Wireless LED String Control Through Broadcast Packet Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting systems with LED light strings are limited by wired connections and near-field wireless communication, restricting the size and arrangement of lighting displays, especially across larger structures or multiple structures.
Innovation Solution
A lighting control system utilizing a plurality of LED strings and power controllers that employ wireless communication, including hyper Bluetooth® control, to enable broadcast packet forwarding based on time intervals and address matching, allowing for collaborative and individual control of LED strings without handshake protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If wired connections are used to connect multiple LED light strings to a lighting controller, then the lighting system can maintain stable control and synchronization, but the system is limited in size and cannot span larger structures or multiple structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wired mechanical connections with wireless communication technology. Power controllers transmit and receive control signals wirelessly through broadcast packets, eliminating the need for physical wiring between controllers and enabling deployment across larger areas and multiple structures without connection complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the lighting control network into multiple independent power controllers that can operate autonomously. Each power controller can receive control signals independently and forward broadcast packets to other controllers, allowing the system to scale to large areas through modular segmentation rather than requiring a centralized wired connection
2Area of stationary object
If near-field wireless communication such as Bluetooth is used for control, then wireless operation is achieved, but distance limitations prevent control of displays spanning larger areas or multiple structures
Solution Approach 1:
Power controllers act as intermediary nodes in a mesh network topology. When a controller receives a broadcast packet, it forwards the packet to other controllers within range, enabling control signals to propagate across large distances through multiple hops. This intermediary forwarding mechanism extends the effective coverage area beyond the range of direct near-field communication while maintaining reliability through redundant transmission paths
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from point-to-point or star topology to a mesh network dimensionality. Control signals can travel through multiple dimensional paths across the network, allowing coverage to expand from a single controller's range to area-wide coverage by utilizing the spatial distribution of multiple power controllers as relay nodes
3Area of stationary object
If multiple power controllers use wireless broadcast communication, then distance limitations are eliminated and large-area control is enabled, but packet forwarding and synchronization become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Each power controller autonomously determines whether to forward received broadcast packets based on simple local logic: compare the received packet with previously received packets and forward if different or if time interval exceeds threshold. This self-service forwarding mechanism eliminates the need for complex centralized control logic while enabling reliable packet propagation across the entire network
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses time-interval-based periodic forwarding where controllers forward packets based on whether the time since the last similar packet exceeds a preset threshold. This periodic action with built-in time filtering simplifies the control logic to a straightforward time-comparison operation while ensuring proper synchronization and preventing duplicate packet propagation
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting control system, power controllers, lighting controllers, LED light strings and control thereof, a hyper wireless control system, and further aspects are described herein. A technological method performed by an LED light string system with wireless communication among power controllers is described. A technological method performed by a power controller in an LED light string system with wireless communication among power controllers is described. In the system, a broadcast packet is forwarded, and a new signal source is formed, when the interval between reception times of two received broadcast packets is not less than a preset value or the two received broadcast packets are not identical. Forwarding is stopped, when the interval between reception times of two received broadcast packets is less than a preset value and the two received broadcast packets are identical. The system controls LED strings in accordance with broadcast packets.