Lighting fixture and lighting system

Abstract

To facilitate the provision of a better visual environment and energy conservation.SOLUTION: A lighting fixture 10, which is installed at a low position beside the road, includes a road surface light-emitting unit 21 that emits light to illuminate a main line 1A and a road shoulder 1D, a side line light-emitting unit 31 that emits light to illuminate the side line 1E of the road surface, a visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 that emits light to act as a visual guidance light, and a control unit 53 that controls each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41, and the light-emitting state, including turning on and off, of each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 is controlled by the control unit 53 in accordance with the surrounding environment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting fixture and a lighting system. [Background technology]

[0002] Low-position road lighting fixtures are known that are installed at a low position on the side of a road and have an emission opening on the road side. The low-position road lighting fixtures illuminate the road at night, making it easier for vehicle drivers to understand road and traffic conditions (for example, see Patent Document 1). The devices installed on roads include a plurality of electromagnetic wave emitting devices that emit electromagnetic waves toward the road, and a road management system has been proposed in which an information processing device capable of communicating with these electromagnetic wave emitting devices is provided, and the information processing device acquires snowfall information from a meteorological system and controls each electromagnetic wave emitting device so that electromagnetic waves are irradiated onto the road from a time before the start time of snowfall obtained from the snowfall information (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-072241 [Patent Document 2] JP 2022-034799 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, depending on the weather and time of day, it may be difficult for vehicle drivers to grasp road and traffic conditions even during the day. In such cases, if low-positioned road lighting fixtures can be used, it may be possible to provide a better visual environment. On the other hand, from the perspective of energy conservation, it is desirable to reduce the use of low-positioned road lighting fixtures. An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting fixture and a lighting system that can easily provide a better visual environment and achieve energy savings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a lighting fixture to be installed at a low position beside a road, comprising: a road surface light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the main line and the road shoulder; a side line light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the side line of the road surface; a visual guidance light-emitting unit that emits light that functions as a visual guidance light; and a control unit that controls each light-emitting unit, wherein the light-emitting state, including turning on and off of each light-emitting unit, is controlled by the control unit in accordance with the surrounding environment.

[0006] The present invention also provides a lighting system comprising: a lighting fixture installed at a low position beside a road; and a remote control device for remotely controlling the lighting fixture, wherein the lighting fixture comprises a road surface light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate a main line and a road shoulder, a side line light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate a side line of the road surface, a visual guidance light-emitting unit that emits light that functions as a visual guidance light, and a control unit that controls each of the light-emitting units, wherein the remote control unit transmits information for controlling each of the lighting units based on the surrounding environment of the lighting fixture, and the control unit controls the light-emitting state, including turning on and off, of each of the light-emitting units based on the information. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes easier to provide a better visual environment and to achieve energy savings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a low-position road lighting fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a road on which lighting fixtures are installed. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a lighting system. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining lighting modes of a lighting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a low position road lighting fixture 10 according to this embodiment. The low-position road lighting fixture 10 is a lighting fixture installed at a low position on the side of the road. The low-position road lighting fixture 10 is installed on the side of the road at an installation height (for example, approximately 1 to 1.2 meters) that is approximately the same as the line of sight of a driver of a vehicle traveling on the road 1, and illuminates the road 1 from that installation position. Hereinafter, the low-position road lighting fixture 10 will be referred to as "lighting fixture 10."

[0010] Fig. 2 shows an example of a road 1 on which a lighting fixture 10 is installed. The road 1 has a main line 1A with three lanes 1B on each side, and the direction of travel of vehicles on the main line 1A is indicated by the symbol F. The main line 1A is also called a carriageway. The road 1 is provided with a central divider 1C, a shoulder 1D, and a side line 1E. As shown in Fig. 2, the lighting fixtures 10 are installed at a predetermined installation interval S (e.g., 20 m or more) along a road 1. The lighting fixtures 10 are configured to achieve a predetermined lighting performance when installed at a predetermined installation height and installation interval S. The lighting performance is specified by, for example, average vertical illuminance, overall vertical illuminance uniformity, and vertical illuminance lane axis uniformity, and is specified so as to satisfy conditions that can suppress glare for vehicle drivers, etc. (e.g., an elevation angle of a predetermined angle or more and a luminous intensity of a predetermined value or less).

