Configurable LED power supply with wireless interface

• US 10,274,980 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bel Fuse Limited (Bel Fuse)
• Original Assignee: Bel Fuse Limited (Bel Fuse)
• Inventors: Jutras, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robbins, Jerry D
• Application Number:
  US14/873,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 320107
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/46 wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is dc G05F1/625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A power supply includes power circuitry configured to provide DC power to a separate load, and wireless communication circuitry for wirelessly communicating with an external control device such as a smart phone. A controller is configured to (1) conduct communications with the external control device via the wireless communication circuitry to receive configuration parameters, and (2) incorporate the configuration parameters into a control scheme for operation of the power supply. The power supply may be used with an LED lamp including a series of LEDs, and the configuration parameters establish desired operating characteristics including selection of constant-current or constant-voltage operation, and/or parameters for a dimming curve applied in dimming operation of the LED lamp. The power supply may be used in other applications including battery charging applications.

Claims

1. A power supply, comprising:

power circuitry configured and operative to provide DC power to a separate load;

wireless communication circuitry operative to wirelessly communicate with an external control device; and

a controller configured and operative to (1) conduct communications with the external control device via the wireless communication circuitry to receive configuration parameters, and (2) incorporate the configuration parameters into a control scheme for operation of the power supply,

wherein the power supply is one of a plurality of distinct types capable of being configured by an external control device, each distinct type requiring a corresponding distinct set of configuration parameters, and the power supply has an external bar code readable by the external control device to obtain a product identifier, the product identifier being usable to obtain the distinct set of configuration parameters for the power supply for communication to the power supply via the wireless communication circuitry.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the load is one of a plurality of types of load for which corresponding distinct operating modes of the power supply are required, and wherein the configuration parameters reflect selection among the distinct operating modes of the power supply based on the type of the load.

3. The power supply of claim 2, wherein the distinct operating modes include a constant-voltage mode and a constant-current mode, the constant-voltage mode maintaining a predetermined constant value of the output voltage over a range of values of the output current, the constant-current mode maintaining a predetermined constant value of the output current over a range of values of the output voltage.

4. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power circuitry includes primary-side power switching circuitry operable at a variable duty cycle according to a control signal received from the controller via a DC-isolating device, variation of the duty cycle causing corresponding variation of the output voltage and/or output current of the power supply, and wherein the controller is a secondary-side controller having the output voltage DC-coupled thereto as a sensing voltage and performs constant-voltage operation in which the controller generates the control signal in a manner maintaining a constant value of the output voltage as represented by the sensing voltage, and wherein the configuration parameters received via the wireless communications establish the constant value of the output voltage maintained by the controller.

5. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power circuitry includes primary-side power switching circuitry operable at a variable duty cycle according to a control signal received from the controller via a DC-isolating device, variation of the duty cycle causing corresponding variation of the output voltage and/or output current of the power supply, and wherein the controller is a secondary-side controller having a current-sense signal DC-coupled thereto, the current-sense signal developed directly from output current of the power supply, the controller performing constant-current operation in which the controller generates the control signal in a manner maintaining a constant value of the output current as represented by the current-sense signal, and wherein the configuration parameters received via the wireless communications establish the constant value of the output current maintained by the controller.

6. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the load is an LED lamp including a series of LEDs, and wherein the configuration parameters include parameters for a dimming curve applied in dimming operation of the LED lamp.

7. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power supply has a constant-current mode and a constant-voltage mode, the constant-current mode providing a constant value of the output current over a range of values of the output voltage, the constant-voltage mode providing a constant value of the output voltage over a range of values of the output current, and wherein the load includes a rechargeable battery requiring the constant-current mode of operation of the power supply.

8. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the load is a battery whose charging requirements are communicated to the power supply via the wireless communications, and the power supply incorporates operating parameters for the charging requirements to establish multiple modes of operation, a first mode A providing a first constant current value until the output voltage reaches a defined voltage level;

a second mode B providing a different constant current value until the output reaches a second defined voltage level;

a third mode C being a constant-voltage mode providing a constant voltage level until the output current tapers to a defined value; and

a fourth mode D providing a final constant voltage level.

9. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the configuration parameters include first values treated as temporary and stored in volatile memory of the controller, and second values for a semi-permanent or permanent operating mode and stored in nonvolatile memory of the controller.

10. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the controller and wireless communication circuitry are configured for transmitting operating data including output voltage, load current and operating temperature.

11. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power supply also includes a wired communication interface using a serial communication protocol for communicating with the load, the wired communication interface including a protection switch in series with a power supply output that can be turned off to disconnect the power circuitry from the load, the wired communication interface (1) employing pulsed signaling at the power supply output to transmit information to the load, and (2) interpreting pulses received from the load to set operating conditions that are stored in memory prior to beginning normal operation with the protection switch closed.

12. The power supply of claim 1, including an energy-storing device in which energy is stored during first periods of normal operation of the power circuitry, the energy-storing device providing stored energy to the controller and the wireless communication circuitry during second periods of non-operation of the power circuitry, the second periods being used for wirelessly communicating with the external control device in the absence of electrical noise from the power circuitry.

13. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power supply is configured and operative to establish initial operation in a predetermined mode using default configuration parameters, and includes an internal energy storage element charged during the initial operation to supply power to the wireless communication circuitry to enable the power supply to obtain configuration data for subsequent regular operation in a regular operating mode.

14. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the bar code includes data identifying a type of the wireless communication circuitry as well as specific communication parameters used to establish communication with the power supply.

15. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the load includes a second external bar code readable by the external control device to obtain information about the load, the information being usable to obtain other configuration parameters communicated to the power supply via the wireless communication circuitry.

16. The power supply of claim 15, wherein the load is an LED lamp and the information about the load includes data identifying a type of LED devices in the LED lamp.

17. The power supply of claim 16, wherein the information about the load includes data identifying a set diming curves used to dim the LED lamp, the data being used to set specific current levels, duty cycles and/or clocking frequencies of the power supply to realize the dimming curves.

18. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the configuration parameters establish bounds of operation relative to load requirements.

19. The power supply of claim 18, wherein the configuration parameters include output voltage set point and a switching frequency used for pulse-width modulation dimming.

20. A method of configuring the power supply of claim 1 using the external control device, comprising:

by the external control device, maintaining the distinct sets of configuration parameters for use in configuring the distinct types of power supplies;

by the external control device, reading the bar code and interpreting the bar code to select, from among the distinct sets of configuration parameters, the distinct set of configuration parameters appropriate for the power supply based on an association of the selected distinct set of configuration parameters with the bar code; and

by the external control device, conducting the communications with the power supply via the wireless communication circuitry to send the selected distinct set of configuration parameters to the controller of the power supply for configuring the power supply.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the distinct types of power supplies have respective distinct types of wireless interfaces and corresponding distinct wireless communication parameters included in the corresponding distinct sets of configuration parameters, and further including, by the external control device, using the wireless communication parameters included in the selected distinct sets of configuration parameters to perform wireless communications with the power supply.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless communication parameters include address, timing and/or hold up time information.