Device and method for monitoring the operating status of lighting projectors

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting device (100) comprising: - at least one control unit (1) configured to control the operation of at least one projector (10), - at least one projector (10), each projector (10) comprising a light source (11) and means for modulating the light beam emitted by the light source (11), characterized in that: - each projector (10) is provided with an electronic memory (14) in which information relating to the projector (10) and its operation is stored, - the control unit (1) is configured to issue a switching instruction to a "communication" mode for the projectors (10), in which the projectors (10) modulate the light beam with the contents of the electronic memory (14) in order to communicate, via the modulated light beam, information relating to the projector (10) and its operation. Abstract figure: [Fig. 1]

Description

Title of the invention: Device and method for monitoring the operating status of lighting projectors technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of lighting projectors, and more particularly to the control of their operation and the communication of data relating to their operation to an external party. Previous art

[0002] Lighting projectors or spotlights are in the form of a recessed module designed to illuminate a fixed direction, particularly in a swimming pool or on a facade. They generally include a light source (LEDs, incandescent, halogen, etc.) and circuits for adapting and controlling their operation.

[0003] Adaptation circuits transform and adapt the current intensity and / or the electrical voltage delivered to the light source. Control circuits can, for example, adapt the spectrum and luminous intensity of the light source.

[0004] Lighting projectors are designed to operate with parameters such as their temperature, electrical power consumption, etc., within known ranges. Anomalies in these parameters often indicate degraded operation, ultimately leading to projector malfunction. Monitoring these parameters therefore allows for predictable replacements before failure occurs, avoiding unnecessary replacements.

[0005] These lighting projectors can in particular be installed in hard-to-reach places, whether because they are located at a height or integrated into a fixed structure and covered with construction materials.

[0006] For example, swimming pool spotlights are installed underwater and require the pool to be drained, at least partially, for replacement, and have sealing means that make their dismantling tedious.

[0007] Projectors equipped with sensors allowing the measurement of operating parameters, total operating times, or the detection of threshold value exceedances are known, the sensors being integrated into the projector.

[0008] It is known to connect projectors thus equipped with sensors to a network, for example with patent FR0802968 using a power line carrier (PLC) network.

[0009] It would also be possible to use, in the electrical assembly, signal lines parallel to the power supply lines of the components in order to communicate the parameters to a central unit which displays, records or analyzes the parameters For example, to issue alerts when thresholds are exceeded or for readings during technician interventions. Alternatively, the sensors could be connected to radio transmitters such as WiFi or Bluetooth.

[0010] However, these networks require expensive components and dedicated lines and conduits, in addition to conduits for power lines, and therefore cannot be installed on existing structures without significant modifications.

[0011] There are also projectors which can communicate a degraded or faulty state by switching to red color emission, instead of the initial normal color light (for example a white color).

[0012] These projectors can detect which ones need replacing, but only once they are defective. It would therefore be advantageous to have projectors capable of providing information about their operating history and / or operating parameters, allowing for predictive replacement before deterioration. In particular, this communication should be possible with a minimum number of additional communication lines and transmitters. Summary of the invention

[0013] To meet this need, the invention proposes a lighting device comprising: - at least one control unit configured to control the operation of at least one projector, - at least one projector, including a light source, - a power supply, providing current to power the projectors and the control box. The lighting device according to the invention is characterized in that: - Each projector is equipped with electronic memory, in which information relating to the projector and its operation is stored. - the control box is configured to issue a switching instruction to a "communication" mode of the projectors, in which the projectors modulate their light source in order to emit a modulated light beam with the contents of the electronic memory in order to communicate information relating to the projector and its operation via the modulated light beam.

[0014] Internal communication within the lighting system is then solely downward, without a return line from the spotlights to the control box. In particular, unidirectional communication does not require communication components from the spotlight to the control box, nor a dedicated return line.

[0015] The device according to the invention may have one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination.

[0016] Information relating to the projector and its operation may include at least one of the following:

[0017] - a header, issued upstream of the other data,

[0018] - an individual projector identifier,

[0019] - a projector model identifier,

[0020] - an identifier of an internal software version of the projector,

[0021] - a production date of the projector.

[0022] Projectors can be equipped with sensors configured to capture or measure projector operating parameters and store the operating parameters and their captured or measured values ​​in the projector's electronic memory.

[0023] The sensors may include, in particular, at least one of the following:

[0024] - a thermometer detecting the operating temperature of the projector,

[0025] - a clock or counter measuring a total operating time of the projector,

[0026] - a voltage sensor measuring an operating voltage of the source of light,

[0027] - a current sensor measuring an operating current of the source of light.

