Disclosure of Invention
The invention aims to provide a light string unit and an LED cascading system which can solve the technical problems.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light string unit including a first data channel and a second data channel for transmitting data signals, respectively; the driving module is located in the first data channel, the through module is located in the second data channel, and the driving module drives the LED lamps according to data signals transmitted by the first data channel.
Preferably, the first data channel further comprises: a first port connected to an input of the driving module and receiving the data signal; and a second port connected to an output terminal of the driving module and transmitting the data signal.
Preferably, the input end and the output end of the driving module are respectively adaptive bidirectional ports, and are automatically configured as input ends when receiving the data signals and as output ends when transmitting the data signals.
Preferably, the second data channel further comprises: the third port is connected to the input end of the through module; and a fourth port connected to an output of the pass-through module.
Preferably, the pass-through module directly forwards the data signal.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an LED cascade system, the LED cascade system comprising a control terminal; and a plurality of light string units comprising: a first data channel and a second data channel for transmitting data signals, respectively; the driving module is located in the first data channel, the through module is located in the second data channel, the plurality of light string units receive the data signals from the control end and transmit the data signals in a forward cascade mode, the first data channel of the ith light string unit is connected with the second data channel of the (i+1) th light string unit, the second data channel of the ith light string unit is connected with the first data channel of the (i+1) th light string unit, and the driving module drives the plurality of LED lamps according to the data signals transmitted by the first data channel, wherein i is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
Preferably, a first stage light string unit of the plurality of light string units is connected with the control terminal so as to obtain two parallel data signals.
Preferably, the first data channel and the second data channel of a last stage light string unit of the plurality of light string units form a loop, so that the data signal is reversely transmitted from the last stage light string unit.
Preferably, the first data channel of the i-th level light string unit is identical to the second data channel distribution of the i+1-th level light string unit, and the second data channel of the i-th level light string unit is identical to the first data channel distribution of the i+1-th level light string unit.
Preferably, the first data channel of the i-th level light string unit is identical to the first data channel distribution of the i+1-th level light string unit, and the second data channel of the i-th level light string unit is identical to the second data channel distribution of the i+1-th level light string unit.
Preferably, the first data channel includes a first port connected to an input of the driving module and receiving the data signal; and a second port connected to an output terminal of the driving module and transmitting the data signal.
Preferably, the input end and the output end of the driving module are respectively adaptive bidirectional ports, and are automatically configured as input ends when receiving the data signals and as output ends when transmitting the data signals.
Preferably, the second data channel includes: the third port is connected to the input end of the through module; and a fourth port connected to an output of the pass-through module.
Preferably, the pass-through module directly forwards the data signal.
Preferably, the LED cascade system is one selected from the group consisting of an LED lighting system and an LED display system.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data transmission method applied to the above LED cascade system, including: the control end outputs two paths of parallel data signals to the LED cascade system; and the first path of data signal is used for transmitting the data signal to the LED cascade system in the forward direction through the first data channel of the first-stage light string unit of the LED cascade system, the second path of data signal is used for transmitting the data signal to the LED cascade system in the forward direction through the second data channel of the first-stage light string unit of the LED cascade system, and when the transmission of the first path of data signal or the second path of data signal is interrupted, the other path of data signal is used for transmitting the data signal in the reverse direction from the last-stage light string unit.
The light string unit adopts two independent data channels to carry out redundant data transmission, and the communication ports arranged on the two opposite sides of the data channels are symmetrically designed, so that the wiring complexity is reduced. The multiple light string units are cascaded to form a loop, so that the LED cascading system can perform reverse data transmission, the data transmission is more flexible, and the system reliability and the LED display effect are improved.
Detailed Description
The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like elements are denoted by like reference numerals throughout the various figures. For clarity, the various elements in the figures are not drawn to scale. Furthermore, some well-known portions may not be shown.
Numerous specific details of the invention are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.
The invention may be presented in a variety of forms, some of which are described below.
Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing an internal structure of the light string unit of the present invention. The light string unit 20 includes a first data channel and a second data channel, which are independent of each other, for transmitting data signals.
The driving module 21 is located on the first data channel, the first port a of the light string unit 20 is connected to one port of the driving module 21, receives data signals and drives the plurality of LED lamps 22 connected to the driving module 21, and the second port B of the light string unit 20 is connected to the other port of the driving module 21, and outputs the remaining data signals.
The pass-through module 22 is located on a second data channel, the third port C of the string unit 20 is connected to one port of the pass-through module 22, the fourth port D of the string unit 20 is connected to the other port of the pass-through module 22, and the second data channel forwards data signals via the pass-through module 22.
It should be noted that, the driving module 21 includes a shift register, a storage module, a reading module, a data processing module, etc., and the specific working principle of the driving module 21 is well known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described herein. The input end and the output end of the driving module 21 are, for example, adaptive bidirectional ports, and when the input end or the output end of the driving module 21 sends a data signal, the ports are automatically matched to be output ports; when the input or output of the drive module 21 receives a data signal, the port automatically matches to the input port.
The first port a and the third port C of the light string unit 20 are located at one side of the light string unit, and the second port B and the fourth port D are located at the other side of the light string unit in the present invention, but the implementation of the light string unit is not limited thereto, and the first port a and the fourth port D of the light string unit are located at one side of the light string unit, and the second port B and the third port C are located at the other side of the light string unit. In fig. 3, i is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a light string unit, and in fig. 3, ii is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a light string unit in which two data channels are rotated 180 °, the input and output ends of a driving module 21 connected to a first port a and a second port B are adaptive bi-directional ports, and a pass-through module 22 connected to a third port C and a fourth port D in the light string unit is used for forwarding data signals, so that in practical application, the two data channels in the light string unit provided by the present invention are rotated 180 ° and still can work normally.
The light string units adopt the independent data channels to carry out redundant data transmission, so that the wiring complexity of the light string units is reduced, the port symmetry design of each circuit data channel realizes the bidirectional transmission of data signals in the light string units, and further, when a plurality of light string units are cascaded, the data signals can be reversely transmitted, thereby improving the reliability of the system.
Fig. 4 shows a schematic structural diagram of the LED cascade system of the invention.
As shown in fig. 4, the LED cascade system 300 includes a control terminal 301 and a plurality of rows of cascaded light string units 302, each light string unit 302 driving a plurality of LED lights, for example, the light string units described above.
A first data channel of a first-stage light string unit in one row of cascaded light string units receives a first path of data signal output by the control end 301, transmits the first path of data signal to the current-stage driving module to drive the current-stage plurality of LED lamps, and transmits the residual data signal to a second data channel of a second-stage light string unit through the first data channel; the second data channel of the first-stage light string unit receives the second data signal output by the control end 301, and transmits the second data signal to the first data channel of the second-stage light string unit through the present-stage pass-through module.
The second data channel of the second-stage light string unit receives the rest first-path data signals and transmits the rest first-path data signals to the first data channel of the next-stage light string unit through the current-stage direct connection module; the first data channel of the second-stage light string unit receives a second path of data signals, transmits the second path of data signals to the driving module of the present stage to drive the LED lamps of the present stage, and transmits the remaining second path of data signals to the second data channel of the next-stage light string unit.
And the first data channel of the (i+1) th-stage light string unit is connected with the second data channel of the (i) th-stage light string unit, the second data channel of the (i+1) th-stage light string unit is connected with the first data channel of the (i) th-stage light string unit, the driving modules of the plurality of light string units drive the LED lamps of the stage according to the received data signals until the last-stage light string unit, and the first data channel and the second data channel of the last-stage light string unit 10 form a loop. Wherein i is an integer of 1 or more.
It should be noted that, two paths of data channels of the first-stage light string unit are connected with the control end to obtain two paths of parallel data signals. The first data channel of the light string unit receives data signals and needs to be processed through a shift register in the light string unit, data for driving the light string unit at the current stage is transmitted to the driving module, the driving module drives the LED lamps at the current stage according to the data signals and transmits residual data signals to the second data channel of the light string unit at the next stage, and the second data channel of the light string unit receives the data signals and does not need to be processed, so that the data signals are directly transmitted to the first data channel of the light string unit at the next stage.
In one row of cascaded light string units, a first-stage light string unit receives two paths of parallel data signals output by a control end, a first data channel of the first-stage light string unit receives a first path of data signals output by the control end, a plurality of LED lamps of odd-numbered stages, which are started by a plurality of LED lamps corresponding to the first-stage light string unit, are driven according to a loop of an LED cascading system, then the LED lamps of even-numbered stages are driven by reversely transmitting data signals from a last-stage light string unit until the LED lamps corresponding to a second-stage light string unit, and when the first path of data signals are transmitted to the corresponding light string units with errors of a driving module, the transmission of the first path of data signals is terminated. The second data channel of the first-stage light string unit receives a second path of data signals output by the control end, a plurality of LED lamps of even stages, which are started by the LED lamps corresponding to the second-stage light string unit, are driven according to a loop of the LED cascading system, then the data signals are reversely transmitted from the last-stage light string unit to drive the LED lamps of odd stages until the LED lamps corresponding to the first-stage light string unit, and when the second path of data signals are transmitted to the corresponding light string unit with errors of the driving module, the second path of data signal transmission is terminated.
At this time, except that a plurality of LED lamps corresponding to the faulty lamp string units in one row of cascaded lamp string units cannot work normally, the other lamp string units at all levels can work normally, so that the reliability of the system is enhanced, redundant data transmission is performed through mutually independent data channels, and the wiring complexity is reduced.
Only the principle that when the driving circuit of one stage of light string unit in the LED cascade system is in error, the other stages of light string units work normally is described in detail. However, when the driving modules of the lamp string units of the adjacent two stages or even the even or odd stages are wrong, the lamp string units of the other stages can still work normally, and the specific working principle is similar to that of the driving modules of the lamp string units of the first stage when the driving modules are wrong, and is not repeated here.
Fig. 5 shows a schematic structural diagram of a first embodiment of the LED cascade system of the invention.
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a specific connection mode of the LED cascade system according to the present invention. The LED cascade system 400 includes a control end 301 and a plurality of light string units 20, where the plurality of light string units 20 are light string units according to the present invention, and the specific internal structure is not described herein.
In a row of cascaded light string units, a first port A of a first data channel of a first-stage light string unit receives a data signal output by a control end 301, transmits the data signal to a current-stage driving module to drive a plurality of LED lamps of the current stage, and transmits the residual data signal to a fourth port D of a second data channel of a second-stage light string unit through a second port B of the first data channel; the third port C of the second data channel of the first stage light string unit receives the data signal output by the control end 301, and transmits the data signal to the second port B of the first data channel of the second stage light string unit through the present stage pass-through module.
The fourth port D of the second data channel of the second-stage light string unit receives the residual data signals, and the residual data signals are transmitted to the first port A of the first data channel of the next-stage light string unit through the current-stage direct connection module; the second port B of the first data channel of the second-stage light string unit receives the data signal, transmits the data signal to the driving module of the current stage to drive the LED lamps of the current stage, and transmits the residual data signal to the third port C of the second data channel of the next-stage light string unit through the first port A of the first data channel.
And so on, until the last stage of light string units, when a row of cascading light string units comprises an even number of light string units, the first port A of the first data channel of the last stage of light string units is connected with the third port C of the second data channel of the last stage; when a row of cascaded light string units comprises an odd number of light string units, the second port B of the first data channel of the light string unit of the last stage is connected with the fourth port D of the second data channel of the current stage.
In this embodiment, the first data channel of the i-th level light string unit and the second data channel of the i+1th level light string unit are distributed in the same position, and the second data channel of the i-th level light string unit and the first data channel of the i+1th level light string unit are distributed in the same position.
It should be noted that, the implementation of the LED cascade system in the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and more specifically, the first data channel of the i-th stage light string unit and the first data channel of the i+1th stage light string unit are distributed in the same position, and the second data channel of the i-th stage light string unit and the second data channel of the i+1th stage light string unit are distributed in the same position.
According to the data transmission method applied to the LED cascade system, the control end outputs two parallel data signals to the LED cascade system, the first data signal is transmitted to the LED cascade system in the forward direction through the first data channel of the first-stage light string unit of the LED cascade system, and the second data signal is transmitted to the LED cascade system in the forward direction through the second data channel of the first-stage light string unit of the LED cascade system. When the first path of data signal or the second path of data signal is interrupted, the other path of data signal starts to reversely transmit the data signal from the last stage of light string unit. The data transmission method can ensure that the other light string units at all levels can work normally except for the wrong one-level or the corresponding LED lamps of the multi-level light string units which are not adjacent to each other in one-line cascading light string units, thereby enhancing the reliability of the system, carrying out redundant data transmission on the data channels which are independent to each other, and reducing the complexity of wiring.
It should be noted that, the foregoing description of the present embodiment is only for more clearly describing the present embodiment, and the implementation of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the odd-numbered stage light string units and the even-numbered stage light string port layouts may be interchanged. The LED cascade system in the embodiment can be any one of an LED lighting system and an LED display system, and further the lighting or display function is realized through the LEDs.
It should be noted that in this document relational terms such as one end and the other end, and the like are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one … …" does not exclude the presence of other like elements in a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention, as described above, are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: the technical scheme described in the foregoing embodiments can be modified or all or part of the technical features can be replaced equivalently; such modifications and substitutions do not depart from the spirit of the invention.