Abstract:
An electrical distribution system is provided for selectively connecting an electrical power source to load devices comprising a plurality of panelboards each having a plurality of load circuit positions. A plurality of pairs of circuit breakers and switching devices are each mounted in one of the load circuit positions. Each pair is electrically connected between an electrical power source and a load device for selectively delivering electrical power to load devices. An I/O controller is mounted in the panelboard for controlling operation of the switching devices. The I/O controller includes a communication circuit. A system controller is connected to each I/O controller communication circuit and comprises a programmed controller for commanding operation of the I/O controllers.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of provisional application No. 60/826,687 filed Sep. 22, 2006, the contents of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to residential and commercial electrical power distribution panels and components, and more particularly, to a system controller for integrated distribution panels in an electrical power distribution system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Circuit breaker panels are used to protect electrical circuitry from damage due to an overcurrent condition, such as an overload, a relatively high level short circuit, or a ground fault condition. To perform that function, circuit breaker panels include circuit breakers that typically contain a switch unit and a trip unit. The switch unit is coupled to the electrical circuitry (i.e., lines and loads) such that it can open or close the electrical path of the electrical circuitry. The switch unit includes a pair of separable contacts per phase, a pivoting contact arm per phase, an operating mechanism, and an operating handle. 
     In the overcurrent condition, all the pairs of separable contacts are disengaged or tripped, opening the electrical circuitry. When the overcurrent condition is no longer present, the circuit breaker can be reset such that all the pairs of separable contacts are engaged, closing the electrical circuitry. 
     In addition to manual overcurrent protection via the operating handle, automatic overcurrent protection is also provided via the trip unit. The trip unit, coupled to the switch unit, senses the electrical circuitry for the overcurrent condition and automatically trips the circuit breaker. When the overcurrent condition is sensed, a tripping mechanism included in the trip unit actuates the operating mechanism, thereby disengaging the first contact from the second contact for each phase. Typically, the operating handle is coupled to the operating mechanism such that when the tripping mechanism actuates the operating mechanism to separate the contacts, the operating handle also moves to a tripped position. 
     Switchgear and switchboard are general terms used to refer to electrical equipment including metal enclosures that house switching and interrupting devices such as fuses, circuit breakers and relays, along with associated control, instrumentation and metering devices. The enclosures also typically include devices such as bus bars, inner connections and supporting structures (referred to generally herein as “panels”) used for the distribution of electrical power. Such electrical equipment can be maintained in a building such as a factory or commercial establishment, or it can be maintained outside of such facilities and exposed to environmental weather conditions. Typically, hinge doors or covers are provided on the front of the switchgear or switchboard sections for access to the devices contained therein. 
     In addition to electrical distribution and the protection of circuitry from overcurrent conditions, components have been added to panels for the control of electrical power to loads connected to circuit breakers. For example, components have been used to control electrical power for lighting. 
     One system used for controlling electrical power to loads utilizes a remote-operated circuit breaker system. In such a system, the switch unit of the circuit breaker operates not only in response to an overcurrent condition, but also in response to a signal received from a control unit separate from the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker is specially constructed for use as a remote-operated circuit breaker, and contains a motor for actuating the switch unit. 
     In an exemplary remote-operated circuit breaker system, a control unit is installed on the panel and is hard-wired to the remote-operated circuit breaker through a control bus. When the switch unit of the circuit breaker is to be closed or opened, an operating current is applied to or removed from the circuit breaker motor directly by the control panel. Additional, separate conductors are provided in the bus for feedback information such as contact confirmation, etc., for each circuit breaker position in the panel. The control unit contains electronics for separately applying and removing the operating current to the circuit breakers installed in particular circuit breaker positions in the panel. The panel control unit also has electronics for checking the state of the circuit breaker, diagnostics, etc. One advantage of that system is that the individual circuit breakers can be addressed according to their positions in the panel. 
     Typically, a power distribution such as a lighting control panel includes local control of the individual switch units. In a stand alone system, a control module is incorporated in the panel for controlling the individual switch devices. With a plurality of panels, such systems use a single control module for the plurality of panels. As such, operation of the individual panels can be dependent on a single control module such that failure of the control module or communications between panels, can interfere with proper operation. 
