Method for controlling a track light

Abstract

The application discloses a control method of a track lamp, the track lamp comprising a track and a lamp body, the lamp body having one or at least two, the lamp body being movable along the length direction of the track; the track lamp further comprising a control box for controlling the lamp body, the control box being used for accessing a smart home host; the control method of the track lamp comprising the following steps: 1) delivering a control instruction of the lamp body to the smart home host; 2) the smart home host identifying and reading the control instruction, then reading the position parameters of the current lamp body, calculating the operation instruction of the moving amount of each lamp body on the track, and delivering the operation instruction to the control box; 3) the control box receiving the operation instruction, decomposing to obtain the specific action instruction of each lamp body, and delivering each specific action instruction to the corresponding lamp body; 4) each lamp body performing the position adjustment work on the track.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to lighting devices, and more particularly to a method for controlling track lights. Background Technology

[0002] Track lights are lighting fixtures installed on a dedicated track. Currently, there are two types of track lights: manually movable and electrically movable. Because manual movement is very inconvenient, especially for track lights installed at high positions and requiring frequent relocation, electrically movable track lights are becoming increasingly widely used.

[0003] Existing electric track lights, such as the track light system disclosed in Chinese Patent Application No. 202221993150.3, include a track, a lamp mounting base, and an LED lamp mounted on the lamp mounting base. A first groove is formed in the track, and slots are formed on both sides of the first groove. Conductive metal strips are provided in each of the slots on both sides of the first groove. The lamp mounting base includes a housing, which is fitted into the slots on both sides of the first groove. The housing has positive and negative electrode plates. When the housing is fitted into the slots on both sides of the first groove, the positive and negative electrode plates on the housing contact the conductive metal strips in the two slots respectively. A second groove is formed in the housing, and a roller is rotatably mounted in the second groove. The roller abuts against the bottom of the first groove. A motor and a PCB circuit board are also provided inside the housing.

[0004] The aforementioned track lights do not have automatic movement and adjustment capabilities because their application scenarios do not require frequent movement and adjustment. Therefore, they are mostly moved manually, with their position changed as needed. Existing spotlights that require frequent adjustment are mostly used in stage settings; they are installed at higher heights, are larger in size, and still lack the ability to change their position. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to address the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a control method for track lights that can automatically adjust the position of the track lights and improve the user experience.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: a control method for track lights, wherein the track light includes a track and a light body, the light body has one or at least two, and the light body can move along the length direction of the track;

[0007] The track light is characterized by the following features: it further includes a control box for controlling the light body, the control box being used to connect to a smart home host; the control method for the track light includes the following steps:

[0008] 1) Send the control commands from the lamp body to the smart home host;

[0009] 2) The smart home host identifies and reads the control command, then reads the current position parameters of each lamp body, calculates the operation command of the amount of movement of each lamp body on the track, and sends the operation command to the control box;

[0010] 3) The control box receives the operation command, decomposes it into specific action commands for each lamp body, and sends each specific action command to the corresponding lamp body;

[0011] 4) Adjust the position of each lamp on the track.

[0012] Furthermore, the lamp body includes a light-emitting component, and the track light also includes a lamp holder, a first motor for driving the light-emitting component to rotate relative to the lamp holder, and a second motor for driving the light-emitting component to swing relative to the lamp holder; part of the lamp holder is placed in a groove opened on the track, the lamp body is located outside the track, and the control method of the track light also includes adjusting the illumination angle of the light-emitting component to meet the needs of different lighting angles.

[0013] Furthermore, to facilitate angle adjustment, in step 1), the control command includes the illumination direction of the lamp body;

[0014] In step 2), the smart home host also calculates the angle operation command of the lamp body.

[0015] Furthermore, to facilitate the control of the angle adjustment, in step 4), after each lamp body is adjusted, the amount of movement of the lamp body is detected and recorded and fed back to the control box, and then compared to determine whether it is in place. The amount of movement includes the moving distance and the rotation / swing angle.

[0016] It also includes step 5), where after the lamp body's movement reaches the required amount, the information is fed back to the control box, and the control box controls the lamp body to stop the adjustment movement.

[0017] Furthermore, to facilitate control of the lamp body position, the track light also includes a travel detection mechanism for detecting the lamp holder travel distance. In step 4), the travel detection mechanism detects the travel distance of the lamp body.

