EP4117394A1 - Automatic illumination system control - Google Patents

Abstract

A lighting system (2) has at least one light source (3) and a communication interface (7) for communication with an external communication unit (9) and a control circuit (6) which is coupled to the communication interface (7). The control circuit (6) is set up to receive information relating to a predetermined schedule via the communication interface (7) from the external communication unit (9), to automatically activate or change an operating mode of the lighting system (2) depending on the information received and to to control at least one light source (3) depending on the activated or changed operating mode for illuminating an area surrounding the at least one light source (3).

Description

The invention relates to a lighting system, an arrangement for automatically lighting such a lighting system, and a method for automatically controlling a lighting system.

It is an object of the present invention to specify a possibility for controlling a lighting system, through which a higher degree of automation can be achieved, in particular in order to increase user comfort and/or reduce or keep energy consumption of the lighting system low.

This object is solved by the respective subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the idea of transmitting information relating to a predetermined schedule to the lighting system from an external communication unit and automatically activating or changing an operating mode of the lighting system depending on this.

According to one aspect of the invention, an illumination system having at least one light source is specified. The lighting system includes a Communication interface for communication, in particular for wireless communication, with an external communication unit. The lighting system includes a control circuit that is wirelessly or wired coupled to the communication interface. The control circuit is set up to receive information from the external communication unit via the communication interface relating to a predefined schedule that is stored in particular by the external communication unit, for example by a memory unit of the external communication unit. The communication interface is set up to automatically activate or change an operating mode of the lighting system depending on the information received. The control circuit is set up to automatically control the at least one light source, depending on the activated or changed operating mode, in order to illuminate an area surrounding the at least one light source.

The schedule is stored in particular in electronic form on the external communication unit. In this case, the schedule contains in particular one or more entries, each of which specifies a point in time or a period of time that is associated with the operation of the lighting system. Such a point in time or period of time can, for example, correspond to a point in time or period of time at or during which the operating mode is to be activated or changed, for example because the user then desires corresponding lighting or a change in the lighting situation. For example, the schedule may correspond to, or be part of, a user's personal appointment calendar or the like. The timetable can also include an indication of an estimated time of arrival of the user at a position of the lighting system at which the operating mode is to be activated or changed accordingly. The schedule may also correspond to a project plan for performing a project where appropriate lighting by the lighting system or adjusted lighting by the lighting system is desired depending on a project status or the like.

By automatically taking into account the schedule when activating or changing the operating mode of the lighting system, the method according to the invention means that manual activation or adjustment of the lighting by the user is not required or is only required to a lesser extent. This increases user comfort.

In addition, the method according to the invention can also ensure that the lighting only takes place when it is necessary or only to the extent that it is also necessary. Thus, activating or changing the operating mode can also include deactivating one or more light sources of the lighting system, for example all light sources of the lighting system. In this way, the energy consumption of the lighting system can be optimized, in particular reduced.

The external communication unit is in particular arranged externally to the lighting system. For example, the external communication unit can be designed as a server computer system, cloud computer system or Internet router or be part of such a unit.

The communication of the communication interface with the external communication unit can be realized, for example, by means of a direct or indirect radio connection between the communication interface and the external communication unit, for example according to a GSM standard, a standard based on the GSM standard, Edge, UMTS, HSDPA, LTE or any other mobile communications standard. The communication can also be based on LTE-M, LTE-CAT-M1 or another standard, for example. The communication can also be according to a narrowband Internet of Things standard, NB-IOT (English: "Narrow Band Internet of Things"), or any other low-power wide area network, LPWAN (English: "Low Power White Area Network ") take place.

A light source of the at least one light source can be provided, for example, by a lamp or an illuminant of a lamp. If that Lighting system includes two or more light sources, these can be controlled individually and independently, for example, or be controlled together. The light sources can be spatially distributed or arranged at a common location, for example mechanically coupled to form a unit. In various embodiments, the lighting system can consist in particular of a lamp with one or more light sources.

The operating mode of the lighting system can be defined, for example, by a respective status of the at least one light source. On the one hand, each light source can either be activated or deactivated and optionally be actively operated according to several brightness levels. The specific combination of activated status or passive status or the individual brightness levels with which the at least one light source is operated define the operating mode.

Activating or changing the operating mode can therefore in particular include changing a brightness or an emitted radiant power, activating and/or deactivating one or more light sources or, depending on the embodiment, the single light source of the lighting system. In a particularly simple case, changing the operating mode involves activating all light sources in the lighting system.

The control circuitry can also allow for dimming. For this purpose, a dimming circuit can be provided in the lighting system, in particular a light source. Alternatively, a pulse width modulation can be provided in the second in order to realize the dimming.

Activating or changing the operating mode can also include changing one or more operating parameters of the at least one light source. The operating parameter can include, for example, the brightness, a color temperature, a color and so on of the respective light source.

For example, a set of two or more operating modes can be specified for the lighting system, which are characterized in particular by different activated and deactivated light sources and/or by different operating parameters distinguish at least one light source. The control circuit can then, for example, select one of the set of operating modes depending on the information received in order to activate the operating mode. For this purpose, the control circuit can in particular deactivate a previously active further operating mode of the set of operating modes or the activation of the operating mode can be accompanied by the deactivation of the further operating mode.

