DE102011079891A1 - Lamp with DMX control gear - Google Patents

Abstract

Luminaire (1), with at least one light source (2) and at least one DMX control gear (3) for controlling the light source (2), wherein the lamp (1) is associated with at least one expansion module (4), which is adapted to RDM Commands to be received from a bus on the expansion module (4) to convert into DMX commands or control signals.

Description

The present invention relates to a luminaire having at least one light source and at least one digital multiplexing (DMX) operating device for controlling the light source.

To control lights or arranged in the lights light sources so far, for example, a DMX control gear is often arranged in the lamp that receives corresponding DMX commands or control signals via a bus and then controls the light sources also arranged in the lamp accordingly. DMX is a communication standard via which information about the controller can be transmitted to luminaires, for example. However, it is now too common practice, although there are now also corresponding extensions for bidirectional communication in DMX that a pure unidirectional communication is provided. Ie. that, for example, from a central data to a corresponding DMX control gear can be transmitted, but there is no possibility that the DMX control gear sends data back to the control center.

Accordingly, for example, there is no possibility to obtain information about the current operating state of a light source connected to the DMX operating device. Likewise, no information regarding an address assigned to the DMX control gear or the corresponding light can be sent back to the control center.

However, this results in particular in larger lighting systems, the problem that in the assignment of operating addresses to lights, for example, according to their arrangement in a room or building, none of the most common approaches for assigning the operating addresses can be used as in the rule it is provided that the lights or corresponding operating devices in any way send a response to the center. This may be, for example, a unique source address already assigned during manufacture, via which a first-time identification becomes possible. Likewise, it is not possible to confirm the receipt of an operating address.

As a further development of the previous DMX standard, the so-called Remote Device Management (RDM) protocol or the standard now exists, in which now a bidirectional communication and thus an exchange of data in both directions becomes possible. In addition, RDM also provides the ability to submit more complex control commands. In detail, RDM is a protocol improvement over DMX, which allows a bidirectional communication of corresponding devices over a standard DMX line, so in physical terms corresponds approximately to the DMX standard, the RDM standard in particular in the same way the RS485 interface is based. Thus, the use of RDM for communication considerable advantages, for example, in a central addressing and monitoring of lights, but also in the control of corresponding lights.

However, as the RDM standard has not yet been widespread and sometimes incompatible with operating devices, and also requires more resources, more and more luminaires are still being used which only contain a DMX control gear.

The present invention is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a way that lights that have only a DMX control gear can also be used in conjunction with the RDM standard.

The object is achieved by a luminaire according to claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a luminaire with at least one light source and at least one DMX operating device for controlling the light source is proposed, wherein the luminaire is assigned at least one expansion module that is designed to receive RDM commands or control signals from a bus on the expansion module arrive to convert into DMX commands or control signals.

Advantageously, it can be provided here that the DMX operating device is connected to the expansion module.

This expansion module now provides the advantage that a luminaire can be operated with a DMX operating device, also in conjunction with the RDM standard, since a corresponding conversion from RDM to DMX is performed by the expansion module.

Preferably, the expansion module and the DMX operating device each have an address, wherein the address of the expansion module is used to identify the light in the bus and the address of the DMX operating device is used so that the expansion module can identify the DMX control gear. The expansion module can in this case be designed to be the Extension module assigned address in the address assigned to the DMX control gear.

With this particular embodiment, it is now possible that the assignment of an operating address is done with one of the known award procedure, the expansion module can communicate bidirectionally with a central office and accordingly a corresponding address assignment is possible.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the luminaire has a housing in which the light source and the DMX operating device are arranged. In this case, the expansion module can be arranged either in the housing or outside, wherein in the event that the expansion module is arranged outside, this can have its own housing.

In addition, it can also be provided that the DMX operating device is designed as a DMX / alternate start code (ASC) operating device and the expansion module is adapted to DMX / ASC commands or control signals from the DMX / ASC operating device arrive at the expansion module to translate into RDM commands or control signals.

Advantageously, it is also provided that the expansion module has connection possibilities for sensors, in particular temperature or brightness sensors.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 schematic representation of a lamp according to the invention according to a first embodiment;

2 schematic representation of a lamp according to the invention according to a second embodiment.

In 1 is now a first embodiment of a lamp according to the invention 1 shown schematically. The lamp 1 here has a light source 2 , a DMX control gear 3 and an expansion module 4 on, all in a common housing 5 the light 1 are arranged. The DMX control gear 3 is here to control the light source 2 is provided and, in contrast to previous application scenarios now no longer connected directly to a bus via which DMX commands or control signals arrive, but rather to the expansion module 4 ,

This expansion module 4 which is now connected to a bus via the corresponding RDM commands on the expansion module 4 arrive is adapted to convert the incoming RDM commands or control signals into corresponding DMX commands or control signals and to the DMX control gear 3 pass on.

Through this expansion module 4 It is thus possible that the light 1 for example, from a central office, such as a lamp 1 is treated, which has an RDM operating device. At the same time but within the lamp 1 still the DMX standard used. As a result, it is now possible that a lamp 1 the one DMX control gear 3 despite all, it can also be supplied with corresponding RDM commands.

2 now shows a second embodiment of a lamp according to the invention 1 , which in turn is a light source 2 , a DMX control gear 3 and an expansion module 4 each having those in 1 correspond. The only difference to 1 is now that the light 1 a housing 6 in which only the light source 2 and the DMX control gear 3 are arranged. The expansion module 4 however, is outside the case 6 arranged, it may be provided in particular that the expansion module 4 has its own housing.

Through this in 2 shown special configuration now results in a simple way already existing lights that previously only a DMX control gear 3 to extend the RDM functionality, without requiring a laborious redesign of the housing 6 the light 1 becomes necessary.

For both embodiments, it should be noted that the expansion module 4 now especially in addressing the lights 1 is useful in a larger system. For example, it is provided that the expansion module 4 Already during production, a unique ID defined in RDM is assigned, through which the expansion module 4 is clearly identifiable. This makes it possible that the expansion module 4 according to known procurement method with a central communicates to an operating address corresponding to the arrangement of the lamp 1 in the system. This operating address or individual address via which the light 1 is driven from the outside, but then only in the expansion module 4 stored. The DMX control gear 3 however, it has only one or more simple base addresses, for example 1, 2 or 3, wherein the expansion module 4 the conversion of the RDM operating address into that of the DMX operating device 3 used base addresses. For example, the base addresses may be the number of in a luminaire 1 occurring light sources 2 act.

As already explained above, this makes it possible to incorporate lights that were previously equipped only with a DMX control gear into corresponding RDM systems and to control them by complex control information. It can then also be provided that the expansion module converts more complex brightness commands in the RDM standard (lighting scenarios and the like) into corresponding control commands for the DMX control gear.

So far, only standard-compliant DMX control gear has been considered, which only allow unidirectional communication. In these, the bidirectional communication between the control panel and the lamp thus only between the control panel and the extension module of the lamp. Meanwhile, however, there are also DMX control gear that allow the use of so-called Alternate Star Codes (ASC). By this bidirectional communication between the DMX / ASC operating device and the expansion module is then possible, whereby a bidirectional communication between the DMX / ASC operating device itself and the control center is conceivable. Once again, the expansion module is designed to convert corresponding RDM commands or control signals into corresponding DMX / ASC commands or control signals. In addition, however, the expansion module also converts DMX / ASC commands that arrive from the DMX / ASC driver to the expansion module into RDM commands.

Furthermore, it can also be provided that the expansion module has connection possibilities to the sensors, for example temperature or brightness sensors, are connected, whereby then a control of the control of the light sources is possible. Due to these connection options, the control options of the luminaire are being expanded overall.

Claims (8)

Lamp ( 1 ), with at least one light source ( 2 ) and at least one digital multiplex, DMX, operating device ( 3 ) for controlling the light source ( 2 ) characterized in that the luminaire ( 1 ) at least one expansion module ( 4 ) that is adapted to handle remote device management, RDM, commands or control signals received from a bus on the expansion module ( 4 ) to convert to DMX commands or control signals. Luminaire according to claim 1, characterized in that the DMX control gear ( 3 ) to the expansion module ( 4 ) connected. Luminaire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion module ( 4 ) has an address over which the luminaire ( 1 ) can be identified in the bus and that the DMX control gear ( 3 ) has an address via which the DMX control gear ( 3 ) through the expansion module ( 4 ), the expansion module ( 4 ) is adapted to the extension module ( 4 ) is assigned to the DMX control gear ( 3 ) assigned address implement. Luminaire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the luminaire ( 1 ) a housing ( 5 . 6 ) in which the light source ( 2 ) and the DMX control gear ( 3 ) are arranged. Luminaire according to claim 4, characterized in that the expansion module ( 4 ) in the housing ( 5 ) is arranged. Luminaire according to claim 4, characterized in that the expansion module ( 4 ) outside the housing ( 6 ), in particular in a separate housing, is arranged. Luminaire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the DMX control gear as DMX / Alternate Start Code, ASC, -operating device ( 3 ) and the expansion module ( 4 ) is adapted to receive DMX / ASC commands from the DMX / ASC operating device ( 3 ) on the expansion module ( 4 ) to convert to RDM commands. Luminaire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion module ( 4 ) Connection options for sensors, in particular temperature or brightness sensors has.

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