Load access control system, method, surge current control device, program product, electronic device

Abstract

This application provides a load access control system, a load access control method, a surge current control device, and a program product. The load access control system includes: a pre-charging module connected in parallel with a switching module for controlling the on / off state of a load module; a controller electrically connected to the pre-charging module and the switching module, configured to control the switching module upon receiving a load connection command, including: when the load module is a capacitive load, the controller first controls the pre-charging module to operate in charging mode to charge the load module, and then controls the switching module to connect the load module; when the load module is a non-capacitive load, the controller directly controls the switching module to connect the load module; and a data acquisition module, used to acquire electrical signals at the input terminal of the load module during the process of the pre-charging module transmitting current to the load module, and transmit the acquired electrical signals to the controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to electrical systems, and more specifically, to embodiments thereof and techniques for controlling surge currents generated during the switching-on process of an electrical system load based on load characteristics. Background Technology

[0002] In applications such as smart home lighting systems, mechanical relays are widely used for on / off control of various lighting loads due to their advantages such as low cost and good electrical isolation performance. With the popularization of modern lighting equipment, especially LED lamps, large-capacity filter capacitors are usually connected in parallel at the input of their driver power supply.

[0003] Figure 1 A simplified diagram illustrating the structure of a lighting system is provided. Figure 1 As shown, AC power (e.g., 220V AC mains power) is transmitted to the load's drive power supply 12 via a mechanical relay 10, and then rectified by the drive power supply 12 before being output to the LED lighting system 14. The input terminal of the drive power supply 12 is typically equipped with a large-capacity electrolytic capacitor 122 to smooth voltage fluctuations. When the switch module 10 is closed, the voltage across the capacitor 122 is zero, and it is in a near-short-circuit state. At this time, the huge voltage difference applied by the 220V mains will instantaneously charge the capacitor 122, thereby generating a surge current with an extremely short duration (microseconds to milliseconds) but extremely high amplitude at the instant the switch module 10 is closed. This surge current peak value can reach tens of times the rated operating current (e.g., over 100A), directly impacting the contacts of the switch module 10, causing arcing, material welding, or electrolytic corrosion between the contacts. Long-term repeated impacts can easily cause arc erosion, welding adhesion, or even burning damage to the contact materials, causing the electrical life of the relay to drop sharply from the theoretical design value (such as 100,000 operations) to several thousand operations or even lower, which seriously restricts the reliability and maintenance cycle of the system.

[0004] To address the aforementioned surge current issue, the industry has proposed various suppression solutions. For example, using a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor in series in the circuit leverages its high resistance in a cold state to limit the starting current. However, in frequent switching scenarios, the NTC thermistor maintains a low resistance state due to its own heating, resulting in a long cold recovery time and unstable current limiting effect, making it difficult to meet the protection requirements under repeated operation conditions. Another approach is to set up an RC snubber circuit in parallel across the relay contacts. This method primarily suppresses the voltage spikes generated when the contacts break, offering very limited suppression of the surge current amplitude at the moment of closure. Yet another approach is to replace mechanical relays with solid-state relays, achieving contactless switching control, but this significantly increases manufacturing costs and introduces substantial leakage current, making it difficult to meet the dual requirements of low power consumption and high reliability in hotel lighting control systems. Furthermore, while a simple pre-charge resistor solution can reduce the starting current to some extent, its fixed parameters cannot adaptively adjust to the differentiated surge characteristics exhibited by different types and power lamps, resulting in poor versatility and limited engineering applicability.

[0005] In view of this, it is necessary to improve the relevant technologies in order to at least reduce the impact of surges on switches. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a load access control system, comprising a pre-charging module connected in parallel with a switching module for controlling the on / off state of a load module, wherein both the switching module and the pre-charging module are connected in series between the power supply and the load module; a controller electrically connected to the pre-charging module and the switching module, configured to control the switching module upon receiving a load connection command, including: when the load module is a capacitive load, the controller first controls the pre-charging module to operate in charging mode to charge the load module, and then controls the switching module to connect the load module; when the load module is a non-capacitive load, the controller directly controls the switching module to connect the load module; and a data acquisition module for acquiring electrical signals at the input terminal of the load module during the current transmission process from the pre-charging module to the load module, and transmitting the acquired electrical signals to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to control the switching module to connect when it is determined, based on the electrical signals, that the voltage at the load input terminal meets a preset condition.

[0007] Optionally or additionally, the load access control system may include one or both of the following: the voltage in the electrical signal rises to a preset voltage threshold, the preset voltage threshold being less than the start-up voltage of the load module; the instantaneous rate of change of the voltage in the electrical signal is less than a preset rate of change threshold.

[0008] Optionally or additionally, in this load access control system, the controller is configured such that: if the voltage in the electrical signal does not meet the preset condition within a preset time period from the start of the pre-charging module operating in the charging mode, the controller controls the switching module to connect the load module.

[0009] Optionally or additionally, in this load access control system, the controller is configured to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load by controlling the pre-charging module to operate in a detection mode. In the detection mode, the pre-charging module is configured to apply a detection current to the load module; and the controller is configured to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load based on the electrical characteristic parameters of the output electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module.

[0010] Optionally or additionally, in this load access control system, the controller is configured to perform one or more of the following operations: each time the load connection command is received, the pre-charge module is put into a detection mode; when the load module is first controlled, the pre-charge module is put into a detection mode; when the load module is updated, the pre-charge module is put into a detection mode; and the pre-charge module is put into a detection mode periodically.

[0011] Optionally or additionally, in this load access control system, the controller is configured to terminate the detection mode of the pre-charge module when the detection termination condition is met. The termination condition includes any one of the following: the voltage change rate is less than the termination threshold and has lasted for N sampling cycles; the duration of the detection mode reaches a preset safe time threshold; the load voltage of the load module in the detection mode is momentarily greater than the voltage safe threshold.

[0012] Optionally or additionally, in this load access control system, the electrical characteristic parameters include the voltage change rate of the load module, and the controller is configured to compare the voltage change rate with a load determination threshold, and determine that the load module is a capacitive load when the load determination threshold is less than the load determination threshold.

[0013] Optionally or additionally, in this load access control system, the controller is further configured to determine the surge impact level of the load module based on the voltage change rate in the detection mode; wherein the surge impact level includes multiple preset levels, and the smaller the voltage change rate, the higher the corresponding surge impact level. Further, the controller is further configured to determine the range of the charging current to be output by the pre-charging module based on the determined surge impact level.

[0014] Optionally or additionally, in the load access control system, the pre-charging module includes a switching element and a current-limiting element connected in series. When the switching element is turned on, the current-limiting element limits the current amplitude flowing through the pre-charging module.

[0015] Optionally or additionally, in this load access control system, the pre-charging module further includes a second charging branch connected in parallel with the first charging branch formed by the switching element and the current limiting element. The controller is configured to, when the pre-charging module is operating in charging mode, first control the first charging branch to be turned on for initial charging, and then control the second charging branch to be turned on for subsequent charging, wherein the charging current of the subsequent charging is greater than the charging current of the initial charging. As an example, the second charging branch includes an auxiliary switching element, which is a relay or a semiconductor switching device.

[0016] This application also provides a load access control method applied to a load access control system. The system includes a pre-charging module, a switching module, and a data acquisition module. The switching module and the pre-charging module are both connected in series between the power supply and the load module, and the pre-charging module and the switching module are connected in parallel. The method may include: in response to a load connection command, determining whether the load module is a capacitive load or a non-capacitive load; when the load module is determined to be a capacitive load, first controlling the pre-charging module to operate in charging mode to charge the load module, and then controlling the switching module to connect the load module; when the load module is determined to be a non-capacitive load, directly controlling the switching module to connect the load module; and when the input voltage of the load module meets a preset condition based on an electrical signal, controlling the switching module to connect the load module, wherein the electrical signal is obtained by the data acquisition module acquiring the input signal of the load module connected to the output terminal of the pre-charging module.

