AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF A LIGHTING SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a lighting system, an arrangement for the automatic illumination of such a lighting system and a method for the automatic control of a lighting system.

[0002] Document US 2015 / 0148871 A1 describes a system that generates illumination to shift an observer's circadian rhythm in response to a calendar event. This can be achieved by adjusting the spectral power distribution (SPD) of emitted light or by filtering the light. A decision as to whether and how to induce a circadian shift in the observer can be made based on an upcoming event in a calendar associated with the observer.

[0003] Document US 10,568,565 B1 describes a sleep monitoring system that can utilize the Internet of Things (IoT) in a home and can extend its range to work with other home controls. The sleep monitoring system can, for example, dim lights or turn them on and off. In addition to a user-entered wake-up time, the sleep monitoring system can be synchronized with the user's calendar on a smartphone or in the cloud and consider information about the user, such as location, travel to a meeting, etc., and then heuristically derive an optimal wake-up time.

[0004] Document WO 2015 / 175529 A1 describes a distributed computer system with a plurality of lighting devices and sensors assigned to one or more users. The lighting devices can be networked electronic devices with controllable lighting elements. A central lighting controller can be provided that receives information from the lighting devices and sensors and sends commands to the lighting devices. The lighting application can interact with a calendar system.

[0005] Document WO 2009 / 029960 A2 describes a wireless light bulb that can be synchronised with a person's calendar to randomly turn a light source of the bulb on and off when the person is known to be away from home.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a possibility for controlling a lighting system by means of which a higher degree of automation can be achieved, in particular in order to increase user comfort and / or to reduce or keep low the energy consumption of the lighting system.

[0007] This object is achieved by the respective subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments and preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0008] The invention is based on the idea of ​​transmitting information concerning a predetermined schedule from an external communication unit to the lighting system and automatically activating or changing an operating mode of the lighting system depending on this.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, a lighting system comprising at least one light source is specified. The lighting system contains a communication interface for communication, in particular for wireless communication, with an external communication unit. The lighting system contains a control circuit that is wirelessly or wiredly coupled to the communication interface. The control circuit is configured to receive information from the external communication unit via the communication interface regarding a predetermined schedule, which is stored in particular by the external communication unit, for example by a memory unit of the external communication unit. The communication interface is configured to automatically activate or change an operating mode of the lighting system depending on the received information.The control circuit is configured to automatically control the at least one light source depending on the activated or changed operating mode to illuminate an environment of the at least one light source.

[0010] The schedule is stored in particular in electronic form on the external communication unit. The schedule contains in particular one or more entries, each specifying a point in time or period of time associated with the operation of the lighting system. Such a point in time or period of time can, for example, correspond to a point in time or period of time at or during which the operating mode is to be activated or changed, for example because the user then desires appropriate lighting or a change in the lighting situation. The schedule can, for example, correspond to a personal appointment calendar or the like of the user, or to a part thereof. The schedule can also contain information regarding an estimated time of arrival of the user at a position in the lighting system at which the operating mode is to be activated or changed accordingly.The schedule may also correspond to a project plan for executing a project, wherein appropriate lighting by the lighting system or adjusted lighting by the lighting system is desired depending on a project status or the like.

[0011] By automatically taking the schedule into account when activating or changing the operating mode of the lighting system, the method according to the invention eliminates the need for manual activation or adjustment of the lighting by the user, or only requires it to a limited extent. This increases user comfort.

[0012] Furthermore, the method according to the invention can also ensure that lighting is only provided when necessary or only to the extent that it is actually required. Activating or changing the operating mode can thus also involve deactivating one or more light sources of the lighting system, for example, all light sources of the lighting system. In this way, the energy consumption of the lighting system can be optimized, in particular reduced.

[0013] The external communication unit is arranged, in particular, external to the lighting system. For example, the external communication unit can be configured as a server computer system, cloud computer system, or internet router, or can be part of such a unit.

[0014] The communication between the communication interface and the external communication unit can be implemented, for example, by means of a direct or indirect radio connection between the communication interface and the external communication unit, for example, according to a GSM standard, a standard based on the GSM standard, Edge, UMTS, HSDPA, LTE, or another mobile communications standard. Communication can also be based, for example, on LTE-M, LTE-CAT-M1, or another standard. Communication can also be based on a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IOT) standard or another low-power wide area network (LPWAN).

