EP3397031B1 - Method for the automatic determination of the position of a light within a light strip, light strip and light strip system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a luminous band with at least 3 lights, a luminous band system and a method for automatically determining the position of a luminaire within a luminous band, which is controlled by means of a bus system. The tape typically has a control processor, a memory and a measurement unit.

For use in interiors of vehicles and aircraft as well as in living rooms and in living furniture light strips or light strips are used with a linear arrangement in the form of juxtaposed lights or bulbs. In addition, there are also solutions with a planar arrangement. Often, the lamps or lights are microsystems that consist of three light-emitting diodes in three complementary colors, so that the perceivable color space for humans can be represented. In addition, the use of a fourth, typically imperceptible by humans color is conceivable, for example, to support and control the melatonin secretion. The use of such a fourth color is for example from DE 10 2007 011 155 A1 . DE 10 2009 011 688 A1 . DE 10 2012 213 046 A1 and DE 20 2009 018 852 U1 and from L. Udovicic, F. Mainusch et al. "Photobiological safety of light emitting diodes "the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health from the year 2013. Area-wide rooflights and areal arrangements of lights are, for example, from the unpublished writings EN 10 2017 106 811.2 . DE 10 2017 106 813.9 as well as from the WO 03 048 953 A2 known.

The light bands or light bands usually have lights and / or bulbs, which are used as actuators. The light bands have one or more control processors that control the actuators. For example, they switch the lights on or off. The control processors may be interconnected by a bus system and connected to a positive supply voltage line VCC and a negative supply voltage line GND, which also power the actuators. This allows the actuators to be switched on and off in a targeted manner. It is also possible that the data for switching the control processors via the supply voltage lines VCC, GND are transmitted. In this case, there are no separate lines for the data bus.

The light bands in the prior art sometimes also have sensors to determine status data and information and transmit it to the control processors. The usually several control processors of a light band can supply the information to a (central) control unit, which can be assigned to several light bands and controls their control processors. The transmitted data may include error messages or other types of status information of the tape or individual lights.

In order to specifically address an actuator or sensor with a control processor, it is necessary that both the actuators and the sensors have a unique address. This is usually a bus address if a data bus is used.

In order to be able to make targeted control of the luminaires (actuator or sensor), the luminaire must not only have a unique address, its position within the light band or luminous band must also be known. However, this is usually not the case, especially when multiple light strips are combined.

The prior art has proposed several solutions for self-addressing of actuators or sensors in linear systems. Examples can be found in EP 1 490 772 B1 . DE 10 2009 031 589 A1 . DE 10 2009 39 001 A1 . DE 10 2013 212 954 . EP 1 603 282 A1 . DE 10 2014 003 066 A1 . DE 10 2016 100 847 A1 ,

For example, is from the US 2012/326634 A1 a light strip with integrated LEDs known, which are combined into LED modules. Each module has an output port and an input port connected to the supply voltage, with the input port of the last module being open to mark it as an edge module in the band. By switching on the individual modules, the addresses of the LED modules are then successively determined by means of a "daisy chain recursion". From the DE 20 2013 009490 U1 is a light strip with light modules known, each having a temperature sensor. With the help of the temperature sensors, the position of the respective light module, within the light strip, is determined.

The solutions proposed therein for determining the physical position of a luminous means in a light strip, that is, for example, an LED in an LED strip light, mean an increased outlay during production or during the installation process, since a correlation during installation must be predetermined. In systems where central control units are used, however, predefined position determination of the luminaires in a light strip during electronics production is no longer reliably possible. There is therefore a need for a light strip in which the addressing of the individual control processors and the connected lights or bulbs in the installed state is possible. Techniques known in the prior art provide only the localization of the physical position of the control processors by electronic means, but not of the lights and illuminants connected thereto.

The invention is therefore based on the object to enable a position-specific addressing of lights in a light strip, even if multiple light strips are combined or the light strips are already installed.

The object is achieved by a method for automatically determining the position of a luminaire within a luminous band with the features according to claim 1, by a luminous band with the features according to claim 2 and by a luminous band system with the features of claim 15.

The invention is based on the finding that a characteristic and measurable influence is caused in luminaires when an adjacent luminaire, in particular within a luminous band, emits a light output. This effect takes place in particular in LED light strips, in which the lights comprise one or more LEDs. It was recognized and could be measured in the laboratory that, for example, in LEDs, a photocurrent is caused when a lamp in the neighborhood or environment emits a light output. The generated photocurrent produces a voltage that can be measured. It is thus possible to produce an influencing value in a luminaire by irradiation with light from another luminaire, which is measurable.

On this basis, the method for automatically determining the position of a luminaire within a luminous band, which is controlled by means of a bus system, according to the invention comprises the following steps:
First, a light strip is provided which comprises at least three lights and which has at least one control processor, a memory and a measuring unit. The lights can be switched to a first state and to a second state. In the first state, a lamp emits a first light output that is greater than a second light output, which is emitted in the second state. The light output in the second state can also be zero, so that no light is emitted. Accordingly, the second state may also be referred to as the off state if the luminaire is not lit, but switched off.

