Single-wire control for serial and parallel lighting modules

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting module that can be connected in serial and in parallel with other lighting modules, wherein the lighting module comprises a serial communication input and a parallel communication input, and wherein the lighting module further comprises a serial communication output that can be used for connecting to a serial communication input of another lighting module, and a parallel communication output that can be used for connecting to a parallel communication input of another lighting module. The lighting module can be configured to determine if it received communication via the serial or parallel communication input and to output data, with additional information on receiving parallel or serial data, to the other lighting module. Thereby, a single wire interface not only allows commissioning by wire, but also allows reading and updating lifetime parameters, and enables diagnostics to ease repairability and recycling of lighting modules.

Description

[0001] 2024PF80436

[0002] 1

[0003] Single-wire control for serial and parallel lighting modules

[0004] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention relates to the field of lighting systems, such as - but not limited to - solid-state lighting systems or other loads, for use in various different applications for home, office, retail, hospitality and industry.

[0006] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A luminaire can be any type of lighting unit or lighting fixture which comprises one or more light sources (e.g., visible or non-visible (infrared (IR) or ultraviolet (UV)) light sources) for illumination and / or communication purposes and optionally other internal and / or external parts necessary for proper operation of the lighting, e.g., to distribute the light, to position and protect the light sources and ballast (where applicable), and to connect the luminaires to a power supply.

[0008] Solid-state lighting (SSL) is a type of lighting that uses semiconductor lightemitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma (used in arc lamps such as fluorescent lamps), or gas. Solid state electroluminescence is used in SSL, as opposed to incandescent bulbs (which use thermal radiation) or fluorescent tubes. Compared to incandescent lighting, SSL creates visible light with reduced heat generation and less energy dissipation.

[0009] A driver is required to deliver a highly stable constant current to the luminaire(s) irrespective of variations in the luminaire characteristics or the supply voltage while complying with increasingly stringent regulations covering input power requirements such as power factor and total harmonic distortion.

[0010] Addressable lighting modules have been introduced to add vibrant and customizable lighting to any space. With the ability to flexibly control individual modules, impressively complex and dynamic lighting effects can be created. Such addressable light modules may comprise a light source (e.g., an LED strip) and an addressable controller chip that allows each light source to be controlled independently. This means that each light2024PF80436

[0011] 2

[0012] source can be autonomous, i.e., can have its own hue and brightness, and a user is allowed to display dynamic content on a string or matrix of light sources.

[0013] However, controller chips of conventional drivers are mostly focused on low cost and configured for simplex or broadcast communication, so that two or more control wires are required for multi-dimensional module structures.

[0014] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple addressing structure for lighting systems with serial and parallel connections between lighting modules.

[0016] This object is achieved by a lighting module as claimed in claim 1, by a driver as claimed in claim 9, by a modular lighting system as claimed in claim 13.

[0017] According to a first aspect, a lighting module for serial and parallel connection with other lighting modules of a modular lighting system is provided, the lighting module comprising:

[0018] a single-wire serial communication input;

[0019] a single-wire parallel communication input;

[0020] a single-wire serial communication output for a serial connection to a singlewire serial communication input of another lighting module;

[0021] a single-wire parallel communication output for a parallel connection to a single-wire parallel communication input of another lighting module;

[0022] a controller that is configured to determine if the lighting module has received data via the serial communication input or the parallel communication input and to output at least a portion of the received data via the single-wire serial or parallel communication output to the other lighting module.

[0023] Furthermore, according to a second aspect, a driver is provided for controlling a plurality of lighting modules of the first aspect by using half-duplex communication via a single-wire interface.

[0024] Additionally, according to a third aspect, a modular lighting system comprising a driver of the second aspect and a plurality lighting modules of the first aspect is provided.

[0025] Accordingly, lighting modules (e.g., modular LED boards) can be connected in serial and parallel. Thereby, data wiring can be used to determine a hard-wired addressing. The single-wire interface between the driver and the lighting modules not only allows commissioning by wire, but also allows reading and updating lifetime parameters. Moreover,2024PF80436

[0026] 3

[0027] a half-duplex single wire communication can be provided, that enables diagnostics to ease repairability and recycling.

