Lighting Preset Messaging to Eliminate Load Control Popcorning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large lighting control systems experience delays in adjusting multiple electrical loads due to the time-consuming transmission of databases during commissioning, leading to undesirable 'popcorning' effects where lighting loads adjust visibly piecemeal.
Innovation Solution
A load control system that includes a system controller capable of transmitting either a first or second command to load control devices based on preset selection, where the first command provides a general description and the second command provides detailed operations, allowing the system controller to decide which command to transmit based on previous transmissions and database analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If preconfigured databases are transmitted to each control-target device during commissioning, then the system can respond quickly to preset selections, but the commissioning time becomes undesirably long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential preset identification information from the full preconfigured database and transmits it during commissioning. The control-target devices already contain the complete databases from manufacturing, so they can locally match the transmitted preset ID to the full configuration, avoiding the need to transmit entire databases during commissioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The control-target devices are pre-loaded with complete configuration databases during manufacturing before deployment. This preliminary action ensures that when commissioning occurs, the devices already have the full configuration data available locally, eliminating the need for time-consuming database transmissions during the commissioning phase.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate digital messages are transmitted to each control-target device in a preset, then individual device control is precise, but the transmission time increases causing noticeable delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual device control commands into a single digital message that contains a preset identification. This single message is transmitted to all control-target devices simultaneously, and each device independently retrieves its specific control parameters from its local database using the preset ID, achieving both precision and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The preset identification serves as an intermediary that bridges the control-source device and multiple control-target devices. Instead of transmitting detailed control parameters to each device, the system transmits the preset ID as an intermediary reference, allowing devices to autonomously retrieve their specific configurations from local databases.
3Loss of information
If the control-source device transmits detailed preset definitions to each control-target device, then complete control information is provided, but the message size and transmission time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of transmitting the actual control configuration data, the system transmits a reference copy identifier (preset ID) that points to the full configuration stored locally in each control-target device's database. This copying approach maintains information completeness while minimizing transmission data volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The preset identification serves multiple functions: it identifies the preset configuration, acts as a key to retrieve device-specific parameters from local databases, and enables simultaneous control of multiple devices with a single message. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to transmit separate detailed configurations to each device.
Data Source
AI summary
A load control system may comprise load control devices for controlling respective electrical loads, and a system controller operable to transmit digital messages including different commands to the load control devices in response to a selection of a preset. The different commands may include a preset command configured to identify preset data in a device database stored at the load control device and/or a multi-output command configured to define the preset data for being stored in the device database. The system controller may decide which of the commands to transmit to the load control devices in response to the selection of the preset.