[0028] The control box can be connected to the projectors by a unidirectional power line carrier (PLC) network or the instruction to switch the projectors into "communication" mode is a specific combination of interruptions and restorations of the power supply current to the projectors.

[0029] The means for modulating the light beam include light beam intensity dimmers or power supply switches for the light source, the light beam being modulated by varying the intensity of the light beam emitted by the light source, or means for modifying the light spectrum of the light beam emitted by the light source, the light beam being modulated by varying the light spectrum emitted by the light source.

[0030] The projectors can in particular be configured to repeat the modulated light beam until an output of the “communication” mode.

[0031] If the light sources of each projector have emission means in different spectral channels, the projectors can be configured to emit, at each repetition, the modulated light beam in a different spectral channel.

[0032] The device can in particular be configured to cooperate with an optical receiver equipped with at least one camera receiving the modulated light beam.

[0033] The modulation of the light beam can then be carried out by switching between two operating states of the light source,

[0034] - the switches between the two operating states are carried out at a frequency between one tenth and half of the camera's shooting frequency.

[0035] The optical receiver can in particular be a mobile phone equipped with a camera receiving the modulated light beam.

[0036] The optical receiver and the control box may include means for communicating a command, the control box being configured to transmit the instruction to switch to "communication" mode to the projectors when it receives the command by the communication means.

[0037] The invention also relates to the method of communicating information concerning a projector of a lighting device as previously described and to its operation, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

[0038] - emission by the control box of a switchover instruction to " communication” aimed at projectors,

[0039] - switching the projectors to "communication" mode and emission by the projectors with a beam modulated by the contents of their electronic memory,

[0040] - reception by means of an optical receiver of the modulated beam and extraction of information relating to the projector and its operation of the modulated beam for storage or display. Brief description of the figures

[0041] Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the figures below, among which: - Figure [1] is a schematic representation of a lighting device according to the invention,

[0042] - [Fig. 2] is a schematic representation of a projector of the device lighting of the [Fig.1],

[0043] - [Fig. 3] is a linear flowchart showing the main steps of the process of the operation of the device in [Fig. 1],

[0044] - Figure 4 is a schematic front view representation of an optical receiver for the optical device of [Fig.1] incorporating a telephone.

[0045] The embodiments shown are given by way of illustration and are not limiting examples. Other embodiments may be obtained, in particular, by variation or combination of the embodiments shown. Detailed description of the figures

[0046] Figure 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a lighting device 100 according to the invention. The lighting device 100 comprises a spotlight 10, connected to a control box 1 by two positive + and negative - power supply lines.

[0047] The control unit 1 is, for example, a power supply unit connected to the local electrical network, equipped with a transformer and current limiters. A plurality of projectors 10 can, in particular, be connected to the control unit 1. The control unit 1 may further include one or more interfaces, for example, an antenna connected to a remote control for remotely switching on and off subsets of the projectors 10, modifying the intensity of the light they emit or their color, etc.

[0048] In the embodiment shown, the projector 10 is installed in a pool wall, below the water surface. When powered by the control box 1, the projector 10 illuminates the water and the pool basin.

[0049] The light beam emitted by the projector 10 is collected by an optical receiver 3. This optical receiver 3 includes light sensors for receiving the light beam and a user interface. This optical receiver 3 is, in particular, a portable user terminal, specifically a smartphone with a specific application installed and running to isolate information relating to the projector 10 and its operation within the light beam, and means for displaying or storing the aforementioned information, in this case a screen or the phone's memory.

[0050] The optical receiver telephone 3 is configured here to communicate with the control box 1 via an antenna 5 or a home network of the WiFi or Bluetooth type.

[0051] Alternatively, the optical receiver 3 can be a dedicated device, or a camera connected to a laptop or tablet.

[0052] The projector 10 is shown in more detail in [Fig. 2]. The projector 10 comprises a light source 11, for example, an array of diodes, or a halogen incandescent filament. The light source 11, together with a lens 12, forms a beam of light directed towards the space to be illuminated.

[0053] Sensors 13 measure or detect parameters and quantities relating to the operation of the projector 10.

[0054] For example, the sensors 13 may include at least one thermometer detecting an operating temperature of the projector 10 or of a particular component of the projector 10 such as its light source 11, a clock or counter measuring a total operating time of the projector 10, a voltage sensor measuring an operating voltage of the light source 11 and / or a current sensor measuring an operating current of the light source 11, the combination of two allowing in particular to estimate the operating power of the light source 11.

