Lighting device, street light device, traffic light and manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna concept for streetlights and traffic lights, and a method for manufacturing the antenna. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to the invention comprises a housing having a base (106, 206, 306) and a transparent cover (101, 201, 301), an electronic circuit (109, 209, 309) mounted on the base (106, 206, 306), which can be connected to at least one light emitting and / or light receiving element, the at least one light emitting and / or light receiving element being arranged to emit and / or receive light through the transparent cover (101, 201, 301), and at least one antenna, wherein the radiating patch (102, 104, 202, 302) of the antenna follows the contour of the inner surface of the transparent cover (101, 201, 301) and is connected to the electronic circuit (109, 209, 309).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an antenna concept for streetlights and traffic lights, and a method for manufacturing the antenna. Background Art

[0002] The streetlights can be operated and powered as standalone devices, for example by photocells, or they can be controlled by a central management system. In addition, photodetectors, also called light receivers, can be provided to detect sunset and sunrise, so that the streetlights are automatically switched off and on accordingly. In addition, light receivers can also be used in conjunction with the central management system for control to check whether the commands given by the central management system to switch on or off the streetlights are actually carried out.

[0003] By interconnecting these streetlights, there is a trend towards increased energy savings, which will become a key component of smart city innovation. Wireless connectivity between nodes in the network, which represent streetlights, requires antennas to be installed close to the streetlights. Therefore, providing manufacturers of these streetlight nodes with suitable antennas is a problem, mainly due to limited space. In addition, the directional characteristics of the antenna need to be adapted to the specific requirements resulting from the location of the antenna at the streetlight. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for wirelessly interconnecting streetlight devices in a particularly economical and reliable manner, while optimizing the quality and energy efficiency of the wireless interface.

[0005] This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0006] The present invention is based on the idea that a microstrip patch antenna can be arranged inside a transparent cover surrounding a light emitting element and / or a light receiving element. In its most basic form, a microstrip patch antenna comprises a radiating patch on one side of a dielectric substrate having a ground plane on the other side.

[0007] Traditional microstrip antennas (also called printed antennas) generally refer to antennas manufactured using microstrip technology on a printed circuit board (PCB). They are primarily used for microwave frequencies. A single microstrip antenna consists of a metal foil patch (patch antenna) of various shapes on the surface of the PCB, with a metal foil ground plane on the other side of the board. The antenna is usually connected to the transmitter or receiver via a foil microstrip transmission line. An RF current is applied between the antenna and the ground plane (or a received signal is generated in the case of a receiving antenna).

[0008] Microstrip antennas are very popular because of their thin, flat profile, which can be incorporated into the surface of consumer products; their ease of fabrication using printed circuit technology; the ease of integrating the antenna with the rest of the circuit on the same circuit board; and the possibility of adding active devices (such as microwave integrated circuits) to the antenna itself to make an active antenna.

[0009] An active antenna is one that contains active electronic components (such as transistors), as opposed to most antennas which consist only of passive components such as metal rods, capacitors, and inductors. Active antenna designs allow antennas of limited size to have a wider frequency range (bandwidth) than passive antennas, and are primarily used in situations where larger passive antennas are impractical (in portable radios) or impossible (suburban residential areas where large outdoor low-frequency antennas are not permitted).

[0010] The most common type of microstrip antenna is the patch antenna. It is also possible to use patches as antennas that are constituent elements in an array. Patch antennas are narrow bandwidth beam antennas that are made by etching a pattern of antenna elements in metal traces that are bonded to an insulating dielectric substrate, such as a printed circuit board, with a continuous metal layer bonded to opposite sides of the substrate that form a ground plane. Common microstrip antenna shapes are square, rectangular, circular, and elliptical, but any continuous shape is possible. Some patch antennas do not use a dielectric substrate, but are made of a metal patch mounted above a ground plane using a dielectric spacer; the resulting structure is less robust but has a wider bandwidth. Because such antennas have a very low profile, are mechanically robust, and can be shaped to conform to the curved skin of a vehicle, they are often incorporated into mobile radio communication devices.

[0011] Microstrip antennas are relatively cheap to manufacture and design due to their simple two-dimensional physical geometry. They are often used at UHF and HF since the size of the antenna is directly related to the wavelength of the resonant frequency. A single patch antenna provides a maximum directional gain of about 6-9 dB. Typically, arrays of patches are printed on a single (large) substrate using photolithography techniques.

