Energy-storage integrated application device and operation thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to an application device comprising an integrated energy storage, an application controller and a method of operating an application system, supporting different operation modes. In a first operation mode, AC power is provided via a distribution line to operate the application device. In a second mode, the AC power transmission at the distribution line is replaced by data communication, wherein the application device is run by energy from the energy storage during the second operation mode. Preferably in a third operation mode, DC power from the energy storage of an application device may be provided via the distribution line to another application device.

Claims

1. An application device comprising: an energy storage, a signal port connectable to a distribution line configured to: in a first mode, receive power from an AC power source for operating the application device, and in a second mode, exchange data via the distribution line; wherein the first and second modes are applied consecutively and wherein the application device is powered with energy from the energy storage during the second mode; wherein the application device stays in the second mode for a time period depending on the amount of data to be exchanged.

2. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the signal port is further adapted to receive: in a third mode, power from a DC power source for operating the application device.

3. The application device according to claim 1, wherein the signal port is further adapted to transmit: in a third mode, power from the energy storage onto the distribution line.

4. The application device according to claim 2, wherein in the third mode, the signal port is further adapted to transmit or receive data modulated onto the DC power signal.

5. The application device according to claim 1, further comprising circuitry to monitor a status of the energy storage and submit a signal to an external controller, if the energy stored by the energy storage falls below a predetermined threshold to request operation in the first mode.

6. The application device according to claim 1, further comprising a bidirectional current controller and a communication module, both connectable to the distribution line, wherein in the first mode, the current controller is connected to the distribution line to receive power from the external AC power source and the communication module is disconnected from the distribution line, in the second mode, the current controller is disconnected from the distribution line and the communication module is connected to the distribution line, and in a third mode, the current controller is connected to the distribution line to receive DC power from an external DC power source or to provide power from the energy storage to the distribution line.

7. The application device according to claim 6, further comprising a modulation-demodulation module connected to the bidirectional current controller, to modulate data onto the DC power signal provided on the distribution line or to demodulate data received with the DC power signal.

8. The application device according to claim 1 further comprising an energy storage charger, wherein in the first mode the signal port connectable to the distribution line is further configured to receive power from the AC power source for charging the energy storage by the energy storage charger.

9. The application device according to claim 2, further comprising an energy storage charger, wherein in the third mode the signal port connectable to the distribution line is further configured to receive power from the DC power source for charging the energy storage by the energy storage charger.

10. An application controller for use in the application device according to claim 1, wherein the application controller comprising: a signal port connectable to a distribution line, and wherein the application controller is configured to: in a first mode, control an AC power source to connect to the distribution line to provide power to an application device via the distribution line, in a second mode, control the AC power source to disconnect from the distribution line and to send a data transmission to the application device or to receive a data transmission from the application device; wherein the application device stays in the second mode for a time period depending on the amount of data to be exchanged; wherein the application device is powered with energy from the energy storage during the second mode; and, wherein the application controller switches between the first and second mode.

11. The application controller according to claim 10, wherein the application controller switches from the second mode to the first mode upon receipt of a signal from the application device indicating that a power stored by the energy storage of the application device has fallen below a predetermined threshold.

12. The application controller according to claim 10, further comprising a monitoring unit for monitoring a quality of the AC power in the first mode, wherein the application controller is configured to control the application device to switch to a third mode in which DC power is provided by an energy storage of the application device and transmitted via the distribution line as a power signal with or without a modulated data signal when the quality of the AC power drops below a certain value.

13. The application controller according to claim 12, wherein the monitoring unit comprises a phase locked loop detector to detect a zero crossing of the AC voltage to determine the AC frequency and wherein the application controller is configured to control the application device to switch to the third mode, if the AC frequency deviates from a nominal frequency by a predetermined amount.

14. The application controller according to claim 10, further comprising a monitoring unit for monitoring costs of the AC power in the first mode, wherein the application controller is configured to control the application device to switch to a third mode in which DC power is provided by an energy storage of the application device and transmitted via the distribution line as a power signal with or without a modulated data signal when the quality of the AC power drops below a certain value.