     The present invention is directed to improvements in electrical distribution systems, such as lighting control panels 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, there is provided an electrical distribution system including an integrated system controller capable of controlling a plurality of electrical distribution panels. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is disclosed an electrical distribution system for selectively connecting an electrical power source to load devices. The system comprises a plurality of panels. Each panel comprises a plurality of switching devices mounted in the panel. Each switching device is for connection in a branch circuit to a load device for selectively delivering electrical power to the load device. An input/output (I/O) controller is mounted in the panel and is operatively connected to each of the switching devices for controlling operation of the switching devices. The I/O controller includes a communication circuit. A system controller is connected to each I/O controller communication circuit and comprises a programmed controller for commanding operation of the I/O controller. 
     It is a feature of the invention that the system controller is operable to independently configure operation of each of the I/O controllers. 
     It is another feature of the invention that the system controller is operable to download switching schedules to each of the I/O controllers. 
     It is a further feature of the invention that the system controller is operable to download commands to each of the I/O controllers to control operation of individual select ones of the plurality of remote operated devices. 
     It is still a further feature of the invention that the system controller is operable to download commands to each of the I/O controllers to control operation of a plurality of the remote operated devices in a zone configuration. 
     It is still another feature of the invention that the system controller receives status information from each of the I/O controllers indicating operating condition of the plurality of remote operated devices. 
     It is yet another feature of the invention that the system controller comprises a user interface for configuring operation of the I/O controllers. The user interface may display information from the plurality of panels in a graphical display. 
     It is still a further feature of the invention that the system controller is mounted in one of the plurality of panels. 
     It is an additional feature of the invention that the programmed controller comprises a communication circuit for communication with external networks. 
     There is disclosed in accordance with another aspect of the invention an electrical distribution system for selectively connecting an electrical power source to load devices comprising a plurality of panelboards each having a plurality of load circuit positions. A plurality of pairs of circuit breakers and switching devices are each mounted in one of the load circuit positions. Each pair is electrically connected between an electrical power source and a load device for selectively delivering electrical power to load devices. An I/O controller is mounted in the panelboard for controlling operation of the switching devices. The I/O controller includes a communication circuit. A system controller is connected to each I/O controller communication circuit and comprises a programmed controller for commanding operation of the I/O controllers. 
     Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a power distribution panel according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating pairs of circuit breakers and remote operated devices of the power distribution panel of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the power distribution panel of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an expanded schematic/block diagram of the power distribution panel of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is block diagram of a multiple panel system in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed block diagram of the I/O controller of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a detailed block diagram of the system controller of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An electrical distribution system, such as an integrated lighting control system, in accordance with the invention permits a user to control power circuits typically used for lighting, as well as circuits for resistive heating or air conditioning, using an integrated system controller. Control may include on/off switching, dimming and metering. The electrical distribution system may be as is generally described in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/519,727, filed Sep. 12, 2006, the specification of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a lighting control system in accordance with the invention comprises a lighting control panel  100 . The panel  100  may comprise a Siemens type P1panelboard, although the invention is not limited to such a configuration. Line power enters the panel  100  through power source cables  102  connected to a source of power  104 . Line power may, for example, be a three phase 480Y277, 240 or 120 VAC power source, as is conventional. The cables  102  are electrically connected to an input side of a main breaker  106 . The main breaker  106  distributes line power to individual circuit breakers  108  in a conventional manner. How the power is distributed depends on design of the individual circuit breakers  108 , as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The power is distributed to the line side of individual circuit breakers  108 . The panel  100  may be configured to accept up to forty-two individual circuit breakers  108 , although only thirty are shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . Each circuit breaker may be of conventional construction and may be, for example, a Siemens BQD circuit breaker. Each circuit breaker  108  includes a line terminal  108 A receiving power from the main breaker  106  and a load terminal  108 B conventionally used for connecting to a load circuit. 
     For simplicity of description, when a device such as a circuit breaker  108  is described generally herein the device is referenced without any hyphenated suffix. Conversely, if a specific one of the devices is described it is referenced with a hyphenated suffix, such as  108 - 1 . 