[0012] The most commonly used microstrip antenna is a rectangular patch. It is about half a wavelength long. The resonant length of the antenna is slightly shorter due to the extended electrical "fringe fields", which slightly increases the electrical length of the antenna.

[0013] Another type of patch antenna is the Planar Inverted-F Antenna (PIFA). PIFAs are common in cellular phones (mobile phones) that have internal antennas. The antenna resonates at a quarter wavelength (thus reducing the space required on the phone) and also generally has good SAR characteristics. SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate and is a measure of how well human tissue absorbs radio frequency energy. This antenna resembles an inverted F, which explains the name PIFA. PIFAs are popular because they have a small profile and an omnidirectional pattern.

[0014] Although microstrip antennas typically have narrow bandwidths, it is possible to design microstrip antennas with wide bandwidth coverage. Some patch shapes exhibit greater bandwidth than others. Patch shapes associated with larger bandwidths include annular rings, rectangular or square rings, and quarter-wavelength (short) patches. The paper "A wideband planar inverted Fantenna for wireless communication devices" (Abhishek Thakur, Thapar University, 2016) describes a PIFA with wide bandwidth coverage covering multiple frequency bands, such as GPS (1575MHz), DCS (1800MHz), PCS (1900MHz), 3G (2100MHz), 4G (2300MHz), and WLAN / Bluetooth (2400-2800Mhz). This conventional antenna is compact and measures 66.39mm×40mm×3.8mm. In its design, two slots are etched in the ground plane, and adjusting the position of the slots helps to obtain broadband coverage on several communication standards. The antenna was designed using the High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software.

[0015] According to the present invention, there is provided a lighting device comprising a housing having a base and a transparent cover, an electronic circuit mounted to the base and comprising at least one light emitting and / or light receiving element arranged to emit and / or receive light through the transparent cover, and at least one antenna. The radiating patch of the antenna follows the contour of the inner surface of the transparent cover and is connected to the electronic circuit.

[0016] With such an integrated antenna, no additional space is required within the housing compared to lighting devices without wireless communication capabilities. Furthermore, by providing the antenna structure away from the upper surface of the base, an improved directional characteristic of the antenna may be achieved.

[0017] For example, according to the present invention, existing lighting module designs such as the commercial module LUMAWISE Endurance S can be equipped with at least one antenna by applying an antenna structure to the inner surface of the transparent cover to achieve connected street lighting. The module LUMAWISE Endurance S is provided by TEConnectivity and can comply with standards such as the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), Sensor Ready (SR?), or any other requirement standard (see: http: / / www.te.com / commerce / DocumentDelivery / DDEController? Action=srchrtrv&DocNm=1-1773915-3_ Lumawise_Endurance_S_Modules&DocType=DS&DocLang=EN , downloaded on March 20, 2018).

[0018] To save space, the radiating patch of the at least one antenna is arranged in the area into which the lighting device emits light during operation. Although this may have the effect of reducing light emission compared to a device without an antenna, the antenna may be arranged to only partially cover the transparent cover so that the lighting device still emits sufficient light.

[0019] When the lighting device further comprises a snap-fit ​​and a spring clip, a particularly effective and quick way of attaching the transparent cover to the base can be achieved, wherein the base and the transparent cover fit together to form a closed space by engaging the snap-fit ​​with the spring clip. This has the effect of protecting the actual light source, such as an LED, and the antenna from weather effects such as rain. However, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that other ways of fixing the cover to the base can also be used according to the invention, such as threaded connections or ultrasonic welding.

[0020] By putting the transparent cover and the base together via snap-fits and spring clips, the at least one antenna should automatically be connected to the electronic circuit to make the device as easy to operate as possible. Therefore, the present invention relates to a lighting device as described above, wherein by putting the transparent cover and the base together via snap-fits and spring clips to form a closed space, a connection is established between the at least one antenna and the electronic circuit.

[0021] In order to be able to provide different communication and / or power transmission interfaces, the lighting device according to the present invention may include at least two antennas, which are operable to send and / or receive different signals.

[0022] Wireless communication between streetlights can be achieved using a variety of wireless communication standards, including cellular antennas (2G / &3G / 4G) or Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN, "LoRa"), which typically has a range of 10km; as well as Bluetooth with a typical range of 1-100m and Near Field Communication (NFC) with a range of 10cm. Cellular antennas and LoRa antennas can be used for communication between individual streetlights and a central management center. Bluetooth can be used for communication between adjacent streetlights.

