Lighting control device, lighting device, lighting control method, and program

Abstract

The lighting control device includes a control unit (123) that controls a plurality of light sources (light emitting elements (111)) arranged in two dimensions, and an acquisition unit that acquires light source information indicating the presence of a defective light source (115) having a defect among the plurality of light sources (light emitting elements (111)) and a normal light source (114) capable of normal lighting. The control unit (123) controls the lighting pattern of the normal light source (114) present around the defective light source (115) based on the light source information so that the presence of the defective light source (115) is not conspicuous.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to lighting control devices, lighting apparatuses, lighting control methods, and procedures. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an LED display device capable of automatically detecting faults in LED (Light Emitting Diode) elements or LED modules. The LED display device includes: a display surface formed by arranging multiple LED elements in the longitudinal and transverse directions to display information by combining the lighting and non-lighting of multiple LED elements; and a display control unit that outputs a fault signal when the supply current value detected by the current detection unit deviates from the supply current target value.

[0003] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-20808 Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem that the invention aims to solve In the LED display device of Patent Document 1, faults in the LED module can be detected. However, in cases where the LED module contains defective LED elements, no countermeasures are taken regarding illuminating the LED module to display the desired light object on the irradiated object. When the LED module is illuminated, the following problems arise: uneven brightness occurs on the light-emitting surface of the LED display device, or uneven brightness occurs on the light object displayed on the irradiated object.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a lighting control device that can suppress uneven brightness of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device and uneven brightness of the light object displayed on the illuminated object, even if there is a defective light source in the lighting device.

[0006] Methods for solving problems In one aspect of the lighting control device disclosed herein, there are: a control unit for controlling a plurality of light sources arranged in two dimensions; and an acquisition unit for acquiring light source information, which indicates the presence of a defective light source and a normal light source capable of being lit normally among the plurality of light sources. Based on the light source information, the control unit controls the lighting pattern of the normal light sources present around the defective light sources so that the presence of the defective light sources is not noticeable.

[0007] Furthermore, in one aspect of the lighting device disclosed herein, there are a lighting control device, a plurality of light sources arranged in two dimensions, and a lens for projecting light emitted from the plurality of said light sources.

[0008] Furthermore, in one aspect of the lighting control method disclosed herein, the method includes: a control unit controlling a plurality of light sources arranged in two dimensions; an acquisition unit acquiring light source information indicating the presence of a defective light source that is a defective pixel among the plurality of light sources and a normal light source that can be lit normally; and the control unit controlling the lighting pattern of the normal light sources surrounding the defective light source based on the light source information, so that the presence of the defective light source is not conspicuous.

[0009] In addition, one aspect of the program disclosed herein is a computer program capable of executing a lighting control method.

[0010] Invention Effects According to the lighting device disclosed herein, even if there is a defective light source in the lighting device, it is possible to suppress the unevenness of the brightness of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device and the unevenness of the brightness of the light object displayed on the illuminated object. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the overall structure of a lighting system including the lighting device of the embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the state when the light-emitting module is lit.

[0013] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the control of the illumination pattern of normal light sources surrounding a defective light source in a lighting device.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the actions of the lighting system when a user sets the illumination pattern for a light object using a terminal device.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of the lighting device in other variations.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a schematic side view of the lighting device in other variations.

[0017] Figure 7 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the lighting device in other variations.

[0018] Figure 8 This is an enlarged, schematic perspective view of the lighting device in other variations.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lighting device in other variations.

[0020] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of the lighting device in other variations.

[0021] Figure 11 This is a schematic perspective view of the lighting device in other variations.

[0022] Figure 12 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lighting device in other variations.

[0023] Figure 13 These are other schematic cross-sectional views of lighting devices in other variations. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the embodiments described below represent specific examples of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, constituent elements, arrangements of constituent elements, connection methods, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, constituent elements not described in the independent claims in the constituent elements of the following embodiments will be described as optional constituent elements.

[0025] Furthermore, these figures are schematic diagrams and not necessarily strictly representations. Therefore, for example, the scales may not be consistent across figures. Additionally, substantially identical structures are labeled with the same reference numerals across figures, and repetitive descriptions are omitted or simplified.

[0026] Furthermore, in this specification, terms indicating relationships between elements, terms indicating the shape of elements, and numerical ranges do not merely indicate a strict meaning, but also imply that substantially equivalent ranges, such as differences of a few percent.

[0027] (Implementation Method) <Structure> First, refer to Figures 1-3 The structure of the lighting system 1 having the lighting device 10 of the embodiment will be described.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the overall structure of the lighting system 1, including the lighting device 10 of the embodiment. Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the state when the light-emitting module is lit. Figure 2 (a) indicates that when all the multiple light-emitting elements 111 are normal light sources 114, the multiple light-emitting elements 111 are lit up based on the control instruction from the terminal device 30 based on the user operation input. Figure 2 (b) indicates that when a defective light source 115 exists in a portion of the plurality of light-emitting elements 111, the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 are illuminated based on this control instruction. Figure 2 In (b), the white quadrilateral surrounded by solid lines of the grid represents the light-emitting element 111. In the following... Figure 3 The same applies to (a) and (b). Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the situation where the illumination pattern of the normal light source 114 surrounding the defective light source 115 is controlled when a defective light source 115 exists in the lighting device 10. Figure 3 (a) indicates a situation where, in the case of a defective light source 115 present in a portion of the plurality of light-emitting elements 111, the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 are illuminated based on this control instruction, such that the luminous intensity of the first normal light source 114a is higher than the luminous intensity of the second normal light source 114b. Figure 3 In (a), the first normal light source 114a with high luminous intensity is represented by dotted shading, and the second normal light source 114b with low luminous intensity is represented by dotted shading with a lower density than the first normal light source 114a. Figure 3 (b) indicates that when a defective light source 115 exists in a portion of the multiple light-emitting elements 111, the multiple light-emitting elements 111 are lit based on a control instruction, and the third normal light source 114c is lit.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the lighting system 1 includes a lighting device 10 and a terminal device 30.

