Control unit for a bus-based lighting system

Abstract

Control device for operating at least one light source (3, 4) in a bus-based lighting system, in particular in a DALI system, wherein different control device types are provided in the protocol of the bus-based lighting system, wherein the control device (2) identifies itself to the bus-based lighting system, depending on an input at a software or hardware selection device of the control device, either as at least the first control device type that can process a control signal of a first specification of the protocol, or as the second control device type that can process a control signal of a second specification, and wherein the respective control device type is queried when the control device (2) is registered in the bus-based lighting system.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an operating device for operating light sources in a lighting system.

[0002] Such a lighting system is designed as a bus system with addressable control gear and can, for example, be built according to the DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) standard for controlling control gear.

[0003] In a DALI system, control devices such as switches, dimmers, scene controllers, and group controllers are connected to operating gear for actuators and light sources via a bus system. The operating gear receives control signals addressed to them by the control devices via the bus system and controls the actuators and light sources accordingly. DALI distinguishes, for example, between operating gear for fluorescent lamps (device type 0), emergency lighting with a self-contained battery (device type 1), discharge lamps (device type 2), low-voltage halogen lamps (device type 3), supply voltage regulators for incandescent lamps (device type 4), digital signal to DC conversion (device type 5), LED modules (device type 6), switching functions (device type 7), color control (device type 8), and sequencers (device type 9).

[0004] During commissioning, each control gear is assigned an address, and the respective control gear type is queried when the control gear registers with the bus system to determine its functionality and thus the control signals to be used for that control gear. Depending on the specific functionality, such as dimming or color control, certain functions, such as dimming or simulating daylight progression with color temperature adjustment, can be configured for a control gear. The functionality of the control gears is constantly evolving, as is the number of control gear types.

[0005] One problem is that older installed systems may contain control units that are only compatible with specific types of operating devices. This means they can only transmit control signals that conform to the specifications of those specific operating device types, and consequently cannot control a newer type of operating device, for example, one with color control functionality. Therefore, maintaining and manufacturing various types of operating devices is necessary, which is complex and expensive.

[0006] US 2008 / 0276154A1 discloses a method for controlling a control device for operating a light source.

[0007] US 2014 / 0 320 022 A1 also discloses such a procedure.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the objective of creating a control device that reduces the problems described. In particular, the objective is to provide a control device and a luminaire for operating at least one light source connected to the control device, thereby reducing the risk of incompatibility between the control device and a lighting system.

[0009] This problem is solved according to the features of the independent claims. The invention is further developed by the features of the dependent claims.

[0010] According to the present invention, the control gear for operating at least one light source in a lighting system comprises a control unit for controlling the control gear according to at least one first control gear type and means for converting a received control signal for controlling a second control gear type into a control signal for controlling the first control gear type. Thus, the control gear, which can be operated according to at least one first control gear type, i.e., by a control signal provided for such control gear, can also be controlled by control devices that are compatible with the second or both control gear types.

[0011] The control gear may include an electronic ballast for gas discharge lamps or fluorescent lamps and / or a converter for organic or inorganic light-emitting diodes (LED, OLED).

[0012] The control unit can also be designed to selectively control the operating device according to the second operating device type, wherein the means for converting a control signal is additionally designed to convert a received control signal for controlling the first operating device type into a control signal for controlling the second operating device type. Such an operating device can be operated selectively as either the first or the second operating device type.

[0013] The control gear can have at least one first connection and one second connection for coupling to the lighting system. When connected to the system, the control gear is identified via the first (or second) connection as a control gear of the first type and via the second (or first) connection as a control gear of the second type. Thus, the control gear type to be disclosed to the lighting system can be determined by simply selecting the connections. If the control gear can also convert or process control signals from other control gear types, further connections can, of course, be provided in addition to the first and second connections to identify the control gear type to the lighting system.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, if the first connection and the second connection are connected to the lighting system, the control gear can identify itself to the lighting system as two control gears of the second type via the two connections connected to the lighting system.

[0015] It is also possible that the control gear identifies itself to the lighting system as at least the first or second type, based on a received setting signal. This setting signal can be generated by a switch located on the control gear and trigger the software-based adjustment.

[0016] The operating device can have at least one first channel, i.e., first output connection for connecting one or more light sources, and a second channel, i.e., second output connection for connecting one or more light sources, and be designed to operate the light sources connected to the first and second output connections separately from each other.