[0028] Thus, more flexibility can be provided to modular lighting system by enabling serial and parallel networks e.g. for pixelated lighting products. Costs can be reduced by large-scale production of modular lighting boards which can be individualized via their nonvolatile memory.

[0029] Furthermore, commissioning and maintenance can be facilitated by single hard-wired addressing and parameterizing of lighting modules.

[0030] According to a first option of any of the first to third aspects, the controller of the lighting module may be configured as a slave for half-duplex communication from a connected driver.

[0031] According to a second option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with the first option, the lighting module may be configured to enable auto addressing by an order of lighting modules by extracting its own data package and passing remaining data on to a downstream lighting module.

[0032] According to a third option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with the first or second option, the controller of the lighting module may be configured to control a current flow through one or more light sources of the lighting module based on data received via the single-wire serial or parallel communication input.

[0033] According to a fourth option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to third options, the controller of the lighting module may comprise a linear voltage regulator for extracting auxiliary power supply for the modular lighting system.

[0034] According to a fifth option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to fourth options, a non-volatile memory may be provided in the lighting module, for storing specific module and / or lifetime parameters.

[0035] According to a sixth option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to fifth options, a level shifter may be provided in the lighting module, for shifting a voltage level of serial input / output data in a serial configuration in both directions.

[0036] According to a seventh option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to sixth options, the lighting module may be configured to respond with upstream data having a lower low-level signal compared to received downstream data.2024PF80436

[0037] 4

[0038] According to an eighth option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to seventh options, the driver may be configured to request specific data from a specific lighting module by means of half-duplex communication.

[0039] According to a ninth option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to eighth options, the driver may be configured to use the single wire interface for at least one of commissioning of the lighting modules by wire, reading and updating parameters of the lighting modules, and applying diagnostics to the lighting modules.

[0040] According to a tenth option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to ninth options, the driver may be configured to convert incoming data into a stream of output data provided at the single-wire interface, and to select a data position within the stream, at which control data for a specific lighting module is placed, based on a data wiring through the lighting modules.

[0041] According to an eleventh option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to tenth options, data wiring through the lighting modules may determine a hard-wired addressing.

[0042] According to a twelfth option of any of the first to third aspects, which may be combined with any one of the first to eleventh options, the lighting modules may be configured to pass their incoming data directly towards a serial or parallel communication input of a subsequent lighting module so that upstream data is passed on to the driver without modification by the lighting modules.

[0043] It is noted that the above lighting module of the first aspect and deriver of the second aspect may be implemented based on discrete hardware circuitries with discrete hardware components, integrated circuits, or arrangements of integrated modules, or based on signal processing devices or integrated circuits controlled by software routines or programs stored in memories, written on a computer readable media, or downloaded from a network, such as the Internet.

[0044] It shall be understood that the lighting module of claim 1, the driver of claim 9, and the lighting system of claim 13 may have similar and / or identical preferred embodiments, in particular, as defined in the dependent claims.

[0045] It shall further be understood that a preferred embodiment of the invention can also be any combination of the dependent claims or above embodiments with the respective independent claim.2024PF80436

[0046] 5

[0047] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

[0048] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] In the following drawings:

[0050] Fig. 1 shows schematically a circuit diagram of a multi-channel LED driver with parallel output channels;

[0051] Fig. 2 shows schematically a block diagram of an LED module according to a first embodiment;

[0052] Fig. 3 shows schematically a block diagram of an LED driver according to a second embodiment for driving a plurality of serial and parallel LED modules;

[0053] Fig. 4 shows schematically a circuit diagram of a modular lighting system with single wire for half-duplex commissioning and communication for parallel and serial LED modules, according to a third embodiment; and

[0054] Fig. 5 shows waveform diagrams of single-wire half-duplex communication signals in the third embodiment.

[0055] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0056] Various embodiments of the present invention are now described, which are applicable to luminaires of a solid-state lighting system, such as semiconductor LEDs, semiconductor lasers, vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), organic lightemitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) as sources of illumination or light sources in visible or non- visible light spectra.

