Lighting apparatus

Abstract

A lighting apparatus comprising a power supply and control device of light source powered by an electrical grid; the power supply and control device includes active protection means configured to resist overvolting even for a prolonged period of time; the active protection means are configured to interrupt the power supply of the light source in a very short time, when conditions are detected on the power supply device which could cause damage to the light source; the active protection means are automatically resettable when the electrical parameters fall within and settle within a range of operation of the light source. The invention provides a system for remote control of lamps for outdoor, public or private lighting in a city or street environment, and constitutes an active protection system, with automatic reset, of the lamp power supply.

Description

[0001] LIGHTING APPARATUS

[0002] The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus.

[0003] More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for the remote control of lamps for outdoor public or private lighting, in roads and streets, and in particular to an active power protection system with automatic reset.

[0004] The present invention is advantageously employed in all contexts wherein a lamp and / or floodlight for street lighting, and more generally for outdoor use, is equipped with a 220 volts (AC) powered point-to-point remote control node, with radio and / or power line communication and / or machine to machine (M2M) telephone modem, inserted in the lamp or coupled externally to it by means of a standard connector, type NEMA SOCKET ANSI C136.41 , or with any other standard or proprietary interconnection system inside and outside the lamp.

[0005] The present invention relates in particular to a system for protecting the lamp from overvoltage, that frequently affects the power supply lines of street lighting systems, protecting the lamp and the remote control node from an irreversible damage and related disruption because, typically, the lamp and the associated remote control node are used in a public and / or street environment and perform tasks related to public and / or street safety.

[0006] As is well known, a point-to-point remote control node, with radio or power line communication and / or M2M telephone modem, powered at 230 volts (AC), is a device coupled externally to the lamp, by means of a standard NEMA SOCKET ANSI C136.41 connector or with any other standard or proprietary interconnection system, or coupled internally to the lamp, for outdoor lighting, for roads, tunnels, subways, bykeways, parks, car parks, sports facilities, etc., and allows remote control, configuration and remote diagnostics.

[0007] A remote control node thus transforms a 'normal' outdoor or indoor lighting lamp into a connected lamp, typically by radio but also by airwaves or M2M telephone modem, according to the loT (Internet of Things) paradigm.

[0008] The most advanced remote control nodes on the market are able to manage the lamp locally, stand alone mode, by means of local processing capacity, edge-computing, and the availability in the circuit of a real-time clock (RTC), and possibly a GPS used for both the retrieval of co-ordinates, to calculate sunrise and sunset which are the two topical points for lighting management, and for synchronisation of the RTC clock.

[0009] A connected lamp allows for 'intelligent' lighting management of a city, street, tunnel, bykeway, park, car park, sports facility, etc., i.e. in order to dispense, even dynamically and / or adaptively, the right amount of light necessary for a smooth and safe performance of the dynamics of the illuminated environment, depending on the time of day and / or traffic conditions, presence, movement, brightness, weather conditions, etc., and at the same time optimise the consumption of electricity consumed.

[0010] For example, in a city, public lighting can be dimmed in certain areas and at particular times of day, resulting in a significant reduction in electricity consumption and thus in cost savings and an environmental benefit (CO2reduction).

[0011] By means of special sensors supporting the lighting system, it is possible to intercept the presence of people, vehicles, measure luminance, weather conditions, etc., and, by means of point-to-point remote control, dynamically adapt the luminous flux and / or white temperature delivery, while complying with current regulations, e.g. UNI 11248 for TAI (Traffic Adaptive Installations) and FAI (Full Adaptive Installations), which allow, within certain prescribed limits and with certain indications, the adaptive modulation of light by means of dynamic road reclassification.

[0012] As mentioned, a remote control lamp can be remotely controlled by a centralised 'intelligence' that, by evaluating different information and configurations, controls the right luminous flux, and of course the switching on and off when necessary, of each lamp independently.

[0013] However, in the event of a lack of communication due to faults in the chain of command, the remote control node should take the initiative to control the lighting point so as to ensure its proper functioning by means of, for example, in the case of public lighting, the rules described by the MEC (Minimum Environmental Criteria) that, for this particular requirement, provides for an astronomical clock (calculation of sunrise and sunset), reduction phases, different for the days of the week and for four different periods during the year, as well as the scheduling of extemporaneous events (one shot). More complex systems, equipped with special sensors, can also, at certain times of day, activate 'near' switch-off policies for lamps in the absence of movement or flow reduction based on traffic measured in real time (TAI / FAI).