[0030] The lighting device 10 is capable of emitting more than one spot of illumination light onto the object to be illuminated. Therefore, by emitting multiple spot illumination lights, the lighting device 10 can simultaneously reflect multiple light objects that are illuminating the object to be illuminated back onto the object to be illuminated.

[0031] The objects being illuminated can be walls, floors, ceilings, shelves, tables, etc., or the goods and ornaments placed on them.

[0032] A light object is the pattern of light reflected from a point illumination light that shines on an object. If a point illumination light shines on an object, the object receives its light through the light object.

[0033] The space illuminated by the lighting device 10 is an indoor space such as a room, corridor, ceiling, wall and floor inside a building, or an outdoor space such as the exterior wall, ground and fixtures of a building.

[0034] The lighting fixture 10 is, for example, a spotlight, installed in a wiring fixture (e.g., wiring conduit or suspended ceiling) installed on the ceiling or wall. Alternatively, the lighting fixture 10 is not limited to a spotlight; it could also be a downlight or ceiling light.

[0035] like Figure 1As shown, the lighting device 10 includes a light-emitting module 110, a projection lens 120, a driving unit 121, a communication unit 122, a control unit 123, a storage unit 124, and a power supply unit 125. The communication unit 122 and the control unit 123 constitute the lighting control unit. Alternatively, the lighting control unit may be composed of an input interface and the control unit 123. The communication unit 122 or the input interface is an example of an acquisition unit.

[0036] The light-emitting module 110 emits white light, for example, along the optical axis. The optical axis is the main emission direction of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 111, and it is perpendicular to the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting module 110.

[0037] The light-emitting module 110 has multiple light-emitting elements 111 that emit light and a light source substrate 112 on which the multiple light-emitting elements 111 are arranged.

[0038] Specifically, the light-emitting module 110 has a plurality of light-emitting elements 111 arranged in two dimensions on the surface of the light source substrate 112 and a wavelength converter. In this embodiment, the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on the surface of the light source substrate 112. The plurality of light-emitting elements 111 are arranged in an array on the surface of the light source substrate 112. Specifically, the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 are arranged regularly in a matrix of M rows and N columns. Here, at least one of M and N is a natural number of 2 or more. M and N can be the same value or different values. The row and column spacing of the light-emitting elements 111 can be the same or different. In this embodiment, the shape of the area where the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 are arranged is rectangular, but it can also be other shapes such as circles. The light-emitting element 111 is an example of a light source. Alternatively, the light-emitting module 110 can also be an example of a light source.

[0039] Multiple light-emitting elements 111 emit light by means of current supplied from the driving unit 121. The multiple light-emitting elements 111 are, for example, blue light-emitting elements that emit blue light. Alternatively, green light-emitting elements that emit green light and / or red light-emitting elements that emit red light can also be used. In each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111, a yellow phosphor, as an example of a wavelength converter, is disposed on the light-emitting side of the blue light-emitting element. The blue light-emitting element is, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode). Specifically, the blue light-emitting element is, for example, a tiny LED with a size on the order of hundreds of μm. The yellow phosphor is a phosphor that emits yellow light when excited by blue light. Each light-emitting element 111 emits white light as a mixture of blue and yellow light. The yellow phosphor is, for example, a YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) based phosphor, but is not limited to this.

[0040] Alternatively, the yellow phosphor can be configured to cover multiple blue light-emitting elements. For example, a yellow phosphor can be configured to completely cover multiple blue light-emitting elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix.

[0041] Furthermore, the light-emitting module 110 is capable of dimming and color adjustment. For example, the light-emitting elements 111 can each change their light intensity according to the amount of current supplied from the driving unit 121. For example, the multiple light-emitting elements 111 may also include various light-emitting elements 111 that emit white light with different color temperatures. By adjusting the light intensity of the multiple light-emitting elements 111, the light-emitting module 110 can emit white light with the desired color temperature.

[0042] Multiple light-emitting elements 111 are mounted on a light source substrate 112. The light source substrate 112 is a rigid substrate, but it can also be a flexible substrate. The light source substrate 112 is provided with patterned wiring for electrically connecting each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111 to the driving unit 121.

[0043] The projection lens 120 applies a predetermined optical effect to the light emitted from the light-emitting module 110 and projects it forward, so that the light emitted by one or more light-emitting elements 111 driven by the drive unit 121 is imaged as point illumination light on the object to be illuminated in front. The projection lens 120 is composed of multiple lenses, but it can also be composed of a single lens. In addition, the illumination device 10 is capable of focusing based on the illumination pattern of the point illumination light. The projection lens 120 is an example of a lens.

[0044] The driving unit 121 supplies current for driving the light-emitting module 110. Specifically, the driving unit 121 supplies current to drive each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111 independently (i.e., individually) according to a control signal based on a control instruction received from the control unit 123. Thus, the lighting, extinguishing, luminous intensity, and luminous duration of each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111 are individually controlled. For example, by individually controlling the lighting and extinguishing of each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111, point illumination light with varying brightness in each area can be emitted. Furthermore, by illuminating an object with point illumination light, an image corresponding to the brightness can be formed on the object.