[0018] To facilitate power supply and signal transmission, the track light also includes a motion mechanism for driving the lamp holder to move along the length of the track. The motion mechanism includes a drive mechanism disposed within the lamp holder and a main roller driven by the drive mechanism. The main roller abuts against the groove wall of the track. Conductive strips are respectively disposed on both sides of the groove width direction of the track, and conductive contact pieces are respectively disposed on both sides of the lamp holder at positions corresponding to the conductive strips. After the control box contacts the conductive strips and conductive contact pieces, it provides power and / or signal transmission to the drive mechanism, the first motor, the second motor, and the light-emitting component.

[0019] Furthermore, to facilitate control and drive, a control circuit board is provided inside the lamp holder. The control circuit board includes a power line carrier communication module, a motor drive circuit, a light source drive circuit, and an MCU. The MCU communicates bidirectionally with the power line carrier communication module, the motor drive circuit, and the light source drive circuit. The power line carrier communication module also provides power to the MCU by drawing power from conductive strips and conductive contacts. The MCU drives the aforementioned drive mechanism, the first motor, and the second motor through the motor drive circuit. The MCU drives the light-emitting component through the light source drive circuit.

[0020] Furthermore, the control box and the power line carrier communication module transmit signals via conductive strips and conductive contacts, and the signal transmission adopts the PLC communication protocol.

[0021] Furthermore, the control box includes a communication module, an AC / DC module, and an RF module.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: by using an external control box and connecting to a smart home system, the position and angle of the track lights can be easily adjusted using the smart home host, thereby meeting various lighting needs and improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a track light according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of a track light according to an embodiment of the present invention (only a portion of the track is shown);

[0025] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the lamp body and its driving mechanism of a track light according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the concealed track and part of the lamp holder in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the motion mechanism of the track light according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of the control box and control circuit board for a track light according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a circuit diagram of the obstacle detection mechanism for a track light according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Since the embodiments disclosed in this invention can be arranged in different directions, these terms indicating direction are only for illustration and should not be regarded as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity. In addition, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features.

[0032] See Figures 1-6 A track light includes a track 1, a lamp holder 2, and a lamp body 3 disposed on the lamp holder 2. A groove 11 communicating with the outside of the track 1 is formed in the track 1. At least a portion of the lamp holder 2 is placed in the groove 11 of the track 1, while the lamp body 3 is located on the outside of the track 1, preferably below the track 1, or it can be located on the side of the track 1, depending on the usage environment.

[0033] The track light also includes a motion mechanism for driving the lamp holder 2 (together with the lamp body 3) to move along the length of the track 1. The motion mechanism includes a drive mechanism 41 disposed within the lamp holder and a main roller 42 driven by the drive mechanism 41. The main roller 42 is partially located inside the lamp holder 2 and partially located outside the lamp holder 2. The main roller 42 abuts against the wall of the groove 11 of the track 1, which is the wall away from the opening of the groove 11 of the track 1. When the drive mechanism 41 drives the main roller 42 to rotate, the main roller 42 and the track 1 are pressed together, allowing the lamp holder 2 to move linearly relative to the track 1.

[0034] To facilitate power supply to the lamp body 3 and the motion mechanism during movement, conductive strips 51 are respectively provided on both sides of the groove 11 of the track 1 in the width direction. Conductive contact pieces 52 are respectively provided on both sides of the lamp holder 2 at the positions corresponding to the conductive strips 51. After the conductive strips 51 and the conductive contact pieces 52 come into contact, power and / or signal transmission are provided to the drive mechanism 41 and the lamp body 3. The details will be described in detail below.

[0035] As described above, the drive mechanism 41 is preferably a motor. To detect the relative positions of the lamp holder 2 and the lamp body 3 on the track 1, the motion mechanism also includes a current detection module for detecting the magnitude of the motor current. (See [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 7When the current increases significantly, it can be determined that there is resistance, that is, at this moment the lamp holder 2 is located at the end of the track 1.

[0036] The motion mechanism may also include other obstacle detection mechanisms 8, preferably using light or magnetism for detection. For example, the obstacle detection mechanism is located at two opposite ends of the lamp holder along the length of the track, and can be a proximity switch, an infrared transceiver, a photoelectric sensor, a distance sensor, or a reed switch. Alternatively, the obstacle detection mechanism includes a photoelectric sensor (not shown, existing technology may be used) mounted on the lamp holder, and a black and white stripe (not shown, existing technology may be used) that cooperates with the photoelectric sensor is provided on the track 1.