[0057] More specifically, the following embodiments are directed to modular lighting systems with LED luminaires that can be implemented in connection with any type of LED module or board and are applicable to various kinds of LED drivers or converters of luminaires.

[0058] Fig. 1 shows schematically a circuit diagram of a multi-channel LED driver with permanently connected output channels.

[0059] It is noted that - throughout the present disclosure - the structure and / or function of blocks or circuit components with identical reference numbers that have been described before are not described again, unless an additional specific functionality is involved. Moreover, only those structural elements and functions are shown, which are useful2024PF80436

[0060] 6

[0061] to understand the embodiments. Other structural elements and functions are omitted for brevity reasons.

[0062] The driver circuit of Fig. 1 comprises a first power conversion stage (SI) 104 and a second power conversion stage with a controller circuit (CC) 200 for controlling a total of n-1 controllable switches (e.g., field effect transistors (FETs)) 303, 404, etc. via respective control signals 302, 402, etc. applied to control terminals (e.g., gate electrodes of the FETs) to select at least one of n-1 output channels with respective output loads (e.g., LED strings) 301, 401, etc., while the n-th output channel with its output load nOl does not comprise any controllable switch and is therefore permanently connected to the output line 201 of the controller circuit 200.

[0063] The first power conversion stage 104 may be supplied with power via supply terminals 101 and 103. More specifically, a power supply AC voltage (e.g., a power grid voltage of 110 or 220V at a mains frequency of 50 or 60Hz) may be supplied to an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter (not shown) which is an electronic device that attenuates electromagnetic interference from the power system to limit the noise in the system and lower a risk of malfunctioning of the luminaire driver.

[0064] The first power converter stage 104 thus serves to convert the input AC voltage into a DC voltage while meeting power intake requirements such as power factor (PF) and total harmonic distortion (THD). A smoothening capacitor 107 may be applied between output terminals 105 and 106 of the first power conversion stage to reduce a volage ripple.

[0065] The constant voltage with reduced ripple is then converted by the controller circuit 200 of the second power conversion stage into a ripple-free (mains-ripple-free) constant current.

[0066] The controller circuit 200 may comprise independent digital inputs 202 (e.g., parallel or serial digital or analog input) to control application of the individual control signals (e.g., pulse width modulation (PWM) signals) 302, 402, etc. to the controllable switches 303, 403, etc. of the switched output channels.

[0067] As the second power conversion stage is designed as a current source, it operates to keep constant its output current through output line 201, while its output voltage can vary instantly. The required volage difference between the switched output channels and the permanently connected output channel can be established by providing different numbers and / or types of LEDs.2024PF80436

[0068] 7

[0069] However, reusability, repairability, and recyclability can benefit from a modular approach such that LED drivers can be used universally. Efficiency of reuse and repair can be improved by modularizing LED boards, i.e., making universal LED modules that can be combined to a set of LED modules that fit the need of a lighting fixture. Instead of producing specific LED boards, universal LEDs modules can be mass-produced and flexibly combined. Moreover, repairability of such universal LED modules can be improved by providing stock keeping units. In addition, if such universal LED modules contain specific data about the type of light source (e.g., LED) and lifetime parameters, reuse, repair and recycling can be made even more efficient.

[0070] As an example, a pixel-oriented LED driver may be provided with half-duplex communication for controlling pixels implemented by LED modules. Data from the driver towards the LED modules (downstream) may have a higher threshold level (e.g., not ‘0V’, but e.g., IV - 2V). Auto addressing can then applied by the order of the nodes in the pixel communication line, e.g., each LED module (e.g., pixel) extracts its data package and passes remaining data on to other downstream LED modules. Additionally, specific data (e.g., for commissioning or the like) can be requested by the LED driver from a specific LED module by means of half-duplex communication (upstream data). The specific LED module responds with a data package (upstream data) of which the low-level signal is lower compared to the downstream data. Preceding LED modules may pass their incoming signals directly towards the data input of subsequent LED modules so that the upstream data is passed on to the LED driver without modification by the LED modules and preferably with a minimum amount of propagation delay.

