Emergency LED Driver With Bidirectional Battery Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency lighting systems for LED luminaires suffer from inefficiencies due to the continuous operation of the AC/DC stage to maintain low-power control circuitry after battery charging, leading to underutilization and potential failure points.
Innovation Solution
An emergency driver that eliminates the AC/DC stage by using a bi-directional charging circuit to draw power directly from the LED, optimizing power management and minimizing unnecessary circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the AC/DC stage continues to operate to maintain control circuitry after battery charging, then the control circuitry remains powered, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to underutilization of the AC/DC stage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the AC/DC stage from the system after battery charging is complete. The AC/DC converter is disconnected and stopped operating, while the control circuitry is maintained through alternative means (such as standby mode or reduced power consumption), eliminating the energy waste of keeping the AC/DC stage running when it is not needed for charging.
Solution Approach 2:
The AC/DC stage operates periodically - actively during battery charging and inactive after charging completes. The system transitions between operational states, activating the AC/DC stage only when charging is required and deactivating it when charging is complete, rather than maintaining continuous operation.
2Reliability
If the AC/DC stage operates continuously to maintain control circuitry, then the control circuitry remains functional, but device complexity increases due to additional circuitry requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the unnecessary AC/DC stage from the system architecture after charging completion. By extracting this component from continuous operation, the system reduces the number of active circuits and potential failure points, simplifying the overall device while maintaining control circuitry functionality through alternative power management strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuitry is designed to serve multiple functions - actively managing power during charging and maintaining operational readiness after charging without requiring the AC/DC stage. This multi-functionality allows the system to reduce hardware complexity while preserving reliability.
3Reliability
If the AC/DC stage is maintained for battery maintenance, then battery charging capability is preserved, but manufacturing costs increase due to additional materials and development requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the AC/DC stage from the system configuration after charging is complete, eliminating the need to manufacture and maintain this component in standby状态. This reduction in bill of materials directly lowers manufacturing costs while preserving the essential battery charging capability when needed.
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
This approach increases efficiency, reduces material and development costs, and enhances reliability by ensuring critical circuitry is present only during emergency states, while allowing for easy maintenance and troubleshooting.
Implementation Method 1
The charging circuit may comprise a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein the primary and secondary windings are used for both charging and discharging the battery
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides an emergency driver for driving an LED load off a mains voltage or a dedicated emergency LED load off a battery. The emergency driver comprises input terminals for looping an electrical power from output terminals of a mains-powered LED driver through the emergency driver before being supplied to output terminals of the emergency driver. The emergency driver further comprises the output terminals being arranged for supplying the electrical power to an LED light source. The emergency driver is further provided with a charging circuit for charging the battery based on the electrical power looped through the emergency driver. The present invention also provides an emergency lighting driver arrangement comprising a mains-powered LED driver and said emergency driver.