Systems and methods for providing power and data to devices

A method to power and to control a behavior of a system of devices, each of the devices serially addressable over a two-wire communication network, the method comprising:

• generating a control signal having a first state and a second state for sending commands and addresses to at least one device in the system of devices;
• transforming with a core and coil transformer a primary AC signal into a secondary sinusoidal power signal;
• enabling at least one series-connected pair of transistors of a plurality of series-connected pairs of transistors when the control signal is in the first state to connect a first end tap of the core and coil transformer to the two-wire communication network;
• enabling at least one of the other pairs of series-connected transistors when the control signal is in the second state to connect a second end tap of the core and coil transformer to the two-wire communication network;
• outputting the secondary sinusoidal power signal with a higher polarity when the control signal is in the first state and outputting the secondary sinusoidal power signal with a lower polarity when the control signal is in the second state to form the data encoded power signal as a sinusoidal waveform between zero crossings;
• and
• transmitting the data encoded power signal to the at least one device of the system of devices to control a behavior of the at least one device.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of devices, each device of the plurality of devices being serially addressable;
• a two-wire communication network configured to transmit a data encoded power signal to address at least one device of the plurality of devices and to provide power to each device of the plurality of devices;
• a user interface configured to accept user input and to output information based at least in part on the user input;
• a processor in communication with the user interface and configured to accept the information and to output a control signal corresponding to command and address data that is responsive to the information, the control signal having first and second states;
• a core and coil transformer configured to transform a primary AC signal to a secondary sinusoidal power signal;
• a rectifier/bridge circuit in communication with the core and coil transformer and configured to connect one of a first end tap and a second end tap of the core and coil transformer to the two-wire communication network to output a data encoded power signal to the two-wire communication network to control a behavior of the at least one device, the rectifier/bridge circuit comprising a plurality of series-connected pairs of transistors with integral body diodes, gates of the transistors in communication with the control signal from the processor, at least one series-connected pair of transistors enabled when the control signal is in the first state and at least one of the other series-connected pairs of transistors enabled when the control signal is in the second state, the rectifier/bridge circuit outputting the secondary sinusoidal power signal with a higher polarity when the control signal is in the first state and outputting the secondary sinusoidal power signal with a lower polarity while the control signal is in the second state to form the data encoded power signal as a sinusoidal waveform between zero crossings.