[0017] The control signal according to a first specification for controlling the first operating device type may contain information for setting an overall intensity and a relative intensity of the two channels to each other, the control device being designed to control the voltage and / or current supplied by the first output terminal and the second output terminal respectively in accordance with this information.

[0018] The means for converting a control signal can be designed to convert a received control signal according to a second specification, which contains information for controlling the light intensity for a channel for controlling the second type of control gear, into a control signal which contains information for controlling the total intensity and the relative intensities for controlling the first type of control gear, wherein the control device controls the voltage and / or current supplied by the first output terminal and the second output terminal respectively accordingly.

[0019] The control device can also be designed to identify the control gear to the lighting system as a first control gear of the second control gear type and simultaneously as a second control gear of the second control gear type upon receipt of a corresponding control command, and to control the voltage and / or current supplied by the first output terminal according to the intensity specified by a received control signal assigned to the first control gear, and to control the voltage and / or current supplied by the second output terminal according to the intensity specified by a received control signal assigned to the second control gear.With this configuration, the control gear can be used by the lighting system like a control gear of the first type by means of light mixing of differently colored light sources connected to the first and second output terminals, or can be controlled as two independent control gears of the second type for direct and indirect lighting.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, the control gear can include means for detecting at least the temperature of a lamp connected to the first output terminal and the temperature of a lamp connected to the second output terminal, wherein the control device is designed to control the lamp connected to the first output terminal and the lamp connected to the second output terminal according to the respective detected temperature. This allows, for example, lamp protection against overheating or compensation for changes / deviations in the emitted luminous flux or color temperature from their setpoint for each channel caused by temperature changes in the respective lamp.

[0021] Alternatively or additionally, the control device may include means for directly or indirectly sensing the current delivered at the first output terminal and for outputting a signal representing this current, and means for directly or indirectly sensing the current delivered at the second output terminal and for outputting a signal representing this current. By determining the actual current delivered at the output terminals, any deviation between the specified output current value and the actual output current value can be determined for each output terminal and reduced by calibration.

[0022] According to the present invention, a luminaire comprises one of the operating devices described above.

[0023] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 in a schematic representation a lamp with a control gear according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 a luminaire with a control gear according to a second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 a luminaire with a control gear according to a third embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 a luminaire with a control gear according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 an operating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Components with identical functions are marked with the same reference symbols in the figures.

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 shows a simplified circuit diagram of a luminaire 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, comprising a control gear 2 and two light sources 3, 4 connected to the control gear 2. The light sources 3, 4, for example, have different color temperatures (when emitting in the white spectrum) or light colors during operation and can each comprise one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The LEDs can be inorganic or organic. The multiple LEDs can be connected in series or in parallel. The multiple LEDs can also be connected in more complex arrangements, for example, in several series circuits connected in parallel.

[0026] The control gear 2 has an input circuit 5 for converting control signals received from a bus line and a control unit 6 for separate operation, in particular dimming operation, of the light sources 3, 4. A supply voltage can be provided to the control unit 6 via the supply terminals 7a, 7b, which, depending on the design of the control gear 2, can be an AC voltage or a DC voltage.

[0027] The input circuit 5 can be connected via a first connection 8a, 8b and a second connection 9a, 9b to signal lines (bus lines) of a lighting system (bus system) for receiving control signals for controlling the operating device 2 from a control unit (e.g. DALI Master), and for transmitting control commands, address, device type and / or status information of the operating device 2 to a control unit of the lighting system (not shown).

[0028] Light source 3 (emitting in the white spectrum) can have a color temperature of, for example, approximately 3000 Kelvin, and light source 4 can have a color temperature of, for example, approximately 6000 Kelvin. Therefore, by selectively dimming individual light sources 3 and 4, a color temperature between 3000 and 6000 Kelvin can be set, or the luminous flux can be adjusted within a specific range while maintaining a constant color temperature. The color temperature, or color point, is determined by specifying the relative intensities for the two channels. Conversely, the brightness is determined by specifying the overall intensity.

[0029] The first connection (having two terminals) 8a, 8b receives a control signal specifying a dimming level and a correlated color temperature (CCT) for controlling the control gear 2, according to DT8 in a DALI system. The second connection (also having two terminals) 9a, 9b receives a control signal specifying only a dimming level, according to DT6 in a DALI system. The control gear 2, or the input circuit 5, identifies itself to the lighting system (especially the central control unit) via the first connection 8a, 8b as a first type of control gear capable of adjusting both the dimming level (light intensity) and the color temperature, and via the second connection 9a, 9b as a second type of control gear capable of adjusting only the dimming level.

