Abstract: A multiplexed sigma delta modulator constituted of: a control circuitry; a multiplexer responsive to the control circuitry and arranged to receive a plurality of input signals; a comparing circuit, a first input of the comparing circuit coupled to the output of the multiplexer; an integrator, the input of the integrator coupled to the output of the comparing circuit; a latched comparing circuit, one input of the latched comparing circuit coupled to the output of the integrator; a plurality of storage elements, each associated with one of the plurality of inputs; and a feedback circuit arranged to feedback the output of the latched comparing circuit to the second input of the comparing circuit, wherein the control circuitry is further arranged to store the charge of an element of the integrator on the associated storage element when the associated signal is not passed by the multiplexer to the output of the multiplexer.

Abstract: A color controller for a luminaire constituted of: a thru-converter operative to convert an input signal to at least one luminaire drive signal; an illumination sampler arranged to sample an output from the luminaire and generate a representation thereof; and a feedback controller arranged to receive the output representation and generate the updatable conversion factor in cooperation with calibration luminance and color values, wherein the thru-converter operation is responsive to a trigger signal for defining a first and a second mode, the first mode for generating the luminaire drive signal for the luminaire responsive to the input signal being a frame luminance signal and target color signals and wherein the conversion to the at least one luminaire drive signal is responsive to an updatable conversion factor, and the second mode for generating the luminaire drive signal for the luminaire responsive to the feedback controller.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of determining a view impact of a target structure, the method constituted of: loading a 3D scene; determining a view point and direction of interest of the loaded 3D scene; rendering, without the target structure, a plane of the loaded 3D scene image perpendicular to the determined view point and direction of interest at a distance from the view point distal of the target structure; counting the number of pixels for the rendered plane without the target structure; rendering, with the target structure, a plane of the loaded 3D scene image perpendicular to the determined view point and direction of interest at the distance from the view point distal of the target structure; counting the number of pixels for the rendered plane with the target structure; and calculating the difference between the counted pixels with the target structure and the counted pixels without the target structure.

Abstract: An electronically controlled method of controlled enabling and disabling of ports, the method constituted of: receiving a message responsive to an access event, the message comprising an identifier of the accessing party and an indication of the access event; determining at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party; and enabling, in the event the indication of the access event is of entry, the determined at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party; and disabling, in the event the indication of the access event is of exit, the determined at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party.

Abstract: A method to generate a substantially DC output having a voltage level different than a DC input, constituted of receiving a feedback signal representing at least one of the voltage level and the current level of the generated substantially DC output; relatively emphasizing the high frequency portion of the feedback signal; controlling the buck function of a cascaded buck-boost converter with a first switching signal having a first duty cycle, the first duty cycle being a first function of the received feedback signal responsive to said relatively emphasized high frequency portion; and controlling the boost function with a second switching signal having a second duty cycle, the second duty cycle being a second function of the received feedback signal, wherein the first switching signal and the second switching signal are continuously enabled to facilitate a continuous conduction mode.

Abstract: A method of controlling a power over Ethernet system, the method comprising: sequentially powering a plurality of powered devices over communication cabling; determining a first total power consumption responsive to the powering of the plurality of powered devices; in the event that the determined first total power consumption exceeds a predetermined maximum power level, disabling power from at least one of the powered plurality of powered devices thereby reducing power consumption to less than the predetermined maximum power level; responsive to the disabling power, defining a connection power limit lower than the maximum power level by a guard band; monitoring a second total power consumption subsequent to the disabling power; and enabling power to a powered device only in the event the monitored second total power consumption is less than the connection power limit.

Abstract: A system and method for power over Ethernet comprising: a plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports; and a management station in communication with each of the plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports, the management station being operative to: disable at least one first power over Ethernet supplying port of the plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports on a predetermined scheduled basis. Preferably the management station is further operative to: receive an entry indication; and enable the disabled at least one first power over Ethernet supplying port responsive to the received entry indication.

Abstract: A method to generate a substantially DC output having a voltage level different than a DC input, constituted of receiving a feedback signal representing at least one of the voltage level and the current level of the generated substantially DC output; relatively emphasizing the high frequency portion of the feedback signal; controlling the buck function of a cascaded buck-boost converter with a first switching signal having a first duty cycle, the first duty cycle being a first function of the received feedback signal responsive to said relatively emphasized high frequency portion; and controlling the boost function with a second switching signal having a second duty cycle, the second duty cycle being a second function of the received feedback signal, wherein the first switching signal and the second switching signal are continuously enabled to facilitate a continuous conduction mode.

Abstract: A fault detection mechanism for a LED string comprising a plurality of serially connected LEDs, the fault detection mechanism comprising: a control circuitry; and a voltage measuring means, in communication with the control circuitry, arranged to measure the voltage drop across at least one LED of the LED string, the control circuitry being operable to: measure the voltage drop, via the voltage measuring means, at a plurality of times, compare at least two of the measured voltage drops, and in the event the comparison of the at least two voltage drops is indicative of one of a short circuit LED and an open circuit LED, output a fault indicator.