[0011] Furthermore, the lighting fixture 10 employs a so-called pro-beam lighting system in which most light L is distributed in the vehicle travel direction F. However, the lighting system does not have to be limited to the pro-beam lighting system. For example, a symmetric lighting system with a so-called symmetric light distribution that illuminates in the vehicle travel direction F and the opposite direction may be employed, or a counter beam irradiation system that illuminates in the opposite direction to the vehicle travel direction F may be employed.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, the lighting fixture 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped fixture body 11 extending in the road driving direction X. The fixture body 11 has a main body case 12 that is open on the front side corresponding to the road 1 side, and a front cover 13 that covers the front opening of the main body case 12, and houses an optical system and various components inside.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a lighting system 100 that remotely controls lighting fixture 10. 3, provided within the fixture body 11 of the lighting fixture 10 are a road surface light-emitting unit 21 that emits light to illuminate the main line 1A and the road shoulder 1D, a side line light-emitting unit 31 that outputs light to illuminate the side line 1E of the road surface, a visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 that outputs light that functions as a visual guidance light, and a control device 51 that controls each unit of the lighting fixture 10. Also provided within the fixture body 11 are a plurality of power supply circuits, each consisting of a first power supply circuit 45 and a second power supply circuit 46.

[0014] The first power supply circuit 45 functions as a power supply that supplies power to the road surface light-emitting unit 21, converts the power supplied from an external source to match the specifications of the road surface light-emitting unit 21, and supplies it to the road surface light-emitting unit 21. In addition, the second power supply circuit 46 functions as a power supply that supplies power to the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, and converts the power supplied from outside to match the specifications of the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, and supplies it to the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41.

[0015] In this way, by using a common power supply circuit for the power supply to the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, it becomes easier to reduce the number of parts, make the lighting fixture 10 smaller, and reduce costs, compared to the case where separate power supply circuits are provided. Also, by using a power supply circuit for supplying power to the road surface light-emitting unit 21 that is different from the power supplies for the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, it is possible to independently control the turning on and off of the road surface light-emitting unit 21, and it is also possible to obtain the advantage of improving the degree of freedom in the specifications of the road surface light-emitting unit 21.

[0016] Each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 includes a light source consisting of a light-emitting element such as an LED, a drive circuit for driving the light source, and an optical system including a lens and a reflector for irradiating a target area such as a road with light from the light source. Each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 is controlled to be turned on and off under the control of the control device 51. Each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 includes a dimming function, and can be turned on in either full light mode, which outputs light equivalent to 100% dimming, or dimmed mode, which outputs light of a predetermined value within a range from 0% to less than 100%.

[0017] Note that the configuration of each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, and 41 is not limited, and a wide variety of conventional configurations can be applied. For example, any of the light-emitting units 21, 31, and 41 may be configured to be capable of outputting light with a toned color (variable light emission color), that is, may have a toned color function.

[0018] 1, an opening 14 for visual guidance (hereinafter referred to as visual guidance opening 14) is provided on a side of the main body case 12 that is visible to the driver. Light from the visual guidance light emitting unit 41 is emitted from the visual guidance opening 14 toward the driver of the vehicle. This allows the driver of the vehicle to see the light for visual guidance. The front cover 13 has a plurality of emission openings functioning as an opening 15 for road surface lighting (hereinafter referred to as road surface emission opening 15) and an opening 16 for side line lighting (hereinafter referred to as side line emission opening 16) on the road 1 side. The road surface emission opening 15 and the side line emission opening 16 may be the same opening.

[0019] Light from the road surface light emitting portion 21 is emitted from the road surface emission opening 15 toward the main line 1A and the road shoulder 1D of the road surface. As a result, the main line 1A and the road shoulder 1D are illuminated. In addition, light from the side line light emitting unit 31 is emitted from the side line emission opening 16 toward the side line 1E. This illuminates the side line 1E, making it easier for the driver to see the side line 1E. The side line 1E is a dividing line that divides the shoulder 1D and the side strip from the main line 1A, and is also called an outer line.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 51 includes a communication unit 52 and a control unit 53. The communication unit 52 includes a communication module and has a function of receiving the control information D1 transmitted from the remote control device 61. The communication between the communication unit 52 and the remote control device 61 is, for example, wired communication. However, the communication is not limited to wired communication and may be wireless communication. Any communication method may be applied to the communication method. The control information D1 from the remote control device 61 is information used to control the road surface light-emitting unit 21, the side line light-emitting unit 31, and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, and in this embodiment, is information for controlling the lighting mode of the lighting device 10.

