SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATION VIA ALTERNATING CURRENT POWER
Included are embodiments for . As an example, a method includes receiving alternating current power at a predetermined frequency, receiving communications data for a device, and determining from the communications data a message to send to the device. Some embodiments include determining an alteration to the alternating current power to convert the communications data into the message according to a predetermined format, determining a zero cross point of the alternating current power, and altering the alternating current power around the zero cross point according to the predetermined format to send the message. Some embodiments include sending the altered alternating current power with the message according to the predetermined format to the device.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/144,070, filed Apr. 7, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDEmbodiments described herein generally relate to systems and methods for customized lighting and communication via alternating current power and, more specifically, to providing a communication protocol and related hardware and software for customized lighting controls.
BACKGROUNDAs lighting and power technologies have developed, there is now a desire to provide and/or utilize energy efficient electric and electronic devices. As an example, the lighting industry consumes a large amount of power and there is constantly pressure to reduce costs and reduce grid usage via more efficient lighting devices. Additionally, many current solutions produce a large amount of heat. It is also often difficult to adequately control lighting to provide the desired power consumption.
SUMMARYIncluded are embodiments for communication via alternating current power. As an example, a method includes receiving alternating current power at a predetermined frequency, receiving communications data for a device, and determining from the communications data a message to send to the device. Some embodiments include determining an alteration to the alternating current power to convert the communications data into the message according to a predetermined format, determining a zero cross point of the alternating current power, and altering the alternating current power around the zero cross point according to the predetermined format to send the message. Some embodiments include sending the altered alternating current power with the message according to the predetermined format to the device.
Embodiments of a system include a transistor for receiving the alternating current power at a predetermined frequency and altering the alternating current power and a zero cross detector that is coupled to the transistor for receiving the alternating current power and determining a zero cross point that indicates that the alternating current power crosses zero volts. Some embodiments include an alternating current controller computing device that is coupled to the zero cross detector. The alternating current controller computing device may include logic that when executed by a processor, causes the alternating current controller to receive a communication from a remote computing device that includes a message for including in the alternating current power, determine a predetermined format for altering the alternating current power for including the message in the alternating current power at the predetermined frequency, and receive data from the zero cross detector that indicates when the alternating current power crosses zero volts. Some embodiments may be configured to provide an instruction to the transistor for altering the alternating current power to include the message.
Similarly, some embodiments of a system may include a transistor for receiving the alternating current power at a predetermined frequency, altering the alternating current power, and outputting the altered alternating current power to an electric device. These embodiments may include a zero cross detector that is coupled to the transistor for receiving the alternating current power and determining a zero cross point that indicates that the alternating current power crosses zero volts and an alternating current controller computing device that is coupled to the zero cross detector. The alternating current controller computing device including logic that when executed by a processor, causes the alternating current controller to receive a communication from a remote computing device that includes a message for including in the alternating current power, determine a predetermined format for delaying at least a portion of the alternating current power for including the message in the alternating current power at the predetermined frequency, and receive data from the zero cross detector that indicates when the alternating current power crosses zero volts. Some embodiments may be configured to provide an instruction to the transistor for delaying at least a portion of the alternating current power to include the message.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the disclosure. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
Embodiments disclosed herein include systems and methods for customized lighting and communication via alternating current. Some embodiments may be configured to facilitate communication of data from a first device to a second device via a protocol that includes creating an altered alternating current power via alteration of an AC power waveform, where the communication is made in the same frequency as a predetermined frequency of the AC power. Additionally, some embodiments may provide for LED lighting without the need for a heat sink or other heat removal devices. Specifically, some embodiments may utilize an aluminum substrate on one or more portions of the device that provides integrated heat removal. Similarly, some embodiments may be configured to provide control of a load, such as one or more lighting devices via a communications network, such as the Internet. These and other embodiments incorporating the same will be described in more detail, below.
Referring now to the drawings,
The power generation facility 102 is also included in the embodiments of
Also included in
The lighting device 106 may operate in concert with or separate from the AC controller 104 and may be configured to receive AC power from the power generation facility 102 for performing a function (such as illuminating a light emitting diode (LED)). The lighting device 106 may additionally receive a message via the AC controller 104, which may alter the function of the lighting device 106, facilitate monitoring of a function of the lighting device 106, and/or perform other actions.
It should be understood that while the lighting device 106 is described herein as an LED illumination device; this is merely an example. While embodiments described herein relate to illumination, this description may extend to other electric or electronic devices. Accordingly, any load may be attached to the hardware and/or software described herein to provide the desired functionality.