The term light power here comprises the emission of light with a specific, usually predetermined brightness value or with a predetermined color value. The light used can be in the visible range lie. However, it can also generate radiation in the non-visible region, for example in the infrared range or in the ultraviolet range.

According to the automatic method, each luminaire of the luminous band is assigned an arbitrary but unique address. This has the advantage that a luminaire can be clearly controlled by this address. The assignment of the address preferably takes place by means of the control processor of the luminous band. The address may be, for example, a provisional bus address.

In a further step, one of the lights is switched to the first state. The switching process is initiated and initiated by the control processor. The luminaire is addressed by means of the unique address. At least one of the other lights, preferably all other lights are switched to the second state. Preferably, they are turned off.

Another step involves measuring an influence value in the luminaire or in the luminaires that are switched to the second state. The measurement is carried out by means of the measuring unit of the luminous band. The influence value is, as explained above, caused by one of the lights of the light band is switched to the first state and thus emits a first light output. There is an influence on the other lights that are adjacent to this (first) light, which is switched to the first state. Preferably, the induced influence value may depend on the distance to the light output radiating light, e.g. proportional or inversely proportional. Other correlations between influence value and distance are conceivable.

The influencing value measured by the measuring unit is stored in the memory of the luminous band. The memory may for example be integrated in the control processor.

By means of these steps, an influencing value can be determined in each case for the luminaire or switched luminaires switched into the second state. Now, the other lights are switched to the first state, wherein preferably only one of the lights is switched to the first state. Of course, several lights can be switched to the first state. At least one of the other lights is switched to the second state. With at least this one luminaire, the influencing value is measured and stored.

Once all luminaires have been switched to the first state and all luminaires have been switched to the second state once, the measured and stored influencing values are evaluated. They can optionally be sorted according to given criteria. For example, the relative position of the luminaires with one another can be determined by (multiple) comparison of the influencing values of the individual luminaires and by relating the influencing values. Preferably, the influencing values can be stored in the form of a matrix. The influencing matrix can be evaluated, preferably after previous resorting.

From the influencing values, the position of the luminaires in the luminous band is determined or calculated in a further step. This is done on the basis of the measured influencing values. By comparing the influencing values and combinatorial selection, each luminaire can be set in relation to a neighboring luminaire. From this, the unique position of the lights to each other to determine. One possibility will be explained with reference to the figures; other possibilities are known to the person skilled in the art.

The determined positions of the individual luminaires are stored in each case. Preferably not only relative positions to each other, but also an order of the lights can be determined. According to the invention the object is also achieved by a light strip with multiple lights and a device for automatically detecting the position of the lights. The light strip comprises a control processor, a measurement unit, a memory and a bus system. The luminaires of the luminous band can be switched to a first state and to a second state. In each of the states, one light output can be emitted in each case. In this case, the first light output radiated in the first state is greater than the second light output radiated in the second state. The second light output can be zero. In this case the light is switched off. In any case, the second light output must be smaller than the first light output which is emitted. The blasting of a light output in this case includes that light is emitted with a predetermined brightness value or a predetermined color.

According to the invention, each luminaire of the luminous band has a unique address in the bus system. This address can be arbitrary. It is preferably first a provisional bus address. Preferably, the luminaire is assigned the provisional bus address by means of the control processor. If several control processors integrated in the light strip, each lamp is assigned by a control processor to a bus address. Of course, a control processor can assign multiple luminaires to bus addresses.

The control processor of the light strip is part of the device for automatically detecting the position of the lights. It has a control and evaluation algorithm, which is used to switch the lights or individual lights or a light in the first state or in the second state. The control and evaluation algorithm also serves to control the measuring unit and controls it such that an influencing value can be measured in a luminaire. In this case, the control and evaluation algorithm preferably selects in which luminaire an influencing value is measured. The algorithm controls the device for automatically detecting the position of the luminaires such that the measured influencing value is stored in the memory.

The control and evaluation algorithm preferably controls the device in such a way that first a light of the light band is switched to the first state and an influence value is measured on another light, which is preferably switched to the second state, and this value is stored in the memory , This procedure is repeated for several, preferably all, luminaires, preferably until an influencing value has been determined for each luminaire.

Subsequently, preferably by means of the control and evaluation algorithm, a preferably automatic evaluation is carried out, in which the determined influencing values are read out and evaluated so that the positions of the individual luminaires in the luminous band can be determined on the basis of the influencing values, for example can be calculated. The determined position of the individual lights is also stored in the memory.

Such a light strip has the advantage that the unknown at the beginning positions of the individual lights after execution of the above steps are known and so a desired light or a light in a particular position can be controlled directly. This is necessary to create luminous patterns within the luminous band.

In a preferred embodiment, the processor and its control and evaluation algorithm are designed and set up so that the method according to claim 1 is carried out.

In the evaluation of the influencing values, it is preferred to detect when one luminaire is directly adjacent to two other luminaires. This information is stored for the luminaire in the memory.

The method is preferably also aligned so that it is recognized that a lamp is just another lamp directly adjacent. This information can be determined by evaluating the influencing values. A luminaire that has only one direct neighbor is marked as an edge lamp. This information is also stored, preferably in the existing memory. The information that a luminaire is an edge luminaire is important for evaluating the position. This luminaire is either the first luminaire or the last luminaire of the luminous band. So it is the beginning of the luminous band or the end of the luminous band. The distinction between edge light and internal light is important in order to easily determine the position of the lights.

