Wireless Adaptation of Lighting Power Supply

• US 20120112654A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daintree Networks Pty Ltd. (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Daintree Networks Pty Ltd. (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Choong, Jason Yew Choo, Buchanan, Dallas Ivanhoe III, Garcia, Tony, Mai, Niall Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,471,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/08 wherein the variable is dc
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, for wirelessly controlling a power supply device that controls a load. A wireless adapter includes a wireless communication device that receives transmissions from a wireless controller, a serial interface for a serial data connection to a power supply processing device integrated in the power supply device, an adapter processing device that receives the control signals the wireless communication device outputs, generates the control commands from the control signals, and outputs the control commands to the serial interface to cause the power supply processing device to control power provided to the load in a manner specified by the control commands, and an adapter power circuit that receives regulated direct current (DC) power from the power supply device and is powered from the regulated DC power received, and provides power to the wireless communication device and the adapter processing device.

Claims

1. A wireless adapter device for wirelessly controlling a power supply device that controls a load, comprising:

a wireless communication device that receives transmissions from a wireless controller, the transmissions including control signals specifying control commands for the power supply device, and to output the control signals;

a serial interface for a serial data connection to a power supply processing device integrated in the power supply device;

an adapter processing device in data communication with the wireless communication device and that receives the control signals the wireless communication device outputs, generates the control commands from the control signals, and outputs the control commands to the serial interface, wherein the control commands cause the power supply processing device to control power provided to the load in a manner specified by the control commands; and

an adapter power circuit that receives regulated direct current (DC) power from the power supply device and is powered from the regulated DC power received, and provides power to the wireless communication device and the adapter processing device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the load controlled by the power supply device is a fluorescent lighting load; and

the power supply device is a fluorescent ballast.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the load controlled by the power supply device is a light emitting diode lighting load; and

the power supply device is an light emitting diode driver.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising local wired control device, the local wired control device comprising:

an environmental sensor that senses a physical stimulus of an environment and generates physical stimulus data indicative of the physical stimulus;

a local communication interface in data communication with the environmental sensor and that provides the physical stimulus data to the wireless adapter device;

a local power input circuit that receives power from the adapter power circuit and is powered from the power received from the adapter power circuit and provides power to the environmental sensor; and

wherein the wireless adapter device includes an adapter communication interface in data communication with the adapter processing device and that receives the physical stimulus data and provides the physical stimulus data to the adapter processing device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein:

the wireless communication device transmits data to the wireless controller;

the adapter processing device instructs the wireless communication device to transmit the physical stimulus data to the wireless controller; and

at least some of the control signal received from the wireless adapter are responsive to the physical stimulus data.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the environmental sensor is an occupancy sensor.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the environmental sensor is a photo sensor.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the physical stimulus data comprises binary signal data.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the control signals are digital signals and the control commands are digital signals that encode an analog value in a range from a first analog value to a second analog value that is different from the first analog value.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless adaptor is packaged in a packaging that is separate from the power supply device and that is configured to be mounted separately from the power supply device.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless controller that generates the transmissions received by the wireless communication device, and wherein the wireless controller is in data communication with a plurality of wireless adapters, and of which the wireless adapter is one of the plurality of wireless adapters; and

wherein the wireless controller controls a plurality of power supply devices that correspond to the plurality of wireless adapters.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter power circuit is configured to receive regulated DC power at a level less than or equal to 5 volts.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter processing device receives status data from the power supply device, the status data including one or more of hours on data specifying hours on, power consumption data specifying power consumption, and system health specifying system health.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the serial interface receives a serial data connection from a second power supply processing device integrated in a second power supply device; and

the adapter processing device receives the second control signals the wireless communication device outputs, generates second control commands from the second control signals, and outputs the second control commands to the serial interface, wherein the second control commands cause the second power supply processing device to control power provided to a second load in a manner specified by the second control commands

15. A method implemented in a wireless adapter device, the method comprising:

receiving transmissions from a wireless controller, the transmissions including control signals specifying control commands for a power supply device that is separate from the wireless adapter device, and to output the control signals;

establishing a serial data connection to a power supply processing device integrated in a power supply device;

generating the control commands from the control signals;

outputting the control commands to the power supply device over the serial interface, wherein the control commands cause the power supply processing device to control power provided to the load in a manner specified by the control commands;

receiving regulated direct current (DC) power from the power supply device; and

providing power to the wireless communication device and the adapter processing device from the regulated DC power.