Device and method for setting multicolored light scenes in motor vehicles

Abstract

Lighting device, comprising: - a plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or LEDs in at least two different colors, designed to be coupled to an electrical power supply which includes an electrical circuit and a common potential reference (105); - Drivers (DRV, TR1, TR2, TR3) for operating the plurality of light sources (106, 107, 108, R, G, B), which include at least two switches and / or controllers connected to the plurality of light sources (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or LEDs and the circuit, corresponding to the respective current paths of the at least two differently colored light sources. - a controller (101) for the aperiodic and independent opening and closing of at least two switches or at least two controllers, wherein opening and closing of the controllers is understood to mean a reduction or increase in the energy throughput by said controllers, and wherein the controller (101) has a variable bus address to identify and respond to a respective portion of an assigned input data flow, and wherein the data flow portion of this controller (101) is assigned by means of said variable bus address, - where at least two of the aforementioned light sources (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) are LEDs and - where at least the said control unit (101) generates a plurality of PCM signals (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) and - where each PCM signal (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) corresponds to one color of the plurality of LEDs and / or spotlights (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) of different colors and - wherein the logical state of each of the PCM signals (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) is determined by opening and closing one of the at least two switches or controls for opening and closing according to the respective logical state of at least one PCM control signal (PCM-S) and - wherein the frequency spectrum of the magnitude of the frequency of the respective PCM signal (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) and / or the respective PCM control signal (PCM-S) is band-limited and - wherein a data flow portion of the data stream on a data bus (EBUS, 109) or a radio-based data stream comprises data for the direct or indirect determination of the respective fill factor of the respective at least two PCM signals (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) of the at least two differently colored LEDs (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) or light sources and - wherein each input data flow portion comprises a data word containing the fill factor for determining the intensity of the respective LED color, and the control is configured to control the fill factor of at least one PCM signal in accordance with the bit content of the respective data word and - . wherein the device comprises at least one random number generator (RN) and / or one pseudorandom number generator, characterized in that - that the device includes at least one code table (CTAB) and - that the device is configured to generate or select an active code at the beginning of a code cycle based on a predetermined fill factor in order to generate a PCM signal, and - that the device is configured to generate a PCM signal and then, in a further step, output its bits sequentially as part of the PCM signal in a predetermined order, and - that the device is configured to generate a PCM signal, and that in a further step the code cycle begins with the end of the output of the last bit of the active code, and the next code cycle begins with the step of the previously described start of this code cycle, and - that the device is configured so that the fill factor is determined by a data message received via a data network, and - that the device is configured to output at least two different codes at different times, non-overlapping and with the same fill factor, as part of the PCM signal, at least temporarily, for the purpose of generating a PCM signal, and - wherein the device is configured to determine which of the at least two different codes is selected or generated and output as the active code by a random number (ZZ) or a random signal or a pseudorandom signal or a pseudorandom number,

Description

Introduction

[0001] The availability of multi-colored LEDs allows for the creation of various lighting scenes, especially indoors. The conditions inside vehicles are particularly unique.

[0002] Various devices are known in the prior art in which PWM control is used to regulate the brightness.

[0003] PWM modulation has some disadvantages, particularly with regard to EMC aspects, which will be addressed in the disclosure described here.

[0004] As an introduction, it is therefore appropriate to define PWM as it is understood by a specialist today.

[0005] Pulse-width modulation (PWM) or pulse length modulation (see also "Karsten Block, Peter Busch, Ludger Erwig, Franz Fischer, Wilken Pape, Manfred Weißgerber: Electrical Professions. Learning Areas 9-13. Energy and Building Technology. 1st Edition. Educational Publisher EINS, Troisdorf 2006. ISBN 978-3-427-44464-0. P. 216 ff., 253 ff., 304") or PLM for pulse-length modulation is, according to the generally accepted definition, a type of modulation in which a technical quantity (e.g., electrical current) alternates between two values. The duty cycle of a rectangular pulse, i.e., the width of the pulses forming it, is modulated at a constant frequency. The English term for this process is Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM). PWM is also known as pulse width modulation (PBM) and pulse duration modulation. (PDM). The latter term is standardized. (See also DIN 5483-1:1983 - Time-dependent quantities: Designation of time dependence. No. 7.3)

[0006] For example, lighting devices are known in the prior art that comprise a plurality of light emitters in at least two different colors, which are designed to be coupled to an electrical circuit containing a current source and a common potential reference, drivers (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) for operating the plurality of light emitters, at least two of which are connected to the plurality of light emitters and the electrical circuit, and comprise switches corresponding to the respective current paths of the at least two differently colored light emitters. Furthermore, said lighting device from the prior art contains a controller for periodically and independently opening and closing at least two switches.The controller has an externally assigned, variable bus address in order to identify and respond to a respective portion of an assigned input data flow, wherein the data flow portion, in particular an addressed data packet, is assigned to this controller. This prior art lighting device is particularly characterized in that each light emitter is an LED and the controller generates a plurality of PWM signals, wherein each PWM signal corresponds to a color of the plurality of LEDs of different colors and each of the PWM signals causes a corresponding one of the at least two switches to open and close at corresponding frequencies according to the respective duty cycles, and wherein the data flow portion comprises data for determining the respective duty cycles of the at least two differently colored LEDs.

[0007] Fig.1 shows an exemplary spectrum for a bipolar PWM according to the state of the art.

