Abstract: The invention relates a method and apparatus for distributing power in DC-grid systems, wherein power negotiations are done in a daisy chained system. Multiple mechanisms are presented mitigating the issue of stepwise exploring the power requests along a chain and still keeping the negotiation quick and without many cycles required.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a load control system in which a power cable of a DC or AC is used for on/off control and dimming of connected load devices without adding significant hardware structure. The control is achieved through a change in the DC or AC bus voltage. A grid controller can perform on/off control and dimming for an entire group of connected load devices by changing the bus voltage. Connected load devices that do understand or want to make use of this feature will be unaffected. In order to reduce the effects of voltage drop, a calibration procedure is provided. The calibration procedure first triggers the connected load devices into a calibration mode and then initiates a number of predefined output level commands that allow the load devices to build an individual correction for the undesired voltage drop.

Abstract: The invention relates a power distribution system (1) like a track lighting system comprising a power supply (2), a power bar (3) comprising several electrical conductors (4, 5, 6) for distributing the power, an electrical load (12) to be powered by the power of the power distribution system, a selector switch (11) connected to the several electrical conductors and to the electrical load, wherein the selector switch is adapted to select via which electrical conductor the power is to be received by the electrical load, and a controlling device (10) for automatically controlling the selector switch. This kind of power distribution system provides a relatively large variability of adapting the power consumption to an actual load situation, which can lead to an improved performance of the power distribution system. In particular, power balancing can be provided in a relatively simple way by automatically controlling the selector switch accordingly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control system (4) for controlling lighting units (30, 31, 32, 33) of a lighting system (1), wherein the lighting units are assigned to different areas and the control system is adapted to control the lighting units in accordance with a lighting command, which defines desired power levels, and depending on occupancy information, which is indicative of a degree of occupancy of the areas, such that different lighting units are set to their desired power levels at different times, even if the provided lighting command requests to set the lighting units to their respective desired power levels at substantially the same time. This can reduce the likelihood of, for instance, blown fuses or damaged components of the lighting system, while, because of the consideration of the occupancy information, the delay in setting the lighting units to their desired power levels may be not or only hardly visible.

Abstract: The present invention proposes to use a power negotiation connection (e.g. the VBUS channel) of a power delivery interface for transmitting or receiving control commands or, respectively, status information to/from a lighting device. The power negotiation connection can be used as a communication channel that is fully independent of the data connection. It uses, for example, different protocols and different wires than the data connection. Control commands, such as dim level or color, can be encoded in a vendor defined message of a related power negotiation protocol.

Abstract: The invention relates to an interface device for supplying power to a variable number of loads, which are configured to be coupled to the interface device by means of a supply line and which are configured to communicate with the interface device, to a system comprising such interface device and one or more loads, to a corresponding method for supplying power and to a corresponding software product. A particular feature of the present invention is that the interface device functions as an intermediate between an USB power source and the loads connected to the interface device by supplying power while being flexible to both sides, i.e. to the supplying side as well as to the load side, in allowing for a flexible number of loads to be coupled to the interface device (i.e. to be supplied by the interface device with power) and in also providing a negotiation with the power supply depending on the necessary power.

Abstract: The invention relates to a controlling system (4) for controlling loads (2), especially lighting units, of a power/data-communication system like a PoE system, wherein a command is provided, which defines desired power levels of loads of the power/data-communication system. An overall power change amount is determined, which will be caused by the provided command, and the loads are controlled such that the slope of the overall power consumption of the loads, when being set to the desired power levels, is reduced, if the determined overall power change amount is larger than a predefined power change threshold. Thus, if the provided command may lead to an overall power change amount causing problems like blown fuses, the loads are controlled such that the slope of the overall power consumption of the loads, when being set to the desired power levels, and hence the likelihood of, for instance, blown fuses is reduced.

Abstract: A power unbalance mitigating polarity correction circuit is presented comprising a first and a second polarity correction circuit, each comprising: an input for receiving an input current, an output for providing a rectified output current, at least a first current path, for conducting the received current when the received current is of a first polarity, and a second current path, for conducting the received current when the received current is of a second polarity, wherein the first current path comprises a passive rectification component as an asymmetric conductance component of a first type and the second current path comprises an active rectification component as an asymmetric conductance component of a second type different from the first type; the power unbalance mitigating polarity correction circuit further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is arranged for controlling the active rectification component to operate in a power unbalance mitigation mode when the current received by the firs

