DALI, DALI-2 and D4i Technology

DALI

The Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) was first released in the early 1990s and has been the leader in lighting control protocols ever since. The digital successor to analog dimming, DALI allows networked control of individual luminaires, groups of luminaires or all luminaires via connection to the DALI bus. No changes to control lines, allowing lighting groups and scenes to be created and reconfigured via software for setup versatility. DALI, Dali-2 and D4i are managed by the Digital Lighting Interface Alliance (DiiA). The DALI and DALI-2 standards are in IEC-62386.

DALI-2

DALI-2 is the second generation of DALI, which builds on the first generation DALI in the following ways: enhanced interoperability, stricter testing protocols, and extended commands. First-generation DALI is self-certified by the manufacturer, while DALI-2 test certification results must be uploaded to the DiiA website. A more stringent test sequence, with test certification results reviewed by DiiA, greatly improves interoperability between DALI-2 devices and first-generation DALI. The table below lists the requirements that LED drivers must test to meet the minimum standards of DALI-2.

D4i

While the first generation of DALI targets traditional DALI applications, the D4i targets applications within lighting fixtures. Traditional applications are characterized by a DALI bus that connects to multiple DALI devices through the wiring of a room or building. In applications within lighting fixtures, the DALI-2 bus is not separated from the fixture, but is used as a standardized data bus between the driver and the radio or sensor. The minimum requirements for a D4i certified drive are shown in the table below. It is important to note that DALI-2 can exist without D4i; but D4i cannot exist without DALI-2.