[0017] This application also provides a surge current control device, comprising: a pre-charging module configured to be connected in parallel with a switching module of the load system after the surge current control device is connected to the load system, thereby being connected in series with the switching module between the power supply and the load module of the load system; a data acquisition module configured to acquire electrical signals at the input terminal of the load module during the process of the pre-charging module transmitting current to the load module after the surge current control device is connected to the load system; and a controller configured to determine whether the input voltage at the input terminal of the load module meets a preset condition based on the output electrical signal acquired by the data acquisition module after the surge current control device is connected to the load system, and if so, output a connection control signal to the load system.

[0018] This application also provides an electronic device including a memory for storing instructions and a processor, which, in executing the instructions, can implement any of the methods described herein.

[0019] This application also provides a program product comprising program instructions that, when executed by, for example, a processor, can implement any of the methods described herein.

[0020] This application also provides an electrical control system, which includes the load access control system described herein. This electrical control system includes, but is not limited to, building lighting control systems, commercial lighting systems, smart home systems, and building automation systems. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 A simplified schematic diagram of a conventional lighting system is shown.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the load access control system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 3 This illustrates the self-learning process based on some examples applied for by the user.

[0024] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the structure of a pre-charging module according to some embodiments of this application.

[0025] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the structure of a pre-charging module according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical control structure of an LED lighting system according to the example in this application.

[0027] Figure 7 According to the embodiments of this application, Figure 6 The diagram shows the process of implementing control in the system.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical control structure of an LED lighting system according to yet another example of this application.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of a surge current control method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the surge current control device according to some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following detailed description is exemplary only and is not intended to limit the disclosed technology or its application and use. Furthermore, the following detailed description is not bound by any express or implied theory presented in the foregoing technical field, background art, or the following detailed description.

[0032] The following detailed description elucidates many specific details to facilitate a more thorough understanding of the disclosed techniques. However, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can practice the disclosed techniques without these specific details.

[0033] Terms such as "comprising" and "including" indicate that, in addition to the units and steps that are directly and explicitly described in the specification, the technical solution of this application does not exclude the presence of other units and steps that are not directly or explicitly described. Terms such as "first" and "second" do not indicate the order of the units in terms of time, space, size, etc., but are merely used to distinguish the units.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the load access control system according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the control system includes a controller 20, a pre-charge module 22, and a data acquisition module 26.

[0035] The pre-charge module 22 is connected in parallel with the switch module 30, which controls the on / off state of the load module 34. Both the pre-charge module 20 and the switch module 30 are connected in series between the power supply and the load module 34. In the example provided, the power supply (e.g., 220V AC mains) supplies power to the load module 34 when the switch module 30 is turned on, forming a power supply circuit for the load module 34. This power supply circuit based on the switch module 30 is the main path for the load module 34. For example, the switch module 30 can be a relay, such as a mechanical relay, or it can be a solid-state relay or other components that can be used to switch power on and off. The load module 34 can be a lighting system, such as an LED lighting system, or other electrical loads.

[0036] Controller 20 is electrically connected to precharge module 22 and switch module 30 to control them. Controller 20 is configured to control switch module 30 based on the characteristics of load module 34 upon receiving a load-on command. The characteristics of load module 34 refer to whether it is a capacitive load (hereinafter referred to as a capacitive load) or a non-capacitive load (hereinafter referred to as a non-capacitive load). Specifically, when load module 34 is a capacitive load, controller 20 does not directly turn on switch module 30. Instead, it first controls precharge module 22 to conduct, charging load module 34 through its charging mode; then, it controls switch module 30 to turn on, thereby establishing the main circuit, and load module 34 receives power transmitted via switch module 30. When load module 34 is a non-capacitive load, in response to the load-on command, controller 20 controls switch module 30 to turn on without enabling precharge module 30; that is, precharge module 30 may not enter the operating state.

[0037] The acquisition module 26 is electrically connected to the controller 20 and is used to acquire the electrical signal at the input terminal of the load module 34 during the process of the pre-charge module 22 transmitting current to the load module 34, and to transmit the acquired electrical signal to the controller 20. According to the example of this application, the output terminal of the pre-charge module 22 is connected to the input terminal of the load module 34. In the examples below, the electrical signal at the input terminal of the load module 34 is also referred to as the output electrical signal of the pre-charge module. It should be noted that this does not limit the acquisition point of the acquisition module 26 to be located at the output terminal or inside the pre-charge module 22; rather, for ease of description, the electrical state at the input terminal of the load module 34 is also described as the "output electrical signal of the pre-charge module" or a similar term. In fact, the sampling module 26 samples the real-time voltage and / or current signal at the input terminal of the load module 34, which reflects the electrical changes in the pre-charge module 22 during the process of transmitting electrical energy to the load module 34 via its connection path. Those skilled in the art should understand that even if there are intermediate impedance elements (such as current-limiting resistors or sampling resistors), the electrical signal at the input terminal of the load module 34 acquired by the acquisition module 26 is different from the electrical signal at the output terminal of the pre-charging module 22 at physical nodes. However, for the sake of simplicity of description and consistency of technical essence, unless otherwise specified, in this application, the "output electrical signal of the pre-charging module" or similar expressions refer to the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module 26 at the input terminal of the load module 34.

[0038] In this example, when the pre-charge module is in charging mode, the acquisition module 26 can acquire the electrical signal at the input terminal of the load module (also referred to as the pre-charge module output electrical signal, or simply the output electrical signal). In more examples described below, the acquisition module 26 can also acquire the output electrical signal of the pre-charge module 22 when it is in probe mode. As an example, the acquisition module 26 includes a voltage acquisition circuit for acquiring voltage signals. Alternatively or supplementarily, the acquisition module 26 may also include a current acquisition circuit for acquiring current signals. As an example, the acquisition can be continuous or periodic according to a preset sampling period; this application does not limit this.

[0039] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, controller 22 is configured to determine whether the input voltage of the load module meets a preset condition based on the output electrical signal acquired by acquisition module 26. When the input voltage meets the preset condition, controller 22 controls switch module 30 to turn on, so as to supply power to load module 34 through the main path.

[0040] For example, Figure 2 In the load access control system shown, when the load module 34 is a capacitive load, the pre-charging module 22 first charges the capacitor portion of the load module 34 (e.g., the capacitor at the input of the load module drive circuit), causing the voltage across the capacitor to rise to a certain level before the switch module 30 is closed. This reduces the voltage difference between the input and output terminals of the switch module 30 when it is turned on, thereby suppressing the inrush current generated when the switch module 30 is closed.

[0041] Continue to refer to Figure 2 In some examples, controller 20 determines whether load module 34 is a capacitive or non-capacitive load based on data stored in the load access control system indicating the characteristics of load module 34. The data indicating the characteristics of load module 34 can be pre-stored, for example, when it is determined that the load to which the load access control system will connect is a capacitive load, data indicating that it is a capacitive load is pre-stored. Alternatively, the data indicating the characteristics of load module 34 is determined and stored by the load access control system. For example, when the load access control system first controls load module 34, it can detect and store the characteristics of load model 34 for subsequent use. Examples of detecting the characteristics of load model 34 will be given below. However, the examples provided in this application are merely illustrative and not limiting, and all methods that enable controller 20 to learn about load module 34 should be covered by this application.