[0037] The motion mechanism may also include a stroke detection mechanism (not shown, existing technology may be used) for detecting the stroke of the lamp holder 2, thereby controlling the stroke of the lamp holder 2. For example, the stroke detection mechanism includes a Hall element and a magnetic element (not shown, existing technology may be used) for detecting the number of rotations of the output end of the motor. Alternatively, a perforation is provided on the track 1, and the stroke detection mechanism includes a photoelectric sensor (not shown, existing technology may be used), through which the light emitted by the photoelectric sensor passes.

[0038] The lamp body 3 includes a first motor 31, a second motor 32, a housing 33, a lamp tube 34, and a light-emitting component 35. The lamp tube 34 may be a hollow cylinder. The second motor 32, housing 33, and light-emitting component 35 may be disposed inside the lamp tube 34, while the first motor 31 is disposed inside the lamp holder 2. The second motor 32 is disposed inside the housing 33, and the output end of the first motor 31 is drivenly connected to the housing 33, thereby driving the housing 33 (along with the second motor 32, lamp tube 34, and light-emitting component) to rotate around a longitudinal, especially vertical, rotation axis. The second motor 32 is drivenly connected to the lamp tube 34, and can drive the lamp tube 34 (along with the light-emitting component 35) to rotate around a transverse, especially horizontal, rotation axis. The second motor 32 may also be disposed inside the lamp holder 2.

[0039] In this embodiment, the output end of the first motor 31 and the housing 33 are connected by a connecting rod 36. The top of the lamp tube 34 is provided with an end cap 37, and a slot 371 is formed on the end cap 37. The connecting rod 36 can pass through the slot 371. During the rotation (with the connection point with the output end of the first motor 31 as the rotation center), the wall of the slot 371 can swing the connecting rod 36, which in this embodiment is a swing, and plays a limiting role.

[0040] Preferably, the first motor 31 and the second motor 32 are stepper motors, and the track light also includes a stroke detection mechanism (not shown, which may be based on existing technology) for detecting the stroke of the first motor 31 and the second motor 32. The stroke detection mechanism is a Hall element.

[0041] Alternatively, the output directions of the first motor 31 and the second motor 32 can be interchanged. By setting the first motor 31 and the second motor 32, the illumination angle of the light-emitting component 35 can be adjusted.

[0042] The lamp holder 2 and lamp body 3 are combined in one or more sets, which can be controlled independently or individually. A control circuit board can be installed in the lamp holder 2 to control the starting and stopping of each motor, as well as the switching of the light-emitting components 35. Specifically, in this embodiment, the control circuit board includes a power line carrier communication module 61, a motor drive circuit 62, a light source drive circuit 63, and an MCU 64. The MCU 64 communicates bidirectionally with the power line carrier communication module 61, the motor drive circuit 62, and the light source drive circuit 63. In addition, the power line carrier communication module 61 also provides power to the MCU 64 by drawing power from the conductive strip 51 and the conductive contact 52. The MCU 64 can also communicate bidirectionally with the obstacle detection mechanism and the travel detection mechanism. The MCU 64 drives the drive mechanism 41, the first motor 31, and the second motor 32 of the above-mentioned motion mechanism through the motor drive circuit 62, and controls the position (including the position of each lamp body 3 on the track 1 and the angle of the light-emitting components 35 of the lamp body 3). The MCU64 drives the light-emitting component 35 through the light source driving circuit 63, and controls the brightness, color temperature, etc. of the light-emitting component 35.

[0043] The track light also includes a control box 7 installed outside the track 1. Power and control signals are transmitted via the conductive strip 51 and conductive contacts 52, using a PLC communication protocol. The control box 7 includes a communication module, an AC / DC module, and an RF module. The control box 7 can also be connected to a smart home hub.

[0044] The track light control method of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0045] 1) Users can change the illumination position and direction of one or more lamps 3 according to their preferences through control devices such as smart screens, remote controls, scene panels, or APPs, and send the final state data of the lamps 3 into control commands to the smart home host.

[0046] 2) The smart home host identifies and reads the control command, and then reads the current status parameters of each lamp body 3 (including position parameters, angle parameters, brightness parameters, etc.). Based on the values ​​of the final state and the current state, it calculates the specific movement parameters of the lamp body 3, calculates the amount of movement of the corresponding lamp body 3 on the track 1 and the light adjustment (angle, brightness, color temperature) operation command, and sends the operation command to the control box 7.

