Use of ripple control signals for time determination in a lighting system

Abstract

Control device for one or more components (2) of a lighting system, the control device comprising: a control device (4) for controlling the component (2) of the lighting system according to a predetermined time course; a detection device (3) for detecting a ripple control signal (R) superimposed on a mains voltage; and a time base determination device (5) for determining the time base for the temporal progression by means of the detected ripple control signal (R), characterized in that at least one component (2) is an operating device for lamps with a controllable color tone and the control device (4) is designed to control the color tone according to the predetermined temporal progression.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device and a method for temporally controlling one or more components of a lighting system.

[0002] Lighting systems can consist of components such as sensors, control gear for lamps or actuators, switches, and dimmers. Control gear for lamps, such as gas discharge lamps, halogen lamps, and especially light-emitting diodes (LEDs, OLEDs), can be used to monitor the function of the lamp, and to start and / or dim the lamp. The lamps and actuators can be controlled using manually operated switches or sensors that detect, for example, the movement of objects and / or ambient brightness.

[0003] In some applications, the components are controlled according to a predefined time sequence. For example, the brightness and / or color of a light emitted by a luminaire or the position of a roller shutter can be adjusted to the current time of day. To replicate natural sunlight or the course of daylight, a luminaire typically produces a cooler white light in the morning and a warmer white light in the evening.

[0004] For such controls, knowledge of the current time of day is necessary. In lighting systems with time-of-day control, a real-time clock (RTC) is often used, which is powered by the mains voltage or a battery. However, there is the problem that after a power failure or when the battery is empty, information about the current time of day is no longer available. In addition, the clock must be set by the user after installation or a power failure. To prevent this, a radio clock can be provided which receives a time signal transmitted by radio from a time signal transmitter or a connection to a central control system which transmits the current time of day. However, reception of the transmitted time signal is often poor or not possible in shielded buildings and providing a connection to a central control system is costly.

[0005] DE 10 2004 053 709 A1 discloses a device comprising a ripple control receiver and intended for controlling electrical energy consumers. The electrical energy consumers can be street lamps, which are remotely controlled according to a predetermined time sequence via a ripple control signal superimposed on a mains voltage. A similar procedure is also known from EP 0 821 461 A1.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of providing a device and a method that mitigate the described problems. In particular, the object is to provide a control device, an operating device for lamps, and a method for the temporal control of one or more components of a lighting system, with which simple and cost-effective time-of-day-dependent control is possible.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. The invention is further developed by the features of the dependent claims.

[0008] According to the present invention, a control device for one or more components of a lighting system comprises a control device for controlling the component of the lighting system according to a predetermined time profile, a detection device for detecting a ripple control signal superimposed on a mains voltage, and a time base determination device for determining the time base for the time profile using the detected ripple control signal.

[0009] At least one component is an operating device for lamps with a controllable color tone, wherein the control device controls the color tone and, if applicable, the brightness according to the predetermined time course.

[0010] Ripple control signals are known to be used in ripple control technology for the remote control of electricity consumers by energy suppliers, for example, for switching between peak and off-peak electricity or for switching street lights on and off. According to the present invention, a time base for the specified time sequence can now be synchronized or adjusted based on the ripple control signals transmitted at specific times of day, whereby either the transmission time and the start time of the control or the time offset / reference between the transmission time and the start time is known or stored.

[0011] The time base determination device can be configured to determine at least the time period between two consecutive ripple control signals and to compare the determined time period with at least one predetermined time period to determine the time base. This enables the time base to be determined when ripple control signals are transmitted at different times of day, for example, for night / day and day / night switching.

[0012] Alternatively or additionally, the time base determination device can be designed to decode information contained in the ripple control signal for identifying the ripple control signal and to determine the time base by means of time information associated with the identified ripple control signal.

[0013] The control device may comprise a transmission device for transmitting information indicating the time base (system time) to another control device of the lighting system.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, the control device may comprise a receiving device for receiving information indicating the time base, wherein the time base determining device is designed to generate a specification for restoring the time base by means of the received information and at least one detected ripple control signal.

