Network-enabled building technology device with presence sensor

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of building technology, in particular lighting technology, and the networking of building technology devices, such as luminaires. In particular, a network-capable building technology device equipped with a presence sensor, a system with correspondingly networked devices, and a signal transmission method for such systems are disclosed.

[0002] In building technology and building automation, the goal is to network individual system components, i.e., individual building technology devices. The networked building technology devices receive and transmit information in the form of signals using wired and wireless transmission methods via a transmission network.

[0003] Wired transmission methods require the individual devices to be networked via electrical or optical cables and are therefore associated with costs and investment in building infrastructure. Wired transmission methods are inherently static and less suitable for flexible space utilization within a building. Investments made in this way may be lost or at least not used efficiently if the devices are reconfigured. Wired transmission methods also include transmission methods that additionally utilize existing power supply lines for information transmission (Power Line Communication, abbreviated to PLC). PLC-based transmission methods require additional transmitting / receiving devices in the individual building technology devices to be networked.

[0004] Wireless transmission methods enable flexible use of the building and use, for example, radio-based transmission methods or optical transmission methods.

[0005] Radio-based transmission methods arrange radio transmit / receive modules and antennas in the individual building technology devices. Disadvantages include the necessary additional transmit / receive devices, as well as the limitations regarding spatial arrangement within the building and the placement of antennas on the often metallic housings of the building technology devices, both from a technical perspective and in terms of device design. Radio-based transmission methods are also disadvantageous because the unwanted exposure to electromagnetic radiation within a building is increased by the additional radio signals.

[0006] Wireless optical transmission methods are particularly feasible in the field of lighting technology. The information to be transmitted is modulated onto the light emitted by the lighting device, for example, using pulse width modulation. This requires at least modulation devices on the transmitting side and additional light sensors with corresponding receiving and signal evaluation devices on the receiving side.

[0007] Optical transmission methods feature high transmission bandwidths, which allows them to be used for general communication applications (external data). For networking control units of individual building technology devices, the focus is on transmitting information in the transmission signals, such as sensor data (sensor signals) and / or control data (control signals) to actuators, data for parameterization (parameter data), or addressing (address data) of building technology devices and devices, rather than external data. The data volume is therefore often limited.

[0008] EP 3 571 525 A1 describes techniques and devices that enable radar modulations for radar detection using a wireless communication chipset. A controller initializes or controls modulations performed by a wireless communication chipset. In this way, the controller may enable the wireless communication chipset to perform modulations for wireless communication or radar detection. In some cases, the controller may further select a wireless communication channel for adjusting a frequency and bandwidth of a radar signal, thereby avoiding interference between multiple radar signals or between the radar signal and a communication signal. In other cases, the controller may cause the wireless communication chipset to modulate a signal containing communication data using radar modulation.This allows another device receiving the signal to perform wireless communication or radar detection. By leveraging these technologies, the wireless communication chipset can be used for wireless communication or radar detection.

[0009] EP 3 013 123 A1 discloses a lighting system with a plurality of luminaires, each luminaire having a luminaire control module, a motion detector module, and a communication module. The luminaire control module is connected to the motion detector module and the communication module. The lighting system, which is particularly applicable in an extended office situation, is characterized in that the communication module operates via a radio channel and that the luminaire control module controls the brightness and / or color of the respective luminaire separately depending on the signals from the other luminaires via the radio channel and on the position of the luminaires in a two-dimensional coordinate system.

[0010] DE 10 2013 108927 A1 discloses a method for controlling luminaires in large halls, as well as a corresponding device for controlling luminaires, which includes a control computer. The control computer is equipped with a gateway that serves to communicate with external devices. The external device can be a radio receiver and transmitter that communicates with at least one electronic ballast connected to at least one of the luminaires.

[0011] The task therefore arises of developing data transmission methods in a building technology system that are more suitable than existing transmission methods in terms of technical design and cost. In particular, the task is to provide a system and method that can transmit signals without the use of electrical or optical connecting cables and with minimal effort for additional modules such as antennas and transmit / receive units.

