DC power distribution system
AssigneePhilips Lighting Holding B.V.
InventorsMatthias Wendt, Adrianus Johannes Stephanus Maria De Vaan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a DC power distribution system (1). The DC power distribution system comprises a track (2) with electrical conductors for distributing DC power for powering purposes and for position determination purposes and a position determination system (15) for determining the position of an electrical device (3, 13) like a luminaire, which is attached to the track, based on a voltage measured on the track. The DC power distribution system can therefore provide positioning information regarding the position of the electrical device along the track, which may be useful, for instance, for commissioning purposes.
Claims11
A DC power distribution system, the DC power distribution system comprising:
- a track comprising electrical conductors arranged along the length of the track for distributing DC power along the track for powering purposes and for position determination purposes,
- an electrical device attached to the track and electrically connected to the electrical conductors, wherein the electrical device comprises a voltage measurement unit for measuring the voltage on at least one of the electrical conductors at the position of the electrical device,
- a position determination system for determining the position of the electrical device based on the measured voltage,
- a DC power supply system electrically connected to at least one of the electrical conductors for supplying DC power to the at least one of the electrical conductors,
- wherein the electrical conductors include a first electrical conductor for distributing a first DC power for powering purposes, a reference electrical conductor, and a second electrical conductor for distributing a second DC power for position determination purposes, wherein the voltage measurement unit is adapted to measure the voltage between the reference electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor;
- and
- wherein the DC power supply system is adapted to supply a constant voltage to the second electrical conductor at which the voltage is measured for supplying DC power to be used for position determination purposes, wherein the position determination system is adapted to determine the position based on the ratio of the measured voltage and the constant voltage applied to the second electrical conductor;
- or
- wherein the DC power supply system is adapted to supply a constant current to the second electrical conductor, at which the voltage is measured, for supplying DC power to be used for position determination purposes, wherein the position determination system is adapted to determine the position based on the measured voltage, the constant current applied to the second electrical conductor and the resistance per length unit of the at least one electrical conductor at which the voltage is measured.
A computer program for determining a position of an electrical device along a track within a DC power distribution system, the computer program comprising program code for causing a DC power distribution system to carry out the following steps when the computer program is run on a computer controlling the DC power distribution system:
- distributing DC power along the track for powering purposes and for position determination purposes by using the electrical conductors of the track arranged along the length of the track, wherein the DC power is supplied by the DC power supply system to the first electrical conductor for distributing a first DC power for powering purposes, a reference electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor for distributing a second DC power for position determination purposes,
- measuring a voltage on at least one of the electrical conductors at a position of the electrical device attached to the track and electrically connected to the electrical conductors by the voltage measurement unit of the electrical device, wherein the voltage measurement unit is adapted to measure the voltage between the reference electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor,
- determining the position of the electrical device based on the measured voltage by the position determination system;
- wherein the DC power supply system is adapted to supply a constant voltage to the second electrical conductor at which the voltage is measured for supplying DC power to be used for position determination purposes, wherein the position determination system is adapted to determine the position based on the ratio of the measured voltage and the constant voltage applied to the second electrical conductor;
- or
- wherein the DC power supply system is adapted to supply a constant current to the second electrical conductor, at which the voltage is measured, for supplying DC power to be used for position determination purposes, wherein the position determination system is adapted to determine the position based on the measured voltage, the constant current applied to the second electrical conductor and the resistance per length unit of the at least one electrical conductor at which the voltage is measured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.