EP2556727B1 - Operating device for light-emitting means for determining an energy or power consumption and method for detecting same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an operating device for a luminous means for determining an energy or power consumption and a method for acquiring information about an energy or power consumption of a luminous means. The operating device for lighting means according to the invention may be, for example, an electronic ballast for lighting means, such as gas discharge lamps or fluorescent tubes.
For the realization of lighting systems with multiple lights systems are used with a central control unit for controlling the performance of the lights. In such lighting systems, features such as ease of use, ambience, functionality as well as energy saving and energy monitoring play an increasingly important role. The traditional electrical installation based on simple wiring of light switches, dimmers and lighting consumers can meet these requirements only insufficient. Modern operating devices, which are integrated into lighting systems, can receive control commands via interfaces for the operation of the corresponding light source or lamp and then control the light source in a correspondingly suitable manner. The transmission of the control commands can take place either via separate data or bus line or else in the context of the PLC method (PLC = Power Line Carrier) method via the power supply line. Furthermore, operating devices for lighting means are known, which have an interface for the wireless reception of control commands. The patent WO 2009/066234 discloses an operating device for a luminous means, which detects an energy consumption of the luminous means. Against this background, the lighting industry has defined a standard for digital communication between the individual components of a lighting installation. This DALI standard (DALI = Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is a protocol for controlling lighting equipment, such. As switching power supplies, electronic ballasts (ECG) or electronic power dimmers. Each operating device that has a DALI interface can be individually controlled via DALI addresses. Compared to the 1-10 volt interface often used previously, the DALI interface has increased comfort for intelligent lighting control in a lighting system. The DALI standard is an interface definition, especially for electronic ballasts for operation and charge lamps is used. DALI can also be integrated into a higher-level building management system as a cost-effective subsystem via suitable converters.

A DALI lighting control system can be used as a standalone lighting control system. Furthermore, a DALI lighting control system can also be used as a stand-alone subsystem in an existing building management system. A DALI system has a connection to a higher-level building management system, but it is also functional without the building management system. In a further variant, the DALI system can be designed as a pure subsystem in a building management system. In this type of application, the lighting system is not designed as a stand-alone solution. The commissioning of the lighting control system is part of the commissioning of the overall building management system.

There are basically two options for networking and operating a DALI lighting control system. As in Fig. 6 is shown, a control unit 20 a plurality of operating devices 2, which are connected to each other via a bus 16, control. In this mode, the connected equipment 2 by the controller 20, to the control panels or control units 40, such. As sensors, buttons, dimmers or motion switches are connected, controlled. In this mode, the operating devices 2 pass on information only on request by the control unit 20. All handling is controlled by the controller 20.

As in Fig. 7 is shown, but also several control units 40 may be connected to the interface line 16 and therefore communicate directly with the operating devices 2. The control units 40 must follow appropriate "traffic rules" in the DALI standard in order to avoid data collisions and to run the system correctly. In this mode, installation is easier and less wiring is required.

The controllers 20 provide the logical association between the control units 40, such as. B. sensors, controls and DALI operating devices 2 ago. In principle, the control device may be an independent control device or else an interface module, which transmits its commands from a higher-level system, such as a control unit. B. a building management system, act. As control devices 20 and intelligent sensors or controls with integrated control unit are possible. As in Fig. 6 is shown, sensors and controls 40 may be connected via separate connections directly to the controller 20. Commercially available components can then be used via this route be used. In the variant, as in Fig. 7 is shown, sensors and controls are connected via the DALI lines 16 to the controller 20. In this variant, no additional lines between sensors / controls and the control unit must be laid.
In lighting systems, eg in buildings, the energy and performance monitoring is an increasingly important consideration. In previous lighting systems with operating devices for lighting, the energy consumption can be estimated so far only or determined by the measured total consumption. An estimate can be made by estimating the average dimming value or brightness value and taking into account the corresponding power consumption of the installed operating devices. The estimation of the energy consumption is, however, on the one hand quite cumbersome and on the other hand inaccurate, since, for example, a real energy consumption of a light source can change when a dimming value is set, depending on the operating time and thus dependent on heating.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a control device for lighting means, which allows to provide the energy or power consumption of the light source for a control device in a lighting system in a simple and accurate manner.
This object is achieved by the operating device according to claim 1, as well as the method according to claim 14. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The present invention is characterized in that an operating device for a lighting means has an energy or power measuring device for determining an energy or power consumption of the lighting means. With the help of this operating device can be determined within a lighting system in a very simple and very accurate way, the energy or power consumption of such a control gear.
According to one embodiment, an operating device may comprise a data memory which, for example, records the energy or power consumption over a certain period of time. This value can then be read out, for example, intermittently or cyclically from a control system or control unit or sent to this. According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the controller in a second register or memory bank always the current energy or power consumption store, so that it can always be retrieved or sent to the control unit.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1

