Converter capable of controlling plurality of LED lights and operation method thereof

Abstract

A converter for providing power to at least one light according to the present invention comprises a sensing unit, a control unit, and a power output unit, wherein the control unit is configured to: identify the voltage and / or current at at least one point on the basis of the sensing unit; identify the number of lights directly and / or indirectly connected to the converter and / or the connection state of the lights on the basis of the voltage and / or current at the at least one point; and control the power output unit to provide power of a voltage and / or current corresponding to the number of lights and / or the connection state of the lights.

Description

Converter capable of controlling multiple LED lights and its operating method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a converter for controlling a plurality of LED lights and a method of operating the same.

[0002] LED converters used in LED lighting can operate as ON / OFF by applying an AC DC converter inside the LED lighting, or control by applying a wired / wireless control circuit inside, and accordingly, dimming or color dimming can be performed. LED lighting that uses AC input power has an AC DC converter or control circuit built into the lighting, or an AC DC converter or control circuit built into the LED lighting outside the LED lighting so that a single LED lighting can be driven. When multiple LED lightings are installed, the cost increases due to the circuit configuration in order to control multiple lights, while internal heat loss increases and luminous efficiency deteriorates.

[0003] Another way is to use a single AC DC converter (AC DC SMPS) for constant voltage when driving multiple LED lights, and either embed a DC DC converter inside each LED light, or embed a DC DC converter and a wired / wireless control circuit to drive a single LED light. The DC DC converter operates with constant current. This method of controlling LED lights with constant voltage can be implemented by embedding DC / DC converters in multiple LED lights, or by using LED lights that include a DC / DC converter and wired / wireless control.

[0004] Meanwhile, to control the LED lighting currently being produced, there is no other way than using a DC / DC converter using a constant voltage method or controlling it by adding a constant current resistor within the LED lighting. First, to utilize a DC / DC converter, a communication circuit capable of wired / wireless communication with the DC / DC converter is required within the LED lighting. In this case, it is inefficient in many ways, such as LED converter efficiency and DC / DC converter conversion efficiency issues, and heat and cost issues due to the large amount of hardware installed within the LED lighting.

[0005] In addition, controlling LED lighting through resistors is less efficient than using a DC / DC converter. For example, an LED lighting system with a constant voltage of 12 V and a power consumption of 12 W can be configured with 3 LEDs in series and 1 resistor. In this case, if the power consumption is 12 W, when the voltage applied to each LED is 3 V, the LED voltage is 9 V and the remainder is applied to the resistor R. Then, the power consumption of the resistor is 3 W as power loss. Due to the power consumption loss, internal heat loss occurs, and the luminous efficiency decreases, so it can be said to be inefficient. Therefore, the method of controlling lighting using resistors has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to maintain the same brightness as the LED light goes to the end due to the DC wiring connected to the LED light.

[0006] As described above, since the number of LED lights installed varies depending on the installation site, the existing method of controlling LED lights requires installing an LED converter (e.g., a converter that includes a simple ON / OFF method and a wired / wireless control circuit) for each LED light. Therefore, a method for controlling multiple LED lights using a single LED converter increases power efficiency and eliminates unnecessary components for DC / DC and wired / wireless control, which would otherwise be unnecessary work. Furthermore, the LED converter automatically determines the number of LED lights installed and determines the total current based on the number of installed LED lights. This is advantageous in terms of cost, and in particular, the absence of unnecessary circuitry within the LED light simplifies design implementation. Furthermore, since only LEDs are installed, the resulting LED converter is expected to play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions by simplifying cost and installation.

[0007] The problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0008] A converter for providing power to at least one light according to the present disclosure comprises a sensing unit, a control unit, and a power output unit, wherein the control unit is configured to check voltage and / or current at at least one point based on the sensing unit, check the number of lights directly and / or indirectly connected to the converter and / or a connection state of the lights based on the voltage and / or current at the at least one point, and control the power output unit to provide power of voltage and / or current corresponding to the number of lights and / or the connection state of the lights.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, an LED converter and its operating method can be provided that overcome the above-described shortcomings. The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0010] FIG. 1a is a drawing for explaining a connection relationship between a converter and a light according to one embodiment.

[0011] Figure 1b is a block diagram of a converter according to one embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 1c is a flowchart illustrating an operating method of a converter according to one embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining control of a lighting group according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 is a drawing for explaining lighting according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 6 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 7 is a drawing for explaining a detection method according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 8 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0020] Fig. 9 is a drawing for explaining an LED module unit within an LED light.

[0021] Fig. 10 is a drawing for explaining a converter and an LED module unit according to one embodiment.

[0022] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the contents described in the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited or restricted by the exemplary embodiments. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification shall be used with meanings that can be commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this disclosure pertains. However, this may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc.

[0023] Additionally, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise. In certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, in which case their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should be defined based on their meaning and the overall content of this disclosure, rather than simply their names.

[0024] Throughout this specification, when a part is said to “include” a certain component, this does not mean that other components may be included, but rather that other components may be excluded, unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the singular forms used herein also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the expression “at least one of a, b, and / or c” described throughout this specification can encompass “a alone,” “b alone,” “c alone,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” or “all of a, b, and c.”

