EP2206412B1 - Method and system for control and power supply of at least one electrical consumer - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for driving and power supply of at least one electrical load, wherein the at least one electrical load wired electrically conductive with an energy source is connected, wherein the electrical energy by means of an AC voltage and control information for controlling the at least one electrical load by means of a frequency modulation of AC power used for the power supply are transmitted to the electrical load, wherein the electrical energy and the control information are transmitted on the same lines, wherein the control information is transmitted in binary form, and wherein individual binary values by a respectively associated, predetermined frequency of the energy supply used AC voltage are shown and transmitted.

In modern residential, work and leisure areas, an ever-increasing number of electrical consumers are being used to provide a variety of new possibilities and facilities to a user. At the same time, the comfort during commissioning and in particular when operating the individual electrical consumers is to be improved increasingly.

As an example of the increasing demands on the control and power supply of electrical Consumers can use the lighting technology. Users want multi-color controllable lighting systems that can be selectively activated. At the same time such lighting systems should be designed as efficient as possible or energy-saving and allow a cost-effective implementation and easy installation. Other very similar examples relate to various areas of home automation such as heating, air conditioning, comfort and wellness equipment control. But there are also industrial applications conceivable, such as use in ships, yachts or in aircraft.

There are lighting systems known in practice, which use separate lines or even separate cables for the control and for the power supply. In DE 10 2007 010 998 A1 a method and apparatus is described in which a consumer, namely an electric drive, is supplied with both power and control signals via three separate lines, the power being supplied via two lines and the control signals using a standard three-phase cable via a third, be transferred separate line. In other known systems, it is additionally necessary that the control device is supplied separately with energy, and thus has a separate from the electrical loads power supply.

Out US 5,471,119 A It is known to transmit by modulating a control signal to the supply voltage through the usual power supply control signals. The Control information must be isolated and demodulated from the supply voltage before it is evaluated.

In the publication WO 2003/065201 A1 A method is described in which control information for controlling display elements is transmitted by a frequency modulation of the AC voltage used for the power supply. To evaluate the control information, which is not described in detail, separate evaluation units are used.

From the DE 101 62 941 C1 It is known to provide energy to halogen lighting systems via two lines by a rectangular AC voltage, wherein control signals for dimming the luminosity of the halogen lamps are transmitted by a frequency modulation of the rectangular AC voltage across the two lines. In this case, a digital signal is used as the control signal. To be able to evaluate the control signals, separate evaluation units are required.

Lighting systems are also known in practice in which the power supply is wired and the control is wireless, for example by radio transmission, infrared or ultrasound transmission.

The known methods for controlling and powering electrical consumers are structurally complex and often susceptible to interference. A separate control of the electrical load requires a relatively high effort in the installation and commissioning of the electrical Consumer. To process frequency-modulated signals in a signal receiver structurally relatively expensive signal receiver is required.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for controlling and power supply of at least one electrical load in such a way that the control of the electrical loads can be realized as inexpensively and insensitive to interference. Both the installation and the commissioning and control of individual electrical consumers should be as simple as possible.

This object is achieved in that each binary value is transmitted by a plurality of oscillations of the AC voltage, wherein the number of vibrations transmitted for a binary value is proportional to the respectively associated frequency of the AC voltage and wherein each binary value has an identical time length.

A significant advantage in the transmission of control information through frequency modulation of the AC voltage used for the power supply is that the same lines can be used to provide the electrical load with both power and control information. Separate control lines or complex bus systems are not required.

Since the electrical energy and the control information are transmitted on the same lines, is in the simple

Case only a two-core unpolished connection line required. The installation of several interconnected electrical loads is very simple, since neither a separate power and control information supply is required nor care must be taken to a special polarity or connection technology of the unpoled, two-wire connection line. Of course, the connection line can also be provided for a polarized use and connected accordingly.

If it should be expedient or advantageous in a particular case can also be provided, in particular to use a three-wire, or three-pole connecting line for large services to be transmitted. It is also possible to use several connecting lines.

It has proven to be particularly expedient that the control information is transmitted in binary form, with individual binary values being represented and transmitted by an respectively assigned, predefined frequency of the alternating voltage used for the energy supply. An immediate switching of the frequency of the alternating voltage used for the energy supply between two frequencies in the ratio 10:11 has proved to be particularly advantageous in the first experiments. For example, a binary 1 may be represented and transmitted by a higher frequency and a binary 0 by a lower frequency of the AC voltage used for the power supply.

