IT202200023769A1 - MULTIFUNCTIONAL EMERGENCY LIGHTING DEVICE WITH SELF-POWERED POWER - Google Patents

Description

MULTIFUNCTIONAL EMERGENCY LIGHTING DEVICE

SELF-POWERED

The present invention falls within the technical field of emergency lighting devices and concerns a multifunctional emergency lighting device with autonomous battery, which integrates various innovative construction and functional elements to reduce its production cost and increase its application flexibility and performance.

An emergency lighting fixture typically comprises a battery, a light source, a battery charger and an electrical switching part that controls the light source.

Traditionally, SE (Emergency Only) type fixtures simply require an electronic switch to enable the light source in the event of a blackout, while SA (Always On) type fixtures require a diverter circuit to connect the light source to the AC/DC power supply when mains power is available and to promptly connect the source to the battery in the event of a blackout, disconnecting the source itself from the main AC/DC power supply.

The construction of these circuits, although simple in principle, requires the use of many electronic components to manage all the operating conditions and the different voltages in play of the battery which are functions of its state of charge.

To simplify these circuits, thanks to the availability of very low-cost LED components, a solution was devised in which the light source is made up of two groups of LEDs connected in two electrically independent circuits but physically arranged in an interleaved and adjacent manner, so that the two sets share the same optical structure (lens and reflector) and so that it is not easy to distinguish the switching on of one circuit from that of the other. In this way, each LED circuit pertains to one of the two functions of the product: a first circuit constitutes the SE LED circuit, connected to the battery only, while the other circuit constitutes the SA LED circuit connected to the AC/DC power supply only. The simplification of the switching devices is thus achieved, with the advantage of construction simplicity, greater reliability and lower cost.

Another aspect that leads to circuit complexity concerns the adaptation of the battery voltage to the working voltage of the light source.

In general, switching electronic converters are used to power white LEDs with working voltages of 2.8-3.0 V, starting from batteries whose voltages can be a function of the chemistry used (1.2V, 2V, 2.4V, 3.2V, 3.7V and their multiples). For example, BOOST switching converters can be used that raise the voltage from single-cell battery configurations, such as 3.7V lithium-ion, to drive, for example, 2 LEDs connected in series, raising the voltage to 5.6-6.0 V. Or, batteries made up of multiple cells in series are used, starting from higher battery voltages (for example, 4.8 V of a NiMH battery made up of 4 cells in series) and BUCK switching converters are used to drive single 2.8-3.0 V LEDs.

To simplify and minimize the cost of the LED driving circuit, single LiFePO4 battery cells with a nominal voltage of 3.2V were also used to drive groups of LEDs all connected in parallel, therefore with a voltage of 2.8-3.0V; a simple current limiter was adopted, conveniently made with a low dropout linear electronic regulator with the advantage of low power dissipation, thanks to the small difference between the battery voltage and that of the LED. The advantage is to use inexpensive batteries (single cell) and minimize the cost of the current regulator.

In order to simplify the work of commissioning and configuring the emergency lighting fixture by the installer, according to the prior art, a modular battery connection system has been devised that provides the possibility of automatically increasing the luminous flux of the fixture by adding an additional battery without any additional operations. A similar mechanism allows the emergency lighting fixture to be automatically transformed into an ordinary lighting fixture with a higher luminous flux by removing all the batteries without any additional operations.

Another problem to be solved, typical of the installation, concerns the fixing of the emergency lighting device to the wall or ceiling and the electrical connection to the system.

The devices usually have a thickness that allows both the creation of systems with concealed cables and with external electrical conduits. In the first case, the device is accessed from the bottom of the device, while in the second case, access is from the sides of the device. This implies a high thickness of the device that leads to compromises on the aesthetic level. To improve the installation task, according to the invention, a modular mechanical fastening and electrical connection system has been designed, based on a junction box that allows both installation flush with the wall (in the case of an "under-the-wall" electrical system), with a minimized thickness of the device, and installation slightly more protruding (in the case of an electrical system with external conduits). For the electrical connections to the system, the junction box houses a terminal block for the installer to connect the SE and SA power circuits and the communication/control circuits. This terminal block can be more or less large, depending on the model, and in general the necessary connections are the following:

- 2 terminals for the SE line (230Vac, phase and neutral); - 2 terminals for the SA line (230Vac, phase and neutral); - 2 terminals for the REST MODE control line (+ and ? for inhibiting the device) or for the remote control bus (DA, DA).

The result is a 6-pole terminal block that can be extended to 7/8 poles if a protective earth connection is required. The terminal block must be easily moveable by the installer in one of the two parts that make up the junction box, depending on whether the installer chooses to mount it flush with the wall or protruding. To avoid connection errors, according to the invention, a quick-insertion, mechanically coded terminal block has been designed, which simplifies wiring and positioning work, making it error-proof. This block also allows you to organize a modular terminal block, for example with terminals two by two, which makes it easy to create more models of devices with incomplete terminal blocks (for example, a device with an SE-only function that does not have remote control only needs two terminals).

Another aspect of emergency (or safety) lighting is linked to the lighting design of the system, for which each device has a specific function depending on the position in which it is positioned (corridors, large areas, etc.). Generally, different devices are used with different optical systems depending on the installation position. It is also known that there is a device with 4 integrated optical systems, each with a different photometric solid and each independently controlled by a microprocessor, to allow the device to be configured optimally depending on the installation position. In this way, a single device optimally covers all the lighting needs of emergency lighting. The installer can configure the device via software during installation.

Further emergency lighting systems, in particular for building evacuation, are based on the use of "dynamic" and "variable" illuminated signs; the signs can change the illuminated pictograms depending on the evacuation conditions by changing over time and the aforementioned pictograms can flash or change light intensity dynamically. For this purpose, according to the invention, it is possible to use electronic driving circuits to drive 2, 3 or 4 independent strings of LEDs, which allow the function for dynamic and variable signs to be obtained in each new emergency lighting device. The same circuit can be applied for the control of the device with multiple optical sections with different photometric solids.

Furthermore, from the application point of view, the most recent emergency lighting application regulations require high levels of luminance of evacuation light signs in the presence of high intensity ambient light; however, such high levels could create discomfort in places of public entertainment or in places used for catering, when the lights are reduced in intensity. Therefore, according to the invention, it is possible to insert into the emergency lighting device for illuminated signs an appropriate ambient light sensor that reduces the luminance of the sign when the ambient light is reduced and increases it appropriately when the ambient light increases again.

With regard to the application aspects of maintenance and control of emergency lighting systems, wireless systems are already widely used. According to the invention, some features have been introduced to facilitate the management of the devices, which concern the need to simplify local management via smartphone and the need to solve the problem of battery maintenance.

In particular, the inclusion in each device of a microprocessor with integrated Bluetooth low energy (BLE) radio for direct connection to smartphones and tablets allows the creation of wireless mesh networks, which allow the exchange of data and commands between multitudes of self-controlled lamps without the need for gateways and control units. The lamps share, via the wireless mesh network, the results of the self-diagnostic and periodic verification operations, so that the user can access and download them via smartphone, from any point in the system, during any inspection of the system.

