Autonomous Lighting Control for Industrial Image Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting systems for industrial image processing lack flexibility and reliability, as they often require adaptation or multiple systems to achieve consistent lighting, and existing solutions are not suitable for real-time regulation or long-term maintenance due to aging issues and serial data connection limitations.
Innovation Solution
A lighting arrangement with a lighting control unit connected via a data bus to multiple lighting units, each equipped with a second data communication interface for autonomous regulation, measuring sensors, and a computing unit to adjust light sources, allowing for flexible expansion and real-time control, while compensating for aging and temperature changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a self-contained autonomous lighting system is used, then the system can operate independently with stored lighting data, but interoperability and flexibility are limited when multiple systems are used
Solution Approach 1:
A control unit serves as an intermediary between multiple autonomous lighting systems and the central controller. This intermediary enables standardized communication and coordination between previously incompatible systems, allowing them to work together while maintaining their autonomous operation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit is designed with universal functionality to manage multiple lighting systems simultaneously. It can handle different data formats, communication protocols, and control modes, making the overall system adaptable to various configurations and applications.
2Device complexity
If a serial data connection with microcontroller is used, then the system can be simplified, but real-time control is delayed due to processing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The control architecture is segmented into two parts: a simplified data transmission layer using serial connection, and a real-time control layer using dedicated control circuits. This segmentation allows the serial connection to handle non-time-critical data while real-time control signals bypass the microcontroller processing delay.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated control signal pathway acts as an intermediary for real-time control, separate from the serial data connection. This intermediary pathway provides direct, low-latency communication for time-critical control signals while the serial connection handles configuration and monitoring.
3Manufacturing precision
If lighting systems are adapted for specific applications, then lighting performance is optimized, but system complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system uses dynamic configuration capabilities where standard lighting units can be programmatically adjusted to meet specific application requirements. This allows a single standardized hardware platform to adapt to different lighting scenarios through software control rather than requiring multiple specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes lighting performance by dynamically changing operational parameters such as intensity, duration, and spectral characteristics through centralized control. This parameter adjustment capability allows standardized lighting units to achieve application-specific performance without requiring custom hardware modifications.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
To enable flexible, reliable lighting for industrial image processing, it is provided that a lighting unit (2) with a lighting element (5) consisting of a number of light sources (6) receives a setpoint for the lighting from a lighting control unit (10) via a data bus, the lighting unit (2) detects a state variable (Z) of the lighting unit (2) and/or the environment of the lighting unit (2), and the lighting unit (2) independently and separately from the lighting control unit (10) adjusts the setpoint in a closed control loop by calculating a control variable for at least one light source (6) in the lighting unit (2) and setting it at the at least one light source (6).