[0008] The spectrum radiates very strongly, even at higher frequencies. This causes massive EMC problems.

[0009] US 2011 / 0 018 465 A1 discloses a device and method in which the lighting devices emit a CDMA code that is detected by a light-sensitive sensor (reference numeral 60 of US 2011 / 0 018 465 A1). The amplitude component of the sensor's illumination intensity corresponding to this CDMA code is used to control the lighting devices. Using the CDMA code to adjust the illumination intensity is not intended. Therefore, US 2011 / 0 018 465 A1 does not solve the problem.

[0010] From US 2012 / 0 127 210 A1 a device is known in which a plurality of LED chains are operated at different frequencies or out of phase with each other in order to improve the EMC properties.

[0011] From US 2013 / 0 015 798 A1 is the storage of “duty cycle count values”, which are predetermined duty cycles for a PWM modulation, in a table in the device which are stored and used.

[0012] From WO 2010 / 136 956 A1 a bus node address allocation method is known in which the bus nodes of a lighting network generate their bus nodes depending on and relative to the bus node address of the neighboring bus nodes.

[0013] From US 2008 / 0 111 503 A1, a device is known which, according to US 2008 / 0 111 503 A1, comprises the following: a controllable power supply coupled to a light-emitting diode; and a controller coupled to the controllable power supply. According to the technical teaching of US 2008 / 0 111 503 A1, the controller is configured to deliver a stochastic control signal to the controllable power supply. According to US 2008 / 0 111 503 A1, the stochastic control signal has a selected stochastic signal density to control a light intensity output of the light-emitting diode.

[0014] The technical teaching of WO 2009 / 090511 A2 provides a method and apparatus for optical feedback control of a lighting unit. According to WO 2009 / 090511 A2, the control signal for an array of one or more light sources is configured using a CDMA modification signal. Signals which, according to WO 2009 / 090511 A2, are provided by an optical sensor which detects at least the light emitted by the arrangement of one or more light sources can, according to WO 2009 / 090511 A2, be filtered on the basis of the CDMA modification signal, which, according to WO 2009 / 090511 A2, enables a discrimination of the part of the signals from the optical sensor which, according to WO 2009 / 090511 A2, reflects the optical properties of the light emitted by the arrangement of one or more light sources.According to WO 2009 / 090511 A2, in embodiments of the present invention, the determined optical properties can be used, for example, for feedback control of a lighting system.

[0015] The technical teaching of WO 2010 / 136 956 A1 relates to a method for controlling a lighting system comprising a plurality of polygonally arranged lighting modules and a control device connected to one of the lighting modules. According to WO 2010 / 136 956 A1, the lighting modules of WO 2010 / 136 956 A1 can be arranged in any desired manner, with each lighting module being able to communicate with neighboring lighting modules via communication units arranged on all sides of the lighting module.In a start-up mode, according to WO 2010 / 136 956 A1, each lighting module performs a configuration procedure which, according to WO 2010 / 136 956 A1, comprises the following: - receiving address data and lighting orientation data from a neighboring lighting module, wherein the address data comprises a plurality of address elements relating to a relative position of the neighboring lighting module within the lighting system; - aligning its own lighting orientation with the lighting orientation of the neighboring lighting module from which it receives address data and lighting orientation data; and - determining its own address by one of incrementing and decrementing at least one of the address elements depending on the position of the lighting module relative to the neighboring lighting element and according to a predetermined addressing plan.The lighting module connected to the control device of WO 2010 / 136 956 A1 receives initial address data and light orientation data from the control device.

[0016] The document TOMA, Ion; BJELJAC, Bojana; ASHDOWN, Ian: Pseudorandom pulse code modulation of LEDs. In: Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 6669, 2007, pp. 666918-1-666918-6. - ISSN 0277-786X, according to the document, presents an alternative to pulse-width modulation (PWM) for LED intensity control, called "pseudorandom pulse code modulation." Instead of using a single pulse with a variable duty cycle to control the time-averaged LED drive current, the technical teaching of the document is to generate a pseudorandom pulse code that performs the same function. The advantages of this technique, according to the document, include: 1) the ability to control multiple channels without the need for dedicated PWM hardware; 2) averaging the drive current and 3) reducing acoustic noise due to magnetostriction. Object of the invention

[0017] The invention solves the problem of providing a device for supplying light emitters and / or LEDs with electrical energy, whereby an interference spectrum with reduced amplitude and an interference spectrum that can be modeled within certain limits in contrast to the prior art are generated.

[0018] This object is achieved with a construction according to claim 1.

[0019] A sub-task arising later in the description is the provision of a pseudorandom signal with a fill factor that deviates from 50%. This sub-task is thus achieved by a method according to claim 31 or 32 and a device according to claim 1 or 27. Description of the invention

[0020] The invention solves the problem of uncontrolled EMC emissions by using random bit sequences or pseudorandom bit sequences. Such random sequences and pseudorandom sequences have the property that approximately 50% of the bits are 1 and approximately 50% of the bits are 0. A true random sequence is white noise. If such a sequence were used directly to control the lighting elements, especially the LEDs, their luminosity would also be noisy in frequency ranges perceived by the human eye. This is undesirable. It is therefore important that the random sequence is band-limited. In particular, it is important that below a lower cutoff frequency ω u the amplitude of the control signal is 0 or negligible for the application.

