Lighting system and procedures for this

Abstract

Lighting system (1) comprising several luminaires, each comprising an operating device (20), and a control unit (10) configured to transmit control commands, in particular control commands in accordance with the DALI and / or DSI standard, to its associated operating devices (20), wherein the control commands are generated on the basis of control information supplied by the control unit (10), characterized by that the control unit (10) receives the control information wirelessly and the control unit (10) controls the operating devices (20) assigned to it uniformly, the uniform control of the assigned operating devices (20) being carried out by means of broadcast commands; wherein the control devices (20) are configured to operate the associated luminaires at different brightness levels when the associated control devices (20) are controlled uniformly by means of broadcast commands from the control unit (10); wherein the broadcast command represents a selection of a preset lighting scene; wherein in the individual control devices (20) brightness values ​​are stored in advance for the corresponding lighting scene, which specify the brightness of a respective luminaire for a respective selected lighting scene; wherein these pre-stored brightness values ​​differ from luminaire to luminaire.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting system with at least one control unit configured to transmit control commands to the luminaires assigned to it. The control commands may, in particular, be commands conforming to the DALI and / or DSI standard.

[0002] Lighting systems that coordinate the behavior of multiple, distributed luminaires are already well-established and widely used to optimize both the overall lighting and energy consumption of a building. On the one hand, a uniform behavior of the luminaires improves the overall appearance; on the other hand, energy consumption can be reduced by, for example, adjusting the brightness of the various luminaires based on the available daylight. Furthermore, presence sensors can be used to automate the lighting, adjusting it according to whether or not people are present in a particular area.

[0003] Larger lighting systems generally operate on the principle of transmitting control commands to the luminaires, which are then appropriately implemented by the luminaires' corresponding control gear. While it was previously common to transmit analog signals—for example, a variable DC voltage of 1 to 10 volts—for brightness control, it is now standard practice to transmit control commands digitally. This not only improves the communication between the control unit and the lamp control gear, but also offers a wider range of options for controlling the luminaires and for communication in general. Recently, for example, the DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) standard has become widely established.This is a communication protocol for data transmission, particularly for controlling the brightness of luminaires. It not only enables the transmission of commands to the luminaires but also allows for status queries to monitor and record the operating status of individual luminaires. In this way, malfunctions and defects of individual components of the lighting system can be detected very easily and effectively.

[0004] In systems compliant with the DALI standard, digital control commands are transmitted via a dedicated, separate data line, the so-called DALI bus, which is isolated from the general power supply. Other lighting systems that allow centralized control of distributed luminaires also typically use a separate data line for signal transmission. While systems exist that transmit control information over the existing power supply lines using the so-called Powerline Carrier method, these are specialized solutions that are less suitable for general use in larger buildings.

[0005] Laying a separate cable for transmitting data or control commands is not a problem if this is planned from the outset and therefore done during the construction of a building, for example. However, if the lighting of a building is to be upgraded at a later date to allow for convenient brightness control in addition to the existing simple on / off switching of the lights, this always results in extremely high costs, as separate cables for signal transmission must be laid retroactively. Often, the associated effort is so high that retrofitting the lighting for convenient digital control of the lights is not cost-effective. In other cases, laying additional data transmission cables is not possible or permitted at all, for example, in the case of listed buildings.

[0006] WO 2008 / 040390 A1 describes a lighting system comprising a first set of lighting elements, each of which is assigned a control gear, wherein the first set of control gear is assigned to a first switching device, and a second set of lighting elements, each of which is assigned a control gear, wherein the second set of control gear is assigned to a second switching device. Both switching devices are designed at least for transmitting signals for controlling the lighting elements via a radio network.

[0007] US Patent 2008 / 0036401 A1 discloses a lighting device comprising a processor, a bus monitor capable of receiving a wired signal and forwarding it to the processor as a bus signal, and an antenna capable of receiving a wireless signal and forwarding it to the processor as an antenna signal, wherein the received signals conform to compatible communication protocols.