Alternatively, the operating mode can also allow different values for one or more operating parameters of the lighting system. The control circuit can then, for example, change the respective value of one or more operating parameters depending on the information received in order to change the operating mode.

In accordance with at least one embodiment of the lighting system, the lighting system has at least one energy source for supplying electrical energy to the at least one light source. The control circuit is set up to change at least one electrical current, in particular a supply current, from the at least one energy source to the at least one light source depending on the information received, in order to activate or change the operating mode.

By changing the at least one electrical current, the brightness of the at least one light source can be changed depending on the information received, or the at least one light source can be activated or deactivated.

In accordance with at least one embodiment of the lighting system, the lighting system has at least one battery pack which contains at least one battery cell. The at least one accumulator cell corresponds to the at least one energy source or forms the at least one energy source.

The battery pack can be designed in particular as a replaceable battery pack or replaceable battery pack. The battery pack has in particular a battery pack housing, within which the at least one battery cell is arranged. The battery pack, in particular the battery pack housing, has detachable electrical contacts, which are configured for example by plug connections or clamp connections and which connect at least one battery cell of the battery pack to the lighting system, in particular to one or more of the at least one light source. The battery pack can therefore be designed in particular as a so-called system battery pack or exchangeable battery pack, which can be removed from a housing of the lighting system as part of the intended use and used to supply electrical energy to another compatible electrical device.

The battery pack can contain, for example, the communication interface and/or the control circuit. In particular, the communication interface and/or the control circuit can be arranged inside the battery pack housing, for example completely inside the battery pack housing.

According to at least one embodiment, the control circuit is set up to activate a first light source of the at least one light source in order to activate or change the operating mode.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, the control circuit is set up to deactivate a second light source of the at least one light source in order to activate or change the operating mode.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an arrangement for automatic lighting is specified which has a lighting system according to the invention and the external communication unit. The arrangement can be viewed as an arrangement for illuminating an area surrounding the lighting system or the at least one light source.

According to at least one embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the external communication unit contains a storage unit which stores the schedule.

The arrangement can also include a mobile electronic communication device, for example a mobile phone, a smartphone, a notebook computer and so on. The mobile electronic communication device can communicate with the external communication unit, for example. For example, the user can use the mobile electronic communication device to supplement or change the schedule. The mobile electronic communication device can also communicate automatically with the external communication unit, for example to automatically change the schedule based on user input into the mobile electronic communication device. For example, the user can change or add a calendar entry on the mobile electronic communication device and the mobile electronic communication device can communicate with the external communication unit based thereon to adjust or update the schedule accordingly.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for automatically controlling a lighting system is specified. In this case, information relating to a predefined schedule is received from an external communication unit by means of a communication interface of the lighting system, in particular wirelessly, with the schedule being stored on the external communication unit, for example. An operating mode of the lighting system is automatically activated or changed depending on the information received, and at least one light source of the lighting system is automatically controlled depending on the activated or changed operating mode to illuminate an area surrounding the at least one light source.

According to at least one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the information relates to or includes an entry in a user's electronic diary and/or a project plan for carrying out a project using the lighting system and/or an estimated time of arrival of the user at a position of the lighting system.

According to at least one embodiment, an initial schedule is specified, in particular stored on the storage unit. Change information is transmitted to the external communication unit by means of a mobile communication device and the schedule is created by means of the external communication unit by changing the initial schedule depending on the change information.

According to at least one embodiment, at least one electrical current for supplying the at least one light source is changed depending on the information received in order to activate or change the operating mode and/or a first light source of the at least one light source is activated in order to activate or close the operating mode change and/or a second light source of the at least one light source is deactivated in order to activate or change the operating mode.

Further embodiments of the method according to the invention follow directly from the various embodiments of the lighting system according to the invention and the arrangement according to the invention and vice versa. In particular, an arrangement according to the invention is set up to carry out a method according to the invention or it carries out such a method.

Further features of the invention result from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures can be included in the invention not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations. In particular, the invention also includes versions and combinations of features that do not have all the features of an originally formulated claim. The invention also encompasses designs and combinations of features that go beyond or deviate from the combinations of features set out in the back references of the claims.

Fig.

eine schematische Darstellung einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Anordnung zur automatischen Beleuchtung.

The invention is explained in more detail below using specific exemplary embodiments and an associated schematic drawing. It shows:

figure

a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention for automatic lighting.

The figure shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement 1 according to the invention with a lighting system 2 according to the invention and an external communication unit 9, which is designed, for example, as a server computer system or cloud computer system.

The lighting system 2 contains a light source 3, in the non-limiting example of the figure a mobile battery-powered lamp with one or more light sources. The lighting system 2, in particular the lamp, can be supplied with electrical energy, for example by means of a battery pack 4, which can be designed as a replaceable battery pack, or by at least one battery cell 5 of the battery pack 4.

