COMMUNICATION ADAPTOR FOR A LIGHT TRUNKING SYSTEM

Abstract

The communication adaptor (1) comprises a housing configured to be inserted in a profiled track (12) of the light trunking system (11), the housing comprising outer walls, electrical contacts arranged to be exposed onto at least one of the outer walls, the electrical contacts being configured to contact different electrical lines (14) arranged in the profiled track (12), a Power Line Communication interface configured to receive and/or transmit PLC data, the PLC data being conveyed on one or more of the electrical lines (14), an additional interface configured to receive and/or transmit non-PLC data, preferably IP protocol data, and a data converter configured to convert i) PLC data from the Power Line Communication interface into non-PLC data for the additional interface, and/or ii) non-PLC data from the additional interface into PLC data for the Power Line Communication interface.

Claims

1. A communication adaptor (1) for a light trunking system (11), the communication adaptor (1) comprising: a housing (2) configured to be inserted in a profiled track (12) of the light trunking system (11), the housing (2) comprising outer walls (1.1), electrical contacts (4) arranged to be exposed onto at least one of the outer walls (1.1), the electrical contacts (4) being configured to contact different electrical lines (14) arranged in the profiled track (12), a Power Line Communication (PLC) interface (6) configured to receive and/or transmit PLC data, the PLC data being conveyed on one or more of the electrical lines (14), an additional interface (8) configured to receive and/or transmit non-PLC data, and a data converter (9) configured to convert i) PLC data from the Power Line Communication interface (6) into non-PLC data for the additional interface (8), and/or ii) non-PLC data from the additional interface (8) into PLC data for the Power Line Communication interface (6).

2. The communication adaptor (1) of claim 1, wherein the Power Line Communication interface (6) is configured to modulate and/or demodulate PLC data transmitted and/or received at different poles of the electrical lines (14) in a parallel manner.

3. The communication adaptor (1) of claim 1, wherein the additional interface (8) is an Ethernet interface, the Ethernet interface being a wireless Ethernet interface or a wire-bound Ethernet interface, or a power over Ethernet (PoE) Ethernet interface.

4. The communication adaptor (1) of claim 1, wherein the data converter (9) is a PLC modem configured to modulate and demodulate PLC data into and from IP protocol data.

5. A light trunking system (11) for supplying power and data to a series of lighting devices (21), wherein the light trunking system (11) comprises a profiled track (12) and electrical lines (14) extending along the profiled track (12), and wherein the light trunking system (11) further comprises at least two communication adaptors (1) according to claim 1.

6. The light trunking system (11) of claim 5, further comprising an interface module selected in the group consisting of: a lighting device (21), a camera (22), a WLAN access point (24), a Private LTE access point, a 5G access point, a LiFi access point, a RTLS module, a RFID module, a wireless communication device, a multi array presence detector, a multi parameters high speed reading sensor for reading parameters like temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide presence or concentration, TVOC, presence, HAL, and accelerometer, and any other device requiring fast data connectivity, wherein at least one of the communication adaptors (1) is connected to the interface module via the additional interface (8), and via a cable (26.1, 26.2, 26.4) for non-PLC data.

7. The light trunking system (11) of claim 5, wherein the electrical lines (14) are configured to provide AC voltage, the PLC data being narrowband PLC data.

8. The light trunking system (11) of claim 5, wherein the electrical lines (14) have different poles, which are arranged on at least one inner side surface of the profiled track (12).

9. The light trunking system (11) of claim 5, wherein at least one of the communication adaptors (1) is connected, via the additional interface (8), to a computing machine (31), which is an Artificial Intelligence engine.

10. A method (101) for communicating data over a light trunking system (11), the method (101) comprising: (102) implementing a light trunking system (11) according to claim 5, (104) measuring instant parameters representative of the communications performed over the electrical lines (14) via the communication adaptors (1), the instant parameters being selected in the group consisting of: the number of electrical lines (14) instantly used, an identification of the electrical lines (14) instantly used, an actual speed of data transmission over each electrical line (14), a target speed of data transmission over each electrical line (14), an actual speed of data conversion by each communication adaptor (1), a target speed of data conversion by each communication adaptor (1), an actual latency of data conversion by each communication adaptor (1), a target latency of data conversion by each communication adaptor (1), an actual latency of data transmission over each electrical line (14), a target latency of data transmission over each electrical line (14), a volume of data to be transmitted, a volume of data to be converted, a level of interferences in each electrical line (14) and/or in each communication adaptor (1), a port status of each additional interface (8), and a dimming level set for each lighting device (21), (106) dynamically processing, by a computing engine (32), the measured instant parameters, so as to determine a communication capacity over each electrical line (14) via the communication adaptors (1), (108) selecting, by the computing engine (32), an electrical line (14) having a determined communication capacity above a predetermined threshold, and (110) communicating data over the at least one selected electrical line (14).

