LIGHT BAND

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a lighting strip with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) or LED groups arranged along the longitudinal extent of the lighting strip, and a supply voltage line for operating the LEDs or LED groups with a supply voltage, wherein for each LED or LED group, a circuit element connected to the supply voltage line is provided for comparing a voltage applied to a first input and a voltage applied to a second input of the circuit element, and the circuit element is designed to apply the supply voltage to the LED or LED group assigned to it in dependence on the difference between the voltages applied to the first input and the second input of the respective circuit element, wherein the respective first input of the circuit elements is connected to a reference line to which a DC voltage can be applied,which is designed as a voltage divider for applying different reference voltages to the respective first input of the circuit elements, and the respective second input of the circuit elements is connected to a switch-on line to which a continuously increasing switch-on voltage is applied, and one end of the reference line is connected to ground and cutting areas for severing the light strip are provided between two resistance elements of the reference line designed as a voltage divider, wherein each LED or LED group is assigned a ground circuit which is designed to connect the reference line between a cutting area and the remaining LED or LED group closest to the cutting area to ground as soon as an input line connected to the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group closest to the cutting area to be severed and crossing the cutting area is severed,according to the preamble of claim 1.,

[0002] A generic light strip was described in DE 21 41 361 A1. Further light strips have been described in WO 2013 / 107729 A1, WO 2016 / 085124 A1, DE 24 42 876 A1, EP 3 715 702 A1, and US 10 487 995 B2. LED light strips are used to illuminate vehicle components or interiors, in particular for the interior lighting of the cargo area of ​​commercial vehicles. It is known that, to create a visually appealing effect, the LEDs or LED groups are not all switched on simultaneously, starting with a switch-on time, but rather one after the other, starting from a first end of the light strip, until the last LED or LED group at a second end of the light strip is switched on within a predetermined switch-on time.

[0003] Since two light strips of different lengths are often used for lighting, each of which starts at different points and converges to a common endpoint, it is advantageous for the optical switch-on effect to be optimal if the LEDs at each end of each light strip are switched on at the same time. Therefore, for light strips of different lengths, the LEDs or LED groups of the longer light strip must be switched on more quickly than those of the shorter light strip.

[0004] Processor-controlled switching on of a light strip is known for this purpose, with microprocessors assigned to each individual LED or group of LEDs that control the respective switching-on time. However, such designs require considerable programming effort and complex structural implementation. Furthermore, light strips of different lengths require customized designs, which increases manufacturing costs.

[0005] The aim of the invention is therefore to create light strips and methods for switching on LEDs or LED groups of such light strips, in which the switch-on time, i.e., the period from the moment the first LED or LED group of a light strip is switched on until the last LED or LED group of the light strip is switched on, is independent of the length of the light strip. With a longer light strip, the LEDs or LED groups must therefore be switched on more quickly one after the other than with a comparatively shorter light strip.

[0006] This object is achieved by a lighting strip according to claim 1. Claim 1 relates to a lighting strip with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) or LED groups arranged along the longitudinal extent of the lighting strip, and a supply voltage line for operating the LEDs or LED groups with a supply voltage, wherein for each LED or LED group, a circuit element connected to the supply voltage line is provided for comparing a voltage applied to a first input and a voltage applied to a second input of the circuit element, and the circuit element is designed to apply the supply voltage to the LED or LED group assigned to it in each case as a function of the difference between the voltages applied to the first input and the second input of the respective circuit element.wherein the respective first input of the circuit elements is connected to a reference line which can be supplied with a direct voltage and which is designed as a voltage divider for supplying the respective first input of the circuit elements with different reference voltages, and the respective second input of the circuit elements is connected to a switch-on line which can be supplied with a continuously increasing switch-on voltage, and one end of the reference line is connected to ground and cutting areas for severing the light strip are provided between two resistance elements of the reference line designed as a voltage divider, wherein each LED or LED group is assigned a ground circuit which is designed to connect the reference line to ground between a cutting area and the remaining LED or LED group closest to the cutting area,as soon as an input line connected to the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group closest to the cutting area to be severed and crossing the cutting area is severed. According to the invention, the ground circuit comprises a first switching transistor and a second switching transistor, wherein the first switching transistor is connected by its drain terminal to the reference line of the remaining LED or LED group closest to the cutting area and by its source terminal to ground, and the gate terminal of the first switching transistor is connected, on the one hand, to the supply voltage line of the remaining LED or LED group closest to the cutting area and, on the other hand, to the drain terminal of the second switching transistor.wherein the gate terminal of the second switching transistor is connected via the input line crossing the cutting area to the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group to be separated closest to the cutting area, and the source terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to ground.