[0008] US 2002 / 0154025 A1 describes a technique for using a centralized control protocol, such as DALI, in a wireless environment, wherein the first step involves assigning specific slave devices to a specific master control device and the second step involves assigning specific functions within the master device to specific slave devices.

[0009] US patent 2006 / 0044152 A1 discloses a lighting system with a remote control which can control a large number of operating devices of lighting elements of the lighting system by means of a high-frequency signal, wherein bidirectional communication between the remote control and the operating devices is possible by means of high-frequency signals.

[0010] DE 20 2009 006 800 U1 describes a light-controlled automatic switching system for electrical installations, which communicates via radio and can thus switch the lighting on and off.

[0011] Despite this, there is a growing trend to coordinate the behavior of luminaires with each other and to optimize their operating behavior with regard to the available ambient light. Therefore, solutions are increasingly being sought that avoid the costly installation of data cables for implementing more complex lighting systems. The present invention aims to provide such a solution.

[0012] This problem is solved by a lighting system having the features of claim 1 and a method according to claim 10. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0013] The solution according to the invention provides a system for controlling luminaires that can be implemented with relatively little effort. Particularly when an existing lighting system is to be retrofitted or upgraded, the solution according to the invention offers significant advantages, as the effort required for laying additional cables or the like is reduced to a minimum. The solution according to the invention is based on the idea that the lighting system has one or more control units, each of which is configured to transmit control commands, for example according to the DALI standard and / or the known DSI standard, to several luminaires assigned to it or to the operating devices of the luminaires.The control commands are generated by the control units themselves based on control information supplied to them, and according to the invention, the control unit receives this control information wirelessly.

[0014] According to the invention, a lighting system with at least one control unit is proposed, which is configured to transmit control commands, in particular control commands according to the DALI and / or DSI standard, to several operating devices assigned to it, wherein the control commands are generated on the basis of control information supplied by the control unit and it is provided according to the invention that the control unit receives this control information wirelessly and the control unit controls the operating devices assigned to it uniformly, wherein the uniform control of the assigned operating devices is effected by means of broadcast commands.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the invention, a control unit for use in a lighting system is proposed, wherein the control unit is configured to transmit control commands, in particular control commands according to the DALI and / or DSI standard, to several operating devices assigned to it, wherein the control commands are generated on the basis of control information supplied by the control unit, and according to the invention, the control unit has means for wirelessly receiving the control information and the control unit controls the operating devices assigned to it uniformly, wherein the uniform control of the assigned operating devices is carried out by means of broadcast commands.

[0016] The basic idea of ​​the concept according to the invention is that the control units, which are ultimately responsible for controlling the luminaires or operating devices assigned to them, generate the control commands based on wirelessly transmitted information. Since the control units are usually located at least near the luminaires assigned to them, the effort required to create or lay a data line from the control unit to the operating devices is relatively low, as only short distances need to be overcome. Further wiring of the control unit to other components of the lighting system, in particular to operating elements, a central control unit, or the like, is no longer necessary and is therefore eliminated. Consequently, a general network of the various control units or control components of the lighting system via a data line can be dispensed with.The effort required to convert an existing lighting system to one that allows digital control of the individual luminaires is therefore extremely low. Nevertheless, the solution according to the invention also allows all the advantages of a digital control system for controlling luminaires to be utilized.

[0017] Further developments of the invention relate in particular to ideas which, on the one hand, optimize the control of the operating devices within the group assigned to a control unit and, on the other hand, further reduce the effort required to assemble the system.

[0018] According to the invention, the control unit is designed to control its assigned operating devices uniformly. Each control unit is thus assigned a group of operating devices, which are then controlled via so-called broadcast commands. This means that the control commands transmitted by the control unit do not contain individual address information for controlling a single luminaire. Instead, the operating devices of the system's luminaires are logically grouped in such a way that the luminaires within each group exhibit essentially the same or identical operating behavior.