die schematische Darstellung eines Betriebsgerätes für ein Leuchtmittel mit einer Schnittstelle und einer Energie- oder Leistungsmesseinrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung eines Betriebsgerätes für ein Leuchtmittel mit einem Datenspeicher gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 3

die schematische Darstellung eines Betriebsgerätes für ein Leuchtmittel mit einer weiteren Schnittstelle, sowie zwei Speicherbänken zur Speicherung eines aktuellen Verbrauchswertes und zur Speicherung eines Energie- oder Leistungsverbrauchswertes über einen gewissen Zeitraum gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung eines Betriebsgerätes für ein Leuchtmittel, wobei das Betriebsgerät eine drahtlose Schnittstelle zur Übertragung von Informationen zu dem Energie- oder Leistungsverbrauch bzw. von Steuerungsbefehlen gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung aufweist;

Fig. 5

ein Flussdiagramm für ein Verfahren zum Erfassen einer Information eines Energie- oder Leistungsverbrauchs eines Leuchtmittels gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 6

eine schematische Darstellung eines DALI-Lichtsteuersystems, wobei Sensoren und Bedienelemente über separate Verbindungen an ein Steuergerät angebunden sind;

Fig. 7

die schematische Darstellung eines DALI-Lichtsteuersystems, wobei Sensoren und Bedienelemente über den DALI-Bus an ein Steuergerät angebunden sind;

Fig. 8

eine Darstellung einer Leistungsfaktorkorrekturschaltung eines Betriebsgerätes für ein Leuchtmittel gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung; und

Fig. 9

eine Darstellung der Signalverläufe einer Leistungsfaktorkorrekturschaltung gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung.

Show it:

Fig. 1

the schematic representation of an operating device for a lamp with an interface and an energy or power measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of an operating device for a lamp with a data memory according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3

the schematic representation of an operating device for a light source with a further interface, and two memory banks for storing a current consumption value and for storing an energy or power consumption value over a certain period of time according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4

a schematic representation of an operating device for a light source, wherein the operating device has a wireless interface for transmitting information on the energy or power consumption or of control commands according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5

a flowchart for a method for detecting an information of an energy or power consumption of a lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6

a schematic representation of a DALI light control system, sensors and controls are connected via separate connections to a control unit;

Fig. 7

the schematic representation of a DALI light control system, sensors and controls are connected via the DALI bus to a control unit;

Fig. 8

a representation of a power factor correction circuit of an operating device for a lighting device according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 9

a representation of the waveforms of a power factor correction circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

With respect to the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used throughout the specification in the different figures for like or functionally similar elements or steps for simplicity. These elements with the same reference numerals are interchangeable in the various embodiments.

In Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an operating device 10 for a lamp 12 with an interface 15 for bidirectional data exchange with a controller 20 shown. The operating device 10 has an energy or power measuring device 25 for determining an energy or power consumption of the luminous means 12. The operating device 10 is further configured to send information about the energy or power consumption to the control unit 20, or to make the information about the energy or power consumption for the control unit 20 accessible.

The lamp operating device 10 may be part of a larger lighting system, which, as in connection with Fig. 6 and 7 represented, several further lamp operating devices may have, for example, are distributed within a building or to be illuminated device. The individual distribution devices 10 can be connected via a bus system 16 to a central control unit 20. With the aid of the bus system 16, for example, control commands can be sent to an operating device 10 by the central control unit, status information can be queried or sent from the operating device 10 to the control device 20. According to embodiments of the present invention, for example, via the bus system 16 and the interface 15, or even via a further interface, as later is shown, information regarding the energy or power consumption of the bulb 12 are sent to the controller 20 or made available.

