Configurable Emergency Lighting via Centralized DC Bus Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency lighting systems for LED-based lighting, especially those connected to a DC bus, face challenges in cost and space efficiency, as they often require decentralized energy stores and lack configurability for emergency operations.
Innovation Solution
A configurable emergency lighting function for operating devices connected to a DC bus, allowing selective assignment of LED current provision during emergencies, with options for configuration via jumper, resistor, or capacitor settings, and controlled by an integrated semiconductor circuit, enabling energy-efficient emergency lighting using a central energy store.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If decentralized energy storage devices are used for each luminaire to provide emergency lighting, then emergency lighting reliability is improved, but system cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the energy storage function from individual luminaires into a centralized energy storage device that supplies power to multiple control gears through a DC bus. This consolidation maintains emergency lighting reliability while reducing overall system complexity and cost by eliminating the need for separate energy storage devices at each luminaire.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the emergency lighting function by allowing selective activation of only those control gears that need to operate during emergencies. This is achieved through configurable emergency lighting functions that can be assigned to individual control gears, enabling the system to maintain reliability for essential lighting while reducing energy consumption and simplifying the overall architecture.
2Illumination intensity
If all control gears are configured to provide LED current during emergencies, then emergency lighting coverage is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic configurability where each control gear can be individually assigned an emergency lighting function through circuit elements. This allows the system to adaptively configure which luminaires provide emergency lighting based on actual needs, enabling optimal balance between coverage and energy consumption rather than a static all-or-nothing approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different control gears to have different emergency lighting configurations. Each control gear can be independently configured via circuit elements (jumpers, resistors, capacitors) to determine its emergency behavior, enabling tailored emergency lighting coverage in different areas while minimizing overall energy consumption.
3Duration of action of moving object
If larger energy storage systems are used to maintain emergency lighting for required duration, then emergency lighting duration is improved, but system cost and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by activating only the necessary subset of control gears during emergencies rather than all luminaires. By selectively configuring which control gears provide emergency lighting, the system reduces total energy consumption during emergencies, allowing smaller energy storage systems to achieve the required lighting duration without excessive capacity.
Data Source
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
A lighting system (1) comprises a central unit (3), a DC bus (6), and a control gear (10) for a light-emitting diode (9), wherein the control gear (10) is connected to the central unit (3) via the DC bus (6). The control gear (10) has an input (11) for coupling to the DC bus (6) to receive a DC supply voltage, wherein the control gear (10) can be powered via the DC bus in both normal operation and emergency lighting situations. The control gear (10) has a configurable emergency lighting function, wherein, in the emergency lighting situation, the control gear (10) generates the LED current for the light-emitting diode (9) depending on how the emergency lighting function is configured.The central unit (3) has a power supply circuit (4) coupled with a photovoltaic element to receive an AC voltage from an AC voltage source (2, 61) during normal operation and to generate the DC supply voltage for the control gear (10), and a DC voltage source (5) to provide the DC supply voltage in emergency lighting conditions. The central unit (3) and the control gear (10) are designed for PLC communication via the DC bus.