Generating coordinated lighting scenes

Abstract

A method for creating coordinated lighting scenes in a lighting system is described. The lighting system comprises one or more first buses and a plurality of lighting devices, each of the plurality of lighting devices being connected to one of the one or more first buses. The method comprises the steps of obtaining information for a plurality of frames, obtaining information on an association of respective ones of the plurality of lighting devices to a plurality of zones, determining for each zone a set of delay values based on the plurality of frames, and generating for each zone a set of messages based on the respective set of delay values, wherein each set of messages is for transmission via a respective one of the one or more first buses and comprises information for at least one of the lighting devices of the respective zone. Further, a corresponding bus system is described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a lighting scene for controlling lighting devices connected to a bus system. Specifically, this application relates to generating a coordinated lighting scene that allows for the uninterrupted display of light information on multiple lighting devices. In the context of this invention, the light information may include turning on the lighting devices for lighting purposes, or using the lighting devices to visualize lighting effects or images. Background Technology

[0002] Although the present invention is not limited to applications in interior vehicle lighting, several aspects of the fundamental issues can be readily explained for this type of application.

[0003] In general, interior vehicle lighting provides three aspects of illumination: (i) general illumination (e.g., providing light for reading), (ii) design purpose lighting (e.g., display lighting to make the vehicle interior more visually appealing), and (iii) signaling of information (e.g., generating optical warnings to attract the driver's attention). To achieve these three aspects, multiple lighting devices are typically distributed throughout the vehicle interior, including those located on the ceiling of the passenger compartment, on the center console, and along the edges of functional elements (e.g., cabin pillars, doors) or design elements (e.g., interior trim). As can be seen, the distributed lighting devices are separated by mechanical barriers. This separation needs to be considered when controlling the lighting devices, especially when they are used for displaying design or signaling information.

[0004] Furthermore, the lighting devices in a distributed network may not all be of the same type and / or may be connected to different bus systems used to control their lighting. For example, different bus systems may be used to connect and control lighting devices in different areas of a vehicle. Controlling multiple lighting devices is cumbersome due to the mechanical barriers separating them. Moreover, different bus systems may have different electrical characteristics (e.g., operating voltages), which may, for example, cause lighting devices associated with different bus systems to respond differently to received messages, or cause messages to take different time to process on different bus systems.

[0005] Specifically, there is a need in the art to achieve coordinated lighting across multiple lighting devices. This is particularly important when lighting needs to be displayed on multiple lighting devices connected to different buses or located in different locations. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention is defined by the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims. Terms such as "may" and "for example," used in conjunction with features of the independent claims in the specification, should not be construed as meaning that those features are merely optional.

[0007] The above needs to be addressed by a method for creating a coordinated lighting scene in a lighting system. In the context of this invention, a coordinated lighting scene defines a lighting scene in which multiple lighting devices cooperate to create a related light image. The related light image created by the coordinated lighting scene can be used for illumination, for creating visually appealing lighting, or for signaling information. For example, lighting devices at specific locations can flash, blink, or be illuminated in a specific color. Furthermore, illumination can begin at a specific location and transition to another location by sequentially illuminating adjacent lighting devices, thereby creating the impression that light "moves" from one location to another.

[0008] A lighting system in which the method according to the invention can be practiced includes one or more first buses and a plurality of lighting devices, each of which is connected to one of the one or more first buses. The first buses may be bidirectional, meaning that control information can be transmitted to the lighting devices via one of the first buses, and additionally, the lighting devices may be configured to transmit diagnostic information via a corresponding bus. Further, the one or more first buses may be proprietary buses. The one or more first buses may have high bandwidth. In some embodiments, all lighting devices may be connected to the same first bus, while in other embodiments, some of the lighting devices may be connected to a first first bus of the one or more first buses, and some of the other lighting devices may be connected to a second first bus of the one or more first buses.

[0009] As used for the purposes of this disclosure, the term "lighting device" refers to a device capable of emitting light. For example, a lighting device may include a light controller and one or more light-emitting elements. The light controller may be a device configured to control one or more light-emitting elements. The light controller may control the light emission of the light-emitting elements based on a color gamut diagram. Control can be performed by transmitting color and / or brightness information to one or more light-emitting elements. The transmission of color and / or brightness information can be achieved by connecting the light controller and one or more light-emitting devices to each other, for example, by convenient means such as placing the components on a common circuit board, encapsulating them in an element including a lead frame and encapsulation material, or connecting the components to a dedicated bus (which may be different from the first bus). The light-emitting element may, for example, be a light-emitting diode (LED). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this structure of the lighting device is described for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the scope of this disclosure. Rather, various other structures of lighting devices may be used.

