LAMP WITH DATA TRANSFER FUNCTION

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a luminaire by means of which data or control signals can be transmitted wirelessly.

[0002] In building automation, control devices receive signals from sensors and send control signals to lights or other devices via cables or wireless transmission methods.

[0003] WO 2012 / 089355 A1 discloses a safety or emergency lighting system in which a control device transmits radio signals for carrying out the prescribed regular functional tests to the safety luminaires directly or via repeaters.

[0004] A lighting system in which ceiling lights are equipped with a radio network module to provide Internet access for WLAN-enabled devices is disclosed in DE 10 2011 007 416 A1.

[0005] Further lighting systems known from the state of the art are published in US 2016 / 072176 A1, US 2016 / 069551 A1, and WO 2018 / 158096 A1.

[0006] Modern luminaires typically feature control gear / converters that provide the necessary current or operating voltage for the lamp, monitor the lamp's function, and enable dimming or changing the light color. Control gear can also be connected to a network to control multiple components of a lighting system, via which they receive commands and / or parameters for controlling or operating the lamp and send status messages. The transmission of control signals and data is increasingly wireless, particularly using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth applications.

[0007] The problem is that the antenna required for data transmission is usually located on the control gear, and integrating the control gear into a luminaire's metal housing is not possible due to the housing's shielding effect against radio signals. Furthermore, antennas mounted externally on the luminaire housing are usually undesirable for aesthetic reasons and require contact protection. This places significant limitations on the design of luminaires with integrated radio communication.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of creating a luminaire that solves the problems described. In particular, the object is to provide a luminaire with which control signals and / or data can be transmitted between an operating device inside the luminaire and a communication partner using a stable radio connection.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the features of independent claim 1. The invention is further developed by the features of the dependent claims.

[0010] According to the present invention, a luminaire comprises at least one illuminant, a metallic luminaire housing, and at least one operating device arranged inside the luminaire housing for the at least one illuminant. The operating device comprises an antenna for transmitting and / or receiving a radio signal, and at least one slot antenna is formed in the luminaire housing, which is coupled by radiation coupling, via a waveguide or a cavity resonator, to the antenna of the operating device for transmitting the radio signal outside the luminaire housing. The slot antenna has, in particular, a length corresponding to half the wavelength of the radiation used for radio transmission.

[0011] The slot antenna enables radio transmission between an antenna located inside the luminaire with a metallic housing and a device located outside, away from the luminaire. It is easily integrated into the metallic luminaire housing and is discreet, or usually undetectable as an antenna. This improves the degree of freedom in the luminaire design.

[0012] Radio transmission can transmit signals for controlling the luminaire or control gear, signals for configuring the luminaire or control gear and / or messages from the luminaire or control gear.

[0013] Additionally or alternatively, the luminaire can have a repeater function, in which radio signals received by means of the slot antenna and the operating device or another radio device inside the luminaire are forwarded and / or serve as a base station for WLAN-enabled devices and / or DECT telephones.

[0014] With radiation coupling, the slot antenna and the antenna inside the luminaire are coupled via air, with the electrical component of the electromagnetic field generated by the antenna impinging on the slot or feed point at a right angle to the slot orientation. The electromagnetic field thus impinging on the slot excites the slot geometry to emit electromagnetic radiation at the corresponding frequency. For this purpose, the position and orientation of the slot antenna and the antenna inside the luminaire are coordinated.

[0015] Alternatively, the coupling or feeding of the slot antenna is carried out by means of a waveguide that leads from the antenna arranged inside the luminaire to the slot antenna or via the luminaire housing, which forms a cavity resonator.

[0016] The slot antenna may be a slot array antenna having multiple slots to achieve a directivity of the antenna.

[0017] The slot antenna can be arranged on any side of the luminaire housing, provided, however, that the relative position of the slot antenna and the antenna of the control gear must remain such that the slot antenna is located at (or close to) the amplitude maximum of the antenna of the control gear. If the illumination direction and the desired radiation direction of the slot antenna are almost identical, the slot antenna can be arranged on the side of the luminaire housing on which the at least one light source is located.

[0018] Additionally, the luminaire can incorporate multiple light sources, with the light sources and slots arranged alternately next to each other on the side of the luminaire housing. The light sources can be strip-like light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with a slot of the slot antenna located between each two LED strips. This allows the slot antenna to be integrated very discreetly and enables improved airflow / cooling in the area of ​​the LEDs.

[0019] The luminaire can have a translucent cover that covers the slot antenna and at least one light source. This eliminates the need for an additional cover for the slot antenna to achieve a high IP protection rating (protection against contact, dust, and water).