According to the invention, it is also possible to perform predictive battery diagnostics using machine learning algorithms; thanks to the wireless communication system, if the system is also equipped with a gateway (control unit for remote data transmission), the devices transmit data relating to their experience (training data set) to a remote control system (cloud-based), continuously enriching the database of that model of device, together with all the other operating devices of the same type installed in other systems. The diagnostic system thus continuously expands its database and refines the predictive regression models; these models are periodically updated centrally (cloud) and the cloud system then periodically updates all the emergency devices of the same type by sending them back the appropriate information thanks to the wireless system. The predictive system thus continuously improves its precision, consolidating it over time based on the experience of the entire base of devices of the same type installed in the world. In this way, the accuracy of the diagnostics continuously improves as the number of installed and operating devices increases. The operator of each emergency lighting system thus finds the diagnostic tools always optimally tuned.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to create an emergency lighting device that features original circuit and electromechanical solutions to simplify installation and reduce manufacturing costs compared to the prior art.

Another aim of the present invention is to create an emergency lighting device that is easier to install and configure than the prior art.

Another purpose of the present invention is to create an emergency lighting device, in which it is possible to create variable and dynamic luminous signs.

Another purpose of the present invention is to create an emergency lighting device with a photometric solid configurable via software.

A further aim of the present invention is to create an emergency lighting device that communicates with other devices via radio waves, in a meshed wireless network, in order to share the results of periodic self-diagnostic actions.

Another purpose of this invention is to create an emergency lighting device that can be queried from any point of the system, via smartphone or tablet, without the need for gateways or additional control units.

A further aim of the present invention is to create an emergency lighting device with a predictive battery life diagnostic system inside.

Finally, a final aim of the present invention is to create an emergency lighting device that allows for automatic correction of the battery charge and discharge modes based on the evolution of the overall reliability forecasts.

These and other purposes are achieved by an emergency lighting device according to the attached independent claim; further detailed technical characteristics are reported in the attached dependent claims.

Advantageously, the invention enables the creation of a range of new battery-powered emergency lighting fixtures, where all fixtures in the range feature the following elements:

- modular terminal board on extractable snap-in base,

- single PCB (Printed Circuit Board), which houses all the components (LEDs and electronic components), without the need for wiring.

The simplest, "low-end" emergency lighting fixtures have the following elements:

- very low cost circuit solution,

- physically interleaved SE/SA LEDs connected to two independent circuits,

- isolated regulator 230VAC/6VDC CV/CC,

- single cell LIFePO4 3.2V battery,

- low drop linear regulator for direct driving of LEDs,

- possibility of automatically increasing the light intensity emitted in blackout conditions if the device is configured by connecting an additional battery, - automatic transformation of the emergency device into an ordinary lighting device with a higher luminous flux if it is configured by disconnecting all the batteries.

High-end emergency lighting fixtures feature the following elements:

- 2, 3 or 4 independent output channels for driving different sets of lenses or separate optical parts,

- illuminated sign divided into adjacent areas that can be turned on independently of each other to have "dynamic" pictograms,

- multi-lens, 4 sets of LEDs, one for each type of lens,

- optical ambient brightness sensor to automatically adjust the luminous intensity of the emergency sign according to the ambient light, so as not to ?dazzle? in low ambient light conditions and to immediately adapt to high ambient brightness by increasing the luminance,

- microprocessor with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) radio and antenna integrated on the main PCB together with the LEDs, - continuous measurement of all battery parameters with predictive diagnostics based on a machine learning algorithm (AI Artificial Intelligence) based on the continuous sharing of experience of information collected from many devices of the same type operating in the field.

As mentioned, the new emergency lighting fixtures use original circuit and electromechanical solutions to simplify installation and reduce the manufacturing costs of the fixtures themselves.

In particular, the terminal block is modular and can be assembled on a snap-fit base and can be removed from its seat to facilitate wiring. Re-insertion into the mechanical seat is mechanically coded to avoid possible errors.

The optical source of the simplest devices is made up of two electrically independent strings of LEDs that are physically interleaved so that both strings contribute equally to forming the photometric solid of the device and therefore so that the contribution of each string is only relative to the overall intensity of the light and not to the morphology of the light emission. In this case one of the two strings is driven by the SE (Emergency Only) circuit, the other by the SA (Always On) circuit. The corresponding driving circuits are:

- in the first case (SE) the low dropout current regulator circuit connected to the battery drives all the LEDs of the string connected in parallel to each other, at the characteristic working voltage determined by the Vf of the LEDs (approximately 2.8-3.0 V);

- in the second case (SA) the battery charger circuit that drives the LEDs of the string connected in series parallel by two, obtaining the characteristic working voltage of 2*Vf (about 5.6-6.0 V). In this way the charger has enough voltage to charge the 3.2 V LiFePO4 battery and, at the same time, to correctly drive the 6 V string.

The circuits connected to the batteries are constructed in such a way as to monitor the connection of the connectors themselves and act by appropriately configuring the operation of the emergency lighting device circuits.

The optical source of the more complex devices is made up of 3 or 4 independent LED strings that can be configured in two different ways alternatively to each other, based on the type of device: - each string drives a part of the light emitting surface of a luminous sign in order to separately and independently light up multiple areas of pictograms,

- each string drives a specific optical element or set of elements; each optical element is made up of a lens or set of lenses of the same type, each set of lenses is illuminated by the same set of LEDs and each set of LEDs is driven by a circuit independent of the others. A microprocessor governs each circuit by regulating its intensity to a predetermined value that is chosen during installation. The mix of drives (combinations and relative intensities) of the various optical systems produces a countable variety of photometric solids that are different from each other.

The ambient light optical sensor faces the front surface of the light source in order to measure the ambient light in which it is installed. The microprocessor that manages the LED string driving current automatically adjusts the light emission by increasing its intensity if the ambient light increases and vice versa.

The microprocessor that governs the operation of the most complex emergency lighting fixtures is inside a SOC (System On Chip) that incorporates a digital radio capable of implementing the standard BLE and Bluetooth mesh protocols. Using the BLE protocol, a proprietary MESH protocol is also implemented that can interconnect multiple emergency lighting fixtures with each other and, optionally, with one or more gateways for remote control of the fixtures themselves. The SOC is assembled on a single printed circuit board (PCB Printed Circuit Board), together with the antenna, LEDs and other electronic components of the fixture, constituting a single semi-finished product that is easy to assemble inside the case of the fixture itself.

The microprocessor continuously measures the battery status by recording the voltage, temperature, charge or discharge current; all this data is temporarily stored in the device and periodically transmitted, together with the device identifier (model and serial number), to the control system, in the cloud. The history of the device is therefore recorded and forms the database that is enriched day by day and contributes to training the model that describes the aging of that type of battery. The control system, always on a periodic basis, updates the devices backwards (i.e. by sending the processed information to the devices) tuning the predictive model based on the improvement constituted by the training carried out on the basis of the new information coming from all the operating devices of the same type. In this way the devices increasingly refine their local diagnostic capacity and are able to locally predict the status of their battery more and more precisely as time passes and as experience is gained for that model.