The lighting system 2, in particular the lamp, also includes a control circuit 6 which is set up to control the light source 3 and in particular to selectively activate or deactivate it. For this purpose, the control circuit 6 can in particular control or interrupt a power supply of the light source 3 by means of the accumulator cell 5 . Optionally, the control circuit 6 can also control or change other operating parameters of the light source 3, such as a brightness of the at least one light source, a color temperature, a light color and so on.

The lighting system 2 also contains a communication interface 7 for wireless communication, in particular for radio communication, with the external communication unit 9. In advantageous embodiments, the control circuit 6 and the communication interface 7 can be implemented in the battery pack 4, in particular arranged completely within a corresponding battery pack housing of the battery pack 4 being. This has the particular advantage that the light itself, with the exception of the battery pack 4, is not specially adapted to the lighting system 2 according to the invention or to carry out a method according to the invention must be adapted. Rather, by selecting an appropriately configured battery pack 4, a conventional lamp can also be retrofitted, so that a lighting system according to the invention is implemented.

In alternative embodiments, however, the control circuit 6 and/or the communication interface 7 can also be arranged at a different point in the lighting system 2, in particular in a different housing of the lamp.

The external communication unit 9 includes a storage unit (not shown) on which a user's schedule is stored. The schedule may include, for example, a diary or one or more appointment entries in the user's diary, or a project plan for completing a project in which the user intends to use the light fixture.

In a method according to the invention, the control circuit 6 therefore receives information relating to the schedule from the external communication unit 9 via the communication interface 7 and activates or changes an operating mode of the lighting system 2 depending on the information received. For example, depending on the received information, the control circuit can activate the light source 3 at a time according to the schedule. In this way it can be achieved, for example, that the light source 3 is activated in good time when the user is on site and needs the lighting accordingly. In particular, it can also be ensured in this way that the light source 3 is only activated when the user actually needs it, without the user having to intervene manually.

Optionally, the arrangement 1 can also contain an external communication device 8, for example a smartphone. The smartphone can also communicate with the external communication unit 9 . The user can, for example, by entering his appointment calendar or the smartphone Change or adjust the project plan so as to update the schedule stored in the external communication unit 9.

REFERENCE LIST:

1

Arrangement for lighting

2

lighting system

3

light source

4

battery pack

5

accumulator cell

6

control circuit

7

communication interface

8th

mobile communication device

9

external communication unit

Claims (14)

Lighting system (2) having at least one light source (3), and - A communication interface (7) for communication with an external communication unit (9); and - a control circuit (6) which is coupled to the communication interface (7) and which is set up to - to receive information relating to a predetermined schedule via the communication interface (7) from the external communication unit (9); - Automatically activate or change an operating mode of the lighting system (2) depending on the information received; and - To control the at least one light source (3) depending on the activated or changed operating mode for illuminating an area surrounding the at least one light source (3). Lighting system (2) according to claim 1, wherein - The lighting system (2) has at least one energy source for supplying electrical energy to the at least one light source (3); and - The control circuit (6) is set up to change at least one electric current from the at least one energy source to the at least one light source (3) depending on the information received in order to activate or change the operating mode. Lighting system (2) according to Claim 2, the lighting system (2) having at least one battery pack (4) which contains at least one battery cell (5) which forms the at least one energy source. Lighting system (2) according to claim 3, wherein the at least one battery pack (4) contains the control circuit (6). Lighting system (2) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one battery pack (4) has a battery pack housing (4) and the control circuit (6) is arranged entirely within the battery pack housing (4). Lighting system (2) according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the at least one battery pack (4) contains the communication interface (7). Lighting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control circuit (6) is set up to activate a first light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) in order to activate or change the operating mode. Lighting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control circuit (6) is set up to deactivate a second light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) in order to activate or change the operating mode. Arrangement (1) for automatic lighting, the arrangement (1) having a lighting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims and the external communication unit (9). Arrangement (1) according to claim 9, wherein the external communication unit (9) contains a storage unit which stores the schedule. Method for the automatic control of a lighting system (2), wherein - Information relating to a predetermined schedule is received from an external communication unit (9) by means of a communication interface (7) of the lighting system (2); - An operating mode of the lighting system (2) is automatically activated or changed depending on the information received; and - At least one light source (3) of the lighting system (2) is controlled depending on the activated or changed operating mode for illuminating an area surrounding the at least one light source (3). The method of claim 11, wherein the information - relate to an entry in a user's electronic diary; and or - relate to a project plan for carrying out a project using the lighting system (2); and or - Concern an estimated time of arrival of the user at a position of the lighting system (2). A method according to any one of claims 11 or 12, wherein - an initial schedule is specified; - Change information is transmitted to the external communication unit (9) by means of a mobile communication device (8); - the schedule is created by changing the initial schedule depending on the change information. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein - At least one electrical current for supplying the at least one light source (3) is changed depending on the information received in order to activate or change the operating mode; and or - A first light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) is activated in order to activate or change the operating mode; and or - A second light source (3) of the at least one light source (3) is deactivated in order to activate or change the operating mode.

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