[0045] The control signals include the lighting, extinguishing, light intensity, and light emission period of each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111. These signals are output from the control unit 123 to the drive unit 121 for the purpose of controlling the lighting of the light-emitting elements 111.

[0046] The driving unit 121 is implemented, for example, by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The driving unit 121 supplies PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) modulated current to each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111. Furthermore, by adjusting the pulse width of the current supplied to each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111, the driving unit 121 can change the luminous intensity of each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111, thereby achieving a dimming function. In addition, the dimming method is not limited to PWM modulation; for example, it can also be other modulation methods such as amplitude modulation or phase modulation.

[0047] The drive unit 121 drives one or more light-emitting elements 111 determined by the control unit 123 to illuminate the object to be illuminated. Specifically, the drive unit 121 determines one or more light-emitting elements 111 that are the objects to be illuminated as indicated by the lighting control data stored in the storage unit 124, and adjusts the current supplied to the determined one or more light-emitting elements 111. The lighting control data is data indicating the shape, luminous intensity, hue, pattern, position, and size of the light object illuminating the object to be illuminated.

[0048] The communication unit 122 is capable of wireless communication with the terminal device 30. In this embodiment, the communication unit 122 can communicate wirelessly via an access point. Specifically, when the communication unit 122 communicates wirelessly with the terminal device 30, it can be a short-range wireless communication such as ZigBee (registered trademark) or a wireless LAN (Local Area Network). Alternatively, the wireless communication method (communication standard) can be communication via a wide area communication network such as the Internet. Furthermore, the communication between the communication unit 122 and the terminal device 30 can also be wired communication. Wired communication can be, for example, power line communication (PLC) or communication using a wired LAN. The communication unit 122 is implemented, for example, by an antenna and wireless processing circuitry that processes the signals received by the antenna.

[0049] The communication unit 122 can receive and acquire light source information indicating the presence of defective (abnormal) light sources 115 and normal light sources 114 among the multiple light-emitting elements 111. The communication unit 122 can output the received light source information to the control unit 123. Defective light sources 115 are sometimes identified when the manufacturer ships the light-emitting module 110. For example, when the multiple light-emitting elements 111 of the light-emitting module 110 are sequentially illuminated, a sensor that detects the light emitted by the light-emitting element 111 can detect whether it is a defective light source 115. For example, multiple light-emitting elements 111 can be illuminated, and a microscope and an image sensor can be used to detect whether it is a defective light source 115. Through such checks, the manufacturer can obtain light source information indicating the presence of defective light sources 115 and normal light sources 114 included in the light-emitting module 110. The manufacturer can notify the terminal device 30 of the light source information or send it to the lighting device 10. Furthermore, the presence of the defective light source 115 and the normal light source 114, as indicated by the light source information, includes the position coordinates of the defective light source 115 and the normal light source 114 among the multiple light-emitting elements 111 arranged in a two-dimensional pattern. That is, the light source information includes the position coordinates of the defective light source 115 and the normal light source 114.

[0050] The control unit 123 is implemented, for example, by an LSI (Large Scale Integration) which is an integrated circuit (IC). Furthermore, the integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI; it can also be a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. In this embodiment, the control unit 123 is a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes, for example, non-volatile memory storing a program, volatile memory serving as a temporary storage area for executing the program, input / output ports, and a processor for executing the program. Alternatively, the control unit 123 can also be a programmable FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or a reconfigurable processor capable of reconfiguring the connections and settings of the circuit units within the LSI. The functions performed by the first processing unit 22 can be implemented in software or in hardware.

[0051] The control unit 123 controls a plurality of light-emitting elements 111 arranged in two dimensions by outputting control signals based on control instructions to the drive unit 121. The control unit 123 individually controls each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111, causing light, which is the object of light, to be emitted from the light-emitting module 110. Specifically, based on the control instructions received from the communication unit 122, the control unit 123 determines one or more light-emitting elements 111 to be driven and determines the luminous intensity of each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111. The control unit 123 generates control signals based on the luminous intensity for each of the determined multiple light-emitting elements 111. The control unit 123 outputs control signals to the drive unit 121 to illuminate the determined multiple light-emitting elements 111. The drive unit 121 individually drives the multiple light-emitting elements 111 according to the received control signals. That is, the drive unit 121 supplies current to one or more light-emitting elements 111 indicated by the control signals to illuminate them, and does not supply current to the remaining light-emitting elements 111 indicated by the control signals to extinguish them. One or more light-emitting elements 111, determined by the control unit 123, are illuminated. Light emanating from the light-emitting module 110 and transmitted through the projection lens 120 as point illumination light is then projected onto the object to be illuminated by the point illumination light from the illumination device 10, thereby enabling the light object to be imaged onto the object to be illuminated. In other words, the light object illuminated by the point illumination light is projected onto the object to be illuminated.

[0052] Control instructions are input by the user to the input unit in order to project a desired light object onto the object being illuminated. Examples of control instructions include those for projecting a handwritten drawing onto the object being illuminated, and those for the user to select lighting control data stored in the storage unit 124 and project the selected lighting control data onto the object being illuminated as a light object.

[0053] The control unit 123 can control the periodic changes in the shape, luminous intensity, hue (e.g., color temperature), pattern, position, and size of the light object. That is, the control unit 123 can project both still image light objects and moving image light objects onto the illuminated object. Therefore, the control unit 123 can display the light object on the illuminated object in a manner that dynamically changes its shape, luminous intensity, hue, pattern, position, and size. In other words, in this embodiment, not only still image presentations but also moving image presentations are possible.