[0021] One way to generate a band-limited pseudorandom signal is to use feedback shift registers. If the length of the shift register is K bits, the maximum period T P for such a feedback shift register until repetition TP=(2K−1)Tclk

[0022] T means clk the clock period for the shift process. The feedback is achieved by a simple primitive polynomial. Reference is made to European application EP 2 631 674 A1. The inverse of the maximum period T P is the lower limit frequency. It should be noted, however, that such a pseudorandom sequence always has an average expected value of approximately 50% for a 1 and is therefore not suitable for amplitude control.

[0023] The sub-task is therefore how to generate a pseudorandom sequence or, better still, a random sequence with a given expected value less than or greater than 50%.

[0024] In the following, this expected value in % is referred to as the fill factor, since it determines how many 1-bits there are on average for how many 0-bits.

[0025] The device according to the invention achieves this subtask with the help of predefined codes transmitted at a constant clock rate. The following will discuss only the example of a 4-bit code, as this can be presented briefly and simply in the drawings and the description. In a real-world application, significantly longer codes would likely be used in an analogous manner. Therefore, this description is only exemplary and expressly does not limit the disclosure to this code length.

[0026] A device according to the invention consists of several luminous elements (106, 107, 108, R, G, B), each connected to a driver (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) via supply lines (102, 103, 104). A controller regulates the power and / or current and / or voltage supplied by the respective driver (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) to the luminous element (106, 107, 108, R, G, B). In the case of an LED circuit, which can consist of parallel and series circuits of LEDs, this is preferably a current control. However, voltage or power control is equally useful.

[0027] In contrast to the described prior art, in each of the drivers (TR1, TR2, Tr3, DRV) a PCM channel (CHN) generates a PCM signal (102, 103, 104) according to a predetermined code, the active code, and the method described below.

[0028] This active code (in the example Win 4-bit code) can be stored in a memory (CTAB) for the exemplary 16 codes resulting from the said exemplary 4 bits.

[0029] Such an example code table (CTAB) is given below for the aforementioned example 4-bit code. The fill factor is defined as the number of 1-bits in a code divided by the length of the code in bits as a percentage. The maximum fill factor is therefore 100%. Naming of the code in the figures Fill factor code Data word Code class 0_1 0% 0000 000 0 1_1 25% 1000 100 1 1_2 25% 0100 100 1 1_3 25% 0010 100 1 1_4 25% 0001 100 1 2_1 50% 1100 010 2 2_2 50% 1010 010 2 2_3 50% 1001 010 2 2_4 50% 0110 010 2 2_5 50% 0101 010 2 2_6 50% 0011 010 2 3_1 75% 1110 110 3 3_2 75% 1101 110 3 3_3 75% 1011 110 3 3_4 75% 0111 110 3 4_1 100% 1111 001 4 Not used Not used Not used 101 Not used Not used Not used Not used 011 Not used Not used Not used Not used 111 Not used

[0030] In the example described here to illustrate the invention, a numerical value of 0 for the aforementioned exemplary 4 control bits should correspond to a power or current output of 0% and a fill factor of 0%. A numerical value of 16, i.e., the numerical value of the code in which all 4 bits are at logic 1, should correspond to a radiation power of 100% and a fill factor of 100%.

[0031] For example, a 3-bit data word for selecting the fill factor corresponds to one code class.

[0032] It is not necessary for the mean value of the bits of a code, the fill factor, to actually be proportional to an externally specified numerical value, a data word. For example, it is conceivable that an intensity characteristic curve could be implemented using different codes. For this purpose, a code could, for example, have more than 16 bits for the example mentioned, with the specific code being selected from the set of codes with the same fill factor, for example, using a 4-bit random number.

[0033] For example, it makes sense to take physiological sensitivity into account.

[0034] For the sake of simplicity, only a proportional assignment between data word and fill factor is considered below. However, the scope of this disclosure is not limited by this. It is obvious that for a value where N bits of the M bits forming the code—in the example, 4 bits—have a logical value of 1, q=M!(M−N)!N! Possible ways of coding the M bits generated by the PCM channel (CHN). If the PCM channel (CHN) always sent the same code, this would result in certain frequencies being favored. The goal of blurring the transients would be missed. It is therefore sensible to exchange the codes from PCM period to PCM period. Codes with the same fill factor are grouped into code classes. In the example of a 4-bit code, there are therefore four code classes: one class with a 0% fill factor with only one member code, one class with a 25% fill factor with four member codes, one class with a 50% fill factor with six member codes, one class with a 75% fill factor with four member codes, and one class with a 100% fill factor with only one member code.

[0035] The exchange can be achieved, for example, by generating a random or pseudo-random number (ZZ) in a random generator (ZG) using a feedback shift register and a simple primitive polynomial, which is implemented, for example, in the form of appropriate logic, as described above. This random or pseudo-random number is not used directly to control the light source and / or LED, but rather to select the active code to be used from the set of permitted and / or possible codes for the next transmission period from the codes of the specified code class by a controller (CTR), and this determines the active code to be used. The code class corresponds to the desired fill factor. In terms of its function, it corresponds to the duty cycle in a PWM.By selecting the code class, a fill factor for the PCM signal can be specified that deviates significantly from 50%, i.e., at least in certain operating situations, less than 45% and / or more than 55%. With a corresponding length of the generated random sequence, the entire PCM signal generated by the controller (CTR) becomes a band-limited, aperiodic quasi-random or random signal with a fill factor corresponding to the selected code class, which is suitable for controlling luminaires, especially LEDs.

