The present disclosure relates to lighting fixtures, and in particular to providing replaceable components for lighting fixtures.
In recent years, a movement has gained traction to replace incandescent light bulbs with lighting fixtures that employ more efficient lighting technologies as well as to replace relatively efficient fluorescent lighting fixtures with lighting technologies that produce a more pleasing, natural light. One such technology that shows tremendous promise employs light emitting diodes (LEDs). Compared with incandescent bulbs, LED-based light fixtures are much more efficient at converting electrical energy into light, are longer lasting, and are also capable of producing light that is very natural. Compared with fluorescent lighting, LED-based fixtures are also very efficient, but are capable of producing light that is much more natural and more capable of accurately rendering colors. As a result, lighting fixtures that employ LED technologies are expected to replace incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
Unlike incandescent bulbs that operate by subjecting a filament to a desired current, LED-based lighting fixtures require electronics to drive one or more LEDs. The electronics generally include a power supply and special control circuitry to provide uniquely configured signals that are required to drive the one or more LEDs in a desired fashion. For a given lighting fixture, the control circuitry and the LEDs are paired together during manufacturing and are calibrated to ensure that the lighting fixture is able to provide light at a desired color, color temperature, brightness, or the like.
The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and a separate light engine module, which has a solid-state light source and light engine memory. The driver module is electrically coupled to the light engine module and is configured to drive the solid-state light source based on drive data. The drive data effectively defines how the driver module should drive the solid-state light source to generate light with at least one defined lighting characteristic, such as intensity (or brightness), color, color temperature, and the like. The drive data may define or be used to identify the signal characteristics, such as drive currents, voltages, waveforms, and the like that must be provided by the driver module to drive the solid-state light source. Notably, the drive data is stored in the light engine memory of the light engine module, and the driver module is configured to retrieve the drive data from the light engine memory and drive the solid-state light source based on the drive data.
In one embodiment, the driver module, the light engine module, or both are readily replaceable in the field. Given the inherent tolerances in solid-state light sources, such as LEDs, the solid-state light sources in different light engine modules will typically require different drive data to achieve light with the defined characteristic(s). Storing the unique drive data for a given solid-state light source in the associated light engine memory of the light engine module allows the driver module to which the light engine module is ultimately connected to access and use the proper drive data to drive the solid-state light source of the light engine module.
For example, assume an original light engine module is replaced with a new light engine module in a lighting fixture. In this instance, the original driver module can access the new drive data from the light engine memory of the new light engine module and then use the new drive data to drive the solid-state light source of the new light engine module. If an original driver module is replaced with a new driver module in a lighting fixture, the new driver module can access the original drive data from the light engine memory of the original light engine module and then use the original drive data to drive the solid-state light source of the original light engine module.
In one embodiment, the driver module may have local memory and store the drive data that is accessed from the light engine memory of the light engine module in the local memory. During normal operation, the driver module will access the drive data from the local memory when determining how to drive the solid-state light source of the light engine module. The driver module may look at pairing data in the local memory or in the light engine memory to determine whether a different light engine module has been paired with the driver module and new drive data should be accessed from the light engine memory. Further, the light engine memory may also include light engine data, such as product information, identification information, and the like for the light engine module. The light engine data may be accessed, stored in local memory, and used by the driver module.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the disclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detailed description in association with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and illustrate the best mode of practicing the disclosure. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.
It will be understood that relative terms such as “front,” “forward,” “rear,” “below,” “above,” “upper,” “lower,” “horizontal,” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element, layer or region to another element, layer or region as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and a separate light engine module, which has a solid-state light source and light engine memory. The driver module is electrically coupled to the light engine module and configured to drive the solid-state light source based on drive data. The drive data effectively defines how the driver module should drive the solid-state light source to generate light with at least one defined lighting characteristic, such as intensity (or brightness), color, color temperature, and the like. The drive data may define or be used to identify the drive currents, voltages, waveforms, and the like that must be provided by the driver module to drive the solid-state light source. Notably, the drive data is stored in the light engine memory of the light engine module, and the driver module is configured to retrieve the drive data from the light engine memory and drive the solid-state light source based on the drive data.