[0012] The object is achieved in a first aspect by a building technology device having the features of claim 1.

[0013] The building technology device (hereinafter also referred to as the building technology device, or in short: device) comprises a presence detection sensor, wherein the presence detection sensor has: a signal generator for generating a first radio signal and having a modulation input for supplying a modulation signal, wherein the signal generator is configured to output the first radio signal as a signal modulated with the modulation signal, at least one antenna, a receiver for receiving a second radio signal, an output interface configured to output an information-bearing signal generated from the second radio signal, and an evaluator for generating presence information by evaluating the second radio signal, characterized in that the signal generator is configured to modulate the first radio signal with an information-bearing signal demodulated from the second radio signal,and the device is a lamp.,

[0014] The control of building services devices using presence sensors, which detect the presence and thus indirectly also the absence of people in rooms, is common. For example, in open-plan offices, a number of independent luminaires are arranged that are not connected to each other via a common communications network. Thus, these independent luminaires do not have a common communications channel. In many cases, however, a presence detection sensor is provided, often in the form of a radar sensor and designed to detect the presence of people within its detection range. The central advantage of the building services device according to the invention is that, using this modified presence detection sensor, it enables communication at least between adjacent luminaires.In order to transmit information in the form of user data from a building services device according to the invention to a neighboring building services device, the electromagnetic signal generated by the presence detection sensor is modulated with the information to be transmitted. Thus, the presence detection sensor already provided in the building services device is used to implement an additional function—user data transmission—without requiring any additional technical devices for generating and transmitting a communication signal in the building services device. Rather, the additional functionality of the device is realized by modifying the existing signal generator of the presence detection sensor.The use of the existing presence detection sensor ensures a particularly space-saving and cost-efficient design without the need for additional transmitters, receivers and antenna(s) of the building technology device.

[0015] The dependent claims define further embodiments of the building technology device according to the invention, which further develop the invention.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the building technology device comprises the receiver configured to output an information-bearing signal generated from the second radio signal at an output interface. The information-bearing signal contains information contained in the received second radio signal, in particular user data of a further device modulated onto the received second radio signal. The building technology device configured in this way thus has the ability to communicate bidirectionally with correspondingly configured further building technology devices. This enables automatic synchronization or coordination of the operation of presence-controlled building technology devices in a system. For example, it becomes possible to create flexible workplace design in open-plan offices with usage-dependent adjustment of the lighting while avoiding light islands.A building technology device according to one embodiment is characterized in that the modulation signal and / or the demodulated information-carrying signal comprises at least one device identification information, information about a switching-on / off process of an actuator of the building technology device, or information about an operating state of the building technology device.

[0017] The radio signals from the presence detection sensor can be used to transmit the control information required to implement a swarm function of networked lights between the individual building technology devices and their respective control units.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the building technology device, the signal generator is configured to generate the first radio signal as a signal frequency-modulated with the modulation signal or as an amplitude-modulated signal. The building technology devices can, for example, be luminaires with light sources as actuators. The radio connection implemented by means of the presence detection sensors for networking the control units of the luminaires enables the creation of an intelligent swarm control system with the goal of avoiding light islands during the operation of the luminaires. Automatic adjustment of the individual illuminance of individual luminaires in a swarm of luminaires ensures a light distribution in the room that is always ergonomic and perceived as pleasant by people.

[0019] The building technology device of a further embodiment comprises the signal generator designed such that the first radio signal is generated as a signal amplitude-modulated with the modulation signal by keying the first radio signal.

[0020] By pressing buttons, i.e. by specifically switching the first radio signal on / off, a technically simple modulation of the sensor signal of the presence detection sensor can be realized in time with a modulation signal with the aim of transmitting information (useful data transmission).

[0021] In one embodiment of the building technology device, the signal generator is configured to generate the first radio signal as a signal modulated with the modulation signal in a first time period, and to generate and output the first radio signal as a non-modulated signal, in particular as a signal not modulated with the modulation signal, in a second time period.

