WO2009017353A2

WO2009017353A2 - Smart illumination device

Info

Publication number: WO2009017353A2
Application number: PCT/KR2008/004414
Authority: WO
Inventors: Song-Tae Kim
Original assignee: Song-Tae Kim
Priority date: 2007-07-30
Filing date: 2008-07-29
Publication date: 2009-02-05
Also published as: KR20090012550A; WO2009017353A3; KR100922313B1

Abstract

Provided is a lighting apparatus, more particularly, an intelligent lighting apparatus for saving energy. The intelligent lighting apparatus for saving energy, includes: an instruction input unit receiving a manipulation signal; a plurality of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) groups, each group including a plurality of LEDs; a plurality of switches each supplying a supply voltage to each LED group or preventing the supply voltage from being supplied to the LED group; and a controller individually controlling turn-on and turn-off operations of the plurality of switches according to the manipulation signal.

Description

SMART ILLUMINATION DEVICE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus, and more particularly, to an energy-saving type intelligent lighting apparatus. Background Art

[2] Due to increasing demands for energy saving, technologies of adjusting the brightness of electric bulbs, instead of controlling only the on/off operations of the electric bulbs, have being developed. For example, a technique of adjusting a supply voltage to control the brightness of electric bulbs has been proposed. The technique is to supply different powers of 5 W, 10W, 30W, etc. to an electric bulb to adjust the brightness of the electric bulb. However, since the operating power of an electric bulb is set in advance upon manufacturing it, changing the brightness of the electric bulb carries replacing the electric bulb with another one having different operating power.

[3] In particular, in the case of streetlamps, the streetlamps are collectively turned on/off, allowing simple manipulations, such as setting a turned-on time thereof long in summer and short in winter. Such a control method is aimed at convenience in management rather than at energy efficiency. Also, in order to simplify the control of streetlamps, a remote controller can be used to control the steetlamps. In this case, streetlamps built in a specific region or a single streetlamp can be controlled using the remote controller. Accordingly, it is possible to selectively turn on/off streetlamps, however, there is inconvenient that a manager should manage the turn-on and turn-off operations of the streetlamps. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[4] Accordingly, the present invention provides a lighting apparatus which brightness can be adjusted automatically.

[5] Also, the present invention provides a lighting apparatus which can self-diagnose performance and notify the result of the diagnosis to allow prompt repair.

[6] Also, the present invention provides a method of easily adjusting the brightness of a lighting apparatus such as a streetlamp. Technical Solution

[7] According to an aspect, there is provided an intelligent lighting apparatus including a plurality of LED groups, each including a plurality of LEDs, and a plurality of switches for supplying power to the respective LED groups or for preventing the power from being supplied to the respective LED groups to individually control the turn-on and turn-off operations of the switches according to a manipulation signal.

[8] According to another aspect, there is provided an intelligent lighting apparatus which stores a user-defined program and controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of switches according to the user-defined program.

[9] According to another aspect, there is provided an intelligent lighting apparatus which determines whether an inherent ID of a group to which the intelligent lighting apparatus belongs is equal to ID information included in received data, and performs the corresponding instruction included in the received data when the inherent ID is equal to the ID information included in the received data.

[10] Therefore, according to the present invention, since the operation of the lighting apparatus, for example, a streetlamp is monitored through a web camera installed therein and the result of the monitoring is received in real time through a remote terminal, prompt action through remote control is possible when the streetlamp operates wrongly or when components in the streetlamp are out of order.

Advantageous Effects

[11] Therefore, by providing an intelligent lighting apparatus whose brightness can be adjusted, energy saving is possible.

[12] Also, a manager can set the turn-on and turn-off times and brightness levels of a lamp in advance so that the lamp can be turned on or off with a desired brightness. Also, it is possible to automatically control the brightness of a lighting apparatus according to a peripheral environment by sensing the luminance of the peripheral environment.

[13] Also, since a plurality of lighting apparatuses are divided into several groups and managed for each group, it is possible to efficiently manage a large number of lighting apparatuses such as streetlamps.