[0010] Multiple lighting devices can be associated with multiple zones. According to the invention, a zone represents a spatial location in which a portion of multiple lighting devices can be arranged. A zone can be a one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional spatial object. For example, a portion of multiple lighting devices can be arranged as a line, which would represent a one-dimensional object. In another example, a portion of multiple lighting devices can be arranged on a plane or surface, each of which would represent a two-dimensional object. Thus, a portion of multiple lighting devices can form a grid or array. Furthermore, a portion of multiple lighting devices can form a series of branching lines, which would represent a two-dimensional object. In another example, a portion of multiple lighting devices can be arranged in a volume (e.g., a three-dimensional grid or array), which would represent a three-dimensional spatial object in the sense of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that an object referred to as a one-dimensional spatial object can be curved, thus producing a two-dimensional shape, but still representing a line lighting device without branches, and therefore will be a one-dimensional object according to the terminology used herein. Similarly, when referring to a zone, the surface does not need to be flat, but can represent a curved object. Zones can be used to divide real-world objects (such as the interior of a vehicle) into multiple smaller segments. These smaller segments can be application-specific (e.g., in a notification scenario, a real-world object can be divided into sections based on where the notification should occur (e.g., to notify an obstacle near a vehicle, such as a windshield or a portion of a windshield), or they can be based on the geometry or shape of the real-world object. For example, the pillars of a vehicle can divide the interior of the vehicle into multiple sections, so that each door can represent a single section. Furthermore, the door itself can be divided into multiple sections, such as sections for windows, sections for the edges of the door, and / or sections for control elements located at the door, and so on.

[0011] The method according to the invention can be executed by a control unit. In some embodiments, the control unit may be integrated into a gateway connected to multiple lighting devices via one or more first buses, or integrated into a first lighting device among multiple lighting devices. For example, a gateway may be used when multiple lighting devices are connected to different buses, such that the gateway can provide an interface between the different buses, as will be described in more detail below.

[0012] According to the present invention, the method includes obtaining information for a plurality of frames. Obtaining may include receiving information from another device. The other device may be connected to the component performing the method (e.g., a control unit, gateway, or a first lighting device among a plurality of lighting devices, as mentioned above) via one or more second buses. The plurality of frames may correspond to a series of information to be displayed. The information to be displayed may include a series of images or lighting aspects, etc.

[0013] Furthermore, the method includes obtaining information about the association between a given lighting device and multiple zones. Based on the information about the association between the lighting devices and the corresponding zones, as well as information about multiple frames, parameters required to create the desired lighting scene can be determined. Thus, information about the frames can be spatially distributed across multiple zones to create the lighting scene.

[0014] Furthermore, the method includes determining a set of delay values ​​for each zone based on multiple frames, and generating a message set for each zone based on the corresponding delay value set, wherein each message set is used for transmission via one or more first buses and includes information about at least one lighting device among the lighting devices in the corresponding zone. The delay value set defines the delay between subsequent messages to be sent to the corresponding zone. Thus, the lighting devices associated with each zone are addressed using the corresponding message set, where each message in the corresponding message set includes information for controlling the lighting devices associated with the corresponding zone. In some cases, when the information to be displayed changes simultaneously for each zone, the delay values ​​for each zone can be equal; in other cases, when the information to be displayed changes faster in the first zone than in the second zone, the delay value associated with the first zone can be shorter than the delay value associated with the second zone. By selecting appropriate delay values ​​for the message sets for each zone, it can be ensured that the information is displayed correctly, especially when the information to be displayed is changing rapidly.

[0015] The latency value can be determined based on the total runtime of the lighting scene. The message set can be determined for each zone based on the association of the lighting devices to multiple zones and the number of frames in the lighting scene. In some examples, the zone with the most messages can determine the timing of the message sets for multiple zones. Furthermore, if the information to be displayed changes differently in different zones, the latency value for the first zone can depend on the latency value (or the sum of latency values) of the second zone. In the example, a first zone and a second zone are defined. For each frame displayed in the first zone, two frames are displayed in the second zone. In this case, the latency between subsequent messages in the first zone is the sum of the latency values ​​associated with the two frames displayed in the second zone. If the frames in the second zone are updated at a constant rate, the latency value between every two subsequent messages in the second zone will be the same, and in this case, the latency value between two subsequent messages in the first zone will be twice the latency value associated with the first zone. Since the rate at which frames are displayed may change in some cases, the latency value for the first zone can be the sum of two unequal latency values ​​for the second zone.