[0025] Meanwhile, terms such as "first and / or second" used herein may be used to describe various components, but are only used to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to limit the components referred to by such terms. For example, within the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

[0026] In addition, terms such as “unit”, “module”, etc. described in this specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure in this specification may be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. These functional blocks may be implemented by various numbers of hardware or / and software configurations that execute specific functions. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure may employ direct circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look-up tables, etc. that may execute various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.

[0027] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments, descriptions of technical details that are well known in the technical field to which the present invention pertains and are not directly related to the present invention will be omitted. This is to convey the gist of the present invention more clearly without obscuring unnecessary explanation. For the same reason, some components in the accompanying drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted. Furthermore, the size of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size. Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals may refer to the same or corresponding components.

[0028] FIG. 1a is a drawing for explaining a connection relationship between a converter and a light according to one embodiment.

[0029] According to one embodiment, at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n) may be connected to the converter (101). The at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n) may be connected in parallel with each other, for example. As the at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n) is connected in parallel, the composite resistance of the at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n) may be the parallel sum of the resistances of each of the at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n). The converter (101) needs to provide a current corresponding to the composite resistance of the at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n). The converter (101) according to various embodiments may check the number and / or connection relationship of the at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n). The converter (101) according to various embodiments can determine the current and / or voltage to be output based on the number and / or connection relationship of at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n), which will be described in more detail below. The converter (101) can additionally determine the current and / or voltage to be output based on the color, color temperature, and / or brightness of the light, which will be described in more detail below. Meanwhile, at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n) may be referred to as a light group. Each of the at least one light (111a, 111b,…, 111n) may be implemented with, for example, an LED, but there is no limitation on the implementation method.

[0030] Accordingly, the converter (101) can control the voltage and / or current applied to each light to be constant even when the number of connected lights and / or the connection relationship is changed. Accordingly, each light can generate light of constant illuminance. In the case of an incandescent bulb, the incandescent bulb operates by connecting the incandescent bulbs in parallel to AC power regardless of the number. However, in the case of an LED light, since it is a constant current device, the brightness is determined by the LED converter applied to the LED light. When such LED lights are connected in parallel, the output current of the converter (101) is fixed, so the brightness of the installed LED lights decreases according to the number of connected LED lights. When installing such LED lights, the number of LED lights and the connection relationship are automatically checked and the connection status and the number of installed LED lights are automatically adjusted to automatically adjust the output current, so that the installation is convenient and the illuminance of the installed LED lights can be adjusted uniformly.

[0031] Meanwhile, each of the lights may be implemented as an LED, but there is no limitation on the type. The converter (101) may have a single-color output characteristic or a function capable of adjusting the brightness of the single-color output.

[0032] Meanwhile, each of the lights may be capable of adjusting color temperature and / or illuminance. In this case, the converter (101) may be a converter with color mixing and / or dimming functions. Each of the lights may also express dual colors with two or more color temperatures. Such lights may be implemented by connecting multiple LED lights via multiple LED lights, but there are no limitations on the implementation form.

[0033] Meanwhile, the lighting group may be composed of LED lights capable of implementing colors. Alternatively, the lighting group may be composed of LED lights having different color temperatures, and the converter (101) may be composed of an LED converter capable of implementing colors and may provide power for color LED lights including color temperatures.

[0034] Meanwhile, the converter (101) can be configured as an LED converter that can be implemented according to the LED type of the LED lighting of the lighting group.

[0035] Meanwhile, the lighting group can eliminate the brightness deviation according to the current of the LED lighting and the color temperature deviation according to the current compared to the lighting combined with multiple LED converters and multiple LED lights. When connecting multiple general lights, the output current of each LED light may vary due to the deviation of the converter (101) and the dimming deviation during dimming. In addition, in the case of wired / wireless control, the cost increases because it is formed as built-in or external to each LED light, and since the LED converter is also built into each LED light, there are disadvantages that the cost increases and there may be heat dissipation issues or size restrictions. However, the LED lighting group can solve these problems, and even better, it has the advantage that the LED converters of the lights, each of which is installed in a different location, can be supplied and controlled through a central or single distribution panel. What's even better is that in the case of low-power-consumption lighting such as downlights, power consumption increases due to the connection of multiple lights according to the present invention, which has low efficiency, thereby increasing the efficiency of the converter (101), and the power consumption of the control circuit is applied only to the converter (101), thereby increasing efficiency, and the long lifespan, which is an advantage of LED lighting, can be maintained. For example, since there is no LED converter and wired / wireless control unit inside the LED lighting, heat treatment problems may be easily resolved. Such an LED converter allows more LED lighting to be installed with the same power consumption when installing LED lighting.

[0036] In particular, in the case of single-color LED lights, the existing AC power wiring is not installed separately, and is connected to the LED converter, so no wiring installation is required. The present invention is characterized in that, by installing one LED converter, the LED lights connected to the LED converter output have the same brightness and the same brightness when the brightness is adjusted.

[0037] Figure 1b is a block diagram of a converter according to one embodiment.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the converter (101) may include a sensing unit (181), a control unit (183), and / or a power output unit (185). For convenience of explanation, only the circuit configuration of the converter according to the present embodiment is shown.

[0039] The sensing unit (181) may include at least one means (or element) for sensing voltage and / or current at at least one point of the converter (101). The sensing unit (181) may include, for example, at least one resistor, a voltmeter for sensing voltage, and / or an ammeter for sensing current, but there is no limitation on its implementation. A detailed implementation of the sensing unit (181) will be described later.