On the side of the electrical consumer, only the frequency of the power supply used AC voltage is determined, or be distinguished between the two predetermined frequencies in order to conclude depending on the detected frequency on a binary control information can. Complex actuators can then be transmitted to an electrical consumer by successively determining successive binary control information and its evaluation, and used for its activation.

It is also conceivable that each bit can be assigned to not only one, but several different frequencies of the AC voltage.

Since each binary value is transmitted by multiple oscillations of the AC voltage, the reliability and anti-interference security in the transmission of control information is increased. A single binary control information, that is to say a single bit, accordingly corresponds in each case to a plurality of successive pulses of the alternating voltage.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous that the number of vibrations transmitted for a binary value is proportional to the respectively assigned frequency of the AC voltage. In this way, a constant length of each information unit or of each binary value for the control information can be ensured. The smallest unit of control information, a bit cell, therefore always has the same time length. In this way, carried out in the electrical consumer evaluation of the control information can be done with commercially available clock-controlled components. In order to facilitate the transmission of complex control information and also to be able to control several different or similar electrical consumers in a simple manner quickly and reliably, it is provided that structured data formats and / or a specifiable transmission protocol are used for the transmission of the control information.

According to one embodiment of the inventive concept, it is provided that the electrical consumers are assigned a unique address and the control information in each case contain an address information identifying the controlled electrical consumer. In order to facilitate simultaneous activation of a plurality of electrical consumers, it is provided that a plurality of electrical consumers can be combined to form a group with a common group address and the control information can contain a group address information identifying the group. This group address information may be provided instead of or in addition to the address information of a single electrical load and transmitted with the control information. Of course you can be provided that each consumer could also belong to several groups.

It is advantageously provided that the frequency of the alternating voltage used for the power supply is at least five kHz, preferably at least ten kHz and particularly preferably more than 20 kHz. In particular, when using an AC voltage having a frequency of more than 20 kHz is excluded that an impairment of the environment by frequency-dependent noise or the like. The use of an AC voltage with a frequency above the audible limit also has other advantages such as the possibility of using inexpensive commercial components. However, it is also conceivable that the AC voltage used is only several hundred hertz or about one to five kHz, if required by the respective applications, or allow.

Starting from a fundamental frequency of 8 MHz, suitable frequency division (factors 240 and 264) can easily and inexpensively generate the frequencies of 30.3 kHz and 33.3 kHz which are suitable for transmitting the energy and the control information. For example, using suitable low loss cables, frequencies of 60.6 kHz and 66.6 kHz with the ratio 132 to 120 and 121.2 kHz to 133.3 kHz with the ratio of 66 to 60 can also be used.

A conceivable variant could also be a bitwise change of the frequency (frequency-width modulation) represent with the advantage of a significantly higher transferable data rate.

In order to facilitate shielding of the cables used for the transmission of the AC voltage and to reduce interaction with other electronic components, the edge steepness of the AC voltage used for the power supply can be reduced compared to a low-cost rectangular signal. It is particularly important to avoid or suppress odd harmonics of the relevant frequencies for the AC voltage in order to increase the reliability and reduce transmission losses.

Particularly advantageous results are achieved when the alternating voltage used for the power supply has a low edge steepness. With a sinusoidal voltage curve disturbing high-frequency harmonics can be almost completely avoided, however, a very advantageous sinusoidal voltage curve in this regard can often not be produced cost-effectively.

In order to facilitate or improve the energy transmission and energy supply in the case of an exclusive transmission of energy without additional control information, it is provided that the highest possible frequency is used for the alternating voltage used for the energy supply without transmission of control information.

Since some electronic components are advantageously fed in the idle state with a binary input value, it is provided that a binary value of "1" is transmitted with the highest possible frequency. In the temporally very predominant case of a pure energy transfer without additional control information at higher frequencies, which are assigned to the binary value "1", then the respective electronic components can be interconnected without much effort in the electrical consumers.

