Method of Confirming that a Control Device Complies with a Predefined Protocol Standard

• US 20100238047A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Benetz, Frank H., Ackmann, Evan R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,680,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.360
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

A control device, such as a digital ballast controller, is adapted to be coupled to an electronic ballast, such as a DALI ballast, via a communication link, and is operable to determine whether the ballast is operating within the specifications of a predefined protocol standard, e.g., the DALI standard. For example, the control device may measure the bit times of a digital message received from the ballast and to determine if the bit times fall within the limits set by the standard. The control device may also determine the minimum delay time required between two digital messages received by the ballast and determine if the minimum delay time falls within the limit set by the standard. The control device may adapt its normal operation (e.g., how digital messages are received and transmitted) or may provide feedback (e.g., by flashing a lamp) in response to determining that the ballast is operating outside of the specifications of the standard.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

a communication circuit adapted to be coupled to an electronic ballast via a communication link; and

a controller coupled to the communication circuit for transmitting and receiving digital messages via the communication link according to a predefined protocol standard;

wherein the controller is operable to determine whether the ballast is operating within predefined limits of the protocol standard, and to adapt how the communication circuit transmits or receives digital messages in response to determining that the ballast is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to determine a minimum delay time required between two digital messages received by the ballast and to compare the minimum delay time to the limits set by the protocol standard.

3. The control device of claim 2, wherein the controller is operable to transmit two consecutive digital messages to the ballast with a present delay time between the two digital messages, the controller further operable to determine that the present delay time between the two digital messages is too short for the ballast if the ballast did not receive the second digital message.

4. The control device of claim 3, wherein the controller increases the present delay time provided between the two digital messages if the ballast did not receive the second digital message.

5. The control device of claim 4, wherein the controller is operable to determine that the minimum delay time required between two digital messages received by the ballast is equal to the present delay time if the ballast received the second digital message.

6. The control device of claim 5, wherein the controller is operable to adapt how the communication circuit transmits digital messages by transmitting digital messages to the ballast with the minimum delay time used between any two consecutive digital messages.

7. The control device of claim 3, wherein the controller is operable to transmit two consecutive and identical configuration messages to the ballast with the present delay time between the two configuration messages, the configuration messages instructing the ballast to store a new value of a setting, the controller operable to determine that the present delay time between the two configuration messages is too short for the ballast if the ballast did not store the new value of the setting.

8. The control device of claim 3, wherein the controller is operable to transmit first and second consecutive command messages to the ballast with the present delay time between the two command messages, the first command message including an instruction for the ballast to control the intensity of a connected lamp to a first lighting intensity, the second command message including an instruction for the ballast to control the intensity of the connected lamp to a second lighting intensity, the controller operable to determine that the present delay time between the two configuration messages is too short for the ballast if the ballast did not control the intensity of the connected lamp to the second lighting intensity.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is operable to receive a first digital message from the ballast and the controller is operable to determine if a characteristic of the first digital message is within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

10. The control device of claim 9, wherein the controller is operable to measure bit times of the first digital message received from the ballast and to determine if the bit times fall within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

11. The control device of claim 10, wherein the controller uses timing thresholds when receiving digital messages, the controller operable to adapt how the communication circuit receives digital messages by adjusting the timing thresholds if the bit times of the first digital message fall outside the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

12. The control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to provide feedback if the ballast is not operating within the limits set by the protocol standard.

13. The control device of claim 12, wherein the controller provides feedback by causing the ballast to flash a connected lamp, causing an email to be sent, or causing a report to be printed.

14. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered to one or more electrical loads, the load control system comprising:

a first control device adapted to be coupled to a communication link; and

a second control device adapted to be coupled to the communication link and operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the communication link according to a predefined protocol standard, the second control device operable determine whether the first control device is operating within predefined limits of the protocol standard, and to adapt how the digital messages are transmitted or received in response to determining that the first control device is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

15. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the second control device is operable to determine a minimum delay time required between two digital messages received by the first control device and to compare the minimum delay time to the limits set by the protocol standard.

16. The load control system of claim 15, wherein the second control device is operable to transmit two consecutive digital messages to the first control device with a present delay time between the two digital messages, the second control device operable to determine that the present delay time between the two digital messages is too short for the first control device if the first control device did not receive the second digital message.