[0015] A light source of the at least one light source can be provided, for example, by a luminaire or a light source of a luminaire. If the lighting system includes two or more light sources, these can, for example, be individually and independently controllable or jointly controllable. The light sources can be spatially distributed or arranged at a common location, for example, mechanically coupled to form a unit. In various embodiments, the lighting system can consist, in particular, of a luminaire with one or more light sources.

[0016] The operating mode of the lighting system can be defined, for example, by the respective status of the at least one light source. Each light source can be either activated or deactivated and optionally operated actively according to several brightness levels. The specific combination of activated or passive status, or the individual brightness levels at which the at least one light source is operated, defines the operating mode.

[0017] Activating or changing the operating mode can therefore, in particular, involve changing the brightness or the radiated power, activating and / or deactivating one or more light sources, or, depending on the embodiment, the sole light source of the lighting system. In a particularly simple case, changing the operating mode involves activating all light sources of the lighting system.

[0018] The control circuit can also enable dimming. For this purpose, a dimming circuit can be provided in the lighting system, in particular a light source. Alternatively, pulse width modulation can be provided in the second circuit to implement dimming.

[0019] Activating or changing the operating mode may also involve changing one or more operating parameters of the at least one light source. The operating parameters may include, for example, the brightness, a color temperature, a color, and so on of the respective light source.

[0020] For example, a set of two or more operating modes can be specified for the lighting system, which are characterized in particular by different activated and deactivated light sources and / or by different operating parameters of the at least one light source. The control circuit can then, for example, select one of the set of operating modes depending on the received information in order to activate the operating mode. The control circuit can, in particular, deactivate a previously active further operating mode of the set of operating modes, or the activation of the operating mode can be accompanied by the deactivation of the further operating mode.

[0021] Alternatively, the operating mode can also allow different values ​​for one or more operating parameters of the lighting system. The control circuit can then, for example, change the respective value of one or more operating parameters depending on the received information in order to change the operating mode.

[0022] The lighting system has at least one energy source for supplying electrical energy to the at least one light source. The control circuit is configured to change at least one electrical current, in particular a supply current, from the at least one energy source to the at least one light source depending on the received information in order to activate or change the operating mode.

[0023] By changing the at least one electrical current, the brightness of the at least one light source can be changed depending on the information received, or the at least one light source can be activated or deactivated.

[0024] The lighting system has at least one battery pack containing at least one battery cell. The at least one battery cell corresponds to the at least one energy source or forms the at least one energy source.

[0025] The battery pack can be designed, in particular, as a replaceable battery pack or interchangeable battery pack. The battery pack, in particular, has a battery pack housing within which the at least one battery cell is arranged. The battery pack housing has detachable electrical contacts, which are designed, for example, as plug-in connections or clamp connections and which connect at least one battery cell of the battery pack to the lighting system, in particular to one or more of the at least one light source. The battery pack can therefore be designed, in particular, as a so-called system battery pack or replaceable battery pack, which, within the scope of its intended use, can be removed from a housing of the lighting system and used to supply electrical energy to another compatible electrical device.

[0026] The battery pack contains the communication interface. The communication interface is located within the battery pack housing, for example, entirely within the battery pack housing.

[0027] The battery pack can, for example, contain the control circuit. In particular, the control circuit can be arranged within the battery pack housing, for example, entirely within the battery pack housing.

[0028] According to at least one embodiment, the control circuit is configured to activate a first light source of the at least one light source in order to activate or change the operating mode.

[0029] According to at least one embodiment, the control circuit is configured to deactivate a second light source of the at least one light source in order to activate or change the operating mode.

[0030] According to a further aspect of the invention, an arrangement for automatic lighting is provided, which comprises a lighting system according to the invention and the external communication unit. The arrangement can be regarded as an arrangement for illuminating an environment of the lighting system or the at least one light source.

[0031] According to at least one embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the external communication unit contains a storage unit which stores the schedule.

