DC distribution system

• US 8,502,470 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Original Assignee: EnOcean GmbH
• Inventors: Barnett, Thomas Alan, Iott, Jeffrey, Xu, Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Crystal L
• Application Number:
  US12/417,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20090251072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 315/297
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/28 using static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

A direct current power system according to one non-limiting embodiment includes a direct current power source operable to distribute a direct current voltage throughout at least one structure, and at least one controller operable to selectively couple a direct current load to the direct current voltage in response to a wireless signal from an energy-harvesting switch.

Claims

1. A direct current power system, comprising:

a DC power source comprising an AC power source, a first power converter coupled to said AC power source and a second power converter coupled to an output of the first power converter, wherein said DC power source is operable to distribute a DC voltage throughout at least one environment; and

at least one controller operable to selectively couple a DC load to the DC voltage in response to a wireless signal from an energy-harvesting switch.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the DC load includes a luminaire having at least one light emitting diode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one environment includes a building.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the DC power source includes at least one of a battery and a generator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first power converter is operable to convert a voltage from the AC power source into a first DC voltage.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one power converter comprises:

said first power converter operable to distribute said first DC voltage throughout a first portion of the at least one environment; and

said second power converter operable to convert the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage, and operable to distribute the second DC voltage throughout a second portion of the at least one environment to the DC load, wherein the second DC voltage is higher or lower than the first DC voltage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said AC power source has a first AC voltage;

said first power converter coupled to the AC power source is operable to convert the first AC voltage to a second AC voltage that is higher or lower than the first AC voltage; and

said second power converter is operable to convert the second AC voltage into a DC voltage, and operable to distribute the DC voltage throughout an environment to the DC load.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein a DC voltage from the second power converter is distributed throughout a first portion of the at least one environment, and the second DC voltage is distributed throughout a second portion of the at least one environment.

9. A direct current lighting system, comprising:

a DC power source comprising an AC power source, a first power converter coupled to said AC power source and a second power converter coupled to an output of the first power converter, wherein said DC power source is operable to distribute a DC voltage throughout at least one environment; and

at least one controller operable to selectively couple a DC lighting source to the DC voltage in response to a control signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control signal is a wireless signal from an energy-harvesting switch.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one environment includes a building.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said first power converter is operable to convert a voltage from the AC power source into a first DC voltage, and operable to distribute the first DC voltage throughout a first portion of the at least one environment, and wherein said second power converter coupled to an output of the first power converter is operable to convert the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage, and operable to distribute the second DC voltage throughout a second portion of the at least one environment to the DC load, wherein the second DC voltage is higher or lower than the first DC voltage.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said second power converter is operable to convert the DC voltage from the DC power source into a second DC voltage that is lower than the DC voltage from the DC power source, and wherein the DC voltage from the DC power source is distributed throughout a first portion of the at least one environment, and the second DC voltage is distributed throughout a second portion of the at least one environment.

14. A method for controlling electrical power in an environment comprising:

converting an AC voltage to a first DC voltage using a first power converter coupled to an AC power source;

distributing the DC voltage in an environment;

converting the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage using a second power converter coupled to an output of said first power converter; and

selectively coupling a DC load to the second DC voltage in response to a control signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control signal is a wireless signal from a self-energizing switch.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the DC load includes a luminaire having at least one light emitting diode.