Abstract:
Provided is a system for soft switching of an electromechanical relay in a lighting control system using a sensor to detect a specified non-zero position in the electrical input waveform. Following this non-zero position, an adaptive time delay is applied before activation of the relay coil. An error detection circuit measures a time error between relay operation and the zero electrical input condition. This error signal is used to update the adaptive time delay for future relay operations. Using such a procedure has been shown to limit electrical stress on the relay, and therefore lengthen its life.

Description:
I. FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is related to the use of soft switching in a lighting control device in order to improve the useful electrical life of the relay. 
       II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Most lighting control devices and systems incorporate electromechanical relays (hereinafter relays), as the means for switching lighting loads to the “on” or “off” positions. Electromechanical relays are typically comprised of a set of electrical contacts which can be alternately connected or disconnected by applying an electrical signal to an electrically isolated coil. 
         [0003]    Using a relay for switching provides several advantages. Since the contacts of the relay are physically separated by an air gap when open, the relay allows no leakage current when open, increasing efficiency and safety. In addition, since the relay coil is electrically isolated from the contacts, the relay drive circuit can be isolated from the electrical system being switched. Finally, relays are capable of switching heavy loads without the use of heat sinking, unlike semiconductor switches. 
         [0004]    The main disadvantage of relay switches are the limited operational life compared to their semiconductor counterparts. A latching relay typical to lighting control devices may be rated for 50,000,000 mechanical operations under no load, but may have a typical life rating of only 100,000 operations under an electrical load. The decrease is due to factors such as an electrical arc developing between the contacts when under high voltage, which causes damage. As the relay attempts to open a high-current inductive load, the tendency to arc is increased. As the relay attempts to connect a capacitive load to high voltage, an inrush current develops that can weld the contacts together. Under the high inrush-current situations typically seen in lighting applications, the practical relay life can be much lower than the specified rated value. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it is essential that the electrical stress on the relay be limited during switching. When the voltage applied to the relay contact is an alternating current (AC) voltage, as in many lighting systems, the electrical stress on the relay can be effectively limited by choosing an optimal moment in the AC waveform during which the relay contacts open or close. This technique is known as soft switching. 
         [0006]    In soft switching, the relay is selectively operated such that the contact closures occur at a point in the AC cycle such that electrical voltage or current stress is at a minimum, i.e., zero. This idea can be challenging in practice, due to factors such as relay delay time from the time the relay coil is activated to when the relay contact is switched. The relay delay time may vary from part to part, over the lifetime of the relay, and according to the electrical conditions on the relay. Therefore a robust soft switching strategy must account for this relay delay in order to maximize relay life. 
         [0007]    Many attempts at relay soft switching have been attempted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,120 utilizes a specialized approach includes the presence of a high-frequency carrier single injected into the AC system for communication. While the soft switching methods shown are reasonable, the presence of the high-frequency carrier is unnecessary in most applications. 
         [0008]    Several approaches, specifically U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,473,202 and 7,672,096 place a longer-life semiconductor switch in parallel with the relay in order to bear the electrical stress. This approach presents higher cost and negates many of the isolation benefits of using a relay at all. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,227,732 measures the operation time of the relay in order to determine the correct activation timing. The use of a pre-measured relay operation time is inefficient due to the fact that relay operation times vary depending on the type of relay and the operating conditions, thus a consistent approach cannot be utilized. 
         [0010]    Finally, there are a variety of approaches (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,359,486; 5,416,404; 5,640,113; 5,804,991; 5,821,642; 5,838,077; 6,768,615) which start their timing operations from a position of zero-crossing of the AC voltage or current signal in order to operate the relay at a subsequent zero-crossing. 
         [0011]    Each of the aforementioned patents based their software algorithm on a zero-crossing detection of the AC waveform. The soft switch is achieved by applying either an adaptive or fixed time delay from detected zero-crossing. However, the aforementioned patents do not use a non-zero position detection in conjunction with adaptive timing to operate a soft switching system. 
       III. SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Given the aforementioned deficiencies, a need exists for a software switching system which accounts for a relay delay time and may be adjusted to configure with multiple parts. To resolve the problems mentioned above, an object of the present invention is to provide an adaptive timing process that is applied from a fixed non-zero position on an electrical input waveform. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, a method for achieving soft switching in a relay is provided. The method includes monitoring an input power source that is intended to be applied to or removed from a load, detecting a specified non-zero position of the input power source waveform, switching a relay contact a specified delay time after the detection of the non-zero position, creating an error reading by switching the relay contact and comparing the presence of the input power source between a relay control and the relay contact, and applying an adaptive timing process to adjust the specified delay time until the error reading substantially approaches zero. 