[0032] The arrangement may also include a mobile electronic communications device, such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a notebook computer, and so on. The mobile electronic communications device may, for example, communicate with the external communications unit. For example, the user may use the mobile electronic communications device to add to or modify the schedule. The mobile electronic communications device may also communicate independently with the external communications unit, for example, to automatically modify the schedule based on user inputs to the mobile electronic communications device.For example, the user may change or add a calendar entry on the mobile electronic communication device, and the mobile electronic communication device may communicate with the external communication unit based thereon to adjust or update the schedule accordingly.

[0033] According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for automatically controlling a lighting system is provided. Information relating to a predetermined schedule is received from an external communication unit, in particular wirelessly, via a communication interface of the lighting system, wherein the schedule is stored, for example, on the external communication unit. An operating mode of the lighting system is automatically activated or changed depending on the received information, and at least one light source of the lighting system is automatically controlled to illuminate an area surrounding the at least one light source depending on the activated or changed operating mode.

[0034] The at least one light source is supplied with electrical energy by at least one energy source, which is formed by at least one accumulator cell of at least one battery pack of the lighting system. One or more of the at least one light source are connected to the at least one accumulator cell by means of detachable electrical contacts of a battery pack housing of the at least one battery pack. The communication interface is arranged within the battery pack housing. At least one electrical current for supplying the at least one light source is changed depending on the received information in order to activate or change the operating mode.

[0035] According to at least one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the information relates to or includes an entry in an electronic appointment calendar of a user and / or a project plan for carrying out a project using the lighting system and / or an estimated arrival time of the user at a position of the lighting system.

[0036] According to at least one embodiment, an initial schedule is specified, in particular stored on the storage unit. Change information is transmitted to the external communication unit by means of a mobile communication device, and the schedule is created by means of the external communication unit by changing the initial schedule depending on the change information.

[0037] According to at least one embodiment, a first light source of the at least one light source is activated to activate or change the operating mode and / or a second light source of the at least one light source is deactivated to activate or change the operating mode.

[0038] Further embodiments of the method according to the invention follow directly from the various embodiments of the lighting system according to the invention and the arrangement according to the invention, and vice versa. In particular, an arrangement according to the invention is configured to carry out a method according to the invention or carries out such a method.

[0039] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown in the figures can be encompassed by the invention not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations. In particular, the invention also encompasses embodiments and combinations of features that do not have all the features of an originally formulated claim. Furthermore, the invention encompasses embodiments and combinations of features that go beyond or deviate from the combinations of features set out in the backreferences to the claims.

[0040] The invention is explained in more detail below using specific embodiments and an associated schematic drawing. It shows: Fig. a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement for automatic lighting according to the invention.

[0041] The figure shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement 1 according to the invention with a lighting system 2 according to the invention and an external communication unit 9, which is designed, for example, as a server computer system or cloud computer system.

[0042] The lighting system 2 contains a light source 3, in the non-limiting example of the figure, a mobile battery-operated lamp with one or more light sources. The lighting system 2, in particular the lamp, can be supplied with electrical energy, for example, by means of a battery pack 4, which can be designed as a replaceable battery pack, or by at least one battery cell 5 of the battery pack 4.

[0043] The lighting system 2, in particular the luminaire, also includes a control circuit 6 configured to control the light source 3 and, in particular, to selectively activate or deactivate it. For this purpose, the control circuit 6 can, in particular, control or interrupt a power supply to the light source 3 by means of the accumulator cell 5. Optionally, the control circuit 6 can also control or change other operating parameters of the light source 3, such as the brightness of the at least one light source, a color temperature, a light color, and so on.

[0044] The lighting system 2 also contains a communication interface 7 for wireless communication, in particular for radio communication, with the external communication unit 9. In advantageous embodiments, the control circuit 6 and the communication interface 7 can be implemented in the battery pack 4, in particular arranged entirely within a corresponding battery pack housing of the battery pack 4. This has the particular advantage that, apart from the battery pack 4, the luminaire itself does not have to be specifically adapted to the lighting system 2 according to the invention or for carrying out a method according to the invention. Rather, by selecting a correspondingly designed battery pack 4, a conventional luminaire can also be retrofitted, thus realizing a lighting system according to the invention.