[0042] Regarding preset conditions, as an example, they may include one or both of a first preset condition and a second preset condition.

[0043] The first preset condition includes the input voltage of the load module (i.e., the voltage in the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module) rising to a preset voltage threshold. This preset voltage threshold is less than the startup voltage of the load module 34, thereby preventing the load module from starting during the charging phase, for example, preventing the LED lighting system from lighting up during charging. As an example, the preset voltage threshold is a voltage value within the range of 30% to 70% of the rated voltage. By setting the preset voltage threshold to be less than the load module startup voltage, it is ensured that the load module will not enter the operating state during the pre-charging module's charging process. This ensures that the load module, and more specifically, the capacitor voltage in the drive circuit of the load module 34, receives a sufficient voltage rise (significantly reducing surges) before the switching module is turned on, while also preserving sufficient safety margin for the load module. The second preset condition may include the instantaneous rate of change (i.e., dV / dt) of the load module's input voltage being less than a preset rate of change threshold. The second preset condition is intended to ensure that the charging process of the load module 34 has essentially ended and the voltage has reached a stable state. If the voltage value meets the standard (i.e., the voltage value reaches the preset voltage threshold) but the voltage is still rising rapidly, it means that the capacitor is still absorbing a large charging current. At this time, the conducting switch module 30 will still generate a surge impact that cannot be ignored.

[0044] In the example of this application, the preset conditions include both a first preset condition and a second preset condition. This ensures that the voltage across the load module has risen to a level sufficient to significantly reduce surges before the switching module is turned on (corresponding to the first preset condition), and also confirms that this voltage level is continuously stable rather than a momentary overshoot (corresponding to the second preset condition). Thus, the voltage difference across the switching module 30 is extremely small at the moment of closing, and the surge current can be suppressed to a relatively low value, such as the theoretical minimum value. Furthermore, the dual verification mechanism, including both the first and second preset conditions, effectively avoids misjudgments caused by instantaneous voltage fluctuations or sampling noise, further improving the robustness and reliability of the system.

[0045] In a further example, the controller 20 is also configured to, within a preset time period from the start of the pre-charging module 22 operating in charging mode, if the input voltage of the load module 34 consistently fails to meet a preset condition, the controller 20 controls the switch module 30 to forcibly connect the load module 34. This prevents the system from continuously being in a pre-charging state due to abnormal load, thereby ensuring that the load module can be powered on and operated in response to a user's connection command. Optionally, simultaneously with or after forced connection, the controller 20 can also control the pre-charging module 22 to stop conducting or operate at extremely low power to prevent the pre-charging circuit from conducting for a long time, causing unnecessary impact on the main path where the switch module 30 is located, or its own circuit from overheating and being damaged due to continuous power supply. Through the above-mentioned timeout protection mechanism, this embodiment further improves the system's safety, reliability, and user experience while ensuring surge suppression.

[0046] In some examples of this application, the pre-charge module 22 includes current-limiting elements and switching elements. The current-limiting element is, for example, a current-limiting resistor, and the switching element is, for example, a MOSFET or IGBT. The current-limiting element and the switching element are connected in series to form the pre-charge module. Alternatively, the pre-charge module 22 can also use a linear current-limiting chip. Or, the pre-charge module 22 can employ a combination of the above methods, with the current-limiting chip and the switching element constituting the pre-charge module 22. For example, these current-limiting elements are turned on or off under the control of the controller 20. When the current-limiting elements are on, they limit the current amplitude flowing through the pre-charge module 22 to achieve controlled pre-charging of the load module 34.

[0047] In other examples of this application, the pre-charging module 22 can also be implemented by connecting an auxiliary switching module (e.g., an auxiliary relay) and a current-limiting element (e.g., a resistor) in series. In this implementation, the controller 20 first controls the auxiliary switching module to turn on, pre-charging the capacitor portion of the load module 34 via the current-limiting element; after pre-charging is complete, the controller 20 controls the switching module 30 to turn on the load module 34; subsequently, the controller 20 controls the auxiliary switching module to turn off. This implementation can also effectively suppress surge current and has a natural isolation advantage in high-voltage and high-current scenarios, making it suitable for applications with high electrical isolation requirements.

[0048] According to some embodiments of this application, the controller 20 is configured to determine whether the load module 34 is a capacitive load by controlling the pre-charge module 22 to operate in a detection mode. In detection mode, the pre-charge module 22 applies a weak detection current to the load module 34, and the controller 20 is configured to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load based on the electrical characteristic parameters of the output electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module 26. Specifically, the pre-charge module 22 outputs a detection current, and the acquisition module 26 acquires the response signal of the load module 34 to the detection current. According to the example of this application, the detection current is much smaller than the current when the load module 34 is operating, for example, a value between 0.1% and 1% of the rated current, the magnitude of which is sufficient to ensure that the load module 34 produces a response signal that the acquisition module 26 can acquire to the detection current. The electrical characteristic parameters of the load module 34 are, for example, the impedance characteristics under a weak detection current, and may include characteristic parameters such as the voltage change rate dV / dt (also known as the voltage rise slope), impedance change rate, and charging time obtained based on this analysis. The controller 20 can determine whether the load module 34 is a capacitive load or a non-capacitive load based on the above characteristic parameters. For example, controller 20 compares the voltage change rate (dV / dt) with a load determination threshold. If the voltage change rate is less than the load determination threshold, the load module 34 is determined to be a capacitive load; if the voltage change rate is greater than the load determination threshold, the load module 34 is determined to be a non-capacitive load. The load determination threshold is a predetermined voltage change rate that indicates the load module exhibits capacitive characteristics. Furthermore, "greater than" can include "equal to," or "less than" can include "equal to," depending on the specific application; this application does not impose any limitations on this. Due to the capacitor charging effect, the voltage of a capacitive load slowly rises from zero under a probe current, resulting in a smaller voltage change rate (dV / dt). In contrast, a non-capacitive load (such as a purely resistive load) experiences a voltage jump to a stable value the instant the probe current is applied, resulting in a larger dV / dt. Therefore, as an example, embodiments of this application distinguish load types by comparing the voltage change rate (dV / dt) with a preset load determination threshold used to determine load characteristics.

[0049] In some examples, the pre-charge module 22 does not need to enter the detection mode every time the switch module is turned on. For example, the controller 20 is configured to control the pre-charge module 22 to operate in detection mode before entering the charging mode when the load module 34 is first controlled by the load access control system, in order to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load. As another example, the controller 20 is configured to control the pre-charge module 22 to operate in detection mode before entering the charging mode when the load module 34 is updated, in order to determine whether the updated load module is a capacitive load; this update could be a replacement or upgrade. Yet another example, the controller 20 is configured to periodically control the pre-charge module 22 to operate in detection mode before entering the charging mode to detect whether the load module is a capacitive load; this periodicity could be a time interval set by time, or it could be based on the number of times the load module 34 is operated, for example, performing a load capacitive confirmation every 100 times the load module is turned on. It should be noted that the above situations can be combined with each other. After the load module 34 is first controlled and after the load module 34 is updated, the control pre-charge module 22 first works in the detection mode before entering the charging mode to determine whether the updated load module is a capacitive load.

[0050] According to an embodiment of this application, by way of example and not limitation, the controller 20 is configured to, upon receiving a load-on command each time, first determine the characteristics of the load module 34, i.e., whether the load module 34 is a capacitive load or a non-capacitive load, by causing the pre-charge module 22 to output a small probe current; and then, in the case of a capacitive load, control the pre-charge module 22 to operate in charging mode.