11. The method (101) of claim 10, wherein the light trunking system (11) further comprises mechanical switches (16), each mechanical switch (16) being arranged to selectively connect a respective communication adaptor (1) to different electrical lines (14), wherein the method (101) further comprises: (112) controlling the connection, via one of the mechanical switches (16), of a respective communication adaptor (1) to the selected electrical line (14).

12. The method (101) of claim 10, further comprising: (114) comparing with each other, by the computing engine (32), the communication capacities determined respectively for the electrical lines (14), and selecting the electrical line (14) having the highest determined communication capacity.

13. The method (101) of claim 10, further comprising: after the measuring of instant parameters, (116) transmitting, by the communication adaptors (1), the measured instant parameters.

14. The method (101) of claim 10, further comprising: (118) implementing several light trunking systems (11), (120) regularly collecting, by a computing machine (31), performance data from each one of the light trunking systems (11), (122) dynamically assessing, by the computing machine (31), the collected performance data, by comparing the collected performance data with each other and/or with recorded performance data and/or with a recorded performance model, and (124) as a function of the dynamic assessment, issuing, by the computing machine (31), a message suggesting a change in at least one of the light trunking systems (11) in order to enhance the respective performance data.

15. The communication adaptor (1) of claim 1 wherein said non-PLC data is IP protocol data.

16. The communication adaptor (1) of claim 1 wherein said non-PLC data is Ethernet data.

17. The communication adaptor (1) of claim 1 wherein the additional interface (8) is configured to receive and/or transmit Ethernet data with Power-over-Ethernet capability.

18. The light trunking system (11) of claim 6 wherein the cable (26.1, 26.2, 26.4) for non-PLC data is an Ethernet patch cable.

19. The method (101) of claim 10, wherein the computing engine (32) is an Artificial Intelligence engine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] The above-described embodiments and implementations will be further explained in the following description of specific implementations in relation to the appended drawings, in which:

[0060] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a communication adaptor according to an embodiment;

[0061] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the communication adaptor of FIG. 1 mounted on an element of a light trunking system according to an embodiment;

[0062] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view, at an angle different from FIG. 2, of the element of the light trunking system of FIG. 2;

[0063] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a section of the light trunking system of FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0064] FIG. 5 is a flow chart schematically illustrating a method according to an embodiment and implementing the light trunking system of FIGS. 2 to 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] FIG. 1 illustrates a communication adaptor 1 comprising a housing 2, electrical contacts 4, a Power Line Communication interface (PLC interface) 6, an additional interface 8, and a data converter 9.

[0066] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the housing 1 is configured to be inserted in a profiled track 12 of a light trunking system 11. The housing 1 comprises outer walls 1.1. The housing 2 may be composed of a suitable plastic material. The housing 2 may be inserted in the profiled track 12 so as to be flush or level with the profiled track 12, as visible in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0067] The electrical contacts 4 are arranged to be exposed onto one of the outer walls 1.1. The electrical contacts 4 are configured to contact different electrical lines 14 arranged in the profiled track 12. The electrical contacts 4 may be formed in a conventional manner, like for example one commercialized under the name Tectron, Trinos, ZX2, Supersystem or Supersystem 2. The electrical lines 14 may have different poles, which may be arranged on an inner side surface of the profiled track 12.

[0068] The mechanical design and concept of the light trunking system 12 is described in EP 1284035 A1 which forms an integral part of the description and which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0069] The PLC interface 6 is configured to receive and/or transmit PLC data. When the communication adaptor 1 is in service, the PLC data are conveyed on one or more of the electrical lines 14. The PLC interface 6 may be configured to modulate and demodulate the PLC data transmitted and received at the different poles of the electrical lines 14 in a parallel manner. The PLC interface 6 may be formed in a conventional manner. The PLC data may be data that is modulated into, and conveyed by, a PLC signal transmitted over one of the electrical lines 4.

[0070] The additional interface 8 is configured to receive and/or transmit non-PLC data. In the example of FIGS. 1 to 4, the additional interface 8 may be configured to receive and transmit IP protocol data as the non-PLC data. The additional interface 8 may be an Ethernet interface, herein a wire-bound Ethernet interface. Further, the additional interface 8 may preferably be a power over Ethernet (PoE) Ethernet interface. For example, the additional interface 8 may include an Ethernet interface having a port capable of supplying power over the Ethernet cable towards the next device.

