Two-Wire Luminary Control via Pulse Amplitude Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting control systems require sophisticated networks and separate control wires or buses, making them costly for residential use, and lack the ability to remotely control both brightness and color temperature effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a single wire pair to control multiple light bulbs through a driver module with a pulse generation circuit, allowing dynamic control of pulse amplitude to select different LED strings for color tuning and brightness, eliminating the need for separate control wires or networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sophisticated networks of transmitters and receivers are used to control light fixtures, then control functionality is achieved, but system cost becomes too high for residential use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines power delivery and control signaling functions into a single two-wire interface. The controller delivers power to LED strings while simultaneously encoding control commands (brightness, color temperature) into the power signal itself, eliminating the need for separate control networks and reducing system complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The two-wire interface serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides power delivery, control signaling, and feedback communication. This multi-functional approach replaces what would traditionally require separate dedicated circuits for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If separate control wires or control communication bus are used for dimming and color tuning, then precise control is achieved, but the number of wires and components increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple control functions (dimming and color temperature adjustment) are merged into a single control interface. The controller modulates the power signal to simultaneously control multiple LED strings with different color temperatures, achieving precise brightness and color control without requiring separate control wires for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller uses periodic pulse-width modulation (PWM) signals to control LED brightness and color. By varying the duty cycle of periodic pulses delivered through the two-wire interface, the system achieves precise control over multiple LED strings, reducing the need for additional control components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple LED strings with different color temperatures are used for color tuning, then color control versatility is improved, but circuit complexity within each luminary increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between multiple LED strings with different color temperatures based on control commands. The controller adjusts the activation and current distribution to multiple LED strings in real-time, enabling versatile color temperature control while keeping individual luminary circuitry relatively simple through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that manages the complexity of controlling multiple LED strings. Rather than requiring complex circuitry within each luminary, the controller receives color temperature commands and translates them into appropriate switching and current control signals for the multiple LED strings, simplifying individual luminary design.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for controlling a multiplicity of luminaries connected to a single wire pair. The luminaries contain minimum circuitry to allow dimming and color tuning by pulses on the wire pair without the need for a separate control wire or control communication bus or network. A single luminary can be color tuned to many different colors as well as dimmed and turned on and off. A driver module drives the wire pair and receives commands over a network The driver module contains a pulse generation circuit that generates and applies pulses to the two-wire output. The amplitude of some the pulses control color of the luminary by selecting different LEDs in the luminary to light, while other pulses control brightness.