Method and system for controlling a group of luminaires or controllable sub-units of a luminaire

Abstract

Method for controlling a group of luminaires (10) or controllable luminaire sub-units, wherein all luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units of the group are jointly transmitted control information regarding a desired light output and the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units, after receipt, determine a control value for operation, in particular a brightness value, on the basis of the control information and taking into account their respective position, characterized by that control information is transmitted regarding several desired light outputs, and that after the control information has been transmitted, an explicit start signal is transmitted to start the corresponding luminaire operation, and only after the transmission of the start signal has been completed do the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units determine the individual control values.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling a group of luminaires or controllable subunits of one or more luminaires, as well as a corresponding system. Furthermore, the invention relates to an operating device for implementing the method according to the invention or for use in a corresponding lighting system.

[0002] Larger lighting systems offer the possibility of transmitting control commands to the various luminaires, which are generated by a central and / or local control unit or user-accessible control devices. By transmitting corresponding information, coordinated brightness adjustment of the various luminaires is possible. Furthermore, situation-dependent or time-of-day-dependent lighting scenarios can also be implemented. The control commands are usually transmitted via separate data or control lines or the power supply lines. Alternatively, wireless control of luminaires is also known.

[0003] As a rule, the luminaires in a larger lighting system can be controlled individually or at least in groups or collectively. Individual control of individual luminaires requires that they are able to be contacted individually by the unit that generates the control commands. Since wiring the luminaires individually would be too complex, it is usually provided that the luminaires have an individual operating address, which must be added to the corresponding control command. This operating address is usually assigned during commissioning of the lighting system and can, among other things, take into account the position of the luminaire within a room or building. If, on the other hand, all luminaires are connected to a common control line and do not have an individual address, the corresponding control commands can only be sent uniformly to all luminaires and implemented accordingly.This means that in this case, all luminaires receiving the control commands behave in the same way. Such a possibility for shared control is often also available in systems where individual operating addresses are assigned by additionally assigning the luminaires to individual groups. In this case, the luminaires are then controlled uniformly within the framework of a group command, or control commands are transmitted in so-called broadcast mode, meaning they are received and implemented by all luminaires.

[0004] More complex lighting situations, in which, for example, luminaires located within a specific area are to assume coordinated brightness values, can therefore be implemented according to the state of the art simply by contacting the affected luminaires individually, i.e., each with its own operating address, and then transmitting an individual brightness control value to each of them based on this operating address. If several luminaires are affected by the desired lighting scenario, this requires the transmission of a large number of corresponding control commands, which inevitably results in a certain time delay until the desired lighting appearance is achieved.

[0005] WO 2012 / 085738 A1 discloses a method for controlling networked lighting systems and a method for efficiently transmitting messages for controlling luminaires in a networked lighting system. It is proposed to provide an efficient and flexible multicast message, in particular a group message, that addresses one or more groups of luminaires.

[0006] The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a novel possibility for controlling a group of several lights or a group of controllable sub-units of one or more lights, in which the disadvantages described above are avoided.

[0007] The object is achieved by a method for controlling luminaires or controllable subunits of one or more luminaires according to claim 1 and a corresponding system according to claim 8. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0008] The solution according to the invention is fundamentally based on the idea of ​​shifting the step of determining individual brightness values ​​for the affected luminaires or luminaire sub-units from a central control unit to the luminaires or luminaire sub-units when setting a specific lighting scenario. While previously the central control unit had to determine an individual brightness setting value for each corresponding luminaire or luminaire sub-unit and transmit it as a control command, it is now provided that only general information relating to the desired light output is transmitted to the luminaires or luminaire sub-units, and these then each determine a corresponding target brightness for themselves. The advantage of this solution according to the invention is that this general information relating to the desired light output is transmitted jointly to all luminaires orLuminaire sub-units can be transmitted as part of a single command or command package, thus eliminating the need to transmit numerous individual control commands to the individual luminaires or luminaire sub-units affected. This drastically reduces the amount of data to be transmitted, which also results in the desired light output being achieved much more quickly. According to the inventive solution, the luminaires or luminaire sub-units themselves then possess a certain degree of intelligence, allowing them to determine the brightness value required to achieve the desired lighting scenario, taking their respective positions into account.