[0030] Both device types mentioned refer to devices with different functionalities, both of which are provided for in a protocol of the same standard. According to this embodiment, the selection of how the operating device behaves in relation to the bus system is made by selecting the connection.

[0031] If the luminaire 1 is connected to the lighting system via the first terminal 8a, 8b and identified as the first control gear type (DT8), the input circuit 5 outputs the control signal received at the first terminal 8a, 8b to the control unit 6 without conversion. The control unit 6 determines a voltage and / or current for each luminaire 3, 4, i.e., each of the two channels, according to the color temperature and dimming level configuration indicated by the control signal, and controls it accordingly.

[0032] If, on the other hand, the luminaire 1 is connected to the lighting system via the second terminal 9a, 9b and identified as the second type of control gear (DT6), the input circuit 5 converts the control signal received at the second terminal 9a, 9b, which only indicates a dimming level, into a control signal for controlling the first type of control gear. The input circuit 5 converts the received control signal into a new control signal that indicates a specific combination of color temperature and dimming level. The dimming level corresponds, for example, to the dimming level specified by the received signal. The color temperature, i.e., the relative intensities, can be stored in the control gear 2 and remain constant across part or all of the dimming range, or it can be set depending on the time of day.Alternatively, a sensor or an input for sensor signals can be attached to the luminaire 1, which allows the color temperature to be controlled depending on the ambient / daylight, and / or an input device with which the manufacturer or user can set the color temperature. The corresponding assignments are stored in a table in the input circuit 5.

[0033] The control unit 6 receives the control signal converted by the input circuit 5 (now corresponding to a DT8 signal) and controls the light sources 3, 4 as described above.

[0034] Thus, it is possible to operate or register the control gear 2 or the luminaire 1 as a first control gear type using the first connection 8a, 8b, and to operate or register it as a second control gear type using the second connection 9a, 9b.

[0035] Alternatively, or triggered by a control signal, input circuit 5, when the control gear 2 is connected to the lighting system via the first terminal 8a, 8b and the second terminal 9a, 9b, can identify the control gear 2 to the lighting system as both a first control gear of the second type and a second control gear of the second type, each with its own address. Input circuit 5 generates a control signal of the first type from the two dimming level information contained in the control signals received at the two addresses. The color temperature is derived from the ratio of the dimming levels indicated in the received control signals, and thus the relative intensities for both channels. The resulting light intensity from both lamps 3 and 4 can be varied by changing the color temperature or kept constant at a predefined value.

[0036] If the luminaire 1 is connected to the lighting system only via the first terminal 8a, 8b or only via the second terminal 9a, 9b, the input circuit 5 identifies the control gear 2 to the lighting system as a first control gear type or a second control gear type, respectively. The control signals received via the used terminal 8a, 8b or 9a, 9b are output to the control unit 6 as described above, either without signal conversion (first control gear type) or with conversion (second control gear type).

[0037] At the in Fig. In the luminaire 1 shown in Figure 2, only one connection 10a, 10b is provided for connection to the lighting system. This connection can receive both the control signal for the first type of control gear, which indicates a dimming level and a color temperature, and the control signal for the second type of control gear, which only specifies a dimming level. Additionally, the luminaire 1 has a switch 11, or alternatively, just a connection for the switch 11. This switch signals to the input circuit 5 whether the input circuit 5 should identify itself to the lighting system via connection 10a, 10b as a first type of control gear or as a second type of control gear. Furthermore, it signals whether a control signal of the first type of control gear addressed to the luminaire 1 should be passed to the control unit 6 without conversion, or whether a control signal of the second type of control gear addressed to the luminaire 1 should be converted into a control signal of the first type of control gear.

[0038] In the multi-channel control gear 2 described above, the light intensity and color temperature of the controlled light sources 3, 4, especially if they are LEDs, can change with a change in temperature, whereby the light sources 3, 4 heat up differently due to different control / load conditions or different installation locations / environments. This leads to an inaccuracy / error, especially in the color temperature of the total light emitted by the light sources 3, 4.

[0039] Fig. Figure 3 shows a luminaire 1 with a control gear 2 according to a further embodiment of the present invention, in which a temperature sensor 12, 13 is integrated in each light source 3, 4. The temperature sensors 12, 13 can be NTC resistors. The signals output by the temperature sensors 12, 13 are supplied to the control unit 6. Based on the supplied temperature signals, the control unit 6 at least partially compensates for the temperature-induced deviation by increasing or decreasing the voltage or current at at least one output accordingly.