[0051] Regarding the detection mode, the detection mode can be terminated when the termination condition is met. According to an embodiment of this application, the detection mode can be terminated when its duration reaches a preset safe time threshold. For example, the preset safe time threshold is 5 milliseconds. The duration corresponding to the preset safe time threshold is sufficient for the acquisition module 26 to acquire the response of the load module 34 to the detection current; for example, it is data between 5 and 200 milliseconds. It should be understood that the preset safe time threshold is actually used to limit the detection duration. Alternatively or supplementarily, the detection mode can also be terminated when the voltage change rate is less than the termination threshold and has lasted for N sampling cycles, or when the load voltage of the load module instantaneously exceeds the voltage safe threshold. The termination times of the detection modes described above are merely examples and not limitations.

[0052] In a further example, controller 20 is also configured to determine the surge impact level of load module 34 based on the voltage change rate during detection mode. Surge conditions can be pre-classified into multiple levels. In this classification, the smaller the voltage change rate, the higher the surge impact level.

[0053] For example, and not as a limitation, three surge impact levels can be set: low, medium, and high surge impact levels. At the low surge impact level, the voltage rise rate of the load module 34 receiving the probed current is relatively fast, its equivalent impedance is relatively high, and the expected surge peak is low. At the medium surge impact level, the voltage rise rate of the load module 34 receiving the probed current is at an intermediate level, exhibiting significant capacitive characteristics, and a surge is expected to occur when the switching module is directly turned on. At the high surge impact level, the voltage rise rate of the load module 34 receiving the probed current is slow, its equivalent impedance is relatively low, and a very high peak surge current is expected when the switching module is directly turned on.

[0054] It should be understood that surge impact levels are not limited to the three levels mentioned above; they can be further subdivided, for example, including four or more levels. Furthermore, the classification of surge impact levels can be adjusted according to the actual load conditions. For example, typical hotel lighting systems generally use low-to-medium power LEDs, and their surge impact levels are usually classified as low to medium. In commercial lighting, there are often multiple lights connected in parallel, high-power drives, or centralized power supplies, which may result in high or even ultra-high surge impact levels.

[0055] It should be noted that the application scenario can be used as a reference for classifying levels, but in the embodiments of this application, the classification of surge impact levels is based on the electrical characteristic parameters of the load module obtained by actual detection, rather than a simple fixed classification according to the scenario.

[0056] In some examples of this application, the probe current is a constant current output by the pre-charge module 22. The controller 20 obtains the load voltage change rate dV / dt and equivalent impedance based on the signal sampled by the sampling module 26. Considering that a smaller voltage change rate dV / dt corresponds to a smaller equivalent impedance, indicating a larger equivalent input capacitance, stronger initial charging demand, and higher potential surge risk, and vice versa, the controller 20 can classify surge impact levels based on the voltage change rate dV / dt of the load module 34 within a preset time window.

[0057] The charging strategy of the pre-charge module 20 in the charging mode can be determined based on the surge impact level determined in the detection mode. For example, the range of the charging current to be output by the pre-charge module 20 in the charging mode can be determined.

[0058] For example, a first threshold and a second threshold with a value less than the first threshold are set as surge impact level classification thresholds. When the pre-charging module 22 operates in detection mode, the controller 20 compares the voltage change rate determined by the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module 26 with the surge impact level classification thresholds. Specifically, if the voltage change rate is greater than the first threshold, the load module 34 is determined to correspond to a low surge impact level; if the voltage change rate is less than the first threshold but greater than the second threshold, the load module 34 is determined to correspond to a medium surge impact level; if the voltage change rate is less than the second threshold, the load module 34 is determined to correspond to a high surge impact level. For example, the first threshold can be 2.0 V / ms, and the second threshold can be 0.5 V / ms. It should be noted that the surge impact classification is based on the load characteristics during the detection phase. The slower the voltage change rate and the smaller the equivalent impedance, the higher the surge impact risk when the switching module 30 is turned on.

[0059] The boundary conditions where the voltage change rate equals either the first threshold or the second threshold can be classified into any adjacent interval based on actual application requirements. In one implementation, the case where the voltage change rate equals the first threshold is classified as a low surge impact level, and the case where the voltage change rate equals the second threshold is classified as a medium surge impact level.

[0060] Based on the above classification, corresponding pre-charging strategies can be adopted for different surge impact levels. For example, for low surge impact levels, considering that the voltage of the load module 34 builds up quickly and the equivalent impedance is large during the charging process of the pre-charging module 22, the required pre-charging time is short, so a higher initial charging current range can be used; for medium surge impact levels, considering that the load module 34 has obvious capacitive characteristics and a relatively high surge impact risk, two pre-charging current ranges can be set, first using a smaller pre-charging current range for charging, and then switching to a higher range to increase the charging current; for high surge impact levels, considering that the input capacitance is larger and the surge risk is higher, multiple pre-charging current ranges can be set, similar to the control logic for medium surge impact levels, the charging current is gradually increased from the low level to the high level during the charging process.

[0061] Corresponding to the previous example where the first threshold could be 2.0 V / ms and the second threshold could be 0.5 V / ms, here are some examples of the parameters for the corresponding charging strategy. Under low surge impact levels, the pre-charging current range is, for example, 80mA to 150mA, and the charging time is, for example, 20ms to 80ms; under medium surge impact levels, the first pre-charging current range is 30mA to 80mA, the second pre-charging current range is 80mA to 150mA, and the charging time is, for example, 80ms to 300ms; under high surge impact levels, the first pre-charging current range is 10mA to 30mA, the second pre-charging current range is 30mA to 80mA, the third pre-charging current range is 80mA to 150mA, and the charging time is, for example, 300ms to 500ms.

[0062] It should be noted that the thresholds (2.0V / ms and 0.5V / ms) and the corresponding current and duration values ​​in the above examples are merely examples, and those skilled in the art can flexibly adjust them according to the actual load characteristics, relay selection and system design requirements.

[0063] According to a further embodiment of this application, the controller 20 includes a self-learning module 200, which is configured to perform self-learning based on operational data to optimize the pre-charging strategy of the pre-charging module 22. The operational data includes at least the output electrical signals acquired by the acquisition module 26. In the example of this application, the operational data are electrical signals acquired by the acquisition module within a switching cycle, where a switching cycle refers to the time period from when the controller 20 receives the load connection command to when the switching module completes the connection.

[0064] As an example, self-learning can be performed after each switching cycle. This application does not limit the self-learning time and it can be configured according to the controller. Self-learning can also be performed during the switching cycle, and this application does not restrict this.

[0065] According to the example described herein, at least the electrical signal at the input of the load module 34 can be acquired by the acquisition module 26 to perform self-learning to optimize the pre-charging strategy of the pre-charging module, so as to optimize the subsequent charging process.

[0066] Figure 3 This illustrates the self-learning process based on examples applied for by the user. For example... Figure 3As shown, for a complete switching cycle, i.e., from the time the controller 20 receives the load connection command to the time the controller 20 controls the switching module 30 to conduct. In S300, data acquisition is performed, including collecting data such as the voltage and current of the load module 30 and the switching module's conduction time. The controller 20 can determine the voltage and current based on the output electrical signals collected at each moment, and can also calculate the pre-charging curve, etc. In S302, the data obtained in step S300 is preprocessed, including filtering and normalization. If abnormal sampling data is detected, an anomaly handling stage can be entered (not shown in the figure). In S304, feature extraction is performed on the preprocessed data to obtain feature data such as peak current, charging time, voltage change rate, and impedance estimation. In S306, feature evaluation is performed, including comparing the extracted feature data with historical feature data to identify whether the load characteristics have changed and to evaluate the adaptation effect of the current pre-charging strategy, such as whether the current charging strategy is better. In step S308, quantitative confidence assessment and residual analysis are performed, including comprehensive analysis of noise and curve deviation in the sampled signal to calculate the confidence level of the current feature data. Typically, after confidence assessment, feature data with insufficient confidence can be discarded. For feature data with sufficient confidence, in S310, feature updates are performed based on the feature data with sufficient confidence. This includes updating data in the self-learning database such as charging current, charging time, and voltage change rate threshold, and may also include updating the feature matrix. In S312, an optimized charging strategy for the next switching cycle is generated.