     In accordance with the invention, each load circuit to be controlled also has a remote operated device  110 , such as a relay, a meter or a dimmer. The term remote operated device as used herein includes any other devices that controls, monitors or may otherwise be used in a load circuit, in accordance with the invention. While in a preferred embodiment, the remote operated device  110  is a separate component from the circuit breaker  108 , the term “remote operated device” as used herein encompasses devices integral with the circuit breaker. The remote operated devices  110  are also connected to data rails  112 A and  112 B. A panel controller  114  controls the remote operated devices  110  through connections provided via the data rails  112 A and  112 B, as discussed below. 
     The remote operated device  110  includes a housing  110 H encasing an auxiliary set of contacts that can be remotely operated to open and close a lighting circuit. The device  110  is attached to the load side of a circuit breaker  108  within a panel  100  using a conductor tab, i.e, the terminal  110 A, inserted into the breaker lug  108 B. The load terminal  110 B comprises a lug of the same size as the breaker lug  108 B for connecting to a wire to be connected to the load device. The device housing  110 H is configured to mount in a Siemens type P1 panelboard, although the invention is not limited to such a configuration. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram illustrates four circuit breakers  108 - 1 ,  108 - 2 ,  108 - 3  and  108 - 4 , and respective associated remote operated devices  110 - 1 ,  110 - 2 ,  110 - 3  and  110 - 4 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first device  110 - 1  comprises a relay, the second device  110 - 2  comprises a breaker, the third device  110 - 3  comprises a current transformer, and the fourth device  110 - 4  comprises a dimmer. As is apparent, any combination of these remote operated devices  110  could be used. Each remote operated device  110  includes an input terminal  110 A electrically connected to the associated circuit breaker load terminal  108 B, and an output terminal  110 B for connection to a load device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram of the lighting control panel  100  is illustrated. Power from the lines  102  is provided via an isolation transformer  116 , power switch  118  and fuse  120  to a switching power supply  122 . The panel controller  114  comprises an input/output (I/O) controller  124  and optionally a system controller  126 . The power supply  122  provides isolated power to all of the control components including the I/O controller board  124 , the system controller  126 , and the remote operated devices  110 , see  FIG. 1 , via the data rails  112 A and  112 B. The I/O controller  124  and system controller  126  each have DC-DC converters deriving regulated DC voltage levels as required from the main DC output of the power supply  122 . The power supply  122  also provides 24 volts to the remote operated devices  110 . The system controller  126  is operatively connected to a touch screen  128  and an LCD  130 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIG. 4 , the panel controller  114  functions as a single panel stand alone system. The I/O controller  124  supplies power and control signals through the rails  112 A and  112 B to the remote operated devices, four of which,  110 - 1 ,  110 - 21 ,  110 - 22  and  110 - 42 , are illustrated. A user interface and high level scheduling and control are provided by the system controller  126 . 
     The I/O controller  124  provides discrete inputs to the controller  114  from dry contact switches, such as wall switches, (not shown) which can be connected to discrete input terminals  140 . The terminals  140  are organized as two inputs and a common. The inputs to the terminals  140  are detected by dry contact I/O logic  142 . A selector logic block  144  generates selector line signals and serial communications to the remote operated devices  110  via the data rails  112 . The logic blocks  142  and  144  are operatively associated with a microprocessor or microcontroller  146 . A TP-UART integrated circuit  148  provides an EIB (European Installation Bus) interface. A connector  149  allows mating directly to the system controller  126  via a cable  150 . 
     The system controller  126  provides the user with an application to implement lighting schedules, organize devices into logical groups, manage the inputs, and obtain status information. The system controller  126  includes a microprocessor  152  operatively connected to a user interface  154  in the form of an integrated touch screen  128  and LCD  130 , see  FIG. 3 . The microprocessor  152  is also connected to memory devices  156  and an ethernet controller  158 . A TP-UART circuit  160  provides an EIB interface while additional interfaces are provided via an analog modem  162  and RS 485 interface circuit  164 . A connector  162  is provided for connection to the cable  150 . 