[0007] The LEDs or LED groups are thus switched on using their own switch-on line and a reference line, with the switch-on line being supplied with a voltage that continuously increases during the switch-on period, and the reference line being designed as a voltage divider. The voltage divider design ensures the length-dependent switch-on effect, since the voltage drop across each resistance element of the voltage divider, e.g., an ohmic resistor, is smaller the more resistance elements are provided, i.e., the longer the light strip is. The successive sequence of the reference voltage assigned to each LED or LED group is therefore dependent on the length of the light strip. These reference voltages are compared by the circuit element with the continuously increasing switch-on voltage provided by the switch-on line.As soon as the turn-on voltage exceeds a reference voltage, the supply voltage is applied to the relevant LED or group of LEDs and thus switched on. Starting at the switch-on point, the reference voltage of the LED or group of LEDs closest to ground is reached first, as this is where the lowest voltage of the voltage divider is applied. This LED or group of LEDs is therefore switched on first and thus defines the starting point of the light strip. One after the other, the turn-on voltage reaches the voltage values ​​ascending in the voltage divider, i.e. the reference voltage of successive LEDs or groups of LEDs, and the relevant LEDs or groups of LEDs are switched on, until finally the LED or group of LEDs closest to the DC voltage source of the reference line is switched on. In this way, an analog solution is realized that is simple and therefore cost-effective to implement.

[0008] The circuit element is preferably designed as a comparator whose inverting, first input is connected to the reference line and whose non-inverting, second input is connected to the switch-on line, wherein the comparator is designed to ground the LED or LED group assigned to it in each case if the voltage applied to the second input falls below the voltage applied to the first input, and to apply the supply voltage to the LED or LED group assigned to it in each case if the voltage applied to the second input exceeds the voltage applied to the first input.

[0009] As already explained, the design of the reference line as a voltage divider ensures that the turn-on effect is length-dependent, since the voltage drop across each resistor element of the voltage divider decreases the more resistor elements are provided, i.e., the longer the light strip is. The successive sequence of the reference voltage assigned to each LED or group of LEDs thus depends on the length of the light strip, with one end of the reference line connected to a DC voltage source and the other end connected to ground. If the light strip needs to be trimmed during use by cutting it off at the end facing away from the DC voltage source, the user must ensure that the reference line is reconnected to ground.To save the user this process and to ensure that the reference line is always grounded even when the light strip is cut, it is further provided that cutting areas for severing the light strip are provided between two resistance elements of the reference line designed as a voltage divider, with each LED or LED group being assigned a ground circuit which is designed to connect the reference line between a cutting area and the remaining LED or LED group closest to the cutting area to ground as soon as an input line connected to the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group closest to the cutting area and crossing the cutting area is severed. The predetermined cutting areas ensure that the reference line is connected to ground after cutting by severing an input line for the ground circuit which crosses the cutting area.The input line connects the ground circuit assigned to an LED or LED group on this side of an intersection with the supply voltage line of the following LED or LED group located beyond the intersection.