[0009] According to the invention, a method for controlling a group of luminaires or luminaire sub-units is accordingly proposed, wherein common control information regarding a desired light output is transmitted to all luminaires or luminaire sub-units of the group and, after receipt, the luminaires or luminaire sub-units determine an individual brightness value for operation on the basis of this control information and taking into account their respective position.

[0010] Furthermore, a system for controlling a group of luminaires or luminaire sub-units is proposed, which system has a control unit for transmitting control information regarding a desired light output. The invention provides that this control information is transmitted jointly to all luminaires or luminaire sub-units, and that the luminaires or luminaire sub-units have means designed to determine a brightness value based on the control information and taking into account their respective positions.

[0011] The desired light output can be defined in many different ways. For example, it can be provided that a certain area is to be illuminated according to a desired brightness profile. The information transmitted by the control unit can then include information regarding a position of a center of the area to be illuminated as well as an extent and / or shape of the area of ​​light output. Furthermore, the information can also define the brightness in the center of the area of ​​light output and, if applicable, a brightness gradient or a color or color temperature gradient. Information regarding a temporal dependence of the light output could also be transmitted within the scope of the solution according to the invention. After receiving this information, the luminaires orEach luminaire sub-unit decides for itself whether it should contribute to the desired light output and - if so - which brightness value or which color or color temperature it should assume.

[0012] The inventive concept is not necessarily limited to a regular arrangement of luminaires or luminaire sub-units, but is naturally particularly effective in such a case. Furthermore, the invention can be applied to one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional arrangements of luminaires or luminaire sub-units.

[0013] It would also be conceivable according to the present invention to define not just one area to be illuminated, but several areas, each of which has a specific size and in which a specific brightness or a specific brightness gradient should be present. For example, in a larger room in which luminaires or luminaire sub-units are arranged in a grid-like manner, several "lighting islands" could be formed, which may also overlap. In such a case, it is preferably provided that the information regarding the various areas to be illuminated is initially transmitted in full, and that after the control information has been transmitted, an explicit start signal is transmitted to start the corresponding luminaire operation, and only after the start signal has been transmitted do the luminaires or luminaire sub-units determine their individual brightness values.A luminaire or luminaire sub-unit, which in this case is arranged in an overlapping area, i.e. belongs to two “lighting islands”, then determines its control value with regard to both areas.

[0014] One advantage of the inventive solution, as already mentioned, is that individual commands do not have to be transmitted to the luminaires or luminaire sub-units. This means that the luminaires or luminaire sub-units participating in the method do not necessarily have to have individual operating addresses. Nevertheless, this could of course be the case in order to additionally open up the possibility of continuing to control luminaires or luminaire sub-units individually in the conventional manner in certain situations. Parallel use of individually controllable luminaires or luminaire sub-units and a group of luminaires or luminaire sub-units controlled according to the inventive method would of course also be conceivable.

[0015] Ultimately, the present invention creates a novel and elegant way to control luminaires or luminaire sub-units in an efficient manner in order to realize more complex lighting situations.

[0016] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 schematically shows a room to be illuminated with a lighting system designed according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows the schematic structure of a luminaire participating in the method according to the invention; Fig. 3 a flowchart of the method according to the invention; Fig. 4a the brightness values ​​selected by the luminaires when a square illumination area is required; Fig. 4b to 4d further variants of different brightness values ​​in different lighting scenarios and Fig. 5 an inventive lighting system with a linear arrangement of luminaires.

