LIGHTING ARRANGEMENT FOR THE DYNAMIC DISPLAY OF A MACHINE-READABLE CODE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a lighting system with at least one illuminant arrangement for dynamically displaying a machine-readable code, and in particular to an illuminant array comprising a plurality of illuminants, e.g., LEDs, for displaying such a machine-readable code. The illuminant arrangement preferably visually displays parameters (operating and / or configuration parameters) of the system in the form of a machine-readable code. The illuminant arrangement is a participant in the lighting system.

[0002] Machine-readable codes are well-known. The most common examples are barcodes (or bar codes, stripe codes, or barcodes), which are used on many products. Common formats for such barcodes include EAN, UPC, IAN, JAN, as well as codes from the 2 / 5 family, as well as codes according to Code39, Code93, Codabar, Code128, etc.

[0003] Also known are "two-dimensional" (2D) barcodes, such as those in the Codablock format, Code49, PDF417, or other formats in which encoded data is resolved along two dimensions. Well-known two-dimensional codes are matrix codes, such as DataMatrix codes, MaxiCodes, or the Aztec code. Since around 1994, the QR code has been a particularly well-known representative of 2D codes, as it can encode a large amount of information and also features error correction. Another advantage is that QR codes can be used free of charge.

[0004] US 2013 / 228624 A1 discloses a method for transmitting or receiving data using a multi-frame barcode. A sequence of barcodes is displayed on a display device in such a way that only one barcode from the plurality of barcodes is displayed at a time, in order to form a three-dimensional (two spatial, one temporal) barcode when using a single barcode.

[0005] JP H06-95599 A and US 2013 / 071029 A1 each disclose a lighting arrangement for displaying multidimensional barcodes.

[0006] Particularly in lighting and building technology systems, there is often a need to read and / or change parameters of the system or a participant. The lighting system according to the invention offers a solution to this need. The invention therefore provides a lighting system according to independent claim 1. Further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] According to one aspect, a lighting system comprising a plurality of system participants is provided. The system participants have at least one luminaire. The luminaire has a lighting arrangement, in particular a lighting array, a plurality of lighting means, at least one communication interface, in particular a bus and / or radio interface, and a converter unit. The converter unit activates and / or deactivates the plurality of lighting means of the lighting arrangement depending on a signal received via the communication interface, so that a machine-readable code, in particular a one- or two-dimensional machine-readable code, is displayed when viewed from above the lighting arrangement.

[0008] The lighting system further comprises a central control unit having a further communication interface, wherein the converter unit of the at least one luminaire is addressable by the central control unit, and a mobile communication device which is configured to capture the machine-readable code represented by the illuminant arrangement, to extract operating and / or configuration parameters therefrom, to modify them via a user interface of the mobile communication device, and to send the modified operating and / or configuration parameters to the further communication interface via an interface of the mobile communication device. The central control unit is configured to use the modified operating and / or configuration parameters received via the further interface to set operating and / or configuration parameters in the multiple system participants connected to the system.

[0009] The machine-readable code can be a QR code.

[0010] The machine-readable code can encode at least one parameter that is received with the signal from the lighting arrangement. Therefore, a control unit is preferably provided in the converter unit, which converts the signal received, for example, via a bus, into a code representation and initiates the corresponding control of the lighting. Thus, the externally received signal preferably does not directly instruct the control of the lighting necessary to display the code, although it is also fundamentally possible according to the invention for the signal to directly instruct this code representation.

[0011] The luminaire arrangement can be functionally connected to the lighting system via the communication interface. The machine-readable code can encode operating and / or configuration parameters of the corresponding system and / or system participants of the respective system.

[0012] The operating and / or configuration parameters may be parameters of a lamp control device.

[0013] The system can evaluate the operating parameters and / or configuration parameters received via the additional communication interface and output them to system participants.

[0014] At least one system participant can send operating and / or configuration parameters to the lighting device assembly. In response, the lighting device assembly can set or change the representation of the machine-readable code.

[0015] The mobile communication device can have at least one means for capturing the machine-readable code, in particular a camera and an interface for communication, in particular a WLAN / WiFi, a Bluetooth, a USB, and / or a mobile data communication interface for communication with the further communication interface.

[0016] The central control unit can evaluate the operating and / or configuration parameters received via the additional communication interface and send corresponding operating and / or configuration parameters to participants in the system.

[0017] The operating and / or configuration parameters may comprise at least one identifier that identifies a participant of the system whose operating and / or configuration parameters are to be preferably set.

[0018] The mobile device may include a software component that allows decoding of the machine-readable code.