[0010] The inventive embodiment for the ground circuit consists in that the ground circuit comprises a first switching transistor and a second switching transistor, wherein the first switching transistor is connected with its drain terminal to the reference line of the LED or LED group remaining closest to the cutting area and is connected with its source terminal to ground, and the gate terminal of the first switching transistor is connected on the one hand to the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group remaining closest to the cutting area and on the other hand to the drain terminal of the second switching transistor, wherein the gate terminal of the second switching transistor is connected via the input line crossing the cutting area to the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group to be separated closest to the cutting area and the source terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to ground.If the cut area has not been severed, a voltage is present at the gate terminal of the second switching transistor, which is provided by the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group located beyond the cut area. The second switching transistor thus becomes conductive and connects the gate terminal of the first switching transistor to ground. The first switching transistor is thus off, so that the ground circuit for the reference line of the LED or LED group located on this side of the cut area is inactive.

[0011] If the cutting area has been severed, there is no longer any voltage at the gate terminal of the second switching transistor. The second switching transistor thus becomes blocking, so that the gate terminal of the first switching transistor is no longer pulled to ground. Instead, a voltage is now present at the gate terminal of the first switching transistor, which is provided by the supply voltage line of the LED or LED group located on this side of the cutting area. The first switching transistor is therefore conductive, so that the reference line of the LED or LED group located on this side of the cutting area is pulled to ground. The ground circuit for the reference line of the LED or LED group located on this side of the cutting area is thus active.

[0012] In other words, the supply voltage of the LED or LED group located on this side of the intersection activates the first switching transistor, and the supply voltage of the LED or LED group located on the other side of the intersection activates the second switching transistor. When the second switching transistor is conductive, the first switching transistor is blocked, and when the second switching transistor is blocked, the first switching transistor is closed. If the second switching transistor is conductive, the first switching transistor is blocked, and if the second switching transistor is blocked, the first switching transistor is conductive. Preferably, the first switching transistor and the second switching transistor are each embodied as normally-off N-channel FETs in order to implement the ground circuit in a more power-efficient manner.

[0013] Furthermore, applications are conceivable in which the light strip must be interrupted, for example, to accommodate obstacles in the installation path. In such cases, the light strip is severed in the cut areas, and the severed section of the light strip is continued at a different location. The two severed sections of the light strip are, of course, electrically connected to transmit the electrical signal from the remaining light strip to the severed section. However, the reference line at the now free end of the remaining section of the light strip may not be used. notbe set to ground in order to maintain a desired switch-on behavior in the transition between the two light strip sections. For this purpose, it is proposed that the ground circuit have a solder bridge which, when the solder bridge is conductive, connects the gate terminal of the second switching transistor to the supply voltage line of the remaining LED or LED group closest to the cutting area. In the application described above, the light strip can thus be severed in one of the cutting areas and the severed light strip section can be continued at another location with electrical contact to the remaining light strip section. The solder bridge must be filled with solder, which subsequently deactivates the ground circuit.

[0014] To switch on LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) or LED groups of a light strip which, after switching on, are operated with a supply voltage provided by a supply voltage line of the light strip, the LEDs or LED groups can be switched on one after the other starting from a first end of the light strip at a switch-on time and remain switched on until the last LED or LED group at a second end of the light strip is switched on within a specified switch-on time.The LEDs or LED groups are switched on using a switch-on voltage provided by a switch-on line and continuously increasing during the switch-on time, which is compared with a reference voltage that successively increases for successive LEDs or LED groups depending on the length of the light strip, whereby an LED or LED group is supplied with the supply voltage using a circuit element connected to the supply voltage line as soon as the switch-on voltage exceeds the reference voltage assigned to the respective LED or LED group.

[0015] The reference voltage assigned to an LED or LED group is preferably provided by a reference line designed as a voltage divider and supplied with a DC voltage.

[0016] The switch-on voltage, which continuously increases during the switch-on period, is preferably a linear switch-on voltage that increases from 0 at the switch-on time to a maximum value at the end of the switch-on period. However, it is also conceivable to choose a non-linear switch-on voltage curve instead of a linear one to achieve special optical effects.