[0071] The connections between the LED driver and the LED modules can be based on a three-wire system, where two wires are used for supplying power to the LED modules and the third wire is used for data transmission.

[0072] According to embodiments, the addressing structure can be improved by also including information about serial and parallel connections. Thereby, a single data wire routing can be used to provide a hard-wired addressing for serial and parallel LED modules.

[0073] Moreover, the single data wire can be used in a multi-dimensional structure with serial and parallel connections between LED modules to commission LED boards connected in parallel and in serial. This allows different unequal power settings for parallel branches, while the total current through the total serial network is equal. Thus, the parallel and serial configuration option of LED modules still enables dimming, dim-tone, color control, and beam shaping features.2024PF80436

[0074] 8

[0075] Fig. 2 shows schematically a block diagram of an LED module 10 according to a first embodiment.

[0076] A controller (CT) 13 of the LED module 10 may be configured as a slave for half-duplex communication from a connected LED driver and comprises two data inputs and two data outputs, namely, a serial data input SDI, a parallel data input PDI, a serial data output SDO, and a parallel data output PDO. The controller 13 can be configured to determine if the LED module 10 has received data via the serial data input SDI or the parallel data input PDI and to output at least a portion of the received data via the serial data output SDO or the parallel data output to another lighting module according to the addressing structure of the lighting system.

[0077] Furthermore, based on received data, the controller 13 controls a current flow through one or more LEDs 11 of the LED module 10, e.g., by means of a controllable switching element or current source or the like.

[0078] The controller 13 may further contain a linear voltage regulator (not shown) in order to extract auxiliary power supply for providing auxiliary power supply for the modular LED structure or other functions of the lighting system.

[0079] Furthermore, anon-volatile memory (M) 14, such as an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), is provided (e.g., within the controller 13 or on a circuit board of the LED module 10) for storage of specific LED board and / or lifetime parameters, such as operating hours in specific conditions, board temperature, operating current, LED type, manufacturing date, degradation, etc.

[0080] Additionally, a level shifter (LS) 12 is provided (e.g., within the controller 13 or on a circuit board of the LED module 10) for level shifting data of the serial data input / output in a serial configuration in both directions.

[0081] The level shifter 12, which may also be called level converter or logic level shifter, or voltage level translator, is a circuit used to translate signals from one (logic) level or voltage domain to another. It may be configured as fixed function level shifter which is configured to translate a logic level without any additional integrated logic or timing adjustment, or as a configurable mixed-signal integrated circuit (CMICs) level shifter which allows designers to implement fully customizable level shifters with the added option to integrate configurable logic or timing adjustments in the same device. Moreover, the level shifter 12 may be configured to using differential signaling, wherein a differential pair steers the current in one of its two legs which then drives a latch in a different voltage domain and level shifts the voltage.2024PF80436

[0082] 9

[0083] Fig. 3 shows schematically a block diagram of an LED driver 200 according to a second embodiment for driving a plurality of serial and parallel LED modules.

[0084] Besides the provision of power supply (not shown in Fig. 3), the LED driver 200 is configured to provide control information to a plurality of LED modules by means of a single wire by using half-duplex communication where the single wire is alternately used for transmission and reception of the control information.

[0085] The LED driver 200 may comprise a single-wire data interface with a data controller (DC) 205 that is configured to control the content of an output data stream DO based on one or more input data streams that include control data for all or individual LED modules. The data controller 205 obtains address / location information of each of the plurality of connected LED modules from an address control unit (AC) 206 which may be a look-up table or other memory unit for storing information about the location of individual LED modules within a modular serial and parallel structure, e.g., as derived from an initial commissioning process.

[0086] In an example, each LED module may be addressable by its sequential location (first node, second node, third node, etc.) along a single communication wire routed through the LED modules of the modular structure. Based on this address / location information, the data controller 205 of the LED driver 200 may select a data position / slot within the data stream, at which control data for a specific LED module is placed, e.g., as shown in Fig. 5.

[0087] Moreover, the LED driver 200 may be able to read out data of a specific LED module by means of the single wire data interface using the location / address information that may also contain information about the serial and parallel connections of the LED modules.

