LED Emergency Driver Adaptive Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED lighting solutions, such as ballast-compatible and AC mains-operable LED lamps, face challenges in compatibility, maintenance costs, and energy efficiency, particularly in retrofit applications and emergency lighting systems, where reliable and cost-effective solutions are needed to meet regulatory requirements.
Innovation Solution
An LED luminaire emergency driver with a rechargeable battery, full-wave rectifier, power supply units, and feedback control circuits that manage charging and discharging conditions, simulate power outages, and control LED driving current to power external LED arrays during emergencies, ensuring reliable and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ballast-compatible LED lamps are used to replace fluorescent lamps, then installation is straightforward without rewiring, but total cost of ownership increases due to ballast consumption, compatibility issues, and maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ballast component entirely from the lighting system, replacing it with an AC mains-operable LED lamp that integrates its own power supply and control circuitry. This extraction eliminates the compatibility issues and ongoing maintenance costs associated with ballasts while maintaining straightforward installation by directly replacing the fluorescent lamp without requiring ballast removal or rewiring.
2Reliability
If AC mains-operable LED lamps are used, then maintenance costs and energy consumption are reduced, but compatibility with existing fixtures requires ballast removal or bypassing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the LED lamp to be completely self-sufficient by integrating an AC mains-compatible power supply and control circuitry directly into the lamp module. This self-service capability allows the lamp to operate independently without external ballasts, eliminating ongoing maintenance costs and energy waste while the simplified single-unit replacement process maintains installation ease.
3Use of energy by moving object
If LED lighting systems are used in emergency egress applications, then energy efficiency and lifetime are improved, but regulatory compliance and reliable operation during power outages become critical requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a rechargeable battery and charging circuit into the LED emergency lamp, which automatically charges during normal AC mains operation. This preliminary action ensures that energy is stored in advance, guaranteeing reliable operation during power outages without requiring manual intervention or compromising the energy efficiency benefits of LED technology during emergency egress applications.
4Quantity of substance
If ballast-compatible LED lamps are used, then initial cost is low, but long-term maintenance and energy costs preponderate over initial savings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the ballast component that continuously consumes energy even when the LED lamp is not operating. By integrating the power supply directly into the LED module and removing the ballast, the system maintains continuous useful action only when needed, eliminating parasitic energy consumption and reducing total cost of ownership while keeping initial costs competitive.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, self-sustaining LED lighting system that meets regulatory requirements for emergency egress lighting, reducing maintenance costs and energy consumption while ensuring reliable operation during power outages.
Implementation Method 1
a rechargeable battery, charged from an AC mains through a power supply unit
Implementation Method 2
at least one full-wave rectifier
Implementation Method 3
a transformer, having a primary winding coupled to a first ground reference and a secondary winding coupled to a second ground reference electrically isolated from the first ground reference
Implementation Method 4
The optocoupler circuit comprises an adjustable voltage reference diode and an optocoupler, whereas the optocoupler comprises an LED and a photo-transistor optically coupled to the LED
Implementation Method 5
Solid-state lighting from semiconductor LEDs
Implementation Method 6
the LED is configured to receive the second DC voltage with an electric current flowing through the adjustable voltage reference diode
Data Source
AI summary
A light-emitting diode (LED) luminaire emergency driver comprises a rechargeable battery, a power supply unit, an LED driving circuit, a first control circuit, and a second control circuit. The LED driving circuit and the power supply unit each comprises a scalable power control scheme respectively configured to drive external LED arrays with different power levels when the alternate-current (AC) mains are unavailable and to power the first control circuit and to charge the rechargeable battery with different capacity when the AC mains are available. The second control circuit comprises two switches configured to control discharging and charging of the rechargeable battery. The second control circuit further comprises a relay switch circuit configured to control either a first LED driving current from the LED driving circuit or a second LED driving current from an external power supply unit to drive the external LED arrays without crosstalk.