[0021] The control unit 53 is composed of a processor, a memory, and peripheral circuits, and the processor operates according to a program stored in the memory. As a result, the control unit 53 outputs a first dimming signal D1A to the road surface light-emitting unit 21 and outputs a second dimming signal D1B to the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 based on the control information D1 transmitted from the remote control device 61. The road surface light-emitting unit 21 is controlled to any one of a light-on, light-off, and dimming state by the first dimming signal D1A. The side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 are controlled to any one of a light-on, light-off, and dimming state by the second dimming signal D1B, which is a common dimming signal. The lights are turned off by not outputting (turning OFF) the dimming signals D1A and D1B. Thus, the control unit 53 functions as a control unit, a computer, a microprocessor, etc. that controls the light emission of each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, and 41.

[0022] The remote control device 61 centrally controls the lighting states of the multiple lighting fixtures 10 (the light-emitting states of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41) by transmitting the above-mentioned control information D1 to each of the control devices 51 of the multiple lighting fixtures 10. The remote control device 61 is disposed outside the lighting fixtures 10 and transmits the control information D1 to each lighting fixture 10. As such, the remote control device 61 can also be considered an external server that transmits information necessary to control each lighting fixture 10.

[0023] Although the configuration of the remote control device 61 is not particularly limited, the remote control device 61 of this embodiment includes a traffic control processing device 62 and a communication device 63. The traffic control processing device 62 is a device that smoothly processes information related to multiple types of roads 1 to ensure comfortable traffic, and is also called a traffic control center. In this embodiment, as one piece of information related to the road 1, information DR that can identify the surrounding environment (hereinafter, environment identification information DR) is obtained.

[0024] The environment specifying information DR is information capable of specifying the surrounding environment of the lighting device 10. The surrounding environment of the lighting device 10 is an environment that affects the visibility of a driver of a vehicle traveling on the road 1 which is the lighting area of ​​the lighting device 10. The environment specifying information DR in this embodiment is meteorological information DR1 capable of specifying the weather of the road on which the lighting device 10 is arranged, and time information DR2 capable of specifying the time period of the road on which the lighting device 10 is arranged.

[0025] The weather information DR1 is acquired by a weather observation sensor 71. The weather observation sensor 71 is placed at a position where it can detect the weather on the road 1, which is the lighting area of ​​each lighting fixture 10, and transmits the detected weather information DR1, which can identify the weather, to the remote control device 61 in real time. For example, the weather observation sensor 71 uses a camera or sensor to obtain information that can at least identify whether the current weather is so-called bad weather, such as rain, cloudiness, snow, or fog, which impairs the driver's visibility, or whether it is sunny, which improves the driver's visibility, and transmits this information to the remote control device 61 as weather information DR1. The weather information DR1 may be camera image data, sensor detection results (for example, rainfall, wind speed, temperature, etc.), or any other information that can identify whether the weather is bad or sunny.

[0026] The time information DR2 is information that can at least specify whether the road 1, which is the lighting area of ​​each lighting device 10, corresponds to "daytime", "twilight", "nighttime", or "late night". Daytime is a time period when the road 1 is brightened by the sun, for example, from sunrise to sunset. Moreover, "twilight" is a time period from sunset to darkness, and "nighttime" is a time period between "twilight" and "late night". In this embodiment, "late night" is a nighttime time period with low traffic volume, and "nighttime" is a time period with high traffic volume compared to "late night", but the boundary conditions between "nighttime" and "late night" may be set appropriately. Moreover, the boundary conditions of "daytime", "twilight", and "nighttime" may be set appropriately, and for example, the time period from sunrise to sunset excluding the relatively dark time period may be set as "daytime".

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which timing information measured by a timing circuit 62A included in the traffic control processing device 62 is used as the time information DR2. The time information DR2 includes at least the time, and preferably includes the date. By including the time and the date in the time information DR2, it is possible to identify "daytime," "twilight," "nighttime," and "late night" with high accuracy in the location of the lighting area. Note that "nighttime" and "late night" may be identified based on traffic volume by using statistical information on past traffic volume. Note that even if the time information DR2 only includes the time, it is possible to identify "daytime," "twilight," "nighttime," and "late night."

