PoE Track Lighting System with Digital Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional track lighting systems using AC power struggle to independently control the brightness and color of individual LED luminaires, leading to energy inefficiency and high costs due to the need for separate AC to DC converters and the mixing of low and high voltage conductors, which also violate energy codes.
Innovation Solution
A Power over Ethernet (PoE) track lighting system that uses a PoE enabled low voltage track channel with separate power and communication conductors to supply low voltage DC current and digital communication signals to each track head, allowing for independent control of LED luminaires through a PoE track interface device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If AC power is used to supply track heads, then high power can be delivered, but separate AC to DC converters are needed for each track head increasing device complexity and energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines power delivery and data communication into a single PoE infrastructure using Ethernet cables that can carry both electrical power and digital signals. This eliminates the need for separate AC-to-DC converters in each track head, reducing device complexity while maintaining adequate power delivery for LED luminaires.
Solution Approach 2:
The PoE system provides multi-functionality by using the same Ethernet infrastructure for both power delivery and digital communication. The track heads receive both power and control signals through the same cable connection, eliminating the need for separate power wiring and control wiring.
2Power
If AC power is used in track channel, then high voltage power can be supplied, but low and high voltage conductors are mixed violating energy codes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the voltage parameter from high voltage AC to low voltage DC by using PoE technology. This transformation allows power to be delivered through standard low-voltage Ethernet infrastructure, eliminating the mixing of high and low voltage conductors and ensuring compliance with energy codes while still providing sufficient power for LED track heads.
3Ease of operation
If conventional dimmers are used with AC circuits, then brightness control is achieved, but individual track head control is difficult since all heads receive power from the same circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces digital communication as an intermediary layer between the control system and track heads. This allows individual track heads to be addressed and controlled separately through digital signals sent over the PoE infrastructure, enabling precise individual brightness control while maintaining the simplicity of a centralized control system.
4Use of energy by moving object
If LED luminaires are used to reduce energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but separate AC to DC converters in each track head cause energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power delivery and control functions into a single PoE system. By delivering low-voltage DC power directly through the Ethernet infrastructure without requiring AC-to-DC conversion in each track head, the system eliminates conversion losses and maximizes energy efficiency while maintaining LED luminaire benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a system that utilizes Power over Ethernet (PoE) to supply low voltage direct current (DC) power to a PoE enabled track lighting system. The system facilitates communications with individual track heads located in a PoE enabled low voltage track channel so that the operational characteristics of the individual track heads can be controlled (e.g., dim, brighten, change color), so that feedback on functional status of individual track heads can be obtained, and so that total system current can be regulated. The PoE track lighting system includes a PoE track interface (PTI) device that receives current and communication signals. The PTI device receives the digital communication signals, converts them to a second digital commination signal in a format more suitable for transmission along the communication conductors in the track channel, and transmits the second digital communication signal to the communication conductors of the track channel.