[0016] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the time a message takes to travel on the bus can be taken into account in the delay value by adjusting the delay value.

[0017] Additionally or alternatively, the delay value can be associated with the periodicity of the information to be displayed in the corresponding zone. The periodicity of a zone can depend on the periodicity of another zone, for example, in the case where the light spot moves periodically between adjacent zones in a cyclical manner. In this case, the delay value determined for the first zone can depend on the delay value determined for the movement of the light spot in one or more adjacent zones. Since different zones can have different sizes and / or different numbers of lighting devices, the delay values ​​of adjacent zones can be different.

[0018] This invention improves the display of light information on multiple lighting devices by associating them with multiple zones, thereby simplifying control through a dedicated message set for each zone and delay values ​​that ensure the correct order and sequence of frames of light information to be displayed. This invention is particularly advantageous in cases where lighting devices (connected to two or more first buses) need to be controlled by a single entity (e.g., a control unit, a gateway, or one of the lighting devices used as a control unit). Since each bus can have different electrical characteristics, their behavior or response to control messages may differ. Separating the lighting devices into zones and assigning a dedicated message set to each zone based on specific delay values ​​takes into account these different characteristics.

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed below. These preferred embodiments additionally improve certain aspects of the claimed technical teachings. Unless expressly stated to the contrary, all or individual aspects of these preferred embodiments may be combined.

[0020] In some embodiments, obtaining information about the association between a particular lighting device among a plurality of lighting devices and a plurality of zones may include assigning the lighting devices among the plurality of lighting devices to the plurality of zones. Thus, an entity performing the method according to the invention (e.g., a control unit, a gateway, or a first lighting device among a plurality of lighting devices) can control which lighting device is assigned to which zone. Assignment can be based on information to be displayed, thereby enabling the performing entity to consider the specificity of the information to be displayed. This may be particularly advantageous where the method according to the invention is applied to a lighting system for multiple purposes (e.g., lighting purposes, design purposes, or signaling of information). For example, signaling of information may require zone assignment different from that for lighting purposes.

[0021] Additionally or alternatively, a set of zone assignments may be predetermined, and specific zone assignments within that set may be selected by the method. This set of zone assignments may include default zone assignments. In some preferred embodiments, obtaining information about the association of a particular illuminator among a plurality of illuminators with multiple zones may include determining whether to assign a illuminator among the plurality of illuminators to multiple zones or to select a zone assignment from a set of predetermined zone assignments. This allows the method to operate based on one or more predetermined zone assignments (which may include default zone assignments) while simultaneously allowing the method to perform assignments automatically if a specific, non-predetermined zone assignment is more appropriate. The determination may be made based on the type of lighting scene or indications added to information about the frame.

[0022] In some embodiments, obtaining information about the association of a particular lighting device among a plurality of lighting devices with a plurality of zones may include receiving information about the association. In this case, the association of a lighting device to a specific zone is not made by the entity performing the method, meaning that the entity performing the method receives information about the zone assignment. Again, the zone assignment may include predetermined zone assignments. In this case, the information about the association may be an indication of a specific zone assignment among a plurality of predetermined zone assignments.

[0023] In some embodiments, lighting devices can be associated with multiple zones based on their location. As mentioned above, location can be associated with a specific substructure, such as for vehicle applications, windshields, doors, etc.

[0024] In some embodiments, the set of delay values ​​for a given region can be stored in a configuration file associated with said region. Further, the generation of a message set for a corresponding region can be based on the corresponding configuration file. The configuration file can be received from another entity. This allows an entity performing the method according to the invention to obtain the information required to generate a message set for a corresponding region in the form of a configuration file, which can improve the efficiency of the method because the computation required by the executing entity is reduced. In other words, the configuration file configures the executing entity to generate the corresponding message set for the corresponding region.

[0025] In some embodiments, a delay value may represent the delay between consecutive messages in a given message set, the delay before the first message in the given message set, and / or the delay after the last message in the given message set. For example, if the message set includes a total of N messages, there may be N-1 delay values, each representing the delay between a corresponding message in the message set (starting with the second message) and its preceding message in the same message set. In another example, the message set may include a total of N messages, and there may be N delay values. In this example, the first N-1 delay values ​​may represent the delay between a corresponding message in the message set (starting with the second message) and its preceding message in the same message set, and the Nth delay value may represent the delay between the Nth message in the message set and the first message of another message set. Further, in some examples, different zones may have different start times at which the lighting scene should begin. In such cases, the delay before the first message of a zone may interpret the start time of that zone, which may differ from the start time of another zone.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method may include storing message sets at a control unit or a gateway. For example, the control unit may be configured to perform the method according to the invention. In some cases, the control unit may be connected to the lighting device via one or more gateways (e.g., a gateway for each first bus employed). In these cases, the gateway may be configured to receive and store message sets from the control unit, thereby enabling the gateway to sequentially transmit corresponding messages via the first bus according to a delay value. In other embodiments, the gateway may be configured to perform the method according to the invention. In this case, the gateway may receive configuration information from the control unit.