[0017] Fig. 1 shows a purely schematic view of a lighting system 1 configured according to the invention and intended for illuminating a room 100. In the present case, the system 1 consists of an arrangement of several luminaires 10 arranged in a matrix on the ceiling 101 of the room 100 in three rows of six luminaires each. These luminaires 10 are controlled by a control unit 5, which is connected to the luminaires 10 via a control line system 2. The topology of this control line system 2 is irrelevant here, since the present invention only requires that the luminaires 10 can receive control commands together. Accordingly, the control line system 2 can be designed in a star shape, a ring shape, or even in the sense of a conventional bus line. Wireless transmission using radio or infrared signals would also be conceivable.The control unit 5 can be implemented by a central control unit of the lighting system; however, control information could equally well originate from control elements and / or sensors located in the room 100, for example, presence sensors, brightness sensors, or the like. Furthermore, all luminaires 10 are, of course, also connected to a power supply system, the illustration of which is omitted for clarity in FIG. Fig. 1 was omitted. However, it should be noted that lines 2 can be used jointly for both command transmission and power supply, with signal transmission then taking place using so-called powerline carrier technology.

[0018] The general structure of a luminaire 10 is shown in Fig. 2. Accordingly, a luminaire 10 comprises, in particular, an operating device 11 and a light source 15 controlled by the operating device 11. The type of light source itself is again irrelevant for the present invention. Preferably, however, it should be dimmable and, if necessary, also allow a change in color and / or color temperature. Accordingly, fluorescent lamps or LEDs, in particular, would be conceivable as light sources.

[0019] The operating device 11 is responsible for operating the light source 15 depending on the received control information. For this purpose, this operating device 11 is initially connected - as shown - to the control line 2 and the power supply line 3. Commands received via the control line 2 are evaluated by an internal control unit 12, which then correspondingly controls operating devices 13, which convert the input mains supply voltage into an output variable (current or voltage) suitable for operating the light source 15. Depending on the control by the internal control unit 12, this therefore particularly switches the light source 15 on and off and, if necessary, adjusts the brightness, i.e., dimmes it, or changes the color and / or color temperature of the emitted light.

[0020] The control of light sources in dependence on external control signals has so far followed essentially the same pattern in the prior art. The control command transmitted by the central command device contains information regarding the luminaire affected by the command as well as control information regarding the brightness to be set. Based on the commonly used operating address, the receiving operating device 11 can recognize whether the command is intended for the corresponding luminaire. If so, the light source 15 is operated according to the received command. Furthermore, the frequently used DALI standard for controlling luminaires also allows for the assignment of several luminaires to a group, whereby a corresponding group command is then implemented in the same way by all corresponding luminaires.This eliminates the need to individually control each light in the group, although in this case the lights will generally behave the same.

[0021] If, however, lighting is required in which the luminaires of a group or, in the case shown, the luminaires 10 of the Fig. 1 are to behave differently, the only option until now has been to transmit a brightness value to each luminaire individually as part of a corresponding command. If larger areas are to be illuminated in a specific way that does not allow uniform control of the luminaires as part of a group command, this means that a large number of control commands must be transmitted via the control line system 2, which is associated with a corresponding time delay. In addition, so-called scene commands are also known from the DALI standard mentioned above, in which a corresponding scene selection command is transmitted to all luminaires together and the luminaires can then assume different brightness values ​​corresponding to the scene.However, the brightness values ​​corresponding to the respective scene must be stored in the luminaires in advance, and only a few scenes are available that can then be recalled during operation. Even in this case, efficient control of multiple luminaires to achieve the desired light output is only possible to a very limited extent.

[0022] The invention described below avoids the problems described above. As already mentioned, the invention is based on the concept of assigning intelligence to the luminaires themselves. This means that they do not receive and implement predetermined brightness target values, but instead independently determine corresponding brightness and / or color values ​​for the light sources based on more general information transmitted by the control unit concerning a desired type of lighting. The information transmitted by the central control unit regarding the desired lighting no longer contains individual control values ​​but merely defines the type and nature of the desired lighting, with the individual luminaires then adapting their operation accordingly, taking into account their position in the lighting system.