The emergency lighting device according to the invention ultimately allows for a reduction in manufacturing and installation costs compared to the known art and allows for an increase in functionality, ease of configuration and management, and reliability.

In particular, the emergency lighting device according to the invention can be produced at reduced costs thanks to the circuit solutions adopted in the driving of the SE and SA LEDs, it automatically configures its performance by adding or removing the batteries, it is equipped with multiple independent LED strings (2, 3 or 4) driven by the microprocessor to create variable and dynamic signs, it is of the multi-lens type and it automatically adapts to the photometric conditions of installation through "software" configuration.

The emergency lighting device according to the invention integrates, on the same circuit, a BLE radio transceiver, which allows the implementation of local direct control functions, via smartphones and tablets, and remote control functions, via meshed wireless networks and any optional gateways.

Finally, the emergency lighting device according to the invention integrates mechanisms based on machine learning techniques for predictive diagnostics of battery efficiency.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example but not limitation, according to some of its preferred embodiments, and with the aid of the attached figures, in which:

- Figure 1A is a top perspective view of a self-powered multifunction emergency lighting fixture according to the present invention;

- Figure 1B is a bottom perspective view of the emergency lighting fixture of Figure 1A, according to the present invention;

- Figure 1C is a top perspective view of the emergency lighting fixture of Figure 1A, with the front portion of the reflector, light source and lenses removed;

- Figures 2A and 2B are two perspective views of a printed circuit board used in the emergency lighting device, according to the invention;

- figures 3 and 4 show an overall perspective view and a detailed perspective view of a lens used in the emergency lighting device, according to the invention;

- Figure 5 is a perspective view of an electrical connection system used for the operation of the emergency lighting apparatus, according to the present invention;

- Figures 6 and 7 show two detailed perspective views of the terminal block used in the electrical connection system of Figure 5;

- Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connection system of Figure 5;

- Figure 9 is a top plan view of the electrical connection system of Figure 5;

- figure 10 shows a diagram of a first embodiment of the electronic operating circuit of the emergency lighting device, according to the present invention;

- figure 11 shows a Cartesian diagram relating to the discharge trend of the battery of the electronic circuit in figure 10;

- figure 12 shows a diagram of another embodiment of the electronic operating circuit of the emergency lighting device, according to the present invention;

- figure 13 shows a diagram of a further embodiment of the electronic circuit for driving the various independent LED strings of the emergency lighting device, according to the present invention;

- figure 14 shows a driving scheme of the mosfets used in the electronic circuit of figure 13;

- Figures 15 and 16 show related block diagrams illustrating the electrical interconnections of modules with additional functionality to the emergency lighting device, according to the invention;

- figure 17 shows a method of inserting the modules referred to in figures 15 and 16 into the connector located on the rear of the emergency lighting device, according to the present invention.

With reference to the figures mentioned, the emergency lighting device according to the present invention comprises an external case 10A made of plastic material (fig. 1A-1B), which incorporates the electronic operating part, the reflectors and the optical part of the emergency lighting device and the power batteries.

The electronic operating part is based on a single printed circuit board 10 (PCB Printed Circuit Board), which houses all the electronic components and the light sources or LEDs 12A, 12B (fig. 1C, 2A); in the illustrated embodiment, the twelve LEDs of the SA circuit are indicated with 12B and the twenty-four LEDs of the SE circuit are indicated with 12A, which are physically interspersed with the twelve LEDs of the SA circuit according to the arrangement 1 LED SA, 3 LED SE, 1 LED SA, 2 LED SE, 1 LED SA, 2 LED SE,? , 1 LED SA, 3 LED SE, 1 LED SA.

The printed circuit board 10 also houses the SMD (Surface Mounted Components) 11 circuit components on the side of the LEDs 12A, 12B. Being thin, they do not take up too much space in height, allowing this part of the circuit to be correctly coupled to a front portion of the emergency lighting device.

On the opposite side (fig. 2B), the printed circuit board 10 houses the traditional components (through hole), the battery connectors 13, the configuration jumpers 14 and the pins 19, which couple to the electrical connection system.

The LEDs 12A, 12B are coupled to a ?linear? lens 16A, which allows the light to be shaped and the photometric diagram to be determined based on the desired geometric distribution of the light. Figs. 3 and 4 show the lens 16A mounted directly on the printed circuit board 10, with the LEDs 12A, 12B facing each other.

The 16A lens also helps to partially mitigate the separation effect between the SE 12A LEDs and the SA 12B LEDs.

Fig. 5 shows in detail the electrical connection system of the emergency lighting device according to the invention.

This connection system comprises the junction or branch box 16, which has a mechanical fixing bracket for the light source of the emergency lighting fixture and, inside, a removable plate or base 17 for fixing and positioning a terminal block 18, which is fitted inside the box 16 in a working position.

The terminal block 18, to which the installer connects the electrical cables inserted into the terminals 20, coming from the system, is modular and can be assembled on the interlocking plate 17 and can be removed from its seat to facilitate wiring. The plate 17 can also be removed from its seat thanks to a lateral elastic lever 22 with which it is equipped.

The re-entry into the mechanical seat is mechanically coded to avoid possible errors.

The plate 17 has a series of hooks 23 for the snap-fit fixing of the terminal block 18 onto the plate 17, spacing shims 21 for the correct vertical positioning of the terminal block 18 and a series of insulating walls 24 to avoid short circuits in the case of electrical cables of the system inserted into the holes of the terminals 20 with copper strands that are not well separated.

When the emergency lighting fixture is fixed to the junction box 16, which also acts as a bracket, the terminal block 18 automatically slides into the pins 19 soldered onto the printed circuit board 10 of the emergency lighting fixture, creating the necessary electrical connections.

Fig. 6 shows in detail the terminal block 18 fitted onto the removable plate 17, with the spring lever 22 which can be used to temporarily remove it from the junction box 16, thus facilitating wiring operations.

In figs. 8 and 9, the plate 17 is shown inserted into the junction box 16 and, in particular, the retaining guides 25 are shown, which constitute the attachment details of the plate 17 to the box 16.

The position is forced by the retaining guides 25 and, in addition, the symbols 26 of the electrical signals corresponding to the various connection positions are printed on the plate 17. Since the joints are mechanically constrained and polarized, it is sufficient to follow the indications printed on the plate 17 to avoid wiring errors; by correctly aligning these indications, it is not possible to incorrectly connect the terminal block 18.

Furthermore, the terminal block 18 is modular; it is possible to mount only one section, for example consisting of 2 poles, or 4 poles (as in fig. 9), or it is possible to compose an 8-pole one with two 4-pole sections placed side by side. The choice is made based on the functions of the emergency lighting device model being built, thus maximising the saving of electrical connection parts.

The simplified diagram in fig. 10 illustrates the electronic operating circuit of a first embodiment of the emergency lighting device, according to the invention, according to which this device presents the characteristics of a very low-cost circuit solution, with SE/SA 12A, 12B LEDs physically interleaved and connected to two independent circuits, with an isolated AC/DC230VAC/6VDC regulator (reference 27), a single-cell B1 LIFePO4 3.2V battery and low-drop linear regulators REG1 and REG2 for the direct driving of the 12A, 12B LEDs.