[0027] In some embodiments, the delay value can be equal for each zone. Equal delay values ​​for each zone can include the following scenarios: (i) all delay values ​​are equal; (ii) zones can have different delay values, but the delay values ​​between different zones are equal at all times; or (iii) the delay value for the last message can be equal across all zones, but the delay values ​​for messages in the same message set preceding the last message can differ between different zones. In any case, the sum of delays for the message set can be equal for each zone, which allows defining a common start and end time for the lighting scene across all zones.

[0028] In some embodiments, the information included in the corresponding message set may be color and / or brightness information for a corresponding lighting device in a corresponding area. Color information can provide information about the color the lighting device should display. Similarly, brightness information can provide information about the brightness at which the lighting device should emit its light. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the type of information can depend on the type of lighting device used. For example, if the lighting device only includes monochrome LEDs, providing color information to the lighting device may not be effective because monochrome LEDs may not change their color. In such cases, only brightness information may be used, or color information may be discarded at the lighting device. Conversely, if the corresponding lighting device includes multicolor LEDs, providing both color and brightness information is preferred. However, there may be situations where providing color information may be useful when monochrome LEDs are used, such as when the lighting device includes a light controller and two or more monochrome LEDs. In this case, the light controller is enabled to control two or more monochrome LEDs differently based on the color information.

[0029] In some embodiments, each frame may include a matrix that defines a plurality of pixels for visualization displayed by one or more lighting devices. For example, each pixel of the matrix may be represented by a specific lighting device among a plurality of lighting devices; however, in some cases, a lighting device may cover more than one pixel, for example, if the lighting device includes more than one light-emitting element. Further, each entry of the matrix may be associated with the color and / or luminance of a corresponding pixel in the respective frame. In some cases, each value of the matrix may correspond to a color value or a luminance value. In some other cases, a subset of the matrix may provide values ​​for a single pixel; for example, each (2×1) set (or (1×2) set) of the matrix may represent a color value and a luminance value for a single pixel. In some other cases, matrix entries may include an indication that can be compared with a lookup table to retrieve color and luminance values.

[0030] The method may include generating the matrix based on image data or video data. Generally, the matrix may be generated based on the superposition of a matrix with image data or video data. For example, an image of the image data or video data may be selected, and the matrix may be overlaid on the image. The matrix can be considered as an array representing image information. Each matrix entry (or a subset of matrix entries as described above) may be associated with one or more pixels of the image. Matrix entries for color and / or brightness information may be set based on the color of these pixels of the image. Methods and / or electrical components capable of converting image data or video data (frame-by-frame) into matrices for controlling lighting devices are generally known in the art, which is why these principles will not be described in detail in this disclosure. Such processing may be performed by an entity performing the method according to the invention, and said entity may be configured to store the corresponding image / video data in memory, or in other cases, the entity performing the method according to the invention may be configured to receive the corresponding matrix data from another component.

[0031] The matrix can have an (n × m) dimension, where n is a first positive non-zero integer (INTEGER) value and m is a second positive non-zero integer (INTEGER) value. Some preferred embodiments include n=1, representing a series of lighting devices arranged in a line. For example, a series of m / 2 lighting devices arranged in a line can be represented by a (1 × m) matrix, where m matrix entries represent color and brightness information. In this case, a subset of each (1 × 2) entry can represent color and brightness information for the pixels to be visualized. Alternatively, the first (1 × m / 2) entries can represent color information, and the next (m / 2 + 1 × m) entries can represent the corresponding brightness information. In a further alternative, a series of m / 2 lighting devices arranged in a line can also be represented by a (2 × m / 2) matrix, where entries in the upper row represent color information for m / 2 lighting devices, and entries in the lower row represent brightness information for m / 2 lighting devices, or vice versa. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these examples are described for illustrative purposes only.

