LED Driver Circular Buffer for Event Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

LED drivers face disruptions and potential damage due to events like short-circuits, voltage spikes, and other operational disturbances, which existing technologies fail to effectively mitigate or analyze for prevention.

Innovation Solution

An LED driver equipped with a circular buffer data storage system that continuously monitors and stores operational data, securing data before overwriting in case of a trigger event to analyze causes and prevent future occurrences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a circular buffer data storage is used to continuously monitor and store operational data, then the ability to analyze events and pre-detect future occurrences is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the additional data storage and monitoring mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent analysis capabilityVSAvoiddata storage system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors and stores operational data in a circular buffer before events occur, preparing data in advance for analysis. This preliminary data collection enables post-event analysis and pre-detection of future events without requiring complex real-time processing during critical moments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The circular buffer creates a copy of operational data over time, storing sequential states of system parameters. This data copying mechanism allows analysis of historical operation patterns to identify event causes and predict future events without affecting the actual system operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If data is secured from being overwritten when a trigger occurs, then the measurement precision of event analysis is improved, but the loss of time increases due to the need to manage and protect data in the buffer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent data accuracyVSAvoiddata management time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The circular buffer continuously collects and stores operational data before events occur, so when a trigger happens, the relevant data is already captured and secured. This eliminates the need for time-consuming data collection during or after the event, preserving both data accuracy and response time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically manages the circular buffer data structure, which self-adjusts to preserve critical data around trigger events while overwriting older irrelevant data. This automated data management reduces manual intervention and minimizes time loss associated with data protection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the LED driver continuously monitors and stores operational data, then the ability to pre-detect and prevent future events is improved, but the use of energy increases due to continuous monitoring and data storage operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent prevention capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors essential operational parameters that are most relevant to event occurrence, rather than monitoring all possible parameters. This selective partial monitoring reduces energy consumption while maintaining effective event detection and prevention capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system analyzes stored operational data to identify patterns and trends that indicate future events. This feedback mechanism allows the system to predict and prevent events before they occur, improving reliability while the continuous monitoring of key parameters maintains energy efficiency through targeted data collection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4271137B1LED driver, luminaire, method for operating a LED driver and system comprising a plurality of LED drivers
Publication Date: 2024.06.26 TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4271137B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4271137B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4271137B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a LED driver. The LED driver comprises a data storage for sequentially storing data of an operation of the LED driver according to a circular buffer. The LED driver is configured to continuously monitor and store the data of the operation of the LED driver sequentially in the data storage. Further, the LED driver is configured to secure, in case a trigger occurs, at least part of the data stored in the data storage at a point in time at which the trigger occurred and corresponding to a time period before the point in time from being overwritten. Further, a luminaire comprising such a LED driver and a LED light source; a method for operating a LED driver; and a system comprising a plurality of LED drivers.