         [0014]    The embodiments provide a low power, cost-effective soft switching system. Latching relays may be utilized in the switching system as a way to reduce power consumption, as no power is used once a latching relay is connected. 
         [0015]    In another illustrious embodiment, a voltage detector can be used as an error detector to reduce cost, depending on the placement of the voltage detector within the switching system. By monitoring the presence or absence of voltage at the load terminal of the relay contact, the amount of error in the soft switching method can be determined. Also, the use of the soft switching is coordinated for use in countries with varying electric outlet and voltage standards. 
         [0016]    Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. Such embodiments are presented herein for illustrative purposes only. Additional embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. 
     
    
     
       IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the relevant art(s) to make and use the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustration of an exemplary switching system constructed and arranged in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of an exemplary method of practicing an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  is an illustration of a first exemplary timing diagram related to one aspect of the switching system, in accordance with the embodiments. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  is an illustration of a second exemplary timing diagram related to another aspect of the switching system. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of an exemplary switching system circuit constructed in accordance with the embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    While the present invention is described herein with illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art with access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the invention would be of significant utility. 
         [0024]    As used in this application, the terms “component”, “module”, “system”, “interface”, or the like are generally intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a controller and the controller can be a component.  FIG. 1  is an illustration of a switching system  100  coupled to a power source  110 , with the power source  110  being applied to load  120  prior to a relay contact  130  being closed. 
         [0025]    In a lighting system, the power source  110  will typically be a sinusoidal AC power source, but may be any known power source where it is possible to distinguish a fixed non-zero point on the power source waveform, such as a square-wave inverter power source, or the like. The power source  110  has a neutral connection, which need not be supplied to the switching system  100 , only to load  120 . The switching system  100  may include relay  150 , sensor  160 , error detector  170 , controller  180 , and a drive circuit  190 . 
         [0026]    The switching system  100  is desirably activated to supply the power source  110  to the load device  120  once the relay  150  is closed. The relay  150  includes a contact  130  and a relay coil  140  and becomes operational when the coil  140  is energized according to its specifications, where it activates and closes or opens the contact  130 . The contact  130  and the coil  140  may be part of a latching relay to reduce the power consumption of the system, since the coil  140  consumes power only while it is being switched, and the relay contact  130  would retain this setting across a power outage. However, if the coil  140  requires more power than can be given by the controller  180 , the drive circuit  190  may be used. 
         [0027]    The sensor  160  is configured to detect a specified non-zero position on the waveform of the power source  110 . The sensor  160  may be implemented in hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. The sensor  160  may be located between the power source  110  and the relay  150 , and the sensor  160  may have continuous information about the waveform of power source  110 . 
         [0028]    When the sensor  160  detects a specified non-zero position on waveform of the power source  110 , the occurrence is communicated to the controller  180  which activates the digital logic and adaptive timing process. The specified non-zero position may be at any point on an electrical input waveform, including a maximum or a minimum value. The non-zero position is communicated from the sensor to the controller  180  as an input, which triggers the use of the adaptive timing program logic of the controller  180 . 
         [0029]    The system  100  can also optionally include the detector  170 , which indicates to the controller  180  when either voltage, current, or power is detected on the line, based on its location and construction. In the exemplary switching system  100 , the detector  170  is positioned between the load  120  and the relay contact  130 , as seen in  FIG. 1 . In this position, the detector  170  has access to changes to the load-terminal voltage caused by switching of the relay contact  130 . However, the detector  170  may be placed at a different location within the switching system  100  or with different construction such that the detector  170  can measure the presence or intensity of information such as voltage, power, current, resistance, etc. at the load-terminal of the relay  150 . 
         [0030]    In one embodiment, the detector  170  by nature of its construction is able to detect an error on one side of the soft switching point. For example, the detector  170  may only be able to detect an error if the relay contact  130  closes after the intending soft switching point, but not before. In another example, the detector  170  may only be able to detect an error if the contact  130  opens prior to the intended soft switching point, but not after. 
         [0031]    In the embodiments, the controller  180  performs the digital logic and adaptive timing process with input from the detector  170 . When the specified non-zero position on the power source  110  waveform is detected by the sensor  160  and communicated, the controller  180  waits for a specified time delay prior to activating the coil  140 . The controller  180  may have an internal power source. However, depending on the complexity of the programming of the controller  180 , it may be necessary for the controller  180  to have its own power source  195 . 
         [0032]    The specified time delay may be based on a combination of digital logic, adaptive timing, or the like. The controller  180  may be programmed to detect a specified non-zero position on the electrical input waveform of the power source  110 , from which point the controller  180  may be programmed with a specified delay time based before it closes or opens the relay  150 . Once the relay  150  is closed or opened, the detector  170  searches for an energy change in the load indicating a deviation from ideal soft switching performance (i.e., an error). The controller  180  may also have at least one hardware timer for an internal clock, which may control the adaptive timing process. 