[0014] This is the case, for example, with bykeways that can be lit at 100 per cent in the early evening and then with a very low flux until it creates a twilight-like illumination, but switched on immediately, with a 'light wave', when pedestrians and / or bicycles pass by.

[0015] It is therefore an excellent compromise between ensuring energy savings and maintaining a high level of lighting service for those using these facilities.

[0016] A modern remote control node is also able to perform in-depth diagnostics of the lamp, using the internal DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) communication channel, and to analyse consumption by means of an integrated power meter that is more or less advanced and precise, depending on the manufacturer / model of the node.

[0017] If lamps support colour lighting (RGB or RBW) or white temperature change (White Tunable), an advanced remote control node can adopt commands (IEC 62386 DALI Part 209 DT8 standard) and / or communication standards to the lamp (DMX) to support these lighting features.

[0018] The power supply lines of public lighting installations, street lighting, tunnel lighting, etc., as well as the very position of the lamps placed on top of metal or fibreglass poles or light towers, are particularly subject and exposed to electrical disturbance phenomena, such as lightning, discharge, overvoltage, etc., that, in certain cases, can fail the lighting point and / or node, degrading the intended lighting service, often with impacts on public and / or traffic safety.

[0019] Remote control nodes and lighting lamps, of good workmanship and quality, are equipped with SPD (Surge Protection Device), and / or varistors, and / or Transil arresters, capable of protecting the respective electronic circuits from very short impulsive discharges (surges), in the order of microseconds (pS) even at very high voltages 6KV / 10KV, but can do nothing if the power supply, even for short instants, hundreds of milliseconds or seconds, or permanently, exceeds 276 volts (AC), thus causing a physical failure of the nodes and / or lamps that are normally designed to operate at 220 / 230 volts (AC) + / - 20%. In addition, electrical power supply systems, even those that have not been built recently, or systems that have not been maintained in good condition or have particular technical characteristics, such as aluminium cables connected to copper terminals, and also due to possible external interference, such as accidents, excavations, incorrect cabin manoeuvres, etc., can subject lighting apparatus, and consequently also remote control nodes, to a voltage of 400 volts (AC), instead of the nominal 230 volts (AC), due to the well-known effect of the interruption of the neutral of the three-phase line, therefore well beyond the operating tolerances envisaged by current regulations, with the effect of damaging both the lamps and the remote control nodes.

[0020] There are overvoltage protectors on the market, but they have to be wired inside the lamp, where sometimes there is no physical space to house them.

[0021] Those devices are analogue and passive (fixed times, thresholds and hysteresis) and do not keep track of their intervention, let alone analyse and share, in real time, the quality of the electricity grid.

[0022] In addition, such systems have a high cost, being objects dedicated to this function. So much so that in 99% of practical cases, lamps are not equipped with those devices, that remain more a theoretical than a practical solution and are only used when prescribed by contracting stations.

[0023] Lamp manufacturers, rather than protecting the apparatus with those expensive and bulky devices, prefer to protect themselves by declaring, and proving with technical reports and / or by recording in indelible memories the damaging events, that the failure was caused by exceeding the declared operating parameters and complying with current regulations, even voiding the warranty in the event of a failure.

[0024] Therefore, if there are problems with overvoltage in a public lighting supply system, the system operator will only have to change the lamps and / or remote control nodes that fail whenever the problem arises.

[0025] If we consider such condition into low quality and / or old power supply systems, the problem could put the operator of the system in serious difficulty, even if the manufacturer of the equipment is not liable, as the failures are not attributable to design or production faults, but rather to external power supply problems (exogenous causes). LIS2017 / 347413A1 discloses a controller for use with a luminaire having a surge detection circuit that senses a surge in voltage or current, and a relay control circuit that repeatedly switches a relay in response to the surge detection circuit having sensed the surge in voltage or current. The controller also has a first circuitry configured to measure an electrical parameter of the surge, and a second circuitry configured to transmit the electric parameter of the surge to a remote device. The second circuitry is configured to send a signal after the surge is sensed to a direct current (DC) converter circuit to shut down an alternating current output voltage supply internal to the DC converter circuit.