[0022] This technical design makes it possible to use the presence detection sensor for the data transmission of user data by means of the modulation signal in the first time period, and to use the presence detection sensor for its original function of detecting the presence of people in the detection range of the presence detection sensor in the second time period without taking into account the modulation contained in the transmitted signal when evaluating the reflected signal as a second radio signal.

[0023] The building technology device according to a further embodiment has the signal generator configured to continuously generate the first radio signal as a signal modulated with the modulation signal, and the evaluator configured to evaluate the second radio signal taking into account the reflected component, in particular to filter a reflected component of the transmitted first radio signal in the second radio signal.

[0024] If the first radio signal is used continuously for the transmission of useful information, a functional separation of the main function of presence detection and the additional function of useful data transmission in the reception path of the presence detection sensor can be achieved by means of simple frequency filtering.

[0025] In lighting technology, controlling light output using signals from presence detection sensors is common. Radio-based presence detection sensors based on the principle of continuous wave radar (CW radar) are particularly used to detect movement within the detection range of the presence detection sensor.

[0026] In particular, control gear for luminaires with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the light source often have control devices that can receive control data from outside for setting operating parameters, such as a value of the control gear's load current for operating the LED, or a color temperature of the emitted light. In lighting systems in which the components are networked for data exchange, the components are each connected to a control device that, among other things, controls the data exchange during network operation and identifies the component in the network through its unique assignment. By means of the luminaire, control gear, or light source designed according to the invention, such operating parameters and / or addresses for identification in a lighting network can be easily transmitted.

[0027] In the building technology device, the signal generator is configured to modulate the first radio signal with an information-carrying signal demodulated from the second radio signal.

[0028] This technical design offers the additional advantage of using the presence detection sensor(s) of multiple building technology devices as relay stations, thus transmitting user data across the overlapping detection ranges of the presence detection sensors of multiple devices. The range of the communication connection thus implemented is thus easily extended. User data transmission between the presence detection sensors without directly overlapping detection ranges becomes possible.

[0029] In a second aspect of the invention, an arrangement (system) with building technology devices solves the technical problem. The arrangement comprises at least one first building technology device according to the first aspect and at least one second building technology device according to the first aspect, wherein the at least one second building technology device according to the preferred embodiment has the receiver designed accordingly to output the information-bearing signal generated from the second radio signal at an output interface. The arrangement according to the second aspect is set up to transmit information (payload data) from the at least one first device to the at least one second device by means of the first radio signal and the second radio signal.

[0030] Such an arrangement of building technology devices enables the particularly simple installation of a system of networked devices that enable intelligent solutions in building automation.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the building technology system, the first device and the second device are arranged spatially relative to one another such that a first detection range of the presence detection sensor of the first device and a second detection range of the presence detection sensor of the second device at least partially overlap.

[0032] Such a partial overlap of the detection range of adjacent presence detection sensors of building technology devices often already exists. The inventive design of the devices thus enables the simple and cost-effective construction of a system of networked building technology devices. In a third aspect of the invention, a transmission method for signal transmission between at least two building technology devices according to the first aspect solves the technical problem accordingly.

[0033] The method for transmitting data between a first and at least one second building technology device comprises the steps:

[0034] Generating, by a communication unit of the first device, a modulation signal transmitting data from the first device and reading the generated modulation signal into a modulation input of a first presence detection sensor of the first device; Generating, by a signal generator of the first presence detection sensor, a first radio signal as a signal modulated with the modulation signal; Transmitting, by means of a first antenna of the first presence detection sensor, the first radio signal; Receiving, by means of a second antenna and a receiver of a second presence detection sensor of the second device, a second radio signal, wherein at least one component of the second radio signal comprises the transmitted first radio signal; Evaluating, in an evaluator of the second presence detection sensor, the received second radio signal in order to obtain the data of the first device contained in the modulation signal;Outputting the data obtained from the first device through the evaluation to an output interface of the presence detection sensor of the second device; generating, by a signal generator of the second presence detection sensor, a further second radio signal as a signal modulated with the data obtained from the first device, and transmitting, by means of a first antenna of the second presence detection sensor, the further second radio signal, and wherein the first and second devices are lights.