To supply the electrical consumers with energy and control information, for example, a system for driving and power supply of at least one electrical load with at least one electrical load, which is electrically connected by means of a cable with an energy source can be provided. For generating the frequency-modulated AC voltage, the system can be arranged, for example, a suitable device arranged between the energy source and the at least one electrical load for generating an AC voltage, which has a device for frequency modulation of the AC voltage. The electrical load may, for example, have a decoder which can detect the frequency modulation of the AC voltage and convert it into a control signal for controlling the electrical load.

A suitable decoder can in most cases be assembled inexpensively from commercially available electronic and electrical components. Conceivable, for example, would be a cheap microprocessor with or without additional commercially available components or an individually developed and programmed microprocessor.

The decoder may also have a universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter (UART). A suitable UART can be emulated, for example, as part of a commercially available microcontroller, or microprocessor or software cost. A reliable decoding of the control signals is possible in this way easily and inexpensively. A constant clock for transmitting the control signals or a constant length of the transmitted control signals is not required when using a UART. In a bitwise data transmission, a clock can be determined from the transmitted data for each transmission. By using the frequency or phase of the AC voltage used for the power supply as a carrier of the control information, the sensitivity to interference in the transmission of the control information is very small.

In order to additionally increase the immunity to interference and to reduce undesired transmission losses, the device for generating an alternating voltage may, for example, have a harmonic filter. By using a suitable harmonic filter in particular disturbing harmonics can be filtered out before transmission, which occur when using inexpensive rectangular signals for the generation of AC voltage and can not be completely suppressed.

If necessary, it can be provided that the cable has a shield between the device for generating an alternating voltage and the electrical consumer.

The system may, for example, also comprise at least one supply module, by means of which electrical consumers can be supplied with energy and control information. The loads can be connected to the supply module (s) by means of two or single-wire or three-wire (three-phase) wires. Separate control information lines or lines for control voltages are superfluous.

It is advantageous that the network interference suppression and protection provided centrally in the supply module, or corresponding devices can be arranged there. The respective consumers therefore do not need these devices for network interference and are thus more compact, simpler and cheaper to produce. An optionally required power supply of the control devices can be obtained from the supply voltage.

To increase safety, the line can be galvanically isolated on the generator and / or on the load side via transformers. Especially at high frequencies, commercially available transformers are small and inexpensive available.

In order to be able to use existing cabling structures, it is possible to expand the system with adapter devices that make available existing supply systems and provide their control information from the system or separately via wired or wireless means.

The supply module may further comprise a rectifier and a smoothing capacitor, in particular intermediate circuit capacitor, for producing the non-polar voltage.

The power supply of the supply modules can be a DC voltage and an existing power grid such as a wiring system for vehicles or ships are removed.

The supply voltage of the supply modules is a single-phase or three-phase AC voltage.

The supply modules may include a Power Factor Control (PFC) device for suppression of Power disturbances and / or a device for stabilizing the DC link voltage include.

The supply modules may further include a device for controlling and regulating the magnitude of the output voltage.

The supply modules may also include a transformer at the output to the loads to arbitrarily adjust the network or DC link voltage to the requirements of the system.

The supply modules may include an output stage consisting of electronic power semiconductor switches such as FETs or IGBTs. The output stage may in turn include a capacitor in series with the output transformer and / or electronic power semiconductors in full or half-bridge circuit.

The supply modules may include on the output side to the loads a series connection of a capacitor and a resistor for suppression of overvoltage spikes.

The supply modules may include a device for measuring the temperature of the module and / or the final stage, in order to be able to cause a shutdown of the power amplifier or limiting the power in the event of an unacceptable increase in the temperature.

The supply modules may include a device for measuring and, optionally in multiple stages, limiting the current flowing through the output stage.

The supply modules may additionally include a device for quickly switching off the power amplifier when the current is too high.

The supply modules may include a device for dissipating the heat loss from the final stage and other lossy components.

The supply modules may include means for limiting the maximum input current at power up.

The supply modules may include a line filter and / or comparable suitable devices for protection against mains overvoltages and transients.

One or more supply modules may include a circuit for supplying electrical power to the parent bus structure.

The supply modules may include a circuit for galvanic isolation from the parent bus structure.

