Method for determining the location of at least one lighting device, control unit and lighting system

Abstract

The method comprises sending (25) at least one lighting command and / or sequences of commands to a number of lighting devices (2) located in a physical environment, instructing at least one of the lighting devices how to respond, and acquiring (30) the physical environment to provide camera data representing the lighting response of the number of lighting devices (2) and including position data representing the position of the number of lighting devices (2) in the physical environment.The method further comprises processing (35) the camera data to identify at least one lighting device (2) based on its contribution to the lighting behavior, and assigning (40) the at least one identified lighting device (2) to its location in the physical environment, at least partially based on the position data. The method further comprises detecting whether a new lighting device has been added to the number of lighting devices and initiating the identification process by sending a lighting command to the new device when this is detected. A control unit and a lighting system are also provided.

Description

The technical field of the present disclosure relates generally to lighting systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a method for determining the location of at least one lighting device, as well as a control unit and a lighting system. In lighting systems, especially when fixtures or lighting devices are connected to a lighting network, there is no easy way to directly link or map their physical location to the equipment list, i.e., to establish a correspondence between the lighting devices and their physical location. Some approaches present only equipment lists, which makes it difficult to connect them to their actual positions in the real world. In some lighting systems, users can drag and drop lighting devices or corresponding icons onto a floor plan or similar background on a user interface and manually identify and assign their positions through actions such as "identify." This is the simplest approach, but users must manually confirm the position of each individual device, making the process cumbersome and time-consuming. In other systems, the shapes of the devices can be mapped by taking a photo or video of the lighting fixtures, allowing for more intuitive control. This approach is already used in some light strip products. Compared to the previous method, this approach allows for a simpler and more accurate representation of the final arrangement of light strips and tracks. This method also offers the user a more convenient setup without having to manually draw the shape of the lighting installation. However, this method is primarily designed for a single light strip and does not accommodate multiple lighting fixtures. German patent application DE 10 2010 045 574 A1 describes a method for commissioning a string of lights with a multitude of LEDs, each assigned a spatial position and an address. German patent application CN 108966462 A describes a method for determining the physical position of lamps in a lamp control system using light signals. German patent application JP 2009-238526 A describes a lighting system with a multitude of luminaires and an image sensor for imaging the luminaires. German patent application DE 10 2016 100 855 A1 describes a lighting system with several lighting devices, each assigned an address, and with a controller for communication with the lighting devices. The aim of the present application is to provide a particularly user-friendly and convenient method for determining the location of lighting devices, with which a lighting system with multiple lighting devices can be set up and controlled. To solve the above problem, a method for determining the location of at least one lighting device is provided. The method comprises sending at least one lighting command or instruction and / or sequences of commands to a number of lighting devices located in a physical environment, instructing at least one of the lighting devices how to respond. The lighting command can be sent in particular by a control unit or controller, typically a mobile app, which is configured to control the number of lighting devices, e.g. via a wired and / or wireless communication interface. The number of lighting devices may in particular include one or more controllable lighting devices (e.g. lighting modules or luminaires) with at least one adjustable light parameter, e.g. color, color temperature, brightness, etc. The lighting devices can include one or more light sources, e.g., LED light sources, a communication interface (wired and / or wireless), a control unit, and a driver for controlling the light source. In particular, the lighting devices can be configured to receive and execute a lighting command received from the control unit. A lighting response of the number of lighting devices to the at least one lighting command can be the activation, deactivation and / or adjustment of the respective lighting devices according to the instruction sent by the control unit. The method further comprises capturing the physical environment, in particular by means of one or more cameras, to provide camera data representing the lighting behavior of the number of lighting devices and including position data representing the position of the number of lighting devices in the physical environment. Capturing the physical environment may include taking photographs and / or videos of the physical environment, so that the camera data may include image and / or video data. The method also includes processing the camera data to identify at least one lighting device, at least partially, based on its contribution to the lighting response, and mapping the at least one identified lighting device to its location in