[0067] Figure 3 The self-learning process shown can be a post-hoc iterative optimization mechanism after a single switching cycle is completed. During each complete power-on switching cycle of a relay-based switching module, full-process data is collected. Only when the sampling is normal and the sample confidence level meets the threshold condition can the load feature matrix and pre-charge control parameters be updated using the characteristics of this operation. If the sampling is abnormal or the sample confidence level is insufficient, the data for this operation is discarded, and the control strategy is not updated to avoid parameter drift caused by interference or abnormal operating conditions. The self-learning process can optimize the pre-charge current level and charging time parameters corresponding to each surge impact level; in some implementations, iterative optimization of the voltage change rate grading threshold can also be based on long-term accumulated samples.

[0068] In a further example, the operational data also includes data collected by the main path acquisition module on the load module's operation after the switch module is turned on. The main path acquisition module may include a voltage acquisition circuit, a current acquisition circuit, and a temperature sensor to collect load voltage, load current, and load temperature, respectively. The operational data may be one or more of the load voltage, load current, and load temperature. That is, the data used for self-learning may also include relevant data from the load module 34 after the switch module 30 is turned on. For example, the load voltage, current, temperature, and other characteristics after the switch module 30 is turned on can be collected by a main path acquisition module (not shown) located between the switch module 30 and the load module 34. This data, or operating curves or other data calculated from this data, can be used for the self-learning module's learning. By way of example, and not limitation, the main path acquisition module may reuse existing temperature, voltage, and current acquisition components in the electrical control system employing this load access control system.

[0069] Figure 4 A structural diagram of a pre-charge module according to some embodiments of this application is shown. The pre-charge module includes a switching element 50 and a current-limiting element 52 connected in series. When the switching element 50 is turned on, the current-limiting element 52 limits the current amplitude flowing through the pre-charge module. The switching element 50 is, for example, a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). Alternatively, the switching element 50 may also be an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or other devices that can cooperate with the current-limiting element 52 to achieve the function of the pre-charge module in the embodiments of this application. The current-limiting element 52 may be a linear current-limiting device, such as a power resistor or a wire-wound resistor.

[0070] Figure 2 The pre-charge module 22 in the middle can be adopted Figure 4 The pre-charge module is shown. Also refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 5 The controller 20 outputs a control signal to the pre-charge module 22, which acts on the switching element 50. The controller 20 can drive the switching element 50 using PWM control, constant current control, or voltage slope control, thereby performing soft-start charging on the load module 34. The controller 20 can adaptively adjust the pre-charge current, pre-charge time, and voltage rise rate based on the identified load module characteristics, as described above. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As described, the current limiting element 52 provides an upper limit constraint on the current, and the controller 20 achieves fine pre-charge regulation by dynamically adjusting the switching element 50. Together, they suppress surge impacts generated during the load power-on phase.

[0071] Figure 5This diagram illustrates the structure of a pre-charging module according to some embodiments of the present application. Figure 4 Compared to the pre-charge module shown, this pre-charge module includes a second charging branch 600 connected in parallel with the first charging branch 500 formed by the switching element 50 and the current limiting element 52. When using... Figure 5 In the example of the pre-charge module shown, the controller is configured such that when the pre-charge module is operating in charging mode, i.e., when the pre-charge module is pre-charging the load module, it first controls the first charging branch to be turned on for initial charging, and then controls the second charging branch to be turned on for subsequent charging. The charging current of the subsequent charging is greater than the charging current of the initial charging. In other words, when using... Figure 5 In the example of the pre-charging module shown, the controller can implement staggered timing control for the two charging branches of the pre-charging module.

[0072] Figure 2 The pre-charge module 22 in the middle can be adopted Figure 5 The pre-charge module is shown. Also refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 5 When the controller 20 determines that the load module 34 is a capacitive load, it first controls the first charging branch of the pre-charging module to be turned on to enter the initial charging stage. In this stage, the first charging branch performs initial charging of the load module 34 with a small charging current to avoid large surges. During the initial charging stage, a preset time is implemented so that the terminal voltage of the load module 34 reaches a certain value, such as 30% to 70% of the rated voltage of the load. Then, the controller 20 controls the second charging branch to be turned on, and continues to charge the load module 34 through it, further reducing the surge impact that the switching module 30 may suffer when it is turned on.

[0073] As an example, when the second charging branch is turned on, the controller 20 can turn off the first charging branch or make it operate at extremely low power.

[0074] Due to the current-limiting characteristics of the first charging branch 500, the capacitor portion of the load module 34 cannot be charged to near its rated voltage using only the first charging branch. A certain voltage difference still exists on the load side. If the switching module 30 is directly turned on at this time, the switching module 30 corresponding to the high-power load will still be subjected to a large surge impact. The second charging branch 600 can be considered an auxiliary switch for the switching module 30, which can further increase the load voltage, reduce the voltage difference, and reduce the impact risk that the switching module 30 will experience when it closes. As an example, the second charging branch can be implemented using a relay.

[0075] In various embodiments of this application, the controller may be a microcontroller (MCU), digital signal processor (DSP), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), system-on-a-chip (SoC), or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); in addition, other processing chips, programmable logic devices, or processing devices with logic operation, signal acquisition, and timing control capabilities may also be used, and this application does not limit them.

[0076] In this embodiment, the sampling module may include a voltage sampling circuit and a current sampling circuit. The voltage sampling circuit may employ at least one of a resistor voltage divider circuit, an isolation amplifier circuit, and an optocoupler voltage sampling circuit; the current sampling circuit may employ at least one of a shunt resistor, a Hall current sensor, a current transformer, and an isolation amplifier circuit. It should be noted that the above sampling methods are merely illustrative examples, and any conventional sampling circuit capable of acquiring voltage and current signals can be applied to this application; this application does not impose a unique limitation.

[0077] The self-learning module configured in the controller can employ moving average, exponential smoothing, clustering, classification, or other statistical / machine learning self-learning algorithms. It should be noted that the self-learning algorithm can be implemented as a software module by program instructions and configured into the controller as a self-learning module. Furthermore, the self-learning algorithm implemented by program instructions is stored in memory and executed by the controller to achieve the self-learning function. For example, the controller 20 may include memory and a processor; the memory stores program instructions for implementing the self-learning process, and the processor executes these instructions to achieve the self-learning process.

[0078] In addition, the various types of data collected by the acquisition module can be stored as load data in the controller's memory (such as flash), or stored in external memory, or synchronized to the host computer and the cloud via the communication port.

[0079] In the examples of this application, the relay that can serve as a switching module or as a second charging branch can be a single relay, a double relay staggered closing structure, or a hybrid structure of a solid-state relay and a mechanical relay. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0080] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical control structure of an LED lighting system according to an example of this application, which adopts a load access control system according to an embodiment of this application. It should be noted that the LED lighting system described here is only one exemplary load system; other loads may also be used. Figure 7 According to the embodiments of this application, Figure 6 The diagram illustrates the process of system control. The following text will combine... Figure 6 and Figure 7 This application will be further elaborated upon.

