Smart LEDs open up the imagination that Edison has never had before.
In this article, we will explore some of the automated smart lighting solutions in the consumer market and how to provide the latest low-power MCU, wireless technology and mesh networking standards for connected home applications to accelerate market growth. In addition, we will explore the elements needed to add smart connectivity to LED bulbs, including a comparison of key wireless technologies, and the industry's first Wireless Gecko multi-protocol wireless SoC solution from Silicon Labs (also known as "core technology"). . Just click on "Read the original" to see the full white paper. From incandescent bulbs to fluorescent lamps to LEDs, the common light bulbs have evolved over 140 years, and LEDs are probably one of the most important advances. More specifically, smart LEDs have pioneered the use of light bulbs that Edison never imagined. However, connected lighting has been around for a long time, so why is it not as successful as other consumer-oriented technologies in the Internet age? An entry barrier is the amount of work required to install interconnected lighting. This work is definitely not as simple as doing it yourself. The user needs to replace the switch, which means to switch off the power to the switch, remove the switch, and replace it with a new one. This level of home improvement program is beyond the capabilities of most homeowners. Another factor that constrains the development of this market is cost. As with anything, as long as the price for consumers is reduced, the adoption rate will increase. The labor costs of new switches, wiring, and mounting hardware circuits are not cheap, and even though LEDs are already very popular, cost is still a major obstacle. But now, things have changed. In 2014, a standard LED bulb sold for $25, and today it costs only about $2. A typical American home has 40 lamp holders. Imagine that the cost of purchasing a light bulb has been reduced by nearly $1,000. In addition, thanks to the flexibility and ease of use of multiple protocols, it provides a better user experience and enhanced use cases. You can simply deploy a network to a zigbee device with Bluetooth, or you can run zigbee or Thread and Bluetooth at the same time. In addition to cost, LED bulbs are a truly do-it-yourself solution. Simply screw the light bulb into the existing lamp holder and you can instantly connect via your smartphone. The ubiquitous connection is also a big advantage of LEDs. Almost all smartphone users know how to use the connection. Therefore, just LEDs overcome two important obstacles: simple installation and ease of use. Another obstacle we mentioned, the very different protocol standards, was also resolved. Today, most interconnected light bulbs use zigbee or low-power Bluetooth. Interconnect switches can use proprietary protocols as well as zigbee. Multi-protocols have become increasingly important, because while each standard has its own strengths and weaknesses, manufacturers are not interested in risking being eliminated and placing all bets on an agreement. So if the solution gives developers the flexibility to decide which protocol is best for their application, then the solution will open up the market in ways that have not existed so far. Another factor in choosing a single wireless protocol is regional preference. For example, zigbee has a strong influence in the United States, but it does not dominate the mainstream in Asia. As a result, vendors may be forced to build a version of the product that uses zigbee in North America and build another version of the product that uses low-energy Bluetooth in Asia. At this point, a supplier like Silicon Labs is needed to help. The new EFR32 Wireless Gecko simplifies connectivity, now and in the future. The new Wireless Gecko has more memory and features such as wireless software updates to support application enhancements and evolving field protocol requirements. For example, if a customer purchases a fixture that only uses zigbee, then you need to make sure that the fixture is connected to an existing zigbee network or gateway. However, with multi-protocol support, end users do not have to know the type of network they are connected to. If the vendor supports both zigbee and Bluetooth, the situation will change. The device will default to Bluetooth and be controlled via the smartphone app. The application can then search for other networks and join if a zigbee network is identified. The device will then be configured or booted for use as a zigbee device. The end user doesn't need to know what's going on, except for using the app, and no longer has to worry about anything else. Similarly, adding a gateway extends the network beyond the local network. By connecting the lighting network to the router, the device can also be controlled and monitored when the user is not at home. When all this happens, the user doesn't even realize all the connection events