[0036] The selection of codes within a code class can be restricted due to EMC requirements. For example, in the example discussed here, it is conceivable to use not all six codes with a fill factor of 50% (see table), but rather only two or even just one of these six possible codes. Using only one code, however, would result in a periodic signal, since code selection based on the random signal would no longer be possible, and the PCM signal would lose its random signal properties.

[0037] Particularly with medium fill factors of the PCM codes (see table), very high frequencies are also possible. It is therefore possible to control the spectral behavior of the PCM modulation by selecting certain codes and excluding others, for example, allowing only those codes as active codes that preferably lead to lower interference frequencies. This allows the next active code or the set of permissible active codes to be determined depending on the previously emitted spectrum or the expected future emission spectrum. It should also be considered that, under certain circumstances, codes with high frequency components may no longer be able to be displayed by the control system, the supply lines, and the LEDs themselves due to their low-pass characteristics.In this respect, it is sensible either to not display certain critical codes or, for very low luminosities, to consider the nonlinearity of the LEDs in such a way that, through a nonlinear mapping of the codes, they are mapped to displayable codes as an active code. A code bit sequence 0010 could thus be transformed into a sequence 0110, whereby the first 1 of the sequence is not displayed due to the low-pass characteristics of the driver (DRV, TR1, TR2, TR3), the supply lines (102, 103, 103), and the LEDs (106, 107, 108, R, G, B), resulting in the desired code 0010 as the active code effectively displayed by the LEDs.

[0038] The lighting device according to the invention therefore typically comprises a plurality of light emitters and / or LEDs in at least two, but typically three or four or more different colors. These are typically designed to be connected to an electrical power supply. The power supply contains an electrical circuit and a common potential reference (105). The driver means (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) for operating the plurality of light emitters and / or LEDs are also part of the device according to the invention. The driver means (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) are connected to said light emitters and / or LEDs and the circuit, as well as to the respective current paths (102, 103, 104) which comprise switches and / or controllers corresponding to at least two differently colored light emitters / LEDs.Furthermore, a controller is provided for the aperiodic and independent opening and closing of the at least two switches or at least two controllers. In the case of a said controller, opening and closing is to be understood as a reduction or increase in the energy throughput through the respective controller. The controller is connected to a wired or wireless data network and / or a data line and / or a data bus. The controller has a bus address that can be changed externally by means of programming or with the aid of an address generator that is part of the device. This bus address is used by the device according to the invention to filter data, in particular data packets or other data messages, from the data stream. It thus identifies the respective portion of an assigned input data flow and typically reacts to this by changing a parameter of the device.For example, it is conceivable to replace a code or parts of the code table (CTAB), or the entire code table (CTAB). It should be noted that the size of the code table (CTAB) is not necessarily 2. nmust be , where n denotes the length of the code. It is rather conceivable that the code table (CTAB) is implemented to be significantly shorter with fewer codes. It is therefore an essential possible feature of the device according to the invention that the selection of the active codes is influenced by specifications via the said data interface. Typically, at least two of the said light emitters are LEDs. The controller (101) typically generates a plurality of PCM signals (102, 103, 104) by means of the drivers (TR1, TR2, TR3). Preferably, the PCM signals (102, 103, 104) do not correlate with one another. This non-correlation can also only relate to sections of the signals. For example, it is conceivable that a correlation only occurs after 256 or 512 or 1024 or 2048 or 4096 clock cycles, although this does not correspond to the technical optimum. However, the non-correlation is not absolutely necessary.Each of the PCM signals (102, 103, 104) corresponds to a color of the plurality of LEDs (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or light emitters of different colors. Each of the PCM signals (102, 103, 104) is generated by causing at least one corresponding switch or controller assigned to the respective PCM signal to open and close according to the respective logical state of the internal PCM signal (PCM-S) of the respective channel (CHN) of the control unit (101), which also belongs to the respective PCM signal. The frequency spectrum of the magnitude of the frequency of the PCM signal is band-limited, as described above. This means that the signal has a lower limit frequency ω. u and / or an upper limit frequency ω o owns.

[0039] In a particular embodiment of the invention, said data flow portion, typically a data packet, determines the data for determining the respective active ranges of the transmission codes emitted by the at least two differently colored LEDs. It is particularly advantageous if the data flow portion, typically a data packet intended for the device, determines a predefined or preprogrammed color palette in the form of a subset of the possible active codes. The device therefore has a subdevice for each light source that converts the subset of the possible active codes corresponding to said data flow portion into a random sequence of on and off signals, and in particular into a PCM signal (PCM-S) for said switches with the preselected fill factor.

[0040] In a further embodiment, the controller comprises at least two registers for controlling the at least two differently colored LEDs. Instead of two registers, parts of registers can of course also be used. These registers or parts of registers are each used to store values ​​that, for example, the said data interface receives from a data flow. These data flow parts, in particular data packets, are then assigned to the respective differently colored LEDs and, for example, each specify the said fill factor and thus the active code class. This can be done directly in the form that the content of the data flow part directly reflects the fill factor to be used, or in the form that the content of the data flow part refers to the fill factor to be used, directly or indirectly via other tables.For example, it's conceivable to use color palettes to which the register contents can then refer. This is particularly efficient when, for example, the number of colors is limited to 16. In this case, not all data needs to be transmitted, but rather only a 4-bit data word for the color.