The influence value on which the method is based is preferably the value of a measurable change which is caused in a luminaire. The influencing value is preferably the measurable change caused in a lamp which is switched to the second state, the change being caused by a lamp which is switched to the first state. The measurable change is preferably a photocurrent that is generated in the luminaire in the second state. This photocurrent can preferably be determined as a voltage on the lamp. The determination is preferably carried out by means of a measuring unit. Preferably, the measuring unit is integrated in the control processor. However, it can also be executed as an independent unit. Preferably, it is then arranged in the device for automatically detecting the position of the lights in the light strip.

The influencing value can advantageously also be a voltage which is caused directly in a luminaire in the second state and can be measured directly.

In a preferred embodiment, the luminaire comprises a luminous element or luminous means. This may be, for example, an LED in which a photocurrent is generated to emit or enter a light output Photocurrent is generated as an influence value, by light power, which is absorbed by the LED. The luminaire preferably comprises more than one luminous element. The lamp is therefore a group of bulbs or lighting element group.

Particularly preferably, it comprises three luminous elements, which particularly preferably each have a different color. In practice, a lamp has proved to be advantageous, the three bulbs or lighting elements in the colors red, green and blue covers.

In a preferred embodiment of the luminaire, it comprises at least four luminous elements, with one of the luminous elements particularly preferably being an infrared luminous element. Also preferred is a luminaire in which a red, a green, a blue and an infrared LED are included. Other LEDs for a luminaire are possible. For example, an ultraviolet LED could also be used.

Particularly preferably, all the light elements of a lamp are designed as LEDs. Such light strips with lights, which consist exclusively of LEDs, have the advantage that they are very energy efficient. At the same time, a high light output can be generated. Their reaction rate is very high. Modulation patterns and variations in light output are easy to implement. Digital control is possible.

In a preferred embodiment, each light is associated with exactly one control processor. It is therefore switched by exactly one control processor. It is advantageous if each lamp is also assigned to exactly one measuring unit and the influencing value caused by it is measured by only one measuring unit. Of course, a measuring unit to measure several lights, especially several light elements of a lamp. Independently of this, a control processor can, of course, also control a plurality of luminaires and a plurality of luminous elements of a luminaire. In a In a preferred embodiment, a control processor controls four luminaires each having three luminous elements, which are preferably LEDs.

In a preferred embodiment of the luminous band and the corresponding method, a first influencing value of a first edge luminaire is determined during or after the determination of the influencing values of all luminaires and / or luminous elements. This can be done during the evaluation of the illumination values. Likewise, a second influencing value of the second edge light is determined. By comparing the first influencing value of the first edge light and the second influencing value of the second edge light, it can now be determined at which position of the light strip the first edge light or second edge light is located. The first edge light is defined as the beginning of the light strip, and the second edge light is defined as the end of the light if the first influence value is greater than the second influencing value.

Preferably, the first edge light is defined as the light strip end and the second edge light as the light strip beginning when the first influencing value of the first edge light is smaller than the second influencing value of the second edge light. In this way it can be determined by simple comparison, where the light strip beginning and end are. The luminaires can be defined as a luminous band start luminaire or as a luminous band end luminaire.

In a preferred embodiment, the light strip comprises a control unit which communicates via the bus system with the control processor of the light band and controls it. If several control processors are present, the control unit can control several, preferably all control processors of the light band. Of course, a controller can also control and communicate with multiple processors of multiple light bands. In this way, not only a one-dimensional luminous band can be produced in a linear arrangement, but also a planar luminous mat, which consists of several side by side arranged light bands may exist. Thus, for example, the headliner of a vehicle can be lined with a light mat on which different patterns, figures or logos or logos can be displayed. By controlling the individual luminaires, it is possible to also produce varying patterns or seemingly moving letter sequences or image sequences on a luminous mat.

In a preferred embodiment, the unique, arbitrary address of each luminaire assigned to it at the beginning of the process is a provisional address in the bus system. This address is preferably overwritten after determining the position of the light and replaced by a unique, final bus address. The final bus address may preferably reflect the position of the luminaire. For example, the luminaires can be numbered from the start of the luminous band to the end of the luminous band, with the bus addresses towards the end of the luminous band having a higher value or an ascending value. Such an association facilitates the control and programming of the respective algorithms to produce luminous patterns in the luminous band or ribbon system.

In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of light bands are combined in a luminous band system, which is preferably controlled by a control unit. The lighting system can e.g. to be a luminous mat.

With the method described above, it is possible in a simple manner, even with already installed and used light bands to determine the position in retrospect. The method according to the invention must be applied only once until all positions of the luminaires or of the luminous means of the luminaires are known. In addition to the lights, of course, the bulbs can also have their own bus address. Since the position of the lights or the lighting elements is fixed by the installation in the system, it is advantageous if the bus address of the lights is assigned such that the position of the respective light is indicated in the light strip by the bus address. It has proven to be beneficial proven, for example, if the bus addresses are rising from the beginning of the light band towards the end of the light band out. It is also possible to use hierarchical bus addresses. Since each control processor has its own bus address, the addresses of the lights can be specified relative to the control processor from which they are controlled. The same applies to the bulbs within the lights. These addresses may also be relative to the luminaire. In this way results in a composite bus address, the logical structure is preferably the same for all lights or lighting elements.