the physical environment or physical location, at least partially based on the positional data. The method further includes detecting whether a new lighting device has been added to the number of lighting devices and initiating the identification process by sending a lighting command to the new device when this is detected. The processing can be based, at least in part, on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and image processing technologies, enabling the control unit to recognize patterns and automatically locate the corresponding lighting devices. The location of the lighting devices can also be based, at least in part, on crowdsourced location data, particularly by using additional information sources or reference systems to determine the location of the lighting devices. This can be especially helpful when not all devices can be captured by the camera simultaneously. Through the automatic identification and mapping of the lighting devices, the method enables quick and easy calibration of the control unit for controlling the lighting devices. The method can, in particular, include the representation of the physical environment with the lighting devices on a user interface (UI). The mapping can, in particular, include linking the displayed position of the lighting devices with virtual device identification numbers (IDs) used in the app, e.g., stored in a memory unit of the control unit. After the lighting devices have been identified and assigned, the control unit can be used to control the lighting devices in a targeted manner based on their actual physical position assignment, enabling more intuitive user interaction by adapting to the real arrangement and proximity or distance of the devices. Furthermore, controlling even a large number of lighting devices via the control unit does not require the lighting devices to communicate with each other. This simplifies the hardware of the lighting devices and the entire system. In some embodiments, sending the lighting command includes sending a lighting pattern command to elicit a pattern-based response in the number of lighting devices. In particular, the lighting command may contain an instruction to generate a lighting pattern, especially a static or dynamic lighting pattern, such as flashing followed by a color change to a specific color, e.g., red. Generating and recognizing specific lighting patterns can increase the reliability of the method and the safety of the lighting device identification. The number of lighting devices may include one or more groups of lighting devices, and the sending of the lighting command may involve sending lighting commands with different patterns to different (e.g., all) devices and / or groups of devices essentially at the same time. In particular, the method can include essentially simultaneous pattern recognition, allowing multiple devices to be identified and assigned at the same time, making the setup or calibration process particularly fast and efficient. In some embodiments, the method alternatively or additionally includes the individual addressing of lighting devices, so that the devices can be individually identified, assigned, and / or adjusted. This embodiment is particularly reliable and cost-effective with regard to the required hardware and software. Sending different lighting patterns can involve sending unique patterns to each lighting device. Sending unique patterns, such as a specific color or hue, to each device can reduce the error rate in identifying the lighting devices. In some embodiments, the method includes detecting whether a new lighting device has been added to the number of lighting devices and, if detected, initiating the identification or calibration process by sending a lighting command to the new device. Subsequently, the identification and mapping described above can be applied to the newly added device based on its response to the lighting command. In particular, the physical environment can be captured along with the newly added device, and the camera data can be analyzed to identify and map the newly added device to its physical location. In cases where only one lighting device is added at a time, a simple lighting command, e.g., "Light on", "Light off", or "Light on / off", may be sufficient to reliably identify the newly added device. If further new lighting devices are to be added to the system, the procedure may involve repeating the above steps of detection, identification, and assignment for each newly added lighting device, in particular until all lighting devices have been identified and assigned to their locations. Once all lighting devices have been identified and assigned, the calibration process can be completed. The method may also include displaying the physical environment or a model of the physical environment with an image of the at least one lighting device on a user interface (UI), e.g., in the form of a touchscreen, and creating at least one control symbol based on the image of the at least one identified lighting device displayed on the UI. Creating a control symbol may include drawing a circle or other marker on the image of an identified lighting device to form an activatable button. In some embodiments, after the button is activated, e.g., by a finger or mouse pointer, a configuration menu for configuring the identified lighting device is displayed. In some embodiments, the identification of at least one lighting device is based at least partially on its shape and / or category. Using the shape, category, and / or type of lighting devices can facilitate and accelerate the detection and calibration process, particularly if at least some lighting devices can be identified and assigned without waiting for their illumination response. According to some embodiments, the at least one lighting device comprises a group of lighting devices configured to replicate