Solid-State Lighting Emergency Backup High DC Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED lighting systems face high maintenance and energy inefficiency due to the need for ballast compatibility and constant power consumption, especially in retrofit applications, and lack integrated emergency backup systems for reliable egress lighting.
Innovation Solution
An LED lighting system with an integrated emergency backup system that provides a high DC voltage to operate a luminaire using a rechargeable battery, step-up converter, and voltage sensing and control circuit, allowing for self-sustaining operation and compliance with safety codes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ballast-compatible LED lamps are used to replace fluorescent lamps, then installation is straightforward without rewiring, but total ownership cost increases due to frequent ballast replacements and constant ballast power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ballast component entirely from the lighting system, replacing it with an AC mains-operable LED lamp that integrates its own driver and power conversion circuitry. This extraction eliminates the reliability issue of ballast failures while maintaining ease of installation by using a direct replacement approach without requiring external ballasts.
Solution Approach 2:
The LED lamp is designed to be self-sustaining with integrated power conversion circuitry that directly accepts AC mains input and regulates power to the LED arrays without requiring external ballasts. This self-service capability eliminates constant power consumption by external ballasts and removes the need for frequent replacements, addressing both reliability and energy efficiency concerns.
2Loss of energy
If AC mains-operable LED lamps are used without ballasts, then energy efficiency improves and maintenance is reduced, but installation complexity increases requiring ballast removal or bypassing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ballast component from the system entirely, designing an LED lamp that directly interfaces with AC mains. This eliminates the energy losses associated with ballast operation while the integrated design simplifies installation by allowing direct replacement of the fluorescent lamp without requiring ballast removal or complex wiring modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The LED lamp is designed with universal AC mains compatibility and integrated power conversion that can operate in various fixture types previously requiring ballasts. This multi-functionality allows the lamp to replace both ballast-compatible and traditional fluorescent lamps, maintaining installation simplicity across different applications while achieving superior energy efficiency.
3Device complexity
If LED lighting systems operate without integrated emergency backup, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability during power failures decreases affecting egress lighting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the emergency backup functionality with the main lighting system by integrating a rechargeable battery and power management circuitry into the LED luminaire. This combination provides reliable emergency egress lighting while maintaining relatively simple device architecture through shared components and unified control, satisfying both complexity and reliability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically charging the emergency battery during normal AC mains operation. This preliminary charging ensures that emergency lighting is immediately available when needed without requiring manual intervention or complex external backup systems, thereby improving reliability while keeping the overall system design relatively simple.
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 system reduces maintenance costs, enhances energy efficiency, and ensures reliable emergency lighting by providing a high DC voltage to power LED arrays during AC mains unavailability, meeting safety standards without the need for frequent ballast replacements.
Implementation Method 1
The emergency backup system comprises a rechargeable battery, a second full-wave rectifier, a first driver, a second driver, and a voltage sensing and control circuit
Implementation Method 2
The second driver is configured to receive the fifth DC voltage from the rechargeable battery and to convert the fifth DC voltage into a sixth DC voltage
Implementation Method 3
a second full-wave rectifier coupled to unswitched AC mains and configured to convert a line voltage from the unswitched AC mains into a third DC voltage
Implementation Method 4
one or more LED arrays
Implementation Method 5
The Buck circuit is configured to provide a power factor correction and to convert the first DC voltage into a second DC voltage that powers up the one or more LED arrays
Data Source
AI summary
An LED lighting system comprising a luminaire and an emergency backup system is used to replace a fluorescent or an LED lamp normally operated with AC mains. When a line voltage from the AC mains is unavailable, the emergency backup system is automatically started to provide a high DC voltage larger than a minimum operating voltage of the luminaire. The emergency backup system comprises a rechargeable battery, a driver configured to convert a DC voltage from the rechargeable battery into the high DC voltage when enabled, and a voltage sensing and control circuit comprising a logic circuit and a relay switch configured to enable the driver and to couple the high DC voltage to two electrical conductors of the luminaire to operate the luminaire, no risk of damaging the luminaire.