[0040] The control unit (183) can check the voltage and / or current at at least one point of the converter (101) through or by using the sensing unit (181). The control unit (183) can check the number and / or connection status of lights directly or indirectly connected to the converter (101) based on the voltage and / or current at the at least one point checked. The control unit (183) can check the voltage and / or current provided from the converter (101) based on the number and / or connection status of lights checked. The control unit (183) can be implemented with, for example, an MCU or a microcomputer, but those skilled in the art will understand that there is no limitation as long as it is a means (for example, an FPGA, a CPU, etc.) that can perform calculations and / or controls. The power output unit (185) can control, for example, the voltage and / or current provided from the converter (101), and there is no limitation in the form of implementation thereof. The power output unit (185) can adjust (or set) the voltage and / or current provided, for example, under the control of the control unit (183).

[0041] FIG. 1c is a flowchart for explaining an operating method of a converter according to one embodiment.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the converter (101) can, in operation 191, determine the voltage and / or current at at least one point based on the sensing unit (181). As described above, the sensing unit (181) may be implemented to include, for example, a resistor. The converter (101) can determine the voltage and / or current at at least one of the two terminals of the resistor, or the voltage and / or current at another point, but there is no limitation on the location and / or number of the points. The converter (101) can, in operation 193, determine the number of lights directly and / or indirectly connected to the converter (101) and / or the connection state of the lights (e.g., series and / or parallel) based on the voltage and / or current at at least one point. The converter (101) can check the number of lights and / or the connection status of the lights (e.g., series and / or parallel) directly and / or indirectly connected to the converter (101), for example, by referring to association information (e.g., a lookup table, but without limitation) between a plurality of voltages and / or currents and the number of lights and / or the connection status of the lights, but this is exemplary and there is no limitation on the method of checking. The converter (101) can control the power output unit (185) to provide power of voltage and / or current corresponding to the number of lights and / or the connection status of the lights in operation 195.

[0043] These LED lights have the advantage of having less heat generation issues in LED lights since there is no need for an LED converter for constant current control within each LED light when installing them, and can be effective in extending the lifespan of the LED lights. In addition, since there is no need for an LED converter or wired / wireless control unit within the LED lights, the cost is very low, and LED lights can be produced more cheaply, which can enable the implementation of eco-friendly LED lights. In addition, since LED lights are characterized by a long lifespan, it can complement the shortcoming of the LED converter within the existing LED lights, and in terms of maintenance, the LED converter can be located in one place, so maintenance can be very simple.

[0044] These LED lights can also be very simple to implement with LED lights having different color temperatures. For example, to implement color temperatures, it becomes more complicated to control the LED converter and the constant current of LEDs with different color temperatures inside the LED light. However, by applying the present invention and the LED converter that automatically determines the number of LED lights, simpler LED lighting can be manufactured. In particular, implementation of LED lights with multiple colors can also be possible. The number of LED lights can be determined by checking the value of the resistor that can identify the LED lights in the LED light in the MCU within the control unit. Even when multiple lights are installed, the total resistance can be reduced due to the parallel connection. At this time, as the number of lights increases, the analog voltage read by the MCU within the control unit increases, so the number of installed LED lights can be determined using this principle. Accordingly, the LED converter output current corresponding to the number of lights can be determined.

[0045] In addition, in order to check the installed resistance value of the LED light, a voltage lower than the LED light driving voltage may be applied to the LED light through power control, and after the voltage is applied, the power control may be stopped after checking the voltage at the MCU A / D pin of the control unit. After that, the LED converter output current may be determined, and then a voltage and / or current suitable for the LED light may be applied.

[0046] Since the power consumption of LED lighting can be adjusted based on the voltage and / or current associated with the resistance, the LED converter can also determine when installing multiple LED lighting with different power consumptions. The LED converter for installing such LED lighting has the following advantages: first, it is easy to install, error-free and simple to control due to wired / wireless communication, reduced cost, increased efficiency, simple resolution of heat dissipation issues during design, and less space constraints in LED lighting design. At the same time, it can reduce energy resources by reducing unnecessary parts in product configuration.

[0047] Additionally, the converter (101) of FIG. 1 can be configured with an AC input or a DC input.

[0048] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining control of a lighting group according to one embodiment.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the LED lighting group (10) may be formed of one or more groups, and the LED lighting group (10) may be a light including a single color or different color temperatures and color LEDs, and may be connected to a communication control unit (210) for controlling the same (e.g., the control unit (183) of FIG. 1, but is not limited thereto). In addition, the communication control unit (210) may be mounted inside the converter (101), but may also be installed outside the converter (101) to perform control, and those skilled in the art will understand that this can be applied not only to the present embodiment but also to at least a part of various embodiments. In addition, the communication control unit (210) may be a sensor, that is, a sensor that detects a human body and movement, such as a Doppler sensor, a radar sensor, and a PIR sensor, and those skilled in the art will understand that this can be applied not only to the present embodiment but also to at least a part of various embodiments.