[0054] Here, if all the light-emitting elements contained in the light-emitting module are normal light sources that can be lit normally, then as follows: Figure 2 As shown in (a), when characters such as “503” and symbols representing right arrows are represented by multiple light-emitting elements, the multiple light-emitting elements emit light uniformly when observed, and appear vivid.

[0055] However, among the multiple light-emitting elements 111 included in the light-emitting module 110, there are sometimes defective light sources 115, such as elements that cannot emit light or light emission levels that are below the rated value relative to the supplied current. In this case, the defective light source 115 cannot be lit normally, so when observing the lit light-emitting module 110, this part appears darker.

[0056] For example, in the case of representing characters such as "503" and symbols indicating a right arrow using multiple light-emitting elements 111, such as Figure 2 As shown in (b), the white, defective light source 115 is diffused without being illuminated, thus causing unevenness in the two-dimensional arrangement of multiple light-emitting elements 111, much like defective pixels. In this case, when observing the light-emitting surface of the illumination device 10, uneven brightness is generated on the light-emitting surface. In addition, the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also appears darker.

[0057] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 123 can control the lighting pattern of the normal light source 114 that exists around the defective light source 115 based on the light source information obtained from the communication unit 122, so that the presence of the defective light source 115 is not conspicuous.

[0058] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown in (a), the control unit 123 can, based on light source information, make the luminous intensity of one or more normal light sources 114 present around the defective light source 115 higher than the luminous intensity of normal light sources 114 not present around the defective light source 115. Specifically, when the defective light source 115 is included among the more than one light-emitting elements 111 illuminated based on control instructions and light source information, the control unit 123 can also control the illumination mode to make the luminous intensity of the first normal light source 114a higher than the luminous intensity of the second normal light source 114b. The first normal light source 114a is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is illuminated based on control instructions. The second normal light source 114b is a normal light source 114 not adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is illuminated based on control instructions. A normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 refers to a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 in both the row and column directions.

[0059] When the luminous intensity of the first normal light source 114a is higher than that of the second normal light source 114b, the control unit 123 may increase the luminous intensity of the first normal light source 114a without changing the luminous intensity of the second normal light source 114b. Alternatively, the control unit 123 may increase the luminous intensity of the first normal light source 114a and decrease the luminous intensity of the second normal light source 114b. Alternatively, the control unit 123 may decrease the luminous intensity of the second normal light source 114b without changing the luminous intensity of the first normal light source 114a.

[0060] In this way, by making the luminous intensity of the normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 higher than the luminous intensity of the normal light source 114 that is not adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is lit based on a control instruction, the amount of light originally emitted from the defective light source 115 can be compensated for. In other words, by making the normal light sources 114 around the defective light source 115 emit bright light, the presence of the defective light source 115 can be made inconspicuous when observing the luminous surface of the lit illumination device 10. In addition, for the light object displayed on the illuminated object, the portion corresponding to the defective light source 115 can also be made inconspicuous.

[0061] For example, the control unit 123 can also, based on light source information, make the color of the light emitted by one or more normal light sources 114 present around the defective light source 115 different from the color of the light emitted by normal light sources 114 not present around the defective light source 115. Specifically, when the defective light source 115 is included in one or more light-emitting elements 111 that are lit based on control instructions and light source information, the control unit 123 can also control the lighting mode in a way that makes the color of the light emitted by the first normal light source 114a different from the color of the light emitted by the second normal light source 114b. The first normal light source 114a is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is a normal light source 114 lit based on control instructions, while the second normal light source 114b is a normal light source 114 not adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is a normal light source 114 lit based on control instructions.

[0062] The control unit 123 can also change the color (e.g., color temperature) of the light emitted by the first normal light source 114a, which is adjacent to the defective light source 115, for the second normal light source 114b that is lit based on the control instruction. At this time, the light emitted by the first normal light source 114a and the light emitted by the second normal light source 114b are mixed and the color changes, so when observing the light-emitting surface of the lit illumination device 10, the presence of the defective light source 115 can be made inconspicuous. In addition, for the light object displayed on the illuminated object, the part corresponding to the defective light source 115 can also be made inconspicuous.

[0063] For example, such as Figure 3As shown in (b), when the control unit 123 illuminates one or more light-emitting elements 111 that include the defective light source 115 based on the control instruction and light source information, it can also rewrite the control instruction to illuminate the third normal light source 114c, so that the third normal light source 114c is illuminated. The third normal light source 114c is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115, and is a normal light source 114 that is not illuminated based on the control instruction.

[0064] In this way, by illuminating the third normal light source 114c, which is normally not lit based on the control instruction, the presence of the defective light source 115 can be made inconspicuous when observing the luminous surface of the illuminated lighting device 10. Furthermore, for light objects displayed on the illuminated object, the portion corresponding to the defective light source 115 can also be made inconspicuous.

[0065] like Figure 1 As shown, the storage unit 124 is a storage device for computer programs, etc., executed by the storage control unit 123. The storage unit 124 is implemented, for example, by a semiconductor memory.

[0066] The storage unit 124 stores lighting control data for projecting light objects with set illumination patterns onto the illuminated objects. The lighting control data includes preset data and user-set data.

[0067] The power supply unit 125 supplies power for operation to the control unit 123 and the light-emitting module 110. The power supply unit 125 may have an AC-DC converter circuit, for example, which converts AC power supplied from commercial power supply into DC power and supplies the converted DC power to the control unit 123 and the light-emitting module 110.

