Phase Dimmer Energy Consumption Detection via Half-Wave Current Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for detecting energy consumption in electrical loads controlled by leading-edge or trailing-edge phase dimmers require additional components and significant effort, leading to increased costs and complexity, especially when multiple dimmers are used in large buildings.

Innovation Solution

Measuring energy consumption based on current flow within a sine half-wave acting on the electrical consumer, using existing dimmer components, such as an A/D converter, and transmitting data to an external evaluation unit via a building installation bus, allowing for accurate energy recording without additional hardware or effort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If additional components or circuit arrangements are used to detect energy consumption in phase-dimmed electrical loads, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumption detection accuracyVSAvoidnumber of additional components

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dimmer's existing microcontroller and A/D converter perform dual functions: both dimming control and energy consumption measurement. The microcontroller measures current flow during dimming operation without requiring separate measurement circuitry, allowing the system to serve itself for both purposes simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Existing dimmer components, particularly the microcontroller and A/D converter, are made multi-functional by using them for both phase dimming control and energy consumption measurement. This universal usage eliminates the need for dedicated measurement hardware, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If time-resolved voltage and current values are measured continuously, then energy consumption measurement accuracy is improved, but use of energy and processing resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumption measurement accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumed by measurement system

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous measurement, the system performs energy consumption measurement periodically at specific points in the AC waveform cycle. The microcontroller measures current flow at representative moments during each half-cycle and uses these periodic samples to calculate total energy consumption, reducing processing load and energy usage while maintaining sufficient measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system measures current flow at selected partial points during the dimming cycle rather than continuously throughout. By capturing measurements at key moments that represent the energy consumption characteristics, the system achieves adequate measurement precision without the excessive resource consumption of continuous monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3309560B1Method of detecting the energy consumption of an electric load

Publication Date: 2020.03.25 INSTA ELEKTRO GMBH

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AI summary

Described is a method for recording the energy consumption of an electrical load (2) controlled by a phase-on or phase-off dimmer (1). The current energy consumption of the electrical load (2) is determined based on the current flow (10) within a sinusoidal half-wave of the power supply (3) acting on the electrical load (2) and is stored and/or displayed for retrieval by a user.