[0020] The slot length of the slot antenna can be half or a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio signal.

[0021] According to the invention, the operating device has a housing on which the antenna for transmitting and receiving the radio signal is arranged.

[0022] At least one slot antenna can be arranged on at least two different sides of the luminaire housing, which is coupled to the antenna of the operating device by means of the radiation coupling, the waveguide or the cavity resonator.

[0023] Alternatively or additionally, the luminaire may comprise a plurality of the operating devices and a plurality of the slot antennas, each antenna being coupled to another slot antenna by means of the radiation coupling, the waveguide or the cavity resonator.

[0024] The slot of the slot antenna can be open or at least partially closed or filled with a dielectric filling material, wherein the dielectric material is arranged in the slot and / or covers the slot on at least one side of the slot of the slot antenna (inside and / or outside of the luminaire housing).

[0025] Sealing the slot antenna opening with a dielectric allows the luminaire to meet stringent requirements for dust and splash protection. Furthermore, the physical effect of reducing the slot length depends on the dielectric material used. Filling or covering the slot with the dielectric material can prevent dust edges from accumulating on the exterior of the luminaire.

[0026] The slot of the slot antenna does not need to be rectangular (including rounded edges). This allows for easy integration of the slot antenna even in small luminaires and luminaires with round, oval, or non-linear shapes. In particular, the slot of the slot antenna can run at least partially parallel to an edge of the luminaire in its main direction of extension. This edge can be, for example, an edge of the luminaire housing or an edge of a translucent cover of the luminaire.

[0027] Alternatively or additionally, the slot may be at least part of a sign attached to the luminaire, such as a logo, a number or a letter, or may represent at least part of the sign through its shape.

[0028] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a lamp according to the present invention, Fig. 2 shows a side view of the Fig. 1 shown luminaire, Fig. 3 a section of an arrangement of antenna slots and LEDs on the luminaire housing, Fig. 4 a second embodiment of a luminaire according to the present invention and Figures 5a to 5f slot antennas 2 in different shapes for a luminaire according to the present invention,

[0029] Components with the same functions are marked with the same reference numerals in the figures.

[0030] Fig. 1shows a luminaire according to the present invention in a simplified spatial representation. The luminaire comprises a metallic housing 1, a slot 2 located in the upper side of the box-shaped housing 1, a light source (not shown) located on the lower side of the luminaire, a translucent cover 3 covering the light source, and an operating device 4 for the light source arranged inside the luminaire.

[0031] The light source can be an LED module, with the operating device 4 providing the current required for the LEDs. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the Fig. 1 shown lamp with the lamp 6.

[0032] The operating device 4 can also wirelessly receive data for the configuration of the operating device 4 (specifying the maximum operating current and / or the light temperature) and for controlling the luminaire (on / off commands or dimming level) from an external control device and / or wirelessly send information about the current configuration and operating status to the control device. For this purpose, the operating device 4 has an antenna 5, which can be a Bluetooth or WLAN antenna and transmits or receives a corresponding radio signal.

[0033] The slot 2 located in the upper side of the metallic housing 1 and extending through the metallic housing forms a slot antenna, which is fed or excited by the radio signal from the operating device 4 or an incoming signal, and which in turn radiates this signal outwards (outside the luminaire) or inwards to the antenna 5. The antenna 5 and the slot antenna are arranged relative to one another in such a way that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the antenna 5 generates an electric field E impinging at a right angle to the feed point of the slot antenna 2 (radiation coupling). The slot length corresponds to half or a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio signal (λ / 2 or n*λ / 2), which at a radio signal frequency of 2.4 GHz corresponds to a length of 6.25 cm or n*6.25 cm.To enable precise positioning of the control gear and thus efficient coupling, elements can be provided in the luminaire that determine the installation position of the control gear 4. For example, receptacles or stops are formed inside the metallic housing 1.

[0034] As an alternative to direct radiation coupling, coupling can be achieved by means of a waveguide leading from the antenna 5 to the slot antenna 2, or a cavity resonator formed by the luminaire housing, which is excited by the antenna 5 and generates the electric field E.

[0035] The slot antenna may have multiple slots to achieve directivity. Fig. 3shows such an arrangement with four slots 2, in which the slots 2 and three lamps 6 are arranged on the same side of the housing 1. The lamps 6 are designed as strip-shaped LED modules with eight LEDs each. The slots 2 are arranged between the lamps 6 (LED modules). The distance between two slots 2 that run parallel with respect to their main extension direction is greater than λ / 2.