[0068] Next, the terminal device 30, which is capable of operating the lighting device 10, will be described.

[0069] The terminal device 30 is, for example, a portable terminal such as a smartphone or tablet. In this embodiment, the terminal device 30 is a tablet. Alternatively, the terminal device 30 may also be a device fixed to a wall, or a desktop or laptop personal computer.

[0070] The terminal device 30 allows for operation input to control the control unit 123 of the lighting device 10. By inputting operations into the terminal device 30, the user can operate on a predetermined object illuminated by the lighting device 10.

[0071] The terminal device 30 can accept operational inputs for controlling the illumination pattern. Specifically, the terminal device 30 can accept operational inputs for controlling the illumination pattern of one or more light objects illuminating the irradiated object.

[0072] The terminal device 30 is capable of receiving and acquiring object data of a light object sent from an external device. Additionally, the terminal device 30 can also acquire lighting control data from a secondary storage device, such as a flash memory connected by the user. Here, the external device can be another portable terminal, another device fixed to a wall, or another personal computer.

[0073] <Action Example 1> Next, refer to Figure 4 Example 1 of the operation of the lighting device 10 will be explained.

[0074] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the lighting system 1 when a user sets the illumination pattern of a light object using the terminal device 30.

[0075] First, such as Figure 4 As shown, the control unit 123 acquires light source information indicating the presence of a defective light source 115 and a normal light source 114 that can be lit normally (S11). Furthermore, in this example, it is assumed that the light source information includes the defective light source 115.

[0076] Next, based on the acquired light source information, the control unit 123 increases the luminous intensity of one or more normal light sources 114 present around the defective light source 115 (S12). In other words, based on the acquired light source information, the control unit 123 makes the luminous intensity of one or more normal light sources 114 present around the defective light source 115 higher than the luminous intensity of normal light sources 114 not present around the defective light source 115.

[0077] For example, (1) the control unit 123 can control the lighting mode so that the luminous intensity of the first normal light source 114a is higher than that of the second normal light source 114b. The first normal light source 114a is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is lit based on the control instruction. The second normal light source 114b is a normal light source 114 not adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is lit based on the control instruction.

[0078] In another example, (2) the control unit 123 can also control the lighting mode in such a way that the color of the light emitted by the first normal light source 114a is different from the color of the light emitted by the second normal light source 114b. The first normal light source 114a is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is lit based on the control instruction. The second normal light source 114b is a normal light source 114 not adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is lit based on the control instruction.

[0079] In another example, (3) the control unit 123 can also rewrite the control instruction in a way that makes the third normal light source 114c light up, so that the third normal light source 114c is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115, and is not lit based on the control instruction.

[0080] Furthermore, the control unit 123 can also select any one of (1) to (3) above. For example, by having the user input an operation via the terminal device 30, the control unit 123 can selectively switch between (1) and (3) above according to the operation input.

[0081] Then, the lighting device 10 ends. Figure 4 The flowchart.

[0082] Therefore, the amount of light emitted by the second normal light source 114b and the third normal light source 114c can supplement the amount of light originally emitted by the defective light source 115. As a result, when a user observes the emitting surface of the illuminated lighting device 10, the portion corresponding to the defective light source 115 becomes less noticeable. In addition, the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes less noticeable.

[0083] <Effects> The effects of the lighting control device, lighting device 10, lighting control method, and program of this embodiment will be explained below.

[0084] As described above, the lighting control device of the present embodiment 1 includes: a control unit 123 for controlling a plurality of light sources (light-emitting elements 111) arranged in two dimensions; and an acquisition unit for acquiring light source information, which indicates the presence of a defective light source 115 and a normal light source 114 that can be lit normally among the plurality of light sources (light-emitting elements 111). Based on the light source information, the control unit 123 controls the lighting mode of the normal light source 114 that exists around the defective light source 115 so that the presence of the defective light source 115 is not conspicuous.

[0085] Therefore, by controlling the lighting state of the normal light source 114 surrounding the defective light source 115 by the control unit 123, the presence of the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous when the user observes the luminous surface of the lit lighting device 10.

[0086] Therefore, according to this disclosure, even if there is a defective light source 115 in the lighting device 10, it is possible to suppress the unevenness of the brightness of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device 10 and the unevenness of the brightness of the light object displayed on the irradiated object.

[0087] As a result, the desired light object can be displayed on the illuminated object. Furthermore, when observing the luminous surface of the illuminated device 10, the portion corresponding to the defective light source 115 becomes less noticeable, reducing the likelihood of a sense of disharmony for the user. Additionally, the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes less noticeable, thus reducing the likelihood of a sense of disharmony for the user.

[0088] Furthermore, the lighting control device of Technology 2 in this embodiment is the lighting control device described in Technology 1. In this case, the control unit 123, based on the light source information, makes the luminous intensity of one or more normal light sources 114 present around the defective light source 115 higher than the luminous intensity of normal light sources 114 not present around the defective light source 115.

[0089] Therefore, the control unit 123 causes the normal light source 114 surrounding the defective light source 115 to emit bright light. Thus, even if the defective light source 115 exists in the lighting device 10, the light emitted by the normal light source 114 surrounding the defective light source 115 can supplement the light amount equivalent to that of the defective light source 115. Therefore, uneven brightness of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device 10 and uneven brightness of the light object displayed on the illuminated object can be suppressed. As a result, when the user observes the light-emitting surface of the illuminated lighting device 10, the presence of the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous, and the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes inconspicuous.