[0028] For example, the traffic control processing device 62 stores thresholds for determining whether the weather is "sunny" or "bad weather" from the weather information DR1, and more specifically, stores thresholds for determining whether the weather is "sunny" or "bad weather" from the amount of rainfall, wind speed, temperature, etc., and can determine whether the weather is "sunny" or "bad weather" from the weather information DR1 by using the stored thresholds. Furthermore, the traffic control processing device 62 stores calendar information for identifying "daytime," "twilight," "nighttime," and "late night" from the time information DR2, and by utilizing this calendar information, it is possible to easily identify "daytime," "twilight," "nighttime," and "late night" from the time information DR2.

[0029] In addition, as a method for specifying each of "sunny weather", "bad weather", "daytime", "twilight", "nighttime" and "late night", any known specifying method can be widely applied. The source and method of acquiring the weather information DR1 and time information DR2 may also be changed as appropriate. For example, the time information DR2 may be acquired from another timing circuit provided within the remote control device 61, or from a timing circuit provided outside the remote control device 61. The weather information DR1 and time information DR2 may also be acquired via a communication network from a service providing server or the like that provides a service of providing weather information and time information DR2 for various locations.

[0030] The traffic control processing device 62 determines the lighting mode of each lighting device 10 according to a combination of "fine weather" or "bad weather" determined from the weather information DR1 consisting of the environment specification information DR, and "daytime," "twilight," "nighttime," or "late night" determined from the time information DR2.

[0031] 4 is a diagram illustrating the lighting modes of lighting device 10. As shown in FIG 4, eight lighting modes, mode 0 to mode 7, are set. Mode 0 is assigned an illumination state suitable for sunny days during the day, and is set as an illumination mode in which the road surface light-emitting unit 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is turned off, the side line light-emitting unit 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is turned off, and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 that serves as a visual guidance light is turned off. Mode 1 is assigned an appropriate lighting state for bad weather and daytime, and is set to a lighting mode in which the road surface light-emitting element 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is turned off, the side line light-emitting element 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full light, and the visual guidance light-emitting element 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is dimmed to a relatively bright Hi level.

[0032] Mode 2 is assigned a lighting state suitable for clear skies and twilight, and is set to a lighting mode in which the road surface light-emitting element 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is set to full light, the side line light-emitting element 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is set to full light, and the visual guidance light-emitting element 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is set to low dimming, which is darker than high dimming. Here, Hi dimming is a brightness that provides sufficient line-of-sight guidance in bad weather, for example, a luminous intensity of 80 cd or more, while Lo dimming is a brightness that provides sufficient line-of-sight guidance in fine weather, for example, a luminous intensity of 30 cd or more.

[0033] Mode 3 is assigned a lighting state suitable for bad weather and twilight, and is set to a lighting mode in which the road surface light-emitting element 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is set to full light, the side line light-emitting element 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is set to a predetermined dimming level less than full light, and the visual guidance light-emitting element 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is set to Hi dimming.

[0034] Mode 4 is assigned an appropriate lighting state for clear skies and at night, and is set to a lighting mode in which the road surface light-emitting element 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full light, the side line light-emitting element 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is dimmed to full light, and the visual guidance light-emitting element 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is dimmed to low light. Mode 5 is assigned an appropriate lighting state for bad weather and at night, and is set to a lighting mode in which the road surface light-emitting unit 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full light, the side line light-emitting unit 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full light, and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is dimmed to Hi.

[0035] Mode 6 is assigned an appropriate lighting state for clear skies and late at night, and is set to a lighting mode in which the road surface light-emitting element 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full light, the side line light-emitting element 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is dimmed to full light, and the visual guidance light-emitting element 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is dimmed to Low light. Mode 7 is assigned an appropriate lighting state for bad weather and late at night, and is set to a lighting mode in which the road surface light-emitting element 21 that illuminates the main line 1A and road shoulder 1D is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full light, the side line light-emitting element 31 that illuminates the side line 1E is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full light, and the visual guidance light-emitting element 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is dimmed to Hi.

[0036] It is important for the lighting system 100 and the lighting fixture 10 to provide a good visual environment, including "visibility," which indicates how far a vehicle driver can see. Visibility can also be referred to as line of sight distance. The surrounding environment corresponding to mode 0, that is, "clear skies and daytime," is the environment with the best visibility. In mode 0, all of the light-emitting units 21, 31, and 41 are turned off, so that energy can be saved.