The operating device 10 can be, for example, an electronic ballast for lighting devices, such as e.g. Discharge lamps or gas discharge lamps act. An electric ballast can interact as a separate component with the light source 12 or be integrated in the light source. An electronic ballast may serve to ignite a gas discharge at a correspondingly high voltage and to limit a discharge current during operation of the gas discharge lamp. Since an operating device can have a certain energy consumption, the energy or power measuring device 25 can be designed to determine the total energy consumption from the lighting device and the operating device. Accordingly, then the information about an energy or power consumption of the operating device can include both the energy and power consumption of the operating device and the lighting means itself.

In other exemplary embodiments, the operating device 10 may be a ballast for lamps, an emergency power module, a dimmer, a transformer, etc.

The operating device 10 may be an operating device for different types of lighting devices. The lighting means may comprise, for example, gas discharge lamps, incandescent lamps, halogen incandescent lamps or semiconductor light sources.

At the in Fig. 1 can be, for example, a DALI operating device, which then has a DALI interface 15 according to which the operating device via a DALI bus 16 to a DALI control unit 20 or a DALI gateway 20, if the lighting system is a subsystem of a building management system is connected.

The energy or power measuring device 25 may be configured to detect a corresponding active current, if there is a phase shift between current and voltage, and to detect the currently applied alternating voltage, and to calculate a power consumption therefrom by multiplication, whereby energy consumption can be determined during a subsequent time integration is. For example, when using a resonant half-bridge for operation of the luminous means, the current and the voltage can be detected by the luminous means, wherein preferably the active current or the active power of the luminous means is detected. When applying a resonant Half bridge for the operation of the light source (ie, for example, in an electronic ballast as the operating device 10), for example, but also the current flowing through the half-bridge current can be detected as a parameter for the performance of the light source. However, the energy or power measuring device 25 can also detect, for example, the power consumed by the operating device 10 at the input terminals or via an existing power factor correction circuit.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the energy or power measuring device 25 can thus be designed such that, during operation of the luminous means 12 by means of a resonant half-bridge, a current and a voltage are detected by the luminous means 12 or by the resonant half-bridge.

According to a further embodiment, the energy or power measuring device 25 may be designed to detect in a detection mode the energy or power losses occurring in the operating device 10 as a function of a specific operating state, eg a specific dimming or brightness value, and to store these , These values can be used in determining the current energy or power consumption values.
The energy or power measuring device 25 may make it possible to record exact instantaneous energy or power consumption values for an operating device 10 for a lighting device. The operating device 10 can then send this information about the energy or power consumption, which has been detected or detected with the aid of the energy or power measuring device 25, to a control unit 20 or this information about the energy or power consumption for the control unit 20 accessible do.

The energy or power measuring device 25 may be designed so that it can determine the losses occurring in the operating device 10. For example, the energy or power measuring device 25 can record the corresponding losses in a type of acquisition mode for all possible dimming values or brightness values. These recorded losses corresponding to the dimming values or brightness values can be taken into account later in the operation during the determination of the current energy or power consumption.

According to one embodiment, the energy or power meter 25 may be configured to detect the power or power received by the driver 10 at associated power / voltage input terminals of the driver 10 or via a power factor correction circuit.

For example, a detection via a power factor correction circuit may be implemented in such a way that the current received by the power factor correction circuit is detected and, in addition, the voltage present at the input of the power factor correction circuit is detected. From these detected values for the current absorbed by the power factor correction circuit and the applied voltage, the recorded power and also energy can be determined.

Based on Fig. 8 a possible embodiment for a detection of the recorded power or power to the power factor correction circuit will be explained.