[0023] Bluetooth can be used in conjunction with a Planar Inverted-F Antenna (PIFA). An inverted-F antenna is a type of antenna used in wireless communications. It consists of a monopole antenna placed parallel to a ground plane and grounded at one end. The antenna is fed from a midpoint some distance from the grounded end. This design has two advantages over a simple monopole antenna: the antenna is shorter and more compact, and the designer can control the impedance matching without the need for additional matching components.

[0024] NFC antennas follow a different principle. NFC operates at a frequency of about 13.56Mhz. The corresponding wavelength is 22 meters long. This means that to get a half-wave dipole antenna (which radiates well), a device of about 11 meters in length would be required. Therefore, an NFC antenna is not actually an antenna, but an inductor (coil) that induces a current in a nearby second inductor, and therefore, the range of an NFC antenna is very short, limited to 10cm.

[0025] Thus, the invention relates to a lighting device as described above, wherein the antenna can be a coil for communication via NFC. This embodiment has the advantage that the range of the antenna is 10 cm, which can be used to selectively reprogram the lighting device via a reprogramming device, wherein the NFC transmitter is on a pole, the NFC transmitter being held close to the antenna of the street lamp.

[0026] In another embodiment, the antenna is a planar inverted F antenna for communication via Bluetooth. This embodiment has the advantage that the range of the antenna can be 1-100m, which is useful for communication between adjacent street lamps.

[0027] In another embodiment, the antenna may be a 3G / 2G antenna. In another embodiment, the antenna may be a LoRa antenna. These embodiments have the following advantages: they can be used for remote communication between street lamps and a central management system.

[0028] The lighting device may have multiple antennas for different purposes. For example, the device may present a coil for reprogramming the antenna via a reprogramming device, wherein an NFC transmitter is located on a pole, the NFC transmitter being held close to the antenna of a street lamp comprising such a lighting device. At the same time, the lighting device may present a planar inverted F-type antenna for communicating via Bluetooth in order to facilitate communication between adjacent street lamps, each of which comprises a lighting device as described above. As another example, a lighting device included in a street lamp may have an antenna for transmitting radiation and another antenna for receiving radiation, both of which are used for communication of the street lamp with adjacent street lamps. Therefore, in one embodiment, the lighting device comprises at least two antennas.

[0029] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one electronic component is arranged on a first surface of the base opposite the transparent cover and / or at least one electronic component is arranged on a second surface of the base opposite the first surface. This allows a particularly space-saving arrangement of all necessary electronic components.

[0030] To ensure long-term stability even under challenging environmental conditions, the lighting device according to an advantageous embodiment may include a sealing ring around the opening of the base, the sealing ring sealing the lighting device when the base and the transparent cover are mated together to form an enclosed space. The sealing ring may include any suitable gasket material, such as silicone or rubber.

[0031] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, one of the at least one antenna comprises a planar inverted-F antenna, and / or a coil, and / or a cellular antenna, and / or a long range (LoRa) antenna.

[0032] The invention also provides a luminaire having a lighting device according to the invention and a light-emitting element. According to an advantageous embodiment, the light-emitting element comprises a light-emitting diode (LED). This is a particularly space- and energy-saving light source, which has the additional advantage of a long service life. Compared with incandescent light sources, LEDs have many advantages, including lower energy consumption, longer life, improved physical robustness, smaller size and faster switching.

[0033] The invention can be used in particular in street light units or traffic light systems.

[0034] A lighting device with an antenna as described above may be included in a street lamp. Therefore, the invention also relates to a street lamp comprising at least one lighting device, the lighting device comprising a housing with a base and a transparent cover, an electronic circuit mounted to the base, and at least one antenna, wherein the antenna structure follows the contour of the inner surface of the transparent cover and is connected to the electronic circuit. This will have the following advantages: it frees up space on the board and at the same time facilitates reprogramming of the street lamp or communication between adjacent street lamps, or communication of the street lamp with a central management system, depending on the type of antenna installed in the lighting device.