[0037] In the surrounding environment corresponding to mode 1, i.e., "bad weather and daytime," the difference compared to mode 0 is that the side line light-emitting unit 31 is dimmed to a predetermined level less than full brightness, and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, which serves as a visual guidance light, is dimmed to a relatively bright Hi level. In bad weather, for example, when fog occurs, visibility may be as low as 300 m or less. If the light from the side line light-emitting unit 31 is intensified in bad weather, the side line 1E may become difficult to see due to light scattering. In this embodiment, in bad weather, the side line light-emitting unit 31 is dimmed to a level darker than full light, so the visibility of the side line 1E can be improved compared to when the light of the side line light-emitting unit 31 is intensified. Also, in bad weather, the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 is dimmed to Hi, so the visibility of the visual guidance light in bad weather can be improved compared to when it is dimmed to Lo. This improves the visual environment in "bad weather and daytime".

[0038] In the case of "twilight," which is the surrounding environment corresponding to modes 2 and 3, the environment gradually gets darker from "daytime," and it is also a time period with heavy traffic. In this case, the road surface light-emitting unit 21 is turned on at full light, improving the visibility of the main line 1A and the road shoulder 1D. Furthermore, in mode 2, "clear weather and twilight," the side line light-emitting unit 31 is turned on at full light, whereas in mode 3, "bad weather and twilight," the side line light-emitting unit 31 is dimmed, so that, as described above, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the side line 1E becomes difficult to see due to light scattering in bad weather. This improves the visibility of the side line 1E in both "clear weather and twilight" and "bad weather and twilight." Furthermore, in mode 2, “clear skies and twilight”, the light-emitting unit 41 for visual guidance is dimmed at Lo, whereas in mode 3, “bad weather and twilight”, the light-emitting unit 41 for visual guidance is dimmed at Hi, improving the visibility of the visual guidance light in both “clear skies and twilight” and “bad weather and twilight”.

[0039] The surrounding environment corresponding to modes 4 to 7 is at least "night" and "late night", which is darker than "daytime" and has less traffic. In modes 4 to 7, the road surface light-emitting unit 21 is dimmed, so that the visibility of the main line 1A and the road shoulder 1D can be sufficiently ensured while saving energy more than when it is fully lit. Furthermore, in modes 4 to 7, as with modes 2 and 3, the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 are fully lit and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 is dimmed at Lo in "clear weather", and the side line light-emitting unit 31 is dimmed and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 is dimmed at Hi in "bad weather". This improves the visibility of the side line 1E and the visual guidance light. Therefore, the visual environment can be improved in any of the surrounding environments corresponding to modes 4 to 7.

[0040] In the example of FIG. 4, the light-emitting states of the light-emitting units 21, 31, and 41 are the same in the case of "clear weather and night" in mode 4 and the case of "clear weather and late night" in mode 6. The light-emitting states of the light-emitting units 21, 31, and 41 are also the same in the case of "bad weather and night" in mode 5 and the case of "bad weather and late night" in mode 7. Each of the modes 0 to 7 may be set to a light-emitting state appropriate for the surrounding environment corresponding to each mode, and the light-emitting state may be the same or different between the modes as long as the light-emitting state is appropriate for the surrounding environment. In this way, by preparing a mode for each surrounding environment, it becomes easier to change the light-emitting state according to the surrounding environment, and it is also easier to respond to changes in the specifications of the lighting fixture 10. For example, in the case of "late night" common to modes 6 and 7, the road surface light-emitting unit 21 may be changed to a darker dimming than in the case of "night" common to modes 4 and 5, so that the setting is changed to achieve more energy saving than "night".

[0041] In this embodiment, the remote control device 61 transmits information instructing the lighting mode as control information D1 to each lighting fixture 10. In each lighting fixture 10, the control unit 53 outputs a first dimming signal D1A to the road surface light-emitting unit 21 and outputs a second dimming signal D1B to the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 based on the received control information D1, thereby controlling each lighting fixture 10 to an illumination state (light-emitting state of each light-emitting unit 21, 31, 41) corresponding to the lighting mode. In the lighting system 100, the traffic control processing device 62 collects environment specific information DR corresponding to each lighting fixture 10 at time intervals, determines a lighting mode corresponding to each lighting fixture 10 based on the collected environment specific information DR, and generates information indicating the lighting mode as control information D1. The communication device 63 transmits the control information D1 via communication to each lighting fixture 10. In each lighting fixture 10, the control unit 53 outputs a first dimming signal DA to the road surface light-emitting unit 21 and outputs a second dimming signal D1B to the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 based on the received control information D1, thereby controlling each lighting fixture 10 to an illumination state (light-emitting state of each light-emitting unit 21, 31, 41) corresponding to the lighting mode.