[0017] To switch off LEDs or LED groups of a light strip which, before switching off, are operated with a supply voltage provided by a supply voltage line of the light strip, the LEDs or LED groups can be switched off one after the other starting from a first end of the light strip, starting with a switch-off time, and remain switched off until the last LED or LED group at a second end of the light strip is switched off within a predetermined switch-off time.The LEDs or LED groups are switched off using a switch-on voltage provided by a switch-on line and continuously decreasing during the switch-off period, which is compared with a reference voltage that successively increases for successive LEDs or LED groups depending on the length of the light strip, whereby an LED or LED group is disconnected from the supply voltage using a circuit element connected to the supply voltage line as soon as the switch-on voltage falls below the reference voltage assigned to the respective LED or LED group.

[0018] The invention will be explained below using an exemplary embodiment with the aid of the accompanying figures. Fig. 1 an embodiment of a circuit for realizing a light strip according to the invention for switching on the LEDs or LED groups of such a light strip, and the Fig. 2a further embodiment of a circuit for realizing a light strip according to the invention with ground circuits for the LEDs or LED groups.

[0019] The circuit according to Fig. 1 shows a sequence of LED groups G j (j=1,2,...M), where in the Fig. 1 four groups G 1 , G 2 , G M-1 and GM are visible, and the dots running between the upper two groups G 1 and G 2 as well as the lower two groups G M-1 and GM are intended to indicate that the circuit continues here in any desired length. In the illustrated embodiment, each LED group G j has three LEDs L ji (j=1,2,...M; i=1,2,3), which emit light in three complementary colors, for example, so that the color space perceivable by humans can be represented. The LEDs L ji or the LED groups G j are arranged along a longitudinal extension L of the light strip, which in the Fig. 1is indicated by an arrow. The light strip can be designed as an arrangement of individual LEDs L ji arranged one after the other along the longitudinal extension L, or as a matrix-like arrangement of LEDs L ji arranged one after the other in groups along the longitudinal extension L, which results in a more planar light strip.

[0020] The longitudinal extension L is defined by the course of a parallel-connected reference line R and a switch-on line E. The reference line R has a sequence of series-connected resistance elements W j (j = 1, 2, ... M), which are designed, for example, as ohmic resistors. Each LED group G j is assigned such a resistance element W j. The reference line R is connected at one end to a DC voltage source and at the other end to ground GND. The DC voltage applied to the reference line R drops successively across the resistance elements W j depending on the number of resistance elements W j. The reference line R is thus designed as a voltage divider.

[0021] The turn-on line E is connected at one end to a voltage source, which supplies the turn-on line E with a turn-on voltage that continuously increases during the turn-on period. The continuously increasing turn-on voltage is preferably a turn-on voltage that increases linearly from 0 at the time of turn-on to a maximum value at the end of the turn-on period. This maximum value lies above the DC voltage applied to the reference line R. However, it is also conceivable to select a non-linear turn-on voltage curve rather than a linearly increasing curve.

[0022] The switch-on pulse for each LED group G j is generated using a circuit element S j (j=1,2,...M). Each LED group G j is assigned such a circuit element S j. In the embodiment of the Fig. 1the circuit element S j is designed as a comparator whose inverting, first input 1 is connected to the reference line R and whose non-inverting, second input 2 is connected to the switch-on line E. The comparator is designed in such a way that it connects the LED group G j assigned to it to ground GND as long as the voltage of the switch-on line E applied to the second input 2 is below the voltage of the reference line R applied to the first input 1. As soon as the voltage of the switch-on line E applied to the second input 2 exceeds the voltage of the reference line R applied to the first input 1, the LED group G j assigned to the respective circuit element S j is supplied with the supply voltage via the supply voltage line VCC and is thus switched on.