[0041] Using this exemplary 4-bit data word, the fill factor of each individual PCM signal (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) is then determined using the color palette.

[0042] The device has a controller that is designed to suitably adjust the code fill factor. As described above, it is determined which type of codes may be used. In the example of a four-bit code shown here, the possible fill factors are 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the exemplary code classes 0 to 4. As can be seen from the table above, the maximum number of code variations is possible for fill factors close to the value of 50%. If this code is sent to an LED, the average duty cycle per duty cycle is the code transmission time times the fill factor. This means that the behavior is analogous to a PWM, in which the data values ​​for determining the average duty cycle per time unit are assigned to the corresponding color LEDs.

[0043] In a further embodiment, the controller comprises at least one further register for controlling the at least two differently colored LEDs. Instead of this additional third register, parts of registers can of course also be used. This third register or this third register part is used to store a third value, which, for example, the aforementioned data interface also receives from a data flow. Here, too, the direct use of the value is possible, but also its indirect use via a code palette that may be assigned to the color palette. In the latter case, the content of the third value refers, for example, to the correct code table. This data flow part, in particular a data packet, is assigned to the active code table when used directly and controls, for example, the selection of codes from the code table.

[0044] Of course, it is generally sensible to provide the device with a housing that essentially surrounds the plurality of LEDs, the driver means (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) and the said controller (101).

[0045] In a further embodiment of the invention, the device comprises an electrical regulator for controlling the maximum currents delivered to the plurality of LEDs via the current paths, thus maintaining the maximum currents at constant values. This has the advantage that the color temperature of the LEDs can be kept constant.

[0046] In addition to specifying the PCM pulse pattern, the amplitude of the PCM pulse signal is typically also controlled.

[0047] Furthermore, the device can be connected to a color sensor, which enables the control unit (101) to adjust the fill factor and / or the color temperature of the LEDs so that the desired color emission or color reflection of the irradiated object is achieved.

[0048] For example, it makes sense to measure the color temperature of a channel (CHN, CHN1, CHN2, CHN3) whenever the other channels are off, which will always be the case with uncorrelated PCM signals (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) based on random signals or pseudorandom numbers. This makes it very easy to adjust the color temperature by adjusting the maximum current and / or the maximum voltage and / or the maximum energy.

[0049] In a further embodiment, the device comprises an electrical regulator for controlling the maximum energy delivered to the plurality of LEDs via the current paths, thus maintaining the maximum energy consumed by the LEDs at constant maximum values. In contrast to current regulation, such regulation has the advantage that the amount of energy converted can be kept under control.

[0050] In a further embodiment, the device comprises a controller for controlling the maximum currents or the maximum electrical energy delivered to the plurality of LEDs via the current paths, thereby maintaining the maximum currents and / or maximum energy at constant maximum values. In addition to the plurality of LEDs, the driver means (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV), and the controller (101), the housing now also essentially encloses the controller (PWR). Such an integrated solution has the advantage of further increasing EMC robustness.

[0051] In a further embodiment of the invention, the controller is configured to identify and respond to an input data flow portion, i.e., the respective data packet, in accordance with a LIN data protocol and / or a Flexray data protocol and / or a CAN data protocol and / or a KNX data protocol and / or an IP data protocol and / or a USB data protocol and / or an HDMI data protocol. It is particularly important that the device can independently determine its position in the network. It is particularly advantageous if the device has a first data interface and a second data interface. Forwarding from the first data interface to the second data interface should preferably depend on whether the data interface has already received a valid bus address. If this is not the case, the data packets are not forwarded.

[0052] Accordingly, it also makes sense if the device has a radio interface and / or a Bluetooth interface and / or a WLAN interface.

[0053] In a further embodiment of the invention, each input data flow portion comprises a data word consisting of one or a plurality of bits or bytes for each LED color. The byte contains 8 data bits for specifying the intensity of the respective LED color within a range corresponding to the decimal numbers 0 to 255. The controller is configured to control the fill factor of the respective codes applied in accordance with the bit content of the respective data word.

[0054] In a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, the plurality of LEDs comprises red and / or green and / or blue and / or yellow and / or white LEDs and / or UV LEDs and / or IR LEDs.

[0055] In principle, the plurality of LEDs can comprise a serial and / or parallel arrangement of LEDs.

[0056] Such a device according to the invention can be used in a lighting network. Such a lighting network according to the invention comprises a central controller for generating said input data flow and a plurality of lighting devices as described above. Each of the devices should be configured to receive the data flow and to set its variable bus address during the initialization phase differently than the other lighting devices in the lighting network and in contrast to the prior art, in order to ensure that the lighting devices respond to different portions of the input data flow. It is therefore particularly advantageous if each of the lighting devices has a device for generating a variable network address (bus address) itself, which preferably depends only on its position in the lighting network.Exemplary methods for this purpose are disclosed in DE 102 56 631 B4 and EP 1 490 772B1 and EP 1 364 288 B1 and / or EP 2 571 200 A2.

[0057] With this type of auto-addressing, the controller does not assign a bus address to a predetermined end node. Rather, the controller makes a bus address available to all satellites simultaneously, for example, and the satellites decide whether this bus address is suitable for the respective satellite. If this decision is positive, the satellite accepts the provided bus address and signals to all other satellites that this bus address has been accepted or that the next bus address should now be accepted by another satellite. This signaling can be achieved, for example, by forwarding the data flow from the said first data interface of the lighting device to the said second data interface of the lighting device and vice versa, starting from the point in time at which the variable bus address of the lighting device has been accepted.