In one embodiment, the driver module, the light engine module, or both are readily replaceable in the field. Given the inherent tolerances in solid-state light sources, such as LEDs, the solid-state light sources in different light engine modules will typically require different drive data to achieve light with the defined characteristic(s). Storing the unique drive data for a given solid-state light source in the associated light engine memory of the light engine module allows the driver module to which the light engine module is ultimately connected to access and use the proper drive data to drive the solid-state light source of the light engine module.
For example, assume an original light engine module is replaced with a new light engine module in a lighting fixture. In this instance, the original driver module can access the new drive data from the light engine memory of the new light engine module and then use the new drive data to drive the solid-state light source of the new light engine module. If an original driver module is replaced with a new driver module in a lighting fixture, the new driver module can access the original drive data from the light engine memory of the original light engine module and then use the original drive data to drive the solid-state light source of the original light engine module.
In one embodiment, the driver module may have local memory and store the drive data that is accessed from the light engine memory of the light engine module in the local memory. During normal operation, the driver module will access the drive data from the local memory when determining how to drive the solid-state light source of the light engine module. The driver module may look at pairing data in the local memory or in the light engine memory to determine whether a different light engine module has been paired with the driver module and new drive data should be accessed from the light engine memory. Further, the light engine memory may also include light engine data, such as product information, identification information, and the like for the light engine module. The light engine data may be accessed, stored in local memory, and used by the driver module.
Prior to delving into the details of the present disclosure, an overview of an exemplary lighting fixture having readily replaceable lighting components is described. While the concepts of the present disclosure may be employed in any type of lighting system, the immediately following description describes these concepts in a troffer-type lighting fixture, such as the lighting fixture 10 illustrated in
In general, troffer-type lighting fixtures, such as the lighting fixture 10, are designed to mount in a ceiling. In most applications, the troffer-type lighting fixtures are mounted into a drop ceiling (not shown) of a commercial, educational, or governmental facility. As illustrated in
Turning now to
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the type of lenses 14, the type of LEDs in the LED array 22, the shape of the cover 24, and any coating on the bottom side of the cover 24, among many other variables, will affect the quantity and quality of light emitted by the lighting fixture 10. As will be discussed in greater detail below, the LED array 22 may include LEDs of different colors, wherein the light emitted from the various LEDs mixes together to form light of any desired color and quality. For the following examples, assume that the light emitted is a white light having a desired color temperature and quality based on the design parameters for the particular application.
As is apparent from
With continued reference to
Continuing with reference to
The communications module 40 may act as an intelligent communication interface that facilitates communications between the driver module 38 and other lighting fixtures 10, a remote control system (not shown), or a portable handheld commissioning tool, which may also be configured to communicate with a remote control system in a wired or wireless fashion. The commissioning tool is referred to herein as a commissioning tool 42, which may be used for a variety of functions, including changing parameters in the lighting fixture 10, commissioning a lighting network, and the like. As noted above, these communications may include the sharing of sensor data, instructions, and any other data between the various lighting fixtures 10 in the lighting network. In essence, the communications module 40 functions to coordinate the sharing of intelligence and data among the lighting fixtures 10.
In the embodiment of
In other embodiments, a cable may be used to connect the respective connectors of the driver module 38 and the communications module 40, other attachment mechanisms may be used to physically couple the communications module 40 to the driver module 38, or the driver module 38 and the communications module 40 may be separately affixed to the inside of the electronics housing 28. In such embodiments, the interior of the electronics housing 28 is sized appropriately to accommodate both the driver module 38 and the communications module 40. In many instances, the electronics housing 28 provides a plenum rated enclosure for both the driver module 38 and the communications module 40.