[0023] The location information is therefore an essential prerequisite for the implementation of the method according to the invention, which is why, as shown in Fig. 2 The operating device 11 has an internal memory 14 in which this location information is stored. The control unit 12 can access this location information stored in the memory 14 and then take it into account when calculating suitable control values ​​for the light sources 15.

[0024] The process for controlling a specific lighting scenario according to the present invention then corresponds to that described in Fig. 3. In a first step S1, the corresponding information is transmitted from the central control unit 5 to the luminaires 10. This transmission is carried out in such a way that it is directed to all luminaires participating in the process and defines the desired lighting scenario, for example, with regard to the position and extent of an area to be illuminated. Brightness or color information can also be included in the transmitted data, whereby it is essential that this information is not transmitted individually to each luminaire, but to all luminaires jointly, for example, as part of a so-called broadcast command or a group command.

[0025] After this control information has been transmitted, according to the invention an explicit signal to start the corresponding luminaire operation is transmitted in step S2. The transmission of this start signal can be particularly useful if the transmitted information relates to several lighting scenarios, each of which affects different luminaires, for example. It would therefore be conceivable, for example, for several separate areas in the room to be illuminated in a desired manner, with all relevant information being transmitted first in step S1 and the start signal only then being sent. This ensures that a joint switch to the new desired lighting occurs and that the luminaires do not adjust their brightness in successive steps.This approach is also advantageous if one of the luminaires is located in an overlapping area to be illuminated, as the luminaire then does not change its brightness in successive steps but can instead adjust a suitable light output in a single step.

[0026] After the start signal is transmitted in step S2, a control value for operating the light source is calculated or determined for each luminaire, taking into account the aforementioned location information. This control value concerns a brightness value and, if applicable, a corresponding color or color temperature of the light emitted by the light source.

[0027] The control value within the meaning of the present invention does not have to be a single value, but its complexity can depend on the type of light source to be operated. For example, if the light source is a color-variable RGB light source, the internal control unit 12 will determine a total of three control values ​​for the three color channels. Similarly, during the calculation in step S3, the internal control unit 12 can also conclude that the corresponding luminaire is not affected by the desired lighting scenario at all, meaning that the light source should remain switched off.

[0028] After the control value determination in step S3 is completed, the light source is then controlled accordingly in step S4. Since the time required to determine the control value is comparable for all luminaires, this means that a substantially uniform switch to the new lighting scenario will occur.

[0029] However, because the luminaires themselves determine suitable control values ​​for implementing the lighting scenario according to the method according to the invention, there is now significantly greater flexibility in controlling the luminaires, although only very little information needs to be transmitted via the control line system. The high flexibility of the method according to the invention is demonstrated by the following Fig. 4a to 4d, which relate to different variants of a desired light output, the invention being by no means limited to these few examples. The figures show here each for the Fig. The system shown in Figure 1 with three times six luminaires shows the control values ​​for the luminaires determined by the operating devices 11 after the control information concerning a desired lighting scenario has been transmitted. In this case, the control values ​​relate exclusively to the brightness and are given as a percentage of the maximum brightness. The examples can obviously be easily extended to include information regarding color or color temperature, provided the corresponding light sources allow for adjustment of the light output in this regard.

[0030] The various tables of Fig. 4a to 4d show the brightness values ​​assumed by the luminaires depending on the lighting scenario desired by the central control unit, whereby the table position corresponds to the arrangement of the respective luminaire in the system when viewed from above. This means that the table entry in the first row / first column corresponds to the brightness value of the Fig. 1 shown left rear light 10 1,1 .