[0071] The data converter 9 is configured to convert i) PLC data from the PLC interface 6 into non-PLC data for the additional interface 8, and/or ii) non-PLC data from the additional interface into PLC data for the PLC interface. The data converter 9 may be a PLC modem, which is preferably configured to modulate and demodulate PLC data into and from IP protocol data. The data converter 9 may convert PLC data or non-PLC data by modulating and demodulating PLC data or non-PLC data respectively.

[0072] FIG. 2 and 3 illustrate an element 11.1 of a light trunking system 11. FIG. 4 illustrates a section of the light trunking system 11, which section comprises three elements 11.1.

[0073] The light trunking system 11 is intended to supply power and data to a series of lighting devices 21, as visible in FIG. 4. The light trunking system 11 comprises the profiled track 12 and the electrical lines 14. The profiled track 12 may be straight, like in FIG. 4, and/or curved depending on the locations of the lighting devices 21.

[0074] The electrical lines 14 extend along the profiled track 12. In the example of FIGS. 2 to 4, the electrical lines 14 may be configured to provide AC voltage, and the PLC data may be narrowband PLC data.

[0075] As visible in FIG. 4, the light trunking system 11 further comprises several elements 11.1. As each element 11.1 comprises a communication adaptor 1, the light trunking system 11 comprises several communication adaptors 1. The elements 11.1, hence also the communication adaptors 1, may be arranged along the profiled track 12.

[0076] The light trunking system 11 may further comprise an interface module selected in the group consisting of: a lighting device 21, a camera 22, a WLAN access point 24, a Private LTE access point, a 5G access point, a LiFi access point, a not-shown RTLS module, a not-shown RFID module, a not-shown wireless communication device, and a not-shown high data rate sensor. The WLAN access point 24 may be a WiFi hotspot.

[0077] The light trunking system 11 may further comprise cables 26.1, 26.2, 26.4 for the non-PLC data. For example, the cables 26.1, 26.2, 26.4 may be formed of Ethernet patch cables, so as to convey IP protocol data. The cables 26.1, 26.2, 26.4 may be arranged to connect a communication adaptor 1 to an interface module 21, 22, 24. The communication adaptors 1 may be connected to respective interface modules 21, 22, 24 via their respective additional interface 8. The cable 26.1, 26.2, or 26.4 may support bidirectional communications (duplex) or, alternatively, unidirectional communications.

[0078] Thus, the PLC interface 6 of the communication adaptor 1 may feed external data into the light trunking system 11 by receiving and transmitting PLC data, which is conveyed along the electrical lines 14 between the interface modules 26.1, 26.2, 26.4 arranged along the profiled track 12. The additional interface 8 of the communication adaptor 1 may receive the PLC data and convert it back into non-PLC data to be sent via the Ethernet. As a result, the PLC communication over the electrical lines 14 of the light trunking system 11 may be used as an intermediate section of a larger communication path between the interface modules 26.1, 26.2, 26.4 and the Ethernet backbone.

[0079] One of the communication adaptors 21 may be connected to a computing engine 32 via the additional interface 8. The computing engine 32 may be an edge-based computing engine, for example a LiteCOM® or a similar specialized edge computing hardware server. Further, the computing engine 32 may be connected to a computing machine 31, which may be a cloud computing machine. The computing engine 32 may be an Artificial Intelligence engine, which may connect to multiple edge-based computing engines.

[0080] Thus, due to the communication adaptors 1, the light trunking system 11 may offer an enhanced flexibility and speed in the communication operations, while ensuring a relatively low installation effort. The light trunking system 11 may support a fast data communication network in the Gbps range (Gigabits per second).

[0081] In particular, the light trunking system 11 makes it possible to reduce the time and cost required to install and integrate, to a local digital telecommunication network or to the cloud, indoor wireless data access solutions, for example WiFi, pLTE, 5G, LiFi, or localization enablement solutions, for example RFID, BLT, UWB.

[0082] Further, the light trunking system 11 may comprise an application server 34 for receiving, storing and displaying to an end-user various IP applications related to the application devices 26.1, 26.2, 26.4. The IP applications may include a camera based surveillance, a shop/warehouse management system, a loyalty management system, an indoor navigation system, an enterprise resource planning, and a customer relationship management system.

[0083] FIG. 4 illustrates a method 101 for communicating data over the light trunking system 11, when the light trunking system 11 is in service.