images, the method further comprising providing or selecting an image for replication, which, for example, was captured by the camera and / or stored in the memory unit of the control unit. The method may include reproducing the image in the physical environment by generating and sending a command or set of commands to a number of identified and assigned lighting devices, at least partially based on their location in the physical environment. In this way, a fast and simple method for replicating or reproducing images, for example, for displaying flags with national colors or symbols for special events, can be provided. According to a second aspect, a control unit or control device is provided for determining the location of at least one lighting device. The control unit comprises a processor, a memory unit for storing data and machine-readable instructions for the processor, and an interface. The interface is configured to send at least one lighting command or instruction and / or sequence of commands to a number of lighting devices in a physical environment and instructs at least one of the lighting devices how to respond. The interface is further configured to receive camera data, e.g., from one or more cameras, representing a lighting response from the number of lighting devices and including position data representing the position of the number of lighting devices in the physical environment. The memory unit contains instructions for the processor to process the camera data, to identify at least one lighting device based on its contribution to the lighting response, and to assign the at least one identified lighting device to its location in the physical environment, at least partially based on the positional data. The memory unit further contains instructions for the processor to detect whether a new lighting device has been added to the number of lighting devices and, if so, to initiate the identification process by sending a lighting command to the new device. The control unit can be part of a single device or implemented in a single device, e.g. as a mobile app, or it can be distributed across two or more physical devices, such as cloud servers or multiple cameras for stereoscopic images of the physical environment. The control unit enables quick and easy calibration of a lighting system and configuration of lighting devices. Once the lighting devices are identified and assigned, the control unit can be used to control them and create various lighting scenarios according to the user's preferences. According to a third aspect, a lighting system is provided. This lighting system comprises a number of controllable lighting devices that can be deployed in a physical environment, as well as a control unit as described in the second aspect. This control unit is configured to identify the number of lighting devices and assign them to their location within the physical environment for control purposes. The automatic identification and assignment of the lighting devices makes the system particularly user-friendly and allows for quick and easy calibration of the control unit. The following description provides details for describing the embodiments of this specification. However, it will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the embodiments can also be implemented without such details. Some parts of the embodiments have similar parts. The similar parts may have the same names or similar part numbers. The description of one part may refer to another similar part, thereby avoiding repetition of text without limiting the disclosure. Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a lighting system according to one embodiment, Fig. 2 schematically shows a calibration process of a lighting system according to one embodiment, Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a method according to one embodiment, Fig. 4 shows the workflow of a calibration process of a lighting system according to one embodiment, Fig. 5 shows an example of a lighting system according to one embodiment, and Fig. 6 shows an example of another system according to a further embodiment. Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a lighting system according to one embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the lighting system 1 comprises a number (e.g., 1 to N) of lighting devices 2 and a control unit 3 for controlling the lighting devices 2. The lighting devices 2 are configured as controllable lighting devices comprising at least one controllable light source 4 with at least one controllable light parameter and a control unit (not shown). In some embodiments, the light sources are configured to produce light with adjustable light parameters, such as color, color temperature, brightness, etc. The lighting devices 2 shown in Fig. 1 also have a communication interface 5, in particular with an antenna or wired line, which is configured to receive instructions from the control unit 3 to control the light sources 4. The arrow pointing to the right symbolizes the flow of information from the control unit 3 or control device to the lighting devices 2, and the arrow pointing to the left symbolizes the flow of information from the lighting devices 2 to the control unit 3. The control unit 3 can, in particular, comprise a processor, a memory unit, and an interface for sending commands or instructions to the respective interfaces 5 of the lighting devices 2, symbolized by the right-pointing arrow. For the sake of simplicity, the processor, the memory unit, and the processor interface are not shown. The lighting devices 2 can also send digital information to the control unit 3 via the respective interfaces 5, e.g. handshake or acknowledgment signals or similar. Communication between the control unit and the number of lighting devices can be based on one or more wireless or wired communication protocols, such as Bluetooth (registered trademark of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group), Zigbee (registered trademark of the Connectivity Standards Alliance), DALI (registered trademark of the DALI Alliance), LoRa (registered trademark of Semtech Corporation), etc. Furthermore, the lighting devices 2 can execute the commands received from the control unit 3 by adjusting the light output in response to the lighting commands received from the control unit 3. In the present embodiment, the control unit 3 is designed as a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone or a tablet PC, on which application software for carrying out the present method and for controlling the lighting devices 2 is installed. Fig. 2 schematically shows a calibration process of a lighting system according to one embodiment. In the embodiment shown, a number of lighting devices 2 are depicted in a physical environment, which is a residential area. Some of the lighting devices may be pre-installed, while others may be added to the lighting system. Particularly in the case of newly added lighting devices, calibration can be carried out according to one of the embodiments of the method described above. In particular, the right arrow in the upper part of Fig. 2 symbolizes the sending of a lighting command by a control unit 3 to a number of lighting devices 2 (luminaires) in a physical environment (living space). The lighting command can, in particular, include a pattern instruction or a pattern-based instruction, e.g., to flash or switch on at least one lighting device. Upon receiving the lighting command, the lighting devices 2 execute the command and adjust their light output accordingly. The left arrow, pointing to the hands holding the mobile device, symbolizes capturing the physical environment by taking a photo or video of it. Based on the image data supplied by the mobile device's camera, data processing can begin to identify and map the lighting devices, symbolized by the downward arrow in the middle of Fig. 2. The lower part of Fig. 2 illustrates the identification and assignment process based on the camera data, which represent the lighting behavior of the lighting devices 2 and include position data of the lighting devices 2. In the middle of the lower part of Fig. 2, the display of the mobile device shows an image of the captured physical environment together with images 2' of lighting devices 2 distributed in the physical environment. Based on the lighting behavior and position data, the control unit 3 uniquely assigns each lighting device to a corresponding image 2' on the user interface and a corresponding lighting device 2 in the real world. This is illustrated firstly by the double-sided arrows that connect the lighting devices 2 with their respective images 2', and secondly by the double-sided arrows that connect the images 2' with the positions of the device list stored in the control unit, see left image below. Depending on the design, the lighting devices can additionally or alternatively be identified by their shape and / or type. In some embodiments, the control unit sends three pattern instructions to several or all lighting devices. Each device can receive a different or unique pattern that can be recognized, such as a different color. In this way, multiple devices can be identified based on their response and assigned essentially in one step. In cases where the lighting devices are identified individually, the process can be repeated until all lighting devices have been identified and assigned or mapped to a location. Information about already identified and assigned lighting devices (e.g., device ID and location, etc.) can be stored in the memory of control unit 3, so that the lighting system can be controlled without further calibration unless a new lighting device is added to the system. Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a method according to one embodiment. According to this embodiment, the method 20 comprises sending (step 25) a lighting command to a number of lighting devices located in a physical environment to elicit a lighting response from the number of lighting devices. The method 20 further comprises acquiring (step 30) the physical environment to provide camera data representing the lighting response of the number of lighting devices and position data representing the position of the number of lighting devices in the physical environment. Method 20 further includes processing (step 35) the camera data to identify at least one lighting device based on its contribution to the lighting response, and assigning (step 40) the at least one identified lighting device to its location in the physical environment at least partially based on the position data. Fig. 4 shows a workflow of a calibration process for a lighting system according to one embodiment. The calibration process 50, or fast mapping process, can be carried out in particular using a control unit 3 or a mobile app as described above. To better illustrate the process, the process steps are arranged in three columns, depending on which functions are involved in the execution of certain steps. The first (left) column shows the steps performed by the control unit 3, the middle column shows those performed by the communication interfaces 5, and the third column shows the steps performed by the lighting devices 2. According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, in a first step 55, the control unit 3 sends instructions for networking with devices. The device networking instructions can include all instructions related to establishing wired or wireless communication between the control unit 3 and the lighting devices 3. Step 60 symbolizes the transmission of the networking instructions from the control unit 3 to a newly added lighting device 2. The networking instructions can, in particular, include a query as to whether