The supply modules may include one or more chokes behind the final stage or LC filters to limit the rate of rise of the voltage. In a system described above, the supply module and / or a consumer can at least one Transmitter and / or a receiving circuit include, which are provided for data transmission on the supply line.

In the system, the one or more supply modules and one or more consumers may be connected to each other and / or to one or more controllers via a data bus system.

The system can be used for example for controlling lighting devices or for controlling actuators.

It is also conceivable that by means of suitable interfaces, the system can be combined with existing communication and control systems including bus systems and bus structures such as Instabus (European Installation Bus EIB) and thereby integration into complex and at least partially existing systems is possible.

The wiring between the supply module and electrical consumers may include separate distribution boxes.

Cabling between supply modules and electrical consumers can be done using special low-capacitance cables (especially less than 30pF / m).

The wiring can have suitable connector devices in cutting and / or clamping technology.

• Figur 1 eine schematische Darstellung der Übertragung von Steuerinformationen durch eine Frequenz- oder Phasenmodulation eine für die Energieversorgung verwendeten Wechselspannung, wobei die zeitliche Länge einer Informationseinheit konstant ist,
• Figur 2 eine schematische Ansicht eines Systems zur Ansteuerung und Energieversorgung von mehreren elektrischen Verbrauchern und
• Figur 3 ein vereinfachtes Schaltbild für ein System zur Ansteuerung und Energieversorgung von einem elektrischen Verbraucher.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the inventive concept are explained in more detail, which are illustrated in the drawing. It shows:

• FIG. 1 a schematic representation of the transmission of control information by a frequency or phase modulation an alternating voltage used for the power supply, wherein the time length of an information unit is constant,
• FIG. 2 a schematic view of a system for driving and power supply of several electrical loads and
• FIG. 3 a simplified circuit diagram for a system for controlling and power supply from an electrical consumer.

In FIG. 1 In each case a sequence of binary values 1 is shown in the uppermost row, which in its entirety corresponds to a control information for controlling an electrical consumer. In FIG. 1 Each binary value 1 has an identical time length of associated bit cells. At a distance below the schematically represented binary values 1 of equal length of time, the FIG. 1 a sequence of frequency-modulated oscillations 2 of an AC voltage 3 used for the power supply shown.

In order to obtain in each case a matching length of the bit cells of the individual binary values 1, either a vibration at a first, low frequency or else transmit two oscillations at twice the frequency.

By way of illustration is in FIG. 1 Also shown schematically a phase-modulated sequence of individual oscillations 4 of the AC voltage 3. On the basis of the different phases at the beginning of each information unit or bit cell can be closed to the binary value 1 transmitted in this way and thus at several binary values 1 to an optionally complex control information.

In FIG. 2 schematically a system for driving and power supply of multiple electrical loads is shown. Each electrical load 5 may for example consist of a lighting device 6 or any actuator 7. Suitable lighting devices 6 may consist of one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or other light sources with possibly different color and brightness. Actuators 7 may be, for example, actuators for blinds, shutters or door openers and from various Assemblies and / or circuit boards such as motors, relays, solenoids or valves and other suitable actuators exist. Of course, lighting devices 6 and actuators 7 can also form a functional unit and together represent an electrical consumer 5. The design and uses of the electrical load 5 can be almost arbitrarily diverse and include, for example, the areas shower, wash and bath fittings, heating, air conditioning and ventilation control and electrically operated sun visors, door drives and safety devices.

The electrical loads 5 are electrically conductively connected to a device for generating an AC voltage 9 via two-core, unpolished connecting lines 8. This device for generating an alternating voltage 9 in turn has a device for frequency modulation 10 of the alternating voltage.

The device for generating an alternating voltage 9 can either be supplied in turn with the usual alternating voltages of 50 or 60 Hz at 220 volts or 110 volts, be supplied with the known in certain networks AC voltages of 16 Hz or 400 Hz or, for example, with DC power. The working voltage of the system for driving and powering the electrical loads 5 is advantageously between 40 and 120 volts effectively. In particular, for example, 48V are interesting, since there are still no major requirements and the contact security. The operation and control of the device for generating an AC voltage 9 and the device for frequency modulation 10 of the AC voltage can be controlled either directly via USB, Internet, ip, W-Lan or the like, or a separate, non-compliant bus structure such as one on RS485 based bus structure ..

