Power/data protocol

• US 6,292,901 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor, Mueller, George G.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILEY, DAVID ARMAND
• Application Number:
  US09/213,537
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300-340
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/027 for indicating kerbs, steps or stairs
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/08 for handles or handrails
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/06 Passive matrix structure, i.e. with direct application of both column and row voltages to the light emitting or modulating elements, other than LCD or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3283 in which the data driver supplies a variable data current for setting the current through, or the voltage across, the light-emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/28 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/357 specially adapted for retrofit LED light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 : using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/397 : Current mirror circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 : having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 : Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 : Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 : following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 : via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 : Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Provided herein are methods and systems for powering a device, which include providing a data signal and extracting power from the data signal to power the device. The device may be either a device that responds to the data signal or another device. The data signal may vary between at least two data states. The methods and systems may extract power during one or both of the data states. The methods and systems may include a multiplexor. The controlled device may be an RS-485 compliant device, such as an LED system associated with a processor. The data signal may be a DMX-512 signal. The data signal may control a processor for control of the device.

Claims

1. A method for powering a light module, comprising:

providing a light module, the light module including a processor and an LED system;

providing a data signal to the light module, the processor and the LED system of the light module being responsive to the data signal; and

extracting power from the data signal to power the light module.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the data signal varies between at least two states.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the two states represent digital data states.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the data signal is a signal for an RS-485 compliant device.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the data signal is a DMX-512 protocol signal.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the light module is an RS-485 compliant device.

7. A lighting system comprising:

a data line;

a power supply module, the power supply module including circuitry to extract power from a data signal on the data line; and

a light module, the light module including a processor and an LED system, the processor receiving power from the power extracted from the data signal, and the processor configured to control the LED system in response to the data signal.

8. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the data signal varies between at least two states.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the at least two states represent digital data states.

10. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the data signal is a signal for an RS-485 compliant device.

11. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the data signal is a DMX-512 protocol signal.

12. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the lighting system is an RS-485 compliant device.

13. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein the data line is a pair of wires.

14. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the data line provides power and data signals to a plurality of processors and LED systems.

15. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the data line provides power to one or more high-power devices.

16. The lighting system of claim 7, further comprising a power data multiplexer, the power data multiplexer supplying combined power and data to the data line.

17. The lighting system of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of power supply modules and a plurality of light modules connected in a data lighting network by the data line.

18. The lighting system of claim 7 wherein the data signal is a serial data signal.