[0090] Furthermore, the lighting control device of Technology 3 in this embodiment is the lighting control device described in Technology 2. In this case, when the control unit 123 illuminates one or more light sources (light-emitting elements 111) including a defective light source 115 based on control instructions that control the light emission patterns of multiple light sources (light-emitting elements 111) and light source information, the lighting mode is controlled such that the light emission intensity of the first normal light source 114a is higher than that of the second normal light source 114b. The first normal light source 114a is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is a normal light source 114 illuminated based on the control instructions. The second normal light source 114b is a normal light source 114 not adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is a normal light source 114 illuminated based on the control instructions.

[0091] Therefore, the control unit 123 causes the first normal light source 114a adjacent to the defective light source 115 to emit light brighter than the second normal light source 114b not adjacent to the defective light source 115. Thus, even if the defective light source 115 exists in the lighting device 10, the light emitted by the first normal light source 114a adjacent to the defective light source 115 can supplement the light amount equivalent to that of the defective light source 115. Therefore, uneven brightness of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device 10 and uneven brightness of the light object displayed on the illuminated object can be suppressed. As a result, when the user observes the light-emitting surface of the illuminated lighting device 10, the presence of the defective light source 115 becomes less noticeable, and the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes less noticeable.

[0092] Furthermore, the lighting control device of Technology 4 in this embodiment is the lighting control device described in Technology 1. In this case, when the control unit 123 illuminates one or more light sources (light-emitting elements 111) including a defective light source 115 based on the control instruction that controls the light emission pattern of multiple light sources (light-emitting elements 111) and the light source information, it rewrites the control instruction to illuminate the third normal light source 114c, thereby illuminating the third normal light source 114c. The third normal light source 114c is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115, and is a normal light source 114 that is not illuminated based on the control instruction.

[0093] Therefore, the control unit 123 rewrites the method to illuminate the normally unlit third normal light source 114c, thus enabling the control unit 123 to make the third normal light source 114c adjacent to the defective light source 115 emit light. Even if the defective light source 115 exists in the lighting device 10, the light emitted by the third normal light source 114c adjacent to the defective light source 115 can supplement the light amount equivalent to that of the defective light source 115. Therefore, uneven brightness of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device 10 and uneven brightness of the light object displayed on the illuminated object can be suppressed. As a result, when the user observes the light-emitting surface of the illuminated lighting device 10, the presence of the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous, and the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes inconspicuous.

[0094] Furthermore, the lighting control device of Technology 5 in this embodiment is the lighting control device described in Technology 1. In this case, the control unit 123, based on the light source information, makes the color of the light emitted by one or more normal light sources 114 present around the defective light source 115 different from the color of the light emitted by the normal light sources 114 not present around the defective light source 115.

[0095] Therefore, the control unit 123 can emit light of a different color than the normal light source 114 present around the defective light source 115. Even if the defective light source 115 exists in the lighting device 10, the area corresponding to the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous because the light emitted by the normal light source 114 present around the defective light source 115 is mixed. Therefore, when the user observes the emitting surface of the lit lighting device 10, the presence of the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous, and the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes inconspicuous.

[0096] Furthermore, the lighting control device of Technology 6 in this embodiment is the lighting control device described in Technology 5. In this case, when the control unit 123 illuminates one or more light sources (light-emitting elements 111) including a defective light source 115 based on control instructions and light source information that control the light emission patterns of multiple light sources (light-emitting elements 111), the lighting mode is controlled in such a way that the color of the light emitted by the first normal light source 114a is different from the color of the light emitted by the second normal light source 114b. The first normal light source 114a is a normal light source 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is a normal light source 114 illuminated based on the control instructions. The second normal light source 114b is a normal light source 114 not adjacent to the defective light source 115 and is a normal light source 114 illuminated based on the control instructions.

[0097] Therefore, the control unit 123 can make the light emitted by the normal light source 114 surrounding the defective light source 115 emit light of a different color. Even if the defective light source 115 exists in the lighting device 10, the area corresponding to the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous because the light emitted by the first normal light source 114a adjacent to the defective light source 115 and the light emitted by the second normal light source 114b near the first normal light source 114a are mixed. Therefore, when the user observes the luminous surface of the lit lighting device 10, the presence of the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous, and the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes inconspicuous.

[0098] In addition, the lighting device 10 of technology 7 in this embodiment includes the lighting control device described in any one of technology 1 to 6, a plurality of light sources (light-emitting elements 111) arranged in two dimensions, and a lens for projecting the light emitted by the plurality of light sources (light-emitting elements 111).

[0099] As a result, the light emitted by the normal light source 114 is mixed when passing through the lens, thus the area corresponding to the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous. Therefore, when the user observes the emitting surface of the illuminated lighting device 10, the presence of the defective light source 115 becomes inconspicuous, and the portion of the light object displayed on the illuminated object corresponding to the defective light source 115 also becomes inconspicuous.

[0100] Furthermore, the lighting control device of technology 8 in this embodiment is the lighting control device described in technology 7. In this case, a lens (projection lens 120) group is provided, which has a low resolution to the extent that it cannot distinguish the smallest unit of the pixel represented by the light source.

[0101] Therefore, given the limitations of the image correction mechanism that controls the illumination pattern of the normal light source 114 as described above, by deliberately setting the focus of the projection lens group 120 in a blurred direction, it is expected that the appearance of the light-emitting light source can be softened to the point that the presence of the defective light source 115 is not noticeable.