[0081] like Figure 7 As shown, in step S800, the process begins. In step S802, the microcontroller 70 waits for a light-on command, i.e., waits for a load-on command. When the microcontroller 70 receives the light-on command, it executes step S804. In step S804, the microcontroller 70 controls the pre-charge module 72 to enter a detection mode, i.e., the pre-charge module 72 emits a detection current, such as a weak constant current of 10mA, to determine the load characteristics of the LED lighting system 84. Alternatively, the microcontroller 70 can also control the pre-charge module 72 to emit the detection current in the form of short pulses. The acquisition module 76 acquires the electrical signal at the output of the pre-charge module 72 and feeds it back to the microcontroller 70. The acquisition module includes a voltage sampling circuit and a current sampling circuit. In some examples, the acquisition module may also include temperature detection. The microcontroller 70 calculates the voltage change rate, the impedance of the LED lighting system 84, etc., based on the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module 76. In step S806, the microcontroller 70 determines whether the LED lighting system 84 is a capacitive load or a non-capacitive load based on the calculation results in step S804. If the load is determined to be capacitive, proceed to step S808; if it is determined to be non-capacitive, proceed to step S812. Here, the detection mode can be to end the detection when its duration reaches a preset safe time threshold. In step S808, the microcontroller 70 determines that the capacitive load is of medium surge impact level, and accordingly determines to perform pre-charging in two stages. First, it controls the pre-charging module 72 to perform initial charging, that is, to charge the LED lighting system 84 with a relatively small first-level pre-charging current. In step S810, the microcontroller 70 controls the pre-charging module 72 to perform rapid charging of the LED lighting system 84 with a second-level pre-charging current that is larger than the first-level pre-charging current. When the controller 70 determines, based on the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module 76, that charging of the LED lighting system 84 can be stopped, i.e., the voltage signal in the electrical signal output by the pre-charging module 72 meets the preset conditions, i.e., the output voltage rises to a preset voltage threshold (e.g., 60% of the starting voltage of the LED lighting system 84) and the instantaneous rate of change of the output voltage is less than the preset rate of change threshold, step S812 is entered. The controller 70 controls the relay 80, which acts as a switching module, to conduct, thereby allowing, for example, 220 volts of power to be transmitted to the LED lighting system 84 via the relay 80, illuminating the LED light. Furthermore, if the load is determined to be non-capacitive in step S806, step S812 is directly entered. Thus, one switching cycle is completed. In step S814, the microcontroller 70 can monitor system operation and wait for a light-off command before entering the next switching cycle. Additionally, the self-learning module in the microcontroller 70 performs self-learning based on the data recorded in a single switching cycle to optimize the pre-charging strategy.

[0082] It should be noted that when the controller 70 turns on the relay 80, it can control the pre-charge module 72 to be turned off or to operate with extremely low power consumption, or in some cases, the pre-charge module 72 may not be controlled. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0083] In addition, Figure 6 In the example shown, the system also includes a main path acquisition module 86 for acquiring the main path electrical signal and feeding it back to the controller 70 after the relay 80 is turned on. Similarly, it may include a voltage sampling circuit, a current sampling circuit, and a temperature acquisition component.

[0084] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical control structure of an LED lighting system according to another example of this application, which adopts a load access control system according to an embodiment of this application, and... Figure 6 The difference is that in the load access control system in this example, the pre-charging module 92 includes a first charging branch 920 and a second charging branch 922. Figure 8 The system shown can also be implemented. Figure 7 The process shown. (And) Figure 6 implement Figure 7 The process differs from the example shown. In step S808, the controller 90 can first control the first charging branch 920 to operate, charging the LED lighting system with an initial charging current. For example, but not limitingly, during the charging of the LED lighting system with the initial charging current, the charging current can still be increased from a low current limit level to a high current limit level if the LED lighting system is determined to be at a medium or high surge impact level. In step S810, the controller 90 controls the second charging branch 922 to be turned on, accelerating the charging of the LED lighting system with a larger charging current. During this process, the controller 90 can control the first charging branch 920 to be turned off or operate at low power. It should be noted that... Figure 8 In the example shown, the acquisition module 96 can acquire only the output of the first charging branch, thus requiring only connection to the output terminal of the first charging branch. However, according to the example of this application, the acquisition module 96 acquires the output of the pre-charging module, that is, it acquires the output electrical signal of the pre-charging module during both the charging process of the first charging branch and the charging process of the second branch.

[0085] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of a load access control method according to an embodiment of this application. The method is applied to a load access control system, which includes a pre-charging module, a switching module, and a data acquisition module. The switching module and the pre-charging module are both connected in series between the power supply and the load module, and the pre-charging module and the switching module are connected in parallel.

[0086] In step S900, in response to the load connection command, it is determined whether the load module is a capacitive load or a non-capacitive load. If the load module is determined to be a capacitive load, step S902 is executed; otherwise, step S904 is executed. In step S902, the pre-charge module is first controlled to operate in charging mode to charge the load module, and then the switch module is controlled to connect the load module. In step S904, the switch module is directly controlled to connect the load module. After step S902, the process proceeds to step S903. When it is determined from the electrical signal that the input terminal of the load module meets the preset conditions, the switch module is controlled to connect the load module. The electrical signal is obtained by the acquisition module acquiring the electrical signal from the input terminal of the load module connected to the output terminal of the pre-charge module.

[0087] Figure 9 The method shown can be executed in any of the load access control systems described above, for example, by... Figure 2 Controller 20 in the middle executes Figure 9 In step S900, the controller 20 controls the pre-charging module 22 and the switch module 30 to achieve step S902, and the controller 20 controls the switch module 30 to achieve step S904. Step S903 is achieved collaboratively by the controller 20, the pre-charging module 22, the acquisition module 26, and the switch module 30.

[0088] As an example, the preset conditions include one or both of the following: the voltage rises to a preset voltage threshold, the preset voltage threshold being less than the start-up voltage of the load module; and the instantaneous rate of change of the voltage is less than a preset rate of change threshold. In the examples of this application, the preset conditions may include both of these.

[0089] As an example, Figure 9 The method may further include the controller controlling the switch module to turn on the load module if, within a preset time period from the start of operation of the pre-charging module in the charging mode, the voltage in the electrical signal (i.e., the voltage at the input terminal of the load module) does not meet the preset condition. For example, the controller 20 starts timing from the start of controlling the pre-charging module to enter the charging mode. If the timing period reaches the preset time and the voltage collected by the acquisition module does not meet the preset condition, the controller 20 controls the switch module 30 to turn on, so that the main path is turned on to supply power to the load module.

[0090] As an example, Figure 9The method may further include determining whether the load module is a capacitive load by controlling the pre-charge module to operate in a detection mode, wherein in the detection mode: the pre-charge module is configured to apply a detection current to the load module; and determining whether the load module is a capacitive load based on the electrical characteristic parameters of the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module. Electromagnetic parameters may include the voltage change rate of the load module, which is compared with a load determination threshold, and the load module is determined to be a capacitive load if the load determination threshold is less than the load determination threshold. According to an example of this method, the surge impact level of the load module can also be determined based on the voltage change rate; wherein the surge impact level includes multiple preset levels, and the smaller the voltage change rate, the higher the corresponding surge impact level. The pre-charge current level to be output by the pre-charge module can be determined based on the determined surge impact level. According to this method example, the pre-charge module is operated in probe mode based on one or two of the following operations: the pre-charge module is operated in probe mode each time the load connection command is received; the pre-charge module is operated in probe mode when the load module is first controlled; the pre-charge module is operated in probe mode when the load module is updated; the pre-charge module is operated in probe mode periodically.