a new device has been added to the system or to a group of already installed and assigned lighting devices. If a new lighting device 2 is added (step 65), the new lighting device 2 can issue a callback if the addition was successful (step 70). The callback or feedback can be returned to the control unit 3 in a transmission step 75. Upon receiving the callback from the newly added lighting device 2, the control unit 3 generates a lighting command and activates a camera to record a real-time scene with a lighting response from the lighting devices, step 80. The transmission of the lighting command from the control unit to the lighting devices is shown as step 85, and the execution of the lighting command by the lighting device as step 90. This can include switching on the light, dimming the brightness, or playing a lighting scenario, so that the newly added device can be identified by the control unit 3. In step 95, an acknowledgment is transmitted from the lighting device to the control unit to confirm that the lighting command was received and successfully executed. After successful identification and assignment of the newly added device, as described above in steps 55 to 100, the procedure may include repeating the process, in particular the steps mentioned above sequentially, for any further lighting devices newly added to the system. The procedure may also include steps for configuring the newly added device, especially once the identification and assignment are complete. In step 100, a control icon for configuring and / or controlling the newly added lighting device can be created based on its image. In some embodiments, a grayscale image of the scene or physical environment can be displayed on a user interface to improve contrast. For example, if only the newly added lighting device is switched on according to the lighting instructions, a bright spot can be identified as the newly added lighting device. In this case, it can be highlighted, particularly automatically—for example, by drawing a circle around the bright spot—and a control icon can be created on the user interface at the location of the bright spot. Clicking the circle icon or the control icon may bring up a setup menu and / or a control panel for configuring and / or controlling the newly added lighting device, allowing the user to configure and control the lighting device by operating the control panel. In some embodiments, the control panel may include a color palette or sliders for selecting a color or adjusting any lighting parameter of the lighting device. User input received via the user interface can be converted into lighting commands and sent to control the newly added lighting device. The transmission of the lighting commands to the mounting device is shown as step 110. In step 115, the mounting device or lighting device executes the control commands by changing at least one light parameter, e.g., color, brightness, color temperature, etc., accordingly. Fig. 5 shows an example of a system according to one embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the lighting system 1 comprises a number of lighting devices 2, which are configured as color-adjustable point lights and arranged in a flat, bulb-like pattern. The control unit 3 is a mobile device on which an app for carrying out the procedure is installed. The user interface of the mobile device displays a model of the physical environment along with images 2' of the lighting devices 2. As described above, the method enables the identification and assignment of the lighting devices 2, so that a correspondence can be established between the images 2' and the physical devices 2, which is indicated by a double arrow. In some embodiments, once a newly added lighting device 2 has been identified and assigned, the image 2' of the device is highlighted (e.g., by a circle or a marker). Simultaneously, or upon prompting by clicking the marker, a control panel, e.g., with a color palette and / or a slider, can be displayed, as shown in the lower part of the display of the control unit 3 in Fig. 5. This example shows that the lighting system can not only be easily expanded by adding and automatically assigning new devices, but can also be user-friendly and convenient to control. Fig. 6 shows an example of another system according to a further embodiment. In particular, Fig. 6 shows an implementation of a method for replicating an image. In this embodiment, the lighting devices 2 are configured as color-adjustable point lights arranged in a 3 x 5 matrix in a plane. The control unit 3, similar to that shown in Fig. 5, is a mobile device with an app for applying the method described above. In particular, the control unit 3 is configured to send lighting commands and detect the lighting response of the number of lighting devices 2, which is symbolized by the downward-pointing arrow. Once the positions of the lights are detected, these positions and IDs can also be displayed in the app, which facilitates the execution of various operations. In this embodiment of the method, an image 6 is provided for replication. The image 6 can, in particular, be captured by the camera of the control unit 3, downloaded from the cloud, or retrieved from a storage unit of the control unit 3. In this case, an image of the flag of Ghana with colored stripes (green, yellow, and red) and a star in the center is used. Based on the identification and assignment of the lighting devices carried out in the previous steps, the image can be processed by the control unit, in particular by a processing unit or processor of the control unit, and translated into lighting commands for controlling the lighting devices. The lighting commands can then be sent by the control unit to each of the lighting devices to produce light with a color corresponding to the image and the location. In this way, virtually any image can be automatically