     In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 5 , multiple lighting control panels  100 - 1 ,  100 - 2  and  100 - 3  are configured to work as a single unit with the first panel  100 - 1  being configured as a master, and the other panels  100 - 2  and  100 - 3  configured as slaves. To configure the first panel  100 - 1  as a master, the system controller  126  is used, as described above relative to  FIG. 4 . The slave panels  100 - 2  and  100 - 3  contain no system controller. Instead, an EIB bus  170  interconnects the I/O controller boards  124 - 1 ,  124 - 2  and  124 - 3  to receive commands from the system controller  126 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , a data rail  112  is illustrated schematically. The data rail  112  is mechanically attached directly to the interior of the lighting control panel  100 . The data rail  112  comprises a shielded communication bus including a ribbon connector  178  having twenty-five to twenty-nine wires to be routed to the I/O controller board  124 . The ribbon connector  178  typically has twenty-six wires, two for power connection, two for ground connection, one for the serial line and up to twenty-one select lines, one for each remote operated device  110 . Each data rail  112  provides a barrier to isolate the class  1  load wires from the class  2  signal wires used to manage the devices  110 . The data rails  112  will connect to each device  110  via a connector that extends out of the device  110 . The wires are connected to a printed circuit board  180  included traces defined as follows. A power trace  182  provides 24 volt DC power to each remote operated device  110 . A common trace  184  provides a ground to each remote operated device  110 . A serial interface trace  186  provides serial communication to each of the remote operated devices  110 . A plurality of select line traces, four of which  188 - 1 ,  188 - 2 ,  188 - 3  and  188 - 4  are illustrated, are provided, one for each remote operated device  110 . Each remote operated device  110  includes a four wire cable  190  for connection to the data rail  112 . The four wires comprise a select line  191  connected to one of the select traces  188 , a serial interface line  192  connected to the serial interface trace  186 , a neutral wire  193  connected to the common trace  184  and a power wire  194  connected to the power trace  182 . 
     In accordance with the invention, a unique select line is assigned to each breaker  108 /remote operated device  110  pair positioned within the lighting control panel  100 . Select lines are used by the I/O controller  124  to select single remote operated devices to communicate via the serial interface trace  186 . For example, when the first select line  188 - 1  is asserted, the first remote operated device  110 - 1  listens for messages on the serial interface line  186 . Conversely, messages on the serial interface  186  are ignored if the first select line  188 - 1  is not asserted. A response by any of the remote operated devices  110  to a serial command is therefore conditional on whether its particular select line is asserted. The term “asserted”, as used herein, means one state of a signal designated to cause the remote operated device to listen for messages. In a preferred embodiment, the select line has “high” and “low” states, the high state being the asserted state. 
     The remote operated device  110 , in the form of a relay, allows remote switching of an electrical branch load. The device  110  is designed to fit inside a standard electrical panel board with up to forty-two branch circuit breakers  108 . The device  110  is an accessory to a branch circuit breaker  108  allowing repetitive switching of the load without effecting operation of the circuit breaker  108 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the circuitry for the I/O controller  124  is illustrated in greater detail in block diagram form. The I/O controller  124  is powered from the external power supply  122 , see  FIG. 3 , that feeds a power supply  300 . The power supply  300  produces the voltages needed by the microcontroller  146  and all the other circuits making up the I/O controller  124 . The microcontroller  146  may, for example, comprise a TI MSP430 microcontroller and associated memory  146 M, such as flash memory or ROM memory, for strong operating programs and data, as is conventional. A power supply supervisor  302  monitors voltage and sends a reset to the microcontroller  146  if a voltage falls out of tolerance. The forty two outputs for the individual remote operated devices  110 , see  FIG. 2 , are divided into twenty-one left side outputs at a left output port  304  and twenty-one right side outputs at a right output port  306 . Serial to parallel select line buffers  308  and  310  develop separate select or enable signals for each output device  110  from the microcontroller  146  to the respective output ports  304  and  306 . The two serial to parallel blocks  308  and  310  are identical so that the same clock can drive both sides, further reducing output pins needed from the microcontroller  146 . 
     A serial communication driver circuit  312  is used to isolate and drive a single wire serial communication line  313  from the microcontroller  146  to the output ports  304  and  306 . Voltage and ground from the power supply  300  are also connected to the output ports  304  and  306 . The single wire communication line  313  connects to each remote operated device  110 , as described above, to transmit and receive commands and data. The serial communication driver circuit  312  provides necessary isolation and protection such that in the event of an individual remote operated device failure, the remainder of the devices continued to operate properly. 
