Lighting Control for Battery-Powered Electrical Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting systems for electrical devices, such as power tools, consume excessive energy as they often operate at maximum brightness continuously, regardless of the device's usage status, leading to inefficient energy use and potential user discomfort or safety hazards.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that automatically control lighting systems by determining the active operating status of battery-operated electrical devices and adjusting the lighting mode based on this status, using sensors and wireless communication to optimize brightness and energy usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the lighting system operates at maximum brightness continuously, then the illumination quality is maintained, but the energy consumption increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelighting brightnessVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system dynamically adjusts its brightness level based on the operating status of the electrical device. When the device is active, the lighting operates at higher brightness; when the device is inactive, the lighting reduces brightness or turns off, thereby adapting the illumination intensity to actual needs and reducing energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the operating status information from the electrical device as feedback to control the lighting system. The control unit receives status signals from the device and automatically adjusts the lighting output accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes energy usage based on real-time device operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Duration of action of stationary object

If the lighting system operates continuously, then the illumination availability is ensured, but the energy waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelighting operation durationVSAvoidenergy waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system operates periodically rather than continuously, activating when the electrical device is in use and deactivating when the device is not in use. This periodic operation pattern ensures illumination is available when needed while avoiding energy waste during periods of non-use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of energy

If the lighting system adjusts brightness automatically, then the energy efficiency improves, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit serves multiple functions: it receives operating status information from the electrical device, processes this information, and controls the lighting output. By making the control unit multi-functional, the system achieves automatic brightness adjustment without adding separate dedicated components for each function, thus limiting the increase in system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4117395A1Control of a lighting system based on the operating status of an electrical device

Publication Date: 2023.01.11 EINHELL GERMANY AG

AI summary

According to a method for the automatic control of a lighting system (2), an active operating status of a battery-powered electrical device (8) is detected, status information is transmitted to the lighting system (2) when the active operating status of the electrical device (8) has been detected, and an operating mode of the lighting system (2) is automatically changed depending on the status information.