[14] Furthermore, since the operation of a lighting apparatus, for example, a streetlamp can be monitored through a web camera installed therein and a remote terminal can receive the result of the monitoring in real time, prompt action is possible when the streetlamp operates wrongly or when components in the streetlamp are out of order. Also, since remote control of streetlamps is possible through a wireless communication terminal, prompt repair is possible when the streetlamps are out of order, and manpower required for management can be reduced. Brief Description of the Drawings

[15] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. [16] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a lighting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[17] FIG. 2 shows an example of a user-defined program used in the lighting apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

[18] FIG. 3 is a view showing the outer appearance of the lighting apparatus illustrated in

FIG. l; and

[19] FIG. 4 shows the construction of a streetlamp system where a plurality of lighting apparatuses are communicated with each other. Mode for the Invention

[20] The invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure is thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numbers in the drawings denote like elements.

[21] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a lighting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the lighting apparatus includes an instruction input unit 100 for receiving a manipulation signal, a plurality of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) groups, each including a plurality of LEDs, a plurality of switches 120 for supplying a supply voltage to each LED group 110 or for preventing the supply voltage from being supplied to each LED group 110, and a controller 130 for individually controlling the turn-on and turn-off operations of each switch 120 according to the manipulation signal.

[22] The instruction input unit 100 receives a manipulation signal from a user. The manipulation signal may be information regarding an instruction for turning on or off the lighting apparatus or regarding the brightness setting of the lighting apparatus. In the current embodiment, the instruction input unit 100 may be implemented as a manipulation key or as a remote control receiver for receiving a signal from a remote controller. That is, the instruction input unit 100 may be a Zigbee, Bluetooth, a device for Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication such as Near Field Communication (NFC), etc.

[23] The LED group 110 includes at least one LED. The lighting apparatus according to the current embodiment may include at least two LED groups.

[24] Each switch 120 may have a construction which can control a supply voltage that is to be supplied to the corresponding LED group 110. For example, the switch 120 is a well-known switching device or a transistor. In the current embodiment, the LED groups 110 correspond respectively to the switches 120.

[25] The controller 130 may be a microprocessor chip. In the current embodiment, the controller 130 individually controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of the switches 120 according to the manipulation signal which is received from the instruction input unit 100. For example, when a signal of maximum brightness is received, all switches 120 included in the lighting apparatus are turned on. In this case, LEDs included in all the LED groups 110 of the lighting apparatus emit light, so that the brightness of the lighting apparatus becomes maximum. When a signal of middle brightness is received, three switches among, for example, five switches 120 can be turned on and the remaining two switches can be turned off.

[26] The lighting apparatus may further include a storage unit 160 for storing a user- defined program. In this case, the controller 130 controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of the switches 120 according to the user-defined program. Also, the controller 130 can control the turn-on and turn-off operations of the switches 120 according to a reservation time set by the user-defined program.

[27] The storage unit 160 may be a general data storage device, for example, a flash memory in which content can be freely edited. FIG. 2 shows an example of the user- defined program. As shown in FIG. 2, the on/off states of each LED group (110 in FIG. 1) can be set at regular time intervals. However, the user-defined program can be modified in various ways, for example, an user-defined program for setting the brightness levels of each LED group 110 at regular time intervals can be provided. Again returning to FIG. 1, the controller 130 controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of the switches 120 for each LED group, according to the user-defined program which is set and stored in advance as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[28] Accordingly, the brightness of streetlamps can be set in advance according to weather conditions, and the brightness of home lighting products can be set in advance at regular time intervals according to a user s life pattern. Therefore, it is possible to automatically control the turn-on and turn-off operations and brightness levels of various lighting apparatuses, and as a result save energy.

[29] Additionally, the lighting apparatus further includes a luminance sensor 150 for sensing the luminance of a peripheral environment, and the controller 130 controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of the switches 120 on the basis of a luminance value sensed by the luminance sensor 150.

[30] Therefore, a large number of the LED groups 110 are turned on when the sensed luminance value is great, and a small number of the LED groups 110 are turned on when the sensed luminance value is small. Also, an embodiment of gradually increasing the number of the LED groups 110 to be turned on as the peripheral en- vironment become darker is possible. As such, since the lighting apparatus responds immediately to the luminance of the peripheral environment, intelligent lighting management is possible without the control by a manager.

[31] FIG. 3 is a view showing the outer appearance of the lighting apparatus illustrated in

FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the lighting apparatus includes a housing 300, the LED groups 110 connected to one end of the housing 300, and a coupling unit 310 connected to the other end of the housing 300 and detachably fixing the housing 300 to the lighting apparatus. The housing 300 includes the instruction input unit 100 for receiving a manipulation signal, the plurality of switches 130 for supplying a supply voltage to the respective LED groups 110 or for preventing the supply voltage from being supplied to the respective LED groups 110, and the controller 130 for individually controlling the turn-on and turn-off operations of the switches 120 according to the manipulation signal.