15. A method for operating an application system comprising one or more application devices and an application controller, the method comprising: in a first mode, controlling an AC power source to connect to the distribution line to provide power to an application device via the distribution line, in a second mode, controlling the AC power source to disconnect from the distribution line and enabling data transmission between the one or more application devices and between the one or more application devices and the application controller; wherein the application device stays in the second mode for a time period depending on the amount of data to be exchanged; in a third mode, controlling the AC power source to disconnect from the distribution line and enabling DC power transmissions between the one or more application devices.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 exemplary and schematically shows an application system comprising an application device and an application controller according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 exemplary and schematically shows a voltage level on a distribution line during different modes of operation of the application system shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 exemplary and schematically shows an application device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(5) FIG. 4 exemplary and schematically shows a flow chart of a method for operating an application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 exemplary and schematically shows an application system for communication and power transfer between a central application controller 200 and application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n with integrated energy storage 102, in particular lighting devices, such as luminaires, lamps, sensors, user interfaces. Further examples of application device 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n are any devices exploited in modern building management systems, e.g. heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) applications.

(7) The transmission of data communication or AC power via the same distribution line occurs sequentially one after another, such that there is no noise from AC power transmissions during data communication. Accordingly, there is no need for complex circuitry or protocols to extract the information from data embedded in power transmissions. Depending on the power consumption of the application device, the energy storage 102 may be a normal capacitor (e.g. for a user interface), a super capacitor (e.g. for a low wattage lamp) or a rechargeable battery (e.g. for a high wattage luminaire).

(8) Wherein the embodiment in FIG. 1 shows a central application controller 200 external from the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n. However, the application controller 200 may also be integrated into one of the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n or its functionality may also be distributed over multiple devices within a application system. The application controller 200 is thus to be understood as a functional unit rather than necessarily as a single physical unit.

(9) The application controller 200 may periodically control the AC power source 300 to connect and disconnect from the distribution line which is also connected to the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n to allow data communication between the application controller and the application devices, such as demand side management (DMR) messages or demand reduction (DR) requests. When the AC power source 300 is connected, the application devices are operated by the provided AC power. The application drivers 103 actuate the application loads 104 according to operation instructions either programmed at the application device or received from either the application controller or other application devices. For instance, in a lighting application, the application load 104 may be a lamp which can be operated with different dimming levels, depending on operation commands received by other lighting devices, such as user interfaces and/or sensors. During the AC power mode operation, the application devices may also charge their integrated energy storage 102, e.g. a battery via an AC battery charger, if these energy storages are rechargeable.

(10) The change from the first mode to the second mode may be initiated based on a trigger received by the application controller 200 when the AC power source 300 is connected to the distribution line and the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n are operated by the provided AC power. Upon receiving this trigger, application controller 200 disconnects AC power source from the distribution line and the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n enter the second mode and exchange data via the distribution line. This trigger may be based on time such that a timer is set to generate the trigger for different pre-defined time instants or the trigger may be periodically generated. Application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n may also generate this trigger and request for mode switch, e.g., when application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n have to exchange the presence of a sensor data or battery state of charge etc. A sensor integrated in any of the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n, based on an external signal from an auxiliary device or from any of the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n may generate such trigger. The sensor signal may be of different types, e.g., application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n may need to form a group and to share their respective IDs. In case when the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n are luminaires, and when a user selects a dynamic/static scene to be rendered, the luminaires may request the communication mode to form a group to render the scene. The trigger can be generated by a low bandwidth signal received by the application controller 200 via the AC power line (e.g., by using PLC communication) to indicate that a high bandwidth data transmission is needed which requires to switch from the first mode to the second mode.

