JP2007287681A - Illumination control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illumination control unit 11 that has a high degree of freedom in the installation location of an illumination load and has a relatively small amount of wiring construction work by eliminating problems when all pieces of equipment are connected by a radio network or a cabled network. <P>SOLUTION: A control station 12 performs communication through a radio network 14 for controlling a terminal 17. The terminal 17 performs communication through a cabled network 16 using a communication line 15 and controls an illumination load by a control command from the control station1 12. A slave station 13 converts a control command and control data from the radio network 14 to a cabled network and converts a control command and control data from the cabled network 16 to a radio network. The terminal 17 connected to the cabled network 16 is controlled by the control station 12 through the radio network 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a lighting control apparatus that remotely controls a lighting load by a control station.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in office buildings and various facilities, lighting control devices that remotely control lighting loads such as lighting fixtures installed in each lighting area such as each floor or each area are employed.

  In this illumination control apparatus, one control station and a plurality of slave stations communicate with each other through a wireless network, and the illumination load provided in each slave station is controlled by control from the control station (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

A wired system is also known in which a plurality of slave units are communicably connected to one master unit through a transmission line, and the lighting load of each slave unit is controlled by control from the master unit.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-514829 (page 15, FIG. 2)

  As described above, in the case of an illumination control device using a wireless network between all devices, there is no need for wiring and the degree of freedom of the installation location of illumination loads is high. However, there is a problem that a lighting load cannot be installed, for example, in a place where radio does not reach or where radio is difficult to reach due to obstacles.

  In addition, in the case of an illumination control apparatus using a wired system among all devices, an illumination load can be installed at any place as long as the transmission line can be wired. However, if the configuration of the lighting control device is changed, there is a problem that a large-scale wiring work is required in addition to the installation work of the additional device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and solves the problems when all devices are connected by a wireless network or when connected by a wired network, and the degree of freedom of installation location of the lighting load is high. An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting control apparatus that requires relatively little wiring work.

  The lighting control device according to claim 1 communicates with a control station for controlling a lighting load by communicating through a wireless network; and communicates through a wired network using a communication line, and controls the lighting load by a control command from the control station. And a slave station that converts control commands and control data from a wireless network into a wired network and converts control commands and control data from the wired network into a wireless network.

  The illumination control device according to claim 2 is the illumination control device according to claim 1, comprising: a plurality of slave units including a control station; and a master unit that controls each slave unit communicating through the transmission line. Is.

  The lighting control device according to claim 3 is the lighting control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slave station acquires a unique address preset in a terminal connected to the wired network, and the terminal Are assigned addresses used on the wireless network side, and these addresses are set in association with each other.

  The illumination control device according to claim 4 has an illuminance sensor capable of measuring an illuminance value of a predetermined area as a terminal in the illumination control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and the control station measures with the illuminance sensor. The illumination load is controlled based on the illuminance value.

  The illumination control device according to claim 5 is the illumination control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a human sensor for detecting that a person is present in a predetermined area as a terminal. The station controls the lighting load based on the detection of the human sensor.

  In the lighting control device, one or more wired networks are communicably connected to the wireless network via one or more slave stations. In addition to one or more terminals controlling one or more lighting loads connected to the wired network, a human sensor that detects a human body in the lighting area, an illuminance sensor that measures the illuminance in the lighting area, and lighting A wall switch that manually switches the load may be connected. The lighting load includes, for example, a lighting fixture using a light source such as a lamp or a light emitting diode. A unique address is set in advance in the terminal. For example, the control station controls the lighting load according to a schedule determined by a day of the week or a time zone corresponding to a working day or a working time zone, a lighting environment in which external light is incident near the window, and the like. For example, the slave station converts the control command and control data from the wireless network into a format suitable for the wired network, or converts the control command and control data from the wired network into a format suitable for the wireless network. The control station and the terminal communicate with each other.

  According to the illumination control device of claim 1, the child that performs data conversion by mutually connecting the wireless network and the wired network between the control station connected to the wireless network and the terminal connected to the wired network. By arranging stations, it is possible to communicate via a wired network to terminals that do not reach the wireless network, eliminating the problems associated with connecting all devices via a wireless network. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the proportion of wiring work compared to the case where all devices are connected by a wired network. Therefore, the lighting control device has a high degree of freedom in the installation location of the lighting load and relatively little wiring work. Can provide.

  According to the lighting control device of the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the lighting control device of the first aspect, the control station is connected to the transmission line of the parent device as a child device, so that it is the same as other child devices. In addition, it is possible to provide a system that enables lighting control and monitoring by the master unit.

