Systems and methods for transmitting pulse signals

• US 5,625,260 A
• Filed: 12/05/1995
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airport Technology In Scandinavia AB
• Original Assignee: Airport Technology In Scandinavia AB
• Inventors: Millgard, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US08/436,366
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 315/129, 315/130, 315/131, 315/135, 315/136, 315/185 R, 315/189, 315/256, 315/291, 315/315, 340/642
• US Class Current: 315/136
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/235 with communication between the lamps and a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for communicating from the secondary side of an isolation transformer (6) to receiver means, the primary of said transformer being connected via a power cable to a circuit fed with a periodic voltage from a constant-current generator, said receiver means being connected to said circuit. More particularly, switch means (30) are arranged for generating communicating signals by momentarily affecting the impedance on the secondary side so as to generate one or more voltage pulses on the primary side (8) of the transformer for propagation along the cable to said receiver means.

Claims

1. A method for communicating from a secondary side of an isolation transformer to receiver means in a system including a primary of said transformer connected via a power cable to a circuit fed with a periodic voltage from a constant current generator, said receiver means being connected to said circuit and said secondary side including a load comprising:

generating high frequency communicating pulse signals by pulse wise affecting an impedance of the secondary side by means of a switch in series with the load, thereby changing the load on the secondary side while current is flowing through it during a short time period in comparison to the period of the current, controlled by a control circuit, whereby a voltage pulse will appear across the primary of said transformer during said short time;

and transferring said voltage pulse to the primary winding of the transformer as said pulse signals for propagation along the cable to said receiver means while current is flowing through the transformer during said period.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising affecting the impedance on the secondary side by interrupting the current flow on the secondary side.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising generating, providing the load is not defective, said communication pulse signals at a time interval referenced to a synchronizing signal and determined by a unique address assigned to the load, and detecting the non-presence of said communication signal from a defective load.

4. A method according to claim 3, comprising short-circuiting said secondary side as long as an associated load is defective.

5. A system for communicating from a secondary side of an isolation transformer to receiver means, a primary of said transformer being connected via a power cable to a circuit fed with a periodic voltage from a constant-current generator, said communication means being connected to said circuit, and said secondary side including a load comprising means for generating high frequency communicating pulse signals by pulse wise affecting an impedance of the secondary side by means of a switch in series with the load, thereby changing the load on the secondary side while current is flowing through it during a short time in comparison to the period of the current, controlled by a control circuit, whereby a voltage pulse will appear across the primary of said transformer during said short time, transferring said voltage pulse to the primary winding of the transformer as said pulse signals for propagation along the cable to said receiver means while current is flowing through the transformer during said period.

6. A system according to claim 5, comprising means for affecting the impedance on the secondary side by changing the load on the secondary side.

7. A system according to claim 5, comprising means for affecting the impedance on the secondary side by interrupting the current flow on the secondary side.

8. A system according to claim 6, means for affecting the impedance on the secondary side by short-circuiting the load on the secondary side.

9. A system according to claim 5, comprising means for generating, provided the load is not defective, said communication signal at a time interval referenced to a synchronizing signal and determined by a unique address assigned to the load, and by means for detecting the non-presence of said communication signal from a defective load.

10. A system according to claim 9, comprising means for affecting said impedance so as to inhibit transmission of said communication signal in case the load is defective.

11. A system according to claim 10, comprising means for short-circuiting said secondary side as long as the associated load is defective.

12. A monitoring system for airfield lighting lamps, which are powered from an ac current supply via a series cable and each lamp being associated with an isolation transformer, including a secondary side in which the lamp is located, each lamp having assigned thereto a unique address and an associated lamp monitoring unit, which is able to communicate with a communicating unit by means of a communicating pulse signal over said series cable, comprising means associated with each lamp for generating said communication signal, provided the lamp has not failed, by means of a switch in series with the lamp controlled by a control circuit, said communication signal at a time interval referenced to a synchronizing signal and determined by the unique address of the lamp, by pulse wise affecting an impedance of the secondary side by means of said switch in series with the lamp, thereby changing the lamp load on the secondary side while current is flowing through it during a short time in comparison to the period of the current controlled by said control circuit, whereby a voltage pulse will appear across the primary of said transformer during said short time, transferring said voltage pulse to the primary winding of the transformer as said pulse signals for propagation along the cable to said receiver means while current is flowing through the transformer during said period.

13. A system according to claim 12, comprising means for affecting the impedance on the secondary side by changing the load on the secondary side.

14. A system according to claim 12, comprising means for affecting the impedance on the secondary side by interrupting the current flow on the secondary side.

15. A system according to claim 12, comprising means for affecting the impedance on the secondary side by short-circuiting the load on the secondary side.

16. A system according to claim 12, characterized by means for interconnecting each lamp and said impedance affecting means so as to inhibit transmission of said communication signal as a result of said lamp failing.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein said impedance affecting means is a circuit switching means in said secondary side controlled by said monitoring unit.

18. A system according to claim 12, wherein said circuit switch is intermittently opened again during short time intervals, during which said control means measures the voltage across, or the current through, the lamp for detecting when the lamp has been removed.

19. A communication method for monitoring systems wherein pulse signals are generated and transmitted comprising:

causing variation of impedance in a circuit containing at least one switching means, one in series with a load, and a transformer by pulse wise affecting said impedance thereby changing the load while current is flowing through it during a short time in comparison to the period of the current by means of said switching means controlled by a control circuit means, said transformer having at least a primary and a secondary winding, in a manner such that pulses are applied to said secondary winding of the transformer during said period;

transferring said pulses to the primary winding of the transformer as said pulse signals; and

transmitting said pulse signals to a receiving means.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said pulse signals have frequencies distinguishable from other signalling frequencies and background noise in the circuit absent amplification means.

21. A system for monitoring a load comprising:

a circuit containing at least one switching means, one in series with a load, and a transformer, said transformer having at least a primary and a secondary winding, said secondary winding being electronically interconnected with a load;

said switching means generating pulse signals, on the primary winding of said transformer as a result of the operation of said switching means causing variation of the impedance on the secondary winding by pulse wise affecting the impedance thereby changing the load on the secondary side by said one switching means in series with the load while current is flowing through it during a short time in comparison to the period of the current as controlled by a control circuit means while current is flowing through said transformer during said period;

a constant current generator supplying a constant current to said primary winding or said transformer via a power cable; and

said pulse sign&

is combining with said constant current to provide a signal indicative of the status of the load; and

to a processing means interconnected with said circuit for receiving said pulse signals.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said at least one switching means comprises a transistor.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said circuit includes two switching means.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said two switching means are transistors.

25. A monitoring and control system for an airfield lighting arrangement comprising:

light units installable at light unit locations, wherein each light unit is connected to an electronic unit;

said electronic unit comprising a regulator, a monitoring unit and a modem, for monitoring the operation of each of the light units;

each light unit having a control circuit containing at least one switching means, one in series with a load, and a transformer;

said transformer having at least a primary and secondary winding and means for generating pulse signals, on the primary winding of said transformer as a result of the operation of said switching means causing variation of the impedance on the secondary winding, thereby changing the load on the secondary side by said one switching means in series with the load while current is flowing through it during a short time in comparison to the period of the current by pulse wise affecting the impedance controlled by a control circuit means while current is flowing through said transformer during said period which impedance is transferred to the primary winding; and

means for transmitting said pulse signals to said monitoring unit.