In Fig. 8 a typical power factor correction circuit is shown here implemented as a boost converter. In this case, the switch S1 is clocked high-frequency and thereby the coil L1 alternately up and demagnetized. Via the diode D1, the energy of the magnetization of the coil L1 is transferred to the buffer capacitor C1, which in turn serves to power the light-emitting circuit driving circuit (for example, the resonant half-bridge). In series with the switch S1, a current measuring resistor Rshunt can be arranged, which can serve, for example, to monitor the current within the power factor correction circuit (by means of a detection at the point CS). Whenever the switch S1 is turned on, the current Imains, which magnetizes the coil L1, also flows through the switch S1 and the current measuring resistor Rshunt. In the turn-off phase of the switch S1, when the coil L1 demagnetizes, the current flows from the coil L1 through the diode D1 and not through the switch S1. The time of demagnetization of the coil L1 can be determined by measuring, for example by means of a secondary winding on the spool L1 at the point ZX. However, since both the value of the coil current Imains when opening the switch S1 and the duration of the demagnetization of the coil L1 is known, it can also be used to determine the current flow during the switch-off phase.

A typical course for the current flow through the coil L1 in response to the timing of the switch S1 is in the Fig. 9 symbolically represented. The rising edge of the current Imains through the coil L1 also corresponds to the current through the current measuring resistor Rshunt. The falling edge flows through the diode D1 as already explained. The course of the falling edge can, as already explained, be determined by the value of the current Imains through the coil L1 when the switch S1 is opened and the duration of the demagnetization of the coil L1. Thus, the current taken by the power factor correction circuit can be detected. Alternatively, other current detections be used, for example by means of a current measuring transformer or a differently arranged current measuring resistor.

As in Fig. 9 can be seen, the envelope of the current Imains follows through the coil L1 a sine wave. This results from the sinusoidal mains voltage, since the power factor correction circuit strives to adjust the current consumption to the course of the mains voltage and thus ensure a high power factor.

The voltage applied to the input of the power factor correction circuit can also be determined in various ways. One way would be to measure over the already existing input voltage detection that is often present on power factor correction circuits (eg, the input voltage sense for the multiplier input of the power factor correction control circuit). Such a measurement could for example take place at the input of the power factor correction circuit at the point Vmains. However, it would also be possible for example to use a measurement on an existing circuit to distinguish between an AC or DC feed operation or to indirectly detect the input voltage, for example by evaluating the duty cycle of the switch S1 of the power factor correction circuit (taking into account the output voltage at the buffer capacitor C1).

If the voltage and the current through the power factor correction circuit are known, the recorded power can be determined by multiplying these values, and furthermore the absorbed energy can also be determined.

The energy or power measuring device 25 can also be designed such that the power consumed by the operating device 10 is detected at the input terminals or via an existing power factor correction circuit, and furthermore the power delivered to the lighting device is additionally detected. In this way, the power consumption and the power loss within the operating device 10 can be determined. In addition, thus the efficiency of the operating device 10 can be detected. Thus, it is possible to determine the power consumption and the power loss of the operating device 10 and to monitor regularly. In the event of a deterioration in the power loss, for example, this state can also be signaled by the operating device 10. Furthermore, it is also possible for the energy or power measuring device 25 to ascertain both the energy consumption or the power loss within the operating device 10 and, in addition, to record the energy consumption or the absorbed power of the lighting device.

The energy or power measuring device 25 can also be designed such that the energy or power consumption is calculated via the dimming value or brightness value set for the lighting device. This can be done by providing a list for each operating device of a lighting system in which the power consumption of the operating device is documented for each dimming value or set brightness value. In addition to the dimming value, it is then also possible to store the corresponding operating time of the luminous means, as well as the respective type of luminous means, in order to obtain energy consumption, ie power multiplied by the corresponding time. Such a list may for example be stored in a memory of the operating device.

The energy or power measuring device 25 can thus be designed to reduce the energy or power consumption of a lighting device in an operating state, that is, e.g. at a certain dimming or brightness value, by means of a value assigned to the respective operating state in a list of energy and power consumption values of the operating device.

The operating device 10 may be designed so that it is based on a request by the controller or intermittently by itself determined by the energy or power meter 25 information about the energy or power consumption, for example via the interface 15 to the Control unit 20 sends.

According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 20 can request or read out information about the energy or power consumption of this operating device via control commands, which are sent to the operating device 10, for example, via the bus 16. However, in further embodiments of the present invention, the operating device 10 may also be designed to send this information regarding the energy or power consumption sporadically of itself, depending on the load of the bus system 16 to the control unit 20. The operating device 10 can also be designed such that it sends or makes available the information about energy or power consumption to the control unit 20 at predetermined times or times or in the case of specific events. Such an event could, for. B. be that a dimming or brightness value of the light source is changed and then information on the energy or power consumption in this new setting of the bulb is transmitted to the controller 20.

As in a further embodiment in Fig. 2 is shown, a control gear 10 in addition to the related Fig. 1 already mentioned components a data memory 30, which is coupled to the power or power device, so that the information about the energy or power consumption is stored in the data memory. The data memory 30 can be read out, for example, via the interface 15 by the control unit 20.

As in Fig. 2 is further shown, may be connected to the bus system 16, a control unit 40, with the example, a lamp can be dimmed, so the brightness can be changed. Such control units 40 may also be connected to the bus system 16 in other embodiments of the invention. The control unit 40 can be, for example, a motion sensor, a brightness sensor, a pushbutton, an on / off switch, a dimmer, a control panel, a touch panel, etc. for controlling or actuating the operating devices. The control unit 40 may thus be an operating element for a control gear. As related to the Fig. 6 and 7 has already been described, according to further embodiments, such a control unit 40 may also be connected directly to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 can then forward, for example, a control command from a control unit 40 to the operating device 10. The control unit 20 may be a DALI control unit which is coupled to a DALI operating device 10 via a DALI bus 16. Accordingly, the controller may be configured to establish the logical association between the control units 40 and the DALI operating devices 10 in a DALI lighting system.

An operating device 10 for a lighting device 12 may, over a period of time, provide information about the energy or power consumption to a data memory 30, such as a computer. a memory bank, record. For example, an average energy or power consumption value can be determined or recorded by integrating the energy or power consumption values over a certain period of time. In embodiments of the present invention, the energy or power consumption information may include time averaged energy or power consumption, or, for example, instantaneous energy or power consumption.

According to a further embodiment, which is shown schematically in FIG Fig. 3 is shown, the operating device 10 may have a further interface 35. Via this interface 35, which may be coupled to a data memory 30 or the energy or power measuring device 25, a stored information about the energy or power consumption can then be read out. This second interface 35 may, for example, also be a wireless interface in which the data and information are transmitted by radio, eg according to the Bluetooth standard. information about The energy or power consumption can then be transmitted wirelessly to a control unit 20, for example. However, it is also conceivable that the further interface 35 is a wired interface, which has a different transmission protocol compared to the interface 15, so that the information about the energy or power consumption, regardless of a DALI protocol to other others Devices can be sent for evaluation or read by them. The information can also be transmitted via the interface 35 to the control unit 20,

As in Fig. 3 is shown schematically, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a data memory 30 different memory banks 30a, 30b or registers have, for example, in a first register 30a information about the energy or power consumption over a certain period are stored, while, for example, in a second register or a second memory bank 30 b always current information about energy or power consumption of the operating device 10 are stored with light sources 12. These can then be retrieved or sent as needed.

As stated above, according to embodiments of the present invention, the operating device 10 may be configured to intermittently, continuously, at periodic time intervals, at predetermined times, at a predetermined energy or power consumption information to the controller 20 Power consumption value or on a command to change a brightness of the bulb is sent, or made available to the controller 20. The reading can be e.g. via a further wireless interface 35 or via the interface 15, which can operate, for example, according to the DALI protocol.

The interfaces 15 and 35 can be interfaces for bidirectional data exchange, that is to say both interfaces can be transmitted and received via these interfaces. Thus, for example, control commands can be received and status information or data such. B. information about the energy or power consumption, are sent from the operating device 10. The interface 15 for bidirectional data exchange can be designed to receive external control commands for the operation of the luminous means 12 in accordance with the DALI protocol and to send status information or data information in accordance with the DALI protocol.

