Lighting Control System for Excess Power Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Monitoring electrical power consumption in large-scale lighting systems is challenging due to incomplete or inaccurate audit data, making it difficult to detect excess energy usage and account for legitimate connections, especially in outdoor street lighting systems where auditing is not always properly done.
Innovation Solution
A lighting control system with a controller capable of dimming luminaires and an energy measurement unit that measures energy consumption at multiple dimming levels, allowing for the detection of excess energy usage by comparing power consumption during different dimming conditions to determine if an alien device is connected to the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional outlier detection methods are used to detect excess energy consumption, then excess energy usage can be identified, but the method requires precise audit data which is often incomplete or inaccurate in large-scale lighting systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from absolute power consumption to the relationship between dimming level and power consumption. By measuring power at multiple dimming levels and analyzing the linear relationship, the system can detect deviations caused by alien devices without requiring complete audit data about the lighting system composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring power consumption at controlled dimming levels and comparing the measured values against the expected linear relationship. This feedback mechanism enables real-time detection of excess energy consumption patterns that deviate from normal lighting behavior.
2Reliability
If audit-based monitoring is implemented, then energy consumption can be tracked, but auditing is not always properly done leading to incomplete or inaccurate data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-characterization by automatically measuring power consumption at multiple dimming levels and generating its own reference profile without requiring external audit data. This eliminates the need for manual auditing processes and makes the system self-sufficient for establishing baseline expectations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary characterization measurements during an initialization phase to establish the linear relationship between dimming level and power consumption. This preliminary action creates a reference model that enables future anomaly detection without requiring subsequent audits.
3Measurement precision
If multiple dimming levels are measured to detect alien devices, then detection accuracy improves, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic measurements at multiple dimming levels to characterize the lighting system and detect anomalies. By systematically cycling through predetermined dimming levels and measuring power consumption at each level, the system achieves accurate detection while maintaining a structured, manageable control approach.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a control system (1000) comprising an electrical power control system (100) for monitoring electrical power consumption by a target system (200), wherein: - the target system (200) comprises (i) one or more dimmable electronic devices (210), wherein each dimmable electronic device (210) comprises a lighting device (220), wherein the one or more dimmable electronic devices (210) are operable at a plurality of different dimming conditions thereby defining a dimming range of the one or more dimmable electronic devices (210) with a predetermined relation between the plurality of different dimming conditions and an electrical power consumption by the one or more dimmable electronic devices (210), (ii) a target control system (230) configured to control the dimming conditions of the one or more dimmable electronic devices (210), and (iii) a source of electrical power (240) configured to provide electrical power to the one or more dimmable electronic devices (210); - the electrical power control system (100) is configured to execute an electrical power control operation comprising (i) bringing the one or more dimmable electronic devices (210) consecutively at N different dimming conditions, wherein N is at least 2, (ii) sensing the respective electrical power consumptions during the N different dimming conditions, and (iii) determining in a determination stage whether or not a further electronic device (10) having deviating dimming behavior or having no dimming functionality is functionally coupled to the source of electrical power (240) based on a comparison of the sensed electrical power consumptions and the predetermined relation between the plurality of different dimming conditions and the electrical power consumption.