[0045] The external communication unit 9 includes a storage unit (not shown) on which a user's schedule is stored. The schedule can, for example, include an appointment calendar or one or more appointment entries in the user's appointment calendar, or a project plan for implementing a project in which the user wishes to use the luminaire.

[0046] In a method according to the invention, the control circuit 6 therefore receives information concerning the schedule from the external communication unit 9 via the communication interface 7 and activates or changes an operating mode of the lighting system 2 depending on the received information. For example, the control circuit can activate the light source 3 at a time according to the schedule depending on the received information. In this way, for example, it can be achieved that the light source 3 is activated in good time when the user is on site and requires the lighting accordingly. In particular, this way it can also be ensured that the light source 3 is only activated when the user actually requires it, without the user having to intervene manually.

[0047] Optionally, the arrangement 1 can also include an external communication device 8, for example, a smartphone. The smartphone can also communicate with the external communication unit 9. Thus, the user can, for example, change or adjust their appointment calendar or project plan by entering information into the smartphone in order to update the schedule stored in the external communication unit 9. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS:

[0048] 1Lighting arrangement 2Lighting system 3Light source 4Battery pack 5Battery cell 6Control circuit 7Communication interface 8Mobile communication device 9External communication unit

Claims

1. Lighting system (2) comprising at least one light source (3), as well as - at least one battery pack (4) comprising at least one accumulator cell (5), which forms at least one energy source for electric energy supply of the at least one light source (3), wherein the at least one battery pack (4) comprises a communication interface (7) for communication with an external communication unit (9), and wherein the at least one battery pack (4) comprises a battery pack housing, within which the communication interface (7) and the at least one accumulator cell (5) are arranged, wherein the battery pack housing is equipped with detachable electric contacts connecting the at least one accumulator cell (5) with one or several of the at least one light source (3); and - a control circuit (6), which is coupled to the communication interface (7) and which is configured - to receive information concerning a predetermined time schedule from the external communication unit (9) via the communication interface (7); - to change at least one electric current from the at least one energy source to the at least one light source (3) depending on the received information in order to automatically activate or change an operating mode of the lighting system (2) depending on the received information; and - to control the at least one light source (3) depending on the activated or changed operating mode for lighting an environment of the at least one light source (3).

2. Lighting system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one battery pack (4) comprises the control circuit (6).

3. Lighting system (2) according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit (6) is arranged completely within the battery pack housing (4).

4. Lighting system (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control circuit (6) is configured to activate a first light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) in order to activate or to change the operating mode.

5. Lighting system (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control circuit (6) is configured to deactivate a second light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) in order to activate or to change the operating mode.

6. Arrangement (1) for automatic lighting, the arrangement (1) comprising a lighting system (2) according to any one of the preceding claims as well as the external communication unit (9).

7. Arrangement (1) according to claim 6, wherein the external communication unit (9) comprises a memory unit storing the time schedule.

8. Method for automatic control of a lighting system (2), wherein - by a communication interface (7) of the lighting system (2) information concerning a predetermined time schedule is received from an external communication unit (9); - an operating mode of the lighting system (2) is automatically activated or changed depending on the received information; - at least one light source (3) of the lighting system (2) is controlled depending on the activated or changed operating mode for lighting an environment of the at least one light source (3); - the at least one light source (3) is supplied with electric energy by at least one energy source, which is formed by at least one accumulator cell (5) of at least one battery pack (4) of the lighting system (2), wherein one or several of the at least one light source (3) are connected by detachable electric contacts of a battery pack housing of the at least one battery pack (4) with the at least one accumulator cell (5), and wherein the communication interface (7) is arranged within the battery pack housing; and - at least one electric current for supplying the at least one light source (3) is changed depending on the received information in order to activate or change the operating mode.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the information concerns - an entry in an electronic timetable of a user; and / or - a project plan for performing a project using the lighting system (2); and / or - an expected arrival time of the user at a position of the lighting system (2).

10. Method according to one of claims 8 or 9, wherein - an initial time schedule is predetermined; - change information is transmitted to the external communication unit (9) by a mobile communication device (8); - the time schedule is established by changing the initial time schedule depending on the change information.

11. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein - a first light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) is activated in order to activate or to change the operating mode; and / or - a second light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) is deactivated in order to activate or to change the operating mode.