[0036] Fig. 4 shows a lamp according to the present invention, in which the slot antenna 2 is not rectangular. Fig. 4 The luminaire shown has a circular metallic housing 1, a circular arc-shaped slot 2 located on the upper side of the round housing 1, a light source (not shown), a translucent round cover 3 covering the light source and the operating device 4 (not shown) for the light source arranged inside the luminaire.

[0037] The slot 2 forming the slot antenna has a uniform width and runs parallel to the outer edge 3a of the circular cover 3. The circumference of the circular arc is selected such that the length of the straight line between the ends of the circular arc corresponds to half or a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio signal (λ / 2 or n*λ / 2). The antenna 5 of the operating device 4 is coupled as described above.

[0038] The Figures 5a to 5f show slot antennas 2 in different shapes with the dimensions for a radio signal frequency of 2.4 GHz, with the files indicating the respective orientation of the electromagnetic field. As shown in the Figures 5c to 5f As shown, the shape of the slot antenna 2 may correspond to a symbol which serves, for example, to identify the luminaire or the manufacturer.

[0039] In the described embodiments, the slot antenna 2 is formed on one of the sides of the housing 1. However, it is also possible to arrange at least one slot antenna 2 on each of two different sides of the housing 1, which are coupled to the antenna of the operating device 4 by means of the radiation coupling, the waveguide, or the cavity resonator.

[0040] Alternatively, several operating devices 1 and / or another device with radio function (repeater, radio network module for wireless Internet access) can be arranged in the luminaire, wherein each device antenna is coupled to another slot antenna 2 by means of the radiation coupling, the waveguide or the cavity resonator.

[0041] The position of the control gear 4 is selected taking into account the position of its antenna 5 in the housing 1 of the luminaire so that optimal excitation of the slot antenna 2 is possible. Different positioning aids can be provided in the housing for different control gears 4, so that multiple configurations are possible with just one luminaire housing and, in particular, control gears 4 that use different radio signals (Bluetooth, WiFi) can also be used.

[0042] In the described embodiments, the slot 2 forming the slot antenna can be open or closed with a dielectric filler material. The dielectric material can either be confined to the open area of ​​the slot or applied to the inside and / or outside of the housing. The material applied to a surface preferably has a relief-like surface, so that the dielectric material penetrates into the open area of ​​the slot.

Claims

1. Luminaire comprising at least one lamp (6), a metal luminaire housing (1), and at least one operating device (4) arranged in the luminaire housing (1) for the at least one lamp (6), wherein the operating device (4) has an antenna (5) for transmitting and / or receiving a radio signal, the luminaire housing (1) has at least one slot antenna (2) which is coupled by means of radiation coupling, a waveguide or a cavity resonator to the antenna (5) of the operating device (4) for the transmission of the radio signal outside the luminaire housing (1), and the operating device (4) has a housing on which the antenna (5) for transmitting and receiving the radio signal is arranged.

2. Luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the cavity resonator is formed by the luminaire housing (1).

3. Luminaire according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slot antenna (2) comprises a plurality of slots and is a slot array antenna.

4. Luminaire according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the slot antenna (2) is arranged on one side of the luminaire housing (1) on which the at least one lamp (6) is arranged.

5. Luminaire according to claims 3 and 4, wherein the luminaire comprises a plurality of lamps (6) and the lamps (6) and the slots (2) are arranged, at least in one direction of extension, alternately next to one another on the side of the luminaire housing (1).

6. Luminaire according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the luminaire has a transparent cover (3) which covers the slot antenna (2) and the at least one lamp (6).

7. Luminaire according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the slot length of the slot antenna (2) corresponds to half or a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio signal.

8. Luminaire according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one slot antenna (2) is arranged at least on two different sides of the luminaire housing (1) and is coupled to the antenna (5) of the operating device (4) by means of the radiation coupling, the waveguide or the cavity resonator.

9. Luminaire according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the luminaire comprises a plurality of the operating devices (4) and a plurality of the slot antennas (2) and each antenna (5) is coupled to another slot antenna (2) by means of the radiation coupling, the waveguide or the cavity resonator.

10. Luminaire according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a dielectric filling material is arranged in the slot of the slot antenna (2) and / or the dielectric material covers the slot at least on one side of the slot of the slot antenna (2).

11. Luminaire according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one slot of the slot antenna (2) does not have a rectangular shape.

12. Luminaire according to claim 10, wherein, in its main extension direction of the slot antenna (2), the slot extends at least partially in parallel with an edge of the luminaire.

13. Luminaire according to claim 12, wherein the edge is an edge of the luminaire housing (1) or an edge of a transparent cover (3) of the luminaire.