Controlling power usage in appliances
First Claim
1. An appliance unit electrically connected in series to a control unit and to a power supply via the control unit, the appliance unit comprising a plurality of modules, including:
- an appliance module comprising at least one controllable light generating module and at least one controllable auxiliary module for performing functionality other than light generating; and
a control module for negotiating a power mode for the appliance unit with the control unit, the power mode defining which of the at least one controllable light generating module and/or at least one controllable auxiliary module are to be switched on and supplied with power and which of the at least one controllable light generating module and/or at least one controllable auxiliary module are to be switched off and not supplied with power, and controlling the appliance module based on the power mode; and
a bypass module for passing current through the appliance unit, such that the bypass module is configured to pass a current to enable the control unit to be powered separately from any current passed by the appliance module, wherein the bypass module selectively provides a current path in parallel to the appliance module;
wherein the at least one controllable auxiliary module comprises a transceiver for wirelessly receiving a power mode command from the control unit for controlling the power mode of the appliance unit, and wherein the control module is configured to selectively switch on the transceiver based on a further power mode command received from the control unit via the series electrical connection.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An appliance unit (3) is for electrical connection in series to a control unit (1) and to a power supply via the control unit (1). The appliance unit (3) comprises an appliance module comprising at least one controllable light generating module (23) and/or at least one controllable auxiliary module (25) for performing functionality other than light generating, and a control module (27) for negotiating a power mode for the appliance unit (3) with the control unit (1). The appliance module is controlled based on the power mode. A bypass module (21) is able to pass current through the appliance unit (3), such that the bypass module (21) is configured to pass a current to enable the control unit (1) to be powered separately from any current passed by the at least one controllable light generating module (23) and the at least one controllable auxiliary module (25).
15 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An appliance unit electrically connected in series to a control unit and to a power supply via the control unit, the appliance unit comprising a plurality of modules, including:
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an appliance module comprising at least one controllable light generating module and at least one controllable auxiliary module for performing functionality other than light generating; and a control module for negotiating a power mode for the appliance unit with the control unit, the power mode defining which of the at least one controllable light generating module and/or at least one controllable auxiliary module are to be switched on and supplied with power and which of the at least one controllable light generating module and/or at least one controllable auxiliary module are to be switched off and not supplied with power, and controlling the appliance module based on the power mode; and a bypass module for passing current through the appliance unit, such that the bypass module is configured to pass a current to enable the control unit to be powered separately from any current passed by the appliance module, wherein the bypass module selectively provides a current path in parallel to the appliance module; wherein the at least one controllable auxiliary module comprises a transceiver for wirelessly receiving a power mode command from the control unit for controlling the power mode of the appliance unit, and wherein the control module is configured to selectively switch on the transceiver based on a further power mode command received from the control unit via the series electrical connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A control unit electrically connected in series with a power supply and at least one appliance unit, the control unit comprising:
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a control module for negotiating a power mode with the at least one appliance unit; at least one controllable auxiliary module for performing functionality other than negotiating the power mode; a supply regulator module for selectively supplying electrical power to the control module, the at least one controllable auxiliary module, and the at least one appliance unit, such that the supply regulator module is configured to supply current to the at least one appliance unit separately from any current passed by the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module, and furthermore wherein the control module is configured to control the at least one controllable auxiliary module and/or the supply regulator module based on the power mode, the power mode defining which of the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module to be switched on and supplied with power and which of the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module to be switched off and not supplied with power; wherein the supply regulator module comprises a supply module controllable by the control module and configured to selectively supply current to the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module and an operating module controllable by the control module and configured to selectively supply current to the at least one appliance unit; and wherein the operating module selectively provides a current path in parallel to the supply module; and wherein the supply regulator module is configured to determine a voltage drop across the at least one appliance unit, and to selectively supply electrical power to the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module based on the determined voltage drop across the appliance unit indicating that the current passing through the appliance unit is less than the current required to supply electrical power to the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling an appliance unit in series electrical connection with a control unit and a power supply, the method comprising:
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negotiating a power mode with the control unit; controlling selectively and separately, based on the power mode, the supply of power from the power supply to the appliance unit comprising at least one controllable light generating module and at least one auxiliary module for performing functionality other than generating light; providing a bypass module for passing current through the appliance unit, such that the bypass module is configured to pass a current to enable the control unit to be powered separately from any current passed by the appliance module, the power mode defining which of the at least one controllable light generating module and/or at least one auxiliary module are to be switched on and supplied with power and which of the at least one controllable light generating module and/or at least one auxiliary module are to be switched off and not supplied with power, wherein the bypass module selectively provides a current path in parallel to the appliance unit; and providing, in the at least one auxiliary module, a transceiver for wirelessly receiving a power mode command from the control unit for controlling the power mode of the appliance unit, and selectively switching on the transceiver based on a further power mode command received from the control unit via the series electrical connection.
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11. A method for controlling a control unit for electrical connection in series with a power supply and at least one appliance unit, the method comprising:
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negotiating, using a control module, a power mode with the at least one appliance unit;
selectively supplying electrical power, using a supply regulator module, based on the power mode, to the control module, to at least one controllable auxiliary module, and to the at least one appliance unit, such that selectively supplying electrical power comprises supplying current to the at least one appliance unit separately from any current passed by the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module, the power mode defining which of the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module are to be switched on and supplied with power and which of the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module are to be switched off and not supplied with power,wherein the supply regulator module includes a supply module controllable by the control module and configured to selectively supply current to the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module and an operating module controllable by the control module and configured to selectively supply current to the at least one appliance unit, and wherein the operating module selectively provides a current path in parallel to the supply module; and determining, via the supply regulator module, voltage drop across the at least one appliance unit, and selectively supply electrical power to the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module based on the determined voltage drop across the appliance unit indicating that the current passing through the appliance unit is less than the current required to supply electrical power to the control module and the at least one controllable auxiliary module.
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Specification