[0019] The invention will now also be described with reference to the figure: Fig. 1 shows a schematic and exemplary representation of a system according to the invention.

[0020] The lighting arrangement according to the invention, which can be provided in particular in the form of a display device or a display unit, comprises a communication interface via which information can be supplied to the lighting arrangement. This information contains, in particular, data that is to be displayed by the lighting arrangement in the form of a barcode (1D or 2D barcode).

[0021] If the display device is connected to a lighting system, data containing operating or configuration parameters of the respective system or its participants can be transmitted to the display device. These are then displayed in coded form by the lighting arrangement.

[0022] The communication interface of the display device can in particular be a bus interface with which the lighting arrangement can be connected to a building technology system bus or lighting system bus (e.g. DALI or DSI bus).

[0023] The lighting arrangement thus detects at least one signal and, depending on this signal, displays a corresponding machine-readable code through the lighting elements of the lighting arrangement. For this purpose, the lighting arrangement has a converter unit that is functionally connected to the interface of the lighting arrangement and the lighting elements. The converter unit then converts the signal received via the interface and controls the lighting elements of the lighting arrangement accordingly.

[0024] Alternatively, the converter unit can also convert the desired information into control data suitable for a control circuit. The converter unit can be further configurable and, for example, selectively select a selection of parameters to be provided. The generated machine-readable code can then be read by a device, particularly a mobile communications device.

[0025] On the one hand, the machine-readable code displayed by the display device is scanned, for example, with a specially developed barcode reader, which then decodes the machine-readable code. The corresponding device can then make the parameters encoded by the machine-readable code available in such a way that they can be modified, for example, by a user via a user interface.

[0026] The changed parameters are then transmitted to the system via another communication interface, thus feeding the system with modified configuration or operating parameters. A parameter represented by the lighting arrangement is, in particular, an identifier that identifies a system participant with the represented data. This identifier can then also be sent from the communication device along with the data sent to the system. This allows the parameters of the participant associated with the identifier to be changed.

[0027] A central control unit of the system then detects these changed parameters and makes the appropriate settings to configure the system's participants accordingly. In response to the change, the representation of the machine-readable code can then be modified to suit the lighting arrangement by transmitting changed operating and / or configuration parameters. The converter unit has a system address and is thus addressable, especially by the central control unit.

[0028] Of course, it is also possible to capture the corresponding machine-readable code using another mobile communications device, e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, etc. For this purpose, a software component is provided on the mobile communications device that allows the machine-readable code to be captured, for example, using the camera of the mobile communications device, evaluated accordingly, and the coded parameters made available in the mobile communications device. The software component can then represent a user interface via which, using an input interface on the mobile communications device, the corresponding parameters in the communications device can be changed. The input interface can, in particular, be a touchscreen. However, it is also possible to change the parameters using other means suitable for user input (e.g., keyboard or mouse).

[0029] Most mobile communication devices also have at least one additional communication interface (e.g., an interface for wireless networks such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zig Bee, etc.). The changed parameters are then transmitted via this additional communication interface to the system, which has a correspondingly designed interface (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zig Bee).

[0030] Another application for the dynamic lamp arrangement can be found in the area of ​​emergency lighting devices.

[0031] For example, an emergency lighting device can be configured with a corresponding lamp arrangement and thus display information about its status (e.g., battery or accumulator capacity, or even the lamp status). For example, the result of a self-test of the emergency lighting device can be presented in coded form using the dynamic display.

[0032] It is possible for the lighting arrangement to only be selectively activated. For example, a button / switch can be provided on an emergency lighting device with which the dynamic lighting arrangement can be temporarily activated. It is also possible for the lighting arrangement on an emergency lighting device or a building / lighting system or subscriber to be operated only during an installation / configuration phase in order to be able to read out and set corresponding parameters (e.g. a subscriber address). The lighting arrangement can then be deactivated, in particular via the bus, or disconnected from the bus if it is designed as a separate display unit. The machine-readable code, in particular the QR code, is preferably displayed by an LED matrix or by individual LEDs in an essentially matrix-like arrangement.

[0033] In particular, the system features a central control unit capable of sending commands to the lighting array. The lighting array can then also display status data from lights, sensors, or switches, for example. One possible way to mount the lighting array is to install the display in or near a switch / light.

[0034] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment. Here, at least one lighting arrangement A in the form of a dynamic display unit or display device is provided in a room. A luminaire 1 has the lighting arrangement A, wherein the lighting arrangement A can display a state of the luminaire or its configuration or operating parameters. The luminaire 1 is a system participant of a lighting system.

