Smart power device

• US 8,890,679 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2013
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WTEC GmbH
• Original Assignee: Redwood Systems, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Covaro, Mark, Leonard, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US13/769,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 340/538, 340/538.11, 340/538.15, 340/540, 340/541, 340/568.2, 340/870, 340/12.32, 340/12.33, 340/12.37, 320/101
• US Class Current: 340/538
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/577 for plural loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A power device may include channels coupled to conductors in lines, where each one of the channels is coupled to a different one of the lines than the other channels and where the channels deliver direct current power signals over the conductors to the load devices. Each one of the load devices may be powered by a different one of the direct current power signals. The power device may include a power communicator that communicates with the load devices over the conductors that propagate the direct current power signals. The power communicator may determine a target power level for the load devices based on the communication over the conductors. The load device may adjust an amount of power in the direct current power signals in order to match the target power level.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a power converter configured to power a plurality of light fixtures with direct current power signals transmitted over wiring from the power converter to the light fixtures; and

a power communicator configured to communicate with a plurality of load communicators, one of the load communicators paired with one of the light fixtures, wherein

the power communicator is further configured to determine a target power level for the one of the light fixtures based on the communication with the one of the load communicators and to cause the power converter to power the one of the light fixtures at the target power level.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising channels configured to couple the power converter to the wiring, wherein the wiring and the light fixtures are affixed to a building.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power communicator is further configured to identify a model of the one of the light fixtures based on the communication with the one of the load communicators.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a network interface controller, wherein the power communicator is further configured to transmit a request over a data network via the network interface controller, wherein the request is for a driver for the one of the light fixtures.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the power communicator is further configured to receive the driver over the data network and transmit the driver over the wiring to the one of the load communicators corresponding to the one of the light fixtures, wherein the driver is executable with a processor in the one of the load communicators.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the power communicator is further configured to receive the driver over the data network, and wherein the driver is executable with a processor of the power communicator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the power converter is configured to generate at least two of the direct current power signals out of phase with each other.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first power device that comprises the power converter and the power communicator, wherein the first power device is configured to communicate with a second power device over a data network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the direct current power signals generated by the first power device comprise a plurality of first direct current power signals, and wherein the first power device is configured to generate at least two of the first direct current power signals out of phase with a plurality of second direct current power signals generated by the second power device based on communication between the first power device and the second power device over the data network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the power communicator is further configured to receive a power level reading from the one of the load communicators, determine, from the power level reading, a power drop from the power converter to the one of the light fixtures that is paired with the one of the load communicators, and determine whether the one of the light fixtures is properly connected based on the power drop.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a network interface controller, wherein the power communicator is further configured to receive the target power level for the one of the light fixtures over a data network via the network interface controller.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the power communicator is further configured to receive the target power level for the one of the light fixtures from the one of the load communicators.

13. A system comprising:

a power device comprising a power converter and a power communicator,

the power converter configured to power a plurality of load devices with direct current power signals transmitted over wiring from the power converter to the load devices, and

the power communicator configured to communicate with a plurality of load communicators, one of the load communicators paired with one of the load devices; and

a computing device configured to communicate with the power device over a data network, the computing device further configured to determine a target power level for the one of the light fixtures based on the communication between the power device and the one of the load communicators and to cause the power converter to power the one of the load devices at the target power level.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the power communicator is further configured to receive a power level measurement over the wiring from the one of the load communicators, the power level measurement indicative of power at the load device that is paired with the one of the load communicators.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the power communicator is further configured to determine, based on the power level measurement, a power drop from the power converter to the one of the load devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the power communicator is further configured to determine whether the one of the load devices is properly connected to the power device based on the power drop.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the power communicator is further configured to determine whether a change in the power level measurement results in a change in efficiency of power conversion in the one of the load devices.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the power device is further configured to power the one of the load devices with one of the direct current power signals transmitted by the power device over a plurality of lines to the one of the load devices, wherein the plurality of lines are included in the wiring.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the power device is configured to determine which of the plurality of the lines over which to communicate with the one of the load communicators paired with the one of the load devices and to communicate with the one of the load communicators over the determined one of the lines.

20. A method comprising:

powering a light fixture by transmitting direct current power signals from a power device over wiring to the light fixture;

communicating between the power device and a load communicator that is paired with the light fixture; and

determining a target power level for the light fixture with the power device based on data communicated between the power device and the load communicator; and

adjusting the power of the direct current power signal with the power device based on the target power level determined for the light fixture.