[32] In the housing 300, the switches 120, the instruction input unit 100, and the controller 130 are integrated into one body. The constructions of switches 120, the instruction input unit 100, and the controller 130 have been described above with reference to FIG. 1, and therefore detailed descriptions therefor are omitted.

[33] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the coupling unit 310 can be coupled with the lighting apparatus and connected to a power supply by being inserted into the lighting apparatus through rotation. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[34] Again returning to FIG. 1, the lighting apparatus can further include a communication unit 170 which can communicate with an external device, and the controller 130 can further include an instruction selecting unit 132 for extracting ID information from received data, comparing the ID information with inherent ID information of the lighting apparatus, and selecting an instruction included in the received data when the extracted ID information is equal to the inherent ID inform ation to control the operation of the lighting apparatus according to the instruction.

[35] The communication unit 170 can transmit data to a remote terminal through a communication network, and also receive a remote control signal from the remote terminal. For example, the communication network may be an Internet network which is managed by a network operator. In the current embodiment, the communication unit 170 may be an Internet module. The communication unit 170 includes a hardware or software for Internet communications. For example, the communication unit 170 performs communications through a protocol such as HTTP or TCP/IP.

[36] However, the communication unit 170 can also perform power line communication

(PLC), wireless communication, Radio Frequency (RF) communication, satellite communication, communication though a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), etc. For example, the communication unit 170 is an RFID reader for recognizing RF tags. In the current embodiment, the instruction input unit 100 can receive a manipulation signal wirelessly through the communication unit 170. Accordingly, a manager can adjust the turn-on and turn-off times and brightness levels of the lighting apparatus in a remote area. Also, the communication unit 170 can function as an access point (AP).

[37] The instruction selecting unit 132 compares ID included in data received through the communication unit 170 with inherent ID of the lighting apparatus, and receives the received data selectively when the ID included in the received data is equal to the inherent ID. The inherent ID may be a group ID of a group to which the lighting apparatus belongs. Accordingly, by grouping a predetermined number of lighting apparatuses such as streetlamps built in a specific region into a plurality of groups and allocating different IDs to the respective groups, remote control for each group in a remote area is possible. For example, it is possible to turn on streetlamps alternately in a unfrequented region at dawn.

[38] FIG. 4 shows the construction of a streetlamp system where a plurality of lighting apparatuses are communicated with each other.

[39] As illustrated in FIG. 4, streetlamps are grouped alternately into two groups A and B, and different group IDs are allocated respectively to the groups A and B. When a manager in a remote place transmits a turn-off instruction including ID information regarding the group A, streetlamps belonging to the group A are turned off in response to the turn-off instruction and streetlamps belonging to the group B are maintained turned-on. Accordingly, energy saving is possible and energy management is facilitated.

[40] Again returning to FIG. 1, the controller 130 further includes a communication relay

134 for returning a part of data received from an external device through the communication unit 170, to the external device, through the communication unit 170. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, communications between the lighting apparatuses are possible. A transmission/reception unit of the communication unit 170 can be configured asymmetrically. The streetlamps, that is, lighting apparatuses can function as masters and slaves.

[41] In the current embodiment, a master lighting apparatus can communicate with a remote terminal, and a plurality of slave lighting apparatuses can receive a control signal from the master lighting apparatus, or transmit signals about the conditions of the slave lighting apparatuses to the master lighting apparatus. For example, a communication relay of the master lighting apparatus collects, analyzes and stores data received from the slave lighting apparatuses, and then transmits the data to the remote terminal. Also, a communication relay of a slave lighting apparatus transmits the received data to a next slave lighting apparatus or to the master lighting apparatus. [42] In the current embodiment, a communication unit between the remote terminal and the master lighting apparatus can also perform power line communication (PLC), wireless communication, Radio Frequency (RF) communication, satellite communication, communication though a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), etc.

[43] Also, the communication unit can further include a NFC unit for performing NFC.

Accordingly, NFC between a master lighting apparatus and a slave lighting apparatus or NFC between slave lighting apparatuses is possible. For example, a well-known NFC technology, such as a Zigbee and Bluetooth, can be used. However, the preset invention is not limited to these, and various wired or wireless communication networks can be used.