[0050] In order to install and use a plurality of LED lighting groups (10), the communication control unit (210) can control by wired control or wireless control. In the case of wired control, the communication control unit (210) can control using a 0 to 10 dimming analog signal, a PWM signal method, or RS-485 communication. In the case of wireless control, the communication control unit (210) can control using Bluetooth or Zigbee communication, but is not limited thereto. In general, in order to control LED lighting, a plurality of LED lightings must be controlled as a whole, but by controlling them in units of LED lighting groups (10) as in one embodiment of the present disclosure, installation and construction can be simpler, and the defect rate according to each control will also be significantly reduced. The LED lighting group (10) can be composed of an LED converter and one LED light or multiple LED lights, and by controlling the LED converter with or without wires, it is of course necessary to include a communication unit capable of receiving and controlling a single wired / wireless signal inside the LED converter. Meanwhile, those skilled in the art will understand that the communication control unit (210) may adjust the power and / or voltage provided to each of the LED lighting groups (10) based on the control of the LED lighting groups (10).

[0051] Figure 3 is a drawing for explaining lighting according to one embodiment.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the LED light (30) may be implemented to include a plurality of LEDs. For example, the plurality of LEDs may form an array composed of at least one row or column, but the arrangement is exemplary and not limited thereto. For example, the plurality of LEDs of the LED light (30) may form an array composed of two or more rows or columns. For example, the plurality of LED lights of the LED light (30) may be composed of two or more rows or columns. Additionally, the LED may be composed of a single LED.

[0053] For example, the configuration of 30_1 and the configuration of 30_2 may be single-color LED lights, but there is no limitation. In this case, the LED may be implemented to include light of UV wavelength. For example, the configuration of 30_3 and the configuration of 30_4 may be dual LED lights with adjustable color temperature, but there is no limitation. For example, the configuration of 30_5 and the configuration of 30_6 may be color LED lights, or lights composed of single-color LEDs and color LEDs, or lights composed of dual LED lights and color LEDs, or UV LED lights and single-color (dual) LED lights, but these are examples and there is no limitation in the form of implementation.

[0054] The LED light (30) may include a resistor connected to both ends, that is, one end corresponding to a positive voltage and one end corresponding to a negative voltage, of the LEDs configured as an array. The resistor has a resistance value, and the resistance value may be used to check the number and / or connection status of the LED lights (30). As illustrated, each LED light (30_n) may include a resistor that can check the number of LED lights and power consumption.

[0055] The resistor (R1) can be used to check the number and / or connection status of the LED lights (30). For example, the resistor (R1) can be an LED that includes a single-color LED light, a light with a color temperature adjustable dual LED, a light with a color LED, or a light with a color LED and a dual LED, but is not limited thereto. In checking the currently installed number and / or connection status of the LED lights (30), since the resistor (R1) is connected to the LED rows and columns built into one LED light, as the number of installed LED lights increases, the composite resistance value decreases, and thus the control unit (for example, the control unit 430 of FIG. 4) of the drawing described below can determine the number of installed LED lights through the distribution voltage of the resistor (for example, the resistor 460 of FIG. 4) to determine the number of installed LED lights, and can adjust the LED converter current according to the number of installed LED lights, the connection status, and the LED light power consumption, etc.

[0056] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0057] A converter (40) according to one embodiment may include an output unit (410), an auxiliary power unit (420), a control unit (430), a first power control unit (440), a second power control unit (450), and a resistor (460). For example, the output unit (410) may operate a light (for example, but not limited to, LED lights (30_1 and 30_2)). The first power control unit (440) may receive power from, for example, the auxiliary power unit (420), but not limited to. The first power control unit (440) and / or the second power control unit (450) may check the number of lights (for example, LED lights) installed, their connection status, and / or power consumption.

[0058] The converter (40) may include a resistor (460) for checking the number and / or connection status of lights (for example, LED lights (30_1 and 30_2) but there is no limitation). By reading an analog voltage associated with the resistor (460) of the MCU built into the control unit (430), the number, connection status, and / or power consumption of lights connected to the converter (40) may be checked but there is no limitation. For example, it is assumed that the resistance value of the resistor (460) of the LED light (30_1) is 10K ohm and the resistors in the control unit (430) are connected equivalently. For example, when the first power control unit (440) is turned on and an auxiliary voltage, for example, 5 V, is applied to the LED light, a 5 V power supply can be applied to the resistor (R1) of FIG. 3, and when the second power control unit (450) is turned on, the MCU inside the control unit (430) can read a voltage of 2.5 V. If it is assumed that the resistor (R1) of FIG. 3 is 10 Kohm, for example, the number of lights corresponding to 2.5 V can correspond to one LED light (30_1). The control unit (430) can confirm that one LED light (30_1) is connected to the converter (40) based on the confirmed 2.5 V. For example, the control unit (430) can determine that an LED light with a power consumption of 10W is connected based on the confirmed 2.5V, and the LED converter supplies current with a power consumption of 10W to the LED light. If the LED light (30_1) has a power consumption of 5W and the resistance of the resistor (460) is assumed to be 10K Ohm, the MCU inside the control unit (430) can recognize it as approximately 2.5V. In this case, the control unit (430) can determine that one light with a power consumption of 5W is connected, and the LED converter supplies current with a power consumption of 5W to the LED light.