With the embodiment of
In embodiments where the electronics housing 28 and the supplemental housing 44 will be mounted within a plenum rated enclosure, the supplemental housing 44 may not need to be plenum rated. Further, the communications module 40 may be directly mounted to the exterior of the electronics housing 28 without any need for a supplemental housing 44, depending on the nature of the electronics provided in the communications module 40, how and where the lighting fixture 10 will be mounted, and the like. The latter embodiment wherein the communications module 40 is mounted outside of the electronics housing 28 may prove beneficial when the communications module 40 facilitates wireless communications with the other lighting fixtures 10, the remote control system, or other network or auxiliary device. In essence, the driver module 38 may be provided in the plenum rated electronics housing 28, which may not be conducive to wireless communications. The communications module 40 may be mounted outside of the electronics housing 28 by itself or within the supplemental housing 44 that is more conducive to wireless communications. A cable may be provided between the driver module 38 and the communications module 40 according to a defined communication interface.
The embodiments that employ mounting the communications module 40 outside of the electronics housing 28 may be somewhat less cost effective, but provide significant flexibility in allowing the communications module 40 or other auxiliary devices to be added to the lighting fixture 10, serviced, or replaced. The supplemental housing 44 for the communications module 40 may be made of a plenum rated plastic or metal, and may be configured to readily mount to the electronics housing 28 through snaps, screws, bolts, or the like, as well as receive the communications module 40. The communications module 40 may be mounted to the inside of the supplemental housing 44 through snap-fits, screws, twistlocks, and the like. The cabling and connectors used for connecting the communications module 40 to the driver module 38 may take any available form, such as with standard category 5/6 (cat 5/6) cable having RJ45 connectors, edge card connectors, blind mate connector pairs, terminal blocks and individual wires, and the like. Having an externally mounted communications module 40 relative to the electronics housing 28 that includes the driver module 38 allows for easy field installation of different types of communications modules 40 for a given driver module 38.
A description of an exemplary embodiment of the light engine module 20, driver module 38, and the communications module 40 follows. As noted, the light engine module 20 includes an LED array 22. Exemplary configurations for LEDs 46 of the LED array 22 are illustrated in
The reflective cup 50 may be filled with an encapsulant material 58 that encapsulates the LED chip 48. The encapsulant material 58 may be clear or contain a wavelength conversion material, such as a phosphor, which is described in greater detail below. The entire assembly is encapsulated in a clear protective resin 60, which may be molded in the shape of a lens to control the light emitted from the LED chip 48.
An alternative package for an LED 46 is illustrated in
In either of the embodiments of
For example, the LED array 22 may include a group of blue-shifted yellow (BSY) or blue-shifted green (BSG) LEDs 46 as well as a group of red LEDs 46. BSY LEDs 46 include an LED chip 48 that emits bluish light, and the wavelength conversion material is a yellow phosphor that absorbs the blue light and emits yellowish light. Even if some of the bluish light passes through the phosphor, the resultant mix of light emitted from the overall BSY LED 46 is yellowish light. The yellowish light emitted from a BSY LED 46 has a color point that falls above the Black Body Locus (BBL) on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram wherein the BBL corresponds to the various color temperatures of white light.
Similarly, BSG LEDs 46 include an LED chip 48 that emits bluish light; however, the wavelength conversion material is a greenish phosphor that absorbs the blue light and emits greenish light. Even if some of the bluish light passes through the phosphor, the resultant mix of light emitted from the overall BSG LED 46 is greenish light. The greenish light emitted from a BSG LED 46 has a color point that falls above the BBL on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram wherein the BBL corresponds to the various color temperatures of white light.
The red LEDs 46 generally emit reddish light at a color point on the opposite side of the BBL as the yellowish or greenish light of the BSY or BSG LEDs 46. As such, the reddish light from the red LEDs 46 mixes with the yellowish or greenish light emitted from the BSY or BSG LEDs 46 to generate white light that has a desired color temperature and falls within a desired proximity of the BBL. In effect, the reddish light from the red LEDs 46 pulls the yellowish or greenish light from the BSY or BSG LEDs 46 to a desired color point on or near the BBL. Notably, the red LEDs 46 may have LED chips 48 that natively emit reddish light wherein no wavelength conversion material is employed. Alternatively, the LED chips 48 may be associated with a wavelength conversion material, wherein the resultant light emitted from the wavelength conversion material and any light that is emitted from the LED chips 48 without being absorbed by the wavelength conversion material mixes to form the desired reddish light.