[0015] The information indicating the time base can be the current time of day entered by a user or transmitted to another control device or timer. The default for restoring the time base is the time interval determined by the time base determination device between the transmitted time of day and the time of detection of the ripple control signal. Using the determined time interval, the time base or time of day can be restored or adjusted (inaccuracy of the internal clock) after a power failure as soon as the ripple control signal is received again.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, the control device may comprise an output device for outputting information indicating the time base to a display device for a manual correction of the time base.

[0017] The time base may be the current time and the control device may comprise a clock, wherein the control device is designed to set the clock using the determined current time of day or to adjust the time signal emitted by the clock.

[0018] According to the present invention, an operating device for lighting means comprises one of the control devices described above.

[0019] According to the present invention, the method for controlling one or more components of a lighting system according to a predetermined time profile comprises the steps of: detecting a ripple control signal superimposed on a mains voltage and determining a time base for the time profile using the detected ripple control signal.

[0020] At least one component is an operating device for lamps with a controllable color tone, wherein the control device controls the color tone and, if applicable, the brightness according to the predetermined time course.

[0021] The time period determined between two consecutive ripple control signals can be compared with at least one predetermined time period to determine the time base and / or information contained in the ripple control signal can be decoded to identify the ripple control signal and the time base can be determined by means of time information associated with the identified ripple control signal.

[0022] Alternatively or additionally, information indicating the time base may be transmitted to an external control device of the lighting system.

[0023] Alternatively or additionally, information indicating the time base can be received and a specification for restoring the time base can be generated by means of the received information and at least one detected ripple control signal.

[0024] Alternatively or additionally, information indicating the time base can be output to a display device for manual correction of the time base.

[0025] The time base can be the current time of day and a clock can be set using the specific current time of day or the time signal emitted by the clock can be adjusted.

[0026] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 an embodiment of a control device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 shows a first diagram with a control time profile on a day and a second diagram with a ripple control signal received on that day according to the present invention, Fig. 3 two diagrams with ripple control signals occurring at different times, and Fig. 4 an embodiment of an operating device according to the present invention.

[0027] Components with the same functions are marked with the same reference numerals in the figures.

[0028] According to the present invention, ripple control signals whose transmission time and / or day are known are used to obtain the current time required for the temporal control of a lighting system. Ripple control signals can be used to transmit control commands in a power grid, with pulse sequences in the frequency range from 110 Hz to approximately 2000 Hz being superimposed on the mains voltage with an amplitude of approximately 1 to 4% of the respective nominal voltage.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows a simplified schematic representation of a control device 1 for an operating device 2 according to the present invention. The operating device 2 serves to operate a light source (not shown) and is controlled by the control device 1 according to a predetermined control process, in which the light source is intended to generate specific brightness levels and color temperatures, for example, at specific times of day by means of dimming by the operating device 2.

[0030] The light source can comprise one light-emitting diode (LED) or multiple LEDs. The LEDs can be inorganic or organic LEDs. The multiple LEDs can be connected in series or parallel. The multiple LEDs can also be connected in more complex arrangements, for example, in multiple series circuits connected in parallel, and / or have different color tones, in particular for generating warm and cool white light.

[0031] The control device 1 can be connected via the terminals L1 and N to a power grid of an energy supply company, which modulates ripple control signals onto the mains voltage tapped at the terminals L1 and N. In this example, the mains voltage present at the terminals L1 and N also serves to supply the control device 1. The control device 1 has a detection device 3 connected to the terminals L1 and N for detecting the ripple control signals superimposed on the mains voltage, a control device 4 for controlling the operating device 1, a determination device 5 for determining and transmitting the time base to the control device 4, and a storage device 6 for storing information by means of which the time base can be determined from the reception times of the ripple control signals.

[0032] The storage device 6 is a permanently installed or removable non-volatile data memory. The time base transmitted from the determination device 5 to the control device 4 can be a start pulse for initiating the aforementioned control process, the current time of day, or the system time.

[0033] The control device 4 starts or synchronizes the control process according to the received start pulse or takes over the transmitted time of day and starts the control process according to a predetermined start / time of day.