[0035] The luminaire, in particular, has a converter unit 2 equipped with an address. It is then possible for a control circuit of the luminaire to capture configuration or operating parameters of the luminaire and send them to the converter unit 2. This can be addressed via an address 3, in the example, the ID e0 02, preferably by a central control unit 4 via a bus 5.

[0036] The converter unit 2 then converts the data received from the control unit 4 for representation by the lamp arrangement A, so that the lamp arrangement A on the lamp 1 then represents a corresponding machine-readable code.

[0037] Of course, it is also possible to provide more than one display unit. For example, another lighting arrangement B could be provided, positioned at a different location in a room, perhaps one that is more easily accessible.

[0038] The lighting arrangement B also has a corresponding generator (not shown) for generating a machine-readable code. The converter unit also has an operating address for addressing and can be addressed by the control unit 4, in particular a central control unit. The central control unit 4 can thus transmit corresponding information or signals to the further lighting arrangement B, whereby a corresponding machine-readable code can be generated by the code generator and displayed by the lighting arrangement.

[0039] For example, it is possible for the luminaire 1 to transmit configuration and / or operating parameters to the central control unit 4 and for the central control unit 4, in response thereto, to address the luminaire arrangement B by means of the operating address 3 of the code generator of the luminaire arrangement B and thus to cause a corresponding coded representation of the configuration and / or operating parameters of the luminaire 1 by the display unit B.

[0040] The example also shows mobile communication devices 6a, 6b which are capable of capturing and decoding the machine-readable code displayed by the respective lighting arrangement A, B and making the corresponding displayed parameters available in the device 6a, 6b.

[0041] The mobile communication device 6b is equipped with a user interface 7, via which the parameters can be changed. Furthermore, the mobile communication device 6b has an interface 8 that enables communication with the central control unit 4. This can be done, in particular, via wireless communication, as indicated by the dot-dash arrow. The control unit 4 then has a suitable communication interface 9. The mobile communication terminals 6a, 6b can each be equipped, in particular, with a camera 10, which serves to capture the machine-readable code.

[0042] In particular, by attaching the lamp array to building technology devices or device participants of a lighting system, it is possible to display an identifier for each system participant. This allows for easy localization or position determination, especially during installation / commissioning of the participants.

[0043] For this purpose, the identifier information represented in coded form by the lighting arrangement can be read out and linked to a position, for example, on a mobile communication device 6b. This position can be determined, in particular, by means of a positioning unit (not shown) present in the mobile communication device 6b (e.g., a GPS or GLONASS receiver), which determines a position either automatically or in response to a user input.

[0044] The respective converter unit does not have to be connected to the control unit via a bus; rather, an interface 11 can also be designed as a radio, USB, serial, or other type of interface. This interface can also be the interface of the lighting device assembly.

Claims

1. Lighting system, comprising: - a plurality of system participants having at least one luminaire (1), the at least one luminaire comprising: ∘ a lamp arrangement (A) having a plurality of lamps, ∘ at least one communication interface (11), and ∘ a converter unit (2), the converter unit (2) being designed to activate and / or deactivate the plurality of lamps of the lamp arrangement (A) depending on a signal received via the communication interface (11), so that a machine-readable code is displayed when the lamp arrangement (A) is viewed from above, characterized in that the lighting system further comprises: - a central control unit (4) having a further communication interface (9), the converter unit (2) of the at least one luminaire (1) being able to be addressed by the central control unit (4), and - a mobile communication device (6b) which is designed to capture the machine-readable code displayed by the lamp arrangement (A), to extract operating and / or configuration parameters therefrom and to change these via a user interface (7) of the mobile communication device (6b), and to send the changed operating and / or configuration parameters to the further communication interface (9) via an interface (8) of the mobile communication device (6b), the central control unit (4) being designed to use the changed operating and / or configuration parameters received via the further interface (9) in order to set operating and / or configuration parameters in the plurality of system participants connected to the system.

2. Lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is a QR code.

3. Lighting system according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the machine-readable code encodes at least one parameter received with the signal from the lamp arrangement (A).

4. Lighting system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the plurality of system participants is designed to send further operating and / or configuration parameters to the luminaire (1), and wherein the luminaire (1) is designed to adjust or change the display of the machine-readable code in response thereto.

5. Lighting system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile communication device (6b) comprises at least one means for detecting the machine-readable code and wherein the interface (8) for communication with the further communication interface (9) is a WLAN / WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, and / or mobile data communication interface.

6. Lighting system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the central control unit (4) is designed to evaluate the changed operating and / or configuration parameters received via the further communication interface (9) and to send corresponding operating and / or configuration parameters to the system participants.