The blue LED chip 48 used to form either the BSY or BSG LEDs 46 may be formed from a gallium nitride (GaN), indium gallium nitride (InGaN), silicon carbide (SiC), zinc selenide (ZnSe), or like material system. The red LED chip 48 may be formed from an aluminum indium gallium nitride (AlInGaP), gallium phosphide (GaP), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), or like material system. Exemplary yellow phosphors include cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce), yellow BOSE (Ba, O, Sr, Si, Eu) phosphors, and the like. Exemplary green phosphors include green BOSE phosphors, Lutetium aluminum garnet (LuAg), cerium doped LuAg (LuAg:Ce), Maui M535 from Lightscape Materials, Inc. of 201 Washington Road, Princeton, N.J. 08540, and the like. The above LED architectures, phosphors, and material systems are merely exemplary and are not intended to provide an exhaustive listing of architectures, phosphors, and materials systems that are applicable to the concepts disclosed herein.
As noted, the LED array 22 of the light engine module 20 may include a mixture of LEDs 46 of different colors, such as a combination of red LEDs 46 and either BSY or BSG LEDs 46. The driver module 38 for driving the LED array 22 is illustrated in
The BSY or BSG LEDs 46BSX in the second LED string S2 may be selected to have a slightly more bluish hue (less yellowish or greenish hue) than the BSY or BSG LEDs 46BSX in the third LED string S3. As such, the current flowing through the second and third strings S2 and S3 may be tuned to control the yellowish or greenish light that is effectively emitted by the BSY or BSG LEDs 46BSX of the second and third LED strings S2, S3. By controlling the relative intensities of the yellowish or greenish light emitted from the differently hued BSY or BSG LEDs 46BSX of the second and third LED strings S2, S3, the hue of the combined yellowish or greenish light from the second and third LED strings S2, S3 may be controlled in a desired fashion.
The ratio of current provided through the red LEDs 46R of the first LED string S1 relative to the currents provided through the BSY or BSG LEDs 46BSX of the second and third LED strings S2 and S3 may be adjusted to effectively control the relative intensities of the reddish light emitted from the red LEDs 46R and the combined yellowish or greenish light emitted from the various BSY or BSG LEDs 46BSX. As such, the intensity and the color point of the yellowish or greenish light from BSY or BSG LEDs 46BSX can be set relative to the intensity of the reddish light emitted from the red LEDs 46R. The resultant yellowish or greenish light mixes with the reddish light to generate white light that has a desired color temperature and falls within a desired proximity of the BBL.
Notably, the number of LED strings Sx may vary from one to many and different combinations of LED colors may be used in the different strings, as well as in each individual string. Each LED string Sx may have LEDs 46 of the same color, variations of the same color, or substantially different colors, such as red, green, and blue. In one embodiment, a single LED string may be used, wherein the LEDs in the string are all substantially identical in color, vary in substantially the same color, or include different colors. In such an embodiment, shunt or bypass circuitry may be provided to selectively route the drive currents around one or more LEDs in the string. The drive currents may be redirected using a pulse width modulated control signal to control the contribution of light from the bypassable LEDs. In another embodiment, three LED strings Sx with red, green, and blue LEDs may be used, wherein each LED string Sx is dedicated to a single color. In yet another embodiment, at least two LED strings Sx may be used, wherein different colored BSY LEDs are used in one of the LED strings Sx and red LEDs are used in the other of the LED strings Sx. As noted above, the various control methods for any of the strings and LED configurations provide effective control of the overall intensity, color, color temperature, and the like.
