Communication via a power waveform

• US 10,231,316 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Der Brug, Willem Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Seokjin
• Application Number:
  US14/763,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20150366038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/00 Monitoring; Testing of line transmission systems H04B3/46; arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves H04B10/07
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

Methods of controlling an apparatus based on analysis of an input power waveform supplied to the apparatus. The methods may comprise demodulating a plurality of incoming data packets from the input power waveform. The methods may comprise determining whether N data packets of said plurality of incoming data packets are the same, wherein N is a positive integer having a dynamic value that depends on the input power waveform. The methods may comprise controlling at least one aspect of the apparatus based on said N data packets if said N data packets were determined to be the same. Also disclosed are apparatus corresponding to such methods.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an apparatus based on analysis of an input power waveform supplied to the apparatus, comprising:

demodulating a plurality of incoming data packets from the input power waveform;

determining whether N data packets of said plurality of incoming data packets are the same, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1 having a dynamic value that depends on the input power waveform;

controlling at least one aspect of the apparatus based on said N data packets only after said determining step has determined that said N data packets were the same; and

wherein the value of N varies in response to a change in a type of data packet being carried by the input power waveform.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the value of N depends on at least one of:

a signal-to-noise level of the input power waveform; and

which control command of a plurality of control commands is represented by a first data packet of the plurality of incoming data packets.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising controlling said at least one aspect of the apparatus based on said N data packets only if said N data packets were received consecutively.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising controlling said at least one aspect of the apparatus based on said N data packets only if said plurality of incoming data packets comprises no more than M data packets.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising controlling said at least one aspect of the apparatus based on said N data packets only if said N data were demodulated within a time interval.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the time interval has a duration which is dependent on at least one of:

a signal-to-noise level of the input power waveform; and

which control command of a plurality of control commands is represented by a first data packet of the plurality of incoming said N data packets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a lighting fixture, wherein said N data packets pertain to a dimming command, and wherein a dimming level of said lighting fixture is controlled based on said dimming command.

8. A controller implementing the method of claim 1.

9. A lighting fixture comprising the controller of claim 8.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions stored therein which, when executed by a controller cause the controller to be configured to perform the method of claim 1.

14. A lighting fixture network comprising:

a plurality of lighting fixtures according to claim 9;

a power line arranged to provide a power waveform to the plurality of lighting fixtures; and

the apparatus comprising a transformer, the transformer thereof being connected in series with a line of the power line for transmitting at least one data packet to the plurality of lighting fixtures.

11. A method of controlling an apparatus on a network, the method comprising:

transmitting a data packet to the network via modulation of a power waveform supplied thereto, said transmitting step comprising;

receiving data for transmitting to one or more apparatus of the network;

determining a data packet based on said data; and

repeatedly modulating the power waveform in correspondence with said data packet until said data packet has been transmitted a predetermined number of times, at least twice; and

controlling the apparatus in conformance with said data packet, said controlling step comprising;

demodulating a plurality of incoming data packets from the input power waveform;

determining whether N data packets of said plurality of incoming data packets are the same, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1 having a dynamic value that depends on the input power waveform; and

controlling at least one aspect of the apparatus based on said N data packets only after said determining step has determined that said N data packets were the same, and

wherein the value of N varies in response to a change in a type of data packet being carried by the input power waveform.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting said predetermined number of times in dependence on said data, whereby said data packet is transmitted more times if said data is indicative of a first control command than if said data is indicative of a second control command.

13. An apparatus comprising a transformer connected in series with a line of a power line feeding power waveform to a network, said transformer comprising a controller in communication with at least one switch of said transformer, said controller implementing the method of claim 11.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions stored therein which, when executed by a suitable controller cause the controller to be configured to perform the method of claim 11.