[0055] The sensors 13 are in particular connected to a control unit 15 equipped with an electronic memory 14, on which are stored the quantities measured by the sensors 13, as well as information relating to the projector 10.

[0056] This information may include, in particular, an identifier of the individual projector 10 such as a serial number, an identifier of the projector 10 model such as a numerical reference, an identifier of an internal software version of the projector 10 and / or a date of production of the projector.

[0057] In addition, the electronic memory 14 can contain a header, emitted first in the modulated light beam.

[0058] The control unit 15 is connected to a piloted switch 17, which can interrupt the supply of electrical current to the light source 11, thus enabling it to modulate the emitted beam.

[0059] The control unit 15 is configured to be able to modulate, by means of the piloted switch 17, the emitted light beam with the information contained in the electronic memory 14.

[0060] The switch 17 of [Fig.2] is in particular a two-state open or closed switch, allowing two-state modulation, for example with "Manchester" type coding.

[0061] Other controlled switches 17 could include means for modifying the light spectrum of the light beam, for example, modifying the spectrum of the light source 11, by limiting, for example, the current and power flowing through it or, in the case of a light source 11 with RGB red, blue and green LEDs, to vary the relative intensity of the LEDs of each color.

[0062] To enable detection and demodulation by a conventional camera at twenty-four frames per second, the switches between two states of the light beam are preferably carried out at a frequency of the order of one to twelve Hertz, low enough so that the switches can be discerned.

[0063] If the phone camera is, for example, a camera with sixty frames per second, the switching between two states of the light beam can be carried out at a higher frequency, typically on the order of six to thirty Hertz.

[0064] Generally, a switching frequency between two states is typically between half and one-tenth of the camera's shooting frequency.

[0065] Finally, if the optical receiver 3 is a dedicated device, the camera can be replaced by a photodiode or phototransistor device and the switching frequency between two states of the light beam can be considerably increased.

[0066] In the case of a light source 11 with RGB diodes, or any other source having several individual spectral channels, the control unit 15 can modulate the light beam in intensity, and repeat the beam successively in each of the individual spectral channels, for example in the case of RGB diodes, once in red, once in green, then once in blue.

[0067] The control box 1 of the lighting device 100 is specifically configured to be able to send a specific signal to the projector 10 via the + / - power supply lines.

[0068] For example, the control box 1 and the projector 10 may include power line communication (PLC) modules. Alternatively, the control box 1 may generate a specific combination of power interruptions, which the projector 10 is configured to detect. Document EP2695490 describes such communication.

[0069] If it is possible to install dedicated lines in addition to the + / - power lines, wired serial connections of the RS-232 or RS-485 type can of course be implemented. However, PLC communication and the combination of power interruptions make it possible to avoid the need for additional lines.

[0070] Communication between the control box 1 and the projector 10 is in particular unidirectional, without return from the projector 10 to the control box 1.

[0071] The control box 1 and the projector 10 of the lighting device 100 are configured in particular to execute the communication process 200 represented by the flowchart of [Fig.3] showing the main steps of this process 200.

[0072] The first step 201 is the on-command transmission by the control box 1 of a signal from the control box 1 to the projectors 10 containing an instruction to switch to "communication" mode.

[0073] The command used to trigger the emission of this signal by the control unit 1 can, for example, originate from pressing a dedicated button located on the control unit 1 or from an associated remote control. According to an embodiment, said command can originate from the optical receiver 3, in particular if it is a telephone as in [Fig. 1] or a computer or tablet, via the antenna 5.

[0074] Upon receiving this switching instruction, the projectors 10 switch into "communication" mode, and in the second step 203 emit the light beam modulated by the control unit 15 with the contents of the electronic memory 14.

[0075] In the third step 205, the optical receiver 3 receives the modulated beam and, by demodulation, extracts the information relating to the projector 10 and its operation. This information is then displayed on the optical receiver 3.

[0076] Alerts and instructions for replacing projectors 10 or specific components of projectors 10 such as their light source 11 can then be displayed if predetermined thresholds are exceeded by the measured values, or depending on the date of production or installation of the projector 10.

[0077] Finally, in a final fourth step 207, the projectors 10 exit "communication" mode and resume normal operation. Exiting "communication" mode can occur automatically after a predetermined number of repetitions of the modulated light beam, or by interrupting and restoring the power supply to the projector 10.

[0078] Finally, the control box 1 can, in an alternative embodiment, emit on command a signal containing an output instruction from the "communication" mode to the projectors 10.