[0026] US2021 / 298153A1 discloses an operating device with staggered protection circuits against overvoltage and overcurrent and antenna for driving intelligent lamps and lighting appliances. The device has a first branch for connecting a lamp to a first of the interface circuits and a second branch for connecting at least one communication module to a second of the interface circuits. The branches are connected to the coarse protection circuit which short-circuits an overvoltage of the mains voltage occurring at the input of the operating device. In the first branch, a line filter is connected to the coarse protection circuit and a clamp circuit consisting of the fine protection circuit and of a first energy absorber is connected to the line filter. When the residual pulse voltage is too high, the fine protection circuit activates the first energy absorber, the overvoltage pulse is short-circuited and the short circuit is deactivated again when the mains voltage reaches the next zero crossing. A second energy absorber which, when it is switched on, limits the current with the aid of a temperature-dependent resistor, is connected to the first energy absorber. The first interface circuit comprises a protection circuit against overvoltage and overcurrent, and an intermediate protection circuit consisting of a transmitter and of a first fine protection circuit is connected to the coarse protection circuit in the second branch. A filter for separating communication signals fed in parallel into the power supply grid is connected to the first fine protection circuit and a second fine protection circuit is connected to this filter. In order to protect the second interface circuit of the operating device from overvoltage and overcurrent coming from the communication module and acting upon the operating device, the second interface circuit comprises a protection circuit against overvoltage and overcurrent. The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that overcomes the drawbacks of the aforementioned known technique.

[0027] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a system for the remote control of lamps for outdoor, public or private lighting in streets and roads, and in particular an active protection system with automatic resetting of the lamp supply.

[0028] An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus applicable to lighting apparatus, such as outdoor or indoor lamps, and capable of acting as an active protection, having the ability to interrupt the power supply of the lamp in a very short time, when conditions are detected on the supply line that could cause damage to the lamp.

[0029] A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that enables the functionality and protection to be automatically restored when the electrical parameters fall and settle within the operating range of the lamp.

[0030] An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which, due to its special features realisation, is able to ensure the broadest guarantees of reliability and safety in use.

[0031] This aim and object, which will better apparent below, are achieved by outdoor lighting equipment as claimed in the appended claims.

[0032] Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus comprising a remote control node associated with a lamp by means of a NEMA connector;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic view of a piece of an apparatus comprising a remote control node embedded in a lamp;

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic view illustrating the connection of the remote control node to the lamp by means of a NEMA connector;

[0036] Figure 4 is a schematic view illustrating the connection of the remote control node in the lamp;

[0037] Figure 5 shows an electrical diagram of the apparatus according to the invention. With reference to the figures, the apparatus according to the invention comprises a remote control node 100 associated with a lighting apparatus 200 and connected to a remote control centre.

[0038] The remote control node 100 is configured to resist overloads of up to 420 volts (AC) for a prolonged time, i.e. several hours, and is equipped with a voltmeter and electromechanical or solid-state relay, which can act as an active protection for the lamp 200, having the ability to interrupt its power supply in a very short time, in fractions of a second, as soon as conditions are detected on the supply line that could cause damage to the lamp.

[0039] This active protection is automatically reset when the electrical parameters fall within and settle within the operating range of the lamp.

[0040] The remote control node 100 is electrically connected in series and upstream of the power supply of the lamp 200, e.g. by means of a NEMA SOCKET connector, visible in Figures 1 and 3, or inserted inside the lamp 200 with similar wiring, as visible in Figures 2 and 4.

[0041] The apparatus includes specific hardware and active firmware solutions to protect the load, i.e. the lamp 200, from over and under voltage and over current.

[0042] Via the remote control functionality, i.e. the node connected to the control centre, it is also possible to signal the intervention of the protection and thus the fault in progress on the power supply line.

[0043] This embodiment, which does not change or burden the architecture of the remote control node 100 and does not require modifications to the lamp 200, adds functions of lamp protection against overvoltage and overcurrent to the classic functions of a modern remote control node.

