DALI Splitter Unit for Lighting System Commissioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

The commissioning of DALI lighting systems is time-consuming due to the need for individual address assignment to each light, which can be unpredictable and labor-intensive, especially in situations with recurring light configurations like hotels or hospitals.

Innovation Solution

A splitter unit with input and output connections that forwards DALI commands as broadcast messages, eliminating the need for individual address assignment by using a start address to manage multiple lights connected to each output, thereby simplifying the commissioning process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If individual address assignment is used for each light during commissioning, then precise control of each light is achieved, but the commissioning time and effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommissioning effortVSAvoidcommissioning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service commissioning by allowing lights to automatically identify themselves through predetermined light emission patterns. The control unit autonomously detects and assigns addresses without requiring manual intervention for each light, thus reducing commissioning effort and time while maintaining precise control capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Lights are pre-configured with original addresses during manufacture. During commissioning, these pre-assigned addresses are automatically communicated to the control unit, eliminating the need for manual address assignment and significantly reducing commissioning time while preserving individual light control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If manual identification of each light position is required, then accurate address assignment is achieved, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaddress assignment accuracyVSAvoidcommissioning simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system eliminates manual identification by enabling lights to automatically identify themselves through predetermined light emission patterns. The control unit autonomously detects these patterns and assigns addresses accurately without requiring user intervention, thus maintaining address assignment accuracy while dramatically simplifying the commissioning process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from light emission patterns to automatically determine light positions. The control unit receives feedback signals from lights that emit predetermined patterns, automatically maps these to spatial positions, and assigns addresses accordingly, achieving both accuracy and simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3251469B1Method for operating devices in a lighting system
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 ZUMTOBEL LIGHTING GMBH
  • EP3251469B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a splitter unit (10) for use in a lighting system (1), which splitter unit has an input connection (11) for connecting to a DALI bus (2) and at least two output connections (12), wherein the splitter unit (10) is designed to associate DALI commands received via the input connection (11) with the output connections (12) according to the address information associated with the received DALI command and to output the corresponding DALI command as a broadcast command via the corresponding output connection (12).