[0102] Furthermore, the lighting control method of technique 9 in this embodiment includes: a control unit 123 controlling a plurality of light sources (light-emitting elements 111) arranged in two dimensions; an acquisition unit acquiring light source information indicating the presence of a defective light source 115 and a normal light source 114 that can be lit normally among the plurality of light sources (light-emitting elements 111); and the control unit 123 controlling the lighting pattern of the normal light source 114 present around the defective light source 115 based on the light source information, so that the presence of the defective light source 115 is not conspicuous.

[0103] This lighting control method also achieves the same effect as described above.

[0104] Furthermore, the program of technique 10 in this embodiment is a program that enables a computer to execute the lighting control method described in technique 9.

[0105] In this program, it also plays the same role and effect as described above.

[0106] (Other variations) The lighting control device, lighting apparatus, lighting control method, and procedure of this disclosure have been described above based on the aforementioned embodiments, but this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. Various modifications to the embodiments that can be conceived by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this disclosure may also be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0107] The following uses Figures 5-9 The structure of the lighting device 200 in the first modified embodiment will be described.

[0108] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of the lighting device 200 in other variations. Figure 5 (a) represents a bottom view of the lighting device 200. Figure 5 (b) represents a top view of the lighting device 200. Figure 5 (c) represents the front view of the lighting device 200. Figure 5 (d) indicates the rear view of the lighting device 200. Figure 6 This is a schematic side view of the lighting device 200 in other variations. Figure 6 (a) represents the left-side view of the lighting device 200. Figure 6 (b) represents the right-side view of the lighting device 200.

[0109] Figure 7 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the lighting device 200 of other variations. Figure 7 (a) represents an enlarged front view of the lighting device 200. Figure 7 (b) represents an enlarged rear view of the lighting device 200. Figure 8 This is an enlarged schematic perspective view of the lighting device 200 of other variations. Figure 8 (a) represents an enlarged front perspective view of the lighting device 200. Figure 8 (b) represents an enlarged rear perspective view of the lighting device 200. Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lighting device 200 in other variations. Figure 9 It is along Figure 5 (c) A cross-sectional view of the lighting device 200 when the AA line is cut off.

[0110] The lighting device 200 is configured such that a lamp body 206 is supported on a support platform 202 via an arm 201. The support platform 202 is box-shaped and houses a power circuit board or a communication board inside. Multiple horizontal ribs 203 are formed parallel to each of the four sides of the support platform 202. These horizontal ribs 203 are designed to dissipate heat generated by the power circuit board and the communication board to the outside.

[0111] The rear end of the lamp body 206 is supported on the support platform 202 via the arm 201. The lamp body 206 is configured to be able to pivot vertically using the connection point with the arm 201 as a fulcrum. Figure 5 (c) tilts and rotates in the up and down direction.

[0112] For ease of assembly, the cylinder 204 included in the lamp body 206 is assembled by engaging or screwing in the first cylinder 204a at the front and the second cylinder 204b at the rear. In addition, considering internal cleaning and maintenance, the cylinder 204 is configured such that the first cylinder 204a and the second cylinder 204b can be detached from each other.

[0113] Since it is necessary to dissipate the heat generated by the LED element group (corresponding to the light-emitting element 111 in the embodiment) disposed inside the lamp body 206 to the outside, a plurality of air flow holes 207 are provided on the front surface of the lamp body 206 in the illumination direction to allow external air to flow in. Here, the plurality of air flow holes 207 are formed below the lens 205 (corresponding to the projection lens 120 in the embodiment). The air flowing in from these plurality of air flow holes 207 passes through the internal space of the lamp body 206 and is discharged together with the hot air inside the lamp body 206 through a plurality of external air holes 208 provided on the back side of the lamp body 206. In this way, the air flow holes 207 and the external air holes 208 help to dissipate the heat generated inside the lamp body 206 to the outside.

[0114] Furthermore, the external air flowing in from the multiple air vents 207 may not necessarily be directly discharged from the multiple external air vents 208, but compared to the case where the multiple air vents 207 are not provided at all, an air cooling effect can be expected. The air vents 207 can be formed as a plane horizontal to the optical axis of the lens 205 and have a multi-step shape. As another example, they can also be arranged radially on the outer surface of the illumination front surface of the illumination device 200 with the optical axis of the lens as the center.

[0115] Furthermore, the shape of the airflow hole 207 is not limited to a straight line; it can also be a dot-shaped hole or a wavy line. Additionally, as another type of wavy line, the shape of the airflow hole 207 can also be a serrated shape. Regarding the shape of the airflow hole 207, the larger the heat dissipation of the various circuit boards built into the lamp body 206, the wider it opens; however, it can also be designed to be narrow enough to prevent insects or dust from entering from the outside, and its size and shape can be appropriately selected.

[0116] Next, use Figures 10-13 The structure of another lighting device 200a in other variations will be described.

[0117] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of another lighting device 200a, which is a variation of another example. Figure 10 (a) represents the front view of the lighting device 200a. Figure 10 (b) represents an enlarged front view of the lighting device 200a. Figure 11 This is a schematic perspective view of another lighting device 200a, which is a variation of another example. Figure 12 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of another lighting device 200a, which is a variation of another example. Figure 12 It is along Figure 10 (a) A cross-sectional view of the lighting device 200a when the BB line is cut off. Figure 13 These are additional schematic sectional views of other variations of the lighting device. Figure 13 It is along Figure 10 (a) A cross-sectional view of the lighting device 200a when the CC line is cut off.

[0118] Another lighting device 200a in other variations has the same structure as the lighting device 200 in other variations, except that the lamp body 206 does not have multiple air passages 207. Therefore, the description of the lighting device 200a is omitted here.