(11) During communication periods, where for instance control commands, reports and/or operation conditions are exchanged, the application devices are operated using energy from the integrated energy storage 102. The AC power source 300 is disconnected from the distribution line during the communication mode. Data exchange within lighting systems (or even ambient data exchange needed for building management systems) is mostly of a low data volume and can occur with latency of seconds to few minutes. Therefore, to avoid noise on the power line in conventional power line communication, communication and power transmission between central controller and luminaires or among luminaires occurs in consecutive time slots. In cases where all batteries are fully charged, for instance in an office building on weekends and at night, the time slots for the data communication made may range up to 3-5 minutes. In such cases, the DC energy exchange mode may not be needed. The system may alternate from AC power mode to data communication wherein the AC power mode is used to recharge the battery. 3-5 minutes for a data communication interval are usually enough to transfer information regarding the battery state of charge, the presence of sensor data, temperature data, daylight data etc.

(12) The time duration application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n stay in the second mode depends on the amount of data to be exchanged. This time duration may be known from any previous communication such that the amount of to-be-transferred data can be inferred from any previous known communication. A memory unit (not shown in the figure) may be used to store the amount of to-be-transferred data which also specifies the required time period for the second mode. The trigger which is used to indicate the switch from the first mode to the second mode may also indicate the amount of to-be-transferred data and hence the time period of the second mode. The number of messages in the required communication, i.e., to-be-transferred data, may also be known e.g., in a hand-shaking process where negotiation between application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n establishes the protocols of a communications channel.

(13) Preferably, the application controller 200 and the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n support a further mode of operation, in which the AC power source 300 is switched-off and DC power is provided to power the power grid. The application controller 200 may control which application device 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n shall provide the power from its local energy storage 102 to the distribution line and which application device 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n may receive power from the distribution line for example depending on the respective power levels of the energy storages 102. A controller used to redistribute the DC power between the plurality of lighting units for instance in the event that DC power is low or exhausted in one of the plurality of lighting units is known from WO 2013/182927 A2 which is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety. Optionally, power line communication is supported during the DC power mode, wherein any kind of modulation scheme known for power line communication may be used to transmit and receive data during the DC power mode. Thus, the DC power or battery buffered mode improves power line communication conditions due to noise from the mains power by disconnecting the mains power and thus the noise from the application supply grid.

(14) FIG. 2 exemplary and schematically shows a voltage level on the distribution line during the three different modes of operation described for example for the system according to FIG. 1. In the AC power mode I, AC power flows to the application devices such as luminaires of a lighting system from a power mains via one or more distribution lines forming an AC grid.

(15) At instances of required data communication, e.g. instances of DSM or DR request, i.e. at time T0 the mains power is disconnected from the grid and the application devices, e.g. the luminaires of a lighting system and the central controller start operating in communication mode for a certain time period II, which usually lasts seconds or even minutes depending on the amount of data to be exchanged. Clock pulses generated by the central controller are broadcasted over the power line. The application devices, e.g. the luminaires switch into communication mode and synchronize their internal clock with the central controller before starting to transmit or receive data, e.g. one by one according to a predetermined protocol.

(16) Application devices may transmit data indicative of their status like state of battery charge SOC, dimming level, ambient temperature etc. with the central controller during T0-T1. Once the data exchange is over, the central controller instructs all the luminaires to end communication mode. In the example shown in FIG. 2 the controller is not instructing the application devices to return into the AC power mode but to enter into a DC power mode for a predetermined time period III. The communication mode may for instance be interrupted by the central controller if one or more luminaires send an emergency signal/message that their power level is only sufficient to support them for a certain, e.g. short remaining time. In such case one of the two power modes may be initiated although there is still data issued for communication. In FIG. 2 the DC power and data transmission mode are applied periodically during time periods II, III, IV, V until no further data, e.g. DSM or DR request, are pending. The length of the data transmission periods II, IV and DC power periods III, V depends on the respective applications and may be set by the central controller or may be preprogrammed.