[0042] In this embodiment, the road surface light-emitting unit 21 is controlled by a dedicated first dimming signal D1A, so that the road surface light-emitting unit 21 can be controlled independently of the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41. In contrast, the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 are controlled by a common second dimming signal D1B, so that the configuration of the control system for the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 can be simplified. In this embodiment, the combinations of the light emission states of the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 are limited to two combinations, namely, "dimming, H dimming" and "full light, Lo dimming", excluding "off, off", as shown in Fig. 4. Therefore, the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 can be controlled by outputting two types of second dimming signals D1B.

[0043] As described above, the lighting fixture 10 of this embodiment includes the control unit 53 that controls the road surface light-emitting unit 21, the side line light-emitting unit 31, and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, and the light-emitting state, including turning on and off, of each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 is controlled by the control unit 53 according to the surrounding environment. This makes it possible to appropriately change the illumination state of the main line 1A, road shoulder 1D, and side line 1E, and the lighting state of the visual guidance light, according to the surrounding environment, making it easier to provide a better visual environment and achieve energy savings.

[0044] In addition, since the surrounding environment includes weather and time, it becomes easier to set the light emission state to improve the visual environment, which differs depending on the surrounding environment. This allows the lighting state of the main line 1A, road shoulder 1D, and side line 1E and the lighting state of the visual guidance light to be appropriately changed according to weather and time. Moreover, since the light emission state of each light-emitting element 21, 31, 41 is changed according to a combination of weather and time, it becomes easier to provide a better visual environment and achieve energy conservation compared to a case where the light emission state of each light-emitting element 21, 31, 41 is changed according to only one of weather and time.

[0045] In the present embodiment, the environment specifying information DR capable of specifying the surrounding environment is, for example, meteorological information DR1 and time information DR2 corresponding to weather and time information, but is not limited thereto. For example, the environment specifying information DR may include information corresponding to the traffic volume and brightness of a road that is the lighting area of ​​the lighting device 10. When the environment specifying information DR is information capable of specifying at least one of the weather, the current time, the traffic volume, and the brightness of the road, the lighting state of the main line 1A, the road shoulder 1D, and the side line 1E and the lighting state of the visual guidance light can be appropriately changed, making it easier to provide a good visual environment and to achieve energy saving. For example, the visual environment that depends on the traffic volume can be improved by controlling the light-emitting state of each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 according to the traffic volume on the road. Also, the visual environment that depends on the brightness can be improved by controlling the light-emitting state of each of the light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 according to the brightness of the road.

[0046] Moreover, as shown in Figure 4, the time included in the surrounding environment is divided into daytime, twilight, and nighttime, and the road surface light-emitting unit 21 is brightest at twilight, so that the visibility of the main line 1A and the road shoulder 1D can be improved at twilight, which is a time period when it gradually gets darker and traffic volume is high. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the weather conditions included in the surrounding environment can be divided into fine weather and bad weather, and the side line light-emitting unit 31 is dimmed in bad weather, so that a situation in which the side line 1E becomes difficult to see due to scattering of light from the side line light-emitting unit 31 in bad weather can be prevented, and the visibility of the side line 1E can be improved.

[0047] In addition, since the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 are lit by power from the same power supply circuit, the second power supply circuit 46, it is easier to reduce the number of parts, miniaturize the lighting fixture 10, and reduce costs, compared to the case where separate power supply circuits are provided. 4, when the side line light-emitting unit 31 is fully lit, the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 is dimmed, and when the side line light-emitting unit 31 is dimmed, the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41 is fully lit, so that it is easy to reduce the total power capacity required to drive the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41. Therefore, even if the same power supply circuit is used to supply power to the side line light-emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light-emitting unit 41, it is easy to reduce the power capacity required for the power supply circuit, and the size of the power supply circuit can be suppressed.