[0058] With the auto-addressing methods cited above, the bus address is not specifically assigned to a satellite. The controller thus provides the network—i.e., all satellites—with a bus address that is (freely) available. Individual satellites decide independently, according to this method, whether to use this bus address. This is not an assignment related to a single satellite, but rather the assignment of the bus address to a network position. The particular advantage of this method is that the individual satellites receive their bus address based on their position and do not need to be preconfigured.

[0059] For this purpose, it may also be useful for the satellite to maintain the address table of all network addresses (bus addresses) used in the lighting network. The satellite automatically selects one of the bus addresses based on its position in the wiring harness.

[0060] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows the spectrum of a bipolar PWM according to the state of the art. Fig.Figure 2 shows the schematic structure of an exemplary device (100) according to the invention with three groups of light emitters (R, B, G) (108, 107, 106). A group can also contain only one light emitter and / or one LED and other electrical components and devices. In this example, the control unit (101) has a data interface (109). Via this data interface (109), the device (100) according to the invention communicates with the lighting network into which the device (100) according to the invention is integrated. The control unit (101) outputs three PCM signals (102, 103, 104) with which the groups of light emitters (R, G, B, 106, 107, 108) are operated. In this example, the light emitter group marked with “R” should emit red light, the light emitter group marked with “B” should emit blue light and the light emitter group marked with “G” should emit green light.Thus, the first PCM signal (102) is assigned to the red-emitting light emitter group (108, R), the second PCM signal (103) is assigned to the blue-emitting light emitter group (107, B), and the third PCM signal (104) is assigned to the green-emitting light emitter group (106, G). All components (101, 106, 107, 108) are connected via a reference potential (105). In a motor vehicle, this reference potential is preferably connected to the body. Fig.Figure 3 shows an example base system clock (1) that determines the position of the edges of the PCM control signal (4). Time is shown from left to right. The example shows the codes (2) that are currently active. The possible example codes with an example code length of 4 are listed in the table above. These are the example 4-bit codes already shown. In reality, as mentioned, other and particularly longer code lengths are useful. Since the codes have a code length of 4 bits, with every fourth clock pulse of the base system clock (1), a new random number (5) is first determined and then the corresponding code is selected as the new active code (2). The method for determining the random number (ZZ) is preferably chosen so that all codes of the currently active fill factor can be selected with the same probability. In the example, the active fill factor is 50%. Fig.Figure 4 shows an exemplary implementation of the control unit (101). The exemplary control unit has a microcontroller (µC), which together with a memory unit (RAM / ROM / FLASH) and the clock generator (CLK) forms a microcomputer system. The sub-devices of the exemplary microcomputer system are interconnected via an internal data and control bus (IBUS). A data interface (IF) is connected to this internal data and control bus (IBUS), via which the microcontroller (µC) can communicate with the rest of the lighting network. The data interface (IF) is connected to the external bus (EBUS), which, together with the aforementioned data interface (IF), is connected to the aforementioned external data interface (109) of the Fig.2 is identical. A power supply (PWR) supplies the device with power. The power supply (PWR) receives the electrical energy via an external power connection (EXTPWR). It is advantageous if the microcontroller (µC) can query its state via the internal bus (IBUS) and thereby change the device's performance if necessary. A circuit for detecting the switch-on process (PWRst) resets the device to a defined state when the external power supply of the device is switched on via the external power connection (EXTPWR). At this time, an address generator (AdrGen) attempts to generate a bus address that only occurs once in the lighting network. This address is made available to the interface (IF). This basic computer system largely corresponds to the state of the art.The device according to the invention now has, for each PCM channel (CHN, CHN1, CHN2, CHN3), a PCM driver device (DRV, TR1, TR2, TR3) with an output signal (PCM-Out), which generates one of the said PCM signals (102, 103, 104) as an output signal (PCM-Out) for one of the aforementioned groups of light emitter groups (R, G, B, 108, 106, 107). In the example of the . Fig.4 Using the time base (CLK), a random number generator (ZG) generates a random number (ZZ) and provides it to a controller (CTR). The controller generates the PCM control signal (PCM-S) using the time base (CLK), the code table (CTAB), and a register value (REG) that defines the fill factor. This control signal is converted by a driver (DRV) to the aforementioned low-impedance output signal (PCM-Out). The driver can contain a controller that regulates the maximum level of the PCM-Out signal according to a specified value. This setting can be made externally, for example, via a register or by measuring the color temperature. The controller can regulate the maximum current, the maximum energy, or the maximum voltage. Regulating the maximum current is particularly advantageous. In this sense, the controller is part of the driver.The driver usually has at least a first switch which, depending on the PCM control signal (PCM-S), connects the driver output (PCM-Out) to the power source, preferably via the regulator. In many implementations, the driver will have a push-pull stage with two switches, of which the additional second switch only connects the output (PCM-Out) to the reference potential (105), for example, when the other previously mentioned first switch is open. Bipolar or field-effect transistors or similar are typically used as switches. It is particularly advantageous if the components can report their status to the microcontroller (µC) and can be configured by it. The driver (DRV) is supplied with power via the voltage supply (PWR). The reference potential (105) is supplied via a separate connection (Ref).This connection feeds the current from the drivers (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) of the spotlights (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and LEDs back to the driver. In the example, the . Fig. 2, three channels (CHN) are required. Fig. 4, however, for the sake of simplicity, only one channel (CHN) is shown as a representative of the plurality of channels (CHN1, CHN2, CHN3) of a control device (101). The said PCM signals (102, 103, 104) of the Fig. 2 are each connected to an output (PCM-Out) of a respective channel (CHN1, CHN2, CHN3) of the control device (101). Since this is only an example, a PCM-Out signal for a single channel is always noted in the PCM signals below. However, when multiple channels (CHN1, CHN1, CHN3) are used, this PCM-Out signal represents multiple PCM signals (102, 103, 104). In the example of the three PCM signals (102, 103, 104), these are thus also encompassed by the more general term (PCM-Out). Fig. 5 shows an exemplary lighting network with a central control unit (CENTR) and four exemplary devices (100) according to the invention, which are connected to one another via a star-shaped bus. Fig. Figure 6 shows an exemplary lighting network with a central control unit (CENTR) and four exemplary devices (100) according to the invention, which are connected to one another via a sequential bus. Each of the devices has a further second data interface. This enables the implementation of a method for determining the variable bus address as disclosed in DE 102 56 631 B4 or EP 1 490 772 B1 or EP 1 364 288 B1 or EP 2 571 200 A2. Fig. Figure 7 shows an exemplary schematic device according to the invention with two interfaces (IF1, IF2), each connected to a data bus (EBUS1, EBUS2). This device is suitable for a bus system according to Fig. 6. The device also has a radio interface (TX / RX).