17. The load control system of claim 16, wherein the second control device increases the present delay time provided between the two digital messages if the first control device did not receive the second digital message.

18. The load control system of claim 17, wherein the second control device is operable to determine that the minimum delay time required between two digital messages received by the first control device is equal to the present delay time if the first control device received the second digital message.

19. The load control system of claim 18, wherein the second control device is operable to adapt how digital messages are transmitted by using the minimum delay time between any two consecutive digital messages transmitted to the first control device.

20. The load control system of claim 16, wherein the first control device is operable to store a new value for a setting in response to receiving two consecutive and identical configuration messages from the second control device, the second control device operable to transmit two consecutive and identical configuration messages to the first control device with the present delay time between the two configuration messages, the second control device operable to determine that the present delay time between the two configuration messages is too short for the first control device if the first control device did not store the new value of the setting.

21. The load control system of claim 16, wherein the first control device comprises an electronic ballast for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp, the electronic ballast operable to control the intensity of the lamp in response to receiving a command message from the second control device, the second control device operable to transmit first and second consecutive command messages to the ballast with the present delay time between the two command messages, the first command message including an instruction for the ballast to control the intensity of the lamp to a first lighting intensity, the second command message including an instruction for the ballast to control the intensity of the lamp to a second lighting intensity, the second control device operable to determine that the present delay time between the two configuration messages is too short for the ballast if the ballast did not control the intensity of the connected lamp to the second lighting intensity.

22. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the first control device comprises an electronic ballast for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp.

23. The load control system of claim 22, wherein the predefined protocol standard comprises the DALI standard and the communication link comprises a DALI communication link.

24. The load control system of claim 23, wherein the second control device comprises a link power supply.

25. The load control system of claim 23, wherein the second control device comprises an electronic ballast.

26. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the second control device is operable to receive a first digital message from the first control device and to determine if a characteristic of the first digital message is within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

27. The load control system of claim 26, wherein the second control device is operable to measure bit times of the first digital message received from the ballast and to determine if the bit times fall within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

28. The load control system of claim 27, wherein the second control device uses timing thresholds when receiving digital messages, the second control device operable to adapt how digital messages are received by adjusting the timing thresholds if the bit times of the first digital message fall outside the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

29. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the second control device provides feedback in response to determining the first control device is not operating within the limits set by the protocol standard.

30. A method of confirming that a control device operable to transmit and receive digital messages on a communication link complies with a predefined protocol standard, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits of the protocol standard; and

adapting how digital messages are transmitted to or are received from the control device in response to determining that the control device is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits further comprises the steps of:

determining a minimum delay time required between two digital messages received by the control device; and

comparing the minimum delay time to the limits set by the protocol standard.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits further comprises the steps of:

transmitting two consecutive digital messages to the control device with a present delay time between the two digital messages; and

determining that the present delay time between the two digital messages is too short for the control device if the control device did not receive the second digital message.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits further comprises the step of:

increasing the present delay time provided between the two digital messages if the control device did not receive the second digital message.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits further comprises the step of:

determining that the minimum delay time required between two digital messages received by the control device is equal to the present delay time if the control device received the second digital message.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of adapting how digital messages are transmitted to or are received from the control device further comprises the step of:

transmitting digital messages to the control device with the minimum delay time used between any two consecutive digital messages.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits further comprises the steps of:

transmitting two consecutive and identical configuration messages to the control device with the present delay time between the two configuration messages, the configuration messages instructing the control device to store a new value of a setting; and

determining that the present delay time between the two configuration messages is too short for the ballast if the ballast did not store the new value of the setting.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the control device comprises an electronic ballast for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp, and the step of determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits further comprises the steps of:

transmitting first and second consecutive command messages to the ballast with the present delay time between the two command messages, the first command message including an instruction for the ballast to control the intensity of the lamp to a first lighting intensity, the second command message including an instruction for the ballast to control the intensity of the lamp to a second lighting intensity; and

determining that the present delay time between the two configuration messages is too short for the ballast if the ballast did not control the intensity of the connected lamp to the second lighting intensity.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of adapting how digital messages are transmitted to or are received from the control device further comprises the steps of:

receiving a first digital message from the control device; and

comparing a characteristic of the first digital message to the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of adapting how digital messages are transmitted to or are received from the control device further comprises the steps of:

measuring bit times of the first digital message received from the control device; and

comparing the bit times of the first digital message to the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of:

using timing thresholds when receiving digital messages;

wherein the step of adapting how digital messages are transmitted to or are received from the control device further comprises adjusting the timing thresholds if the bit times of the first digital message fall outside the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

41. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

providing feedback if the control device is not operating within the limits set by the protocol standard.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of providing feedback comprises one of:

causing a lamp to flash, causing an email to be sent, or causing a report to be printed.

43. A control device comprising:

a communication circuit adapted to be coupled to an electronic ballast via a communication link; and

a controller coupled to the communication circuit for transmitting and receiving digital messages via the communication link according to a predefined protocol standard;

wherein the controller is operable to determine whether the ballast is operating within predefined limits of the protocol standard, and to provide feedback if the ballast is not operating within the limits of the protocol standard.

44. The control device of claim 43, wherein the controller transmits a digital message to the ballast to cause the ballast to flash a connected lamp to provide feedback.

45. The control device of claim 44, wherein the controller causes the ballast to flash the connected lamp to provide feedback if ballast is not operating within the limits of the protocol standard.

46. The control device of claim 44, wherein the controller causes the ballast to flash the connected lamp to provide feedback if ballast is operating within the limits of the protocol standard.

47. The control device of claim 43, wherein the control device causes an email to be sent to provide feedback.

48. The control device of claim 43, wherein the control device causes a report to be printed to provide feedback.

49. The control device of claim 43, wherein the controller is operable to adapt how the communication circuit transmits or receives digital messages in response to determining that the ballast is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

50. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered to one or more electrical loads, the load control system comprising:

a first control device adapted to be coupled to a communication link; and

a second control device adapted to be coupled to the communication link and operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the communication link according to a predefined protocol standard, the second control device operable determine whether the first control device is operating within predefined limits of the protocol standard, and to provide feedback in response to determining that the first control device is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

51. The load control system of claim 50, wherein the first control device comprises an electronic ballast for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp.

52. The load control system of claim 51, wherein the predefined protocol standard comprises the DALI standard and the communication link comprises a DALI communication link.

53. The load control system of claim 52, wherein the second control device comprises a link power supply.

54. The load control system of claim 52, wherein the second control device comprises an electronic ballast.

55. The load control system of claim 51, wherein the second control device transmits a digital message to the ballast to cause the ballast to flash a connected lamp to provide feedback if ballast is not operating within the limits of the protocol standard.

56. The load control system of claim 51, wherein the second control device transmits a digital message to the ballast to cause the ballast to flash a connected lamp to provide feedback if ballast is operating within the limits of the protocol standard.

57. The load control system of claim 50, further comprising a personal computer in communication with the second control device, wherein the second control device transmits a digital message to the personal computer to cause the personal computer to send an email to provide the feedback.

58. The load control system of claim 50, further comprising a personal computer in communication with the second control device, wherein the second control device transmits a digital message to the personal computer to cause the personal computer to print a report to provide the feedback.

59. The load control system of claim 50, wherein the second control device is operable to adapt how the digital messages are transmitted or received in response to determining that the first control device is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

60. A method of confirming that a control device operable to transmit and receive digital messages on a communication link complies with a predefined protocol standard, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether the control device is operating within predefined limits of the protocol standard; and

providing feedback in response to determining that the control device is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the control device comprises an electronic ballast for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp, and the step of providing feedback comprises causing the ballast to flash a connected lamp if control device is not operating within the limits of the protocol standard.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the control device comprises an electronic ballast for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp, and the step of providing feedback comprises causing the ballast to flash a connected lamp if the ballast is operating within the limits of the protocol standard.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of providing feedback comprises sending an email.

64. The method of claim 60, wherein the step of providing feedback comprises printing a report.

65. The method of claim 60, further comprising the step of:

adapting how digital messages are transmitted to or are received from the control device in response to determining that the control device is not operating within the predefined limits set by the protocol standard.