[0035] Wireless communication can also be used for traffic lights. For example, a traffic light of a road and a traffic light crossing the previous road can communicate with each other so that before the first traffic light switches to green, the second traffic light switches to red, and vice versa. Wireless communication can also be used to reprogram traffic lights via a reprogramming device, where an NFC transmitter is located on a pole, which is held close to the antenna of a street light including such a lighting device. In addition, wireless communication can be used for traffic lights to communicate with a central management system in order to dynamically control traffic on a large scale according to global traffic conditions.

[0036] To manufacture the lighting device as described above, the antenna may be mounted on the inner side of the transparent cover by the injection process as described above. In a second step, the cover and the base may be fitted together to form a closed space.

[0037] Therefore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a lighting device, the method comprising the following steps:

[0038] At least one radiating patch of the antenna is arranged on the inner side of the transparent cover of the lighting device, wherein the radiating patch is printed by a jetting process, and

[0039] The transparent cover and the base are mated together to form an enclosed space.

[0040] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the connection between the radiating patch of the at least one antenna and the electronic circuit is established by attaching a transparent cover to the base.

[0041] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, printing is performed using a jetting process. The technique is based on dispensing small droplets of a conductive material (e.g., a conductive ink) to the location to be metallized. This deposition technique is particularly advantageous for transparent covers with large curvatures and / or small dimensions. Examples of jetting techniques include dispensing jets, aerosol jets, and the like. Exemplary conductive inks may include polymer thick film (PTF) inks, nanoparticle inks, or combinations thereof. The ink may be cured at low temperatures, which has no negative impact on the transparent cover of the lighting device. For example, when polycarbonate is used as a transparent cover for the lighting device, the curing temperature will not exceed 120°C, including not exceeding 100°C.

[0042] Alternatively, printing may be performed by pad printing, which is a technique that uses a rubber pad to carry ink and transfer it to the inner surface of the transparent cover.

[0043] Alternatively, printing can also be performed by rotary screen printing. This is a printing technique that uses a mesh to transfer ink to the substrate, except for areas that have been made impermeable to ink by blocking the stencil. A doctor blade or squeegee is moved over the mesh to fill the open mesh with ink, and then a reverse stroke brings the mesh into momentary contact with the substrate along a contact line. This causes the ink to wet the substrate and pull the ink out of the mesh when the mesh rebounds after the doctor blade has passed.

[0044] The antenna may comprise, for example, copper, a copper-silver alloy, silver, a silver-palladium alloy or palladium. Of course, any other suitable conductive material, in particular a metal or a metal alloy, may also be used according to the invention.

[0045] Jet and screen printing processes allow the antenna to be printed onto the inside of a transparent cover, also known as a “dome”, allowing for a flexible manufacturing process to produce specific antenna solutions.

[0046] Additionally, printing the antenna onto the inside of the transparent cover of the lighting device frees up space on the board and provides a standard option for the base.

[0047] Mounting the antenna's radiating patch on the inside of the transparent cover of the lighting device rather than on the PCB allows for mounting a larger antenna, which allows for wider bandwidth reception due to the increased distance between the radiating patch mounted on the inside of the transparent cover and the ground plane located at the PCB.

[0048] Furthermore, tall electronic components can be mounted on the underside of the board. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several embodiments of the present invention. These drawings, together with the specification, are used to explain the principles of the present invention. The drawings are only used to illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how to make and use the present invention, and should not be interpreted as limiting the present invention to only the embodiments shown and described. In addition, several aspects of the embodiments may form solutions according to the present invention alone or in different combinations. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following more specific description of various embodiments of the present invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals refer to the same elements, and in which:

[0050] Figure 1A shows a top view of a dome of a lighting device according to a first advantageous embodiment, the lighting device comprising a Bluetooth antenna (PIFA type) and an NFC antenna (coil);

[0051] Figure 1B shows a perspective view of a dome of a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the lighting device comprising a Bluetooth antenna (PIFA type) and an NFC antenna (coil);

[0052] Figure 1C shows a perspective view of a base of a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the lighting device comprising a Bluetooth antenna (PIFA type) and an NFC antenna (coil);

[0053] Figure 2A shows a perspective view of a dome of a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the lighting device including a first cellular antenna;

[0054] Figure 2B shows a bottom view of a dome of a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the lighting device including a first cellular antenna;

[0055] Figure 2C shows a perspective view of a base of a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the lighting device including a first cellular antenna;

[0056] Figure 3A shows a bottom view of a dome of a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the lighting device including a second cellular antenna;

[0057] Figure 3B shows a perspective view of a base and dome of a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the lighting device including a second cellular antenna;

[0058] Figure 3C A perspective view of a base of a lighting device is shown, the lighting device including a second cellular antenna, in accordance with another advantageous embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] FIG1 shows a lighting device according to a first advantageous embodiment, which has a radiating patch of a Bluetooth antenna (PIFA type) 102 and an NFC antenna (coil) 104. A base 106 forms a closed cylinder, which has a diameter of, for example, about 40 mm. An inner surface 109 of the base represents a PCB including a ground for the two antennas. Four electrical contacts for contacting the LED light emitting elements (not shown in the figure) protrude from the PCB.