[0031] Fig. Figure 4a now shows the control values ​​of the luminaires for the case where the command device or control unit has transmitted information concerning light output in a square area, where the center of the area corresponds to the second luminaire in the middle row and the area's extension, starting from this center, is one unit of length. These units of length can be defined arbitrarily and, for example, correspond to a distance between the luminaires within the grid or be specified in meters, depending on how the location information is stored in the memory of the operating devices. The center of the area to be illuminated is defined in the same way.

[0032] When the control unit transmits this information, the nine luminaires located in the right-hand area of ​​the room initially determine that they should not participate in the lighting or should remain switched off. The nine luminaires on the left, on the other hand, determine that they are within the defined lighting area. If the transmitted information does not contain any further data regarding brightness or a brightness gradient, this means that the corresponding nine luminaires are switched on, as shown, and the light sources are operated at maximum brightness, i.e. at 100%. Of course, the transmitted information could also, in the same way, specify a brightness target value applicable to all luminaires, which the luminaires would then adopt accordingly.

[0033] Essential information transmitted from the central control unit to the luminaires concerns the position and extent of the area to be illuminated. If necessary, the shape of the area to be illuminated can also be defined. For example, if a roughly circular area is desired instead of a square illumination area, the luminaires will, after receiving the corresponding information, assign brightness values ​​as shown in Fig. 4b, whereby in this case the transmitted information also provides for a uniform brightness of 80% of the maximum brightness in the area to be illuminated. It can be seen that here, in comparison to the square illumination area according to Fig. 4a another subgroup of lights is activated whose shape is closer to the desired circular shape.

[0034] Defining an area to be illuminated concerns not only its shape but also its position, which is preferably determined by specifying the center of the area. For example, in the case of the circular illumination area of Fig. 4b the center is shifted towards the middle of the room, the result is a brightness distribution as in Fig. 4c. The center of an area to be illuminated does not necessarily have to be formed by a single luminaire, but can also be located between two or four luminaires in the grid.

[0035] In a basic variant, the area to be illuminated is defined by its position within the room and its shape. However, not all luminaires within the illuminated area need to have the same brightness. For example, a brightness decrease can be provided from the center to the edge of the area. In this case, a brightness distribution results, for example, as shown in Fig. 4d. It can be seen that only the luminaire located in the center of the circular illumination area has the maximum brightness specified by the central control unit—here, 90%. The luminaires located in the peripheral area, on the other hand, have a lower brightness, whereby the degree of brightness decrease—e.g., linear or logarithmic—can also be specified externally. As already mentioned, a color gradient in the light output of an illumination area could also be achieved in a similar way. Defining a temporal change in the light output would also be conceivable.

[0036] The Fig. The examples discussed in Figures 4a to 4d thus illustrate that extremely diverse lighting scenarios can be specified with the aid of the present invention, with the luminaires independently determining corresponding control values ​​for the lamps or light sources due to their internal intelligence. The volume of data transmitted via the control line system 2 is thereby drastically reduced, so that, on the one hand, new lighting scenes are obtained more quickly and, on the other hand, the switching to the new brightness values ​​is carried out more homogeneously by the affected luminaires.

[0037] The inventive concept has so far been explained primarily with reference to a two-dimensional luminaire arrangement. However, the invention is by no means limited to such two-dimensional arrangements. For example, Fig. 5 shows, a corresponding control can also be carried out in the same way with a one-dimensional arrangement. Shown here is an elongated corridor which is to be illuminated by a linear arrangement of luminaires 10, wherein preferably a brightness range is to be achieved which follows a person or moves with this person. In this case, the position of the person 50 within the corridor is detected with the aid of one or more presence sensors 20. In turn, corresponding information is then transmitted to the luminaires 10 of the system, which in particular contains the information of the position, since this position represents the center of the area to be illuminated. Depending on the specification, the extent of the area to be illuminated and, if applicable, the drop in brightness can also be specified. Corresponding settings can, for example, be specified by a user, so that the area, for example,only the two directly adjacent luminaires or two additional luminaires in each direction. Of course, with this one-dimensional arrangement of luminaires, no information regarding the shape of the area to be illuminated is required; only the dimensions, i.e., the length of the area to be illuminated, and, if applicable, the type and intensity of the dip and the maximum brightness, are transmitted via the control information.