Also included in
In order to communicate the communication signal over the AC power, the AC controller computing device 204 may determine a communications protocol. As an example, the communications protocol may include delaying transmission and/or inserting a standard delay time at predetermined intervals in the AC power. Depending on the timing of the plurality of delays, a recipient device may decode the communication. As another example, the AC controller computing device 204 may determine the length of delay for communicating the message. In this scenario, length of delay and timing of subsequent delays may provide the communications protocol for the recipient device to decode. Based on the determined communications protocol that is being used, the zero cross detector 206 may determine when the AC power is transmitting zero volts (e.g., when the voltage from the AC power changes from positive to negative or vice versa). At or around the zero cross point (e.g., a point where the AC power crosses zero volts, either from positive to negative or from negative to positive), the AC controller computing device 204 may insert an alteration into the AC power, such as a delay. The alteration may occur at or around one or more zero cross points of the AC power and may be configured as a binary signal, such that a delayed zero cross point indicates a binary “1” and a non-delayed zero cross point indicates a binary “0.” Other formats and protocols may be used as well, such as different lengths of delay to indicate different characters of a message. The transistor 202 may then implement the desired alteration to the AC power, which is sent along the network 100.
Also depicted in
Accordingly, a recipient device (such as the lighting device 106) may receive the AC power and may recognize the alteration to the AC power. Depending on the protocol being implemented, the recipient device may decode the message and react appropriately. In some embodiments, a delayed waveform at an expected zero cross point will be identified as a binary “1,” while an unaltered zero cross point of the AC power may represent a binary “0” (or vice versa). Thus, the recipient device may decode the series of binary “ones” and “zeros” to determine a message being sent via the AC power. Other embodiments may utilize a different encoding protocol, such as varying the length of delay to indicate a “1” or “0” or other data (e.g., a first amount of delay may indicate a first signal such as a “1” and a second amount of delay may represent a second signal such as a “0” and/or other coding protocol).
It should be understood that while embodiments described herein are not required to provide a delay at or around the zero cross point, the embodiments that insert delays at, around, and/or slightly after the zero cross point may (depending on the length of delay and the load) result in a more constant output of the load, as the voltage will experience less interruption. It should also be understood that, while the above description indicates that a delay is utilized, this is also an example. As described in
The voltage rectifier 406 may send the conditioned voltage to the voltage current converter 408, as well as to the voltage regulator 410. The voltage regulator 410 may be configured to reduce the voltage of the rectified power to a level that is usable to power the load computing device 412. As an example, the voltage regulator 410 may reduce the DC voltage to about 5 volts or other voltage that is usable by the load computing device 412. This converted DC voltage may be sent to power the load computing device 412.
The load computing device 412 may also be coupled to the voltage detector 416 and may be configured to alter the manner in which voltage is delivered to the load 404. Similarly, some embodiments of the load computing device 412 may be configured to receive AC power that includes communication data; decode that communication; and perform an action, based on the decoded message.
To this end, the voltage detector 416 may receive the conditioned voltage from the voltage rectifier 406 and may determine a characteristic of the AC power. Based on the characteristic, the load computing device 412 may send a communication to the interface component 418, which acts as a barrier between high and low voltages. The interface component 418 may send a signal to the voltage current converter 408, which may alter the voltage received by various portions of the load 404, based on the message received in the AC power and decoded by the load computing device 412.
Additionally, the AC power (with the alterations described in
As an example, some embodiments may be configured such that the load is an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Based on the received voltage of the AC power, the load computing device 412 may cause the voltage current converter 408 to send the AC power only to those LEDs that can properly operate under the power constraints, thus changing output of the LEDs. This can provide relatively consistent output of the load 404, regardless of the AC power.
It should also be understood that embodiments of the device circuit 402 may be provided on a printed circuit board (PCB) and/or other circuit material that includes an aluminum substrate as a primary component. By utilizing an aluminum substrate for the device circuit 402, heat may be dissipated, thus removing the necessity for a heat sink or other heat removal devices.
Additionally, while the embodiment of
The memory component 140 may store operating system logic 942, sensing logic 944a and altering logic 144b. The sensing logic 944a and the altering logic 944b may each include a plurality of different pieces of logic, each of which may be embodied as a computer program, firmware, and/or hardware, as an example. A local interface 946 is also included in
The processor 930 may include any processing component operable to receive and execute instructions (such as from a data storage component 936 and/or the memory component 140). As described above, the input/output hardware 932 may include and/or be configured to interface with the components of
The network interface hardware 934 may include and/or be configured for communicating with any wired or wireless networking hardware, including an antenna, a modem, a LAN port, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) card, WiMax card, mobile communications hardware, and/or other hardware for communicating with other networks and/or devices. From this connection, communication may be facilitated between the load computing device 412 and other computing devices, such as those depicted in
The operating system logic 942 may include an operating system and/or other software for managing components of the load computing device 412. As discussed above, the sensing logic 944a may reside in the memory component 940 and may be configured to cause the processor 930 to determine voltage values, delays in power signal waveforms, as well as perform other functions, as described above. Similarly, the altering logic 944b may be utilized to provide instructions for altering one or more functions of the lighting device 106.