The emergency device automatically increases the light intensity emitted in blackout conditions if it is configured by connecting an additional B2 battery.

Furthermore, the emergency luminaire automatically transforms into an ordinary luminaire with a higher luminous flux if it is configured by disconnecting all the B1, B2 batteries.

As illustrated in the circuit diagram of Fig. 10, there are two pairs of input terminals:

- N_SE and F_SE, relating to the AC input of the "Emergency Only" electrical network, connected to an AC/DC voltage converter 27 with low voltage output (VDC) of approximately 6.5V and CV/CC output characteristic;

- N_SA and F_SA, relating to the AC input of the electrical network "Always On", connected to a "SENS RETE" circuit 28 for detecting the presence of AC voltage on these terminals; this circuit is equipped with a P_RETE output, active in the presence of AC voltage between N_SA and F_SA.

The AC input voltage is that of domestic electrical networks (230VAC in Europe, 110VAC in America and other countries).

The device can accommodate two B1, B2 batteries, which can be connected to the CN1, CN2 connectors respectively.

Each battery B1, B2 consists of a lithium-ion cell C1, C2, preferably LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate), with a characteristic operating voltage of 3.2V. Each battery B1, B2 incorporates, in addition to the electrochemical cell C1, C2, an electronic protection device PCM (Protection Circuit Module), which automatically protects the battery B1, B2 from over-discharge, under-discharge and short circuit conditions by means of an internal electronic switch QB1, QB2.

The two groups of LEDs 12A, 12B are related to the two main functions of the device:

- the 12A LED_SE are all connected in parallel with each other and operate at the characteristic voltage Vf of approximately 2.8-3.0V;

- the LED_SA 12B are connected in parallel, in series of two, operating at the characteristic voltage 2*Vf of approximately 5.6-6.0V.

The electronic circuit also includes two current regulators for controlling the current in the LED_SE 12A, namely a first regulator REG1 with the components Q1, R1 and a second regulator REG2 with the components Q2, R2.

Each regulator REG1, REG2 is made up of an operational amplifier, with an internal voltage reference that drives its own transistor Q1, Q2, modulating its conductivity, so as to keep the supplied current constant, measured by the shunt resistor R1, R2, at the desired value, set by an internal voltage reference. Specifically, the transistors Q1, Q2 and the resistors R1, R2 are chosen so as to introduce a very low voltage drop across them (about a hundred mV overall), with operating currents adequate to drive the LED_SE 12A at the desired power.

Each regulator REG1, REG2 is controlled by EN ignition inputs, which enable or inhibit its operation, by turning on or off its share of the current circulating in the LED_SE 12A. The current in the LED_SE 12A can therefore assume the following 4 values:

Finally, the circuit incorporates two signal LEDs (Red and Green) 29, 30 driven by a simple control circuit that alternatively selects their switching on via the R/V signal.

The operation of the circuit is as follows.

In the presence of AC mains voltage on the IN AC inputs, the AC/DC converter 27 supplies VDC voltage (approximately 6.5V) which powers:

- the LED_SA 12B via RSA and QSA (the QSA transistor is turned on by the network sensor SENS RETE 28 which detects the presence of AC network at the IN AC SA input and the intensity of the current in the LED_SA 12B is determined by the RSA resistor);

- batteries B1, B2 via the RB resistor which limits the battery charging current (the voltage of the cells during charging varies from approximately 3V to 3.65V and the RB resistor is sized appropriately to limit the overall charging current of batteries B1, B2 to the desired value);

- the red and green signal LEDs 29, 30.

In the presence of mains power, the two regulators REG1 and REG2 are inhibited by the presence of the VDC voltage on the EN enable inputs (which work in negated logic) and the current in the LED_SE 12B is zero.

Always in the presence of mains power, if battery B1 is not connected, in the absence of a short circuit between terminals b and c of CN1, the R/V signal is at VDC potential, the QHT transistor turns on, and the current in the LED_SA 12A is no longer limited by RSA, but by the maximum value that can be supplied by the AC/DC converter 27; this converter 27 is constructed in such a way as to supply a constant maximum current regulated to a value designed for this operating condition.

In this condition (batteries B1, B2 not connected), the lighting fixture behaves like an ordinary lighting fixture: all the current available from the AC/DC converter 27 is used to drive the LED_SA 12B, there are no batteries and the current quota in the batteries B1, B2 is therefore zero and the LED_SE 12B are always off. To configure this operating mode, simply disconnect the batteries B1, B2 and in particular B1, by disconnecting CN1. The fixture, in this way, automatically transforms from an emergency lighting fixture to an ordinary lighting fixture with increased luminous flux.

In the absence of AC mains power at the IN AC SE input, the absence of VDC voltage causes the activation (via the EN input) of the REG1 current regulator, which supplies IREG_1 to the 12A LED_SE. The REG1 regulator is of the low voltage drop type and keeps the current in the 12A LED_SE regulated at the desired value with a very low voltage drop. For example, it is possible to size the REG1 regulator so that IREG1 = 1A, with V (LED_SE) = 2.8V. The battery voltage VB varies during discharge, for example from 3.3V to 2.5V. Since the minimum voltage drop on the regulator is 0.1V (at the regulation current), it is therefore obtained that the current remains regulated at 1A until the battery voltage is sufficient to maintain V (LED_SE) 0.1V. For gradually decreasing battery voltages, the current decreases monotonically depending on the I-V characteristics of the LED.

The diagram in fig. 11 illustrates in an exemplary manner the trend of the voltage and current during the discharge of battery B1 over time in the absence of mains power. In this example, for the first 60 minutes of discharge (corresponding to the nominal autonomy of an emergency lamp), the IREG1 current in the LED_SE 12B remains constant at the designed value of 1A. Subsequently, in another 30 minutes it progressively decreases until reaching approximately 50% of the nominal value at the 90th minute.

Advantageously, the electronic control circuit illustrated in fig. 10 has the following characteristics:

? ? extremely simple and economical, as it includes a low-cost operational amplifier, a MOSFET transistor, a current measurement resistor and a voltage reference;

? it has a very high efficiency, since the input (battery B1, about 3.2V) and output (LED 12B, about 2.8?2.9V) voltages differ by a few hundred mV;

? does not use high-frequency switching converters and therefore does not produce electromagnetic noise;

? allows the nominal current and therefore the nominal luminous flux of the device to be maintained for the entire nominal intervention time (for example 1 hour);

? allows the residual energy present in the B1 battery to be used after the nominal time to keep the LED_SE 12B lit, even with a gradually decreasing luminous flux for another 30 minutes (+50% autonomy), in any case maintaining the luminous flux greater than 50% of the nominal value; this feature extends the autonomy time of the emergency lighting function by at least 50%, offering customers an extension of the safety lighting conditions, progressively but slowly reducing the brightness, in a way that is not perceptible to the user.