[0038] Finally, it would also be possible to extend the inventive concept to three-dimensional arrangements of lights. Here, again, several possibilities exist for defining the shape of the areas to be illuminated.

[0039] The previous explanations therefore make it clear that individual control of the luminaires is no longer necessary to implement the method according to the invention. In principle, these luminaires would therefore not need to have their own operating address via which they can be individually contacted. Of course, however, the expansion of a conventional lighting system using the method according to the invention would also be conceivable. This means that in this case, the luminaires installed in room 100 according to Fig.1, each have an individual address under which they can be controlled in a previously known manner. The method according to the invention could then be additionally used within the framework of additional commands or special commands of a standard for controlling the luminaires, for example, DALI or DMX. Furthermore, lighting systems would also be conceivable in which some of the luminaires can be controlled individually and other luminaires form a group that is operated solely in accordance with the present method according to the invention.

[0040] The invention has so far been explained using a lighting system in which several luminaires are controlled by a central control unit within the scope of the inventive method. It was assumed here that the luminaires each have one or more light sources which then emit light together after appropriate calculation of the control values. However, luminaires are also known which have several separate modules or sub-units, each of which has its own light sources, is individually controllable and is arranged separately - e.g. next to one another. The method described above is also applicable to an arrangement of such luminaire sub-units which are part of one or more luminaires, in which case the sub-units behave like the luminaires described in the previously explained embodiment.This means that in this case, the sub-units each know their position and collectively receive the information corresponding to the desired lighting situation. They each have the appropriate internal intelligence to then independently calculate control values ​​for the operation of the light source(s) based on this information and their position.

[0041] Ultimately, the inventive approach opens up the possibility of controlling luminaires or luminaire subunits within a group very efficiently to achieve desired lighting scenarios. The inventive method can easily be used as a supplement to previously known methods for operating luminaires.

Claims

[1] Method for controlling a group of luminaires (10) or controllable luminaire sub-units, wherein all luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units of the group are jointly transmitted control information regarding a desired light output and the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units, after receipt, determine a control value for operation, in particular a brightness value, on the basis of the control information and taking into account their respective position, characterized by , that control information is transmitted regarding several desired light outputs, and that after the control information has been transmitted, an explicit start signal is transmitted to start the corresponding luminaire operation, and only after the transmission of the start signal has been completed do the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units determine the individual control values. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the tax information includes one or more of the following information: • the position of a center of the desired light emission, • the brightness in the center of the light emission, • an extension of the area of ​​light emission, • a shape of the area of ​​light emission, • a brightness gradient in the area of ​​light emission, • a color or color temperature gradient of the light output, • a temporal dependence of the light output. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units are arranged in a one-, two- or three-dimensional structure. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units are controlled via a control line or a control line system (2). [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the lights (10) or light sub-units are controlled wirelessly. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the control information originates from a central command device (5), an operating device or a sensor. [7] System for controlling a group of luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units, having • a command transmitter (5) which is designed to transmit control information regarding a desired light output to all luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units of the group, and • the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units, which are designed to determine a control value for operation, in particular a brightness value, after receiving the control information and taking into account their respective position, characterized by , that the command transmitter (5) is designed to transmit control information regarding a plurality of desired light outputs, and is further designed to transmit an explicit start signal to start the corresponding luminaire operation after the control information has been transmitted, and that the luminaires (10) or luminaire sub-units are designed to determine the individual control values ​​only after the transmission of the start signal has been completed. [8] System according to claim 7, characterized by that the command device (5) is a central command device, an operating device or a sensor.

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