[0023] As already mentioned, the reference line R is designed as a voltage divider, so that the DC voltage applied to the reference line R successively drops across the resistance elements W j depending on the number of resistance elements W j . Different voltages are therefore applied to the first inputs 1 of the resistance elements W j . These voltage values ​​define the reference voltages assigned to each LED group G j . With regard to the Fig. 1The highest reference voltage is therefore applied to the first input 1 of the circuit element S 1 , and the lowest reference voltage is applied to the first input 1 of the circuit element SM. A switch-on voltage that increases, for example, linearly from the value 0 at the switch-on time to a maximum value that is higher than the DC voltage value of the reference line R first reaches the lowest reference voltage assigned to the first input 1 of the circuit element SM, so that the LED group GM is switched on first. One after the other, the switch-on voltage of the switch-on line E reaches the successively increasing reference voltages of the subsequent circuit elements S j until the highest reference voltage assigned to the first input 1 of the circuit element S 1 is reached and exceeded, whereby the last LED group G 1 is switched on.

[0024] The design of the reference line R as a voltage divider ensures that the turn-on effect is length-dependent, since the voltage drop at each resistance element W j of the voltage divider is smaller the more resistance elements W j are provided, i.e. the longer the light strip is. The successive sequence of the reference voltage assigned to each LED group G j is therefore dependent on the length of the light strip, with one end of the reference line R connected to a DC voltage source and the other end of the reference line R connected to ground GND. If the light strip has to be trimmed during use by cutting it off at the end facing away from the DC voltage source, the user must ensure that the reference line R is reconnected to ground GND.In order to save the user this process and to ensure that the reference line R is always connected to ground GND even if the light strip is cut to size without further action by the user, the embodiment is according to the . Fig. 2 suggested.

[0025] In the Fig. 2 A sequence of three LED groups G j-1 , G j , G j+1 is shown, which represents a section of the light strip. The LED groups G j with their respective associated circuit elements S j as well as their connection to the reference line R, the switch-on line E and the supply voltage line VCC are analogous to the embodiment according to the Fig. 1 In the embodiment according to Fig. 2However, each LED group G j is additionally assigned a ground circuit M j (j=1,2,...M). In addition, cutting areas B j (j=1,2,...M) are provided, which are marked accordingly on the light strip to make them easier for the user to find. The cutting areas B j are each located between the resistance element W j of an LED group G j and the electrical contact of the switching element S j+1 of the following LED group G 4+1 . To explain the functioning of the ground circuit M j, it is assumed below that the cut takes place in the cutting area B j, i.e. in relation to the Fig. 2 between the LED group G j and the following LED group G j+1 . The LED group G j is also referred to as the this-side LED group G j or the remaining LED group G j , and the following LED group G j+1 is referred to as the other-side or separated LED group G j+1 .

[0026] The ground circuit M j has the task of connecting the reference line R between the intersection B j and the resistance element W j of the LED group G j to ground GND as soon as an input line EL j of the ground circuit M j , which is connected to the supply voltage line VCC of the subsequent LED group G j+1 and crosses the intersection B j , is severed. The input line EL j connects the ground circuit M j assigned to an LED group G j on this side of the intersection B j on a light strip section on this side to the supply voltage line VCC of the LED group G j+1 located beyond the intersection B j on a light strip section on the other side.

[0027] A possible design for the ground circuit M j is shown in the Fig. 2shown and consists approximately in that the ground circuit M j comprises a first switching transistor T1 and a second switching transistor T2, each designed as a normally-off N-channel FET. The first switching transistor T1 has its drain terminal connected to the reference line R of the LED group G j via a first resistor R1 and its source terminal is connected to ground GND. The gate terminal of the first switching transistor T1 is connected on the one hand via a second resistor R2 to the supply voltage line VCC of the LED group G j lying on this side of the cutting area B j and on the other hand to the drain terminal of the second switching transistor T2.The gate terminal of the second switching transistor T2 is in turn connected to the supply voltage line VCC of the LED group G j+1 following the cutting area B j via the input line EL j crossing the cutting area B j , and the source terminal of the second switching transistor T2 is connected to ground GND. The gate terminal of the second switching transistor T2 is further connected to ground GND, which is applied to its source terminal, via a third resistor R3. This third resistor is designed as a pull-down resistor and reliably pulls the gate terminal of the second switching transistor T2 to ground GND when the input line EL j is severed, in order to reliably block the second switching transistor T2.