[0044] It must be considered that lighting typically also fulfils public safety and / or road traffic functions and a 400 volts (AC) overvoltage can cause extensive damage to all lamps / nodes on the same supply line, with very long restoration times and high costs.

[0045] The remote control node 100 includes an insulated power supply 110 capable of correctly operating even under emergency conditions, at a voltage of 380 volts (AC) +20% tolerance. The remote control node 100 is therefore able to operate smoothly even while there is a serious power supply problem such as, for example, that caused by the 'floating neutral' in three-phase systems, which can cause the supply voltage to rise to 380-400 volts (AC), both for the lamp and the node.

[0046] Power supply 110 distributes the necessary power supplies internally to the node by means of the DC power supply BUS 111.

[0047] The node is equipped with an electronic chip (power meter) 120 in order to measure and analyse the power grid and load.

[0048] The chip 120 is capable of measuring the supply voltage 122 by means of a resistive divider 121 , with the maximum possible speed, from the mains frequency 50-60 Hz and the load current 124 by means of a shunt resistor 123 and of autonomously generating an electronic warning signal 125 when the set thresholds are exceeded, which is collected and managed as a priority by the microcontroller 130 by means of an interrupt input without the delays caused by the serial communication (I2C BUS, SPI, UART) 131 system between the power meter chip 120 and microcontroller 130.

[0049] The node 100 has an electromechanical or solid-state relay 150, thus very robust, capable of disconnecting the power supply to the lamp 200 when the measured voltage 122 exits a range, digitally configurable according to the type of lamp, of lamp operation while preserving its integrity.

[0050] The relay 150 is controlled with a signal 132 synchronised to the 'zero crossing' 126 generated every 20 ms at 50 Hz by the power meter chip 120, i.e., it commands the contact to close or open only when the current sinusoid, measured with the power meter 120, and in particular by means of shunt 123, passes through zero.

[0051] This feature makes it possible to preserve the relay contact, or the solid-state component junction, which performs the switching in an instant with zero load, or in any case with a reduced load due to its mechanical inertia of movement, and does not generate disturbances on the electrical grid.

[0052] A special firmware manages the thresholds and corresponding hysteresis for disconnecting and reattaching lamp 200, respectively, when the supply conditions are out of the operating range of lamp 200 and when they are reasonably stable, while still ensuring a very short intervention time if mains voltage 122 should again fall out of the control range, either above or below, or the load current 124 should exceed the set value and time threshold.

[0053] The power meter 120 is able to analyse the power quality, providing valuable information on the status of power lines.

[0054] The power meter 120 is capable of analysing the quality of lamp 200, measuring consumption and Coscp.

[0055] The power meter 120 and microcontroller 130 of the node are capable of historicize protection events, even those of very short duration, because they reliably underlie any malfunctioning of the power system that could worsen over time to the extreme condition of permanent failure.

[0056] The microcontroller 130 uses a radio module 140, or alternatively power waves, or M2M modem, to send to the control centre diagnostic information detected by the lamp 200 by means of the DALI BUS 133 or by analysing with the power meter 120 its power consumption and in particular the current 124.

[0057] As noted above, the present invention constitutes a remote control node connected to a remote control centre by airwaves or radio and / or data telephone modem (M2M) and / or other communication systems or operating in standalone mode, for lighting apparatus, in this case lamps, for outdoor or indoor use.

[0058] The control node is coupled to the lamp by means of a NEMA SOCKET ANSI C136.41 , with 3, 5 or 7 connections, designed and manufactured to withstand overloads of up to 420 volts (AC) for extended periods of time, i.e. several hours.

[0059] The device is equipped with a power meter and electromechanical or solid-state relay, which can act as an active protection for the connected lamp, having the ability to interrupt its power supply in a very short time, i.e. fractions of a second, as soon as conditions are detected on the supply line that could cause damage to the lamp.

[0060] This active protection is intended to be automatically reset when the electrical parameters fall within and settle within the operating range of the lamp.

[0061] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the remote control node can be inserted internally into the lamp or externally in a suitable containment box, and is connected by radio waves, and / or data telephone modem (M2M), and / or other communication systems, or operating in standalone mode, for outdoor or indoor lighting apparatus, with terminal connection or cable outlet, designed to withstand even prolonged times, i.e. several hours, to an overload of up to 420 volts (AC), equipped with a power meter and electromechanical or solid-state relay, capable of acting as active protection for the connected lamp, having the ability to interrupt its power supply in a very short time, i.e. fractions of a second, as soon as conditions are detected on the power supply line that could cause damage to the lamp.