If battery B2 is also mounted and connected to CN2, the short circuit between terminals ?e? and ?g? of CN2 enables the second EN input of REG2. Always in the absence of AC mains power on the IN AC SE input, the other EN input of REG2 is active due to the lack of VDC voltage connected to that input. The current regulator REG2 is therefore also activated, whose IREG2 current is added to the IREG1 current in driving the 12A LED_SE. Advantageously, simply inserting the cable of the second B2 battery into the CN2 connector allows the emergency device to be reconfigured by increasing the current in the 12A LED_SE and consequently increasing the luminous flux in the blackout (emergency) condition. The addition of the second B2 battery, with an appropriately sized energy capacity, increases the luminous flux without decreasing the duration of the emergency phase. For example, by adding a B2 battery with a capacity equal to half that of the main B1 battery, the circuit is ? sized to increase the current by 50% and therefore an increase in luminous flux of 50% is obtained without changing the autonomy of the emergency device. In this way, the same electronic circuit, without any modification, allows the customer to define, during the installation phase of the device, whether to have a device with a single B1 battery and a "basic" luminous flux or a device with an additional B2 battery and increased luminous flux, for example by 50%. The customer simply connects the B2 battery to CN2 to "boost" the device, otherwise he leaves only the B1 battery connected to CN1.

Finally, the circuit offers automatic diagnosis of the correct connection of the main battery B1. In the presence of mains power, the short circuit between terminals b and c of CN1 drives the R/V signal to 0 and the green signal LED 29 lights up. If, on the other hand, B1 is not connected to CN1, the absence of the short circuit between terminals b and c of CN1 brings the R/V signal to the VDC potential and the red signal LED 30 lights up, indicating the anomaly.

The simplified circuit diagram in fig. 12 illustrates another version of the electronic operating circuit of the emergency lighting device, which has the following characteristics and performances:

- 2, 3 or 4 independent output channels (only 3 are shown as an example in the diagram in fig. 12, while the diagram in fig. 13 deals with a 4-channel case as an example) for driving different sets of lenses or separate optical parts;

- illuminated sign divided into adjacent areas that can be turned on independently of each other to have "dynamic" pictograms;

- multi-lens, 3 or 4 sets of LEDs, one for each type of lens;

- optical ambient brightness sensor to automatically adjust the light intensity of the emergency sign according to the ambient light, so as not to ?dazzle? in low ambient light conditions and to immediately adapt to high ambient brightness by increasing the luminance;

- microprocessor with BLE radio and antenna integrated on the main PCB together with the LEDs;

- continuous measurement of all battery parameters with predictive diagnostics based on a machine learning algorithm (AI Artificial Intelligence) based on the continuous sharing of experience of information collected from many devices of the same type operating in the field.

As illustrated in the circuit diagram in Fig. 12, there are 3 pairs of input terminals:

- N_SE and F_SE, relating to the AC input of the "Emergency Only" electrical network, connected to an AC/DC voltage converter 27 with a low voltage (VDC) output of approximately 6.5V and to a CBL communication signal transceiver (as described in patent 102019000004351);

- N_SA and F_SA, relating to the AC input of the electrical network "Always On", connected to a circuit 28 for detecting the presence of AC voltage on these terminals; this circuit is equipped with a P_RETE output, active in the presence of AC voltage between N_SA and F_SA;

- DA, DA, which constitute the terminals for connecting a low voltage wired communication bus, such as DALI or the LG Beghelli bus?.

The AC input voltage is that of domestic electrical networks (230VAC in Europe, 110VAC in America and other countries).

The circuit is managed by a SOC (System On Chip) microprocessor, which incorporates in the same device a digital radio transceiver that can be configured to operate according to at least the following standard protocols in the 2.4GHz band:

? IEEE 802.25.4

? Thread

? Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

? Bluetooth mesh

The antenna 31 is integrated on the printed circuit board of the emergency lighting fixture, since, since the 10A case of the emergency lighting fixture is made of plastic material, there are no electromagnetic shielding problems.

The device can accommodate up to three B1, B2, B3 batteries that can be connected to the CN1, CN2, CN3 connectors respectively. Each B1, B2, B3 battery consists of a lithium ion cell C1, C2, C3, preferably LiFePO4 (Lithium-iron-phosphate), with a characteristic operating voltage of 3.2V. Each B1, B2, B3 battery incorporates, in addition to the electrochemical cell C1, C2, C3, an electronic protection device PCM (Protection Circuit Module), which automatically protects the B1, B2, B3 battery from over-discharge, under-discharge and short circuit conditions by means of an internal electronic switch QB1, QB2, QB3. Each B1, B2, B3 battery is equipped with a "third wire", read by the SOC microprocessor, which is thus able to detect its presence.

There are four groups of LEDs:

- Emergency LEDs, divided into 3 independent groups LED_A, LED_B and LED_C; each group has all the LEDs of its own group connected in parallel to each other, operating at the characteristic voltage Vf of approximately 2.8-3.0V;

- LED_SA 12B, connected in parallel in series by two and operating at the characteristic voltage 2*Vf of approximately 5.6-6.0V.

The three groups of emergency LEDs LED_A, LED_B, LED_C are driven by three independent current regulators REGA (with the components QA, RA), REGB (with the components QB, RB) and REGC (with the components QC, RC).

Each REGA, REGB, REGC regulator is made up of an operational amplifier, which drives its own transistor QA, QB, QC, modulating its conductivity, so as to keep the current supplied constant, measured by the resistance RA, RB, RC, at the value set by the voltage generated by the SOC microprocessor through the PWM signal; the PWM signal, for each of the 3 regulators, drives a low-pass filter (internal to the REG regulator), whose output (the average value of the PWM signal itself) constitutes the voltage reference of the current regulator. In this way the SOC microprocessor, determining the duty cycle of the PWM signal, allows the current of each REGA, REGB, REGC regulator to be regulated continuously from 0 to the maximum possible value. The transistors QA, QB, QC and the resistors RA, RB, RC are chosen so as to introduce a very low voltage drop across them (about a hundred mV overall), with operating currents adequate to drive the emergency LEDs LED_A, LED_B, LED_C at the desired power.

The LED_SA 12B are controlled by the SOC microprocessor via a SA output that can assume the logic values 0, 1 and can also be modulated with PWM, to determine intermediate values of average brightness of the LED_SA 12B. The RSA resistor limits the maximum admissible current in the LED_SA 12B.

As in the simple devices in the previous operating circuit (fig. 10), the AC/DC converter 27 produces an output voltage of approximately 6.5V, which allows both to power the LED_SA 12B and to charge the batteries B1, B2, B3 with the current limited by the resistors R_CH and RF_CH. The resistor RF_CH allows to increase the charging current, under the control of the microprocessor SOC, so as to realize the fast charging function, by means of the FAST_CH (Fast Charge) signal.

The SOC microprocessor is also able to measure the currents set on the LEDs by reading the voltages across the resistors RA, RB, RC, RSA, for diagnostic purposes.

The SOC microprocessor drives two local signaling LEDs, one green 29 and one red 30 to indicate the operating status of the emergency lighting fixture.

The circuit also includes a light sensor (photodiode or photo-transistor) 32, which is read directly via an AD input of the SOC microprocessor.