[0019] Preferably, the control devices are controlled via the respective control unit using a data line. As already mentioned, due to the group assignment, the control unit is already located near the luminaires assigned to it. Typically, a shared housing or mounting element is provided for the control unit and its assigned group of luminaires, which greatly simplifies the routing of a short data line in this area. Alternatively, or additionally, it can also be provided that at least some of the control devices assigned to a control unit receive control commands wirelessly from it. This is particularly useful for luminaires located in unusual positions where routing a data line is therefore impractical or impossible.These lights can then be additionally equipped or connected with a suitable receiver that enables wireless communication, for example via the well-known Bluetooth standard, between the control unit and the light.

[0020] As explained above, the solution according to the invention reduces the effort required for laying data cables by wirelessly transmitting the control information needed to generate the control commands to the control units. According to a preferred embodiment, the system can have several control units, in which case the control information supplied to one control unit also originates, at least partially, from one of the other control units. The control units are thus designed to communicate with each other and, in particular, to exchange information regarding their operating status in order to ensure, for example, a generally coordinated behavior of the luminaires. In addition, control information can also originate from a sensor, such as a presence or brightness sensor.This information is then processed by the control unit in a suitable manner to adjust the operation of the associated luminaires. Here, too, it is preferably intended that the effort required to mount the sensor and integrate it into the lighting system be kept to a minimum. However, since such sensors often require a specific arrangement inside or outside a building, laying data cables or power supply lines is often particularly complex and costly. Accordingly, in a particularly preferred embodiment, it can also be provided that the sensors each have their own independent power supply, in particular a battery or the like.

[0021] Naturally, the lighting system according to the invention can also include control elements that allow a user to control the brightness, for example, to call up predefined lighting scenarios or simply to increase or decrease the brightness in general. The information from such a control element is preferably transmitted wirelessly to the control units. In particular, it can be provided that the lighting system has several control elements, and these are designed to exchange information with each other regarding the control information transmitted to the control units. This is relevant because modern control elements often have their own displays or indicators that show the current state of the lighting system or a lighting scenario selected by the user.The exchange of information between them ensures that all control elements display the same information and actually reflect the current state of the lighting system.

[0022] Ultimately, the solution according to the invention makes it possible to create a lighting system which, with regard to its control options and possibilities for integrating external information, for example from sensors or the like, offers all the possibilities of a classic, centrally controlled lighting system, while in particular significantly reducing the effort required to assemble the system compared to previously known solutions.

[0023] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 schematically the general structure of a lighting system according to the invention and Fig. 2 the procedure for converting an existing lighting system to a system according to the present invention.

[0024] Based on Fig. 1. First, the general structure of a lighting system according to the invention will be explained. In particular, the units involved in the system and their interaction will be explained. Subsequently, a specific example will be used to demonstrate how the solution according to the invention can be used to retrofit or upgrade an existing lighting system.

[0025] The core idea of ​​the solution according to the invention is that the infrastructure for laying data cables to control the various units of the system should be kept as small as possible. In particular, such cables should only be laid if this can be done with reasonable effort. In contrast to previously known systems, the inventive solution is therefore characterized by… Fig. The system shown in Figure 1, generally designated with reference numeral 1, is characterized by the fact that the various units are not all connected to each other via a common bus or data line. On the other hand, the available power supply lines are to be used as efficiently as possible, which ultimately results in almost all components being connected to the general power supply. The only exceptions are a few units for generating control information, particularly sensors, which will be explained in more detail later.

[0026] In principle, the lighting system 1 according to the invention is structured such that the individual luminaires, each represented by corresponding control gear or electronic ballasts 20, are divided into groups. Each group is assigned to a control unit 10, which controls the control gear or electronic ballasts 20 assigned to it by transmitting digital control commands. In the illustrated embodiment, signal transmission according to the known DALI standard and / or DSI standard is provided; however, the concept according to the invention could of course also be transferred to other solutions for digital control.

[0027] The control devices 20 assigned to a controller or control unit 10 are therefore connected to the output of the control unit 10 via data lines 11. In the case of signal transmission according to the DALI standard, a local DALI bus is thus formed on the output side, to which the control devices 20 of the respective group are connected. According to the example shown, up to 25 control devices can be connected, although this number can of course be adjusted according to the specific requirements.