As in Fig. 4 is shown according to a further embodiment, the operating device 10 may also have a further interface 35, via the wireless or wireless the information on energy or power consumption to the controller 20 or other device, for the evaluation of this information, can be transmitted or can be read. The operating device 10 may, according to some embodiments, also receive control commands for controlling the operating behavior of the lighting device 12 via a remote control 45. Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the control units 40 can communicate with the control unit 20 by radio, in order then to transmit control commands via the bus line 16 to an operating unit 10. The operating device 10 can thus also be designed to receive control commands for the operation of the lighting means from a control unit 40 via an interface 15 or 35. For example, a dimming or brightness value can thus be set via a control unit 40, whereupon information about the energy or power consumption of the operating device 10 for light source 12 is sent to a control unit 20 in this set dimming value or made accessible.

As in Fig. 4 shown schematically, the further interface may be connected to the data memory 30, wherein in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the interface 35 need not be coupled directly to the data memory.

In general, a power and voltage supply for the operating device with the lighting means 12 can be contained via the bus line 16. Alternatively, however, a separate power and voltage supply for the operating device can be made via other supply lines.

The controller 20 may be a DALI controller or, for example, a DALI gateway, that is, a connection element between different bus systems or bus networks, such. As the DALI bus and other bus systems, such. B. the home bus systems EIB (EIB = European Installation Bus), LON (LON = Local Operating Network) or the C-bus.

By incorporating the energy or power measuring device in an operating device 10, an accurate energy balance for each appropriately equipped operating device can be created and provided by a controller 20 available. A controller 20 may be connected to a computer, for example, so that via software instructions to the controller of certain operating devices u.a. Information about the energy or power consumption can be requested or received.

With the aid of the integrated energy or power measuring device 25, therefore, a precise actual energy or power consumption value can be determined. It needs are not resorted to lists or stored consumption values at certain dimming settings. In a lighting system with control unit 20 and integrated operating device 10, different operating devices with different light sources can be installed, so that each operating device can have a different energy or power consumption. By integrating the energy or power measuring device 25 in operating devices 10, the energy or power consumption can then be determined in a simple, yet extremely accurate manner for each of these different operating devices for the associated bulbs and sent to the central control unit 20 or read from this become. Furthermore, the energy or power consumption of a group of lamps connected together, which are associated with an operating device according to the invention, can be determined by means of the energy or power measuring device 25 and sent a corresponding information on energy or power consumption to a controller 20 or this accessible be made.

As in the flowchart in Fig. 5 Thus, the invention also includes a method for detecting an information of an energy or power consumption of a lighting means with a control gear. The operating device has an interface for bidirectional data exchange with a control device and also an energy or power measuring device for determining an energy or power consumption. The method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a step of determining 100 information about the energy and power consumption with the aid of the energy or power measuring device. Further, the method includes sending 110 the information about the power or power consumption to a controller or making 120 available the information about the power or power consumption for the controller.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, after the step of determining 100, the method may also comprise a step of storing the information about the energy or power consumption on a data memory of the lighting device. That is to say, the data which was determined or measured by the energy or power measuring device can be stored on a digital data storage device present in the operating device. From there they can be sent to the control unit or read out by it. According to embodiments, the step of sending 110 the information about the power consumption or making available 120 of this information may be performed upon request by a controller or intermittently on its own. The sending of information about the energy or power consumption can be so be carried out that due to an external control command, the corresponding information is sent to the control unit. It is also conceivable that the information can be read at predetermined times or predetermined time intervals or due to certain events, can be sent from a controller or to this. Such an event may be, for example, the switching on or off of the operating device for lighting or, for example, a change in the brightness or dimming value for such a control gear.

The step of sending 110 the information about the energy or power consumption or the step 120 of making the same information available can, for example, be intermittently suspended, in periodic time intervals, at predetermined times or times, at a predetermined energy or power consumption value or in embodiments a command to change a brightness of the bulb can be performed.

In particular, it is also pointed out that, depending on the circumstances, the method or scheme according to the invention can also be implemented in software. The implementation can also be carried out on a digital storage medium, in particular a floppy disk, a CD or DVD with electronically readable control signals, which can cooperate with a programmable computer system such that the corresponding method is carried out. Generally, the invention thus also consists in a computer program product with program code stored on a machine-readable carrier for carrying out the method according to the invention, when the computer program product runs on a computer or microprocessor. In other words, the invention can thus be realized as a computer program with a program code for carrying out the method when the computer program runs on a computer.