The inventive method can also run in a control device for one or more light bands. The method can be integrated as code or software in the control unit. For example, alternatively, the control and evaluation algorithm of a control processor can be integrated in the control unit and run there, so that the method can be performed by the control unit and the lights of the light bands can be controlled and switched.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The explanations and explanations given here can not only be used in the specified combination, but can also be used in a different combination and composition, without going beyond the scope of the claims.

die Figuren 1a, 1b

einen Ausschnitt aus einem Leuchtband;

die Figuren 2a, 2b

die gleichen Teilabschnitte eines Leuchtbands wie in Figur 1b.

Show it:

Figures 1a, 1b

a section of a light strip;

Figures 2a, 2b

the same sections of a luminous band as in FIG. 1b ,

Fig. 1 shows a portion 2 of a luminous band 1 with a control processor 4. The control processor 4 (IC) receives its power directly or indirectly via a positive supply voltage line 6 (VCC) and a negative supply voltage line 8 (GND), which is typically the reference potential. The data for a control of the control processor 4 are transmitted to the control processor 4 via a data bus 10, which in the present example is designed as a two-wire data bus (DB), by a control device (bus master), not shown. In the example shown here, the data is fed from the left or right into the light strip 1 and supplied to the control processor 4. It changes in response to the signals one or more control signals with which lights 12 of section 2 are controlled. The lights can be controlled for example by one or more pulse width modulation signals.

The lights 12 shown here each comprise three light-emitting elements 14, which are designed as LEDs 16. Each luminous element 14 of the lights 12 can be controlled by the control processor 4. In the present example, a control processor 4 controls exactly four lights 12. The section 2 of the light strip 1 is designed so that in each case two lights 12 are arranged on both sides of the control processor 4. As a result, the supply lines are short.

The luminous elements 14 of the luminaires 12 are preferably each a red luminous element 141, a green luminous element 142 and a blue luminous element 143, particularly preferably LEDs 16, in particular one red LED 161, one green LED 162 and one blue LED 163. Each of the LEDs 161 , 162, 163 can be controlled in different ways. For example, can be realized by different control of the various LEDs 161, 162, 163 a special color. In any case, it is preferably possible to adjust color temperature and brightness. The brightness can, for example, preferably take place via the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation control of one of the lighting elements 14. The color adjustment preferably takes place via the brightness of the three LEDs 161, 162, 163 in the individual colors red, green, blue. The brightness of the radiation of the entire luminaire 12 is set by the sum brightness of the individual luminous elements 14 in the respective colors. The color temperature of the individual light-emitting elements 14 is preferably adjusted via the amplitude of the signal, preferably the pulse width modulation signal.

In Fig. 1a Two buffer capacitances 18 (CB) are shown, which are respectively arranged at the beginning and at the end of section 2. The buffer capacities stabilize the supply voltage VCC.

Fig. 1b shows a further section of the illuminated strip 1, on which a plurality of sections 2 are joined together. By juxtaposing several sections 2 are each two buffer capacities 18 side by side.

All sections 2 are powered by the continuous positive and negative supply voltage lines 6, 8 with energy.

Since each control processor 4 of the respective section 2 has a unique bus address, the respective control processors 4 can be controlled separately via the data bus 10, which extends over all sections 2. The method according to the invention is based on the assumption that each control processor has a unique bus address. If this is not the case, the control processors 4 must first be assigned a bus address. This can be done for example by means of a method for assigning an initial processor software address or bus address for all control processors. Such methods are known in the art. To exclude collisions, the initialization procedure must be designed so that no bus address is assigned multiple times. This is the case if the bus address is unique at all times.

One possible method for the initial assignment of the control processor bus addresses provides that after a reset of the light band 1 all Control processors 4 have a preset processor base address, but that only the control processor 4 can be addressed directly, which is arranged next to the controller for controlling the light band immediately next. This control processor is then assigned by the control unit a bus address that is unique. In a further step, the next control processor 4 of the illuminated strip 1 is addressed, since it can be reached when the first control processor 4 has a unique address. This was not the case before, but is now given as soon as the first control processor has a bus address. The second processor is then assigned a likewise unique bus address. In this way, it is true that no bus address is allocated twice. This process is performed successively for all control processors 4.

If the lights 12 of the light strip 1 do not have a unique bus address, the lamps 12 are preferably first assigned a provisional bus address. In particular, in the case of identical parts in production, it may happen that several parts have the same address. As equal parts are understood like elements. In this case, a provisional bus address must first be assigned to the luminaires 12, which must be unique.