[0040] The increase / decrease at the respective output can be proportional to the temperature increase / decrease in the respective light source 3, 4. Alternatively, the control gear 2 can contain a function or table for both or each of the light sources 3, 4, which assigns a correction value to a detected temperature in conjunction with a set luminous flux.

[0041] If the priority is not on achieving the most accurate color temperature but rather on achieving a precise or constant brightness, the power of the hotter light source 3, 4 can be reduced to protect or extend its lifespan, and the resulting decrease in luminous flux can be compensated for by a corresponding increase in the power of the cooler light source 3, 4. The priority could be determined by a switch on the control gear 2 or by an external signal.

[0042] Alternatively or additionally, each of the light sources 3, 4 can be monitored using the recorded temperatures, whereby if a threshold value is exceeded the relevant light source 3, 4 is switched off or only the power (luminous flux) of the relevant light source 3, 4 is reduced.

[0043] The temperature monitoring of each of the lamps 3, 4, which can be operated separately from each other via separate channels by the control gear 2, and the temperature-dependent control are not limited to the control gears 2 or luminaires 1 with signal conversion described above and can instead be used with all known two- or multi-channel control gears 2. Monitoring the temperature of each of the lamps 3, 4 operated by the control gear 2 is particularly advantageous when the lamps 3, 4 are located in different places and / or have different power outputs, as is the case, for example, with luminaires with independently controllable direct and indirect lighting.

[0044] At the in Fig. In the luminaire 1 shown in Figure 4, the control unit 6 is designed to control the operating device 2 alternatively as a second type of operating device. A further switch 14 can signal to the control unit 6 whether the operating device 2 is to be controlled according to the first or the second type of operating device, and to the input circuit 5 that a control signal of the first type of operating device addressed to the luminaire 1 should be converted into a control signal of the second type of operating device, or that a control signal of the second type of operating device should be output to the control unit 6 without conversion.

[0045] If a control signal addressed to luminaire 1 of the first control gear type is to be converted into a control signal of the second control gear type, the input circuit 5 generates a control signal of the first control gear type from the combination of color temperature and dimming level shown in the received control signals. This control signal only indicates the dimming level. The control unit 6 controls / dimmes the connected lamps 3 and 4 synchronously. By using the control gear as the second control gear type, the luminous flux can be increased by using the two lamps 12 and 13.

[0046] Alternatively, a control signal of the first control gear type addressed to the luminaire 1 can be converted into a control signal of the second control gear type for the lamp 3 and a control signal of the second control gear type for the lamp 4, whereby the ratio of the dimming levels of the two lamps 3 and 4 results from the displayed color temperature or the ratio between warm white and cool white.

[0047] The in Fig. The luminaire 1 shown in Figure 4 also has temperature monitoring of each light source 3, 4, wherein the temperature sensors 12, 13 are not integrated into the light sources 3, 4, but are arranged outside the light sources 3, 4.

[0048] Fig. Figure 5 shows a control device 2 according to a further embodiment of the present invention, in which a measuring resistor 15, 16 is provided for each output of the control device 2. The measuring resistors 15 and 16 are each arranged between the control unit 6 and an output terminal 17a, 17b or 18a, 18b, to which light sources 3, 4 can be connected, and are each traversed by the current flowing through the respective light source 3, 4 during operation. The voltage drop across the measuring resistors 15 and 16 can be externally measured at the measuring terminals 19a, 19b and 20a, 20b.

[0049] The voltage measured at a specific power setting allows for the calibration of each channel of the operating device 2 or the LED converter, in which the measured voltage or current is compared with the power or current setting and a fine adjustment is made according to the determined deviation and a tolerance specification.

[0050] Calibration can be performed once, particularly during manufacturing by adjusting or adding a corresponding calibration value in the current control of the control software, or by hardware-side calibration by inserting calibration resistors in the measurement path for the output current.

[0051] Calibrating a channel / output of the operating device can be done by adding a corresponding calibration value to the current control in software, or by performing a hardware-side calibration by inserting calibration resistors, for example, in the measurement path for the output current.

[0052] The in Fig. The operating device 2 shown in Figure 5 can receive a signal indicating the temperature of the light source connected to output terminal 17a, 17b or a signal indicating the temperature of the light source connected to output terminal 18a, 18b via terminals 21a, 21b and 22a, 22b.