[0028] If the cutting area B j has not been severed, a voltage is present at the gate terminal of the second switching transistor T2, which is provided by the supply voltage line VCC of the LED group G j+1 located beyond the cutting area B j. The second switching transistor T2 thus becomes conductive and connects the gate terminal of the first switching transistor T1 to ground GND, which is connected to the source terminal of the second switching transistor T2. The first switching transistor T1 is thus off, so that the ground circuit M j for the reference line R of the LED group G j located on this side of the cutting area B j is inactive.

[0029] If the cutting area B j has been severed, there is no longer any voltage at the gate terminal of the second switching transistor T2 and the gate terminal of the second switching transistor T2 is pulled by the third resistor R3 to ground GND connected to the source terminal of the second switching transistor T2. The second switching transistor T2 thus becomes blocking, so that the gate terminal of the first switching transistor T1 is no longer connected to ground GND. Instead, a voltage is now present at the gate terminal of the first switching transistor T1, which is provided by the supply voltage line VCC of the LED group G j located on this side of the cutting area B j. The first switching transistor T1 is therefore conductive, so that the reference line R of the LED group G j located on this side of the cutting area B j is connected to ground GND of the source terminal of the first switching transistor T1.The ground circuit M j for the reference line R of the LED group G j located on this side of the intersection area B j is thus active and connects the reference line R to the ground GND of the source terminal of the first switching transistor T1.

[0030] Furthermore, applications are conceivable in which the light strip must be interrupted, for example, to accommodate obstacles in the installation path. In such cases, the light strip is severed in a cutting area B j and the severed light strip section continued at another point. The two severed light strip sections are, of course, electrically connected in order to transmit the electrical signal from the remaining light strip to the severed light strip; however, the reference line R at the now free end of the remaining light strip section may not be used. notbe set to ground GND in order to maintain a desired switch-on behavior in the transition between the two light strip sections. For this purpose, it is proposed that the ground circuit M j have a solder bridge LB j which, when the solder bridge LB j is conductive, connects the gate terminal of the second switching transistor T2 to the supply voltage line VCC of the remaining LED group G j. In this application, the light strip can thus be severed in the cutting area B j and the severed light strip section can be continued at another point with electrical contact to the remaining light strip section, whereby the solder bridge LB j is filled with solder, which subsequently deactivates the ground circuit M j.

[0031] The inventive design ensures that, with a longer light strip, the LED groups G j are switched on more quickly one after the other than with a comparatively shorter light strip. The switch-on time, i.e., the period between the switch-on time and the illumination of the last LED group G j , can be freely selected using the selected switch-on voltage profile. Furthermore, light strips are realized in which the time span from the switch-on time and the illumination of the first LED group to the illumination of the last LED group is independent of the length of the light strip.

[0032] To switch off the light strip, the LED groups G j are switched off one after the other, starting at a switch-off time, from a first end of the light strip until the last LED group G j at a second end of the light strip is switched off within a predetermined switch-off time. The LED groups G j are switched off using a switch-on voltage provided by the switch-on line E and which continuously decreases during the switch-off time. This voltage is compared with the reference voltage which increases successively for successive LED groups G j depending on the length of the light strip, whereby an LED group G j is disconnected from the supply voltage line VCC using the circuit element S j as soon as the switch-on voltage falls below the reference voltage assigned to the respective LED group G j.

