Emergency Lighting Wireless Communication Unit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing emergency lighting devices, particularly those using LEDs, face issues with battery duration and testing efficiency, leading to potential failures during power outages and inefficiencies in system readiness and communication.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a wireless communication unit in emergency lighting devices allows for device-to-device communication, enabling synchronized testing, data exchange, and storage of critical parameters, which improves system reliability and performance by preventing simultaneous testing and facilitating replacement configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple emergency devices perform automatic testing simultaneously in the same area, then testing coverage is improved, but battery exhaustion risk increases and system reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidbattery duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Devices exchange testing status information through wireless communication, allowing each device to receive feedback about whether neighboring devices are currently testing. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic adjustment of testing schedules to avoid simultaneous testing events in the same area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary checks of neighboring devices' testing status before initiating a test. By checking whether other devices are already testing or have recently tested, the system can preliminarily determine the appropriate timing for its own test, preventing battery exhaustion from simultaneous testing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If emergency devices communicate only with a base station, then system architecture is simplified, but communication reliability and system performance deteriorate during power outages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The communication architecture is segmented into multiple independent communication paths: device-to-base station communication and device-to-device communication. This segmentation allows the system to maintain communication functionality even when base station communication is unavailable during power outages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless communication unit serves multiple functions: it enables both traditional base station communication and direct device-to-device communication. This multi-functionality allows the system to adapt to different operational scenarios, maintaining reliability whether communicating with a base station or directly with neighboring devices during emergencies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If no device-to-device communication is implemented, then device complexity is reduced, but testing coordination and system readiness efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetesting coordination efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Devices autonomously coordinate their testing schedules by exchanging status information with neighboring devices. Each device independently determines its own testing timing based on received information from neighbors, eliminating the need for centralized coordination and improving testing coordination efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3713378B1Emergency lighting devices
Publication Date: 2022.12.21 TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3713378B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3713378B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3713378B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an emergency device for lighting means (1), having a driver stage (5) and terminals (3, 3') to drive emergency lighting means (2) based on a DC power supply (4, 4'). The emergency device for lighting means (1) comprises a wireless communication unit, wherein the wireless communication unit is designed to receive a first signal from a neighboring emergency device for lighting means (13) and to transmit a second signal to the neighboring emergency device for lighting means (13).