The ELC (Excellent Lighting Control) system, launched by MRBAS in early 2012, was developed based on technologies incorporating solutions from the U.S. GE TLC system, introduced in 1991, as well as our own SLC system. While the existing GE TLC and MRBAS SLC systems were primarily focused on On/Off control and therefore had a limited control range, the new ELC system was developed to provide not only On/Off control, but also 0–10V dimming, DALI dimming, and ZIGBEE-based wireless dimming control. Since its launch, the ELC system has been supplied and installed in numerous projects. The diverse requirements of customers across these projects have been continuously reflected in the ELC system, enabling it to evolve into a reliable system with a high level of performance and functionality. All control methods connected to a single ELC network share seamless integrated control and efficient operation. Considering the scale of a building, the ELC system supports various control modules, including On/Off, DALI, 0–10V, and wireless dimming control. Each control module can be assigned an address from 000 to 999, enabling flexible control solutions ranging from small buildings to large-scale projects. In addition, the control modules can perform integrated control and share information with one another. This enables sophisticated and detailed scene control for specific areas, allowing smart lighting scenes to be implemented according to the characteristics and requirements of each area within a building. Switches and sensors can also be individually assigned addresses from 000 to 999. Up to 1,000 units each of 4-button GTS switches, 8-button GTS switches, 5-inch Smart Touch Switches, smart occupancy sensors, and illuminance sensors can be connected. This allows information sharing and integrated control across large-scale projects through a single ELC system. The completeness and reliability of these functions have been demonstrated in numerous projects in Korea, including Incheon International Airport Terminal and the 555-meter-high, 125-story Lotte World Tower. Relay modules (4sRM, 6sRM, 4eRM, 6eRM & ELC48), DALI Masters, 0–10V dimming modules (6uDM), and wireless gateways are all developed using the same communication protocol. Therefore, they can operate together through integrated control and establish a stable communication network supporting devices with addresses from 000 to 999. As the number of control points increases, communication traffic may increase and potentially cause communication errors. However, these issues can be prevented in advance by appropriately distributing and deploying the SCUs (System Communication Units) connected to each group of devices. With years of practical experience in supplying and installing lighting control systems, MRBAS has incorporated field-proven know-how into the ELC system. As a highly complete and reliable lighting control solution, ELC can further enhance the value of buildings through intelligent and efficient lighting management.
The ELC system consists of various types of relay control modules and dimming modules.
These control modules feature Stand-Alone Controller functionality, allowing each module to operate independently even if the central server, communication equipment, or other control modules experience a failure.
One particularly notable feature is the Global Integrated Control function.
In the existing TLC and SLC systems, this function was available through RLINK. With the ELC system, however, integrated control between control modules is possible without an SCU (System Communication Unit). For example, even if 10 relay control modules are connected through a communication line and the SCU becomes unavailable, when a sensor event occurs, the related relays across all 10 control modules can simultaneously execute the group control configured through the predefined program.
This is true Stand-Alone control functionality.
In conventional systems, determining whether a terminal relay has failed generally requires an on-site inspection. With our system, however, relay failures are automatically displayed as pop-up messages on the central monitoring system, allowing operators to immediately identify which area's relay has become unavailable. The status of each relay can also be monitored from various perspectives. The system provides information such as which event triggered the relay, how many times the relay has operated, and how many hours it has remained ON. This detailed relay information enables effective system maintenance and management. For example, when a relay has accumulated more than 20,000 operating hours, the system can notify the operator that maintenance of the associated lighting fixtures is due, helping to manage the appropriate timing for lighting replacement.
The MRBAS R&D team continues to develop and introduce products and functions that provide greater convenience for customers on the highly reliable ELC system network. The following key solutions have already been developed and are being applied in the field, where their practical value has been demonstrated.
First, Smart Sensors. Occupancy sensors and illuminance sensors are designed to connect directly to the ELC network, making installation simple and efficient.
In addition, the occupancy sensors adopt DUAL TECH sensor technology, allowing the sensor to continue operating through the RADAR sensor even if the PIR sensor function fails.
Second, the Smart Touch Switch (STS). The STS has been developed in various types, allowing users to select the most appropriate functions for each application.
The STS can also be operated without a server program, even when used as a standalone switch, making it a cost-effective solution for projects where a high level of cost efficiency is required.
Third, the Augmented Reality (AR) Mobile App. The AR mobile application recognizes objects or QR codes installed in the field and provides convenient control and monitoring through a more detailed and versatile user interface.
For example, users can create and customize lighting graphics corresponding to each switch button, as well as display the power consumption of each lighting fixture—functions that cannot be implemented directly through conventional on-site switches.