[0091] Furthermore, as an example, the method further includes ending the detection mode of the pre-charge module when the detection end condition is met. The end condition includes any one of the following: the voltage change rate is less than the end threshold and has lasted for N sampling cycles; the duration of the detection mode reaches a preset safe time threshold; the load voltage of the load module in the detection mode is momentarily greater than the voltage safe threshold.

[0092] The above text combined Figure 2 The above content has been described in detail and will not be repeated here.

[0093] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of a surge current control device according to some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 10As shown, the surge current control device includes a pre-charge module 1022, a data acquisition module 1026, and a controller 1020. The pre-charge module 1022 is configured to be connected in parallel with the switching module of the load system (not shown) after the surge current control device is connected to the load system, thereby being connected in series with the switching module between the power supply and the load module of the load system. The input terminal of the data acquisition module 1026 can be electrically connected to the input terminal of the load system to acquire the electrical signal at the input terminal of the load system. In some examples, the input terminal of the data acquisition module 1026 can be electrically connected to the output terminal of the pre-charge module 1022, and thus connected to the input terminal when the output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the load system. The controller 1020 is electrically connected to the pre-charging module 1022 and the acquisition module 1026. The controller 1020 is configured to determine whether the input voltage of the load system meets the preset conditions based on the output electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module 1026 after the surge current control device is connected to the load system. If so, the controller outputs a turn-on control signal to turn on the switch control module in the load system to supply power to the load. For example, the turn-on control signal is transmitted to the controller of the load system, and the load controller controls the switch module to turn on.

[0094] For example, Figure 10 The surge current control device shown above, after being connected to the load system, has the following relationship between the pre-charge module 1022, the controller 1020, and the switch module and load module in the load system, as illustrated in the figure above. Figure 2 The pre-charging module 22 and controller 20 are the same as described. Furthermore, the pre-charging module 1022, controller 1020, and acquisition module 1026 can be replaced respectively. Figure 2 The pre-charging module 22, controller 20, and acquisition module 26 are described above. In other words, the above description, combined with... Figure 2 The various optional implementations of the pre-charging module 22, controller 20 and acquisition module 26 described herein are all equally applicable to the pre-charging module 1022, controller 1020 and acquisition module 1026 in this embodiment, and their specific structures and working principles will not be repeated here.

[0095] As an example, Figure 10 The surge current control device shown may also include a housing, in which the pre-charge module 1022, controller 1020, and acquisition module 1026 are all arranged. It is understood that the pre-charge module 1022 and controller 1020 may be provided with terminals or leads for connection to electronic devices (such as switching modules of load systems) outside the housing.

[0096] According to some examples of this application, when the pre-charging module includes a first charging branch and a second charging branch connected in parallel with the first charging branch, the surge current control method according to embodiments of this application may further include, when the pre-charging module is operating in charging mode, first controlling the first charging branch to conduct for initial charging, and then controlling the second charging branch to conduct for subsequent charging, wherein the charging current of the subsequent charging is greater than the charging current of the initial charging. The first charging branch is formed by the switching element and the current limiting element, and the second charging branch includes an auxiliary switching element. This process has been described above in conjunction with... Figure 2 , Figure 5 as well as Figure 8 The above has already been explained, so I will not repeat it here.

[0097] The technical features of the various embodiments of the load access control system described in this application are applicable to the surge current control method according to the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, the various technical features involved in the control method will not be described in detail.

[0098] This application also provides a program product including program instructions that, when executed, implement the method embodiments described herein.

[0099] This application also provides an electronic device including a memory and a processor. The memory stores program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, enable the implementation of the embodiments described herein. The electronic device is, for example, a combination of... Figures 2 to 8 The controllers in the examples described.

[0100] The load access control system, surge current control device, and load access control method according to the embodiments of this application can be widely applied to various electrical systems. For example, these electrical systems include, but are not limited to, building lighting control systems, commercial lighting systems, smart home systems, and building automation systems. In these systems, the load module may be a capacitive LED driver, a non-capacitive traditional resistive light source, or an inductive motor. According to the embodiments of this application, the switching strategy can be adaptively switched according to the load characteristics, thereby effectively suppressing surges and improving system reliability.

[0101] This application also provides a building electrical control system, which includes any of the load access control systems or surge current control devices described herein.

[0102] Where there is no conflict, the above examples can be combined to form new implementation methods. Although specific embodiments of this application have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the principles of this application, it should be understood that this application can be implemented in other ways without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A load access control system, characterized in that, The control system includes: The pre-charge module is connected in parallel with the switch module used to control the on / off state of the load module; A controller, electrically connected to the pre-charging module and the switching module, is configured to control the switching module upon receiving a load connection command, including: when the load module is a capacitive load, the controller first controls the pre-charging module to operate in charging mode to charge the load module, and then controls the switching module to connect the load module; when the load module is a non-capacitive load, the controller directly controls the switching module to connect the load module. The acquisition module is used to acquire the electrical signal at the input terminal of the load module during the process of the pre-charge module transmitting current to the load module, and to transmit the acquired electrical signal to the controller. The controller is configured to turn on the switch module when it is determined from the electrical signal that the voltage at the load input terminal meets a preset condition.

2. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset conditions include one or both of the following: The voltage in the electrical signal rises to a preset voltage threshold, which is less than the start-up voltage of the load module; The instantaneous rate of change of voltage in the electrical signal is less than a preset rate of change threshold.

3. The control system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The controller is configured such that if the voltage in the electrical signal does not meet the preset condition within a preset time period from the start of the pre-charging module operating in the charging mode, the controller controls the switching module to connect the load module.

4. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load by controlling the pre-charge module to operate in a detection mode, in which: The precharge module is configured to apply a probe current to the load module; The controller is configured to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load based on the electrical characteristic parameters of the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module.

5. The control system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller is configured to perform one or more of the following operations: Each time the load connection command is received, the pre-charge module is put into detection mode; When the load module is controlled for the first time, the pre-charge module is put into detection mode; When the load module is updated, the precharge module is put into detection mode; The pre-charge module is periodically put into detection mode.

6. The control system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The controller is configured to terminate the detection mode of the pre-charge module when a detection termination condition is met, wherein the termination condition includes any one of the following: The voltage change rate was less than the termination threshold and lasted for N sampling cycles; The duration of the detection mode reaches a preset safety time threshold; In the detection mode, the load voltage of the load module momentarily exceeds the voltage safety threshold.

7. The control system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The electrical characteristic parameters include the voltage change rate of the load module. The controller is configured to compare the voltage change rate with a load determination threshold, and determine that the load module is a capacitive load when the voltage change rate is less than the load determination threshold.

8. The control system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to determine the surge impact level of the load module based on the voltage change rate in the detection mode; wherein the surge impact level includes multiple preset levels, and the smaller the voltage change rate, the higher the corresponding surge impact level.

9. The control system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to determine the range of the charging current to be output by the pre-charge module based on the determined surge impact level.

10. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller further includes a self-learning module, which is configured as follows: Based on operational data, self-learning is performed to optimize the pre-charging strategy of the pre-charging module, wherein the operational data includes at least the electrical signals acquired by the acquisition module.

11. The control system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The operation-related data are the electrical signals collected by the acquisition module within the switching cycle. One switching cycle refers to the time period from when the controller receives the load connection command to when the switching module completes the connection.

12. The control system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The operation-related data also includes data collected by the main path acquisition module after the switch module is turned on, which includes one or more of the following: load voltage, load current, and load temperature.

13. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-charge module includes a switching element and a current-limiting element connected in series. When the switching element is turned on, the current-limiting element limits the current amplitude flowing through the pre-charge module.