[0059] Or, when n lights are connected, such as LED lights (30_2), for example, when 10 lights are connected, since each LED light (30_2) has a resistance value of 10K Ohm, the resistors (R1) are connected in parallel, and the parallel equivalent resistance value can be 1K Ohm. At this time, the MCU inside the control unit (430) can recognize 4.545 V by the voltage division of the parallel equivalent resistance of 1K Ohm of the resistor (R1) and 10KOhm of the resistor (R460), and the MCU inside the control unit can read the analog voltage 4.545 V and know that 10 10Watt LED lights are installed, and the LED converter will supply current with a power consumption of 100Watts to the LED lights. With this principle, the converter (40) can check the number of installed lights and the power consumption per light. The control unit (430) can adjust the size of the output current and / or voltage of the output unit (410) based on the number of confirmed lights, connection status, and / or power consumption. At this time, the first power control unit (440) and the second power control unit (450) are turned on by a signal from the control unit (430) through the voltage applied from the auxiliary power unit (420), and the number of installations and / or connections are confirmed by the voltage distribution of the resistor (460) and the resistor (R1) of the control unit (430), and then the first power control unit (440) and the second power control unit (450) may be turned off by a signal from the control unit (430), and the voltage applied from the auxiliary power unit (420) is blocked, and the LED converter determines the output current according to the number of installed LED lights, and the output is transmitted to the output unit Cool (410), so that the LED lights (for example, 30_1 and 30_2 in FIG. 3) are driven normally. The lights may be single-color LED lights (for example, UV LED lights), but those skilled in the art will understand that there is no limitation on the type.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the first power control (440) and the second power control (450) may be used to determine the number of LED lights (30_1 and 30_2) installed using two power lines. For example, before the output unit (410) is applied to the LED lights (30_1 and 30_2), the first power control (440) and the second power control (450) may be turned on to apply the voltage of the auxiliary power unit (420), and thereafter, the control unit (430) may check the distribution voltage through the resistance at both ends of the LEDs of the LED lights (30_1 and 30_2) and the distribution resistance of the resistance (460) of the converter (40), and then the power of the output unit (410) may be determined according to the number of connected LED lights. Afterwards, the first power control (440) and the second power control (450) are turned off, and power can be supplied to the LED lights (30_1 and 30_2) through the output unit (410). Meanwhile, the number of installed lights (e.g., LED lights), connection status, and / or power consumption of the installed lights (e.g., LED lights) of FIGS. 5 to 8 described below can be confirmed in the same or similar manner. In addition, the configuration of the converter of FIGS. 4 to 5 to 8 described below may also include a wired / wireless communication control unit (210) and a human body detection sensor, etc. inside or outside the converter, and those skilled in the art will understand that there is no limitation on the type thereof.

[0061] The above description describes the operation of LED lights with the same power consumption, but the description of the operation when connecting LED lights with different power consumptions and the description of the judgment of the control unit (430) for multiple LED lights with different power consumptions will be described later in Fig. 10. In addition, the contents of Figs. 5 to 8 also describe the operation when connecting LED lights with different power consumptions and the description of the judgment of the control unit (540, 640, 840) for multiple LED lights with different power consumptions will be described later in Fig. 10.

[0062] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0063] A converter (50) according to one embodiment may include at least one output unit (510, 520), an auxiliary power supply unit (530), a first power control unit (550), a second power control unit (560), a control unit (540), and a resistor (570). Each of the at least one output unit (510, 520) may be for cool lighting and warm lighting, but is not limited thereto. The first power control unit (550) and / or the second power control unit (560) may check the number of lights (e.g., LED lights), their connection status, and / or power consumption. The auxiliary power supply unit (530) may provide power to the first power control unit (550). Operations of the components of FIG. 5 that overlap with the description of FIG. 4 are not repeated here. Meanwhile, the converter (50) of FIG. 5 may be an LED converter having dual outputs capable of adjusting color temperature and brightness. Alternatively, it may be an LED converter having dual outputs with one color temperature and adjustable brightness. For example, the number of connections, connection status, and / or power consumption of lights (e.g., LED lights (30_3 and 30_4)) may be determined based on, but not limited to, the voltage and / or current at at least one point associated with the resistor (R1) and resistor (570) included in the LED lights of FIG. 3. For example, as described above, the LED lights (30_3 and 30_4) may be dual LED lights with adjustable color temperatures, but without limitation. Accordingly, the converter (50) may also be called a dual converter.

[0064] Figure 6 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0065] A converter (60) according to one embodiment may include at least one output unit (610, 620), an auxiliary power supply unit (630), a first power control unit (650), a second power control unit (660), a control unit (640), and a resistor (670). Each of the at least one output unit (610, 620) may be for Cool lighting and Warm lighting, but is not limited thereto. Each of the at least one output unit (610, 620) may be lighting having Cool color temperature and Warm color temperature, and may include a plurality of terminals (positive terminals / negative terminals), but is not limited thereto. The first power control unit (650) and / or the second power control unit (660) may check the number of lights (e.g., LED lights), their connection status, and / or power consumption. The auxiliary power supply unit (630) may provide power to the first power control unit (650). Operations of the components of Fig. 6 that overlap with the description of Fig. 4 are not repeated here. Meanwhile, the converter (60) of Fig. 6 may be an LED converter having an output for an LED light capable of color temperature and brightness control, or color temperature and brightness control and color implementation, or color implementation. For example, the number of connections, connection status, and / or power consumption of the lights (e.g., LED lights (30_5 and 30_6)) may be determined based on the voltage and / or current at at least one point associated with the resistor (R1) and the resistor (670) included in the LED lights of Fig. 3, but there is no limitation. For example, as described above, the LED lights (30_5 and 30_6) may be color LEDs, or single-color LEDs and color LEDs, or dual LEDs and color LEDs, or lights having UV LEDs and single-color (dual) LEDs, but this is exemplary and there is no limitation in the form of implementation. Accordingly, the converter (60) may be named a multi-output LED converter.