[0032] In some preferred embodiments, each message in a corresponding message set may include information associated with the color and / or brightness of each lighting device, each lighting device being associated with a corresponding area, which in turn is associated with the message set. In other words, each message in a corresponding message set may include complete information for configuring the associated area. In other preferred embodiments, each message in a corresponding message set may include information associated with the color and / or brightness of the lighting device, which is associated with a corresponding area, only if the color and / or brightness of the lighting device changes from a previous message to the current message. For example, each message in a message set may represent one frame out of multiple frames. Then, a message may include the color and / or brightness information of the lighting device for the corresponding area only if the color and / or brightness value of a particular lighting device for the corresponding area changes from one frame to a subsequent frame. In this case, the lighting device associated with the corresponding area may be set to on / off using a first message and maintain this state until a message changing the state is received.

[0033] Whether to always send the complete set of information, or only send information when the information changes from one message to a subsequent message, can depend on the type of application. In some cases, always sending the complete set of information may be more reliable, while in others, updating only the changing value can reduce overhead because less information is transmitted and / or evaluated.

[0034] The aforementioned needs are further addressed by a bus system according to the invention for creating coordinated lighting scenes. The bus system includes a first bus, a plurality of lighting devices connected to the first bus, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to perform the methods described above. As mentioned above, the control unit can be integrated into another component, such as a gateway or a lighting device connected to the first bus.

[0035] In some preferred embodiments, the bus system may include one or more second buses and one or more gateways, which may connect one or more first buses to one or more second buses. In some embodiments, a gateway may be incorporated into a bus member, such as a lighting device connected to one of the first buses. A control unit may be connected to one or more second buses and may be configured to store message sets at a gateway, thereby configuring the gateway to send messages of the message sets via the first buses.

[0036] Furthermore, the control unit can be connected to one or more second buses and can be configured to store message sets at the gateway, thereby configuring the gateway to send messages of the message sets via the first bus according to a delay value. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The following description and accompanying drawings illustrate in detail certain illustrative aspects of methods for creating coordinated lighting scenes in a lighting system and corresponding bus systems. These aspects are indicative; however, they indicate only some of the various ways in which the principles of various embodiments can be adopted, and the described embodiments are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents.

[0038] In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are often used throughout different figures to refer to the same parts. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, the general focus is on explaining the general principles of the invention.

[0039] In the following description, various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 A bus system according to the present invention is shown; Figure 2 Another bus system according to the present invention is shown; Figure 3 Another bus system according to the present invention is shown; Figure 4 A lighting scene, according to the present invention, is displayed by multiple lighting devices assigned to multiple zones; Figure 5 An example of a region according to the present invention is shown; Figure 6 A block diagram of the method according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of description, specific details and embodiments in which the invention may be practiced.

[0041] The term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs.

[0042] Figure 1 The bus system according to the invention is shown generally as 100. The bus system 100 includes a control unit 120, a second bus 125, a gateway 105, a first bus 115, and a plurality of lighting devices 110a-g. The plurality of lighting devices 110a-g are connected to the first bus 115. The control unit 120 is connected to the second bus 125, and the gateway 105 represents the interface between the first bus 115 and the second bus 125.

[0043] Multiple lighting devices 110a-g are associated with multiple zones 130a-c. Figure 1In the illustrated example, lighting devices 110a and 110c are associated with zone 130a, lighting devices 110b, 110d and 110f are associated with zone 130b, and lighting devices 110e and 110g are associated with zone 130c.

[0044] The control unit 120 can generate message sets for each zone 130a, 130b, 130c and transmit the messages of the corresponding message sets to the corresponding lighting devices in the corresponding zones. In the illustrated embodiment, the control unit 120 transmits the messages to the gateway 105 via the second bus 125, and the gateway 105 then forwards the messages to the corresponding lighting devices via the first bus 115. In some embodiments, the gateway 105 may include a memory to store the corresponding message sets for each zone and forward messages via the first bus 115 according to a corresponding delay value. However, in other embodiments, the control unit 120 can transmit messages via the second bus 125 according to the delay value, thereby eliminating the need for the gateway 105 to store message sets.

[0045] In some embodiments, the functionality of gateway 105 can be integrated into a lighting device, which can then provide an interface between the first bus 115 and the second bus 125.

[0046] In some embodiments, the control unit 120 can be directly connected to the first bus 115, thereby eliminating the need for a second bus 125 and a gateway 105. Therefore, the minimum configuration for carrying out the invention is represented by the control unit, the first bus, and a plurality of lighting devices, wherein the function of the control unit can be integrated into one of the lighting devices.