[0035] Embodiments of the invention are presented below with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a building technology device with a presence detection sensor according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a view of an arrangement of two lights according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is an overview of an arrangement of lights in a room according to an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 is a simple flow diagram of the signal transmission between two lights according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0036] In the figures, identical reference symbols denote elements with the same or corresponding functions. In order to maintain a concise presentation, discussion of identical reference symbols in different figures is omitted, as far as possible without compromising clarity.

[0037] Fig. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of a presence detection sensor 1 of a building technology device according to an embodiment of the invention. The presence detection sensor 1 shown is particularly suitable for controlling lights as a preferred example of a building technology device.

[0038] Alternatively or additionally, the presence detection sensor 1 can be part of a room air conditioning system, a shading device, a room monitoring system or a comparable building technology system.

[0039] The presence detection sensor 1 shown, with its essential components, corresponds to an HF presence detection sensor based on the continuous-wave radar principle with simple Doppler analysis of a reflected received signal for detecting reflective objects moving relative to the presence detection sensor 1. The HF presence detection sensor 1 is thus capable of detecting the movements of people within its detection range and transmitting the detection to a control unit of the building technology system via a sensor signal. Based on the sensor signal(s), the control unit can appropriately control actuators of the building technology system, for example, lights and their lamps. The design of an HF presence detection sensor based on the continuous-wave radar principle and Doppler frequency analysis is generally known.

[0040] The presence detection sensor 1 comprises a transmitting branch and a receiving branch. The transmitting branch generates a sensor signal 3 in a signal generating unit 2 (signal generator, signal generator; English: exciter). In known signal generators, this sensor signal 3 is an electrical signal with a predetermined frequency. This generated sensor signal 3 is then fed via a directional coupler 4 to a transmitting antenna 6 of the presence detection sensor 1 as a transmitting signal 4.2 and radiated as a radio signal (first radio signal) in the form of electromagnetic waves by the antenna 6.

[0041] The directional coupler 4 couples out a part of the sensor signal 3 with a specific coupling attenuation and feeds this decoupled part 4.1 of the transmission signal 3 to the reception branch, namely to a local oscillator input LO of a mixer 13 of the presence detection sensor 1.

[0042] The signal generator unit 2 according to the invention has a modulation input 2.1, via which a modulation signal 8 is supplied to the signal generator unit 2. The signal generator unit 2 generates the sensor signal 3 as a signal modulated with the supplied modulation signal 8.

[0043] A communication unit 7 of the presence detection sensor 1 reads in user data via a data interface 7.1 and generates the modulation signal 8 such that it includes the coded read-in user data.

[0044] Well-known modulation methods, such as amplitude modulation or frequency modulation, are possible.

[0045] The transmission signal generator 2 can generate the transmission signal 3 in a first time period as a signal modulated with the modulation signal 8, and in a second time period to generate the transmission signal 3 as a non-modulated signal.

[0046] Thus, the first radio signal emitted by the transmitting antenna 6 contains the read-in user data in coded and modulated form.

[0047] The receiving branch of the presence detection unit 1 shown comprises a receiving antenna 9. The receiving antenna 9 receives a second radio signal. The received second radio signal is amplified as a received signal 11 from a received signal output of the receiving antenna 9 via a low-noise preamplifier 10 and fed to the mixer 13 as an amplified received signal.

[0048] The mixer 13 mixes the pre-amplified received signal 12 with the extracted portion 4.1 of the transmitted signal into the baseband.

[0049] The low-noise preamplifier 10 and the mixer are components of the receiver of the presence detection sensor 1. These components are part of the presence detection sensor 1 for detecting the presence of persons in the detection area.