Claims

[1] Lighting device comprising: - a plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or LEDs in at least two different colors, which are designed to be coupled to an electrical power supply containing an electrical circuit and a common potential reference (105); - Drivers (DRV, TR1, TR2, TR3) for operating the plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B), which comprise at least two switches and / or regulators connected to the plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or LEDs and the circuit and corresponding to the respective current paths of the at least two differently colored light emitters, and - a controller (101) for aperiodically and independently opening and closing the at least two switches or at least two regulators, wherein opening and closing of the regulators means a reduction or increase of the energy throughput through said regulators, and wherein the controller (101) has a variable bus address to identify and respond to a respective portion of an assigned input data flow, and wherein the data flow portion is assigned to this controller (101) by means of said variable bus address, - wherein at least two of said light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) are LEDs and - wherein at least said control device (101) generates a plurality of PCM signals (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) and - wherein each PCM signal (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) corresponds to a color of the plurality of LEDs and / or light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) of different colors and - wherein the logical state of each of the PCM signals (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) is determined by the opening and closing of one of the at least two switches or regulators for opening and closing in accordance with the respective logical state of at least one PCM control signal (PCM-S) and - wherein the frequency spectrum of the magnitude of the frequency of the respective PCM signal (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) and / or the respective PCM control signal (PCM-S) is band-limited and - wherein a data flow portion of the data stream on a data bus (EBUS, 109) or a radio-based data stream comprises data for directly or indirectly determining the respective fill factor of the respective at least two PCM signals (PCM-Out, 102, 103, 104) of the at least two differently colored LEDs (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) or light emitters, and - wherein each input data flow portion comprises a data word containing the fill factor for determining the intensity of the respective LED color, and the controller is configured to control the fill factor of at least one PCM signal in accordance with the bit content of the respective data word, and - . wherein the device comprises at least one random number generator (ZG) and / or a pseudorandom number generator. characterized in that - that the device comprises at least one code table (CTAB) and - that the device is designed to generate a PCM signal by first generating or selecting an active code at the beginning of a code cycle based on a predetermined fill factor, and - that the device is designed to generate a PCM signal, the bits of which are then output sequentially as part of the PCM signal in a predetermined order in a further step, and - that the device is designed to generate a PCM signal, then in a further step the code cycle begins with the end of the output of the last bit of the active code, the next code cycle begins with the step of the previously described beginning of this code cycle, and - that the device is arranged so that the fill factor is determined by a data message received via a data network, and - that the device is designed to generate a PCM signal by at least temporarily outputting at least two different codes at different times and non-overlapping and with an equal fill factor as part of the PCM signal, and - wherein the device is arranged so that a random number (ZZ) or a random signal or a pseudorandom signal or a pseudorandom number determines which of the at least two different codes is selected or generated and output as the active code, [2] Device according to claim 1, - wherein the control device (101) comprises at least two registers (Reg) or at least two parts of registers for the at least two differently colored LEDs and / or light emitters, which are each configured to store respective data values of the data flow portion for the at least two differently colored LEDs and / or light emitters, - wherein the controller (101) is configured to use the data values to determine the fill factor of the PCM signal (PCM-Out, PCM-S, 102, 103, 104) of the respectively associated color LEDs directly or indirectly via a color table. [3] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein at least one PCM signal (PCM-Out, PCM-S, 102, 103, 104) is a digital signal which, at least in one possible operating position, is a random sequence or pseudo-random sequence with a fill factor which is different from 50% and / or less than 45% or different from 50% and / or greater than 50%. [4] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the control device (101) comprises at least one third register or at least a part of a register (Reg), each of which is configured to store at least one third data value of the data flow portion, wherein the controller (101) is configured to use the data values to determine the permissible codes for coding the PCM signal (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) of the respectively associated color LEDs directly or indirectly via the code table. [5] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the control device (101) has at least registers (Reg) or other storage means (e.g. Ram / ROM / FLASH) or fixed wiring which contain the permissible codes for coding the PCM signal (102, 103, 104) of the respectively associated colour LEDs or algorithms and / or parameters for determining them. [6] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - comprising a housing that substantially encloses the plurality of LEDs, the drivers (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) and the controller (101). [7] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - further comprising an electrical regulator (DRV) for controlling the maximum currents supplied to the plurality of LEDs via the current paths so as to keep the maximum currents at constant maximum values. [8] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - further comprising an electrical regulator (DRV) for controlling the maximum energy supplied to the plurality of LEDs via the current paths so as to maintain the maximum energy absorbed by the LEDs at constant maximum values. [9] Device according to the preceding claims, - further comprising a controller for controlling