[0088] Fig. 4 shows schematically a circuit diagram of a modular lighting system with single wire connections for half-duplex commissioning and communication for parallel and serial LED modules, according to a third embodiment.

[0089] An LED driver 200, receives input power through input terminals 101 and 103. Furthermore, a control signal can be supplied to the driver 200 through a control input terminal 102. LEDs modules 2S1P, 2S2P, IS IP and 1S2P are connected in serial and parallel configuration to respective power supply outputs 201 and 203 of the LED driver 200. The example of Fig. 3 shows a simple form of a serial and parallel network of LED modules consisting of two pairs of parallel-connected LED modules 1S1P / 1S2P and 2S1P / 2S2P, respectively. The two parallel-connected pairs of LED modules 1S1P / 1S2P and 2S1P / 2S2P,2024PF80436

[0090] 10

[0091] respectively, are then connected in series with each other to the supply terminals 201 and 203 of the LED driver 200.

[0092] As explained above in connection with Fig. 2, each of the LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, 1S1P and 1S2P comprises a parallel input terminal 1004-4004, a serial input terminal 1007-4007, a parallel output terminal 1005 to 4005, a serial output terminal 1008 to 4008, and a controller 1003 to 4003 which is configured to control the current through an LED load (e.g., LED string) 1001 to 4001 by supplying a control signal 1006 to 4006 to a current control unit 1009 to 4009 (e.g., a controllable switching element, a controllable current source or the like). The controllers 1003 to 4003 receive their supply voltage via supply terminals 1002 to 4002.

[0093] Commissioning of the LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, 1S1P and 1S2P is realized by a single data wire that is routed through the serial and parallel configuration. To achieve this, the LED driver 200 converts the incoming data at its control input terminal 102 into a stream of output data provided at a control output terminal (single-wire interface) 202. In the example of Fig. 4, the first LED module IS IP is connected to the control output terminal 202 and obtains the address ’1S1P’, where ‘IS’ represents the first layer of a serial stack and ‘IP’ represents the first node of a parallel stack.

[0094] The controller 3003 of the first LED module (node) IS IP is configured to remove the first set of data (byte(s)) from the output data stream of the LED driver 200, as received via the parallel input terminal 3004, and outputs the remaining data stream at its parallel output terminal 3005 which is connected to the parallel input terminal 4004 of the second LED module 1S2P (node). The controller 4003 of the second LED module 1S2P is configured to remove a second set of data (byte(s)) from the output data stream of the first LED module IS IP, as received via the parallel input terminal 4004, and outputs the remaining data stream at its serial output terminal 4008.

[0095] In order to overcome the voltage difference between the lower supply terminal 203 of the LED driver 200 and an intermediate connection point 204 between the serially connected pairs of parallel-connected LED modules 1S1P / 1S2P and 2S1P / 2S2P, the data circuit of the serially connected LED modules 1S2P and 2S1P incorporates or activates a level shifter (e.g., level shifter 12 of Fig. 2). Such a level shifter may be implemented at the serial output of the respective transmitting LED module (e.g., LED module 1S2P) and / or the serial input of the respective receiving LED module (e.g., LED module 2S1P) or both LED modules for half-duplex communication.2024PF80436

[0096] 11

[0097] In an example, data to be addressed to the third LED module 2S1P and received at the serial input terminal 1007 may get the address ‘2S1P’ (where ‘2S’ indicates the 2nd layer of the serial stack and ‘ IP’ indicates the first node of the parallel stack), wherein the controller 1003 of the third LED module 2S1P outputs the remaining data stream at the parallel output terminal 1005, which is then received at the parallel input 2004 of the last LED module 2S2P in this particular example.

[0098] Fig. 5 shows waveform diagrams of single-wire half-duplex communication signals in the third embodiment.

[0099] Down-stream data (i.e. , from the LED driver 200 towards the LED modules 1S1P, 1S2P, 2S1P and 2S2P) and upstream data (i.e., from LED modules 2S2P, 2S1P, 1S2P and IS IP towards the LED driver 200) are separated by a threshold level Vth x. In addition, as explained above, a level shifting Vfw.isii> is applied to the data stream between the third LED module 2S1P and the second LED module 1S2P, and vice versa, due to their serial connection.

