Wireless Adapter for Street Lighting Network Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing street lighting systems face challenges in upgrading to advanced network control capabilities, particularly when transitioning from traditional 3-pin to 5-pin or 7-pin interfaces, as this often requires replacing the entire luminaire, including the driver electronics, which is costly and impractical for decorative or historical fixtures.
Innovation Solution
A wireless adapter system that replaces the standard 3-pin, 5-pin, or 7-pin wired receptacle, providing a 3-wire interface to the luminaire and a receptacle interface for a control node, enabling wireless communication between the luminaire and control devices, allowing for centralized management and control without the need for physical modification or rewiring of the luminaire or control node.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional 3-pin to 5-pin or 7-pin interface upgrade is implemented, then advanced network control capabilities are achieved, but the entire luminaire including driver electronics must be replaced which increases cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the luminaire into separate functional components: the existing luminaire body remains unchanged while a separate wireless bridge device is added to provide advanced network control capabilities. This segmentation allows the control system to be upgraded without replacing the entire luminaire, resolving the contradiction between achieving network control capabilities and avoiding full luminaire replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
A wireless bridge device acts as an intermediary between the existing luminaire and the advanced control network. The bridge receives control signals wirelessly and translates them into commands compatible with the existing luminaire interface, enabling network control capabilities without modifying or replacing the original luminaire components.
2Ease of manufacture
If wireless adapter system is used, then cost-effective upgrades are enabled and existing fixtures are maintained, but additional wireless communication infrastructure is required
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless bridge device is designed to work with multiple luminaire types and control protocols simultaneously. It can interface with various wireless communication standards and translate them to compatible control signals, providing universal compatibility that reduces infrastructure requirements and lowers upgrade costs across different luminaire configurations.
3Device complexity
If centralized controller is used to control multiple luminaires, then power distribution and control wiring is simplified, but operational flexibility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static wired control to dynamic wireless control, allowing the operational parameters and control configurations to be changed remotely without physical rewiring. This enables the system to adapt to different operational requirements dynamically while maintaining the simplified wiring structure of centralized control.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods which leverage the wireless communication capability present in wireless-enabled luminaires where the lamps include a short-range wireless transceiver and can be controlled by a smart appliance. The wireless capability of a luminaire may be paired with a compatible wireless interface system (e.g., adapter system) that allows for control of the luminaire via plug-in or hard-wired photocontrols and wireless network lamp control nodes. An adapter system may be provided that replaces a standard wired receptacle of a luminaire. The adapter system may include a wired interface to the luminaire which provides power to the wireless adapter system. The wireless adapter system may include a receptacle interface that receives a plug of a control node, such as photocontrol or a networked control node. The wireless adapter system may also include a wireless interface circuit that communicates control, status or other data between the connected control device and the luminaire.