It would also be conceivable to connect a plurality of devices for generating the alternating voltage 9 including suitable operating elements and / or control elements with each other via a bidirectional connection line 8, two or more bidirectional connection lines 8 or separate transmission and reception connections. A bus structure may be controlled by a central control unit or by a plurality of decentralized control units. The individual connection lines 8 may also comprise optical fiber components.

The individual electrical loads 5 can be arranged one behind the other, in parallel or in a star shape. Any mixed structures are possible. In particular, it is also possible without the use of filter devices or fitting members to produce by the use of suitable connecting elements linear structures of juxtaposed electrical loads 5.

The maximum power transfer of the entire system and thus the maximum number of electrical loads 5 is only by the maximum cross section of the connecting lines 8 used and the mandatory necessary electrical insulation of the components used with each other and limited to the environment.

The control of individual functions of the electrical loads 5 via a predetermined protocol with a unique identification of the selected electrical load 5 and subsequently transmitted data, which optionally consists of a unique synchronous code, addressing, a length specification, a command code, an index, test data and payload ( Payload) in any or specified order.

Each electrical consumer 5 can be assigned a unique identification number. This identification number or address can be reproduced in an accompanying product description or directly, or by means of stickers on the electrical consumer 5 in order to identify it, for example, during installation.

This identification can also be achieved by special methods, e.g. one of the utility function aufmodulierten code done.

It is conceivable that the electrical load 5 additionally transmits, for example, status information wirelessly to a central receiving unit, which can evaluate and display the individual status information.

It is also conceivable that a return channel with a higher frequency is transmitted to the connecting line 8.

In the FIG. 3 a device for generating an alternating voltage 9 and an electrical load 5 with a respective electrical circuit are shown by way of example. The device for generating AC voltage 9 is supplied via supply lines 11 shown on the left with electrical energy. After passing through a filter 12 of a rectifier 13 and an intermediate circuit 14, an AC voltage suitable for the power supply of the electrical load 5 is generated by means of an actuator 15 and a transformer 16, which is fed via a further filter 12 in the two-wire twisted connection line 8. By the actuator 15 can also be changed between different frequencies of the AC voltage to frequency modulated to transmit a control signal to the electrical load 5. The use of a filter 12 or a rectifier 13 is dependent on the fed via the supply line 11 energy form.

The incoming at the electrical load 5 AC voltage is supplied via a filter 12 and a transformer 16 to a decoder 17 which determine the frequency modulation or the predetermined frequency and can transmit to a control device 18 for controlling the electrical load 5. The controller is preferably a suitably configured and programmed microprocessor. If desired, the incoming AC voltage again through a rectifier 13, a DC link 14 and an actuator 15, and a filter 12 in another Connecting line 8 are fed to connect a further electrical load 5.

Claims (7)

1. Method for actuating and supplying power to at least one electrical load (5), wherein the at least one electrical load (5) can be electrically conductively connected by wire to an energy source, wherein the electric power is transferred by means of an AC voltage, and control information for actuating the at least one electrical load (5) is transferred by means of frequency modulation of the AC voltage used for supplying the power, to the electrical load (5), wherein the electric power and the control information are transferred on the same lines, wherein the control information is transmitted in binary form, and wherein individual binary values (1) are represented and transmitted by a respective associated, prescribed frequency of the AC voltage used for supplying the power, characterized in that each binary value (1) is transferred by a plurality of oscillations of the AC voltage, wherein the number of oscillations transferred from a binary value (1) is proportional to the respective associated frequency of the AC voltage and wherein each binary value (1) has an identical length in time.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the control information is transmitted by using structured data formats and/or a prescribable transfer protocol.
3. Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the electrical loads are allocated an explicit address, and the control information contains a respective piece of address information that identifies the actuated electrical load.
4. Method according to either of Claim 2 and Claim 3, characterized in that a plurality of electrical loads can be combined to form a group having a common group address, and the control information may contain a piece of group address information that identifies the group.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frequency of the AC voltage used for supplying the power is at least 5 kHz, preferably at least 10 kHz and particularly preferably more than 20 kHz.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the AC voltage used for supplying the power has a low edge gradient.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a binary value of "1" is transferred at the highest possible frequency.

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