[0100] As shown in the upper diagrams of Fig. 5, a downstream data stream with three bytes Bl to B3 and the threshold level Vth x is transmitted (TX) from the control output terminal 202 of the LED driver 200 to the parallel input terminal 3004 of the first LED module IS IP which extracts the first byte Bl and transmits the remaining data stream without the first byte Bl via its parallel output terminal 3005 to the parallel input terminal 4004 of the second LED module 1S2P. The second LED module 1S2P extracts the second byte B2, applies the level shift Vfwjsip, and transmits the level-shifted remaining data stream with the third byte B3 via its serial output terminal 4008 to the serially connected third LED module 2S1P.

[0101] As shown in the lower diagrams of Fig. 5, an upstream data stream with three bytes Bl to B3, level shift Vfwjsip, and without threshold level Vth x (i.e., zero threshold level Vth,Rx) is received (RX) from the third LED module 2S1P at the serial output terminal 4008 of the second LED module 1S2P which removes the level shift Vfw.isii> and forwards the downstream data stream via its parallel input terminal 4004 to the parallel output terminal 3005 of the first LED module IS IP. Finally, the first LED module IS IP forwards the downstream data stream via its parallel input terminal 3004 to the control output 202 of the LED controller 200.

[0102] Note that the data stream to and from the fourth LED module 2S2P, which concludes the commissioning and communication stream of the hard-wired half-duplex data2024PF80436

[0103] 12

[0104] communication between LED driver 200 and the LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, IS IP and 1S2P, is not depicted in Fig. 5.

[0105] The provision of the threshold level Vth x in the downstream direction allows an identification / separation of upstream and downstream data during the single-wire halfduplex communication, where the single wire is used either for upstream data or for downstream data. Alternatively, the threshold level may be provided in the upstream direction or respective different threshold levels may be provided in the upstream and downstream directions.

[0106] Since all four LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, 1S1P and 1S2P are similar in their processing behavior, the third LED module 2S1P will be explained in more detail. Power is supplied to the LED module 2S1P through the supply output 201 of the LED driver 200 and the intermediate connection point 204. The controller 1003 may be a state machine including anon-volatile memory (e.g., EEPROM) for storing data such as properties of the LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, 1S1P and 1S2P and its status. Thereby, cost and power consumption can be minimized.

[0107] At power up, the LED driver 200 scans all connected LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, IS IP and 1S2P, and during operation the LED driver 200 may update lifetime parameters or other parameters of some or each of the LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, 1S1P and 1S2P, e.g., through the single-wire communication signal.

[0108] The single controller 1003 may be able to control the LED load 1001 or more depending on the application by a control signal that in turn controls the current control unit 1009. For communicating towards other ones of the LED modules 2S1P, 2S2P, 1S1P and 1S2P, the controller 1003 has its serial in- and output terminals 1007, 1008 and its parallel in-and output terminals 1004, 1005. It is worth noting that current trough the serial network is equal to each other such that the average power on a parallel branch (e.g., 1S1P / 1S2P) matches the average power of another branch (e.g., 2S1P / 2S2P), but power within a parallel branch can be unevenly distributed among the respective LED modules.

[0109] To summarize, a lighting module that can be connected in serial and in parallel with other lighting modules has been described, wherein the lighting module comprises a serial communication input and a parallel communication input, and wherein the lighting module further comprises a serial communication output that can be used for connecting to a serial communication input of another lighting module, and a parallel communication output that can be used for connecting to a parallel communication input of another lighting module. The lighting module can be configured to determine if it received communication via the2024PF80436

[0110] 13

[0111] serial or parallel communication input and to output data, with additional information on receiving parallel or serial data, to the other lighting module. Thereby, a single wire interface not only allows commissioning by wire, but also allows reading and updating lifetime parameters, and enables diagnostics to ease repairability and recycling of lighting modules.