[0084] The method 101 comprises:

[0085] 102) implementing the light trunking system 11,

[0086] 104) measuring instant parameters representative of the communications performed over the electrical lines 14 via the communication adaptors 1,

[0087] 106) dynamically processing, by the computing engine 32, the measured instant parameters, so as to determine a communication capacity over each electrical line 14 via the communication adaptors 1,

[0088] 108) selecting an electrical line 14 having a determined communication capacity above a predetermined threshold, and

[0089] 110) communicating data over the at least one selected electrical line.

[0090] Thus, the method 101 makes it possible to obtain a fast data communication by dynamically operating the electrical lines 14 to obtain high communication capacities.

[0091] The implementation 102 of the light trunking system may include:

[0092] i) inserting the communication adaptors 1 into the profiled track 12 and

[0093] ii) connecting the communication adaptors 1 to the different electrical lines 14 arranged in the profiled track 12.

[0094] When measuring (104) the instant parameters, the instant parameters may be selected in the group consisting of: the number of electrical lines instantly used, an identification of the electrical lines instantly used, an actual speed of data transmission over each electrical line, a target speed of data transmission over each electrical line, an actual speed of data conversion by each communication adaptor, a target speed of data conversion by each communication adaptor, an actual latency of data conversion by each communication adaptor, a target latency of data conversion by each communication adaptor, an actual latency of data transmission over each electrical line, a target latency of data transmission over each electrical line, a volume of data to be transmitted, a volume of data to be converted, a level of interferences in each electrical line and/or in each communication adaptor, a port status of each additional interface, and a dimming level set for each lighting device.

[0095] The selection 108 of the at least one electrical line 14 may be performed by the computing engine 32. The selecting 108 may be performed by the computing engine 32. In order to determine the communication capacity of an electrical line 14, the predetermined threshold may be set as an absolute value that is specific for each measured instant parameter. For example, the predetermined threshold for the actual speed of data transmission over an electrical line 14 may be set to 1 Gbps. Alternatively, the predetermined threshold may be set as a relative value, for example 80%, which is applicable to all the measured instant parameters or which is specific for each measured instant parameter.

[0096] Besides, the light trunking system 11 may further comprise mechanical switches 16, which are each arranged to selectively connect a respective communication adaptor 1 to different electrical lines 14. The method 101 may further comprise:

[0097] 112) controlling the connection, via one of the mechanical switches 16, of a respective communication adaptor 1 to the selected electrical line 14.

[0098] In order to enable the computing engine 32 to swiftly select the most appropriate electrical line(s) 14, the method 101 may further comprise:

[0099] 114) comparing with each other, by the computing engine 31, the communication capacities determined respectively for the electrical lines 14, and, preferably, selecting the electrical line 14 having the highest determined communication capacity.

[0100] The method 101 may further comprise:

[0101] 116) after the measuring of instant parameters, transmitting, by the communication adaptors 1, the measured instant parameters, preferably to the computing engine 31.

[0102] The method 101 may further comprise: 118) implementing several light trunking systems 11, for example 10 light trunking systems 11 in a same location or at different, remote locations,

[0103] 120) regularly collecting, by the computing machine 31, performance data from each one of the light trunking systems 1,

[0104] 122) dynamically assessing, by the computing machine 31, the collected performance data, preferably by comparing the collected performance data with each other and/or with recorded performance data and/or with a recorded performance model, and

[0105] 124) as a function of the dynamic assessment, issuing, by the computing machine 31, a message suggesting a change in at least one of the light trunking systems 1 in order to enhance the respective performance data.

[0106] The collected performance data may include without being limited to: i) (input) target speed, target latency, measured speed, measured latency, planning data for location, number and type of drivers and luminaires or lighting devices, actual number of LED drivers, actual type and make of luminaire or lighting device, actual dimming level of lighting devices, interference level.

[0107] As illustrated by the dashed arrows in FIG. 5, some or all of the optional steps 112 to 124 may be performed in various orders.

[0108] The method 101 may further include provisioning a Grade of Service (GoS) and/or a service-level agreement (SLA) with the collected performance data.

[0109] Thus, the computing machine 31 may enable increasing the performance of each light trunking system 11, by suggesting apposite changes in the installed configuration, for example in some parameter of the communication adaptor 1 or of interface modules 26.1, 26.2, 26.4 equipping the light trunking system 11.

[0110] The present invention has been described in conjunction with various implementations, embodiments and aspects as non-limiting examples. However, other variations can be understood and effected by persons skilled in the art practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of this disclosure, the drawings and the claims. In the claims as well as in the description the word “comprising” or “including” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims.