AT13358U1 - Control of lamps via an AC supply voltage - Google Patents

Abstract

Operating device (6) for lighting means (7), wherein the operating device (6) has an input for an AC voltage to power supply, starting from the light source to be connected (7) are supplied with electrical power, and a control unit (15) in the operating device (6) is adapted to evaluate whether the voltage applied to the input is a bipolar AC voltage or a one-way rectified AC voltage, and to evaluate this evaluation as a control signal, in particular as a dimming signal for the lighting means (7), and wherein the control unit (15) is adapted, during the period of application of a one-way rectified AC voltage, to operate other components of the operating device (6) and / or electrical consumers to at least partially compensate for a reduced power supply during the period of disposable application rectified AC voltage to change.

Description

Austrian Patent Office AT13 358U1 2013-11-15

description

CONTROLLING LUMINAIRES FROM AC SUPPLY VOLTAGE

The invention relates to a method for influencing or changing at least one parameter of a mains AC voltage (AC voltage) operated light source, in particular a retrofit LED lamp, by means of control information, or a parameter of an operating device for such a light source.

For the transmission of control information for dimming luminaires, there are different approaches, such as e.g. Powerline techniques, phase angle encoding techniques, short-term "double thick", radio controls, etc.

For several years, it has been mainly due to energy-saving reasons to replace the hitherto mainly used incandescent lamps with new types of lamps, in particular by LED lamps, preferably by retrofitting LED lamps.

Under retrofit LED lamps are lamps that use one or more LEDs as lighting, but are designed for mechanical and electrical connection such that they can be used as a substitute for other bulbs, such as. Incandescent or halogen lamps.

Retrofit lamps are provided with screw or bayonet sockets that match the versions developed for incandescent lamps.

However, this mechanical adjustment alone is not yet sufficient for the replacement. On the other hand, due to the different operation modes of incandescent lamps that process alternating half-waves with both polarities, on the one hand, and LEDs that are used in retrofit lamps and that are effective only on alternating half-waves of a certain polarity, on the other hand, electrical adjustment measures are required. The latter also relate in particular to the type of dimming.

For lighting systems with conventional incandescent largely Phasenanschnittsdimmer have prevailed, especially because they work largely lossless. However, the latter is not the case when operating with LEDs. To limit the power losses, a considerable additional circuit complexity is required.

Overall, therefore, it should be noted that the use of Phasenanschnittsdimmern for dimming of LEDs is not an ideal solution.

From DE 10 2011 003 593 a way is known how a signal transmission can be made to an electric bulb supplied with AC voltage: [0010] The signal transmission to a light source, or an operating device of a light source, takes place thereby in that the signal states are "rectified AC voltage". and "non-rectified, that is, bipolar AC voltage " be evaluated. The polarity of the rectified AC voltage can also be determined.

Based on these logic states, analog or digital signal protocols can be implemented. Analogously, for example, an evaluation by a control unit in the operating device of the luminous means, e.g. with regard to the duration and / or a repetition rate of the respective logical state. An example of such an evaluation is shown schematically in FIG. These protocols may be addressed or unaddressed. In the case of addressing, data or signals may be part of the protocol.

The AC line voltage, which must be supplied to the operating device anyway for its operation, is thus modified so that it contains the control information for influencing or changing at least one parameter of the lighting means, in particular a retrofit LED lamp. This is achieved by changing the polarity of selected mains half-waves, more precisely, by reversing them. Preferably, in a sequence of voltage half-waves, the polarity of every other mains half-wave is reversed so that the sequence consists only of mains half-waves of the same polarity. So it forms a pulsating DC voltage in this phase.

By determining the number of mains half-waves in the said sequence or the total time length thereof, the control information can be modified by the control unit in the operating device. For example, the number of successive mains voltage half-waves of the same polarity or their total time length can be a measure of a degree of dimming.

Additional information is in the polarity of the modified mains voltage half-waves, which can be selected positive or negative. The polarity of a sequence of mains voltage half waves of the same polarity can for example define a dimming direction or a dimming speed. A predetermined sequence of polarities of mains voltage half-waves can for example trigger a predetermined dimming jump. It is understood that the lighting means must have corresponding means to evaluate the control information.

From DE 10 2011 089 821 it is known that the method described above can also be used in circuits in which only the phase conductor geschal-tet / accessible, the neutral conductor but not.

In this case, the changeover switch is omitted. Instead, one half-wave is faded out or filtered out (see pulsating DC voltage Ua in Fig. 2 below, resulting from the one-way rectified AC voltage Ue).

The temporary hiding of individual half waves of a certain polarity is detected by the lighting means, in particular the operating device of a retrofit LED lamp, and interpreted as meaning that e.g. an adjustment of the brightness, but e.g. Also, the color temperature and / or color of the LEDs to be operated should be made.

In the circuit of Fig. 3, e.g. in a phase conductor light source neutral conductor (neutral earth corresponds) circuit on the phase side of the bulb an actuator, preferably a dimming button and a switch (power switch) provided in series. Parallel to the actuating element, a diode is connected, which can be selectively bridged by the actuating element.

In Fig. 3, the AC voltage (AC voltage) is applied to a lighting means, e.g. an LED module or a so-called retrofit LED lamp, fed via a phase conductor. The light source is powered by the phase conductor. It is understood, of course, that the lighting means may be an LED module or an LED track and in particular is a retrofit LED lamp.

If the diode is bridged by the actuating element, the lamp is supplied with an AC voltage with half-waves of alternating polarity. This is e.g. shown in Fig. 4 above. If, for example, by actuation of the actuator, the bridging canceled, e.g. by depressing the actuating member against a force of a spring (not shown) and opening a contact pair Ta1 / Ta2, only a supply of half-waves of one polarity, for example positive polarity (as shown for example in Fig. 4 below), is effected depending on the forward direction or orientation of the diode. After resetting the actuator, e.g. after a release of the actuating element, and a closing of the contact pair Ta1 / Ta2, the lighting means are again supplied to the AC voltage half-waves with the polarity predetermined by the network, ie with alternating polarity (see Fig. 4 above).

There is now the problem that by hiding individual half-waves of a certain polarity, the power provided to the device is temporarily reduced, but nevertheless the desired function, e.g. dimming, with no apparent deviation from behavior, as would be the case with fully available power. This problem is now solved by the combination of the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims further advantageously form the central idea of the invention.

In one aspect, the invention therefore provides an operating device for lighting means, wherein the operating device has an input for an AC voltage to power supply, starting from the light source to be connected with electrical power can be supplied, and a control unit is set up in the operating device thereto to evaluate whether the voltage applied to the input is a bipolar AC voltage or a one-way rectified AC voltage, and to evaluate this evaluation as a control signal, in particular as a dimming signal for the lighting means, and wherein the control unit is adapted during the time period the concern of a one-way rectified AC voltage to alter the operation of other components of the operating device and / or electrical loads for at least partially compensating for a reduced power supply during the period of application of the one-way rectified AC voltage.

The control unit may alter the operation of an active clocked power factor correction (PFC) circuit of the operating device during the time period.

The component / the consumer may be at least one fan, a status LED and / or a sensor.

The control unit can control the control of components of the operating device, e.g. the LEDs of the bulb, change, e.g. to a more energy-efficient control / regulation of the components.

The control unit may change the control / regulation of the color temperature of the LEDs of the luminous means from a mode in which the color temperature is e.g. is set to a mode in which the color temperature adjustment is made more energy efficient.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for controlling a lighting device, wherein the operating device is supplied with a one-way rectified AC voltage for generating control information, wherein a control unit evaluates whether the applied voltage is a bipolar AC voltage. Voltage or a half-wave rectified AC voltage, and evaluates this evaluation as a control signal, in particular as a dimming signal for the lamps, and wherein the control unit during the period of concern of a one-way rectified AC voltage, the operation of other components of the operating device and / or electrical Consumers for at least partially compensating for a reduced power supply during the duration of the application of the half-wave rectified AC voltage.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a lamp, in particular a LED retrofit lamp, with an operating device as described above.

Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 shows an evaluation of different types of voltage.

2 shows by way of example an AC voltage and a one-way rectified (pulsating)

DC.

Fig. 3 shows schematically an embodiment of a circuit arrangement.