[0050] The mixer generates mixing products of the pre-amplified received signal 12 and the decoupled portion 4.1 of the transmitted signal as a local oscillator signal. By filtering the mixer output signal 14 in a filter 15, a baseband component of the mixer output signal 14 can be filtered out. This baseband component comprises a modulation signal with user data from another presence detection unit 1 of another building technology device as a baseband received signal 16. The baseband received signal 16 thus obtained, with received user data from the other building technology device, can then be fed via an amplifier 17 as an amplified baseband received signal 18 via an output interface 19 to a further communication unit (not shown in the drawing) of the presence detection sensor 1 and / or the building technology device.

[0051] The additional communication unit can be part of the communication unit 7 or part of a control unit of the building technology device. The additional communication unit demodulates and decodes the amplified baseband signal 18 to obtain the payload data transmitted by the additional building technology device.

[0052] Filter 15 and amplifier 17, as well as the output interface 19 are part of the evaluator of the presence detection sensor 1. In Fig. 1 Not shown is the comparably constructed Doppler frequency evaluation of the evaluator of the presence detection sensor 1. The Doppler frequency evaluation can generate detection information when a frequency shift of the second radio signal compared to the first radio signal is detected which exceeds a predetermined threshold, and outputs this detection information in a detection signal.

[0053] The structure of the presence detection sensor 1 according to Fig. 1 is one of several possibilities. Alternatively, a setup with one antenna for transmitting the first radio signal and receiving the second radio signal, and separating the transmit and receive paths using a circulator, is also possible.

[0054] An antenna pattern of the second antenna 9 essentially determines the detection range of the presence detection sensor 1 in which the presence of a person can be detected.

[0055] Fig. 2 shows a view of an arrangement of luminaires 21, 22 according to one embodiment of the invention. The luminaires 21, 22 represent a simple embodiment of a lighting system 20 as a preferred embodiment of a building technology system according to the invention. The first luminaire 21 and the second luminaire 22 are each designed as floor lamps. The first luminaire 21 has a first presence detection sensor 23, whose first detection range 25 essentially covers the area illuminated by the first luminaire 21. The second luminaire 23 comprises a second presence detection sensor 24, whose second detection range 26 essentially covers the area illuminated by the second luminaire 23.

[0056] The first detection area 25 and the second detection area 26 are each determined by the radiation characteristic (antenna pattern) of an antenna of the first presence detection sensor 23 and the second presence detection sensor 24. The first light 21 and the second light 22 are arranged relative to one another in the room such that the first detection area 25 and the second detection area 26 at least partially overlap. The at least partial overlap of the first detection area 25 and the second detection area 26 is Fig. 2 represented by a graphically marked area 27.

[0057] The at least partial overlap of the first detection area 25 and the second detection area 26 enables the transmission of an electromagnetic signal from the first presence detection sensor 23 of the first light 21 to the presence detection sensor 24 of the second light 22 and from the second presence detection sensor 24 of the second light 22 to the presence detection sensor 23 of the first light 21. This signal transmission can be enabled via reflection from surfaces in the room. In particular, this can occur via reflection from a floor surface 28 and / or other surfaces arranged in the detection areas 25, 26 that reflect electromagnetic waves.