[0028] A special feature of the lighting system 1 according to the invention is that individual luminaires can be controlled wirelessly by their assigned control unit 10 / 1. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the ballasts 20 / 4 and 20 / 5 are assigned to the first group, i.e., to the control unit 10 / 1, while the ballasts 20 / 9 and 20 / 10 belong to the second group and are controlled by the control unit 10 / 2. In this case, these are luminaires that are, for example, located further away from the respective control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2, or are in a position where routing the control cable 11 / 1 or 11 / 2 to the electronic ballast 20 would be very difficult. For this reason, each of these electronic ballasts has a corresponding receiver 30, which is designed to communicate wirelessly with the respective control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2.This receiver 30 is then connected via control lines 31 to the input 21 of the associated ballast 20, so that the ballast receives the DALI or DSI commands at its input in the conventional manner. From the perspective of the ballast 20, it is therefore a regular component of the respective group and can communicate with the associated control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2 in the conventional manner – just like devices 20 / 1 to 20 / 3 and 20 / 6 to 20 / 8, respectively – whereby the data transmission takes place at least partially via the wireless connection between the control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2 and the wireless receiver 30. A special feature may also be provided if the ballasts 20 are devices from the company Tridonic. These devices often have a so-called smart connection 22, which can be used to ensure the power supply of the receiver 30 by the ballast 20.In this case, the wirelessly received command can also be forwarded directly to the EVG 20 via the corresponding smart connection, without requiring a connection to the inputs 21 to receive the DALI or DSI commands.

[0029] Each control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2 is therefore responsible for controlling the ballasts 20 assigned to it. Advantageously, the ballasts 20 can be grouped in such a way that they are located in close proximity to one another, or at least that uniform operation of the luminaires is desirable. Accordingly, it is preferably provided that the control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2 controls the respective electronic ballasts 20 uniformly, according to the invention, using so-called broadcast commands. That is, a DALI or DSI command transmitted by the respective control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2 is directed to all ballasts 20 of the associated group and is received and processed uniformly by them. However, this does not necessarily mean that the respective luminaires are operated at the same brightness.For example, a transmitted command can also represent the selection of a pre-set lighting scene. In this case, each of the 20 ballasts has pre-defined brightness values ​​stored for the corresponding scene, specifying how and at what brightness the luminaire should illuminate when a particular scene is selected. These pre-set values ​​can differ from luminaire to luminaire, meaning that when a corresponding scene command is transmitted, the respective ballasts can set different brightness values. However, if the control unit 10 / 1 or 10 / 2 transmits a brightness setting directly in broadcast mode, this results in all electronic ballasts operating the corresponding light sources at the same brightness, for example, at 50% of the maximum brightness.

[0030] This uniform control of all control devices within a group has proven particularly advantageous, as it significantly reduces the effort required to commission System 1. Of course, it would also be conceivable for control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 to control the luminaires individually under their respective operating addresses, as is possible with the DALI standard, for example; however, this is not part of the requirements. This would, however, increase the effort required to commission System 1, since individual addresses would then have to be assigned to each luminaire or control device beforehand.

[0031] The control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 generate the control commands for the associated operating devices 20 based on control information provided to them externally. A key difference from known lighting systems, however, is that the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 receive this information wirelessly and then process it internally. This results in – as illustrated by… Fig. 1 removable - it is not necessary to connect the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 to the input side with data lines for signal transmission. Instead, it is only necessary that the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 each have an interface 12 for wireless communication, whereby this interface 12 can also be used to communicate wirelessly with the corresponding ballasts or their receivers 30 in the special cases described above.

[0032] The intelligence for processing the control information into control commands is located within the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 themselves. This means that the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 themselves generate the control commands for the electronic ballasts 20 based on the control information and are also capable of taking supplementary information regarding external influences into account when controlling the luminaires. This can include information transmitted, for example, by presence or brightness sensors. In this case, corresponding dimming curves or similar parameters are stored in the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2, which determine how the system reacts to the ambient light. The control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 can also be configured to determine how the system should react to the detection of people's presence.