[0053] The lighting system operates in particular according to the DALI protocol and the control gear 2 can be a type 8 device (DT8: “Device Type 8”) with color control.

[0054] In the DALI system, a type 8 control gear 2 is controlled with only one address to, for example, change the color temperature or color point in a color space while maintaining a constant predefined brightness, or to perform brightness dimming while maintaining a constant color temperature.

[0055] Alternatively, the lighting system can operate according to the Digital Multiplex (DMX) control protocol, which is preferably used in stage and event technology for controlling spotlights and effect devices.

[0056] Neither the number of signal types (control gear types) that can be implemented by the control gear 2, nor the number of output channels of the control gear 2, nor the number of actuators or light sources that can be operated by the control gear 2, is limited to two and can be any number. For example, three channels can be used to control light sources 3 and 4 with the colors red, green, and blue.

Claims

[1] Control device for operating at least one light source (3, 4) in a bus-based lighting system, in particular in a DALI system, wherein different control device types are provided in the protocol of the bus-based lighting system, wherein the control device (2) identifies itself to the bus-based lighting system, depending on an input at a software or hardware selection device of the control device, either as at least the first control device type that can process a control signal of a first specification of the protocol, or as the second control device type that can process a control signal of a second specification, and wherein the respective control device type is queried when the control device (2) is registered in the bus-based lighting system. [2] Control device according to claim 1 for operating at least one light source (3, 4) in a lighting system, in particular in a DALI system, wherein the control device (2) a control device (6) for controlling the operating device (2) as a first type of operating device capable of processing a control signal of a first specification; and Means (5) for converting a received control signal of a second specification for controlling a second operating device type that can process such a control signal of a second specification into a control signal of the first specification. [3] Control device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising identification means (5) for selectively identifying at least the first or second type of control device as the control device (2) can be controlled by the lighting system. [4] Operating device according to claim 3, comprising at least one first connection (8a, 8b) for connecting the control gear (2) to the lighting system and a second connection (9a, 9b) for connecting the control gear (2) to the lighting system, wherein the identification means (5) is designed to identify the control gear (2) as the first control gear type via the first connection (8a, 8b) or to identify the control gear as the second control gear type via the second connection (9a, 9b), and / or wherein the identification means (5) is designed to identify the control gear (2) as two control gears of the second control gear type via both connections. [5] Operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the first control gear type corresponds to a control gear according to DT8 specification of the DALI standard and the second control gear type corresponds to a control gear according to DT6 specification of the DALI standard. [6] Control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the identification means (5) is designed to identify the control device (2) according to a received setting signal at least as the first control device type or the second control device type. [7] Operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by , that the control gear (2) is a two- or multi-channel control gear for the separate operation of two or more lamps on the channels. [8] Operating device according to claim 7, wherein the control signal for controlling the first operating device type contains information on the relative intensity of the two channels to each other as well as an overall intensity; and the control device (6) is designed to control the voltage and / or current delivered in the first channel and the second channel respectively. [9] Operating device according to claim 8, wherein the means (5) for converting a control signal is designed to convert a received control signal for controlling the second type of control device, which contains information on intensity, into a control signal for controlling the first type of control device, which contains information on relative intensity and total intensity; and the control device (6) is designed to control the voltage and / or current delivered in the first channel and the second channel respectively. [10] Operating device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the control device (6) is designed to identify the control gear (2) to the lighting system as a first control gear of the second control gear type and a second control gear of the second control gear type and to control the voltage and / or current supplied to the first channel according to the intensity specified by a control signal received and attributable to the first control gear and to control the voltage and / or current supplied to the second channel according to the intensity specified by a control signal received and attributable to the second control gear. [11] Operating device according to claim 10, characterized by , that the two intensities of the control signals are converted into relative intensities while keeping a predefinable total intensity constant. [12] Operating device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, comprising Means (12, 13) for detecting at least the temperature of a light source (3) connected to the first channel and the temperature of a light source (4) connected to the second channel, wherein the control device (6) is designed to control the light source (3) connected to the first channel and the light source (4) connected to the second channel, taking into account the respective detected temperature. [13] Operating device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, comprising Means (15; 19a, 19b) for directly or indirectly detecting the current emitted in the first channel and for outputting a signal representing that current; and Means (16; 20a, 20b) for directly or indirectly detecting the current emitted in the second channel and for outputting a signal representing that current. [14] Luminaire with a control device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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