(17) FIG. 3 exemplary and schematically shows an application device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, data and power transmission are implemented through connecting a bidirectional current control unit CCU 105, preferably in series with the energy storage 102, and a communication module 106 in different time slots to the distribution line. In time T0-T1, CCU 105 is disconnected from and communication module 106 is connected to the distribution line. In time T1-T2, CCU 105 is connected to and communication module 106 is disconnected from distribution line. CCU 105 is optional in case that the power from the energy storage is not shared with other luminaires connected to the distribution line. The mechanism of disconnecting and connecting the application devices from and to the distribution line can be implemented by switching means such as relays, solid state switches etc.

(18) Preferably, circuitry in the power train like a preconditioner, e.g. a device intended to improve the quality of the power that is delivered to electrical load equipment, and lamp/battery drivers are used as the switching means to switch between the described modes. For instance, a switch in a central preconditioner may be deactivated to get the application system into the communication or the DC mode. The preconditioner and the lamps/battery chargers are disconnected from the distribution line to avoid interference between AC power conditioner and the DC bidirectional current control unit 105 to avoid recirculation of current going out from the battery and getting feedback by the power conditioner AC/DC charger circuit 101.

(19) In the DC power mode, power line communication may be used, for instance to provide urgent messages from the central controller 200 to the respective application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n. In order to modulate and/or demodulate data signals onto the DC power signal, the application devices 100.sub.1 to 100.sub.n may comprise a modulation/demodulation module 107 connected with the bidirectional current controller and control circuitry (not shown) to operate the application device.

(20) Preferably, the central controller 200 monitors the power quality of the AC voltage and times DC power mode or communication mode periods when there is heavy noise in the AC voltage. For instance, a zero crossing detector may detect zero crossings of the AC voltage to determine the actual frequency. A PLL (phase locked loop) may reconstruct the normal mains frequency. When a large error between the normal (average) mains frequency and the actual AC frequency is detected, the AC power mode is terminated and the data communication or DC power mode are initiated, regardless of whether data is to be communicated or power is to be shared. That way, distortions in the mains power supply are kept away from the application devices, e.g. the luminaires, lowering the requirements for noise suppression even further and resulting in simpler and cheaper communication units in the application devices.

(21) FIG. 4 exemplary and schematically shows a flow chart of a method for operating an application system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a first method step 201 corresponding to a first mode of operation, an AC power source is controlled to connect to the distribution line to provide power to one or more application devices via the distribution line. In a second method step 202 corresponding to a second mode of operation, the AC power source is controlled to disconnect from the distribution line and data transmission between the one or more application devices and between the one or more application devices and an application controller is enabled. In a third method step 203 corresponding to a third mode of operation, the AC power source is controlled to disconnect from the distribution line and DC power transmissions are enabled between the one or more application devices, wherein the DC power is provided from a respective energy storage of the one or more application devices. The method steps 201, 202 and 203 do not have to be provided in this order. Any order is applicable. Furthermore, in steps 202 and 203, upon a notification received from one or more of the application devices, the mode of operation may be changed to the first mode. For instance, if the energy stored in an energy storage of an application device reaches a critical limit, the application device may request to change to the first mode and recharge its energy storage with power provided from the AC power source. During the second mode, the request may simply be provided with a normal data transmission. In the third mode, such a request would have to be modulated onto the DC power signal. The change from the first mode to the second mode may be initiated periodically or upon request of an application device. For instance, an individual application device, e.g. a luminaire, might switch to battery operated mode from AC mode. The central controller could observe a difference between estimated power consumption and actual power and thus determined that one or more of the application devices has switched to the second mode. Upon that detection the central controller could initiate switching to the second mode and thus enable communication between the application devices and/or the central controller. The first mode may also be switched to the third mode, for instance in case the quality of the AC power signal does not fulfill a predetermined requirement, e.g. a lower threshold.

(22) Procedures like controlling an AC power source, enabling data transmission between the one or more application devices, enabling DC power transmissions, etc. performed by one or several units or devices can be performed by any other number of units or devices. These procedures and/or the control of the application controller and devices in accordance with the method for operating an application system can be implemented as program code means of a computer program and/or as dedicated hardware.

(23) A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium, supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.

(24) While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.