[0048] In addition, the control unit 53 acquires control information D1 corresponding to information corresponding to the surrounding environment. Since the control information D1 is information transmitted from a remote control device 61 functioning as an external server, the lighting device 10 can be remotely controlled by the remote control device 61. In other words, lighting fixture 10 of the present embodiment has a remote control function that controls the light-emitting state of each of light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 based on information from the outside. By utilizing this remote control function, the light-emitting state of each of light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 can be easily controlled according to the surrounding environment. This configuration enables centralized control of multiple lighting fixtures 10, and reduces the number of components of lighting fixture 10 compared to a configuration in which lighting fixture 10 autonomously controls light emission according to the surrounding environment, making it easier to miniaturize lighting fixture 10 and suppress the occurrence of malfunctions.

[0049] The configuration of lighting device 10 may be modified as appropriate. For example, lighting device 10 may directly acquire information (e.g., weather information DR1) detected by a sensor capable of detecting the surrounding environment, and control unit 53 may control the light-emitting states, including turning on and off, of each of light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 based on the acquired information. In this case, control unit 53 or control device 51 in lighting device 10 may output first and second dimming signals D1A, D1B to each of light-emitting units 21, 31, 41 based on weather information DR1 detected by the sensor and time information DR2 acquired from a timer circuit provided in lighting device 10. This makes it possible to appropriately change the light emitting state of each of the light emitting units 21, 31, and 41 in accordance with the surrounding environment, without providing a remote control device 61 that functions as an external server.

[0050] The above-described embodiment is merely an example of one embodiment of the present invention, and any modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, although the case where the plurality of light-emitting units 31, 41 are controlled by the same dimming signal D1B has been illustrated, the light-emitting units 31, 41 may be configured to be controlled by different dimming signals. At least one of the side line light emitting unit 31 and the visual guidance light emitting unit 41 may be configured to be color adjustable, and the color may be adjusted according to the surrounding environment by the control unit 53. With this configuration, the color can be adjusted to further improve the visibility of the side line 1E and the visual guidance light according to the surrounding environment, increasing the possibility of providing a better viewing environment. Further, although the present invention has been described with reference to an example in which it is applied to the lighting system 100 shown in FIG. 3, the present invention may be applied to a lighting system different from that shown in FIG.

[0051] The above embodiment supports the following configurations.

[0052] (Configuration 1) A lighting fixture to be installed at a low position beside a road, the lighting fixture comprising: a road surface light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the main line and road shoulder; a side line light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the side line of the road surface; a visual guidance light-emitting unit that emits light that functions as a visual guidance light; and a control unit that controls each light-emitting unit, the light-emitting state of each light-emitting unit, including turning it on and off, being controlled by the control unit in accordance with the surrounding environment. According to this configuration, the lighting conditions of the main line, shoulder, and side line, and the lighting conditions of the visual guidance lights can be appropriately changed depending on the surrounding environment, making it possible to provide a lighting fixture that can easily provide a better visual environment and achieve energy savings.

[0053] (Configuration 2) The lighting device according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the surrounding environment includes at least one of weather, time, road traffic, and road brightness. According to this configuration, the lighting conditions of the main line, shoulder, and side line, and the lighting conditions of the visual guidance lights can be appropriately changed depending on at least one of the weather, time, traffic volume on the road, and brightness of the road, making it easier to provide a better visual environment and achieve energy savings.

[0054] (Configuration 3) The surrounding environment includes time, which is divided into daytime, twilight, and nighttime, and the lighting device described in configuration 1 or 2, in which the road surface light-emitting unit is brightest during twilight. This configuration can improve visibility of the main road and road shoulders during twilight, a time when it gradually gets dark and traffic volume is high.

[0055] (Configuration 4) The lighting device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the surrounding environment includes weather, the weather being divided into fine weather and bad weather, and the side line light-emitting unit is dimmed during bad weather. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the lateral line from becoming difficult to see due to scattering of light from the lateral line light-emitting element in bad weather, thereby improving the visibility of the lateral line.

[0056] (Configuration 5) The lighting device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the lateral line light-emitting unit and the visual guidance light-emitting unit are lit by power from the same power supply circuit. With this configuration, it is easier to reduce the number of parts, the size of the lighting fixture, and costs, compared to when separate power supply circuits are provided.

[0057] (Configuration 6) The lighting device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein when the side line light-emitting unit is fully lit, the visual guidance light-emitting unit is dimmed, and when the side line light-emitting unit is dimmed, the visual guidance light-emitting unit is fully lit. This configuration makes it easier to reduce the total power supply capacity required to drive the lateral line light-emitting unit and the visual guidance light-emitting unit. Therefore, even if the same power supply circuit is used to supply power to the lateral line light-emitting unit and the visual guidance light-emitting unit, the power supply capacity required for the power supply circuit can be reduced, and the power supply circuit can be prevented from becoming large.