[0058] The Fig. 2 The embodiment of a lighting system 20 according to the present invention shown enables a transmission of user data between the two floor lamps 21, 22 shown, each of which has a presence detection sensor 23, 24 for switching the respective floor lamp's 21, 22's own light source on and off. The floor lamp 21, 22 is switched on and off based on the detection or non-detection of the presence of a person in the respective detection area of ​​the presence detection sensor 23, 24. The detection of a person by the first presence detection sensor 23 of the floor lamp 21 triggers the switching on of the floor lamp 21. The floor lamp 21 comprises at least one light source as an actuator and illuminates with a first illuminance. The first illuminance can, for example, enable working in the area illuminated by the floor lamp 21.At the same time, the control unit of the floor-standing lamp 21 generates a modulation signal with which the first radio signal of the floor-standing lamp 21 is modulated. The modulation signal can contain information as user data, which, on the one hand, indicates that the floor-standing lamp 21 has been switched on, and, on the other hand, signals a brightness value and / or a light color of the light emitted by the floor-standing lamp 21. The information contained in the modulation signal is emitted in the first radio signal into the detection area 25 of the first presence sensor 23. The second presence sensor 24 receives the reflected radio signal as a second radio signal in its second detection area 26. The received second radio signal comprises, on the one hand, a first signal component, which comprises the reflected sensor signal transmitted by the second presence detection sensor 24.Furthermore, the received second radio signal comprises a further, second signal component, which comprises the reflected first radio signal of the first presence detection sensor 23 of the first floor lamp 21. The second presence detection sensor 24 designed according to the invention evaluates the second signal component of the second radio signal with the received first radio signal. In particular, the second presence detection sensor 24 demodulates the received second radio signal and outputs the information contained in the original modulation signal via the output interface as an information-bearing signal to a control unit of the second floor lamp 22.Based on the information received via the data output interface, the control unit of the second floor lamp 22 decides that the immediately adjacent first floor lamp 21 should illuminate at the first brightness and, if no movement is detected in the second detection area 26 of the floor lamp 22, should emit light at a second illuminance. The second illuminance is in particular different from the first illuminance, preferably lower.

[0059] The second presence detection sensor 24 evaluates the received second radio signal, in particular its first component, which comprises the sensor signal transmitted by the second presence detection sensor 24 itself, in the known manner. In particular, the second presence detection sensor 24 can evaluate the first component of the received second radio signal, which comprises the sensor signal transmitted by the second presence detection sensor 24, for a frequency shift (Doppler frequency) of the received reflected sensor signal. If a frequency shift is detected by the evaluation, the second presence detection sensor 24 transmits corresponding presence information to the control unit of the second luminaire 22. In this case, the second luminaire 22 will emit light into its illumination area at the first illuminance, regardless of the information extracted from the second sensor signal or its second component by the first floor-standing luminaire 21.

[0060] A corresponding signal transmission from the first floor lamp 21 to the second floor lamp 22 can be carried out for a switch-off process of the first floor lamp 21 if the first presence detection sensor 23 detects that no person is present in the first detection area 25 or no movement of a person is detectable. This signal transmission can be carried out in a manner corresponding to the example shown for the switch-on process.

[0061] In the described embodiment of a lighting system 20 with two floor lamps 21, 22, user data relating to an illuminance is transmitted as user data between the presence detection sensors 23, 24.

[0062] Alternatively or additionally, the user data can include identification data for identifying individual building technology devices (floor lamps 21, 22), identification data for identifying groups of building technology devices, address data for individual or multiple building technology devices, status data on operating states of individual or multiple building technology devices, in particular also status data on operating states of the actuators of individual or multiple building technology devices.

[0063] Alternatively or additionally, the user data may include control data for transmission between control units of the building technology devices (floor lamp 21, 22).

[0064] Alternatively or additionally, the user data may include calibration or commissioning data for the building technology device (floor lamp 21, 22).

[0065] Fig. 3 shows an overview of an arrangement 20 of luminaires 30.x, x = 1, .., 6, in a room according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0066] The invention is not limited to an arrangement of luminaires. For example, luminaires 30.x on a building or in a public space, such as a street, path, or square, can also be networked according to the invention using presence detection sensors 1.

[0067] The changing presence situations of employees in offices with presence- and daylight-dependent controlled luminaires 30.x lead to the creation of so-called light islands. The desk of an employee present is illuminated by their luminaire 30.1, forming a light island in an otherwise unlit room, while the rest of the room is completely unlit due to the lack of people present. The use of luminaires 30.x as examples of the building technology devices according to the invention now enables luminaires 30.x to communicate with each other. This enables suitable control of the luminaires 30.x to avoid the formation of isolated light islands in the room. Each luminaire 30.x shown is assigned to two workstations 32 and illuminates these two workstations 32 with an adjustable or predefined illuminance. Each luminaire 30.x has a presence detection sensor whose detection range 33.x, x = 1, .., 6, comprises the area in which the two workstations 32 illuminated by the respective luminaire 30.x, x = 1, .., 6, are arranged.

