SIGNAL-PRESERVING POWER BOOSTER AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20180110110A1
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Media Graph Depot Inc.
• Original Assignee: Media Graph Depot Inc.
• Inventors: Sellam, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,368,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/48 having LEDs organised in strings and incorporating parallel shunting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A signal-preserving power booster and a related method. An input module, comprises a reference port and two input ports, receives an input light signal, which conveys an input lighting power component at a first power level and a data-over-light digital stream component imperceptible to a human eye. A MOSFET amplifier module, having access to the reference port, provides an output light signal between two output ports, a first output port being connected to an internal amplifier circuit connected to the first input port and a second output port being connected to the second input port. The output light signal conveys the data-over-light digital stream component from the input light signal and an output lighting power component, at a second power level equal to or greater than the first power level, the output light signal powering an array of LEDs at the second power level.

Claims

1. A signal-preserving power booster comprising:

an input module comprising a reference port and two input ports for receiving an input light signal therebetween, the input light signal conveying;

an input lighting power component at a first power level; and

a data-over-light digital stream component at a frequency imperceptible to a human eye; and

a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) amplifier module, having access to the reference port, comprising two output ports for providing an output light signal therebetween, a first output port of the two output ports being connected to an internal amplifier circuit connected to the first input port and a second output port of the two output ports being connected to the second input port, wherein the output light signal conveys;

the data-over-light digital stream component from the input light signal; and

an output lighting power component, at a second power level equal to or greater than the first power level, the output light signal powering a first array of Light Emission Diodes (LEDs) at the second power level.

2. The booster of claim 1, wherein the internal amplifier circuit comprises a plurality MOSFETs, each providing a source, a gate, a drain and a channel, wherein a logical connection links the channel and the source and a logical diode connects from the source to the drain, wherein:

the first of the two input ports is provided to the gate of a first MOSFET of the plurality of MOSFETs;

the drain of the first MOSFET is provided to the gate of a second MOSFET of the plurality of MOSFETS and to the gate of a third MOSFET of the plurality of MOSFETS;

a first voltage regulator comprising a first resistor and a first Zener diode connects the reference port, the first input port and the second input port;

a second voltage regulator comprising a second resistor and a second Zener diode connects the reference port, the drain of the first MOSFET and the second input port; and

the drain of the second MOSFET and the drain of the third MOSFET are provided to the first output port.

3. The booster of claim 1, wherein a source device connects the second input port and the reference port and provides power to a generator device providing the input light signal at the first power level between the first input port and the second input port.

4. The booster of claim 2, wherein a source device connects the second input port and the reference port and provides power to a generator device providing the input light signal at the first power level between the first input port and the second input port.

5. The booster of claim 3, wherein a second booster, in accordance with the booster of claim 1, is connected to the reference port with the output light signal connected as a second input light signal of the second booster, a second output light signal conveying:

the data-over-light digital stream component from the output light signal; and

a second output lighting power component, at a third power level equal to or greater than the second power level, the second output light signal powering a second array of LEDs at the third power level.

6. The booster of claim 4, wherein a second booster, in accordance with the booster of claim 1, is connected to the reference port with the output light signal connected as a second input light signal of the second booster, a second output light signal conveying:

the data-over-light digital stream component from the output light signal; and

a second output lighting power component, at a third power level equal to or greater than the second power level, the second output light signal powering a second array of LEDs at the third power level.

7. The booster of claim 5, wherein the source device connects a second input port of the second booster and the reference port and serves as a single source of energy for the first array of LEDs and the second array of LEDs.

8. The booster of claim 6, wherein the source device connects a second input port of the second booster and the reference port and serves as a single source of energy for the first array of LEDs and the second array of LEDs.

9. The booster of claim 3, wherein a plurality of additional boosters, each in accordance with the booster of claim 1, are daisy chained to the reference port with the output light signal connected as a daisy-chained input light signal of a first one of the plurality of additional boosters, wherein each of the plurality of daisy-chained boosters provides a corresponding output signal fed to a subsequent of the plurality of additional boosters, wherein each of the corresponding output signal conveys:

the data-over-light digital stream component from a precedent output light signal; and

a corresponding output lighting power component, at a subsequent power level equal to or greater than a second power level of a precedent of the plurality of additional boosters, the corresponding output light signal powering a corresponding array of Light Emission Diodes (LEDs) at the corresponding power level;

wherein a number of units in the plurality of additional boosters is limited by a power rating of the source device, which serves as a single source of energy for the first array of LEDs and the corresponding arrays of LEDs.

10. A method for boosting power of an input light signal towards two output ports, the method comprising:

receiving the input light signal between a first input port and a second input port, the input light signal conveying;

an input lighting power component at a first power level; and

a data-over-light digital stream component at a frequency imperceptible to a human eye;

providing the first input port to a gate of a first metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) of a plurality of MOSFETs comprising a second MOSFET and a third MOSFET, each of the plurality of MOSFETS providing a source, a gate, a drain and a channel, wherein a logical connection links the channel and the source and a logical diode connects from the source to the drain;

providing the drain of the first MOSFET to the gate of the second MOSFET and to the gate of the third MOSFET, wherein a first voltage regulator comprising a first resistor and a first Zener diode connects a reference port, the first input port and the second input port and a second voltage regulator comprising a second resistor and a second Zener diode connects the reference port, the drain of the first MOSFET and the second input port;

providing the second input port to a second of the two output ports; and

providing the drain of the second MOSFET and the drain of the third MOSFET to a first of the two output ports, wherein an output light signal is provided between the first output port and the second output port conveying;

the data-over-light digital stream component from the input light signal; and

an output lighting power component, at a second power level greater than or equal to the first power level.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising powering a first array of Light Emission Diodes (LEDs) at the second power level from the output light signal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting a source device between the second input port and the reference port and connecting the source device to a generator device providing the input light signal at the first power level between the first input port and the second input port.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing the output light signal to a second booster connected to the reference port with the output light signal connected as a second input light signal of the second booster, a second output light signal conveying:

the data-over-light digital stream component from the output light signal; and

a second output lighting power component, at a third power level equal to or greater than the second power level, the second output light signal powering a second array of Light Emission Diodes (LEDs) at the third power level.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing the second output light signal to a third booster to the reference port with the second output light signal connected as a third input light signal of the third booster, a third output light signal conveying:

the data-over-light digital stream component from the second output light signal; and

a third output lighting power component, at a fourth power level equal to or greater than a third power level, the third output light signal powering a third array of Light Emission Diodes (LEDs) at the fourth power level.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising daisy-chaining a plurality of additional boosters to the reference port with the output light signal connected as a daisy-chained input light signal of a first one of the plurality of additional boosters, wherein each of the plurality of daisy-chained boosters provides a corresponding output signal fed to a subsequent of the plurality of additional boosters, wherein each of the corresponding output signal conveys:

the data-over-light digital stream component from a precedent output light signal; and

a corresponding output lighting power component, at a subsequent power level equal to or greater than a second power level of a precedent of the plurality of additional boosters, the corresponding output light signal powering a corresponding array of Light Emission Diodes (LEDs) at the corresponding power level;

wherein a number of units in the plurality of additional boosters is limited by a power rating of a source device, which serves as a single source of energy for the first array of LEDs and the corresponding arrays of LEDs.