Methods and apparatus for providing DC power for low voltage lighting

• US 9,918,373 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Watt Stopper Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: The Watt Stopper Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Cartrette, Jonathan P., Davis, Jeffrey T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan, Vibol
• Application Number:
  US15/294,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A DC power supply for lighting includes low voltage driver electronics for any suitable load such as lighting along with a supervisory controller that communicates to the driver electronics via any suitable digital communication protocol. Each driver'"'"'s output ports include a 3rd wire that communicates to the low voltage load fixture for the purpose of auto-negotiating the appropriate power level without first having to energize the fixture.

Claims

1. A system for providing DC power to a driverless load comprising:

a power supply comprising;

a supervisory controller operably connected to line power;

a DC driver having an output with at least three conductors, the DC driver operably connected to line power and the supervisory controller;

a three conductor connector operably connected to the output of the DC driver; and

a cable operatively connecting the three conductor connector to the driverless load to conduct energy and communication between the power supply to the driverless load; and

an integrated circuit for single wire communication embedded in the driverless load.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the supervisory controller communicates with the DC driver using a digital addressable lighting interface protocol.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the DC driver provides energy to the driverless load using constant voltage pulse width modulation topology.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the DC driver provides energy to the driverless load using constant current topology.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more load controllers operably connected to the supervisory controller for applying or removing energy to the driverless load.