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  • Author Author: sabrina.hobson
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Near-field-communication (NFC) LED drivers

sabrina.hobson
Near-field-communication (NFC) LED drivers

Although you may not know it, Near-field-communication (NFC) technology is integrated into our daily lives. It is currently used in a variety of applications such as parking meters, turnstiles, garage doors and mobile devices. But perhaps most commonly, it is used through contactless phone payment methods like Apple Pay. In more recent years, this technology has been integrated into LED drivers, making NFC more prevalent in LED lighting applications.

With growing requirements for connectivity and ease of use, NFC LED drivers have increased in popularity. The luminaries generating light are visually taking a back seat. Products that are intelligent and compact, without compromising performance are key. OSRAM DS, now Inventronics meet this need with a wide range of high-performance LED lighting components.

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What is NFC?

In short, NFC is a form of contactless data transfer. It is a wireless technology globally available in the 13.56MHz unlicensed radio frequency range and is designed for short-range data transfer. Implementing NFC in LED lighting creates the ability to programme LED drivers' dimming levels, operating current, and lumen output wirelessly and without the need to connect to mains-voltage.

NFC communication requires two devices, an NFC reader, and an NFC tag. The NFC tag is typically embedded in a device, such as a turnstile or LED driver. The NFC reader is designed to read and write information to the NFC tag and is often embedded in a smartphone or a standalone unit that connects to a PC. In Figure 1, you can see the reader is connected to a host PC that uses software to transmit programming data between the reader (or programmer in this case) and the tag embedded in the LED driver.

What are the benefits of NFC?

LED drivers containing an integrated NFC interface, enable users to programme specific settings through wireless transmission within only a few seconds – saving valuable time. This technology also provides the useful ability to alter the configuration quickly and simply after initial installation and needs no mains-voltage to programme the desired settings. Not needing to connect to mains also provides increased safety, whilst simplifying the programming process, and reducing assembly costs.

What products?

The compact technology of the OTI-DALI-10/220-240/700/NFC-I provides versatility in size as well as functionality. With its minute size allowing it to fit in spaces as small as 40mm in diameter, this power supply enables creative freedom in luminaire design as well as easy installation. This Osram Compact constant current LED driver is fully dimmable. Simple and fast output current setting via near-field communication (NFC) enables a low complexity set-up. Using our powerful configuration software Tuner4TRONIC and NFC, the OTI-DALI-10/220-240/700/NFC-I can be programmed very quickly to optimally perform in the intended application.

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For programming wirelessly, check out the NFC programming plate CPR30-USB. This device will connect to your PC and operate seamlessly with the OTI-DALI-10. This NFC programming plate enables the functionality of the LED driver without requiring mains power to the driver.

About Inventronics

NB: In May 2023, OSRAM sold its LED Drivers, Lighting Controls, LED Flex and LED Modules business to Inventronics. These products continue to be branded OSRAM but are now owned, designed, manufactured and developed by Inventronics.

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  • This image of how the luminaires are programmed summarizes my concerns very well. On the other hand, it is reassuring that it becomes more difficult for someone with an NFC phone to reprogram/hack your lights.

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  • in reply to javagoza

    They can be very useful in RF intensive environments.

    You can use the optical devices effectively as long as you have good line of site and well insulated enclosures.

  • in reply to javagoza

    Side note: my "smart" washing machine does not have a user manual, it has an NFC tag that you need to read with an NFC reader with a "special" mobile application. It is a simple MiFare tag with a URL with the serial number. It's absurd, not a QR code, not even a note with the URL, or you have an NFC reader or you don't have easy access to the serial number and the user manual.

  • Thanks Gene. My question was motivated by this text that I could not understand well

    "Implementing NFC in LED lighting creates the ability to programme LED drivers' dimming levels, operating current, and lumen output wirelessly and without the need to connect to mains-voltage."

    Now, based on your comments, I understand that they refer to configurations made by an installer, not for the final consumer. Thank you!

  • in reply to javagoza

    Having worked for a company that developed lighting control systems, I can tell you that being able to simply view or modify setting in these devices is a really important thing.  The devices that I was working with had addresses that were hardcoded, so we attached tags to display the addresses.  Often these tags would get separated from the devices, making it difficult to know the addresses.  Being able to query the addresses while commissioning the systems would have been very useful, in the process of pairing devices with controllers.  With a whole host of options in some of these devices, being able to view and modify is another useful feature.

    An extension to this concept is a FFC (far-field communications) that we used in our lighting products, using a laser to point to a lighting controller (tripping a connected light sensor), causing it to transmit its parameters into the mesh network, or to force a controller into a pairing mode remotely so it could be connected to another device.

    There are always multiple ways to do the same thing.