the maximum currents or the maximum electrical energy supplied via the current paths to the plurality of LEDs, so as to keep the maximum currents at constant maximum values, - wherein the housing substantially surrounds the controller in addition to the plurality of LEDs, the drivers (TR1, TR2, TR3, DRV) and the controller (101). [10] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the controller is configured to identify and respond to the respective input data flow portion in accordance with a LIN data protocol or a Flexray data protocol or a CAN data protocol or a KNX data protocol or an IP data protocol or a USB data protocol or an HDMI data protocol. [11] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device has a radio interface and / or a Bluetooth interface and / or a WLAN interface [12] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises red and / or green and / or blue and / or yellow and / or white LEDs and / or a UV LED and / or an IR LED. [13] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises a serial and / or parallel arrangement of LEDs. [14] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device comprises more than one, but at least two code tables (CTAB) which are selected by a register value. [15] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device comprises a color palette which specifies a fill factor as a function of a register value for at least one channel (CHN). [16] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device comprises at least one data interface (IF, 109). [17] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device comprises at least one data memory (e.g. RAM / ROM). [18] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device comprises at least one power supply (PWR). [19] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device comprises at least one sub-device (PWRst) which puts the device into a defined state when it changes from a state of insufficient energy supply to a state of sufficient energy supply. [20] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device outputs at least two PCM signals (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) which do not correlate with each other when forming an auto-correlation function or cross-correlation function. [21] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device outputs at least two PCM signals (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) which, when forming an auto-correlation function or cross-correlation function, correlate with each other only after at least 256 or 512 or 1024 or 2048 or 4096 clock cycles. [22] Device according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the device has a color sensor which measures the emitted color of the light of the plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or of LEDs or the color of the reflected light of the plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or of LEDs. [23] Device according to claim 22, - wherein the device measures the color temperature of a single plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or LEDs when only one of the PCM signals (102, 103, 104, PCM-Out) is active and supplies the associated plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) associated with this PCM signal and / or LEDs associated with this PCM signal with energy. [24] Device according to claim 23, - wherein the device adjusts the color temperature of a single plurality of light emitters (106, 107, 108, R, G, B) and / or LEDs with the aid of the measured value of the color temperature by adjusting the maximum current and / or the maximum voltage and / or the maximum energy of the associated PCM signal. [25] Method for generating a PCM signal - where a) first, at the beginning of a code cycle, an active code is generated or selected based on a given fill factor, b) whose bits are then output sequentially as part of the PCM signal in a predetermined order in a further step c) whereupon in a further step the code cycle begins with the end of the output of the last bit of the active code, the next code cycle with step a), - where the fill factor is determined by a data message received via a data network, and - wherein at least two different codes are output at different times, non-overlapping and with the same fill factor as part of the PCM signal, at least temporarily. [26] A method for generating a PCM signal according to claim 25, - wherein the PCM signal is a random signal or pseudorandom signal whose relative fill factor is less than 45% and / or greater than 55% and - where the fill factor is determined by a data message received over a data network. [27] Method according to claim 26, - wherein a random number (ZZ) or a random signal or a pseudorandom signal or a pseudorandom number determines which of the at least two different codes is selected or generated and output as the active code. [28] Method for generating a PCM signal according to one or more of claims 26 to 27, - where not all possible codes with the same fill factor and the same code length are used as active codes. [29] Method for generating a PCM signal according to one or more of claims 27 to 28, - whereby the next active code or the set of permissible active codes is determined depending on the spectrum radiated so far or the expected future radiation spectrum. [30] Method for generating a first PCM signal according to one or more of claims 26 to 29, - wherein this is generated together with a second PCM signal, which is also generated according to one or more of claims 26 to 29, - wherein the first PCM signal and the second PCM signal do not correlate with each other or correlate less than 10% or 25%. [31] Method for supplying a consumer with electrical energy, - wherein the load is supplied with electrical power modulated with a PCM signal generated according to a method according to any one of claims 26 to 30. [32] Method for supplying a consumer with electrical energy according to claim 31, - where the consumer is a light source and / or an LED. [33] Method for supplying a consumer with electrical energy according to one of claims 31 to 32, - where the fill factor is determined by a data message received over a data network. [34] Method for supplying a consumer with electrical energy according to one of claims 31 to 33, - wherein at least one code permitted as an active code or an active code is determined by a data message received via a data network. [35] Method for supplying a consumer with electrical energy according to one of claims 31 to 34, - wherein at least one active code is taken from a code table (CTAB) as a function of a random number (ZZ) and / or a random signal and / or a pseudorandom number and / or a pseudorandom signal. [36] Device characterized by that it carries out a method according to one or more of claims 31 to 35.

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