[0060] The transparent cover 101 forms an open cylinder of, for example, about 40 mm in diameter and with a slightly domed top, wherein, when the cover and the base are fitted together, the opening of the cover cylinder points towards the base, thus forming an inner space. The cover 101 and the base 106 each have a height of about 13 mm. The distance between the inner surface of the base and the top of the transparent cover, i.e. the distance between the radiating patch of the antenna and the ground plane, is therefore about 13 mm.

[0061] The base presents a notch 107 into which the projection 103 of the transparent cover fits when the cover and base are mated together in the correct relative azimuth orientation. A rubber ring 110 at the interface of the base 106 and the transparent cover 101 seals the interior space from rain. Of course, any other suitable gasket may be used.

[0062] The two antennas consist of thin films that are deposited on the inside of the transparent cover and form various structures.

[0063] The radiating patch of the NFC antenna 104 includes a spiral formed by a flat conductive wire with a width of about 0.5 mm. The wire forms three windings, which form a "D" shape and are mounted on the slightly arched top of the transparent cover, wherein the straight edge runs along the diameter on the transparent cover and the round edge runs along the boundary between the slightly arched top and the side of the cover. The wires of two adjacent windings have a distance of 0.5 mm from each other. The turns are arranged so that the outer turns surround half of the area of ​​the slightly arched top of the cover. The two coil terminals are parallel to each other and run downward toward the base along the side wall of the cover. Through their connection with the PCB, as described below, one of the terminals is used as a feed portion and the other as a ground portion. Each terminal is close to a connector 108 on the base. Each connector 108 includes a rectangular housing from which a spring pushes the metal wire toward the corresponding antenna terminal 111 to establish electrical contact with the antenna via it.

[0064] The radiation patch of the PIFA type Bluetooth antenna 102 is deposited on the second half of the area of ​​the slightly arched top of the cover. This antenna includes a conductive strip having a width of about 5 mm and forming a circular arc of a circle running along the edge of the top of the cover, the arc having an arc length of about 45 degrees. On one side of one of the two ends of the long and wide strip, two narrow strips are deposited parallel to each other and close to each other, each narrow strip having a width of about 3 mm, which represents a contact piece 105. The contact piece 105 runs vertically downward from the top of the transparent cover along the edge of the cover to the base. Through their connection with the PCB, as described below, one of the contact pieces is used as a feed portion and the other as a grounding portion. Each contact piece 105 is close to a connector 108 on the base. Each connector 108 includes a rectangular housing, and a spring pushes a metal wire from the rectangular housing toward the corresponding contact piece 105 to establish electrical contact.

[0065] By matching the recess 107 of the base and the protrusion 103 of the transparent cover, the base 106 and the transparent cover 101 are fitted together in the correct relative azimuth orientation, and contact is automatically established between the antenna terminal 111 of the NFC antenna and the corresponding connector 108 on the base, and contact between the contact piece 105 of the Bluetooth antenna and the corresponding connector 108, thereby establishing electrical contact between each antenna and the PCB.

[0066] The NFC antenna 104 may be used to program or reprogram the lighting device, wherein the Bluetooth antenna 102 may be used to communicate between adjacent street lights featuring such Bluetooth antenna.

[0067] Figure 2A , 2B2C show a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, wherein the radiating patch of the cellular antenna 202 forms a film with a structure. The base 206 forms a closed cylinder having a diameter of, for example, about 80 mm. The inner surface 209 of the base represents a PCB including a ground plane. The transparent cover 201 forms an open cylinder having a height of about 20 mm, a diameter of 80 mm and a slightly domed top, wherein when the cover and the base are mated together, the opening of the cover cylinder points to the base, thus forming an inner space.