[0058] (Configuration 7) A lighting device described in any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the control unit acquires information corresponding to the surrounding environment, the information being information transmitted from an external server or information detected by a sensor capable of detecting the surrounding environment. With this configuration, the lighting state of each light-emitting element can be appropriately changed depending on the surrounding environment by utilizing information transmitted from an external server or information detected by a sensor capable of detecting the surrounding environment.

[0059] (Configuration 8) The lighting device according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the side line light-emitting unit and the visual guidance light-emitting unit is configured to be color-adjustable, and the color is adjusted by the control unit according to the surrounding environment. According to this configuration, the color of the lateral line and visual guidance lights can be adjusted to further improve visibility according to the surrounding environment, increasing the possibility of providing a better viewing environment.

[0060] (Configuration 9) A lighting system comprising: a lighting fixture installed at a low position beside a road; and a remote control device for remotely controlling the lighting fixture, wherein the lighting fixture comprises a road surface light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate a main line and a road shoulder, a side line light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the side line of the road surface, a visual guidance light-emitting unit that emits light that functions as a visual guidance light, and a control unit that controls each light-emitting unit, wherein the remote control device transmits information for controlling each lighting unit based on the surrounding environment of the lighting fixture, and the control unit controls the light-emitting state, including turning on and off, of each light-emitting unit based on the information. According to this configuration, the lighting conditions of the main line, shoulder, and side line, and the lighting conditions of the visual guidance lights can be appropriately changed depending on the surrounding environment, making it possible to provide a lighting system that can easily provide a better visual environment and achieve energy savings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1 road 1A Main Line 1D Shoulder 1E Lateral line 10 Low-position road lighting equipment (lighting equipment) 21 Road surface light emitting unit 31 Light emitting part for lateral line 41 Light-emitting part for visual guidance 45 1st power supply circuit 46 2nd power supply circuit 51 Control device 52 Communications Department 53 Control section 61 Remote control device 62 Traffic control processing device 62A timing circuit 63 Communication Equipment 71 Weather Observation Sensor 100 Lighting System D1 Control information DA First dimming signal DB Second dimming signal DR1 Weather information (environment specific information) DR2 time information (environment specific information)

Claims

1. In lighting fixtures installed at low positions on the side of roads, A road surface light emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the main line and the road shoulder; a side line light emitting unit that emits light to illuminate a side line of a road surface; A light-emitting unit for visual guidance that emits light to function as a visual guidance light; A control unit that controls each light-emitting unit, The light emission state of each light emitting unit, including turning it on and off, is controlled by the control unit according to the surrounding environment. Lighting fixtures.

2. The surrounding environment includes at least one of weather, time, road traffic, and road brightness.

2. A lighting fixture according to claim 1.

3. The ambient environment includes time, The time is divided into daytime, twilight, and nighttime, The road surface light-emitting unit is brightest at dusk.

2. A lighting fixture according to claim 1.

4. The surrounding environment includes weather, The weather is divided into fine weather and bad weather, The side line light emitting section is dimmed during bad weather.

2. A lighting device according to claim 1.

5. The lateral line light emitting unit and the visual guidance light emitting unit are lit by the power of the same power supply circuit. A luminaire according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. When the side line light emitting unit is fully lit, the line guide light emitting unit is dimmed. When the side line light emitting unit is dimmed, the line guide light emitting unit is fully lit.

6. A lighting device according to claim 5.

7. The control unit acquires information corresponding to the surrounding environment, The information is information transmitted from an external server or information detected by a sensor capable of detecting the surrounding environment. A luminaire according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. At least one of the lateral line light emitting unit and the visual guidance light emitting unit is configured to be color adjustable, and the color is adjusted by the control unit according to the surrounding environment. A luminaire according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

9. Lighting equipment installed at a low position on the side of the road; a remote control device for remotely controlling the lighting device, The lighting fixture comprises: A road surface light emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the main line and the road shoulder; a side line light emitting unit that emits light to illuminate a side line of a road surface; A light-emitting unit for visual guidance that emits light to function as a visual guidance light; A control unit that controls each light-emitting unit, The remote control device includes: Transmitting information for controlling each lighting unit based on an ambient environment of the lighting device; The control unit controls the light emission state of each light emitting unit, including turning it on and off, based on the information. Lighting system.

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