Signify, formerly Philips Lighting, has upgraded its LED lighting to support more standardisation for outdoor smart building IoT applications.
 
The Dutch firm has upgraded its compact Philips Xitanium sensor-ready Xtreme LED drivers for outdoor applications with the recently granted D4i certification. This certification programme is designed to drive wider adoption of IoT connectivity in lighting and aid smart city or building projects.
 
It makes it attractive and easy for users to switch to connected lighting or install connect-ready luminaires with D4i certified drivers now, and upgrade to connectivity later. This quarter, Signify will also upgrade the complete non-isolated Philips Xitanium dimmable sensor-ready drivers portfolio for indoor applications to the D4i standard, to facilitate the rapid market adoption of energy-saving technologies and drive standardisation.
 
Launched by the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DiiA), the standard’s specifications and requirements cover critical features including digital communication, data reporting and power requirements. Qualification of this certification demonstrates plug-and-play interoperability of luminaires, sensors and communication nodes. Products with the D4i standard will enable smart, future-proof LED luminaires with IoT connectivity.
 
“Years ago, we pioneered with Xitanium sensor-ready Xtreme LED drivers and we are very proud of now having a broad D4i driver portfolio in place,” said Paul Sloekers, product manager for outdoor LED drivers at Signify. “The D4i standard is key for our customers as it makes it easier than ever before to adopt connectivity within smart cities.”
 
In addition to being relevant for outdoor drivers, D4i certification is also relevant for indoor drivers. It brings standardisation to intra-luminaire Dali and defines how data relevant for connected lighting networks is stored and communicated.
 
D4i extends the existing Dali-2 programme by adding a standard for power supply to control devices such as sensors, as in Dali part 250. It also standardises how drivers store and report data, including luminaire info (Dali part 251), energy metering (part 252) and diagnostics (part 253). This standardisation enables luminaire manufacturers to create luminaires that can easily be integrated in connected lighting systems.
 
“The new D4i standard is an important step in the journey of connected lighting,” said Simone van Leeuwen, product manager for LED linear drivers at Signify. “Standardisation helps to ensure that different elements of a system, such as luminaires, sensors and controls, work together seamlessly. As a result, more end-users can start to enjoy the benefits of connected lighting.”