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Lighting today has become increasingly connected. The World Wide Web revolutionized the way we communicate and exchange information. The exponential rise of traditional lighting products transitioning to smart lighting can be contributed to many countries banning high energy consuming lighting products and the Internet of things (IoT). This has changed the way we share information, control and perform tasks and manage network electronics in our home. Lighting is more than just illumination. It is used as means of increasing productivity via simulating sunlight, control mood by changing color, temperature and brightness, listening to music or simply as a means of communication. The lighting industry is evolving into a SMART world.

Manufacturers entering the world of connected lighting have many technologies to choose from, some are open standards and some are proprietary.

Internet of Things Smart Lighting&

INTEGRATING WIRELESS RADIO MODULES IN TODAY’S LIGHTING PRODUCTS

When designing a smart lighting product, there are four key areas manufacturers need to consider:

• Regulatory Compliance• Interoperability• Performance• Security

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I. REGULATORY COMPLIANCEMost manufacturers are familiar with regulatory compliance. Depending on the target markets, there are several mandatory requirements lighting products and their associated components must meet. These requirements are defined in standards related to Product Safety, Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC), Wireless, Environmental and Energy Efficiency.

For example, if a manufacturer plans to sell a general purpose LED Downlight with integrated LED Driver in Europe, the light fixture shall comply with the mandatory CE requirements. This includes compliance with the appropriate Low-Voltage, EMC, RoHS and Energy Efficiency Directives. If the product is integrated with a wireless radio module, compliance to the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) is also required. Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) compliance may also be necessary depending on the form factor of the final product and its proximity to humans. (Note: Wireless Radio modules are also referred to as Transmitters)

Depending on the short-range or long-range communication, lighting manufacturers seeking to incorporate a wireless radio module with Bluetooth®, ZigBee and/or Wi-Fi® technology can either purchase a pre-approved module or design their own. In either case, it is important to take into consideration many factors, including but not limited to the five below, which can impact the overall regulatory compliance of the lighting product.

Off-The-Shelf Pre-Approved v.s. Designing Custom Radio ModuleDepending on the Manufacturer’s target markets, using a pre-approved radio module may have its advantages over designing a custom radio module into the PCB layout of the lighting product. For instance, the United States and Canada accepts modular approvals. This means an approved radio module when used as specified, without modification will require testing only the end-product and not all the RF-functions of the radio module. This will speed up the compliance process and reduce overall cost.

Designing a custom radio module is ideal for end product manufacturers who have many products that communicate using a proprietary technology or in a specific spectrum (e.g. 434 MHz). The radio module can then be tested and certified for the appropriate target markets for modular approval or within the lighting product.

Radio Module CertificationThe certification type for a radio module can vary based on the targeted end country’s requirements.

For example, in the United States, modular certification is allowed with three types – Full Modular Approval, Limited Modular Approval and Split Modular Approval. This is similar to safety components being Listed with no conditions or Recognized with certain Conditions of Acceptability. Full modular approval can be an option when the radio module can be used in any end-use product (host). If the radio module is to be used in a known host only, a manufacturer can go with limited modular approval and the usage will be restricted to that specific host.

In most countries, once a radio module is approved a Grant of Certification or Certificate is issued. This is similar to Product Safety Certification where the Certificate identifies items such as the Equipment Class, Module type (e.g. ZigBee, Wi-Fi), Approval type (e.g. Full, Limited or Split), Frequency range for communication (e.g. 2400-2483.5 MHz), Power Output and many other important notes.

For lighting manufacturers incorporating pre-approved radio modules in their product, it is extremely important to review this approval certificate in detail as it provides the install, usage instructions and any limitations on the authorization or restrictions of use. This information can be requested from the radio module manufacturers.

Target MarketsRegulatory requirements differ based on the end country of use or install. Prior to starting any certification process, manufacturers should prepare a list of target countries. By choosing TÜV Rheinland as your testing and certification partner, we will review your target markets and determine which countries accept modular approval or require complete systems level approval. This information is vital to your certification process and can affect cost and time to market.