Fig. 4 shows a possible course for the AC voltage and resulting voltage half-waves.

FIG. 5 an external switch / pushbutton and a retrofit LED lamp to be operated with an operating device. [0036] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a retrofit LED lamp according to FIG. 5.

In general, the AC voltage termination is the only interface of the operating device of the luminous means, as is the case, for example, with bulb sockets.

The switch and the actuator can be connected to the operating device or integrated in this and accessible from the outside.

The definable with the actuator temporal total length of the sequence of voltage halfwaves with the same polarity determines the degree of influence or the change of a parameter for the operation of the lamp. The parameter is in particular the dimming level or the brightness of a retrofit LED lamp. Thus, e.g. be evaluated by the operating device of the retrofit LED lamp that is continuously or gradually changed with increasing length of the operating parameters. Additionally or alternatively, e.g. also the color and / or color temperature can be changed.

Another possibility for transmitting additional control information is that the sequence of mains half-waves is repeated with the same polarity, with a certain repetition rate.

The actuator is only as an example of a signal generator of manu-ell / automatically actuated (eg., A switch, button, rotary dimmer, etc.) or non-manual control signals supplied to an interface or generates these themselves (eg. Sensor, such as. Daylight sensor, color sensor, etc.). It can also be used a relay, which is triggered for example by a button. A signal for performing an action can also be transmitted electronically to the signal generator.

The signal generator is therefore designed in principle to selectively selectively rectify a supplied bipolar alternating voltage, which it further grids as a supply voltage to one or more operating devices, so that it can be made to be a one-way rectifier.

In the lighting means, e.g. a retrofit LED lamp, or in the operating device, a control unit is provided, which is realized by an evaluation electronics (for example, microcontroller and / or ASIC). The control unit may thus have the states "regular AC supply voltage". or "one-way rectified AC voltage " and, if appropriate, also detect the polarity of the rectification, in order then to continue, on the one hand, to further loop the AC voltage to the power supply and, on the other hand, to generate a control signal as a function of the detected signal state. Preferably, this control signal is a dimming signal.

In the case of rectification, for example, upward and downward dimming may be carried out cyclically during the rectification until the user stops the manual actuation and thus the one-way rectification again. In particular, the duration of the rectification can also be evaluated. The simplest state, as stated above, is cyclical up and down dimming for the duration of the rectification. Moreover, a short period of one-way rectification could mean a first signal state and a longer one-way rectification period a second signal state.

Now, if the lamp is operated with a one-way rectified AC voltage, so only only a second half-wave of a polarity is transmitted to the light source during a limited time, so in this phase, a dimming value can be changed and it can, for. up / down dimming ("switch dimming"). This can also be done depending on a previous dimming operation, e.g. depending on whether a previous up / down dimming took place. In the case of a subsequent dimming process, dimming in the opposite dimming direction (dimming down / upwards) can then be carried out accordingly. In this case, the one-way rectified AC voltage is applied to the lamp only for a short time, e.g. a few seconds.

If, however, e.g. a one-way rectification is automatically triggered, for example by a sensor, e.g. in an arrangement in which for several lamps simultaneously a 4/11 Austrian Patent Office AT13 358U1 2013-11-15

Dimming value is to be changed, the one-way rectified AC voltage with half-waves of one polarity can also be applied to the bulbs for a longer time, e.g. about one or more minutes. For example, in a corridor / passage, the bulbs may be dimmed until an event is detected by a sensor, e.g. a movement and / or light sensor, is registered, and the lighting means are then to provide increased light output, the dimming value is thus changed accordingly.

The opposite case is also conceivable if e.g. In response to an event (for example, an acoustic signal), a dimmed operation is to take place, that is to say the emitted light power is to be reduced thereupon.

In the one-way rectification of the AC voltage and the concern of half-waves of only one polarity, however, the power delivered to the light source is reduced. Strictly speaking, the hiding of the half-waves of a certain polarity means that in this period the power provided by the supply voltage drops to approximately 60-80%, in particular 71%. In one example, the reduction is calculated as - ^ »0.707» 0.71-71%. In addition, phases occur in which the voltage supplied to the operating device is zero, which can lead to problems in the following switching operations. For example, For example, an up-converter / boost converter can no longer detect the zero crossings and go into an error or timeout mode.