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling data transfer and power supply to at least one load device (61-64) connected to a two-wire data communication cable (70) in a bus-type structure. Power supply and data transfer are multiplexed via the two-wire data communication cable so that a standard coaxial cable can be used for shared power and data transport, enabling the operation of lighting applications or other applications in retail and office, based on cheap, flexible, preconfigured cables in a bus topology and using known chipsets.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a powered device (331a, 331b, 531a) with two interfacing connections. The powered device (331a, 331b, 531a) comprises power switching units (350a, 350b, 550a1, 550a2) for forwarding the data signal as well the power received on the input to the output. Forwarding may be based on a detection of the powering state of the PD. In another embodiment, the Power-over-Ethernet input/output ports function bi-directionally, thereby allowing the user to daisy-chain devices in any direction. As power switching units, relays or solid-state power switches may be used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power supply device (3) for supplying power to an electrical consumer (2) having a variable power consumption in a power distribution system (1), particularly in a DC power distribution system for lighting applications, wherein the power supply device (3) is output current controlled and is adapted to provide the output current depending on the power consumed by the electrical consumer (2). Since the output current is not constant, but controlled depending on the power consumed by the electrical consumer (2) being preferentially a lamp, the output current can be adapted to the actually consumed power, thereby allowing for an improved efficiency of distributing the power in the power distribution system (1). In particular, if less power is consumed by the electrical consumer (2), a lower output current can be provided, thereby reducing losses in cables and electrical connectors of the power distribution system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power distribution system for distributing power from a power supply (2) to several electrical loads (4, 5) via sockets (3). The sockets receive power requests from the electrical loads and transmit the power requests to a master device (9) which controls the power to be provided by the respective socket based on the received power requests. Since the master device receives all power requests from the sockets and has therefore an overview of the overall power requirements, the master device can determine the power to be provided by the respective socket under consideration of this knowledge. This can lead to an improved determination of the power to be provided by the respective socket and hence to an improved overall power distribution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting system (1) comprising a lighting device (3) for emitting light in a high-power mode and for providing a further function like a sensing function in a low-power mode and a switch (4) connecting the lighting device with a power supply (2). The switch is switchable between a high-power state, in which a higher power is provided to the lighting device via the switch, which allows the lighting device to emit the light in the high-power mode, and which may be regarded as being an ON state, and a low-power state, in which a lower power is provided to the lighting device via the switch, which allows the lighting device to provide the further function, and which may be regarded as being an OFF state. Thus, for instance, a sensing function can be provided, even if the switch is in its OFF state.

Abstract: This ID describes a technique for a Power over Ethernet PD (Powered Device) to discover the port injection voltage the PSE (Power Providing Equipment) is using. This is required to determine the maximum current the PD will be able to draw without being cut off by the PSE. This in turn is used to extract the maximum possible power from the PSE.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-controlled lighting system which comprises an interface for defining a work surface within the lighting system and a desired illumination of the work surface, at least one luminaire for illuminating the work surface and a processing unit for automatically computing configuration parameters which allow configuring the at least one luminaire such that the desired illumination of the work surface is achievable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for disconnecting a bias current circuitry (140) in a way that there is no bias current flowing anymore for the transmit output of a network controller (110), e.g. Ethernet controller. Also, the data connection, e.g., TX+ and TX? lines in or at an Ethernet connector (120), are connected to a control circuitry (130) to simulate an active connection by taking over supply of link activation pulses, e.g., link integrity test (LIT) pulses. These two measures will allow the user to save the bias current on the transmit output and maintain the link activation signals to keep the link up towards a network controller (110).

Abstract: The invention relates to a DC power distribution system (1). The DC power distribution system comprises a track (2) with electrical conductors for distributing DC power for powering purposes and for position determination purposes and a position determination system (15) for determining the position of an electrical device (3, 13) like a luminaire, which is attached to the track, based on a voltage measured on the track. The DC power distribution system can therefore provide positioning information regarding the position of the electrical device along the track, which may be useful, for instance, for commissioning purposes.

Abstract: The invention relates a system for controlling distribution of power to load elements via network connections (e.g. LAN). Low cost luminaires or other load elements can be powered via LAN connections (e.g. by power over Ethernet (PoE)) without featuring an Internet Protocol (IP) node. This is attractive because with such a system the installation cost down benefits of PoE can be applied also to installations that do not require advanced controls. This means that to switch them on or off, the power supply on the LAN port of the switch must be enabled or disabled. When load elements and load controllers (e.g. lighting controllers or light switches) are connected to the same switch, they are automatically paired to each other. This can be achieved through use of a network management protocol capability that some network switches have. This allows for easy installation and automatic intuitive commissioning.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power distribution system, such as a Power over Ethernet power distribution system. A powered device provides a pulse,such as a Maintain Power Signature, when in standby such that a power providing device remains providing power to it. To increase energy efficiency, the MPS can be cycled (60 ms pulse every 300 ms to 400 ms) according to the IEEE802.3af/at standards. By introducing a controllable switch, for electrically decoupling at least part of the powered device from the power providing device, and a pulse generator, the MPS can be generated in a more energy efficient way and/or can be shortened (e.g. to 5 ms). As an example, the controllable switch can decouple the bulk capacitor of the powered device during MPS generation to prevent the bulk capacitor from filtering out the MPS.

Abstract: The invention relates to a DC power distribution system (1), especially to an EMerge DC power distribution system, for distributing DC power. A power supply (5) supplies DC power to a track (2) to which an electrical load (9, 10) is attached. A communication device (11) is attached to the track (2), which a) wirelessly receives communication signals and transmits the received communication signals via a power line communication provided by the track to the power supply (5) and/or the electrical load (9,), and/or b) receives communication signals via the power line communication from the power supply (5) and/or the electrical load (9, 10) and wirelessly transmits the received communication signals. Thus, a communication setting is provided, which allows for a very simple integration of a control functionality for controlling, for instance, the power supply 10 and/or the electrical load by transmitting control signals via the communication device.