     The I/O controller  124  has thirty-two discrete inputs connected to input ports  314 . Each input port  314  is individually protected, conditioned, and buffered at input buffers  316  connected to the microcontroller  146  via a multiplexer  318  to allow reading eight inputs at a time. Since an input can be connected to a variety of devices, such as several different types of switches and occupancy sensors from different manufacturers, each input is read under different conditions controlled by the microcontroller  146 . By reading the input twice, once with the input bias high and then again with the input bias low, the microcontroller  146  can determine a change of state regardless of whether the input is a switch contact or a positive DC voltage. 
     A pair of analog input ports  320  are used for reading analog inputs, such as photo cells. The ports  320  consists of three terminal connections, two analog inputs on the outside with a ground terminal in the center. The analog inputs are individually buffered at analog input buffers  322  and routed to analog inputs of the microcontroller  146 . Analog outputs from the microcontroller  146  are created by sending a pulse width modulated signal to a pair of analog output circuits  324 . The analog output circuits  324  converts the PWM signal to a DC voltage corresponding to the duty cycle of the PWM. The outputs are then connected to analog output port  326 . The analog output ports  326  may comprise three terminals with the two analog outputs connected to the two outside terminals with a ground terminal in the center. 
     The illustrated I/O controller  124  includes two means of a communication. The first is a master/slave protocol using an RS485 communication drive  328  with configurable termination and bias connected to an RS485 port  330 . The RS485 port  330  has both an in and out connectors for daisy chaining RS485 connections. The second form of communication is an EIB or Konnex distributed processing protocol using an EIB communication driver  332  connected to an EIB port  334 . The EIB port  334  is a two pin connection for attaching a twisted pair connector. In addition, the EIB communication lines connect to a system controller port  336  along with voltage from the power supply  300 . This port is used to communicate with the system controller  126  via the cable  150  connected to the connector  148 , see  FIG. 4 , discussed above. As discussed above relative to  FIG. 5 , the system controller  126  configures a system of multiple panels, sets up time schedules, maps inputs to outputs, and provides other building automation functions. 
     The microcontroller  146  can send signals to various types of status indicators  338  such as LEDs to show communications OK, operating properly, low voltage, etc. If a time schedule has been configured in the I/O controller  124 , a real time clock  340  provides the ability to activate outputs based on time of day without intervention from a system controller or other building automation system. 
     Each lighting control panel  100  is capable of stand alone operation. When a system controller  126  is connected to a network of panels  100 , the panels  100  can be independently configured, mapped to switch devices in other panels, operate on changing time schedules, communicate on various building automation networks, and display information from several panels on a local graphical display. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of the system controller  126  in a multiple panel system. The system controller  126  is controlled by the microcontroller  152  in the form of a standard form factor embedded CPU module  400  including appropriate memory circuits  400 M, as is conventional. Various means for communication are provided with the system controller  126 . A debug port  402  is a serial communication link similar to RS 232 used to load and debug the CPU  400 . An ethernet controller  404  is capable of interfacing with Bacnet or the internet. An RS485 port  406  can be used with Modbus protocol. A USB interface  408  is provided for interfacing to a memory stick or other USB devices. A modem  410  provides for phone line communications. A general purpose I/O interface  412  is provided for special discrete I/O functions. Additionally, the CPU module  400  has a serial interface to a bus interface module (BIM)  414  used to connect to the EIB bus  170 . As described, the EIB bus  170  is used as a connection means between the system controller  126  and each of the I/O controllers, such as  124 A,  124 B and  124 C. Alternatively, with the master I/O controller, such as described above relative to  FIG. 5 , the system controller  126  is directly connected to the master I/O controller  124 - 1  and connections between I/O controllers is via the EIB bus  170 . In order to configure an EIB device, an EIB switch and LED  416  are used to locate and address the device. The protocol on this bus conforms to the Konnex standard. 
     The CPU module  400  also includes an LCD/touch pad interface  418  for driving the user interface  154  comprising the touchscreen  128  and LCD  130 , see  FIG. 3 . This interface  418  allows a user to interact with the system controller  126 . The LCD  130  is a 5.1″ diagonal monochrome graphical device. Alternatively, a color display could be used. The display  130  includes an LED back light. A contrast adjustment circuit  420  is connected to the interface  418  and may consist of a potentiometer, or the like. The touchscreen  128  is a standard four wire type device. The combination of an LCD  130  and touchscreen  128  provides improvement over use of limited keys or buttons and small text only displays. 