[0062] This active protection is intended to be automatically reset when the electrical parameters fall within and settle within the operating range of the lamp.

[0063] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the device also constitutes a "stand-alone" device, although not having the functionality of a remote control node, configured for lighting apparatus, such as lamps, for outdoor or indoor use. The device is coupled to the lamp with a NEMA SOCKET ANSI C136.41 , with 3, 5 or 7 connections, designed and realised to withstand even for prolonged time, i.e. several hours, overloads up to 420 volts (AC), equipped with a power meter and electromechanical or solid state relay, capable of acting as an active protection for the connected lamp, having the ability to interrupt the power supply of the same in a very short time, i.e. fractions of a second, as soon as conditions are detected on the power supply line that could cause damage to the lamp.

[0064] This active protection is intended to be automatically reset when the electrical parameters fall within and settle within the operating range of the lamp.

[0065] In practice, it was found that the invention achieves its intended aim and purpose. This application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102024000020029, filed on September 9, 2024, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A lighting apparatus comprising a supply and control device (100) of a light source (200) powered by an electrical grid; said apparatus being characterized in that said power supply and control device (100) comprises active protection means (120, 150) configured to resist overvolting even for a prolonged period of time; said active protection means being configured to cut the power supply to said light source (200) in a very short time, when conditions are detected on said power supply device which could cause damage to said light source (200); said active protection means being automatically resettable when the electrical parameters fall and settle within an operating range of said light source (200); said power supply and control device (100) comprising a power meter electronic chip (120) configured to measure and analyse the electrical grid and load; said chip (120) measures a supply voltage (122) by means of a resistive divider (121 ), at the maximum possible speed, from the 50-60 Hz power supply frequency and the load current (124) by means of a shunt resistor (123), autonomously generating an electronic signal (125) warning when the set thresholds are exceeded, which is collected and prioritised by a microcontroller (130) by means of an interrupt input, without delays due to the system serial communication (131) between said chip (120) and said microcontroller (130).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that said power supply and control device (100) comprises an isolated power supply unit (110) configured to correctly operate under emergency conditions.

3. The apparatus, according to claim 2, characterized in that said isolated power supply (110) internally distributes the necessary power supplies to said power supply and control device (100), by means of a DC power supply BUS (111).

4. The apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said power supply and control device (100) comprises an electromechanical or solid state relay (150) configured to disconnect the power supply to said light source (200) when the measured voltage (122) exceeds a range, digitally configurable according to the type of lamp, of said light source operation while preserving the integrity of said lamp.

5. The apparatus, according to claim 4, characterized in that said relay (150) is controlled by a signal (132) synchronised on a zero crossing (126) generated by said power meter chip (120), controlling the closing or opening of the contact only when the sinusoid of the current, measured by said power meter (120), by means of said shunt (123), passes through zero.

6. The apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said power supply and control device (100) is connected to a remote control center.

7. The apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said power supply and control device (100) is connected to said light source (200) by means a connector.

8. The apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said power supply and control device (100) is incorporated in said light source (200).

9. The apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a firmware configured to manage the thresholds and the relative hysteresis for disconnecting and reconnecting said light source (200), respectively, when the power supply conditions are outside an operating range of said light source (200) and when they are reasonably stable, ensuring a very short intervention time if said power supply voltage (122) should again fall outside said operating range, or if said load current (124) should exceed set value and time thresholds.

10. The apparatus, according to claim 4, characterized that said chip (120) is configured to analyse the quality of the power supply by providing information on the status of the power lines.

11. The apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said chip (120) is configured to analyse the load quality of said light source (200), measuring consumption and Coscp.

12. Apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said chip (120) and said microcontroller (130) are configured to historicizeprotection events even of very short duration.

13. Apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said microcontroller (130) uses a transmission means (140), such as a radio module, power line, or M2M modem, to send to a control centre diagnostic information detected by said light source (200) by means of a DALI BUS (133) or by analysing, with said chip (120), its power consumption and in particular said load current (124).

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