The SOC microprocessor measures the charging current and battery voltage using the VB and VDC signals, connected to two AD inputs. The battery charging current is measured using the voltage drop across the resistors R_CH and RF_CH, obtained as the difference between VDC and VB.

The discharge current of the batteries B1, B2, B3 is calculated by adding the currents in the LEDs read on RA, RB and RC, with an appropriate correction by adding the share related to the consumption of the microprocessor itself SOC and of the control part. An appropriate characterization of the circuit a priori allows to determine with excellent precision the overall consumption.

The circuit includes configuration dip switches, SOC microprocessor readouts and two serial interfaces.

A first serial interface (TX_CBL, RX_CBL) drives the CBL block, which is a communication interface that uses the AC SE power line of the lamp to exchange data with a remote control unit located at the other end of the power line itself (N_SE and F_SE). The technique used consists in using the power line of the emergency lighting device to communicate in baseband with the control unit, in the absence of the 230VAC electrical network, as described in patent IT2019000004351.

A second serial interface (TX, RX) connects to an EDGE connector, which allows the insertion of any special communication modules, such as, for example, a DALI module, an LG ?FM? Beghelli? radio module, an LG Beghelli? module.

In this way the device can be configured to have remote control through multiple communication technologies, chosen by the customer based on specific needs, case by case.

The EDGE connector also reports the signals (DA, DA) of the communication bus coming from terminal block 18 of the device, so that the communication module possibly connected to the EDGE connector can complete all the connections. Advantageously, the customer therefore only has to insert the communication module into the EDGE connector and wire the communication bus on the main terminal block 18 of the emergency lighting device.

The EDGE connector also includes the SE and SA port lines (N_SE, F_SE, N_SA and F_SA) to allow the creation of different modules that may require AC voltages.

The operation of the electrical circuit in fig. 12 is as follows.

In the presence of AC mains voltage on the IN AC inputs, the AC/DC converter 27 supplies VDC voltage (approximately 6.5V) which powers:

- the SOC microprocessor via the post regulator REG, which brings the voltage from 6.5V to the operating voltage of the microprocessor (2-3V);

- the LED_SA 12B via RSA, if the SOC microprocessor controls the SA output (the current intensity in the LED_SA 12A is determined by the RSA resistor and the perceived light intensity is proportional to the duty cycle of the PWM SA signal);

- batteries B1, B2, B3 via the resistor R_CH which limits the battery charging current (the voltage of the cells during charging varies from approximately 3V to 3.65V and the resistor RB is sized appropriately to obtain the overall battery charging current; it is also possible to carry out a rapid charge, possibly enabled by the SOC microprocessor by switching on the FAST_CH signal which causes the RF_CH and R_CH resistors to be connected in parallel);

- provides the SOC microprocessor with the signal indicating the presence of AC power on the IN AC SE input.

In the presence of mains power, measured at the output of the AC/DC converter 27 (VDC), the SOC microprocessor keeps the REGA, REGB, REGC current regulators of the LEDs relating to the SE part (LED_A, LED_B and LED_C) off, keeping the PWMA, PWMB and PWMC outputs at 0. The emergency LEDs are therefore off.

The LED_SA 12B are switched on depending on the presence of the network on the IN AC SA input or on the configuration of the configuration DIP SWITCH to perform the typical emergency lighting functions. The SOC microprocessor controls the SA output with a PWM signal at a few hundred Hz, modulating the average intensity of the emitted light and therefore allowing the SA luminous flux to be adjusted to the intensity desired by the user, which can also be configured by the user himself.

The SOC microprocessor reads the light sensor 32, which may be for example a photodiode or a phototransistor, and can adjust the average intensity of the light emitted by the LED_SA 12B based on the intensity measured by the light sensor 32. When the lighting fixture is used as an emergency light sign (EXIT SIGN), the light intensity of the sign can advantageously adapt to the light context of the environment in which the fixture is inserted; for example, if the environment is very bright, the EXIT SIGN must also emit light at a high intensity, in order to be visible with good contrast compared to the very bright environment. If, on the other hand, the environment is poorly lit (such as a theatre or a public entertainment venue), the EXIT SIGN does not require a high light intensity to be correctly identified and, indeed, a high brightness would disturb the functions of the place. Thus, the light sensor 32 allows the brightness of the LED_SA 12B to be adapted to the ambient brightness, lowering the emitted intensity when the light sensor 32 measures low intensities and vice versa.

In the absence of mains power, detected by the SOC microprocessor via the mains sensor 28 or by the lack of VDC voltage (depending on the product configuration), the SOC microprocessor switches on the emergency LEDs (LED_A, LED_B and LED_C) via the REGA, REGB, REGC regulators, appropriately controlling the PWMA, PWMB and PWMC outputs.

Each of these outputs can be controlled independently, depending on the characteristic configuration of the device:

? device with a single optical ?output?; in this case the three sets of LEDs (LED_A, LED_B and LED_C) are controlled in the same way by adjusting their intensities to the desired value which is the same for all and the control signals are identical (PWMA = PWMB = PWMC);

? device with multiple optical ?outputs?, for example a device where each different set of LEDs illuminates a different lens or a different portion of the light plate; in this case the three sets of LEDs (LED_A, LED_B and LED_C) are each controlled to the desired value to obtain the specific optical function and the PWMA, PWMB and PWMC control signals are all different from each other; some LEDs can be turned off and others on or the intensities can be determined in order to obtain appropriate distributions of the emitted light modulated at predefined levels on the three optical systems present.

Furthermore, the SOC microprocessor, by reading which batteries are connected (by identifying the short circuit of the third wire of the battery connectors), can automatically determine the intensity of the regulators' current, adapting the overall current to the batteries present, so as to always have the desired nominal autonomy of the emergency lighting device.

The SOC microprocessor, which incorporates the Bluetooth BLE digital radio, allows you to control the emergency lighting device directly with a smartphone or tablet to configure its functions and check its status, including the results of the built-in self-diagnostics.

In particular, an innovative aspect in the sector, the SOC microprocessor incorporates an estimator of the remaining battery life; the lighting fixture displays information regarding the status of the battery and its expected life, upon query from a specific APP application from a smartphone or tablet via the Bluetooth BLE interface. The estimator is based on a predictive model whose parameters can be modified and are obtained from "machine learning" (self-learning) and/or AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms, by training the predictive model on large databases coming from all the lighting fixtures built of the same type. The user can then query the fixture with the smartphone and obtain the estimated battery replacement date and thus plan maintenance operations with sufficient time. The user can also define an advance value with which he wants to receive the battery end-of-life forecast indication from the fixture; for example, he could request to receive the notification with a 1 month, 6 months or 1 year advance.

The SOC microprocessor realizes an astronomical clock that measures time, once initialized via the BLE connection, during installation.

The SOC microprocessor also incorporates a temperature sensor, which measures the temperature of the entire device and records it, together with the battery voltage and current in an internal permanent memory, according to a time series that constitutes the evolution over time of the battery status (voltage, current and temperature). In particular, the battery charging current is measured as the difference in voltage between VCD and VB divided by the resistance R_CH or RF_CH//R_CH, depending on the charger status. The discharging current is estimated by the sum of the currents read on REGA, REGB, REGC and the value consumed by the control system.