[0066] Figure 7 is a drawing for explaining a detection method according to one embodiment.

[0067] Those skilled in the art will understand that the output unit (710) and the third power control unit (720) of FIG. 7 can be implemented and / or added to any one of the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 6. In the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 6, after the first power control unit and the second power control unit are turned on by the control unit, the number of connected LED lights currently installed is confirmed, and when the output current is determined, the first power control unit and the second power control unit are turned off, and the determined output current can be applied to the output unit (e.g., 410). At this time, the third power control unit (720) of FIG. 7 can also be driven by a signal from the control unit (e.g., 430). The third power control unit (720) can be implemented so that the output current can be sequentially applied in order to safely drive after the first power control unit and the second power control unit stop operating.

[0068] In addition, it goes without saying that the third power control unit (710) of FIG. 7 may be applied to all output units of FIGS. 4 to 6 as in the embodiment.

[0069] Figure 8 is a drawing for explaining a converter according to one embodiment.

[0070] A converter (80) according to one embodiment may include at least one output unit (810, 820), an auxiliary power supply unit (830), a second power control unit (860), a control unit (840), and a resistor (870). Each of the at least one output unit (810, 820) may be for lighting having one color temperature and other lighting, but is not limited thereto. Each of the at least one output unit (810, 820) may include a plurality of terminals (positive terminals / negative terminals) for lighting having one color temperature and other lighting, but is not limited thereto. Meanwhile, the control unit (840) may control the LED converter so that the output voltage can be configured as a low voltage. The output unit (810) applies a voltage configured as a low voltage to the LED lighting and then supplies the low voltage to the resistor (R1) of FIG. 3. Meanwhile, the second power control unit (860) is turned on by the control unit (840), and the number of lights currently installed and / or their connection types can be determined by checking the voltage at the A / D terminal within the control unit (840) based on the voltage distribution values ​​of the resistor (R1) of FIG. 3 and the resistor (870) of FIG. 8. After determining the number of LED lights currently installed, the LED converter can determine the output current. After the output current is determined, the LED converter output unit (810, 820) supplies the determined output current to the LED lights. At this time, the second power control unit (860) is turned off by the control unit (840). At this time, the low voltage standard is configured as a voltage at which the LED is not driven, and the second power control unit is turned off to prevent the control unit (840) from being damaged due to high voltage when a normal LED output voltage is supplied. Meanwhile, the converter (80) according to FIG. 8 may be implemented as an LED converter having only one color temperature, for example, consisting of only an output section (810). For example, if the output section (820) has a different color temperature, the converter (80) may be implemented as an LED converter having two or more color temperatures.That is, through initial power control on the Cool lighting side, a relatively low voltage may be applied, and after detection by the control unit (840), the second power control unit (860) may be turned off. After the second power control unit (860) is turned off, a voltage and / or current for driving the lighting may be applied. Meanwhile, the implementation is not limited to FIG. 8. In addition, the example of FIG. 8 may be used for various lighting applications such as single-color LEDs, dual LEDs, and color LEDs, and there is no limitation on the type thereof.

[0071] FIG. 8 is a method of driving by controlling the voltage of the LED converter by the control unit (840), unlike FIGS. 4 to 7, which supply voltage to the first power control unit (e.g., 440 of FIG. 4) with a voltage supplied from an auxiliary voltage as in the embodiment.

[0072] As illustrated in Fig. 9, the LED light (90) may be configured with LED lights (90_1, 90_2) unlike the LED light (30) of Fig. 3. The LED lights (90_1, 90_2) may include fuses (911, 921) and BDs (912, 922) in the LED light (30) of Fig. 3. When multiple LED lights (30) of Fig. 3 are connected, when one or more LED lights are opened, overcurrent may be supplied to the LED lights connected in parallel. At this time, overcurrent may be protected by adding a fuse inside the LED light (90) of Fig. 9. For example, when a failure of one LED light occurs in the LED light (30) of Fig. 3, when the power of the LED converter is not turned off and the failed LED light is replaced, the current of the number of lights currently installed is distributed to the LED lights and flows to each LED light, so the current of the LED lights may increase. At this time, a fuse (911, 921) may be connected to protect against overcurrent applied to the LED lighting. Meanwhile, the fuse (911, 921) is merely an example, and those skilled in the art will understand that there is no limitation as long as it is a device for current protection. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that a temperature protection device may be additionally included to prevent the flow of overcurrent for the same reason. The LED lighting can be protected by the temperature protection device. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that a bridge circuit for non-polarity, such as BD (912, 922), may be configured for easy installation without considering the directionality of each LED lighting. At this time, the LED lighting (30) may be an LED lighting configured with at least one color temperature, an LED lighting equipped with two or more different color temperatures, or an LED lighting including a color LED, and there are no limitations thereto.