[0033] In this embodiment, there are two units responsible for generating and transmitting control information to control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2, respectively. Fig. 1. Sensors 40, 41, which detect the presence of persons (sensor 40) or provide information regarding the brightness of the outside light (sensor 41). Since such sensors 40, 41 are usually located in very difficult-to-access positions inside or outside a building, retrofitting power supply lines to such sensors is often very complex. In this case, it is therefore preferably provided that the sensors 40, 41 have their own independent power supply, for example a battery or the like. In the case of outside light sensors, solar cells or the like could of course also be used as power sources.

[0034] In addition, System 1 also includes other units through which information is transmitted to the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2. These can be classic operating elements 42, 43 such as light switches, dimmers, and the like, which are either permanently installed or available as portable control units. Regardless of their type, these units 42, 43 also wirelessly transmit the information generated by a user when activated to the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2.

[0035] Furthermore, in Fig. Figure 1 shows another control element 44, which, for example, allows the previously mentioned various lighting scenes to be easily accessed. This element 44 has several pushbuttons 45, which, when pressed, signal the selection of a specific lighting scene. These pushbuttons 45 are also connected to corresponding light sources to indicate the selection of a specific scene by illuminating them accordingly. It is possible for several such control elements 44 to be located within a room or area. Preferably, the information transmitted from one such control element 44 to the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 is also exchanged between them, and accordingly, all control elements 44 display the same information. This ensures a uniform display of the selected lighting scene on all control elements 44.

[0036] Finally, control information can also be generated by two further units, which are primarily used to implement the entire System 1. Using a so-called setup box 46, for example, the control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 can each be informed which group they have been assigned to and / or how they are to react to the arrival of signals from sensors 40 and 41. The transmission of the corresponding brightness values ​​for the various lighting scenes can also be carried out via this setup box 46. However, the System 1 could also be configured in the same way using a portable device 47, which, especially with the use of a graphical user interface, allows for particularly simple and intuitive configuration.

[0037] Apart from these, on the left side of Fig. The control information originating from the units shown in Figure 1 can also be exchanged between control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2. This can serve, in particular, to ensure the uniform operation of the entire system 1. For example, if a command to select a brightness scene is transmitted by one of the control elements, this command can be forwarded between units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 using a so-called repeater function to ensure that this command has actually been received by all control units 10 / 1 and 10 / 2 of system 1.

[0038] Ultimately, it can be seen that the system 1 according to the invention offers all possibilities of convenient brightness control, but the effort required to wire the units together, especially via lines for signal transmission, is significantly reduced.

[0039] The advantage of the system according to the invention will be illustrated by an example which is in Fig. As shown in section 2, this is particularly clear. The left side of shows... Fig. 2 First, consider the conventional lighting, for example in a classroom 100, which relies solely on conventional wiring of the various lights and allows for the separate switching on and off of, on the one hand, lights 110 located in the front area near the blackboard 111, and on the other hand, three longitudinally extending light strips 120, using simple switches 105. Dimming could also be provided here, if necessary.

[0040] However, if a convenient lighting control is to be enabled that allows the recall of preset scenes (e.g., presentation, lesson, etc.) as well as the integration of information provided by sensors, then, according to previous solutions, additional wiring of all lights using data lines would have to be carried out.

[0041] However, according to the solution of the invention, a conversion can also be carried out so that the one on the right side of Fig.The configuration shown in Figure 2 results in a total of four groups, 130 / 1 to 130 / 4, corresponding on the one hand to the panel lighting and on the other hand to the three longitudinally extending light bands. Each group, 130 / 1 to 130 / 4, includes a control unit, 131 / 1 to 131 / 4, which controls the luminaires of the associated group accordingly. Since the luminaires of a group already form their own light band and therefore usually share a common support element or even a common housing, connecting the luminaires of a group to the respective control unit is relatively simple. However, it is not necessary for the control units, 131 / 1 to 131 / 4, to be additionally connected to external units via data lines. Instead, control is now achieved using two pushbuttons or...Operating elements 135 and 136 transmit relevant information wirelessly to the control units 131 / 1 to 131 / 4. Furthermore, independently powered sensors 137 and 138 can now be easily integrated into the system to enable automated control.