With reference to
The rectifier and power factor correction circuitry 72 is adapted to receive an AC power signal (AC IN), rectify the AC power signal, and correct the power factor of the AC power signal. The resultant signal is provided to the conversion circuitry 74, which converts the rectified AC power signal to a DC power signal. The DC power signal may be boosted (increased) or bucked (reduced) to one or more desired DC voltages by DC-DC converter circuitry, which is provided by the conversion circuitry 74. Internally, The DC power signal may be used to power the control circuitry 76 and any other circuitry provided in the driver module 38.
The DC power signal is also provided to a power bus (PWR BUS), which is coupled to one or more power ports (PWR PORT), which may be part of the standard communication interface. The DC power signal provided to the power bus may be used to provide power to one or more external devices that are coupled to the power bus and separate form the driver module 38. These external devices may include the communications module 40 and any number of auxiliary devices, which are discussed further below. Accordingly, these external devices may rely on the driver module 38 for power and can be efficiently and cost effectively designed accordingly. The rectifier and PFC circuitry 72 and the conversion circuitry 74 of the driver module 38 are robustly designed in anticipation of being required to supply power to not only the internal circuitry of the driver module 38, but also to supply power to these external devices as well. Such a design greatly simplifies the power supply design, if not eliminating the need for a power supply, and reduces the cost for these external devices.
As illustrated, the DC power signal may also be provided to another port, which will be connected by the drive signal cabling 36 to the LED array 22 of the light engine module 20. In this embodiment, the supply line of the DC power signal is effectively coupled to the first end of each of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 in the LED array 22. The control circuitry 76 is coupled to the second end of each of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 by the drive signal cabling 36. Based on any number of fixed or dynamic parameters, the control circuitry 76 may individually control the pulse width modulated current that flows through the respective LED strings S1, S2, and S3 such that the resultant white light emitted from the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 has a desired color temperature and falls within a desired proximity of the BBL. Notably, the architecture used to drive the LED array 22 in this embodiment is merely exemplary, as those skilled in the art will recognize other architectures for controlling the drive voltages and currents presented to the LED strings S1, S2, and S3. Further, virtually any color of light may be desired and provided by the LED array 22.
In certain instances, a dimming device controls the AC power signal. The rectifier and PFC circuitry 72 may be configured to detect the relative amount of dimming associated with the AC power signal and provide a corresponding dimming signal to the control circuitry 76. Based on the dimming signal, the control circuitry 76 will adjust the current provided to each of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 to effectively reduce the intensity of the resultant white light emitted from the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 while maintaining the desired color temperature.
The intensity or color of the light emitted from the LEDs 46 may be affected by ambient temperature. If associated with a thermistor (not shown) or other temperature-sensing device, the control circuitry 76 can control the current provided to each of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 based on ambient temperature in an effort to compensate for adverse temperature effects. The intensity or color of the light emitted from the LEDs 46 may also change over time. If associated with an LED light sensor SL (not shown), the control circuitry 76 can measure the color of the resultant white light being generated by the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 and adjust the current provided to each of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 to ensure that the resultant white light maintains a desired color temperature or other desired metric. The control circuitry 76 may also monitor the output of any occupancy, ambient light, or like sensors (not shown) for occupancy, ambient light, or like information and turn on, turn off, or otherwise control the current provided to each of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 as desired based on the sensor information.
The control circuitry 76 may bidirectionally communicate with the communications module 40 or other devices over a communication bus (COMM BUS) through an appropriate communication interface (I/F) 80 using a defined protocol. The control circuitry 76 may receive instructions from the communications module 40 or other device and take appropriate action to implement the received instructions. The instructions may range from controlling how the LEDs 46 of the LED array 22 are driven to returning operational data, such as temperature, occupancy, light output, or ambient light information, that was collected by the control circuitry 76 to the communications module 40 or other device via the communication bus (COMM BUS). For example, dimming instructions may be delivered from the communications module 40 or other device to the control circuitry 76 in the form of a command via the communication bus (COMM BUS) via the communication interface 80. The control circuitry 76 may process the instructions and control the drive current to the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 to achieve an appropriate dimming level. Notably, the functionality of the communications module 40 may be integrated into the driver module 38, and vice versa.