[0047] In some cases, using a second bus 125 and gateway 105 can improve operation or the applicability of the control method. (When discussing...) Figure 2 This will be clear when referring to the bus system 100a described in the text.

[0048] Similar to Figure 1 Bus system 100, Figure 2The bus system 100a includes a control unit 120, a second bus 125, a gateway 105, a first bus 115, and a plurality of lighting devices 110a-d. Furthermore, the bus system 100a also includes a second plurality of lighting devices 110a'-c', a third bus 115', and a second gateway 105', which provides an interface between the second bus 125 and the third bus 115'. The third bus 115' can also be referred to as another first bus, such that buses 115 and 115' represent the two first buses in the descriptive sense presented above in the summary section of the invention. However, for simplicity, in the description of the drawings, bus 115' is referred to as the third bus. The second plurality of lighting devices 130a'-c' are distributed in areas 130a' and 130b'.

[0049] In this embodiment, the control unit 120 can determine a delay value and a message set for creating a coordinated lighting scene for the first plurality of lighting devices 110a-d and the second plurality of lighting devices 110a'-c', even if the first plurality of lighting devices are connected to a different bus than the second plurality of lighting devices. Furthermore, the gateways 105, 105' may include a memory for storing message sets received from the control unit 120 via the second bus 125, or the control unit 120 may transmit corresponding messages based on the corresponding delay value.

[0050] Figure 3 Another bus system according to the invention is shown in general as 100b. (Through) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components. To avoid repetition, only those components are described below. Figure 3 Additional features of the bus system 100b depicted in the diagram.

[0051] exist Figure 3 In the bus system 100b, lighting device 110f can be connected to a fourth bus 135, and a third or more lighting devices 140a-c are also connected to the fourth bus 135. In this configuration, lighting device 110f can receive messages for the third or more lighting devices from control unit 120 (via gateway 105) and can forward these messages to the third or more lighting devices based on a delay value. In essence, lighting device 110f acts as a gateway to the fourth bus 135, which can be identified as a sub-bus of the first bus 115.

[0052] Although the lighting devices 140a-c connected to the fourth bus 135 are illustrated as being associated with zone 130c (lighting devices 110b, 110d, and 110f are also associated with zone 130c), in some embodiments, the lighting devices 140a-c may be associated with different zones, such as unique zones that are associated only with the lighting devices 140a-c connected to the fourth bus 135.

[0053] Figure 4 A lighting scene, according to the present invention, is displayed by multiple lighting devices assigned to multiple zones.

[0054] Figure 4 The lighting scene illustrated in the diagram represents a point of light moving along a line formed by multiple lighting devices. In other words, Figure 4 The lighting scene depicted is a one-dimensional lighting scene in space. Figure 4 In (a), the initial state of the lighting scene is shown, where all lighting devices are off. (Through...) Figure 4 Lighting fixtures are illustrated as boxes. Unfilled boxes indicate lighting fixtures that are off. Lighting fixtures are assigned to areas. Figure 4 In the array, there exist a total of k regions, and these regions are separated from each other by dashed lines. The regions are indicated by numbers in circles, and the regions are enumerated from 1 to k.

[0055] In addition to the initial state of the lighting scene, where every lighting device is turned off, Figure 4 Figures (b) through (h) illustrate some exemplary frames of a lighting scene, where the frames are timestamped from t1 to t2. p Indication. The lighting scene is represented by light spots moving along a line of lighting fixtures. To achieve this, the lighting fixtures are alternately turned on and off. Figure 4 In the lighting scene, the light spot moves from area 1 on the left side of the diagram to area k on the right side. The lighting scene begins with a first frame (not shown in the diagram), in which the first illuminator in the first area is turned on at a first brightness level. In the second frame, the brightness level of the first illuminator in the first area changes to a second brightness level higher than the first brightness level. Additionally, in the second frame (not shown in the diagram), the second illuminator (which is the direct neighbor of the first illuminator) turns on to the first brightness level. In the third frame (which is shown in the diagram), the light spot moves from area 1 on the left side of the diagram to area k on the right side. Figure 4 As shown in (b), the process continues with the following steps: setting a third illuminator (which is a direct neighbor of the second illuminator) to a first brightness level, setting the second illuminator to a second brightness level, and setting the first illuminator to a third brightness level, which is higher than the first and second brightness levels. The next frame at timestamps t2, t3, and t4 (which is in...) Figure 4As shown in (c), (d), and (e), the process of gradually increasing the brightness level of adjacent lighting devices continues; however, the first lighting device is now in... Figure 4 In (c), it begins to decrease back to the second brightness level. Figure 4 In (d), it returns to the first brightness level, and finally in Figure 4 (e) returns to the off state. By increasing and decreasing the brightness level of adjacent lighting devices, the impression of a light spot moving along a line formed by the lighting devices is created, as for... Figure 4 Further frames in (f), (g), and (h) are illustrated. Figure 4 In the diagram, three brightness levels are indicated by different shades of gray. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that three brightness levels are mentioned as an example. The claimed invention can be implemented with any number of brightness levels, and any number of brightness levels can be displayed by the type of lighting device used.