[0034] In the upper diagram in Fig. Figure 2 shows a time-dependent progression of the dimming level and / or color temperature controlled by the control device 4, which repeats every day. According to the progression shown, the color temperature change or dimming process is to start at 6:00 a.m., with the color temperature or dimming level changing continuously until 7:30 a.m. and continuing to change between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to a final value, before continuously changing in the opposite direction from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

[0035] In the diagram below in Fig. 2 shows the time course or transmission time of a ripple control signal R sent every day by a power company. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, a ripple control signal R is transmitted at 3:30 a.m. and detected by the detection device 3. There is a time difference Δt of two hours and thirty minutes between the transmission time of 3:30 a.m. and the start of the dimming process at 6:00 a.m. This time difference Δt is stored in the memory device 6.

[0036] If the ripple control signal R is detected by the detection device 3 and the reception is communicated to the determination device 5, the determination device 5 transmits the time difference Δt stored in the memory device 6 to the control device 4. The control device 4 starts a timer and after the time Δt the Fig. 2, which is also controlled by the time information displayed by the timer. This eliminates the need for a clock to constantly measure the current time of day. The receipt of the ripple control signal R simply triggers the predefined / programmed control process at the correct time.

[0037] However, it is also possible to store the transmission time assigned to the ripple control signal R in the memory device 6 and, upon detection of the ripple control signal R, to transmit this time to the control device 4 so that a clock provided for measuring the current time of day in the control device 4 is set / adjusted. The control device 4 then starts the Fig. 2 according to the current time of day displayed by the clock.

[0038] Fig. Figure 3 shows diagram A with ripple control signals R1 and R2 transmitted from March to September (summer tariff), and diagram B with ripple control signals R3 and R4 transmitted from October to February (winter tariff). Ripple control signals R1 and R3, transmitted at 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., respectively, indicate the start of a peak tariff, while ripple control signals R2 and R4, transmitted at 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., respectively, indicate the start of an off-peak tariff.

[0039] In order to identify the individual ripple control signals R1..R4 for obtaining the current time without decoding the signals, the time differences Δt NS , Δt HS , Δt NW , Δt HSwith the corresponding transmission times (7:00 and 18:00 or 6:00 and 22:00). The determination device 5 measures the time periods / time differences (time intervals) between two successive ripple control signals R1..R4 detected by the detection device 3 and compares the measured time difference with the stored time differences Δt NS (13 hours), Δt HS (9 hours), Δt NW (16 hours), Δt HS (8 hours) to identify the ripple control signals R1..R4 and to determine the current time. Thus, the current time can be determined at the time of the second detected ripple control signal.

[0040] The period March to September and the period October to February can be identified using the measured time differences Δt NS , Δt HS , Δt NW , Δt HSThis is also possible and could be taken into account in a control system if necessary. To identify a detected ripple control signal, time periods / time differences between more than two consecutive ripple control signals can also be determined or stored. Furthermore, the duration of the ripple control signals can be used for identification.

[0041] If the ripple control signals contain information which (possibly in conjunction with the time difference determination described above) allows a clear identification of the ripple control signals (i.e. the morning or evening signal), this information can be stored in the memory device 6 with the respective (known) transmission times of the ripple control signals and / or other information.

[0042] The detection device 3 then outputs the detected ripple control signals R1..R4 to the determination device 5, which decodes the information contained in the ripple control signals R1..R4 and compares the decoded information with the information stored in the storage device 6 in order to determine the current time of day.

[0043] If ripple control signals R1..R4 occur that are not sent at specific / predefined times, they could be noted in the storage device 6, identified and sorted out after detection, or not used for determining the time base.

[0044] The information for identifying and timing the ripple control signals R1..R4 can be stored in the storage device 6 by the manufacturer of the control device 1 or the user. Alternatively or additionally, the determination device 5 can be designed to determine and store the information for identifying and timing the ripple control signals R1..R4 and / or to update the stored information.

[0045] For this purpose, the determination device 5 identifies detected ripple control signals R1..R4, stores information for identification and detection / transmission time, and uses the continuously stored information to determine ripple control signals R1..R4, which are transmitted repeatedly (periodically) at specific times. These ripple control signals R1..R4 are used to correct the internal clock (not shown) of the control device 1 and / or to automatically set the clock after a power failure (restoring the time base).

[0046] The corrected or restored time can also be transmitted to other control devices of a lighting system that do not themselves have a device for detecting the ripple control signals. For this purpose, the control device 1 has a transmission device for transmitting information indicating the time base (time) to another control device.