The SOC microprocessor directly measures the voltages on the RA, RB and RC resistors and calculates the relative discharge currents by adding the estimated fixed quota. The SOC microprocessor records the Vbatt, Ibatt, Temp trio, for example, every minute, or every 10 minutes, or in a suitable way to minimize the amount of data and provide the most significant information, and stores the values together with the relative time instant (time_stamp). The device periodically transmits (for example daily or monthly) the accumulated data to the control center where this information is collected to form the historical database.

The data collected by each device is grouped, in the remote control center, by type and model of device, forming the "database" of that model. This "database" will constitute the "training set" of the AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms, which will allow the battery performance forecasting model to be gradually refined.

The remote control center has two feedback functions on each individual device:

1) based on the evolution and refinement of the forecast model, the control center periodically sends the new forecast parameters to the device; thanks to these new characteristic parameters of the forecast model and to its own local data on the battery status, the device is thus able to locally process the new end-of-life date of its battery thanks to the internal estimator;

2) based on the experience gained from the evolution of aging, the control center periodically sends new instructions to the device to modify the operation of the battery charger, for example by changing the charging current values (acting on the modulation or on the voltage of the FAST_CH signal), or the charging modes and the charging time intervals, in order to optimize the operation and prolong the life of the battery. Compatibly with the functional limits of the device, the discharging modes during the mandatory tests can also be modified in order to optimize the battery life period, according to the predictions of the model developed thanks to the self-learning of the system made possible by the data collection of all the devices.

The simplified circuit diagram of Fig. 13 illustrates a second version of the LED driving part of the electronic circuit of Fig. 12.

This LED driving scheme allows you to adjust the light intensities of four separate LED strings S1 (with LEDs LD1, LD2, LD3), S2 (with LEDs LD4, LD5, LD6), S3 (with LEDs LD7, LD8, LD9) and S4 (with LEDs LD10, LD11, LD12), using a single current regulator comprising the CONV converter and the operational amplifier O1. The SOC microprocessor, which also includes the digital radio, governs the operation of the LEDs according to the following modality.

The CONV converter is for example of the BOOST or BUCK-BOOST type and raises the battery voltage at its input, for example 3.2V for a LiFePO4 battery, to the value needed to power the S1, S2, S3 and S4 series LED strings, of approximately 9-10V. The high-frequency switching converter CONV, whose magnetic conversion element is the inductor L1, has the feedback input FB driven by the operational amplifier O1. The latter processes an error signal that compares the voltage on the resistor R2 with the control voltage generated by the microprocessor SOC on the non-inverting input of the operational amplifier O1 via the low-pass filter R1, C2 via the (pulse modulated) signal PWM_L. A feedback system is therefore created in which the controlled variable is the current flowing through the resistor R2 (which corresponds to the current flowing through the set of strings S1, S2, S3 and S4, assuming that all the MOSFETs M1, M2, M3, M4 are on).

The circuit therefore creates a current generator that imposes the current set by the microprocessor on the LEDs: ILED = Media(V(PWM_L))/R1.

The SOC microprocessor thus continuously regulates the intensity of the ILED current from 0 to the maximum possible value by modifying the duty cycle of the PWM signal.

The SOC microprocessor can also turn off the CONV converter using the EN (enable) signal, bringing the current in the LEDs to zero.

The mosfet transistors M1, M2, M3, M4 control the distribution of the ILED current in the four strings S1, S2, S3, S4 according to the innovative technique described below.

The MOSFETs M1, M2, M3, M4 are driven by the signals P1, P2, P3, P4 of the SOC microprocessor in sequence according to the cycle illustrated in fig. 14.

The CONV converter operates at a switching frequency of a few hundred kHz, for example 500kHz.

The period T is of the order of ms (for example, T = 1ms). The sequence is determined so that there are never any interruptions in the overall current flowing through R2 and that, at any given time, only one mosfet is turned on at a time; the ILED current moves from M1, which conducts in the interval t1, to M2, which conducts in the interval t2, to M3, which conducts in the interval t3, to M4, which conducts in the interval t4, so that t1 t2 t3 t4 = T. The ILED current thus flows without interruption during the entire period T. The SOC microprocessor regulates the different time intervals always maintaining the sum of the times unchanged and thus distributing the current and therefore the relative brightness of the four strings S1, S2, S3, S4.

The M1, M2, M3, M4 mosfets have very short switching times, which do not alter the operation of the current feedback, maintaining the overall ILED current at the desired value.

In fact, the switching of the mosfets M1, M2, M3, M4 occurs in times lower than ?s (1MHz), at frequencies higher than the bandwidth of the feedback system, which is sized for a slightly slower control. The passage of current from one mosfet to the other does not therefore alter the dynamics of the current feedback which maintains the ILED current at the value set by the SOC microprocessor for the entire period T without variations.

For example, if t1=100?s, t2=300?s, t3=400?s, t4=200?s, the average intensities of the four currents in the four strings are, respectively, 10% (S1), 30% (S2), 40% (S3) and 20% (S4). In this way, it is possible to dose the relative intensities of the various strings S1, S2, S3, S4 as desired.

The overall absolute current intensity is regulated by the PWM_L signal, as described above.

It is also possible to turn on only a single string or a subset of strings, always maintaining the control scheme according to which only one mosfet is turned on at a time and the turn-on cycle is sequential without current interruptions. For example, to turn on a single string, only one mosfet is turned on (with t1 = T, always on), to turn on the two strings S1, S2, M1, M2 are turned on in sequence so that t1+t2 = T, to turn on the three strings S1, S2, S3, M1, M2, M3 are turned on in sequence so that t1+t2+t3 = T.

The bandwidth of the feedback control system of the CONV converter is chosen in order to have a control of the type:

? slow enough to not be sensitive to ILED current variations in times of the order of a few ?s,

? fast enough to allow the SOC microprocessor to modulate the ILED current at a frequency of a few Hz.

The circuit therefore allows to independently regulate the relative brightness of the four strings S1, S2, S3, S4 with wide discretion, with the simplicity of a single switching power converter CONV and four simple mosfet switches M1, M2, M3, M4 controlled by the SOC microprocessor.

Suitable MM modules, such as a DALI module, an LG ?FM? Beghelli? radio module, an LG Beghelli? module, can be connected to the EDGE connector of the devices.

These MM modules add the relevant functionality to the emergency device.

Fig. 15 shows the connections of a DALI module or a LG Beghelli module; in this case the wires of the DA, DA communication bus are brought back from the MM module connected to the EDGE connector to terminal block 18 of the emergency lighting device, so that the user makes all the connections in the main terminal block 18 after simply inserting the module into the EDGE connector inside the device.

Finally, fig. 16 shows a connection diagram of an LG radio module, while fig. 17 illustrates the possibility of inserting MM modules, alternatively, into the EDGE connector of the device.

From the description given, the characteristics of the self-powered multifunction emergency lighting device, which is the object of the present invention, are clear, as are the advantages.