[0068] The base includes a notch 207 into which the projection 203 of the transparent cover fits when the cover and base are mated together in the correct relative azimuth orientation. A rubber ring 210 at the interface of the base 206 and the transparent cover 201 seals the interior space from rain.

[0069] On the inner side of the top of the transparent cover 201, a radiation patch of the cellular antenna 202 is deposited, which has the shape of an arc of a circle, which presents an arc length of about 90 degrees and presents an L-shaped opening, which has an area of ​​about one-quarter of the arc area. The width of the arc in the radial direction is, for example, 13 mm. The radiation patch of the cellular antenna 202 is arranged to be located in the half of the top of the transparent cover. One side of the rectangle is bent at the boundary between the top area and the side wall of the transparent cover. Two narrow strips are deposited close to each other and in parallel, each with a width of about 3 mm, representing the contact piece 205. The contact piece 205 goes vertically downward from the top of the transparent cover along the side wall of the cover to the base. Through their connection with the PCB, as described below, one of the contact pieces 205 is used as a feeding portion and the other is used as a grounding portion. Each contact piece 205 is close to a connector 208 on the base. Each connector 208 includes a rectangular housing from which a spring pushes a metal wire toward the corresponding contact piece 205 to establish electrical contact.

[0070] By matching the recess 207 of the base and the protrusion 203 of the transparent cover, the base 206 and the transparent cover 201 are fitted together in the correct relative azimuth direction, and contact is automatically established between the contact piece 205 of the cellular antenna and the corresponding connector 208, thereby establishing electrical contact between the antennas 102, 104 and the PCB on the base 306.

[0071] The distance between the inner surface of the base and the top of the transparent cover, ie the distance between the radiating patch of the antenna and the ground plane, is about 20 mm.

[0072] like Figures 2A to 2C Such a cellular antenna 202 as shown may be used for long range communications over a distance of typically 10 km, which would be relevant, for example, for communications between street lamps and a central management system.

[0073] Figure 3A , 3B3C show a lighting device according to another advantageous embodiment, the radiation patch of the second cellular antenna 302 forms a film having a structure according to the second embodiment. The base 306 forms a closed cylinder having a diameter of about 80 mm. The inner surface 309 of the base represents a PCB including a ground plane of the antenna. Two electrical contacts 312 (both not shown in the figure) for contacting the LED module and / or the light receiving element (e.g., a photodiode) protrude from the PCB.

[0074] The transparent cover 301 forms an open cylinder with a height of about 30 mm, a diameter of 80 mm and a flat top, wherein when the cover and the base are fitted together, the opening of the cover cylinder points to the base, thus forming an interior space. A rubber ring 310 located at the interface of the base 306 and the transparent cover 301 seals the interior space from rain.

[0075] Figure 3A , 3B The radiation patch of the cellular antenna 302 shown in FIG. 3C forms a rectangle, the largest part of which is deposited on the inner side of the top of the transparent cover 301. The cellular antenna 302 is arranged so that its long geometric axis extends along the diameter of the top of the transparent cover 301. The long axis length of the rectangle is 37 mm and the width of the rectangle is 15 mm. The antenna 302 has an L-shaped opening, the area of ​​which is about one-fourth of the rectangular area. One side of the rectangle is bent at the boundary between the top area and the side wall of the transparent cover. Two narrow strips are deposited close to each other and in parallel, each with a width of about 3 mm, representing the contact piece 305. The contact piece 305 goes vertically downward from the top of the transparent cover along the side wall of the cover to the base. Through their connection with the PCB, as described below, one of the contact pieces is used as a feed portion and the other is used as a ground portion. Each contact piece 305 is close to a connector 308 on the base. Each connector 308 includes a rectangular housing from which a spring pushes a metal wire toward a corresponding contact piece 305 to establish electrical contact.

[0076] The base presents a notch 307 into which the projection 314 of the transparent cover fits when the cover and base are mated together in the correct relative azimuth orientation. A rubber ring 310 at the interface of the base 306 and the transparent cover 301 seals the interior space from rain.

[0077] By matching the recess 307 of the base and the protrusion of the transparent cover, the base 306 and the transparent cover 301 are fitted together in the correct relative azimuth direction, automatically establishing contact between the contact piece 305 of the cellular antenna and the corresponding connector 308, thereby establishing electrical contact between the antenna and the PCB on the base 306.