[0042] This example clearly demonstrates that the solution according to the invention makes it possible to significantly increase the comfort of controlling lights in a very simple way and with minimal effort.

[0043] Wireless communication between the various units of the system preferably follows a standard that enables a very simple and energy-efficient communication setup. The well-known Bluetooth standard, preferably version 4.0, or Bluetooth Low Energy communication has proven particularly suitable in this regard. Preferably, the communication is designed to take place only within a specific area, preferably within a single room. Identical systems can then be located in adjacent rooms, ensuring that the wireless communication of units within one room does not interfere with the communication of units in another room.

Claims

[1] Lighting system (1) comprising several luminaires, each comprising a control gear (20), and a control unit (10) configured to transmit control commands, in particular control commands in accordance with the DALI and / or DSI standard, to its associated control gears (20), wherein the control commands are generated on the basis of control information supplied by the control unit (10), characterized by , that the control unit (10) receives the control information wirelessly and the control unit (10) controls the operating devices (20) assigned to it uniformly, the uniform control of the assigned operating devices (20) being carried out by means of broadcast commands; wherein the control devices (20) are configured to operate the associated luminaires at different brightness levels when the associated control devices (20) are controlled uniformly by means of broadcast commands from the control unit (10); wherein the broadcast command represents a selection of a preset lighting scene; wherein in the individual control devices (20) brightness values ​​are stored in advance for the corresponding lighting scene, which specify the brightness of a respective luminaire for a respective selected lighting scene; wherein these pre-stored brightness values ​​differ from luminaire to luminaire. [2] Lighting system according to claim 1, characterized by , that the control unit (10) is connected to at least one operating device (20) assigned to it via a data line (11). [3] Lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the control unit (10) wirelessly transmits the control commands to at least one operating device (20) assigned to it. [4] Lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that this has several control units (10), each of which is assigned a group of operating devices (20), wherein the control information supplied to a control unit (10) also originates at least partially from one of the other control units (10). [5] Lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control information supplied to the control unit (10) originates at least partially from a sensor (40, 41), in particular from a presence or brightness sensor. [6] Lighting system according to claim 5, characterized by , that the sensor (40, 41) has its own independent power supply, in particular a battery or a solar cell. [7] Lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control information supplied to the control unit (10) originates at least partially from a user-operated control element (42-44). [8] Lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that this has several control elements (42-44), wherein at least some of the control elements (42-44) are designed to wirelessly exchange information regarding the control information transmitted to the control unit (20). [9] Lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the wireless communication of the control unit (10) is based on Bluetooth communication, preferably in accordance with the Bluetooth standard 4.0 or via Bluetooth low energy. [10] Method for controlling operating devices (20) of luminaires in a lighting system (1) by means of a control unit (10), wherein the lighting system (1) comprises several luminaires and the control unit (10), and wherein each luminaire has an operating device (20), wherein the control unit (10) transmits control commands, in particular control commands according to the DALI and / or DSI standard, to its associated operating devices (20), wherein the control commands are generated on the basis of control information supplied by the control unit (10), characterized by , that the control information is transmitted wirelessly to the control unit (10) and the control unit (10) controls the operating devices (20) assigned to it uniformly, whereby the uniform control of the assigned operating devices (20) is carried out by means of broadcast commands; wherein the associated luminaires of the operating devices (20) assigned to the control unit (10) are operated at different brightness levels when the assigned operating devices (20) are controlled uniformly by means of broadcast commands by the control unit (10); where the broadcast command represents a selection from a preset lighting scene; wherein in the individual operating devices (20) brightness values ​​are stored in advance for the corresponding lighting scene, which specify the brightness of a respective luminaire for a respective selected lighting scene; However, these pre-stored brightness values ​​vary from light fixture to light fixture.

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