[0112] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments concerning solid-state luminaires (e.g., LED luminaires). The proposed embodiments can be applied in connection with any type of lighting fixtures with identical or similar, exchangeable lighting modules, e.g., office luminaires, consumer luminaires and / or outdoor lighting.

[0113] Moreover, instead of pixel-oriented content / structure, modular lighting fixtures with (nearly) identical power levels of each module can be used.

[0114] Additionally, elements and components mentioned in the above embodiments may be embedded in one or more integrated circuits (ICs), e.g., application specific ICs (ASICs) or programmable logic arrays (PLAs) or the like.

[0115] The above embodiments may be implemented in (e.g., integrated or combined with) various high-efficiency products such as office luminaires, outdoor lighting, LED strips, color-tuneable spots or the like.

[0116] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in the text, the invention may be practiced in many ways, and is therefore not limited to the embodiments disclosed. It should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being re-defined herein to be restricted to include any specific characteristics of the features or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated.2024PF80436

[0117] 14

[0118] A single unit or device may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0119] The described procedures of the controller circuit 200 can be implemented as program code means of a computer program and / or as dedicated hardware of the receiver devices or transceiver devices, respectively. The computer program may be stored and / or distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium, supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.

Claims

2024PF8043615CLAIMS:

1. A lighting module (10) for serial and parallel connection with other lighting modules of a modular lighting system, the lighting module (10) comprising:a single-wire serial communication input (1007-4007);a single-wire parallel communication input (1004-4004);a single-wire serial communication output (1008-4008) for a serial connection to a single-wire serial communication input (1007-4007) of another lighting module;a single-wire parallel communication output (1005-4005) for a parallel connection to a single-wire parallel communication input (1004-4004) of another lighting module;a controller (13) that is configured to determine if the lighting module (10) has received data via the serial communication input (1007-4007) or the parallel communication input (1004-4004) and to output at least a portion of the received data via the single-wire serial (1008-4008) or parallel communication output (1005-4005) to the other lighting module.

2. The lighting module (10) of claim 1, wherein the controller (13) is configured as a slave for half-duplex communication from a connected driver (200).

3. The lighting module (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the lighting module (10) is configured to enable auto addressing by an order of lighting modules by extracting its own data package and passing remaining data on to a downstream lighting module.

4. The lighting module (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (13) is configured to control a current flow through one or more light sources (11) of the lighting module (10) based on data received via the single-wire serial (1007-4007) or parallel communication input (1004-4004).2024PF80436165. The lighting module (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (13) comprises a linear voltage regulator for extracting auxiliary power supply for the modular lighting system.

6. The lighting module (10) of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a non-volatile memory (14) for storing specific module and / or lifetime parameters.

7. The lighting module (10) of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a level shifter (12) for shifting a voltage level of serial input / output data in a serial configuration in both directions.

8. The lighting module (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting module (10) is configured to respond with upstream data having a lower low-level signal compared to received downstream data.

9. A driver (200) for controlling a plurality of lighting modules (10) of claim 1 by using half-duplex communication via a single-wire interface (202).

10. The driver (200) of claim 9, wherein the driver (200) is configured to request specific data from a specific lighting module (10) by means of half-duplex communication.

11. The driver (200) of claim 9 or 10, wherein the driver (200) is configured to use the single wire interface (202) for at least one of commissioning of the lighting modules (10) by wire, reading and updating parameters of the lighting modules (10), and applying diagnostics to the lighting modules (10).

12. The driver (200) of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the driver (200) is configured to convert incoming data into a stream of output data provided at the single-wire interface (202), and to select a data position within the stream, at which control data for a specific lighting module (10) is placed, based on a data wiring through the lighting modules2024PF804361713. A modular lighting system comprising a driver (200) of any one of claims 9 to 12 and a plurality lighting modules (10) of any one of claims 1 to 8.

14. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein data wiring through the lighting modules (10) determines a hard-wired addressing.

15. The lighting system of claim 13 or 14, wherein the lighting modules (10) are configured to pass their incoming data directly towards a serial (1007-4007) or parallel communication input (1004-4004) of a subsequent lighting module (10) so that upstream data is passed on to the driver (200) without modification by the lighting modules (10).

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