     In order to accommodate memory requirements, a compact flash socket  422  is connected to the CPU module  400  to allow for memory expansion. 
     The communication from the system controller  126  to an I/O controller  124 , includes configuration information such as input types, output types, input/output mapping, schedules and normal group addressing information. The system controller  126  receives status information on remote operated devices  110  from the I/O controllers  124 . The system controller  126  sends on and off commands to the I/O controllers  124  using group addresses in EIB. The I/O controllers  124  send input change notices to the system controller  126  when any input changes state and reports back to the system controller  126 , on request, all or part of received information, for verification. 
     More particularly, each I/O controller microcontroller  146 , see  FIGS. 4 and 6 , implements an I/O board application program which is a combination of standard table definitions and specialized code for handling the inputs and/or outputs. An EIB stack handles all communications with the EIB network  170  and notifies the application program of any EIB requests. Also, software is included for communicating with the remote operated devices  110 . 
     The application program is notified when an output needs to be turned on or off. The code can then write directly to ports  304  or  306 , see  FIG. 6 , to effect the opening/closing of a remote operated device  110 . Similarly, in a cyclic loop, the application can check the status of inputs and update the appropriate EIB tables to reflect the state of the inputs. To handle multi-part activities, a scheduler is provided within the application program. The scheduler will keep track of tasks that must be accomplished either in the next cyclic loop or after a certain elapsed time or at a certain time of day. 
     The application program includes a set of required tables to drive the EIB stack. These tables are an address table, an association table, communication objects, and parameters for the communication objects. When a particular EIB device is programmed, these tables are downloaded and determine how the device responds to particular EIB messages. Each of the forty-two outputs need communication objects defined for at least status and force control, and optionally manual override, control and logic. The control, logic and manual override objects are driven by the discrete inputs. Thus, they may or may not need a communication object defined. Each of the thirty-two discrete inputs needs one communication object defined. 
     The system controller  126  functions as the configurator and master to all of the panels  100 . Apart from configuration, it also tests, diagnoses, and reports device activities for each of up to eight panels  100 . The system controller software runs on a window CE operating system. 
     A user interface application is a Windows forms application which makes calls to all the business objects on an on-demand basis. This application uses the touch panel interface  154  to drive the application. A schedule manager runs all the time and initiates necessary events when the time to trigger reaches. This object handles all events and treats them based on whether they are scheduled events or manual events. A synchronization manager is a time sync object that runs all the time and synchronizes the clocks with all of the panels  100  and the system controller  126 . A communications handler accepts all requests from the user interface or from other business objects, such as the schedule manager, and dispatches these requests to the appropriate protocol handler. A group address provider provides to a caller a unique group address, keeping in kind the general group address architecture. Group addresses are used primarily for establishing zones of lights or addressing individual inputs or outputs. A physical address provider provides to a caller a unique physical address based on a given panel number. One unique physical address is assigned to each panel in a system. In general, the physical address is the unique address by which an EIB device can be programmed. 
     An EIB handler performs the functions of taking requests from the communication handler and sending them out to the EIB network and responding to any EIB messages received from the EIB network. The EIB handler takes a logical request from the communications handler and translates it into the appropriate message type for EIB and assigns the necessary addressing to it, based on the panel ID or on the group address. For received EIB messages, the EIB handler reverses this process, by interpreting the message type back into a generic response and translating the address into a panel ID or leaving it as a group address. Then it determines if this received message is an expected response or if it is an unsolicited response. Unsolicited responses are queued up waiting for the communication handler to ask for them. 
     Thus, in accordance with the invention, an integrated electrical power distribution system, such as a lighting control system, includes a system controller for plural integrated distribution panels in an electrical power distribution system. This provides each panel  100  with direct control of individual remote operated devices  110 , with supervisory capability from a single system controller  126  in an integrated system. 
     The present invention has been described with respect to flowcharts and block diagrams. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart and block diagrams can be implemented by computer program instructions. These program instructions may be provided to a processor to produce a machine, such that the instructions which execute on the processor create means for implementing the functions specified in the blocks. The computer program instructions may be executed by a processor to cause a series of operational steps to be performed by the processor to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the processor provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the blocks. Accordingly, the illustrations support combinations of means for performing a specified function and combinations of steps for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block and combination of blocks can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.