[0119] In addition, as another variation, the following method is also considered: not only employing the image correction mechanism described above, but also intentionally blurring the projection lens 120 group to make the presence of the defective light source 115 difficult to visually identify. That is, it is considered that as long as the light emitted by one or more normal light sources 114 adjacent to the defective light source 115 is so strong that the presence of the defective light source 115 cannot be detected. In this case, if the lighting device 200 is equipped with a projection lens 120 group that has a low resolution to the point that it cannot distinguish the smallest unit of pixels represented by light sources such as normal light sources 114 and defective light sources 115, then by blurring the projection lens 120 group, it is possible to intentionally create slightly blurred light to the point that the presence of the defective light source 115 cannot be detected while ensuring adequate visual discernibility. In this way, given the limitations of the image correction mechanism described above, by intentionally setting the focus of the projection lens 120 group to be blurred, it is expected to soften the appearance of the luminous lighting devices 10, 200, 200a to the point that the presence of the defective light source 115 cannot be detected. Here, given the difficulty in achieving undetectable presence of the defective light source 115 at any illumination distance, it is possible to limit the illumination distance to a specified range and, in addition to employing the aforementioned image correction mechanism, intentionally generate lens blur. For example, a distance measuring sensor can be set up to measure the distance to the illuminated object. Based on the distance to the illuminated object shown by the distance measuring sensor, the intensity of the lens blur can be automatically adjusted. If the adjustment is still insufficient, control can be set to adjust the luminous intensity and hue of the light emitted by one or more normal light sources 114.

[0120] For example, in the lighting control device, lighting apparatus, lighting control method, and program described in the above embodiments, the division of functional blocks in the block diagram is one example. Multiple functional blocks can also be implemented as a single functional block, or a single functional block can be divided into multiple functional blocks, or some functions can be transferred to other functional blocks. Furthermore, the functions of multiple functional blocks with similar functionalities can be processed in parallel or in a time-sharing manner by a single piece of hardware or software.

[0121] Furthermore, the order of the steps in the execution flowchart is illustrative for the purpose of explaining this disclosure, and may be in a different order than described above. Additionally, some of the steps described above may be executed simultaneously (in parallel) with other steps.

[0122] Furthermore, this disclosure also includes various modifications that can be conceived by those skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments, and methods that can be implemented by arbitrarily combining the constituent elements and functions in the embodiments without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0123] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 10, 200, 200a lighting device 122 Communications Department (Acquisition Department) 123 Control Department 111 Light-emitting element 114 Normal light source 114a First Normal Light Source 114b Second Normal Light Source 114c Third Normal Light Source 115 Defective Light Source 120 Projection Lens (Lens)

Claims

1. A lighting control device, wherein, have: The control unit controls multiple light sources arranged in a two-dimensional pattern; and The acquisition unit acquires light source information, which indicates the presence of defective light sources and normal light sources that can be lit normally among the plurality of light sources. Based on the light source information, the control unit controls the lighting pattern of the normal light sources surrounding the defective light source so that the presence of the defective light source is inconspicuous.

2. The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein, Based on the light source information, the control unit makes the luminous intensity of one or more normal light sources present around the defective light source higher than the luminous intensity of normal light sources not present around the defective light source.

3. The lighting control device according to claim 2, wherein, When the control unit illuminates one or more of the light sources, including the defective light source, based on control instructions that control the light emission patterns of the multiple light sources and the light source information, the control unit controls the illumination pattern in such a way that the light emission intensity of the first normal light source is higher than that of the second normal light source. The first normal light source is a normal light source adjacent to the defective light source and is illuminated based on the control instructions. The second normal light source is a normal light source not adjacent to the defective light source and is also illuminated based on the control instructions.

4. The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein, When the defective light source is among one or more light sources illuminated based on control instructions that control the emission patterns of the multiple light sources and the light source information, the control unit rewrites the control instructions to illuminate a third normal light source, thereby illuminating the third normal light source, which is a normal light source adjacent to the defective light source and is a normal light source that is not illuminated based on the control instructions.

5. The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein, Based on the light source information, the control unit makes the color of the light emitted by one or more normal light sources present around the defective light source different from the color of the light emitted by normal light sources not present around the defective light source.

6. The lighting control device according to claim 5, wherein, When the control unit illuminates one or more of the light sources, including the defective light source, based on control instructions that control the light emission patterns of the multiple light sources and the light source information, the control unit controls the illumination pattern in such a way that the color of the light emitted by the first normal light source is different from the color of the light emitted by the second normal light source. The first normal light source is a normal light source adjacent to the defective light source and is illuminated based on the control instructions. The second normal light source is a normal light source not adjacent to the defective light source and is also illuminated based on the control instructions.

7. A lighting device, wherein, have: The lighting control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6; Multiple light sources arranged in a two-dimensional pattern; and A lens that projects light emitted from multiple said light sources.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein, It has a lens group that has a low resolution to the extent that it cannot distinguish the smallest unit of the pixel represented by the light source.

9. A lighting control method, wherein, include: The control unit controls multiple light sources arranged in a two-dimensional pattern; The acquisition unit acquires light source information, which indicates the presence of defective light sources (those with defective pixels) and normal light sources that can be lit normally among a plurality of said light sources; and Based on the light source information, the control unit controls the lighting pattern of the normal light sources surrounding the defective light source so that the presence of the defective light source is inconspicuous.

10. A program that enables a computer to execute the lighting control method of claim 9.

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