Distributed Lighting Control Server for Load Shedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing street lighting systems face challenges in efficiently managing and reducing electrical loads while maintaining safety and illumination levels, particularly during peak consumption times, and lack advanced automation for monitoring and control across large networks.
Innovation Solution
A distributed lighting control system comprising a lighting control server (LCS) that communicates with wireless lamp control modules via a radio network, allowing for individual lamp control, monitoring, and the implementation of lighting reduction patterns to minimize electrical load while ensuring public safety through selective dimming or switching off of lamps, and the ability to apply different patterns based on geographic zones and load conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If street lighting systems operate continuously to ensure public safety and illumination, then safety and illumination levels are maintained, but electrical load and energy consumption increase during peak consumption times
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is divided into multiple independently controllable lamp units distributed along the street. Each lamp can be individually controlled to reduce load during peak times while maintaining safety through selective illumination of critical areas only when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts lighting levels based on real-time conditions including time of day, weather, and detected events. During peak consumption times, the system reduces illumination in low-risk areas while maintaining adequate lighting in high-safety-critical zones, optimizing the balance between safety and energy consumption.
2Ease of operation
If centralized control systems are used to manage lighting networks, then coordination and monitoring are simplified, but system complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each lamp unit is equipped with autonomous monitoring capabilities that locally detect its own operational status, failures, and environmental conditions. The lamps self-report to the centralized system without requiring complex manual monitoring infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements bidirectional communication where lamps provide feedback on their status to the centralized control system, and the control system sends commands back to adjust lighting. This feedback mechanism simplifies centralized coordination by providing automated real-time information about system state and performance.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If lighting reduction patterns are implemented to minimize electrical load, then energy consumption decreases, but illumination levels and public safety may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting reduction pattern applies different illumination levels to different locations based on their specific safety requirements. Critical areas maintain higher illumination levels while less critical areas receive reduced illumination, allowing energy savings without compromising safety where it matters most.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic lighting adjustments based on time-of-day schedules and detected events. During off-peak hours, illumination is reduced in accordance with lighting reduction patterns, while automatic restoration occurs during peak times or when safety events are detected, balancing energy savings with safety requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces the aggregate electrical load of street lighting systems by dynamically adjusting lamp states, minimizing disruption and ensuring safety, and can implement emergency signaling patterns, thereby optimizing energy usage and public safety.
Implementation Method 1
A distributed lighting control system includes a lighting control server (LCS) that controls a distributed lighting system based on communicating with wireless lamp control modules that control respective lamps in the system
Data Source
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AI summary
In one aspect, the present invention provides control for a distributed lighting network, for selectively reducing an aggregate electrical load of the distributed lighting network according to a defined lighting reduction pattern. Among the several advantages of the provided control is the ability to define via the pattern which lamps are involved in load shedding, and how they are controlled to shed load. In another aspect, the present invention provides control for a distributed lighting network, for visibly signaling persons within sight of one or more lamps within the distributed lighting network. Among the several advantages of the provided control is the ability to provide emergency or other public safety signaling to persons that might not otherwise be alerted to an existing or impending danger.