It is clear, finally, that numerous other variations can be made to the apparatus in question, without departing from the principles of novelty inherent in the inventive idea, just as it is clear that, in the practical implementation of the invention, the materials, shapes and dimensions of the illustrated details may be any according to the needs and the same may be replaced with equivalent ones.

Where the features and techniques mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, such reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and, accordingly, such reference signs have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims (13)

1. Self-powered multifunction emergency lighting device, comprising an external case (16), made of plastic material, which incorporates an electronic operating part, an optical part comprising one or more reflectors or lenses and one or more power batteries (B1, B2, B3), wherein said electronic operating part includes a single printed circuit (10) where the electronic components (11) are inserted, a series of connectors (13, 14, 15) for connection to an electrical connection system and at least two strings of LEDs (12A, 12B) of respective independent SE and SA circuits, with the LEDs of an SA circuit connected in parallel to each other and physically spaced out with the LEDs of an SE circuit, also connected in parallel to each other, said LEDs (12A, 12B) being coupled to a lens (16A) and said lens (16A) being mounted directly on said printed circuit (10), characterised in that said case (10A) comprises a junction or junction box (16), which has on the outside a bracket for the mechanical fixing of a light source of the emergency lighting device and, on the inside, a removable plate or base (17) for fixing and positioning a terminal block modular (18), to which the installer connects the electrical cables coming from an electrical system via a series of terminals (20), said modular terminal block (18) being fitted inside the junction box (16) via a series of retaining hooks (23), a series of spacing shims (21) for correct vertical positioning of the terminal block (18) and a series of insulating walls (24) to avoid short circuits with said electrical cables of the electrical system connected to said terminals (20). 2. Emergency lighting device as in claim 1, characterised in that said plate (17) is attached to said junction box (16) by means of retaining guides (25) and is removable from the junction box (16) by means of an elastic lever (22). 3. Emergency lighting device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the symbols (26) of the electrical signals corresponding to the various connection positions are printed on said plate (17). 4. Emergency lighting device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said electronic operating part comprises at least one 3.2V single-cell battery (B1, B2) with electronic protection device (PCM, QB1, QB2), low drop linear current regulators (REG1, Q1, R1, REG2, Q2, R2) for directly driving said LEDs (12A, 12B), a voltage converter (27) connected to the AC input terminals of said SE circuit, a detection circuit (28) for the presence of voltage on the AC input terminals of the SA circuit and two signalling LEDs (29, 30) driven by a control circuit. 5. Emergency lighting device as in claim 4, characterised in that said electronic operating part comprises an insulated regulator (27), which is capable of supplying a current regulated at a preset value, in the presence of AC mains power and batteries (B1, B2) not connected, said current being available to drive said LEDs of the SA circuit (12B) and said LEDs of the SE circuit (12A) being off. 6. Emergency lighting device as in claim 4, characterised in that, in the absence of AC mains power, said current regulators (REG1, Q1, R1, REG2, Q2, R2) keep the current in the LEDs of the SE circuit (12A) regulated at a preset value depending on the presence or absence of said at least one battery (B2) and the consequent activation of one of said current regulators (REG2), with a very low voltage drop. 7. Emergency lighting device according to at least one of claims 1-4, characterised in that said electronic operating part comprises a series of channels for controlling different sets of lenses or separate optical parts, a luminous sign divided into adjacent areas which are turned on independently of each other, an optical ambient brightness sensor for automatically regulating the intensity of the light, and a control panel for controlling the brightness of the light. luminous intensity of said sign as a function of the ambient light, a microprocessor (SOC) with integrated BLE radio and antenna (31), means for continuously measuring the parameters of said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3) with predictive diagnostics based on a machine learning algorithm, means (DA) for connecting a low voltage wired communication bus, a series of emergency LEDs (LED_A, LED_B, LED_C) divided into independent groups, where each group has all the LEDs connected in parallel to each other, said groups of emergency LEDs (LED_A, LED_B, LED_C) being driven by respective current regulators independent of each other (REGA, QA, RA, REGB, QB, RB, REGC, QC, RC), which regulate the current of said LEDs of the SE circuit with continuity from 0 to a predetermined maximum value and said microprocessor (SOC) being configured to control said LEDs of the SA circuit (12B), to drive said two signalling LEDs (29, 30) and to measure the charging and discharging current and voltage of said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3). 8. Emergency lighting device as in claim 7, characterised in that said electronic operating part comprises a light sensor (32) and configuration dip-switches, which are read by said microprocessor (SOC), and two serial interfaces, of which a first serial interface (TX_CBL, RX_CBL) is configured for data communication with a remote control unit and a second serial interface (TX, RX) is connected to a connector (EDGE) for the insertion of specific communication modules (MM). 9. Emergency lighting device according to at least one of claims 7 and 8, characterised in that, in the presence of mains power, said converter (27) supplies voltage which powers said microprocessor (SOC), the LEDs of the SA circuit (12B) and said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3), said microprocessor (SOC) being configured to keep said current regulators (REGA, REGB, REGC) of the LEDs of the SE circuit (12B) and said emergency LEDs (LED_A, LED_B, LED_C) off, while, in the absence of mains power, said microprocessor (SOC) turns on said emergency LEDs (LED_A, LED_B and LED_C), by means of said current regulators (REGA, REGB, REGC) of the LEDs of the SE circuit, via different light intensity adjustment commands on different sets of LEDs and/or lenses and/or portions of the luminous sign. 10. Emergency lighting device according to at least one of claims 7-9, characterised in that said microprocessor (SOC) incorporates means for estimating the residual life of said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3), which are based on databases of the device communicated to a remote control centre and on forecasting models whose parameters are modifiable and obtained from machine learning and/or artificial intelligence algorithms, and an astronomical clock, which measures the time, once initialised via a BLE connection, during installation. 11. Emergency lighting device according to at least one of claims 7-10, characterised in that said microprocessor (SOC) incorporates a temperature sensor, which measures the temperature of the emergency lighting device and records it in an internal permanent memory, according to a time series corresponding to the evolution over time of the state of said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3). 12. Emergency lighting device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said remote control centre sends to the device the parameters of the forecast model and the data on the status of said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3) and further instructions for modifying the operation of the charging means and the discharging modes of said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3), in order to optimise the operation and prolong the life of said at least one battery (B1, B2, B3). 13. Emergency lighting fixture as in claim 1, characterised in that there are four distinct strings of LEDs (S1, S2, S3, S4) driven by a current regulator, which comprises a high frequency switching converter (CONV) and an operational amplifier (O1) and which is managed by a microprocessor (SOC) with digital radio, so as to create a feedback system in which the controlled variable is the current flowing through said four strings of LEDs (S1, S2, S3, S4), said microprocessor (SOC) being able to regulate the intensity of said current continuously. from 0 to a predefined maximum value and said current being distributed in the four LED strings (S1, S2, S3, S4) via respective MOSFET transistors (M1, M2, M3, M4) driven by said microprocessor (SOC) in a sequence determined so that there are never interruptions in the overall current and that, at any given moment in time, only one MOSFET (M1, M2, M3, M4) is turned on at a time.