Power LimitsWhen designing a custom radio module, it is very important to know the rules and target country’s published maximum regulatory transmit power level limits for various frequencies. This is to ensure compliance with the country law. The actual transmit power level must be less than the published regulatory limits. For example, in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the governing body. The FCC has documented limits and procedures for transmitters and products operating in well-known and commonly used un-licensed bands 902-928MHz, 2400-2483.5MHz, and 5725-5850MHz. Regulatory bodies in other countries like Industry Canada (IC), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Korea Certification (KC) and National Communications Commission (NCC, Taiwan) would have similar published rules.

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Radio Module ModificationWhen a lighting manufacturer cannot find a pre-approved module to fit their needs, the radio module can be modified to fit the end-application. This should be approached with caution as changes may result in re-testing and unexpected cost. For example, if a manufacturer replaces the approved radio module antenna with a lower gain and same type of antenna listed on the grant with the module certification then no re-testing is required. However, if the replacement antenna is not listed then re-testing and re-filing with the appropriate regulatory body will be necessary. Desired changes should be discussed with your testing and certification partner as soon as the changes are known, as it could impact the product launch.

Lighting Product

Select AppropriateTechnology and Module

Is the ModuleApproved?

Perform Review of ModuleCertification for:

Approval Type Full Limited

Country of Destination:Some countries may accept modular approval

Yes NoGo through necessary Testing and Certification Process for the Radio Module based on:

The technology

Target country or destination

Contact TUV Rheinland for details

Does Module Certification meet all of

the requirements?

Was the radio module modified?

No

Yes

Yes

No

Test the lighting product according to the

appropriate Safety, EMC, Wireless, Green and SAR

requirements.

Go through certification process for the target

country. Generate necessary documents

and labeling.

Compliance

Regulatory Compliance Process of Lighting Products with Radio Modules

Does not represent all certification marks.

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II. INTEROPERABILITYWith a high number of wireless devices in the home or office, Interoperability becomes a huge challenge as devices of different manufacturers do not talk to each other. Regulatory testing does not address this issue. Using a common technology/standard is a key here. Manufacturers can benefit from using an open common technology/standard such as ZigBee Light Link, Wi-Fi but these perform limited interoperability.

It is advisable to create a test plan for interoperability based on the intended environment as technologies used can be different. For example, ZigBee is seen as one of the best wireless technologies for home lighting applications whereas for buildings, IP based systems are more common as they support easier integration with existing building management system (BMS).

The interoperability can be done with the reference units as well as with other products off the shelf based on the end environment. TÜV Rheinland can assist in creating this test plan and execution of the interoperability tests.

III. PERFORMANCEPerformance testing is one way for manufacturers to support their claims by testing their products to industry specific requirements, custom protocols or specific conditions. There are several types of tests lighting products can be subjected to. Below are few examples.

Electrical Testing• In-Situ Temperature Measurement Test (ISTMT)• Transient Protection• Photobiological Safety Testing

Mechanical Testing• Vibration• Mechanical Shock• Impact

Environmental Testing• Ingress Protection (IPxx)• Corrosion/Salt Fog• Temperature & Humidity• UV Exposure

Photometry Testing• IES LM Standards• Design Lights Consortium (DLC)• Lighting Facts• Energy Star

IV. SECURITYNetwork security has become increasingly important as we advance towards connected lighting. There are currently no published industry standards that regulate security for connected lighting, security implementation or testing defaults to the technology used in the connected lighting application. For example, communication devices using standard 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless communication protocols uses the appropriate encryption provided by the network. Manufacturers can work with third party organizations such as OpenSky and choose various services including wireless security testing, internal and external penetration testing, cloud security, application security and mobile security. Scope of testing can be customized according to the manufacturer’s needs.

TÜV Rheinland is a global leader in independent testing, inspection, and certification services, ensuring quality and safety for people, the environment and technology in nearly all aspects of life. The company maintains a presence in 550 locations spanning 69 countries and employs 20,000 people.

OpenSky Corporation is part of the TÜV Rheinland group. OpenSky provides information technology expertise to help corporations optimize IT platforms, protect information assets and accelerate the adoption of strategic technologies. It specializes in transformational IT infrastructure, security and compliance consulting. OpenSky’s key differentiators include vendor independence, deep industry and technology expertise, and a holistic approach to evolving IT infrastructure platforms.

info@ind.tuv.com | +91 96207 55547 | www.tuv.com/in