With continued reference to
The driver module 38 may also include a user interface, such as the push button 82, which is coupled to the control circuitry 76. The user interface allows a user to physically provide information, such a commands, to the control circuitry 76. The user interface could also include a display or dedicated LED (not shown) to provide feedback to the user. Feedback may be provided back to the user via the LED array 22 in the form of flashing, turning on or off, and the like. Further, the user interface could be provided on the light engine module 20.
With reference to
The default drive data is designed to cause the LED array 22 to produce light that is close to one or more defined lighting characteristics, such as intensity (or brightness), color, color temperature, and the like. The light provided by the LED array 22 is analyzed by an external test fixture, which may provide tuning feedback to the driver module 38. Based on the tuning feedback, the driver module 38 will adjust the drive signals provided to the various strings in the LED array 22 until the light provided by the LED array 22 meets the defined lighting characteristics, which are required for the lighting fixture 10 (step 108). For example, the drive signals may represent the current levels, voltage levels, waveform characteristics, or the like for the signals used to drive LED strings S1, S2, and S3. Either the driver module 38 or the external test fixture will determine the appropriate drive data based on the drive signals that were required to achieve the defined lighting characteristics for the light output after tuning is complete (step 110). The driver module 38 will store the drive data in its local memory 78 (step 112) as well as store the drive data in the light engine memory 32 on the light engine module 20 (step 114).
The light engine memory 32 may also include light engine data, such as product information, identification information, and the like, that is associated with the light engine module 20. The driver module 38 may read the light engine data from the light engine memory 32 (step 116) and store the light engine data in the local memory 78 of the driver module 38 (step 118).
At this point, the driver module 38 may store replacement data in the light engine memory 32, wherein the replacement data indicates that the light engine module 20 is not a replacement (step 120), but is instead an original light engine module 20 for the lighting fixture 10. The driver module 38 will also recognize that it is now paired with the light engine module 20, and as such, will store pairing data in its local memory 78 to indicate that it has been paired with a light engine module 20, and in certain embodiments, indicate the specific light engine module 20 with which it has been paired (step 122).
From the above, the replacement data that is stored in the light engine memory 32 is used by the driver module 38 to determine whether the attached light engine module 20 is one that has already been associated with the driver module 38, or is a replacement. A replacement light engine module 20 will come from the factory with replacement data that indicates the light engine module 20 is a replacement in the light engine memory 32. The light engine memory 32 will also include the requisite drive data for the light engine module 20. Thus, when the light engine module 20 is connected to the driver module 38 in the lighting fixture 10, the driver module 38 can look at the replacement data to determine that a replacement light engine module 20 has been installed, and then retrieve the new drive data for the replacement light engine module 20 from the light engine memory 32. The new drive data may be stored in the local memory 78 of the driver module 38, which will use the new drive data to drive the LED array 22 of the light engine module 20. The drive data may include the actual drive signal characteristics, such as the current levels, voltage levels, or waveform characteristics. In another embodiment, the drive data may simply provide information that corresponds to the requisite signal characteristics. In the latter example, the control circuitry 76 of the driver module 38 will be able to use the drive data to set the drive signal characteristics. For example, the local memory 78 may include a look-up table that matches the drive data to a drive current level for all of the LED strings Sx, or for each of the LED strings Sx.
The pairing data that is stored in the local memory 78 of the driver module 38 simply indicates that the driver module 38 has been paired with a light engine module 20. Once the driver module 38 is paired with a light engine module 20, the pairing data in the local memory 78 will indicate that there has been a pairing. For a replacement driver module 38 that has not yet been paired with a light engine module 20, the pairing data will indicate that the driver module 38 is not yet paired. Once a replacement driver module 38 is placed in a lighting fixture 10 and coupled to a light engine module 20, the driver module 38 will change the pairing data from indicating that it has yet to be paired with a light engine module 20 to indicating that it has been paired with a light engine module 20.