In order to counteract this, the invention now makes use of the fact that the presence of a one-way rectified AC voltage with half-waves of one polarity in the operating device of the luminous means can be detected by the control unit.

If the presence of such a one-way rectified AC voltage is detected, the control unit changes operating parameters of the operating device in order to reduce the power consumption of the operating device or the lighting device. It is then important in most cases that the light output is changed only to the extent that it corresponds to the desired value change, e.g. the dimming value change, but without falling to the reduced applied power.

The control unit therefore changes e.g. now also the behavior of the rectifier or the power factor correction circuit (PFC).

It should be noted that due to the fact that is available only over the period of non-filtered half-waves power, the behavior of the operating device must be adjusted so that the power consumption is still high enough to the light source in to operate the desired manner and that the light source the expected behavior, eg shows the expected reduction / increase in light output when dimming.

This means that in the period of reduced supply voltage from the available half-waves of the one-way rectified AC supply voltage increased power must be tapped. However, since this period is limited, it is possible to restrict the function of the PFC in this period or to turn it off completely. That specifically, that the actual function of the PFC, namely the power factor correction, at least partially abandoned. We accepted that the power factor correction worsened.

This is possible because the task of the PFC is primarily to ensure a sinusoidal current consumption. For the period in which half-waves of a certain polarity are hidden, but can be dispensed with.

A further possibility, which can also be used in combination with the abovementioned, consists in temporarily deactivating additional functions of the operating device or of the light source of the light source in order to increase energy consumption restrict.

Operating devices for operating LEDs have e.g. often fan on, which serve to dissipate the heat occurring. To reduce the energy consumption, such a fan or possibly several fans can be temporarily disabled.

Another additional or alternative way of temporarily reducing energy consumption is to disable any existing sensors. This can e.g. Movement, light, smoke and / or sensors for acoustic signals.

Also, it would be alternatively or additionally conceivable, in arrangements of LEDs that allow control or regulation of the color temperature to waive an exact regulation in the period, and instead to choose a more energy-efficient control of the LEDs. Although this will possibly not exactly the desired color temperature is reached, but the desired brightness can be achieved.

In general, the control unit thus changes operating parameters of the operating device, or the regulation / control of components of the operating device and / or of the lighting means, so that the power consumption of those components of the operating device is reduced, not directly for operating the at least one light source Responsible for lighting.

Any existing components for communicating with sensors or other units could also be temporarily disabled.

It is also to be understood that the invention can be used in addition to the embodiments shown always when only half-waves of a polarity are supplied to the lighting means, or when, for example, during e.g. a dimming operation, only a reduced power is provided to the operating device of the retrofit lamp.

In the following, an application of the invention to the field of retrofit LED lamps is described by way of example. As has already been described, efforts are being made to replace the incandescent lamps and the phase control dimmers in existing lighting systems as far as possible without additional circuit complexity by retrofitting LED lamps and matching switching arrangements. This is possible if the housing of the operating equipment externally the same dimensions as that of the Phasenanschnittsimmer, and if the button T and the power switch S are accessible from the outside. A change of the wire installation is then usually unnecessary.

Fig. 5 also shows the basic structure of a retrofit LED lamp. This consists of a screw base 2 and a glass bulb 3. The screw base 2 is suitable for a socket of a corresponding light bulb, which is to be replaced by the retrofit LED lamp. The metal screw thread and the end pole form connection contacts, via which the retrofit LED lamp from a switching arrangement 1, the AC half-waves are supplied. The arrow 9 indicates that and how the alternating voltage half-waves are forwarded to an operating device 6 located in the lamp. This will be explained in more detail later in connection with FIG. 6. The operating device 6 generates a DC voltage which - as indicated by the arrow 10 - is supplied to an LED module 7, on which sit the light emitting LEDs 8.

The somewhat more detailed but still schematically illustrated in FIG. 6 operating device 6 includes an AC / DC converter 11 with PFC, a DC / DC converter 12 and a polarity sensor 13, which are supplied from the switching device 1, the mains half-waves , In a first phase, the AC / DC converter 11 rectifies the mains voltage half-waves of alternating polarity and supplies a pulsating DC voltage consisting of sinusoidal mains half-waves of the same polarity to the DC / DC converter 12. This reduces the DC voltage to a value suitable for the LEDs 8 and supplies them to the LED module 7 on which the LEDs 8 are seated.