Abstract: A cold cathode fluorescent lamp controller constituted of a pulse generator exhibiting a cycle period; a burst dimming control operative to set a burst dimming duty cycle for the pulse generator; a comparator arranged to receive a signal indicative of the value of current through a load driven by the pulse generator and compare the received signal to a reference signal; an error detection circuit operative to shut down the pulse generator responsive to an output of the comparator indicating that the received signal is less than the reference signal for a predetermined number of cycles of the pulse generator; and a disable circuit arranged to prevent, when the set burst dimming duty cycle is less than a predetermined value, the shut down of the pulse generator responsive to the output of the comparator indicating the received signal is less than the reference signal.

Abstract: A color controller for a luminaire constituted of: a thru-converter operative to convert an input signal to at least one luminaire drive signal; an illumination sampler arranged to sample an output from the luminaire and generate a representation thereof; and a feedback controller arranged to receive the output representation and generate the updatable conversion factor in cooperation with calibration luminance and color values, wherein the thru-converter operation is responsive to a trigger signal for defining a first and a second mode, the first mode for generating the luminaire drive signal for the luminaire responsive to the input signal being a frame luminance signal and target color signals and wherein the conversion to the at least one luminaire drive signal is responsive to an updatable conversion factor, and the second mode for generating the luminaire drive signal for the luminaire responsive to the feedback controller.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of determining a view impact of a target structure, the method constituted of: loading a 3D scene; determining a view point and direction of interest of the loaded 3D scene; rendering, without the target structure, a plane of the loaded 3D scene image perpendicular to the determined view point and direction of interest at a distance from the view point distal of the target structure; counting the number of pixels for the rendered plane without the target structure; rendering, with the target structure, a plane of the loaded 3D scene image perpendicular to the determined view point and direction of interest at the distance from the view point distal of the target structure; counting the number of pixels for the rendered plane with the target structure; and calculating the difference between the counted pixels with the target structure and the counted pixels without the target structure.

Abstract: An electronically controlled method of controlled enabling and disabling of ports, the method constituted of: receiving a message responsive to an access event, the message comprising an identifier of the accessing party and an indication of the access event; determining at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party; and enabling, in the event the indication of the access event is of entry, the determined at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party; and disabling, in the event the indication of the access event is of exit, the determined at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party.

Abstract: A system for placing and maintaining a computer in a standby mode during power failure, utilizing one of: a powered device controller exhibiting a maintain power signature functionality and arranged to receive power over communication cabling; and a MEMS flywheel energy system to provide a standby power. The standby power is less than the power required for full operation. In one embodiment the system additionally exhibits: a mains power failure sensor; a volatile memory arranged to be powered from the source of standby power in the event of a failure of mains power; and a processor operative responsive to the mains power failure sensor to store status information on the volatile memory and reduce power demand of the processor and associated devices to no more than that available from the source of standby power.

Abstract: A method of controlling a power over Ethernet system, the method comprising: sequentially powering a plurality of powered devices over communication cabling; determining a first total power consumption responsive to the powering of the plurality of powered devices; in the event that the determined first total power consumption exceeds a predetermined maximum power level, disabling power from at least one of the powered plurality of powered devices thereby reducing power consumption to less than the predetermined maximum power level; responsive to the disabling power, defining a connection power limit lower than the maximum power level by a guard band; monitoring a second total power consumption subsequent to the disabling power; and enabling power to a powered device only in the event the monitored second total power consumption is less than the connection power limit.

Abstract: A system and method for power over Ethernet comprising: a plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports; and a management station in communication with each of the plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports, the management station being operative to: disable at least one first power over Ethernet supplying port of the plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports on a predetermined scheduled basis. Preferably the management station is further operative to: receive an entry indication; and enable the disabled at least one first power over Ethernet supplying port responsive to the received entry indication.

Abstract: A fault detection mechanism for a LED string comprising a plurality of serially connected LEDs, the fault detection mechanism comprising: a control circuitry; and a voltage measuring means, in communication with the control circuitry, arranged to measure the voltage drop across at least one LED of the LED string, the control circuitry being operable to: measure the voltage drop, via the voltage measuring means, at a plurality of times, compare at least two of the measured voltage drops, and in the event the comparison of the at least two voltage drops is indicative of one of a short circuit LED and an open circuit LED, output a fault indicator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for notifying an end user of a powered device on an Ethernet based network that the powered device will not be reliably powered due to an excess demand condition comprising: detecting an attached powered device; identifying the class of the attached powered device, the class comprising the power requirements of the attached powered device; identifying an excess demand condition; and temporarily supplying power to the attached powered device for a time interval thereby notifying an end user that the powered device is not being reliably powered because of an excess demand condition.

Abstract: A system for backing up a computer in the event of a mains power failure, the system comprising: sensing means operative to sense a failure of mains power; means for receiving power over data communication cabling; a volatile memory; means for feeding power from the means for receiving power to the volatile memory; and an interrupt generating means for generating an interrupt to a processor responsive to the sensing means, the processor being operative responsive to the generated interrupt to store status information on the volatile memory.

Abstract: A system for placing and maintaining a computer in a standby mode during power failure, the system comprising: a mains power failure sensor; a source of standby power, the source of standby power being less than the power available for full operation; a volatile memory arranged to be powered from the source of standby power in the event of a failure of mains power; and a processor operative responsive to the mains power failure sensor to store status information on the volatile memory and reduce power demand of the processor and associated devices to no more than that available from the source of standby power. In an exemplary embodiment the source of standby power is one of a battery, a capacitor, a flywheel energy storage system and a power over Ethernet connection.