  According to the lighting control device of the third aspect, in addition to the effect of the lighting control device of the first or second aspect, a unique address preset in a terminal connected to the wired network is set by the slave station. It is possible to acquire and automatically assign an address to be used on the wireless network side to the terminal, and can easily cope with the expansion of the terminal.

  According to the illumination control device of the fourth aspect, in addition to the effect of the illumination control device according to any one of the first to third aspects, by using the illuminance sensor in the terminal, the illuminance constant control of a predetermined area can be performed.

  According to the lighting control device of the fifth aspect, in addition to the effect of the lighting control device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the presence or absence of a person in a predetermined area can be obtained by using a human sensor in the terminal. Can be detected and the lighting load can be controlled.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a lighting control device, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a control station of the lighting control device, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a slave station of the lighting control device, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an illumination load of the lighting control device. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lighting control device 11 remotely controls lighting loads such as a plurality of lighting fixtures installed in each lighting area such as each floor and each area such as an office building or various facilities, Centrally control multiple lighting loads by remotely monitoring human sensors that detect the human body within a given lighting area, illuminance sensors that measure the illuminance within a given lighting area, and wall switches that manually switch lighting loads. To do. The illumination load is, for example, a luminaire using a light source such as a lamp or a light emitting diode.

  The lighting control device 11 has a control station 12 which is one controller and a plurality of slave stations 13 having a gateway function, and these one control station 12 and the plurality of slave stations 13 have specific wireless network identification numbers. Communication is possible through the wireless network 14 to be used. When a plurality of control stations 12 are used, a radio network 14 that uses a different radio network identification number for each control station 12 is constructed.

  A wired network 16 using a communication line 15 is wired to each slave station 13, and a plurality of terminals 17 controlled by the control station 12 are wired to the wired network 16. For example, the wired network 16 employs a communication method in which a pulse signal having a meaning of a combination of 1 and 0 is transmitted through two communication lines 15 for communication. Each terminal 17 is preset with a unique address, and is connected to a lighting load and each switch.

  Each slave station 13 mutually converts, for example, the communication command and communication data of the wireless network 14 and the communication command and communication data of the wired network 16 so that the control station 12 and each terminal 17 communicate with each other.

  In the wireless network 14, a computer 18 for monitoring and setting the lighting control state, a portable setting device 19 and the like are capable of wireless communication (for example, using a frequency of 2.4 GHz and a spread spectrum modulation system).

  In the wireless network 14, a computer 18 for monitoring and setting the lighting control state, a portable setting device 19 and the like are capable of wireless communication.

  Further, the control station 12 is connected to the host system 20. The host system 20 controls, for example, lighting, as well as security and air conditioning. The host system 20 has a main board 21 as a master unit, and a transmission line 22 connected to the main board 21 includes a plurality of sub-systems. A terminal 23 as a machine and a control station 12 functioning as one of the child machines are connected. As the communication method of the host system 20, for example, a communication method is employed in which a pulse signal having a meaning in a combination of 1 and 0 is transmitted through two transmission lines 22 for communication.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control station 12 includes a wireless unit 30 that performs wireless communication through the wireless network 14, an antenna 31 that transmits and receives wireless signals, a wired communication unit 32 that performs wired communication with the main board 21 through the transmission line 22, and illumination control. A control unit 33 for controlling the system.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the slave station 13 includes a wireless unit 35 that performs wireless communication through the wireless network 14, an antenna 36 that transmits and receives wireless signals, and a wired communication unit 37 that performs wired communication with the terminal 17 through the wired network 16. The control unit 38 has a control unit 38 that mutually converts the control command and control data of the network 14 and the control command and control data of the wired network 16 to communicate with each other. The control unit 38 issues a control command (address request command) registered in advance to the terminal 17 connected to the wired network 16, and is preset in the terminal 17 obtained as a response from the terminal 17, for example, at the time of manufacturing A unique address (address response) such as a MAC address to be written in the manufacturing factory is acquired, and a unique address used on the wireless network 14 side for the terminal 17 (for example, a counter is prepared in the control station 12). Automatically registering the counter value as a unique address), and storing and registering these addresses in association with the non-volatile memory of the control unit 38. Have.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal 17 includes a wired communication unit 40 that performs wired communication with the slave station 13 through the wired network 16, an inverter unit 42 that controls lighting, turning off, and dimming of a lamp 41 as a light source, and a control station 12. The lighting control unit 43 controls the lighting state of the lamp 41 through the inverter unit 42 in accordance with a command from The terminal 17 is configured as an illumination load 44.

  Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

  First, automatic address recognition and assignment for recognizing and automatically assigning terminals 17 for which the addresses used in the wireless network 14 are not set among the terminals 17 connected to the wired network 16 of each slave station 13 will be described.

  The slave station 13 periodically makes a first request (address not yet set) that requests a response of the terminal 17 with no address set through the wired network 16 at regular intervals (for example, if it is 10 seconds, there is no inconvenience in actual use as the terminal recognition speed). Set terminal request). If the terminal 17 that has received this first request has not been addressed by the slave station 13, it responds to the slave station 13 through the wired network 16. If the address is set from the slave station 13, there is no need to respond to the slave station 13.

  When there is a response from the terminal 17 whose address is not set, the slave station 13 transmits a second request (unique address request) for inquiring about a unique address preset to the terminal 17 through the wired network 16. When the terminal 17 that has received this request has not set an address from the slave station 13, a unique address is transmitted to the slave station 13 through the wired network 16. At this time, for example, when all of the unique addresses cannot be transmitted at once due to the restrictions on the specifications of the wired network 16 (for example, the maximum data length that can be transmitted and received), the slave station 13 starts from the upper byte of the unique address. Queries in order and gets all unique addresses.

  When the slave station 13 has acquired the unique address of the terminal 17, the address used on the wireless network 14 side for the terminal 17 is automatically used (for example, the slave station 13 uses the higher byte of the address on the wireless network side) The least significant byte of the address is inserted, and the number of the terminal 17 set by the slave station 13 is inserted in the lower byte), and the address table prepared in the memory of the slave station 13 is assigned to these terminals 17 The preset unique address and the unique address used on the wireless network 14 side are set and registered in association with each other.

  In this way, the slave station 13 can acquire a unique address preset in the terminal 17 connected to the wired network 16 and automatically assign an address used on the wireless network 14 side to the terminal 17. With this function, even if a new terminal 17 is additionally connected, the address used in the wireless network 14 and the address used in the wired network 16 are set without duplication.

  The control station 12 and each slave station 13 communicate wirelessly via the wireless network 14, and the slave station 13 and each terminal 17 communicate via the wired network 16. For example, the control station 12 controls each terminal 17 according to a preset schedule, and controls the lighting state of the lighting load 44.

  As described above, since the terminal 17 connected to the wired network 16 can be controlled by the control station 12 through the wireless network 14, the direct wiring between the control station 12 and the terminal 17 is reduced, and the control station 12 and the slave station are reduced. In addition to being able to increase the degree of freedom of installation of 13, each terminal 17 can be reliably controlled from the control station 12 through the wired network 16 as long as the slave station 13 is installed in a place where it can communicate through the wireless network 14.

  In addition, by connecting the control station 12 as a slave unit to the transmission line 22 of the master panel 21 of the host system 20, lighting control and monitoring by the master panel 21 can be performed in the same way as the terminal 23 which is another slave unit. Can be provided.

  Further, by using an illuminance sensor for the terminal 17, illuminance constant control of a predetermined area can be performed. Further, by using a human sensor for the terminal 17, it is possible to detect the absence or presence of a person in a predetermined area and control the illumination load.

It is a block diagram of the illumination control apparatus which shows one embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the control station of an illumination control apparatus same as the above. It is a block diagram of the subunit | mobile_unit of an illumination control apparatus same as the above. It is a block diagram of the illumination load of an illumination control apparatus same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

11 Lighting control device
12 Control station
13 slave stations
14 Wireless network
15 Communication line
16 Wired network
17 terminal
21 Main board as main unit
23 Terminal as slave unit
44 Lighting load

Claims (5)

A control station for controlling the lighting load by communicating through a wireless network;
A terminal that communicates through a wired network using a communication line and controls a lighting load according to a control command from a control station;
A slave station that converts control commands and control data from a wireless network into a wired network and converts control commands and control data from the wired network into a wireless network;
An illumination control device comprising: A plurality of slave units including a control station;
A master unit for controlling each slave unit communicating through a transmission line;
The lighting control device according to claim 1, comprising: The slave station shall acquire a unique address preset for a terminal connected to the wired network, assign an address to be used on the wireless network side to the terminal, and associate and set these addresses. The lighting control device according to claim 1 or 2. It has an illuminance sensor that can measure the illuminance value of a predetermined area as a terminal,
The lighting control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control station controls the lighting load based on an illuminance value measured by an illuminance sensor. As a terminal, it has a human sensor that detects the presence of a person in a predetermined area,
The lighting control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control station controls the lighting load based on detection of the human sensor.

Images