that happen in the background. It works so silently. Now, the flexibility and ease of use of multi-protocol compatibility has become a competitive advantage. Provides a better user experience and enhanced use cases. Make ordinary LED bulbs intelligent LED bulbs have evolved over generations and now have better color balance, greater reliability and lower cost. Many LED bulb manufacturers are investigating how to create more innovative smart connected bulbs. To add smart wireless connectivity to LED bulbs, there are some design challenges that need to be overcome. RF modules for zigbee and Bluetooth Smart are easily available. From a high-level perspective, simply adding an RF module to an existing design seems simple. Electronic ballasts in LED bulbs typically contain a PMIC and some high voltage discrete components. Electronic ballasts typically drive LED bulbs at a constant current to achieve constant brightness without variations in input voltage or temperature. The electronic component also provides good power factor and can be used with conventional wall dimmers. The PMIC typically includes an auxiliary power supply that powers the PMIC itself. The PMIC auxiliary power supply can also power the MCU, wireless SoC or RF module. The auxiliary power supply is typically an unstable 10 to 15V power supply. Therefore, a linear regulator is needed to reduce this voltage to provide a stable 3V or 1.8V supply. The second challenge is how to turn off the LED or dim the LED. One method is to add a MOSFET between the cathode of the LED and ground so that the MCU can be used for switching control. This approach can cause problems if the PMIC was originally designed for a constant load. Disabling the PMIC also disables the auxiliary power supply and is therefore not feasible. Circuitry needed to add intelligent connectivity to LED bulbs Previous generations of Smart Interconnected LED bulbs utilize a modified basic LED bulb design. The next generation of smart LED bulbs combine ballast electronics with a PMIC designed specifically for smart bulbs. These designs include a stable low-voltage power supply that is always enabled and controls the brightness of the LEDs without the need for additional MOSFETs. Energy-saving standards such as the EPA ENERGY STAR Program and the California Energy Commission's (CEC) TItle 20 Electrical Efficiency Program have stringent requirements for standby current or current drawn. The ENERGY STAR Bulb Specification Version 2.0 states that standby power must be less than 500 mW. CEC's TItle 20 is more stringent, requiring power to be less than 200 mW in standby mode. Although wireless transceiver power consumption is well below this limit, it is still a challenge to convert the AC line voltage to the RF transceiver voltage. The auxiliary power supply requires approximately 50 mW of power for the RF module with over 50% efficiency and quiescent current consumption of less than 100mW. The placement of RF modules and antennas presents some physical design challenges. Metal barriers are typically placed around the ballast circuit board of the basic LED bulb to minimize electromagnetic interference from the switching power supply. Smart LED bulb designs require shielded ballasts and provide good antennas for RF. A simple PCB antenna on the module may work if the RF module is placed vertically near the top of the lamp. However, this can interfere with light conduction and bring the smart semiconductor close to the LED heat source. Designers need to carefully consider the impact of RF performance on lamp availability. For consumers, a reliable connection is important. Last but not least, the temperature environment of the RF module is also a consideration. Ideally, the RF module should be kept away from hot LEDs and ballast electronics. However, this idea is sometimes not practical. By monitoring the temperature of LEDs and wireless SoCs and dimming the LEDs to limit heat generation, the reliability of LEDs and wireless SoCs can be improved. A thermistor placed near the LED monitors the LED temperature while the wireless SoC may have an on-chip temperature sensor. Finally, existing equipment that adapts to future needs is one of the main advantages of wireless capabilities. Transferring new image files to wireless devices without the need for external storage means that vendors can bring new capabilities to existing devices. As we discussed earlier, it is not uncommon for a family to have 40 bulbs. When the latest Bluetooth standard is released, manually replacing each bulb will be quite cumbersome, but now you don't have to worry. By using a common boot loader for all wireless standards, you are no longer limited to updating to the latest version of zigbee or Bluetooth. You will be able to switch back and forth between zigbee and Bluetooth as needed. Wall Plug Outlet,Wall Mf Power Socket,Multi Plug Wall Socket,Wall Mounted Power Socket Wenzhou Niuniu Electric Co., Ltd. , https://www.anmuxisocket.com