reproduced by a group of lighting devices, provided that the lighting devices have already been identified and assigned as described above. By selecting an image, the lighting devices can automatically adjust their colors to the image, enabling more dynamic effects. The ability to send individual commands to multiple devices simultaneously enables seamless control of multiple lighting devices. Furthermore, the system can operate completely autonomously, eliminating the need for manual intervention during setup or control, thus increasing user convenience. Lighting devices are automatically detected and adjusted based on predefined patterns, such as flashing or color changes, without requiring manual identification. Once the devices are assigned or bound to their respective positions or mapped, users can easily control them via the app, with intuitive management and minimal effort. Although at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be understood that a large number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description is intended to provide the person skilled in the art with practical guidance for implementing the exemplary embodiment or embodiments. Reference symbol list 1 System 2 Lighting device 3 Control unit 4 Light source 5 Communication interface 6 Figure 20 Procedure 25 Procedure step 30 Procedure step 35 Procedure step 40 Procedure step 50 Procedure 55 Procedure step 60 Procedure step 65 Procedure step 70 Procedure step 75 Procedure step 80 Procedure step 85 Procedure step 90 Procedure step 95 Procedure step 100 Procedure step 105 Procedure step 110 Procedure step 115 Procedure step

Claims

Method for determining the location of at least one lighting device, comprising: - Sending (25) at least one lighting command and / or following commands to a number of lighting devices (2) located in a physical environment, instructing at least one of the lighting devices (2) how to respond, - Acquiring (30) the physical environment to provide camera data representing a lighting response of the number of lighting devices (2) and including position data representing the position of the number of lighting devices (2) in the physical environment, - Processing (35) the camera data to identify at least one lighting device (2) based on its contribution to the lighting response, and - Assigning (40) the at least one identified lighting device (2) to its location in the physical environment, at least partially based on the position data.the procedure further includes detecting whether a new lighting device has been added to the number of lighting devices, and initiating the identification process by sending a lighting command to the new device when this has been detected. Method according to claim 1, wherein sending (25) the illumination command comprises sending an illumination pattern command to induce a pattern-based response in the number of illumination devices. The method of claim 2, wherein the number of lighting devices (2) comprises one or more groups of lighting devices (2), and wherein sending the lighting command comprises sending lighting pattern commands with different patterns to different lighting devices and / or groups of lighting devices essentially at the same time. Method according to claim 3, wherein sending the command for different lighting patterns comprises sending unique patterns to each lighting device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises displaying the physical environment with an image of the at least one lighting device on a user interface (UI) and generating at least one control symbol based on the image of the at least one identified lighting device displayed on the UI. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the identification of the at least one lighting device is based at least partially on its shape and / or category. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one lighting device comprises a group of lighting devices for replicating images, the method further comprising: - providing an image for replicating, - reproducing the image in the physical environment by generating and sending a command or a set of commands to a number of identified and associated lighting devices, at least partially based on their location in the physical environment. Control unit for determining the location of at least one lighting device, comprising: - a processor, - a memory unit for storing data and machine-readable instructions for the processor, and - an interface configured to send at least one lighting command and / or a sequence of commands to a number of lighting devices present in a physical environment, to instruct at least one of the lighting devices how to behave, and to receive camera data representing a lighting response from the number of lighting devices and including position data representing the position of the number of lighting devices in the physical environment, wherein the memory unit contains instructions for the processor to process the camera data.to identify at least one lighting device based on its contribution to the lighting response and to assign the at least one identified lighting device to its location in the physical environment, at least partially based on the positional data, wherein the memory unit further contains instructions for the processor to detect whether a new lighting device has been added to the number of lighting devices and to initiate the identification process by sending a lighting command to the new device when this has been detected. Lighting system comprising a number of controllable lighting devices that can be deployed in a physical environment, and a control unit according to claim 8, which is configured to identify the number of lighting devices and to assign them to their location in the physical environment for control purposes.

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