When assigning the bus address for the control processors 4, for example, a unique and specific for the control processor 4 and individual property, preferably the serial number, are queried. This can be done by the control unit, which is also the bus master in the bus system at the same time. The query can specifically cause a collision in the bus. In the case of dominant and recessive bus systems of a data bus 10, for example, exactly the answer to the data bus 10 prevails, in which the control processor 4 has not perceived a collision. In the next step, the control device transmits as bus master a bus address or network address, which are ignored by precisely the control processors 4 as bus slaves, which have detected a collision and are received and stored by precisely one control processor 4 without collision. On This way, 4 bus addresses can be allocated successively for each control processor. In a further step, the control unit 4 as a bus master can individually control each luminaire 12 or each luminous element 14 of a luminaire 12. This is possible in particular when the control processor 4 and the lamps 12 assigned to it form a unit with their lighting elements 14. If the luminaires are individual components, these must also be controlled via a bus system. Here then serves the control processor 4 as a bus master and the individual lights as Busslaves. The procedure is similar.

At the end of the process, each luminous element 14 or each luminaire 12 can be assigned a unique address. Although the control unit can then individually address each luminous element 14 of a luminaire 12 within the luminous band 1 with an arbitrary and individual bus address, the so-called illuminant address. However, the real physical position of the lighting element 14 or the lamp 12 are not known. Other methods of auto-addressing the control processors 4 are known from the literature and from the prior art. Also known are methods for assigning an address to individual luminaires 12 or luminous elements 14. However, this method lacks the information of the relative position within the luminous band.

As soon as the luminaires have a bus address, for example via a provisional bus address, they can be activated and thus switched, ie switched to the first or second state. The controller can also be used to realize flashing patterns or color changes (for example flashing).

Preferably, a modulation is used to emit a light output. For example, a brightness modulation can take place, which preferably has two states of brightness. This may be the maximum brightness state as a first state and as the second state the off state in which no brightness is emitted. In addition to the brightness modulation is also a Color angle modulation possible. This can be realized in particular if a luminaire 12 has a plurality of luminous elements 14 of different color. For example, a luminaire 12 may have a red luminous element 141, a green luminous element 142 and a blue luminous element 143. For example, a lamp 12 may be switched in the first state so that the red light-emitting element 141 is first turned on and then switching to the green light-emitting element 142 takes place, the brightness remaining the same. The third, blue light-emitting element 143 may be switched off. Another lamp, which also has three light elements 141, 142, 143 (red, green, blue), can be used as a receiver. For example, the blue luminous element 143 of the second luminaire 12 can be used as a receiver. This blue light-emitting element 143 is more sensitive to the light output of the green light-emitting element 142 (green LED 162) than to a radiated light power of the red light-emitting element 141. This results in the blue light-emitting element 143 modulating the photovoltage signal, which can be evaluated. For evaluation, many methods are available in the prior art.

For example, one method may be to measure the voltage drop across the off-light element 14, e.g. the luminous element 143, which is irradiated with the light output of a luminous element of an adjacent luminaire 12. Preferably, the light-emitting element 143, on which a voltage drop is caused, in the second state, more preferably, it is turned off.

These methods assume that the voltage drop between the lamp 12 closest to the supply voltage and the lamp 12 farthest from the supply voltage is sufficient for a significant, ie measurable, distinction. With only two lights 12 this voltage drop is usually quite low. The voltage drop can be maximized by determining the lamp closest to the power supply or determining the lamp furthest from the power supply, the one lamp 12 and its lighting elements 14 are operated with maximum light output and thus light energy output. All other lights and all their light elements 14 are turned off and are thus operated with maximum power consumption for this measurement.

In case of feasibility of this measurement, the lead resistance is preferably sufficient. If the forward current of a luminous element, in particular a diode, is in balance with the photocurrent, then the potential difference between forward current and photocurrent is a very good measure of the incident light power in the luminous element 14 of the luminaire 12 to be measured, which is switched to the second state , preferably in the off state.

Preferably, but not shown in the figures, the control processors 4 of the light strip 1 to an analog-to-digital converter. This is preferably suitable and intended to measure the photocurrent of the light-emitting elements 14, in particular the LEDs 16, or the voltage drop as a result of such a photocurrent. The analog-to-digital converter is preferably the measuring unit of the light band, which may be integrated into the control processor 4.

In a preferred embodiment, an amplifier for increasing the resolution is interposed between the analog-to-digital converter and the luminous element, in particular an LED. In addition, a filter can be interposed, for example to avoid and reduce EMC problems and to further improve the resolution of the measurement.

The measurement is preferably carried out several times for a luminous element 14 or a luminaire 12. In each implementation, the radiated luminous power of the luminous means in the first state and thus the irradiation and illumination of the luminaires in the second state can preferably be modeled in a predetermined manner. The modulation pattern may preferably be used, for example by means of a correlation method, to form a discrete autocorrelation signal; of a convolution integral. Alternatively, the discrete equivalent between the modulation pattern and the received pattern in the luminous elements 14 of the luminaire 12 switched to the second state may be determined. Other methods are possible.

Thus, each luminaire 12 of the luminous band 1 in the second state is influenced by the light of another luminaire in the first state. Since the light output and thus the radiation density is preferably inversely proportional to the distance between the illuminated luminous element 14 of a luminaire 12 in the second state (off state) and the luminous element of the other luminaire 12 in the first state, typically dominate the immediately adjacent lights in the first state the lighting elements of the lights in the second state. The closer a luminaire in the first state of a luminaire is in the second state, the higher the received light output and thus the influencing value that can be measured. For each luminaire 12, it is possible to generate from the influencing values an influencing vector which has n elements if n luminaires 12 are present in the luminous band.

