Where does DALI Fit in a Wireless

World?

Arnulf Rupp
DiiA / OSRAM

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 1

Many wireless ecosystems already leverage
DALI/D4i in the luminaire – Enough?

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 2

Enough? – The DiiA member survey says no!

Where does DALI Fit in

a Wireless World?

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 3

The boon and bane of having options
D4i gives many options how to connect a DALI / D4i based luminaire
with wireless networks. So far, DiiA is wireless-protocol agnostic.

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 4

The boon and bane of having options

+ Best choice in: ? But: “Improvement Areas”

− Application protocol − Limited interoperability

− Radio range − No End-to-End (DALI) testing
− Data rate − Complex to explain to customers
− Legislative requirements fit − Cost of modularity
− Cost/Performance match − Inconsistency with DALI feature set
− Fit with existing eco-system − No all-in-one DALI eco-system
− Wired & Wireless combined

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 5

Two Programs started in DiiA

1
Eco-System
Partnership
? But: “Improvement Areas” 2
DALI
Wireless

− Limited interoperability Wireless transport for

Standardized Gateway(s) the DALI protocol
− No End-to-End (DALI) testing
Verified Interoperability
− Complex to explain to customers Based on IEC 62386-104
Joined Certification
− Cost of modularity
New certification program
− Inconsistency with DALI feature set and new test tools in
− No all in one DALI eco-system cooperation with partner
organization
− Wired & Wireless combined

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 6

Most wanted by Regular Members…

Eco-System DALI
1
Partnership Partner Organization 2
Wireless

Wireless transport for

Standardized Gateway(s) the DALI protocol
Verified Interoperability
Partner Organizations Based on IEC 62386-104
Joined Certification
will be identified by
DiiA Working Groups New certification program
and new test tools in
cooperation with partner
organization

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 7

Gateway Standardization
Ecosystem Fixture
DALI Subsystem
Ecosystem Sensor
Eco-System
1
Partnership Gateway E

Standardized Gateway(s)
Ecosystem Input Device
Verified Interoperability
Joined Certification Specify gateway behavior:
1) Create consistency of interpretation for control commands
2) Certification of gateway components including “DALI Style”
verification of physical lighting parameters
3) DiiA will focus on D4i gateway applications first. D4i luminaires do
not require commissioning on the D4i subnet. A D4i-Ecosystem
gateway practically makes a luminaire an Ecosystem luminaire.
Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 8
Native DALI Wireless Ecosystem
Application
Wireless mesh
DALI controller
2 Part 104 over alternative
Wireless transport e.g. Bluetooth
Mesh or Thread

Wireless transport for Part 104

the DALI protocol
Wireless D4i “bridge”
no protocol gateway
Based on IEC 62386-104 Input
device
New certification program Control gear
and new test tools in
cooperation with partner D4i luminaire
organization

Input device
Control gear

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 9

Native DALI Wireless Ecosystem

Where Does the DALI Wireless Ecosystem Fit in a Wireless World?

What would be the unique feature set in a world of options?

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 10

Full DALI Feature Set – Same as Wired

DALI
2
Wireless

Wireless transport for

the DALI protocol

Based on IEC 62386-104

New certification program

and new test tools in
cooperation with partner
organization

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 11

Wired & Wireless in One System

DALI Application Controller

2
Wireless
Application logic:
Wireless transport for Bridging subnets, Scheduling, Hierarchy/priority decisions, …
the DALI protocol
Wired Subnet Wireless Subnet
Based on IEC 62386-104

New certification program

and new test tools in
cooperation with partner
organization

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 12

Strong Certification Program
Verification setup (data model):
DALI
2
Wireless Border Router Wireless link certified by
partner organization
or
Wireless transport for pre-qualified module
the DALI protocol

Based on IEC 62386-104

Any DALI
Component
New certification program
and new test tools in
cooperation with partner
organization

!
Verification of physical
electrical and lighting
parameters (like wired DALI)

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 13

Talks to IP Backbone in Buildings
BMS software
integrating lighting
DALI Multi-subnet BMS
2 application controller in building automation
Wireless software

Lighting
Wireless transport for Controller

the DALI protocol Ethernet Part 104 over UDP

Based on IEC 62386-104

Thread Thread Bluetooth
Mesh #1 Mesh #2 Mesh
New certification program (Router) (Router) (Gateway)
and new test tools in
cooperation with partner DA DA DA DA DA DA
DA DA DA
organization
DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA

DALI Subnets may work independent or be linked through the IP backbone

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 14

Multiple Carrier Technologies
Protocol Stack
DALI
2
Wireless
One DALI Application
Wireless transport for
the DALI protocol
UDP/IP Protocol
Based on IEC 62386-104

New certification program

and new test tools in
WIFI Ethernet

cooperation with partner

organization

Low Power Long Range High Data Wired Low Power

Outdoor Rate Backbone

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 15

Summary
 DALI fits in a Wireless World in multiple ways.

 There will not be ONE protocol dominating the world any soon.

 Standardized gateways will allow use of D4i with multi-vendor ecosystems.

 Native DALI has the opportunity to win important markets with its unique
set of features combining wired and wireless on multiple carriers including
IP-based carriers.

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 16

Digital Illumination Interface Alliance 17