However, when the switching device 1 supplies a series of mains half-waves of the same polarity to the operating device 6 in a second phase, they become equal to the DC / DC converter 12 recycled. More importantly, however, the polarity sensor 13 determines that the device supplies mains half-waves of similar polarity and polarity.

The polarity sensor 13 reports this, e.g. a timing device 14, which measures the total time length of this phase. The measurement result is transmitted to a control unit 15, which generates a dimming signal therefrom. This is fed to the DC / DC converter 12, whose output signal is varied accordingly. The brightness of the retrofit LED lamp accordingly corresponds to the number of recognized in terms of their polarity mains voltage half-waves or their total time length. This can be connected to the switching device 1 e.g. be set by pressing the T button for a short or long time.

The control unit 15 is also functionally connected to the AC / DC converter 11 in FIG. If one-way rectification with half-waves of one polarity is detected, the control unit 15 increases, for example, the tone time of the PFC of the AC / DC converter 11 so as to absorb more power from the available half-waves.

By way of example, it is also shown that the control unit 15 can also drive other components in order to reduce the power consumption of the retrofit lamp. For example, a fan 16 and / or a sensor can be controlled by the control unit 15 accordingly. The fan 16 and / or the sensor can then be deactivated for a certain time.

However, the operating device can also be mounted outside the lamp body. Thus, e.g. A control gear can be used for several retrofit lamps. 7/11

Claims (11)

Austrian Patent Office AT 13 358 U1 2013-11-15 Claims 1. Operating device (6) for lighting means (7), wherein: - the operating device (6) has an input for an AC voltage to power supply, starting from the light source (7 ) are supplied with electrical power, and - a control unit (15) in the operating device (6) is adapted to evaluate whether the voltage applied to the input is a bipolar AC voltage or a one-way rectified AC voltage, and this Evaluate evaluation as a control signal, in particular as a dimming signal for the lighting means (7), and wherein - the control unit (15) is adapted, during the period of concern of a disposable rectified AC voltage, the operation of other components of the operating device and / or electrical Consumers for at least partially compensating for a reduced power supply during the period of application of the disposable rectified AC Change tension. 2. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (15) changes an operation of a power factor correction circuit of the operating device (6) during the period. 3. Operating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component / the consumer is at least a fan, a status LED and / or a sensor. 4. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (15) the control / regulation of components of the operating device, e.g. the LEDs (8) of the luminous means (7), changed, to a more energy-efficient control / regulation of the components. 5. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (15) the control / regulation of the color temperature of the LEDs (8) of the lighting means (7) changed from a mode in which the color temperature, for. is set to a mode in which the color temperature adjustment is made more energy efficient. 6. A method for controlling an operating device for lighting means, wherein the operating device (6) a one-way rectified AC voltage for generating control information is supplied, wherein a control unit (15) evaluates whether the applied voltage is a bipolar AC voltage or a disposable rectified AC voltage, and evaluates this evaluation as a control signal, in particular as a dimming signal for the lighting means (7), and wherein the control unit (15) during the period of concern of a half-wave rectified AC voltage, the operation of other components of the operating device (6 ) and / or electrical loads for at least partially compensating for a reduced power supply during the period of application of the half-wave rectified AC voltage. The method of claim 6, wherein the control unit (15) alters operation of a power factor correction circuit of the operating device (6) during the time period. 8. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein the component / the consumer is at least one fan (16), a status LED and / or a sensor. 9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the control unit (15) the control / regulation of components of the operating device (6), e.g. the LEDs (8) of the luminous means (7), changed, to a more energy-efficient control / regulation of the components. 10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the control unit (15) changes the control / regulation of the color temperature of the LEDs (8) of the lighting means (7) from a mode in which the color temperature is e.g. is set to a mode in which the color temperature adjustment is made more energy efficient. 11. Lamp (L), in particular a LED retrofit lamp, with an operating device (6) according to claim 1. For this 3-sheet drawings 8/11