If a luminous band 1 has a number of n luminaires, an influencing matrix of the form of an nxn matrix can be generated from all the measured influencing values or the influencing vectors.

Luminaires 12, which are switched to the second state and very far from the light output radiating lamp (lamp in the first state) are removed, are affected by the radiating light hardly or not. In the influencing matrix, a zero will preferably be at such a position for the luminaire 12 in the second state if the measured influencing value is below a predetermined or specific threshold value. In the case of light strips with many luminaires, as a result of the non-influencing or very slight influence of more distant luminaires from the emitting luminaire, a weakly diagonally occupied influencing matrix will arise, which may have many and mostly zeroes. Because the influence value Preferably, depending on the distance between a luminaire in the first state and a luminaire in the second state monotonically increasing or monotonically decreasing, the influencing matrix can be rearranged (sorted) by interchanging rows and columns in such a way that a matrix in diagonal form arises. This sorting preferably takes place automatically in the control and evaluation algorithm, very preferably in the evaluation algorithm, in particular if it is carried out separately. Once this sorting has been done, the values are sorted in physical order and position. This will be explained again by means of an example and by means of the FIGS. 2a and 2b explained in more detail.

The FIG. 2a shows by way of example a section 2 of a luminous band 1 according to FIG FIG. 1b , Section 2 comprises two control processors 4 with a total of eight lights 14. In the lower part of FIG. 2a the intensity distribution along the luminous band and the irradiation intensity in influenced luminaires 12 in the second state within the luminous band 1 are shown, ie the emission behavior or the absorption behavior of the luminaires.

As described above, each control processor 4 has first been assigned an individual and unique control processor bus address. This can be done for example by means of a method of the prior art. The processors 4 can be selectively controlled and addressed, for example, by a (not shown) control unit, which may be, for example, a control unit of a vehicle.

The individual lamps 12 each have a unique address, with which they can be addressed, so can be selectively controlled. This provisional bus address may be a random address, which may be assigned by a control unit, for example. The provisional bus addresses of the lights 12 are numbered P1 to P8 and in FIG. 2a located above the light strip 1 and assigned to the individual lights 12. Since the assignment of the provisional bus addresses happens at random, the numbers of the bus addresses are not sorted.

In order to determine the position, in the example shown a luminaire 12 is now switched to the first state in which it emits a first light output. Here it is the lamp 12 with the address P3. Below the luminous band, the intensity of the light output is applied along the luminous band 1. The intensity maximum of the light output is at the radiating light 12 with the address P3. Preferably, all the light elements 14 of the lamp 12 with the address P3, which are preferably LEDs 16, turned on. All other luminaires with the addresses P1, P2, P4-P8 are preferably switched off. At these lights 12 in the second state of the influence value is measured, which is here caused by the light output photocurrent or over the light 12 applied photovoltage.

The two lights with the provisional bus address P4 and P7, which are directly adjacent to the radiating light in the first state with the bus address P3, have the highest absorption behavior. The induced influence value, which is proportional to the absorption, is significantly higher than for all other luminaires 12. The influencing value caused on the luminaire with the address P1 is noticeably below the influencing values of the luminaires with the addresses P4 and P7. In the concrete example, the photovoltage or the generated photocurrent produced in the luminaire with the address P4 is therefore greater in magnitude than the photovoltage or the generated photocurrent generated in the luminaire with the address P1.

Also in the lamp 12 with the address P5, a photovoltage is caused corresponding to the photovoltage on the lamp with the address P1, since the distance of the lamps with the addresses P1 and P5 from the radiating lamp 12 with the address P3 is the same. In all other lights 12 of section 2, the induced influence value is below a specified threshold value. Here no photovoltage or photocurrent can reliably be detected. In these luminaires it is assumed that no influence takes place. Incidentally, it is sufficient if two or four adjacent luminaires can be detected for one luminaire.

From the in FIG. 2a The configuration shown can now be used to create an influencing vector for the luminaire with the address P3. This vector is: $$\left(1.0.-.2.1.0.2.0\right)$$

In the influencing vector, a coding is indicated for the luminaires with the addresses P1 to P8, wherein - for the luminaire 12 in the first state, 2 for a strongly influenced luminaire, which is switched to the second state, 1 for a weakly influenced luminaire in the second state, and 0 for a luminaire in the second state, in which there is no influence or the influence is below the threshold value.

If further measurements are now carried out for all luminaires 14 of section 2, an influencing matrix is obtained by stacking the individual influencing vectors of the luminaires with the addresses P1 to P8, each influencing vector representing a matrix row. The influencing vectors written after the bus addresses P1 to P8 result in the following influencing matrix: - 0 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 - 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 - 2 1 0 2 0 2 0 2 - 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 - 0 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 - 0 2 0 0 2 1 2 0 - 0 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 -

The first line of this influencing matrix corresponds to the situation in which the luminaire with the bus address P1 is switched on. The row three of the matrix corresponds to the situation of FIG. 2a , the fifth line of the situation FIG. 2b , in which the light with the bus address P5 is switched to the first state.

