Lighting Device Data Transmission via Pulse Width Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting systems face challenges in controlling individual lighting devices, particularly in large installations, due to difficulties in assigning logical connections and issues with flickering when transmitting modulated light signals, especially when lights are deeply dimmed.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that partition lighting device data into subsets, transmit these subsets embedded in illumination light using pulse width modulation, and employ asynchronous clocks to reduce flickering and interference, allowing for efficient control of light intensity and color while minimizing data loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If modulated light signals are transmitted to convey lighting device data, then information transmission is achieved, but flickering occurs especially when lights are deeply dimmed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides lighting device data into multiple subsets and transmits them in separate time slots within each period. This segmentation allows the system to transmit complete data sets without requiring continuous high-intensity modulation, thereby reducing flickering while maintaining information transmission integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic transmission of data subsets at predetermined intervals. By structuring data transmission around periodic cycles with designated time slots for each subset, the system achieves reliable data conveyance while maintaining stable illumination levels, thus minimizing flickering effects.
2Productivity
If multiple lighting devices transmit data simultaneously, then communication efficiency is improved, but data collision and interference occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns predetermined time slots to different lighting devices for data transmission. This preliminary scheduling of transmission times allows multiple devices to communicate efficiently without collision, as each device knows in advance when it should transmit its data subsets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces random timing offsets to the predetermined transmission schedule. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to varying conditions and avoid systematic collisions, maintaining both communication efficiency and data transmission reliability.
3Ease of operation
If synchronous clocks are used in all lighting devices, then coordination is simplified, but hardware costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables each lighting device to autonomously determine its transmission time slots based on predetermined rules and random offsets, without requiring centralized clock synchronization. This self-service approach maintains system coordination while eliminating the need for complex synchronous hardware across all devices.
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 effectively decreases flickering and data loss, enables user-friendly control of large lighting systems, and reduces hardware costs by allowing asynchronous operation of lighting devices, improving overall system performance and user acceptance.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting, from the lighting device, embedded in illumination light, the subset of lighting device data
Data Source
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AI summary
It is presented a method for transmitting lighting device data. The method comprises the steps of obtaining, in a lighting device, a subset of lighting device data, the lighting device data containg information of the lighting device, transmitting, from the lighting device, using light, the subset of lighting device data, and repeating the above steps until all subsets jointly corresponding to the complete lighting device data have been transmitted. A corresponding lighting device and lighting system are also presented.