[0078] The distance between the inner surface of the base and the top of the transparent cover, i.e. the distance between the radiating patch of the antenna and the ground plane, is about 30 mm and is therefore greater than Figures 2A to 2C The corresponding distance in the lighting device shown in FIG. Figures 3A to 3C The bandwidth of the lighting device shown will be greater than FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C The bandwidth of the lighting device is shown in FIG.

[0079] Antennas printed on the inside of the transparent cover of the lighting device present a larger lateral radiation pattern compared to PCB track antennas. Their radiation signature is therefore more uniform. This is advantageous because thereby their ability to communicate with other antennas is less sensitive to their orientation.

[0080] According to the invention, a multi-band antenna, i.e. an antenna that communicates with frequencies in the sub-GHz frequency range by various standards, can be implemented in a cost- and space-saving manner. The relevant communication standards may be 2G (General Packet Radio Service, GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GMS, 3G (UTMS) and 4G (Long Term Evolution, including Narrowband Internet of Things, NB-IoT). Such a multi-band antenna can be implemented by suitable design of the antenna shape and / or the use of an active antenna comprising an active device such as a microwave integrated circuit integrated into the antenna itself. Thus, a universal solution is possible and module manufacturers do not have to develop separate designs for lamps with RF communication capabilities.

[0081] The lighting device according to the present invention can be advantageously mounted on a lamp post for street lighting and can include one or more light emitting elements and / or one or more light receiving elements for automatically activating lighting. In the case where the lighting device is only provided with one or more photosensitive elements connected to the PCB, the light emitting element can also be a separate part from the lighting device according to the present invention.

[0082] Reference numerals list

[0083]

[0084]

Claims

1. A lighting device (100, 200, 300), comprising: A housing having a base (106, 206, 306) and a transparent cover (101, 201, 301), an electronic circuit (109, 209, 309) mounted to the base (106, 206, 306) and capable of being connected to at least one light emitting element and / or at least one light receiving element, the at least one light emitting element and / or at least one light receiving element being arranged to emit and / or receive light through the transparent cover (101, 201, 301), and two antennas, wherein the two antennas are of different types, the radiating patch (102, 104, 202, 302) of each antenna follows the contour of the inner surface of the transparent cover (101, 201, 301) and is connected to the electronic circuit (109, 209, 309), wherein the two antennas operate to send and / or receive different signals, At least one of the two antennas has a contact piece, the base has a connector, the connector includes a connector housing, a spring pushes a metal wire from the connector housing toward the corresponding contact piece, the base and the transparent cover are matched together in the correct relative azimuth direction, and contact between the contact piece of the at least one antenna and the corresponding connector is automatically established, thereby establishing electrical contact between the antenna and the electronic circuit on the base, At least one of the two antennas comprises a planar inverted-F antenna (102).

2. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1, wherein: The radiating patch (102, 104, 202, 302) of at least one of the two antennas is arranged in an area into which light is emitted during operation of the lighting device.

3. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a snap-fit ​​piece and a spring clip, wherein: By engaging the spring clip with a snap-fit ​​piece, the base (106, 206, 306) and the transparent cover (101, 201, 301) fit together to form a closed space.

4. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least one electronic component is arranged on a first surface of the base (106, 206, 306) opposite to the transparent cover (101, 201, 301), and / or at least one electronic component is arranged on a second surface of the base (106, 206, 306) opposite to the first surface.

5. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a sealing ring (110, 210, 310) surrounding the opening of the base (106, 206, 306), wherein when the base (106, 206, 306) and the transparent cover (101, 201, 301) are matched together to form a closed space, the sealing ring (110, 210, 310) seals the lighting device (100, 200, 300).

6. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least one of the two antennas includes a coil (104).

7. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least one of the two antennas is a cellular antenna (202, 302).

8. The lighting device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least one of the two antennas is a long range (LoRa) antenna.

9. A luminaire comprising the lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a light emitting element comprising a light emitting diode (LED).

10. A street lamp unit comprising at least one lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A traffic light system comprising at least one lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

12. A method for manufacturing the lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the method comprising the following steps: At least two radiating patches (102, 104, 202, 302) of two antennas are arranged inside a transparent cover (101, 201, 301) of the lighting device (100, 200, 300), wherein each radiating patch (102, 104, 202, 302) is printed by a jetting process, and The transparent cover (101, 201, 301) and the base (106, 206, 306) are matched together to form a closed space.

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