[44] Additionally, returning to FIG. 1, in the lighting apparatus, the controller 130 further includes a remote controller 138 for controlling the operation of the lighting apparatus according to an instruction selected by the instruction selecting unit 132, sensing the operating state of the lighting apparatus, and transmitting the result of the sensing to the outside through the communication unit 170.

[45] Also, the remote controller 138 can sense the operating state of the lighting apparatus through a separate temperature sensor or through a separate electric leakage sensor. Also, the remote controller 138 detects the current, voltage, temperature, luminance, etc. of the lighting apparatus, and transmits the detected values to another lighting apparatus or a remote terminal through the communication unit 170. According to an embodiment, the controller 138 transmits a signal about the conditions of the lighting apparatus to a remote terminal through the communication unit 170, and prevents a su pply voltage from being supplied to the lighting apparatus when a leakage current or operating temperature exceeds a predetermined value. This allows a remote terminal to promptly recognize the current states of streetlamps, the turn-on/off states of LEDs, occurrence of an electric leakage, failures of components, etc., thereby avoiding troubles caused by such an electric leakage or overheating. Also, the remote controller 138 can control the respective components of the controller 130 according to a control signal received from a remote terminal. Also, since remote control of streetlamps is possible through a wireless communication terminal, prompt repair of the streetlamps is possible when the streetlamps are out of order and manpower required for management can be reduced.

[46] According to another embodiment, the lighting apparatus further includes a camera

180, and the controller 130 further includes an image monitoring controller 136 for controlling the operation of the camera 180. The camera 180 can be installed in the lighting apparatus, and positioned at a location suitable to photograph the surroundings of the lighting apparatus. In the current embodiment, the camera 180 includes a web server therein, and may be a web camera which allows image access or remote control through an external computer. The web server is used to transmit an image shown on the screen of the camera 180 to an Internet homepage and monitor a remote object in real time through the Internet homepage. Accordingly, a remote terminal can monitor the surroundings of streetlamps in real time. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various techniques capable of monitoring an image to be captured in real time can be used. The image monitoring controller 136 controls the operation (for example, pan/tilt, zooming, contrast, etc.) of the camera 180.

[47] In the current embodiment, components, such as the switch 120, the instruction input unit 100, and the controller 130, which are constructed as circuits, can be installed in the lighting apparatus. For example, the components can be removably installed in predetermined locations of the lighting apparatus. In the case of a streetlamp which is exposed to the outside, the components are disposed in a housing for protecting them from the outside environment in order to prevent circuital loss from occurring due to environmental factors. Industrial Applicability

[48] As described above, the lighting apparatus according to the present invention can be implemented as a lamp, such as a street lamp, which is utilized at homes or at industry fields.

Claims

[1] An intelligent lighting apparatus for saving energy, comprising: an instruction input unit receiving a manipulation signal; a plurality of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) groups, each group including a plurality of LEDs; a plurality of switches each supplying a supply voltage to a corresponding LED group or preventing the supply voltage from being supplied to the LED group; and a controller individually controlling turn-on and turn-off operations of the plurality of switches according to the manipulation signal.

[2] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a storage unit storing a user-defined program, wherein the controller controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of the plurality of switches according to the user-defined program.

[3] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of the plurality of switches according to a reservation time set by the user-defined program.

[4] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a luminance sensor sensing luminance of a peripheral environment of the lighting apparatus, wherein the controller controls the turn-on and turn-off operations of the plurality of switches according to the sensed luminance.

[5] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit capable of communicating with an external device, wherein the controller extracts ID information from received data, compares the ID information with inherent ID information of the lighting apparatus, and controls operation of the lighting apparatus according to an instruction included in the received data when the extracted ID information is equal to the inherent ID information of the lighting apparatus.

[6] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller further comprises a communication relay for transmitting at least one part of data received from the external device through the communication unit, to the external device, through the communication unit.

[7] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the communication unit comprises a near field communication (NFC) unit for performing NFC with another lightig apparatus.

[8] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller further comprises a remote controller for controlling operation of the lighting apparatus according to an instruction selected by the instruction selecting unit, sensing an operating state of the lighting apparatus, and transmitting the result of the sensing to the external device through the communication unit. [9] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a camera unit, wherein the controller comprises an image monitoring controller for controlling operation of the camera. [10] The intelligent lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a housing whose one end is connected to the plurality of LED groups, in which the instruction input unit, the plurality of switches, and the controller are installed; and a coupling unit connected to the other end of the housing and detachably fixing the housing to the lighting apparatus.