[0033] As soon as the switch-on voltage falls below a reference voltage, the relevant LED group G j is disconnected from the supply voltage line VCC and thus switched off. Starting at the switch-off time, the reference voltage of the LED group G 1 that is closest to the voltage source of the switch-on line E is initially undercut, as this is where the highest voltage of the voltage divider is present. This LED group G j is therefore the first to be switched off. One after the other, the switch-on voltage falls below the voltage values ​​descending in the voltage divider, i.e. the reference voltages of successive LED groups G j , and the relevant LED groups G j are switched off, until finally the LED group GM that is closest to the ground GND of the reference line R is switched off.

[0034] In this way, an analogue solution for the switching on and off behavior of an LED light strip is realized, which can be implemented easily and therefore cost-effectively.

Claims

1. Lighting strip comprising LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes Lj.i; j=1,2,...M; i=1,2,...N) or LED groups (Gj, j=1, 2,...M), which are arranged along the longitudinal extension (L) of the lighting strip, and a supply voltage line (VCC) for operating the LEDs (Lj.i) or LED groups (Gj) with a supply voltage, wherein for each LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) there is provided a circuit element (Sj, j=1,2,...M) of the lighting strip connected to the supply voltage line (VCC) for comparing a voltage present at a first input (1) and at a second input (2) of the circuit element (Sj), and the circuit element (Sj) is designed to apply the supply voltage to the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) respectively associated with it as a function of the difference between the voltages present at the first input (1) and at the second input (2) of the respective circuit element (Sj), wherein the respective first input of the circuit elements (Sj) is connected to a reference line (R) of the lighting strip to which a DC voltage can be applied, which reference line is designed as a voltage divider for applying different reference voltages to the respective first input (1) of the circuit elements (Sj), and the respective second input (2) of the circuit elements (Sj) is connected to a turn-on line (E) of the lighting strip to which a continuously rising turn-on voltage can be applied, and one end of the reference line (R) is grounded and cutting regions (Bj, j=1,2,...M) for severing the lighting strip are provided between two resistance elements (Wj, Wj+1) of the reference line (R), which is designed as a voltage divider, wherein each LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) is assigned a grounding circuit (Mj) of the lighting strip which is designed to connect the reference line (R) between a cutting region (Bj) and the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) remaining closest to the cutting region (Bj) to ground (GND) as soon as an input line (ELj) of the lighting strip connected to the supply voltage line (VCC) of the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) closest to the cutting region (Bj) to be cut and crossing the cutting region (Bj) is cut, characterized in that the grounding circuit (Mj) comprises a first switching transistor (T1) and a second switching transistor (T2), wherein the first switching transistor (T1) is connected by its drain terminal to the reference line (R) of the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) remaining closest to the cutting region and its source terminal is connected to ground (GND), and the gate terminal of the first switching transistor (T1) is connected, on the one hand, to the supply voltage line (VCC) of the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) remaining closest to the cutting region (Bj) and, on the other hand, to the drain terminal of the second switching transistor (T2), wherein the gate terminal of the second switching transistor (T2) is connected to the supply voltage line (VCC) of the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) remaining closest to the cutting region (Bj) to be cut via the input line (ELj) crossing the cutting region (Bj), and the source terminal of the second switching transistor (T2) is connected to ground (GND).

2. Lighting strip according to claim 1, characterized in that the circuit element (Sj) is designed as a comparator whose inverting first input (1) is connected to the reference line (R) and whose non-inverting second input (2) is connected to the turn-on line (E), wherein the comparator is designed to ground the respectively assigned LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) if the voltage present at the second input (2) is lower than the voltage present at the first input (1), and to apply the supply voltage to the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) assigned to it if the voltage present at the second input (2) is higher than the voltage present at the first input (1).

3. Lighting strip according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first switching transistor (T1) and the second switching transistor (T2) are each designed as a self-locking N-channel FET.

4. Lighting strip according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the grounding circuit (Mj) has a solder bridge (LBj, j=1,2,...M) which, when the solder bridge (LBj) is conductively connected, connects the gate terminal of the second switching transistor (T2) to the supply voltage line (VCC) of the LED (Lj.i) or LED group (Gj) remaining closest to the cutting region (Bj).