For better understanding, the influencing matrix is now provided with an additional upper line in which the bus addresses are noted in ascending order. The numbering of the influencing vectors in the rows of the influencing matrix is indicated by the letters a to h for better illustration and reference in the following explanations: P 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8th a - 0 1 2 0 2 0 1 b 0 - 0 0 0 1 0 2 c 1 0 - 2 1 0 2 0 d 2 0 2 - 0 1 1 0 e 0 0 1 0 - 0 2 0 f 2 1 0 1 0 - 0 2 G 0 0 2 1 2 0 - 0 H 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 -

The evaluation of the matrix shows that the influencing vectors in lines b and e each show a luminaire in the first state, which is arranged at an end position of the luminous band, ie at the end of the luminous band or at the beginning of the luminous band. In these lines, the codes 1 and 2 occur only once. These luminaires of lines b and e, which are positioned at the end of the luminous band or beginning, are sorted by interchanging the columns such that the luminaire from line e with the bus address P5 indicates the beginning of the luminous band and the luminaire from line b with the bus address P2 light band end. This can be seen in the following matrix. The choice of Leuchtbandanfangs and end is initially arbitrary and random. P 5 7 3 1 4 6 8th 2 a 0 0 1 - 2 2 1 0 b 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 - c 1 2 - 1 2 0 0 0 d 0 1 2 2 - 1 0 0 e - 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 f 0 0 0 2 1 - 2 1 G 2 - 2 0 1 0 0 0 H 0 0 0 1 0 2 - 2

The matrix shown here has been rearranged, with the arrangement of the columns being reversed. The columns of the matrix were further interchanged in such a way that the luminaire whose coding in line e has a 2 is now positioned for line e as adjacent luminaire to that with the address P5. This is the lamp with the address P7. Adjacent to this is the luminaire with the address P3, which has a coding of 1 in line e. Accordingly, the columns of the influencing matrix are sorted. The same applies to the line b, so that now the last column of the matrix is the luminaire of the address P2, the penultimate column is the luminaire of the address P8 and the third last column is the luminaire with the address P6, corresponding to the codes 1, 2, -.

The columns four and five of the influencing matrix have the luminaires with the addresses P1 and P4. However, they are still unsorted.

By evaluating a further line, for example line h, it becomes clear that the columns for the luminaires with the addresses P1 and P4 have to be exchanged. Of course, another line, for example, line g or f could also serve for the evaluation, since the encodings within the influence vector must be arranged such that the encodings 1 and 2 and - are adjacent in ascending and descending scoring.

After exchanging the fourth and fifth column, the following influencing matrix results. P 5 7 3 4 1 6 8th 2 a 0 0 1 2 - 2 1 0 b 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 - c 1 2 - 2 1 0 0 0 d 0 1 2 - 2 1 0 0 e - 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 f 0 0 0 1 2 - 2 1 G 2 - 2 1 0 0 0 0 H 0 0 0 0 1 2 - 2

All lines that do not reflect edge lights have the order 1, 2, -, 2, 1 or at least 2, -, 2 at one position. The resulting matrix indicates in the uppermost row the arrangement of the luminaires according to their bus addresses P1 to P8. The physical position of the individual addresses can now be determined by simple counting. When the supply voltage of in Figure 2a, 2b right arranged control processor 4-1 is higher than that of in Figure 2a, 2b left-hand control processor 4-2, so must count up from right to left. In the example shown here, it is assumed that the supply voltage of the right-hand control processor 4-1 is higher than that of the left-hand control processor 4-2. It must therefore be counted up from right to left. The result is the following influencing matrix, wherein an additional first line is added, which indicates the physical address and position of the respective luminaire 12. 8th 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 P 5 7 3 4 1 6 8th 2 a 0 0 1 2 - 2 1 0 b 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 - c 1 2 - 2 1 0 0 0 d 0 1 2 - 2 1 0 0 e - 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 f 0 0 0 1 2 - 2 1 G 2 - 2 1 0 0 0 0 H 0 0 0 0 1 2 - 2

The evaluation of the influencing matrix shows that the luminaire 12 with the provisional bus address P5 has the physical address 8 and is thus arranged on the left edge of the section 2 of the luminous band 1. The lamp 12 with the provisional bus address P7 is located at position 7, the lamp 12 with the address P3 at position 6, the lamp 12 with the bus address P4 at position 5, the lamp 12 with the bus address P1 at position 4. At position 3 the lamp 12 is positioned with the address P6, at the position 2 the lamp 12 with the provisional bus address P8 and at position 1 and thus as a right edge lamp the lamp with the provisional bus address P2.

The provisional bus addresses P1 to P8 can now be replaced by the physical address or positions 1 to 8. In this way, not only the position of the individual lamp 12 is known. It can also be done by assigning a numerically ascending or descending address a simpler assignment between position and light 12. This can have advantages in programming.

The method shown here by way of example to sort eight lights 12 of a section 2 and to determine their position, and optionally the assignment of a new bus address can be extended to almost any length of sections 2. It is limited only by the computing power of the processor, since correspondingly large influencing matrices must be processed. Of course, it is also possible to determine sections of the position and then determine the individual sections in their position to each other. This can be done by setting up influencing matrices across the section boundaries and by evaluating the generated voltage drops in the luminaires of the individual sections 2.