[0056] because Figure 4 The brightness level of the lighting devices in the scene is controlled using a set of messages transmitted via a first bus. Therefore, the rate of change of frames in the lighting scene is directly related to a delay value that specifies the delay between subsequent messages. The delay value specifies the delay between the transmission of subsequent messages, meaning that the time interval between the reception of two messages at the lighting device can be controlled by adjusting the delay value. Since the messages set the brightness level of the lighting devices in the area, a larger delay results in a longer time interval between changes in the displayed lighting. Therefore, a smaller delay value between messages results in a more rapid change in lighting. Thus, the delay value defines the "speed" of the lighting scene.

[0057] like Figure 4 As can be seen, the lighting scene does not stop at the boundary of the area. Instead, from Figure 4 The transition diagram from (c) to (e) shows how the light spot moves out of the first zone and simultaneously enters the second zone, which is the direct neighbor of the first zone.

[0058] Figure 4 The example depicted can be further used to illustrate that different start times can be defined for different zones. As mentioned above, a light spot moving along a line defined by the lighting devices moves from one end of the line (i.e., zone 1) to the other end (i.e., zone k). Therefore, at the beginning of the lighting scene, the lighting devices in the higher-numbered zones are not lit, and will be lit later once the light spot has moved to its corresponding position. In such cases, a delay value specifying the delay before the first message in the message set for a zone can be defined. For example, for zone 2, the lighting scene does not begin until timestamp t3 (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 4(d) Therefore, the delay preceding the first message associated with zone 2 can be defined as the value of t3 to account for the time difference between the first message associated with zone 1 and the first message associated with zone 2 at timestamp t3. This delay preceding the first message in each zone can be defined for each zone, where the delay preceding the first message in zone 1 can be equal to zero.

[0059] Remember, zones can be defined, for example, based on the spatial properties of complex objects, such as the interior of a vehicle, where one zone could represent a vehicle door and another zone could represent the pillars of the vehicle's chassis. Separating the lighting devices that should create the lighting scene into zones improves the control of the lighting devices and the overall perception of the lighting scene. For example, lighting devices associated with different zones can have different electrical characteristics, such as, for example, regarding the voltage range in which they operate. The method according to the invention improves the lighting scene by using a dedicated set of messages to control the lighting devices in each zone and defining the delay values ​​between these messages.

[0060] Figure 5 An example of a region according to the invention is shown. (With) Figure 3 Compared to the one-dimensional lighting scene depicted in the space, it is used in... Figure 5 The lighting scene depicted on the multiple zones 200 is two-dimensional in space. The lighting scene used to display on the multiple zones 200 comprises a total of seven zones, enumerated from 1 to 7. As shown, zones can have different sizes in two spatial dimensions, resulting in different numbers of lighting devices associated with the corresponding zones. For example, zones 1 and 2 have different dimensions in the left-right direction relative to the image (representing the columns of the zone matrix) and the same dimension in the orthogonal direction (representing the rows of the zone matrix). Zone 3 is positioned in the rows below zones 1 and 2, essentially covering all columns of the matrix, while below zone 3, the columns are evenly distributed among the three zones 4, 5, and 6. Finally, zone 7, positioned below zones 4, 5, and 6, is similar to zone 3, occupying all columns but covering fewer rows. The lighting scene 200 is presented for illustrative purposes only.

[0061] Figure 6 A block diagram of the method according to the present invention is shown in 300.

[0062] Method 300 begins at 305: Obtain information for multiple frames.

[0063] The method then continues at 310: obtain information about the association between the corresponding lighting device and the multiple zones in the multiple lighting devices.

[0064] At 315, the method includes: determining a set of delay values ​​for each region based on multiple frames.

[0065] At 320, the method continues by generating a message set for each zone based on the corresponding delay value set, wherein each message set is used for transmission via the first bus and includes information for at least one lighting device among the lighting devices in the corresponding zone.