Claims (18)

1. An operating device (10) for a lighting means (12), with an interface (15) for bidirectional data exchange with a control device (20), wherein the operating device (10) has an energy or power measuring device (25) for determining an energy or power consumption of the lighting means, and wherein the operating device (10) is designed in order to send information about the energy or power consumption to the control device (20), or is designed such that the information about the energy or power consumption is accessible to the control device (20), characterized in that the energy or power measuring device (25) is designed to detect energy or power received by the operating device (10) at related current/voltage input connections of the operating device (10) or via a power factor correction circuit of the operating device (10).
2. An operating device (10) according to Claim 1, wherein the operating device (10) is designed to send information on demand by the control device (20) or intermittently by itself about the energy or power consumption determined by the energy or power measuring device (25) via the interface (15) to the control device (20).
3. An operating device (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, which also has a data storage device (30), which is coupled with the energy or power measuring device (25), so that the information about the energy or power consumption can be stored in the data storage device (30).
4. An operating device (10) according to Claim 3, which also has a further interface (35), which is coupled with the data storage device (30), so that stored information about the energy or power consumption can be read or sent via the further interface (35).
5. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the information about the energy or power consumption is a time-averaged energy or power consumption or a current energy or power consumption.
6. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the operating device (10) is designed in order to send the information about the energy or power consumption to the control device (20) intermittently, continuously, at periodic time intervals, at predetermined times, at a predetermined energy or power consumption or upon a command to alter the brightness of the lighting means to the control device (20) or to make the information accessible to the control device (20).
7. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the operating device (10) is also designed to receive control commands for the operation of the lighting means from a control unit (40) via the interface (15).
8. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the bidirectional data exchange comprises control commands, status reports or information on the energy or power consumption.
9. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the operating device (10) is designed as a DALI control device (DALI = Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) and a DALI interface (15), which exchanges bidirectional data with a control device (20) according to a DALI protocol.
10. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the operating device (10) is designed as an electronic ballast (10) for discharge lamps (12).
11. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the energy or power measuring device (25) is designed in order to detect and to store in a detection mode the energy or power losses occurring in the operating device (10) in dependence on an operating state of the operating device (10).
12. An operating device according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the energy or power measuring device (25) is designed in order to determine the energy or power consumption of the lighting means (12) in an operating state by means of a value assigned to the respective operating state in a list of energy and power consumption values.
13. An operating device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the energy or power measuring device (25) is designed in order to detect a current and a voltage through the lighting means or through the resonant half bridge during an operation of the lighting means (12) by means of a resonant half bridge.
14. A method for detecting an energy or power consumption of a lighting means, with an operating device (10), wherein the operating device (10) has an interface for the bidirectional data exchange with a control device, and wherein the operating device (10) has an energy or power measuring device for determining an energy or power consumption, wherein the energy or power measuring device (25) is designed to detect the energy or power received by the operating device (10) at related current/voltage input connections of the operating device (10) or via a power correction factor circuit of the operating device (10), with the following steps:

    - Determination (100) of information about the energy or power consumption by means of the energy or power measuring device; and sending (110) the information about the energy or power consumption to the control device
    or

    - Making accessible (120) the information about the energy or power consumption to the control device.
15. A method according to Claim 14, which also has a step of storing the information about the energy or power consumption detected by means of the energy or power measuring device on a data storage device of the operating device (10).
16. A method according to any one of Claims 14 to 15, wherein the step of sending (110) the information or the step of making accessible (120) the information about the energy or power consumption is carried out upon a request by the control device or the control device (10) intermittently, by itself, sends the information about the energy or power consumption upon a request by the control device to the control device (20).
17. A method according to any one of Claims 14 to 16, wherein the step of sending (110) the information about the energy or power consumption or the step of making accessible (120) the information about the energy or power consumption, is carried out intermittently, continuously, at periodic time intervals, at predetermined times, at a predetermined energy or power consumption or upon a control command to change a brightness of the lighting means.
18. A computer program for implementing the method according to any one of Claims 14 to 17, if the computer program is carried out in a computer.

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