14. The control system according to claim 13, characterized in that, The pre-charging module further includes a second charging branch connected in parallel with the first charging branch formed by the switching element and the current limiting element. The controller is configured to, when the pre-charging module is operating in charging mode, first control the first charging branch to be turned on for initial charging, and then control the second charging branch to be turned on for subsequent charging, wherein the charging current of the subsequent charging is greater than the charging current of the initial charging.

15. The control system according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second charging branch includes an auxiliary switching element, which is a relay or a semiconductor switching device.

16. A surge current control device, characterized in that, The device includes: The pre-charging module is configured to be connected in parallel with the switching module of the load system after the surge current control device is connected to the load system; The acquisition module is configured to acquire the electrical signal at the input terminal of the load module during the process of the pre-charging module transmitting current to the load module after the surge current control device is connected to the load system. The controller is electrically connected to the pre-charging module and the acquisition module; and the controller is configured to, after the surge current control device is connected to the load system, determine whether the input voltage at the input terminal of the load module meets the preset conditions based on the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module, and if so, output a connection control signal to the load system.

17. The surge current control device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The preset conditions include one or both of the following: The voltage in the electrical signal rises to a preset voltage threshold, which is less than the start-up voltage of the load module; The instantaneous rate of change of voltage in the electrical signal is less than a preset rate of change threshold.

18. The surge current control device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The controller is configured to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load by controlling the pre-charging module to operate in a detection mode after the surge current control device is connected to the load system. In the detection mode, the pre-charging module is configured to apply a detection current to the load module. The controller is configured to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load based on the electrical characteristic parameters of the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module.

19. The surge current control device according to claim 18, characterized in that, The controller is configured to perform one or more of the following operations: Each time the load connection command is received, the pre-charge module is put into detection mode; When the load module is controlled for the first time, the pre-charge module is put into detection mode; When the load module is updated, the precharge module is put into detection mode; The pre-charge module is periodically put into detection mode.

20. The surge current control device according to claim 18, characterized in that, The controller is configured to terminate the detection mode of the pre-charge module when a detection termination condition is met, wherein the termination condition includes any one of the following: The voltage change rate was less than the termination threshold and lasted for N sampling cycles; The duration of the detection mode reaches a preset safety time threshold; In the detection mode, the load voltage of the load module momentarily exceeds the voltage safety threshold.

21. The surge current control device according to claim 18, characterized in that, The electrical characteristic parameters include the voltage change rate of the load module. The controller is configured to compare the voltage change rate with a load determination threshold, and determine that the load module is a capacitive load when the voltage change rate is less than the load determination threshold.

22. The surge current control device according to claim 21, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to determine the surge impact level of the load module based on the voltage change rate in the detection mode; wherein the surge impact level includes multiple preset levels, and the smaller the voltage change rate, the higher the corresponding surge impact level.

23. The surge current control device according to claim 22, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to determine the range of the charging current to be output by the pre-charge module based on the determined surge impact level.

24. The surge current control device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The controller further includes a self-learning module, which is configured as follows: Based on operational data, self-learning is performed to optimize the pre-charging strategy of the pre-charging module, wherein the operational data includes at least the electrical signals acquired by the acquisition module.

25. The surge current control device according to claim 24, characterized in that, The operating data refers to the electrical signals collected by the acquisition module within a switching cycle. A switching cycle refers to the time period from when the controller receives the load connection command to when the switching module completes the connection.

26. The surge current control device according to claim 25, characterized in that, The operating data also includes data collected by the main path acquisition module after the switch module is turned on, which is the data of the load module during operation. The operating data includes one or more of the load voltage, load current, and load temperature.

27. A load access control method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a load access control system, the system including a pre-charging module, a switching module, and a data acquisition module. The switching module and the pre-charging module are both connected in series between the power supply and the load module, and the pre-charging module and the switching module are connected in parallel. The method includes: In response to a load connection command, determine whether the load module is a capacitive load or a non-capacitive load; When the load module is determined to be a capacitive load, the pre-charging module is first controlled to operate in charging mode to charge the load module, and then the switching module is controlled to turn on the load module. When it is determined that the load module is a non-capacitive load, the switch module is directly controlled to connect the load module; and When the input voltage of the load module meets the preset conditions based on the electrical signal, the switch module is controlled to turn on the load module. The electrical signal is obtained by the acquisition module acquiring the input signal of the load module connected to the output of the pre-charge module.

28. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that, The preset conditions include one or both of the following: The voltage rises to a preset voltage threshold, which is less than the start-up voltage of the load module; The instantaneous rate of change of the voltage is less than a preset rate of change threshold.

29. The method according to claim 28, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the output voltage does not meet the preset condition within the preset time period from the start of the pre-charging module's operation in the charging mode, the controller will control the switching module to connect the load module.

30. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that, The method includes: The pre-charge module is controlled to operate in a detection mode to determine whether the load module is a capacitive load. In the detection mode: The precharge module is configured to apply a probe current to the load module; The load module is determined to be a capacitive load based on the electrical characteristic parameters of the electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module.

31. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that, The method further includes operating the pre-charge module in detection mode based on one or both of the following operations: Each time the load connection command is received, the pre-charge module is put into detection mode; When the load module is controlled for the first time, the pre-charge module is put into detection mode; When the load module is updated, the precharge module is put into detection mode; The pre-charge module is periodically put into detection mode.

32. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that, The electrical characteristic parameters include the voltage change rate of the load module, and the method includes: The voltage change rate is compared with a load determination threshold, and if the voltage change rate is less than the load determination threshold, the load module is determined to be a capacitive load.

33. The method according to claim 32, characterized in that, The method further includes: The surge impact level of the load module is determined based on the voltage change rate; wherein the surge impact level includes multiple preset levels, and the smaller the voltage change rate, the higher the corresponding surge impact level.

34. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the determined surge impact level, the pre-charging current level to be output by the pre-charging module is determined.

35. The method according to claim 37, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on operational data, self-learning is performed to optimize the pre-charging strategy of the pre-charging module, wherein the operational data includes at least the output electrical signal acquired by the acquisition module.

36. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that, The operating data is the output electrical signal collected by the acquisition module within a switching cycle, wherein one switching cycle refers to the period from when the controller receives the load connection command to when the switching module is turned on.

37. The method according to claim 36, characterized in that, The operating data also includes the operating data of the load module after the switch module is turned on, including one or more of the load voltage, load current, and load temperature.

38. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that, When the pre-charging module includes a first charging branch and a second charging branch connected in parallel with the first charging branch, the method includes: When the pre-charging module is working in charging mode, the first charging branch is first controlled to be turned on for initial charging, and then the second charging branch is controlled to be turned on for subsequent charging. The charging current of the subsequent charging is greater than the charging current of the initial charging. The first charging branch is formed by the switching element and the current limiting element, and the second charging branch includes an auxiliary switching element.

39. The method according to claim 31, characterized in that, The method further includes ending the detection mode of the pre-charging module when a detection termination condition is met, wherein the termination condition includes any one of the following: The voltage change rate was less than the termination threshold and lasted for N sampling cycles; When the duration of the detection mode reaches a preset safety time threshold; In the detection mode, the load voltage of the load module momentarily exceeds the voltage safety threshold.

40. A program product comprising program instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable the implementation of the method according to any one of the claims.

41. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes: Memory, used to store instructions; A processor for executing the instructions and, in the process of executing the instructions, implementing the method according to any one of claims 27 to 39.

42. An electrical control system, characterized in that, The system includes a load access flow control system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, or includes a surge current control device according to any one of claims 17 to 26.

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