Claims (15)

1. Method for the automated determination of the position of a light within a light strip (1) that is controlled by means of a bus system, comprising the following steps:

   a. Providing a light strip (1) with at least three lights (12), at least one control processor (4), a memory and a measuring unit, wherein the at least three lights (12) can be switched to a first state and to a second state and radiate a first light output in the first state that is bigger than a second light output that is radiated in the second state,

   b. Assigning a unique, arbitrary address of the bus system to each of the at least three lights (12),

   c. Switching one of the at least three lights (12) to the first state by means of the control processor by using the address of the respective light,

   d. Switching another of the at least three lights to the second state by means of the control processor (4) by using the address of the respective light (12),

   e. Measuring a photoelectric current as influence value in the light (12) that is switched to the second state by means of the measuring unit, wherein the influence value of each light (12) switched to the second state is generated by the first light output emitted by the light (12) switched to the first state,

   f. Storing the measured influence value in the memory,

   g. Repeating the steps c. to f. for others of the at least three lights (12),

   h. Evaluating and optionally sorting the stored influence values,

   i. Calculating each position of the at least three lights (12) in the light strip (1) on the basis of the evaluated influence values,

   j. Storing the calculated position of each light (12).
2. Light strip with at least three lights and a device for the automated determination of the positions of the lights comprising a control processor, a measuring unit, a memory, and a bus system, wherein

   - the at least three lights (12) can be switched to a first state and to a second state and radiate a first light output in the first state that is bigger than a second light output that is radiated in the second state,

   - each of the at least three lights (12) has a unique, arbitrary address in the bus system that is preferably assigned to it by the control processor (4),

   - the control processor (4), comprising a control and evaluation algorithm, is designed to execute the following steps:

   switching one of the at least three lights (12) to the first state by means of the control and evaluation algorithm of the control processor (4) and switching another of the at least three lights to the second state; and

   measuring a photoelectric current as influence value in the light (12) switched to the second state by means of the measuring unit, which photoelectric current is generated by the first light output radiated by the light (12) switched to the first state, and

   storing the influence value in the memory;

   repeating these steps for the other of the at least three lights (12) and subsequently evaluating and optionally sorting the stored influence values and calculating the respective positions of the respective lights (12) in the light strip (1) on the basis of the evaluated influence values and

   storing the calculated position of each light (12) in the memory.
3. Method according to claim 1 or light strip according to claim 2, characterized by the further steps:

   - Recognizing that one of the at least three lights (12) is directly adjacent to two others of the at least three lights, and storing this information for the one of the at least three lights (12),
   or

   - Recognizing that one of the at least three lights (12) is directly adjacent to only one other of the at least three lights (12), and marking this one of the at least three lights (12) as fringe light and storing this information.
4. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the influence value is the value of a measurable change that is caused by the light (12) switched to the second state by means of the light (12) switched to the first state.
5. Method or light strip according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the influence value is proportional to the distance of the light (12) switched to the second state to the light (12) switched to the first state, which causes the measurable change.
6. Method or light strip according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that the influence value is a voltage, generated by the photoelectric current, which is measured by the measuring unit.
7. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring unit is integrated in the control processor (4).
8. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the at least three lights (12) comprises a light-emitting element (14), preferably three light-emitting elements (14), very preferably three light-emitting elements (14) in different colors, further preferably three light-emitting elements (14) in the colors blue, red, and green, further preferably at least four light-emitting elements (14), wherein very preferably one of the light-emitting elements (14) is an infrared light-emitting element, and particularly preferably the light-emitting elements (14) are LEDs (16).
9. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the at least three lights (12) is switched to the first state and several others of the at least three lights (12) are switched to the second state, preferably all other lights (12).
10. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light strip (1) comprises a plurality of control processors (4) and in that each light (12) is allocated to exactly one control processor (4) in such a manner that it is controlled by the control processor (4).
11. Method or light strip according to claim 3, characterized by the following steps:

    - Determining a first influence value of one light of the at least three lights (12) marked as first fringe light;

    - Determining the second influence value of one light of the at least three lights (12) marked as second fringe light;

    - Comparing the first influence value of the first fringe light and the second influence value of the second fringe light,

    - Defining the first fringe light as light strip beginning and the second fringe light as light strip ending if the first influence value is bigger than the second influence value,

    - Defining the first fringe light as light strip ending and the second fringe light as light strip beginning if the first influence value is smaller than the second influence value.
12. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light strip (1) comprises a plurality of control processors (4), wherein preferably each control processor (4) controls at least two lights (12), particularly preferably each control processor (4) controls at least four lights (12).
13. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light strip (1) comprises a control unit that communicates with and controls the control processor(s) (4) via the bus system.
14. Method or light strip according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unique, arbitrary address of each of the at least three lights (12), which has preferably been assigned by the control processor (4), is a provisional address in the bus system which is replaced by a unique, final bus address after the respective position of each light (12) has been determined, wherein preferably the unique, final bus address is chosen in accordance with the position of the respective light (12).
15. Light strip system comprising a plurality of light strips according to claim 2.

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