It should be understood that while the components in
It should also be understood that while the load computing device 412 is depicted in
As illustrated above, various embodiments for customized lighting and communication via alternating current power are disclosed. These embodiments may be configured to provide a user to with the ability to control output of a load (such as a lighting device) with a remote computing device. Embodiments also provide for circuitry that does not require heat removal devices. Some embodiments may also provide the ability to communicate over AC power using the same frequency as the AC power.
While particular embodiments and aspects of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described herein, various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Moreover, although various aspects have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. Accordingly, it is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the embodiments shown and described herein.
Claims
1. A method for providing communication via alternating current power comprising:
- receiving alternating current power at a predetermined frequency;
- receiving communications data for a device;
- determining, from the communications data, a message to send to the device;
- determining an alteration to the alternating current power to convert the communications data into the message according to a predetermined format;
- determining a zero cross point of the alternating current power;
- altering the alternating current power around the zero cross point according to the predetermined format to send the message; and
- sending the altered alternating current power with the message according to the predetermined format to the device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the alternating current power includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power for a predetermined amount of time after the zero cross point.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined format includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power for a predetermined amount of time after the zero cross point to represent a binary “1” and not delaying transmission of the alternating current power to represent a binary “0.”
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined format includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power, wherein a first amount of delay represents a first signal and a second amount of delay represents a second signal.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the altered alternating current power to a lighting device, wherein the message controls output of the lighting device.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the altered alternating current power to a lighting device, wherein the lighting device utilizes the message to communicate with another device.
7. An alternating current controller for providing communication via alternating current power comprising:
- a transistor for receiving the alternating current power at a predetermined frequency and altering the alternating current power;
- a zero cross detector that is coupled to the transistor for receiving the alternating current power and determining a zero cross point that indicates that the alternating current power crosses zero volts; and
- an alternating current controller computing device that is coupled to the zero cross detector, the alternating current controller computing device including logic that when executed by a processor, causes the alternating current controller to perform at least the following: receive a communication from a remote computing device that includes a message for including in the alternating current power; determine a predetermined format for altering the alternating current power for including the message in the alternating current power at the predetermined frequency; receive data from the zero cross detector that indicates when the alternating current power crosses zero volts; and provide an instruction to the transistor for altering the alternating current power to include the message.
8. The alternating current controller of claim 7, wherein altering the alternating current power includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power for a predetermined amount of time after the zero cross point.
9. The alternating current controller of claim 7, wherein the predetermined format includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power for a predetermined amount of time after the zero cross point to represent a binary “1” and not delaying transmission of the alternating current power to represent a binary “0.”
10. The alternating current controller of claim 7, wherein the predetermined format includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power, wherein a first amount of delay represents a first signal and a second amount of delay represents a second signal.
11. The alternating current controller of claim 7, wherein the transistor sends the altered alternating current power to a lighting device, wherein the message controls output of the lighting device.
12. The alternating current controller of claim 7, wherein the transistor sends the altered alternating current power to a lighting device, wherein the lighting device utilizes the message to communicate with another device.
13. The alternating current controller of claim 7, wherein the alternating current controller is coupled to an electric circuit panel at a user premises.
14. A system for providing communication via alternating current power comprising an alternating current controller comprising:
- a transistor for receiving the alternating current power at a predetermined frequency, altering the alternating current power, and outputting the altered alternating current power to an electric device;
- a zero cross detector that is coupled to the transistor for receiving the alternating current power and determining a zero cross point that indicates that the alternating current power crosses zero volts; and
- an alternating current controller computing device that is coupled to the zero cross detector, the alternating current controller computing device including logic that when executed by a processor, causes the alternating current controller to perform at least the following: receive a communication from a remote computing device that includes a message for including in the alternating current power; determine a predetermined format for delaying at least a portion of the alternating current power for including the message in the alternating current power at the predetermined frequency; receive data from the zero cross detector that indicates when the alternating current power crosses zero volts; and provide an instruction to the transistor for delaying at least a portion of the alternating current power to include the message.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein delaying at least a portion of the alternating current power includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power for a predetermined amount of time after the zero cross point.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined format includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power for a predetermined amount of time after the zero cross point to represent a binary “1” and not delaying transmission of the alternating current power to represent a binary “0.”
17. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined format includes delaying transmission of the alternating current power, wherein a first amount of delay represents a first signal and a second amount of delay represents a second signal.
18. The system of claim 14, further comprising the electric device that receives the message and performs a function in response to the message.
19. The system of claim 14, further comprising the electric device, wherein the electric device is configured as a lighting device, and wherein the message controls output of the lighting device.
20. The system of claim 14, further comprising an electric circuit panel located at a user premises, wherein the electric circuit panel controls operation of the electric device.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 7, 2016
Publication Date: Oct 13, 2016
Inventor: Gary Bret Millar (Highland, UT)
Application Number: 15/093,438