[0073] The contents of FIGS. 1 to 9 are examples for checking the number of LED lights installed and / or the connection status through an LED converter, and are examples that include a power control unit to check the number of connections and a resistor (R1) to check the number of installations inside the LED lights. In this case, the number of wires of the LED lights connected to the LED converter during installation is configured with a + line to which a positive voltage is supplied and a - line to which a low voltage is connected according to the LED color of each installed LED light.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining a converter and an LED module unit according to one embodiment.

[0075] According to one embodiment, a converter may include an output unit (1110, 1120), an auxiliary power unit (1130), a control unit (1140), and at least one resistor (R1, Rn, R2, Rm, Rx1, Rx2) (1133). As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, instead of operating the first power control unit, the second power control unit, or the third power control unit, the resistors (R1, Rn) installed in the LED lights are connected to each other with separate lines, and the number of currently installed LED lights is confirmed by the distribution voltage of the resistors (R1, Rn) and the resistor (for example, the resistor connected to the control unit (1140), and then the output current of the LED converter is determined and supplied to each installed LED light through the output unit (1110, 1120). FIGS. 1 to 9 are methods for detecting the number of connections through the power line supplied to the LED light, and in the case of FIG. 10, the number of LEDs can be checked in real time through a single sensing resistor separated from the power line supplied to the LED light. For convenience of the drawing, the resistor is shown in the LED converter, but it can also be installed inside the LED light of FIG. 3 or FIG. 9 for checking. However, this method means that, unlike the LED converter of FIGS. 1 to 9, it is built into the LED light separately from each output unit supplied to the LED light. In addition, as in FIG. 10, the number of LED lights can be determined by configuring only one resistor (R1) outside the LED converter.

[0076] In addition, the power consumption of the currently installed LED lights can be checked through the resistors (R2, Rm). First, the number of installed LED lights is determined through the resistors (R1, Rn), and then the MCU in the control unit (1140) checks the voltage with the resistor (Rx2) of the control unit through the parallel composite resistance of the resistors (R2, Rm) to check the power consumption of the installed LED lights, so that the converter can determine the output current and apply voltage / current to the output unit (1110, 1120). The power consumption of LED lights may vary depending on the product. For example, when 10 EA of 5W LED lights are installed, the MCU in the control unit (1140) will recognize it as 4.545 V through the parallel composite resistance of the resistors (R1, Rn) and the voltage distribution of the resistor (Rx1), and will know that 10 EA are installed. Unlike FIGS. 1 to 9, in FIG. 10, the power consumption of the LED lights can be additionally checked. For example, in the case of a 5W LED light, if the internal resistance of the LED light is the same, the parallel composite resistance is 1Khom, and 4.545V will be recognized by the voltage distribution with the resistor (RX2) in the MCU in the control unit (1140). At this time, the MCU confirms that 10 5W LED lights have been installed, and the LED converter can supply 50Watts of output power to the output unit (1110, 1120). If it is assumed that the LED lights installed in the output are for 10Watts, the parallel composite resistance value of the resistors (R2, Rm) is 2K ohm when the resistors installed inside each LED light are 20K ohm, and due to the voltage distribution with the resistor (Rx2) in the control unit (1140), the control unit (1140) recognizes it as 4.167V, so the LED converter can supply the output power to the output units (1110, 1120) as 100Watts instead of 50Watts. This can be distinguished according to the power consumption of the installed LED lights by first determining the number of installed LED lights.This resistor could also be included inside the LED, as in Figure 3 or Figure 9.

[0077] As in the embodiment, by configuring resistors (R1, Rn) separately for LED lighting instead of controlling through a power control unit inside the LED converter as in FIGS. 1 to 9, and adding two additional output power lines for checking the number of installed LED lights, the number of installed LED lights can be checked by supplying voltage from the control unit (1140) to the resistors (R1, Rn) and then reading the distribution voltage of the resistors (R1, Rn) and the LED converter resistor (located at the bottom of the control unit) through the MCU A / D terminal inside the control unit (1140). At this time, the voltage supplied from the control unit (1140) to the resistors (R1, Rn) can also be directly applied through the auxiliary power unit (1130). Through the distribution voltage confirmed by the control unit (1140), the LED converter can determine the output current and supply the output current to the output units (1110, 1120).

[0078] At this time, the power line supplied to the output side may be composed of multiple strands and may be a UTP cable that is currently widely used, but there are no restrictions.

[0079] In addition, the LED converter may have at least one output section (1110, 1120) each of which may be a combination of LEDs configured with a Cool color temperature and a combination of LEDs with different color temperatures, and may also be a combination of color LEDs, but is not limited thereto. At least one output section (1110, 1120) may each include a plurality of terminals or wirings as LED lights, which may be a combination of LEDs configured with a Cool LED and a combination of other LEDs, but is not limited thereto.

[0080] In addition, automatic confirmation of the number of LED lights installed using resistors (R1, Rn, Rx1) and confirmation of LED light power consumption using resistors (R2, Rm, Rx2) can each be implemented with only one operation.