[0066] Optionally, generating a message set for each zone can be defined by each message in the corresponding message set including information associated with the color and / or brightness of each lighting device, each lighting device being associated with a corresponding zone, and the corresponding zone being associated with the message set. Alternatively, generating a message set for each zone can be optionally defined such that each message in the corresponding message set includes information associated with the color and / or brightness of the lighting device only if the color and / or brightness of the lighting device changes from a previous frame to the current frame of the message, the lighting device being associated with a corresponding zone, and the corresponding zone being associated with the message set.

[0067] The foregoing description includes examples of one or more embodiments. It is certainly not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methods for the purpose of describing the foregoing embodiments, but those skilled in the art will recognize that many further combinations and substitutions of the various embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the described embodiments are intended to cover all such changes, modifications, and variations falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for creating a coordinated lighting scene in a lighting system (100, 100a-b), the lighting system (100, 100a-b) including one or more first buses (115, 115') and a plurality of lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c), each of the plurality of lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) being connected to one of the one or more first buses (115, 115'), the method comprising: Obtain (305) information for multiple frames; Obtain (310) information regarding the association between the respective lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) and the multiple zones (130a-c, 130a'-c') among the plurality of lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c); Based on the multiple frames, a delay value set (315) is determined for each region (130a-c, 130a'-c'); and Based on the corresponding delay value set, a message set (320) is generated for each zone (130a-c, 130a'-c'), wherein each message set is used for transmission via a corresponding first bus in one or more of the first buses (115, 115') and includes information on at least one lighting device among the lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) in the corresponding zone (130a-c, 130a'-c').

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Obtaining information regarding the association between a specific lighting device (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) and the plurality of zones (130a-c, 130a'-c') among the plurality of lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) includes one of the following: The lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) are assigned to multiple zones (130a-c, 130a'-c'); or Receive information about the association.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) are associated with multiple zones (130a-c, 130a'-c') based on their location.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The set of delay values ​​for a given region (130a-c, 130a'-c') is stored in a configuration file associated with said region (130a-c, 130a'-c'), and wherein a message set is generated for the corresponding region (130a-c, 130a'-c') based on the corresponding configuration file.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The delay value represents the delay between consecutive messages in the corresponding message set, the delay before the first message in the corresponding message set, and / or the delay after the last message in the corresponding message set.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprises: The message set is stored at the central control unit (120) or the gateway (105, 105').

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The delay value is equal for each zone (130a-c, 130a'-c').

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The information included in the corresponding message set is the color and / or brightness information of the corresponding lighting device (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) for the corresponding zone (130a-c, 130a'-c').

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, Each frame includes a matrix that defines a plurality of pixels for visualization displayed by the one or more illumination devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c); and Each entry in the matrix is ​​associated with the color and / or brightness of the corresponding pixel in the corresponding frame.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: The matrix is ​​generated based on image or video data.

11. The method according to any one of claims 9 and 10, wherein, The matrix has an n × m dimension, where n is a first positive non-zero integer value and m is a second positive non-zero integer value.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein, Each message in the corresponding message set includes information associated with the color and / or brightness for each lighting device (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c), each lighting device being associated with a corresponding region (130a-c, 130a'-c'), and the corresponding region (130a-c, 130a'-c') being associated with the message set; or Specifically, each message in the corresponding message set includes information associated with the color and / or brightness of the corresponding lighting device (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) only when the color and / or brightness of the corresponding lighting device (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) changes from a previous message to the current message. The corresponding lighting device (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) is associated with the corresponding area (130a-c, 130a'-c'), and the corresponding area (130a-c, 130a'-c') is associated with the message set.

13. A bus system for creating coordinated lighting scenes, the bus system comprising: One or more first buses (115, 115'); Multiple lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c), each lighting device (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) is connected to one of the one or more first buses (115, 115'); as well as Control unit (120); The control unit (120) is configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The bus system of claim 13, further comprising: Second bus (125); One or more gateways (105, 105') connect a corresponding first bus in one or more first buses (115, 115') to the second bus (125). The control unit (120) is connected to the second bus (125) and is configured to store the message set at the one or more gateways (105, 105'), thereby configuring the one or more gateways (105, 105') to send messages of the corresponding message set via the corresponding first bus (115, 115'), wherein the corresponding gateway among the one or more gateways (105, 105') is connected to the corresponding first bus (115, 115').

15. The bus system according to any one of claims 13 and 14, wherein, The one or more lighting devices (110a-g, 110a'-c', 140a-c) may be one or more monochrome LEDs, one or more multicolor LEDs, or a combination thereof.

Images