[0068] The luminaires 30.x, x = 1, .., 6, are arranged in the room such that the detection areas 33.x of adjacent luminaires 30.x at least partially overlap. Fig. 3 For example, the detection area 33.1 of the first light 30.1 and the detection area 33.2 of the second light 30.2 overlap. Furthermore, the detection area 33.1 of the first light 30.1 and the detection area 33.3 of the third light 30.3 overlap. Likewise, the detection area 33.2 of the second light 30.2 and the detection area 33.4 of the fourth light 30.4 overlap, and the detection area 33.3 of the third light 30.3 and the detection area 33.4 of the fourth light 30.4 overlap.

[0069] This enables a direct transmission of user data via the presence detection sensor of the first luminaire 30.1 to the presence detection sensor of the second luminaire 30.2 and to the presence detection sensor of the third luminaire 30.3.

[0070] If the second luminaire 30.2 and the third luminaire 30.3, in particular their presence detection sensors, are configured for operation as a relay, an (indirect) transmission of user data can be realized via the presence detection sensor of the first luminaire 30.1 to the presence detection sensor of the second luminaire 30.2 and / or the third luminaire 30.3 to the presence detection sensor of the fourth luminaire 30.4.

[0071] This makes extended lighting functions possible by developing a swarm function.

[0072] For example, the luminaires 30.x can now be assigned to different areas and groups by utilizing their networking capabilities. Alternatively or additionally, individual luminaires 30.x can be automatically addressed via an appropriately designed control unit. If the presence detection sensor 31.x of a luminaire in a defined group of luminaires 30.x registers the presence of an employee, this luminaire 30.x illuminates with the predefined or adjustable first illuminance (task lighting). This luminaire 30.x then reports the presence of a person to the other members of the defined group of luminaires 30.x via the user data channel provided by its presence detection sensor 31.x. The other luminaires 30.x in the group are thus able to display the immediate surroundings of the luminaire 30.x assigned to the present employee on a map generated by the other luminaires 30.x of the group with the second illuminance at a basic level (basic lighting, background lighting).

[0073] In Fig. 3 it is indicated that the presence of a person is detected in a detection area 33.1 of the first light 30.1. Furthermore, the hatched representation of the detection areas 33.2 and 33.3 of the second light 30.2 and the third light 30.3 shows that the detection of a person in an immediately adjacent and partially overlapping detection area 33.1 was transmitted by means of the direct transmission of user data according to the invention. In addition, the hatched representation of the detection area 33.4 of the fourth light 30.4 shows that the detection of a person in an immediately adjacent but non-overlapping detection area 33.1 was transmitted by means of the indirect transmission of user data according to the invention. According to the invention, the transmission of the corresponding user data took place from the first light 30.1 to the fourth light 30.4 by means of the light 30.2 and / or the light 30.3 as a radio relay.

[0074] Fig. 4 a simple flow diagram of a method of signal transmission between building technology devices according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0075] The method for transmitting user data from the first building technology device to the second building technology device begins with a step S1, in which a communication unit 8 of the first device first generates a modulation signal 8 containing the user data to be transmitted. The modulation signal 8 containing the user data is then fed to a first presence detection sensor 1 of the first device via a modulation input 2.1.

[0076] Subsequently, in step S2, a signal generation unit 2 of the first presence detection sensor 1 generates a transmission signal 3, which is a signal modulated with the modulation signal 8. This generated transmission signal is then radiated in step S3 by means of a first antenna 6 of the first presence detection sensor 1.

[0077] In step S4, the second presence detection sensor receives a second radio signal via its second antenna 9 and its second receiver. The second radio signal comprises at least one signal component with a reflected sensor signal (first radio signal of the second presence detection sensor 1) from the second presence detection sensor 1, as well as the transmitted first radio signal of the first presence detection sensor 1 as a (further) signal component of the second radio signal.