[0047] The control device 1 may also comprise a receiving device for receiving information indicating the time base from the other control device or a user input device. The time currently measured by the clock of the control device 1 could be output to a display by means of an output device for manual correction by the user.

[0048] The Fig. The determination device 3 and / or storage device 6 shown in Figure 1 can be integrated into the control device 4. The control device 1 can be a component of the operating device 2.

[0049] Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of an operating device 2 according to the present invention, which can operate differently colored light-emitting diodes in such a way that the brightness and the color tone of the emitted light can be adapted to the brightness and the color tone of the natural sunlight or the course of daylight.

[0050] The operating device comprises the detection device 3, the control device 4, an LED converter 7 with several channels or output connections 8 and a timer circuit 7 which contains the determination device 3 and the storage device 6.

[0051] LEDs producing cold white light can be operated on one of the channels and LEDs producing warm white light can be operated on another channel.

[0052] The detection device 3 additionally contains a mains voltage monitoring circuit (not shown) which monitors the mains voltage level at the terminals l1 and N for the operating device and reports a failure or a specific deviation / fault of the input voltage to the control device 4, so that the control device 4 can terminate the current, daylight-compliant lighting control and activate emergency lighting by means of an energy storage device (not shown).

[0053] During normal operation with the correct mains voltage, the detection device 3 detects the ripple control signals R1..R4 modulated to the mains voltage and reports them to the timer circuit 7, which determines the timing of the ripple control signals R1..R4 and sends a signal indicating the time base to the control device 4, as described above. The control device 4 controls the LED converter 7 according to a programmed sequence that specifies a specific color temperature of the generated white light and a specific brightness for specific times of day, with the time of day being determined based on the signal transmitted by the timer circuit 7.

Claims

[1] Control device for one or more components (2) of a lighting system, the control device comprising: a control device (4) for controlling the component (2) of the lighting system according to a predetermined time course; a detection device (3) for detecting a ripple control signal (R) superimposed on a mains voltage; and a time base determination device (5) for determining the time base for the temporal progression by means of the detected ripple control signal (R), characterized by , that at least one component (2) is an operating device for lamps with a controllable color tone and the control device (4) is designed to control the color tone according to the predetermined temporal progression. [2] Control device according to claim 1, wherein the time base determination device (5) is designed to determine at least the time period between two successive ripple control signals (R) and compares the determined time period with at least one predetermined time period for determining the time base. [3] Control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the time base determination device (5) is designed to decode information contained in the ripple control signal (R) for identifying the ripple control signal (R) and to determine the time base by means of time information associated with the identified ripple control signal (R). [4] Control device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control device comprises a transmission device for transmitting information indicating the time base to another control device of the lighting system. [5] Control device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device comprises a receiving device for receiving information indicating the time base; and the time base determination device is designed to generate a specification for restoring the time base by means of the received information and at least one detected ripple control signal (R). [6] A control device according to claim 5, wherein the control device comprises output means for outputting information indicating the time base to a display means for manual correction of the time base. [7] Control device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the time base is the current time and the control device comprises a clock; where the control device (4) is designed to set the clock using the determined current time of day or to adjust the time signal emitted by the clock. [8] Operating device for lamps with a control device according to one of claims 1 to 7. [9] Method for controlling one or more components (2) of a lighting system according to a predetermined time course, comprising the steps: Detecting (3) a ripple control signal (R) superimposed on a mains voltage; and Determining (5) a time base for the temporal progression by means of the detected ripple control signal characterized by , that at least one component (2) is an operating device for lamps with a controllable color tone and a control device (4) controls the color tone according to the predetermined time course. [10] Method according to claim 9, wherein the time period determined between two successive ripple control signals (R) is compared with at least one predetermined time period for determining the time base. [11] Method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein information contained in the ripple control signal (R) is decoded for identification of the ripple control signal (R) and the time base is determined by means of time information associated with the identified ripple control signal (R). [12] A method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the method comprises the step: Transmitting information indicating the time base to a control device of the lighting system. [13] A method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the method comprises the steps of: Receiving information indicating the time base; and Creating a specification for restoring the time base using the received information and at least one detected ripple control signal (R). [14] Method according to one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the time base is the current time of day; where a clock is set using the current time of day or the time signal emitted by the clock is adjusted.

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