[0081] However, unlike Fig. 10, if the synthetic resistance method is utilized, it is possible to control multiple LED lights with different power consumption and power consumption by differentiating power consumption through a single resistor, and those skilled in the art will know that the converter for the LED light is automatically set through the synthetic resistance value or range setting value for the resistor described in Figs. 1 to 10. For example, by setting the range for reading the MCU A / D voltage, it is of course possible to check the number of LEDs and power consumption with only one resistor when setting the resistance value. When the range for reading the MCU A / D voltage is set (for example, 1V-3V range, 3V-5V range distinction), the number of LED lights connected and LED lights with different power consumption can be distinguished through a single resistor and the output current can be set. Meanwhile, the formula for the synthetic resistance for parallel connection is as shown in Mathematical Expression 1 below.

[0082]

[0083] By setting the resistance according to the value of the A / D terminal as in mathematical expression 1, the resistance value is set so that a voltage between 1 and 3 V is formed for an LED light with a power consumption of 5 W, and a voltage between 3 and 5 V is formed as the A / D voltage for an LED light with a power consumption of 10 W. This allows multiple LED lights with different numbers of LED lights and different power consumptions to be connected.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the resistors (R1, Rn, R2, Rm, Rx1, Rx2) may be installed inside the LED light (30) of FIG. 3 and the LED light (90) of FIG. 9, and may be installed separately from the LED converter of FIG. 10. The operating principle is the same.

[0085] Meanwhile, in the following, more detailed explanation will be provided with reference to Table 1 and Table 2.

[0086] Example of fixed resistance value according to basic lengthLamp length300mm600mm900mm1200mmResistance value12000600040003000Current value0.10.20.30.4Voltage36363636Power consumption3.67.210.814.4

[0087] Example of LED lighting composite resistance values ​​according to installation length1500mm1800mm2100mm2400mm2700mm240020001714150013330.50.60.70.80.936363636361821.625.228.832.4

[0088] Assuming that there are lights with different lengths of 300mm, 600mm, 900mm, and 1200mm as shown in Table 1 and Table 2 above, and that the LED lights have built-in resistors of 12,000 Ohm, 6000 Ohm, 4000 Ohm, and 3000 Ohm, in the case of lights that are connected in long lines, such as line lights, lights with different lengths can be connected. At this time, the composite resistance value may be different depending on each installation length, and the output current may be determined according to the distribution voltage value of the composite resistance value. Therefore, when connecting LED lights of different lengths, such as Table 1 above, and LED lights of the same or different lengths, such as Table 1, as shown in Table 2, the composite resistance value is different, so in the case of lights of different lengths or when multiple lights with different power consumptions are installed in parallel, the LED converter can determine the output current by checking the distribution voltage value according to the composite resistance, and power consumption may also increase. Therefore, when determining the number of LED lights with the same power consumption and the number of LED lights with different power consumptions are installed, the LED converter can automatically check accordingly and determine the output according to the installed lights.

[0089] The above-described embodiments are specific examples for implementing the present disclosure. The present disclosure will encompass not only the above-described embodiments, but also embodiments that can be simply designed or easily modified. Furthermore, the present disclosure will encompass techniques that can be easily modified and implemented using the above-described embodiments. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the claims set forth below, but also by equivalents of the claims of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. In a converter for providing power to at least one light, Sensing unit; Control unit; and Power output section Including, The above control unit: Checking the voltage and / or current at at least one point based on the above sensing unit, Determine the number of lights and / or the connection status of lights directly and / or indirectly connected to the converter based on the voltage and / or current at at least one point, A converter configured to control the power output unit to provide power of voltage and / or current corresponding to the number of lights and / or the connection status of the lights.

2. In paragraph 1, The above sensing unit is a converter including at least one resistor.

3. In paragraph 2, A converter wherein the control unit is configured to determine the number of lights and / or the connection status of lights directly and / or indirectly connected to the converter based on the voltage and / or current at the at least one point associated with the at least one resistor.

4. In paragraph 1, 1st power control unit; Second power control unit; and An auxiliary power supply for providing power to the first power control unit Converters that include more.

5. In paragraph 4, While checking the voltage and / or current at at least one point based on the sensing unit, the first power unit and the second power control unit are turned on, A converter in which the first power control unit and the second power control unit are turned off while controlling the power output unit to provide power of voltage and / or current corresponding to the number of lights and / or the connection status of the lights.

6. In paragraph 1, The above power output unit is a converter including a plurality of sub-output units.

7. In paragraph 6, The above multiple sub-output units are: A converter comprising a sub-output for cool lighting and a sub-output for warm lighting.

8. In paragraph 6, The above multiple sub-output units are: A converter including sub-outputs for brightness, color temperature, and / or color adjustment.

9. In paragraph 1, A converter further comprising at least one protection element directly and / or indirectly connected to the power output section.

10. In paragraph 1, A converter wherein the control unit is configured to determine the number of lights and / or the connection status of lights directly and / or indirectly connected to the converter based on at least one resistance value read through the wiring.

11. In paragraph 2, The control unit is a converter set to distinguish and / or determine a plurality of lights having different or identical power consumption through the at least one resistor.

12. In paragraph 1, The above control unit is a converter that performs connection number and power consumption distinction through one resistor.

13. In any one of paragraphs 1, 2, 9 or 10, The above control unit is a converter set to control the brightness and / or color of the light based on communication connected inside or outside the control unit.

14. In any one of paragraphs 1, 2, 9 or 10, The control unit is a converter set to control the brightness and / or on / off of lighting based on sensing data from a sensor connected to the inside or outside of the control unit.

Images