powerline communication control system comprising:

a master controller including:

a lighting control command processorfor receiving a lighting unit control input from at least one lighting controller and for generating corresponding lighting unit command outputs in a lighting system command format; and

a power distribution system interface connected to a power distribution system for superimposing the lighting unit command outputs onto the power distribution system and a power signal present thereon as a lighting command signal according to a lighting unit command transmission mode, and

at least one lighting slave unit including:

at least one LED lighting unit,

a command receiving interface connected to the power distribution system for receiving the lighting command signal, separating the lighting command signal from the power signal, and generating corresponding slave control commands, a slave control processor for converting the received slave control commands into lighting unit control commands, and

a lighting unit interface for providing the lighting unit control commands to the at least one lighting unit to control the at least one lighting unit.

2. The powerline communication control system for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein each master controller includes:

3. The powerline communication control system for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the master controller includes:

a lighting controller, and

a lighting control conversion circuit for converting control inputs from the lighting controller into the command inputs to the microprocessor.

4. The powerline communication control system for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the power distribution system is selected from the group consisting of as a 117 volt AC line, a 230 volt AC line, a 100 volt AC line, a 277 volt AC line and a 347 volt AC line.

5. The powerline communication control system for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one dimmer controller is coupled to the exemplary master controller for supplying at least one dimmer control input thereto.

6. The powerline communication control system for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting unit according to claim 5, wherein the at least one dimmer controller is selected from the group consisting of a dimmer controller Digital Multiplex (DMX) controller, a 0-10V dimmer, a TRIAC dimmer and an Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) dimmer.