[0047] 3) When the control box 7 receives the operation instruction, it decomposes the instruction into specific action instructions for each lamp body 3 according to the instruction content, and sends each corresponding action instruction to the lamp holder 2 of the corresponding lamp body 3. The action instruction includes the specific action and the amount of action.

[0048] 4) After receiving specific action commands, the motor drive circuit 62 and the light source drive circuit 63 in the lamp holder 2 perform corresponding position adjustments; the stroke detection mechanism detects the stroke of the lamp body 3 to determine whether it has moved into place, and records the moving distance, rotation / swing angle and lifting height of the lamp body 3, and then feeds it back to the control box 7, and then compares and determines whether it is in place; the lamp holder 2 has a slow start and slow stop function.

[0049] 5) Once the movement of the lamp body 3 reaches the required level, the information is fed back to the control box 7, and the control box 7 controls the lamp body 3 to immediately stop the position adjustment movement.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a track light, the track light comprising a track (1) and a light body (3), the light body (3) having one or at least two, the light body (3) being movable along the length direction of the track (1); Its features are: The track light also includes a control box (7) for controlling the light body (3), the control box (7) being used to connect to a smart home host; the control method of the track light includes the following steps: 1) Send the control commands of the lamp body (3) to the smart home host; 2) The smart home host identifies and reads the control command, then reads the position parameters and angle parameters of each lamp body (3), calculates the movement amount and angle operation command of each lamp body (3) on the track (1), and sends the operation command to the control box (7); 3) The control box (7) receives the operation instruction, decomposes it to obtain the specific action instructions of each lamp body (3), and sends each specific action instruction to the corresponding lamp body (3). The action instruction includes the action and the amount of action. 4) Each lamp body (3) performs position and angle adjustment work on the track (1). After each lamp body (3) is adjusted, the movement amount of the lamp body (3) is detected and recorded and fed back to the control box (7). Then, a comparison is made to determine whether it is in place. The movement amount includes the moving distance and the rotation / swing angle. 5) After the lamp body (3) reaches the required amount of movement, the information is fed back to the control box (7), and the control box (7) controls the lamp body (3) to stop the adjustment movement.

2. The control method for track lights according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lamp body (3) includes a light-emitting component (35), and the track light also includes a lamp holder (2), a first motor (31) for driving the light-emitting component (35) to rotate relative to the lamp holder (2), and a second motor (32) for driving the light-emitting component (35) to swing relative to the lamp holder (2); part of the lamp holder (2) is placed in a groove (11) opened on the track (1), the lamp body (3) is located outside the track (1), and the angle of the lamp body (3) is adjusted to adjust the illumination angle of the light-emitting component (35).

3. The control method for track lights according to claim 1, characterized in that: The track light also includes a travel detection mechanism for detecting the travel of the lamp holder (2). In step 4), the travel detection mechanism detects the moving distance of the lamp body (3).

4. The control method for track lights according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The track light also includes a motion mechanism for driving the lamp holder (2) to move along the length of the track (1). The motion mechanism includes a drive mechanism (41) disposed in the lamp holder (2) and a main roller (42) driven by the drive mechanism (41). The main roller (42) abuts against the wall of the groove (11) of the track (1). Conductive strips (51) are respectively disposed on both sides of the groove (11) of the track (1) in the width direction. Conductive contact pieces (52) are respectively disposed on both sides of the lamp holder (2) at positions corresponding to the conductive strips (51). After the control box (7) contacts the conductive strips (51) and the conductive contact pieces (52), it provides power and / or signal transmission to the drive mechanism (41), the first motor (31), the second motor (32) and the light-emitting component (35).

5. The control method for track lights according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lamp holder (2) is provided with a control circuit board, which includes a power line carrier communication module (61), a motor drive circuit (62), a light source drive circuit (63), and an MCU (64). The MCU (64) communicates bidirectionally with the power line carrier communication module (61), the motor drive circuit (62), and the light source drive circuit (63). The power line carrier communication module (61) also draws power from the conductive strip (51) and the conductive contact (52) to provide power to the MCU (64). The MCU (64) drives the aforementioned drive mechanism (41), the first motor (31), and the second motor (32) through the motor drive circuit (62). The MCU (64) drives the light-emitting component (35) through the light source drive circuit (63).

6. The control method for track lights according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control box (7) and the power line carrier communication module (61) transmit signals through a conductive strip (51) and a conductive contact (52), and the signal transmission adopts the PLC communication protocol.

7. The control method for track lights according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control box (7) includes a communication module, an AC / DC module, and an RF module.

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