         [0033]    In the embodiment, the detector  170  searches for the specified delay time between the switching of the relay contact  130  and the ideal switching point, which is the zero-voltage point of the power source  110 . In another embodiment, the zero-current or zero-power point of the power source  110  can be used as the ideal switching point. The ideal point chosen for switching of the relay contacts, whether zero-voltage, zero-current, zero-power, or the like, is hereafter referred to as the soft switching point. If such error exists, the controller  180  adjusts its time delay for future use, until no error occurs. 
         [0034]    In another embodiment, the detector  170  by nature of its construction is only able to detect an error on one side of the soft switching point. For example, the detector  170  may only be able to detect an error if the relay contacts  130  close after the intending soft switching point, but not before. In another example, the detector  170  may only be able to detect an error if the contacts  130  open prior to the intended soft switching point, but not after. 
         [0035]    The adaptive timing process is used to operate the relay so as to limit the electrical stress on the relay contacts. In this embodiment, the adaptive timing process can be adjusted to account for the operation of detector  170 . If an error is detected, the controller  180  adjusts its delay time for future use. However, if no error is detected, the controller  180  adjusts its specified delay time incrementally to account for potential error it is not able to detect. 
         [0036]    This adjustment occurs at least once, but may continue through multiple iterations. Eventually, the delay time will have been adjusted to a point that creates a detectable error, which will be corrected for as previously described. In one embodiment, the incremental adjustment can be a decrease in time delay; however, it should be understood by one of skill in the art that an incremental adjustment can be an increase in the time delay, depending on the switching system  100  configuration. 
         [0037]    The controller  180  may be a microcontroller, microprocessor, programmable logic controller (PLC), complex programmable logic device (CPLD), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like. The controller  180  may be use code libraries, static analysis tools, software, hardware, firmware, or the like. Any use of hardware or firmware includes a degree of flexibility and high-performance available from an FPGA, combining the benefits of single-purpose and general-purpose systems. After reading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art how to implement the invention using other computer systems and/or computer architectures. 
         [0038]    Various embodiments of the controller  180 . The may be simulated, synthesized and/or manufactured can be accomplished, in part, through the use of computer readable code, including general programming languages (such as C or C++), hardware description languages (HDL) including Verilog HDL, VHDL, Altera HDL (AHDL), interactive languages, and the like, or other available programming and/or schematic capture tools (such as circuit capture tools). 
         [0039]    User programming of the controller  180  using FPGA may be completed through the use of approved external tools (either from an FPGA vendor or from a third party tool vendor), well known to those of skill in the art, to create a downloadable configuration file. The configuration file can then be imported into the PLC programming tool and associated with a specific task required to be performed by the configurable hardware. 
         [0040]    Additional input/output systems (I/O systems) may also be used to receive information from and provide information to controller  180 . These I/O systems and firmware may include but are not limited to relay drive outputs per relay, indicator outputs, and logic outputs. 
         [0041]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of an exemplary method of practicing an embodiment of the present invention. As depicted in  FIG. 2 , once the controller  180  detects an error, a delay time quantum specified in the controller creates a step size. That step size can be predetermined or also adapted according to its use within the switching system or for varying electricity regulations. 
         [0042]    For example, when opening the contacts, the delay time quantum can incrementally increased until an error is detected, at which point the delay time quantum is decreased by the amount necessary to remove the error. When closing the contacts, a mirror-image process can be used in which the delay time quantum is incrementally decreased until an error is detected, at which point the delay time quantum is increased by the amount necessary to remove the error. Once a step size is established, there may be a tolerance to allow a maximum or minimum step size to be performed by the controller. 
         [0043]    The tolerance may be preset within the program code or may be adjusted based on other input conditions such as energy input. In addition to the step size, it may be desirable to include a correction factor within controller  80  program code. The correction factor allows adjustments to be made based on differences in power supplies, and may be preset or adjustable within controller  80  program code. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  is an illustration depicting a relationship between the electrical input from the power source  110 , the sensor  160 , and the detector  170 . More specifically,  FIG. 3A  depicts how an error occurs when the switch time delay is too late. Conversely,  FIG. 3B  depicts how an error occurs when the switch time delay is too early. In both figures, there is an initial switching point, which is the position from which the adaptive timing begins. The timing is adjusted based on whether the goal of the switching system  100  is to open or close the circuit. 
         [0045]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of one implementation of a switching system circuit  100  according to the embodiments. It should be noted that the  FIG. 4  is for purposes of illustration only. The present invention, however, is not limited to the implementation illustrated in  FIG. 4 . One or skill in the art would recognize other implementations that are comparable to receive the desired results of adaptive timing are within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0046]    It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and not the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.