[0079] Fig. 4 is a schematic front view of an optical receiver 3 consisting of a telephone 31 integrated into a waterproof protective structure 33.

[0080] The optical receiver 3 of this embodiment is particularly indicated in the case of submerged swimming pool projectors 10.

[0081] The protective structure 33 includes a housing for the telephone 31 (shown in dotted lines) and two side handles 35 on either side of the housing for the telephone 31, allowing a firm grip underwater.

[0082] An optical window 37 is located opposite the cameras 39 of the telephone 31 when it is inserted into the housing. The optical window 37 may, in particular, include lenses for concentrating the light from the light beam at the cameras (concentrators), a monochromatic or polychromatic filter for isolating the spectral channels of the projectors 10, and / or a tubular extension 41 that can be pressed against one of the projectors 10 to isolate its light, adapted in shape and dimensions.

[0083] The lighting device 100 according to the invention uses the light beam and the optical receiver 3, in particular by integrating a telephone 31 on which a dedicated application is used, to form the return communication channel, for collecting and displaying data relating to the different projectors 10.

[0084] In doing so, the lighting device 100 does not require electronic signal lines for this communication channel, which in particular makes it possible to use infrastructures with only two power supply lines + / - while being able to collect information on the spotlights 10, their history and incidents during their operation.

Claims

Demands

1. Lighting device comprising: - at least one control box (1) configured to control the operation of at least one projector (10), - at least one projector (10), each projector (10) comprising a light source (11) and means for modulating (17) the light beam emitted by the light source (11), characterized in that: - each projector (10) is provided with an electronic memory (14), in which information relating to the projector (10) and its operation is stored, - the control box (1) is configured to issue a switching instruction to a "communication" mode of the projectors (10), in which the projectors (10) modulate the light beam of their light source (17) in order to emit a light beam modulated with the contents of the electronic memory (14) in order to communicate by the modulated light beam the information relating to the projector (10) and its operation.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the information relating to the projector (10) and its operation includes at least one of: - a header, issued upstream of the other data, - an identifier of the individual projector (10), - an identifier of the projector model (10), - an identifier of an internal software version of the projector (10), - a production date of the projector (10).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each projector (10) is provided with sensors (13) configured to capture or measure operating parameters of the projector (10) and store the operating parameters and their values ​​captured or measured in the electronic memory (14) of the projector (10).

4. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the sensors (13) comprise at least one of: - a thermometer detecting an operating temperature of the projector (10), - a clock or a counter measuring a total operating time of the projector (10), - a voltage sensor measuring an operating voltage of the light source (11), - a current sensor measuring an operating current of the light source (11).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control box (1) is connected to the projectors (10) by a unidirectional power line carrier (PLC) network.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the instruction to switch to "communication" mode of the projectors (10) is a specific combination of interruptions and restorations of the supply current to the projectors (10).

7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for modulating (17) the light beam comprise light beam intensity dimmers or power supply switches for the light source (11), the light beam being modulated by varying the intensity of the light beam emitted by the light source (11).

8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the means for modulating the light beam comprise means for modifying the light spectrum of the light beam emitted by the light source (11), the light beam being modulated by variation of the light spectrum emitted by the light source (11).

9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projectors (10) are configured to repeat the modulated light beam until an output from the “communication” mode.

10. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the light sources (11) of each projector (10) have means for emitting in different spectral channels (RGB) characterized in that the projectors (10) are configured to emit, at each repetition, the modulated light beam in a different spectral channel.

11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is configured to cooperate with an optical receiver (3) provided with at least one camera (39) receiving the modulated light beam.

12. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that: - the modulation of the light beam is carried out by switching between two operating states of the light source (11), - the switches between the two operating states are carried out at a frequency between one half and one tenth of the camera's shooting frequency.

13. Device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the optical receiver (3) is a mobile phone (31) equipped with a camera (39) receiving the modulated light beam.

14. Device according to claim 11, 12 or 13, characterized in that the optical receiver (3) and the control box (1) comprise means for communicating a command (5), the control box (1) being configured to transmit the instruction to switch to "communication" mode to the projectors (10) when it receives the command by the communication means (5).

15. A method for communicating information relating to a projector (10) of a lighting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims and to its operation, characterized in that it comprises the steps: - transmission by the control box (1) of a switch instruction to "communication" mode for the projectors (10), - switch to "communication" mode of the projectors (10) and emission by the projectors (10) of a beam modulated with the contents of their electronic memory (14), - reception by means of an optical receiver (3) of the modulated beam and extraction of the information relating to the projector (10) and its operation from the modulated beam for storage or display.