Luminaire Coding Recognition for Safe Lamp Power Matching

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Users face the risk of damaging flashlights or control units when changing lamps that require different power supplies, as they must manually adjust the control unit settings, leading to potential confusion and misuse.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a coding system where the power supply information is stored in a code that correlates with the lamp's voltage and current requirements, allowing a code recognition mechanism to automatically select the suitable power supply when the code is inserted, eliminating the need for user intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If manual adjustment of control unit settings is required when changing lamps, then the control unit can be simple and cost-effective, but the risk of incorrect power supply usage increases and user safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol unit structureVSAvoidpower supply matching accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lamp base performs self-identification by automatically generating and transmitting its power supply requirement code to the control unit through the socket connection, eliminating the need for manual user configuration and ensuring accurate power supply matching without increasing control unit complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The power supply requirement code is pre-stored in the lamp base before installation, so that when the lamp is inserted into the socket, the control unit can immediately retrieve and apply the correct power supply settings without requiring user intervention or manual adjustment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a coding system is added to the lamp base, then power supply matching accuracy improves, but the lamp structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply matching accuracyVSAvoidlamp structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coding system is merged with the lamp base structure, integrating the code storage and transmission functions directly into the existing lamp components rather than adding separate identification devices, thereby minimizing structural complexity while ensuring reliable power supply matching

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The socket serves as an intermediary that facilitates automatic code transmission from the lamp base to the control unit during the normal connection process, enabling power supply identification without requiring additional user actions or complex lamp structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If automatic code recognition is implemented, then user safety and ease of operation improve, but the control unit complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelamp replacement processVSAvoidcontrol unit structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The manual mechanical process of user configuration is replaced by an automatic electrical signal transmission system where the lamp base sends its power supply code through the socket connection, and the control unit automatically processes this information to set the appropriate power supply parameters without requiring complex user interfaces or manual adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3012511B1Light with lamp
Publication Date: 2020.12.23 RIDI LEUCHTEN GMBH
  • EP3012511B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3012511B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3012511B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a luminaire (2) for at least one lamp (3) that can be inserted therein. The luminaire (2) comprises a control unit (4) for operating the lamp (3) and a coding recognition device (6, 19) which is coupled to the control unit (4) and which can be coupled to an interchangeable coding device (15) that correlates with an electrical voltage and/or with an electrical current for operating the respective lamp (3), wherein the coding recognition device (6, 19), depending on the coding device (15) coupled to it, causes the control unit (4) to operate the respective lamp (3) with a power supply specified by the coding device (15) with respect to current and/or voltage.