[0078] The received second radio signal is then fed to an evaluator of the second presence detection sensor 1 and evaluated in the evaluator in step S5 in order to obtain the useful data contained in the original modulation signal 8, i.e. the data transmitted by the first device.

[0079] After evaluation, in particular demodulating, the received payload data of the first device is output to an output interface 19 of the second presence detection sensor 1 of the second device in step S6. The output payload data can be used in a control unit of the second device to generate control signals for controlling an actuator of the second device based on the payload data transmitted by the first device.

Claims

1. Building technology device comprising a presence detection sensor (1), the presence detection sensor (1) having: a signal generator (2) for generating a first radio signal and which has a modulation input for supplying a modulation signal (8), the signal generator (2) being configured to output the first radio signal as a signal that is modulated with the modulation signal (8), at least one antenna (6), a receiver for receiving a second radio signal, an output interface (19), which is designed to output an information-bearing signal (18) generated from the second radio signal, and an evaluator for generating a piece of presence information by means of evaluating the second radio signal, characterized in that the signal generator (2) is configured to modulate the first radio signal with an information-carrying signal (18) that is demodulated from the second radio signal, and the device is a lamp.

2. Building technology device according to claim 1, wherein the modulation signal (8) and / or the demodulated information-bearing signal comprises at least a piece of device identification information, a piece of information about an on / off switching process of an actuator of the building technology device, or a piece of information about an operating state of the building technology device.

3. Building technology device according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the signal generator (2) is configured to generate the first radio signal as a signal that is frequency-modulated with the modulation signal (8) or as an amplitude-modulated signal.

4. Building technology device according to claim 2, wherein the signal generator (2) is configured to generate the first radio signal as a signal that is amplitude-modulated with the modulation signal (8) by keying the first radio signal.

5. Building technology device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the signal generator (2) is configured to generate the first radio signal as a signal that is modulated with the modulation signal (8) in a first time period and to generate the first radio signal as a non-modulated signal in a second time period.

6. Building technology device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the signal generator (2) is configured to continuously generate the first radio signal as a signal that is modulated with the modulation signal (8), and the evaluator is configured to evaluate the second radio signal taking into account the reflected component, in particular to filter a reflected component of the transmitted first radio signal in the second radio signal.

7. Building technology system comprising at least one first building technology device (21) and at least one second building technology device (22) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one first device (21) transmits information to the at least one second device (22) by means of sending the first radio signal.

8. Building technology system according to claim 7, wherein the first device (21) and the second device (22) are spatially arranged relative to one another such that a first detection region (25) of the presence detection sensor (23) of the first device (21) and a second detection region (26) of the presence detection sensor (24) of the second device (22) overlap at least in part.

9. Method for transmitting data between a first and at least one second building technology device (21, 22), comprising the steps of: generating, by a communication unit (7) of the first device (21), a modulation signal (8) transmitting data of the first device (21) and reading the generated modulation signal (8) at a modulation input (2.1) of a first presence detection sensor (23) of the first device (21), generating, by a signal generator (2) of the first presence detection sensor (21), a first radio signal as a signal that is modulated with the modulation signal (8), sending, by means of a first antenna (6) of the first presence detection sensor (21), the first radio signal, receiving, by means of a second antenna (9) and a receiver of a second presence detection sensor (24) of the second device, a second radio signal, wherein at least one component of the second radio signal comprises the transmitted first radio signal, evaluating, in an evaluator of the second presence detection sensor (24), the received second radio signal in order to obtain the data of the first device (21) contained in the modulation signal (8), outputting the data of the first device (21) obtained by the evaluation to an output interface (19) of the presence detection sensor (24) of the second device (22), generating, by a signal generator (2) of the second presence detection sensor (24), a further second radio signal as a signal that is modulated with the data received from the first device (21), and sending, by means of a first antenna (6) of the second presence detection sensor (24), the further second radio signal, and wherein the first and the second device (21, 22) are lamps.