The flow diagram of
If the pairing data indicates that the driver module 38 has not been paired with a light engine module 20 (step 204) or if the replacement data indicates that the light engine module 20 is a replacement (step 208), the driver module 38 will retrieve new drive data and light engine data from the light engine memory 32 of the light engine module 20. For a situation where the pairing data indicates that the driver module 38 has not been paired, this indicates that the driver module 38 is a replacement driver module 38, and thus, new drive data for the light engine module 20 to which the replacement driver module 38 is now connected is needed. For the second situation where the replacement data indicates that the light engine module 20 is a replacement light engine module 20, the original driver module 38 will need the new drive data for the replacement light engine module 20.
Once the drive data and the light engine data from the light engine memory 32 are retrieved (step 214), the driver module 38 will store the drive data and the light engine data in its local memory 78 (step 216). At this point, the driver module 38 can drive the LED array 22 with drive signals based on the drive data retrieved from the light engine memory 32 (step 218). The driver module 38 now stores pairing data in the local memory 78 (step 220) to indicate that it is now paired with either the original light engine module 20, if the driver module 38 was a replacement, or a replacement light engine module 20, if the driver module 38 was an original. Similarly, the driver module 38 can store replacement data in the light engine memory 32 indicating that the light engine module 20 is no longer a replacement, and thus has been paired with the driver module 38 (step 222).
As an alternative to using pairing data or replacement data to figure out if one of the driver module 38 or the light engine module 20 has been replaced, the driver module 38 may simply compare the drive data or the light engine data that is stored locally with that which is stored in the light engine memory 32. Further, both the pairing data and the replacement data may be configured as a single bit, which is either set or reset based on the relative pairing or replacement status. The driver module 38 may initially power on and drive the LED array 22 with drive signals that are based on whatever drive data it has in local memory 78, and then check for the need to pull drive data from the light engine memory 32, if there has been a replacement of the light engine module 20 or a new installation of the driver module 38. The driver module 38 can then transition from the drive data that was stored in local memory 78 to that which was retrieved from the light engine memory 32.
In the prior example, the driver module 38 and the light engine module 20 are configured to allow for automatic detection of replacement of either the driver module 38 or the light engine module 20. In the following embodiment, the driver module 38 is configured with a calibrate button, which will take the form of the user interface 82. In essence, if the calibrate button 82 is pressed, the driver module 38 will retrieve new drive data, and perhaps light engine data, from the light engine memory 32 of whatever light engine module 20 is currently coupled to the driver module 38. An exemplary process is illustrated in the flow diagram of
Initially, the driver module 38 will power on (step 300) and retrieve drive data from the local memory 78 (step 302). The driver module 38 will then drive the LED array 22 with drive signals based on the drive data obtained from the local memory 78 (step 304). The driver module 38 will also monitor the calibrate button (step 306). When the calibrate button is pressed (step 308), the driver module 38 will retrieve new drive data and light engine data from the light engine memory 32 of the light engine module 20 (step 310) and store the new drive data and light engine data in local memory 78 of the driver module 38 (step 312). The driver module 38 can then transition to driving the LED array 22 with drive signals that are based on the drive data retrieved from the light engine memory 32 (step 314).
In this embodiment, whenever a driver module 38 or a light engine module 20 is replaced in a lighting fixture 10, the user can simply press the calibrate button 82 and the driver module 38, whether it is an original or a replacement, will obtain the drive data from the light engine memory 32 of the light engine module 20, whether it is a replacement or an original, store the drive data, and then drive the LED array 22 based on the appropriate drive data for the light engine module 20. In either of these embodiments, storing the drive data in the light engine memory 32, which is integrated with the light engine module 20, allows the interchangeability of driver modules 38 and light engine modules 20. In essence, the light engine modules 20 carry with them the requisite drive data, and any driver module 38 that is attached to that particular light engine module 20 can access the drive data and then use it to drive the LED array 22 of the light engine module 20.
While the embodiments described above were focused on a troffer-type lighting fixture 10, the concepts disclosed herein apply to any type of lighting fixture. For example, a recessed-type lighting fixture 10′ as illustrated in
Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.
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