JP2011071310A - Light emitting module device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control a plurality of light emitting modules individually, and reduce wirings to thereby reduce a manufacturing cost, in a light emitting module device. <P>SOLUTION: The light emitting module device 1 includes a power line 3 for supplying power to the light emitting modules 2 and a signal generating unit 43 for generating a control signal. The power line 3 is shared among the plurality of light emitting modules 2 and has switches 31 and 32 for energization/de-energization of each light emitting module 2. The signal generating unit 43 controls opening and closing of the switches 31 and 32, individually, and its opening and closing control includes a light emission period in which the light emitting modules 2 are made to emit light and a quenching period in which the control signal is superimposed on the power to be supplied to each light emitting module and the light emitting modules 2 are made to quench light so long as there is a control signal to be sent. The control signal is superimposed on the power to be supplied to each light emitting module 2, so that the light emitting modules 2 can be controlled individually. Moreover, the power line 3 can be mode available as a communication line and the power line 3 is shared among the plurality of light emitting modules 2, so that the wirings can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a light emitting module device including a plurality of light emitting modules and individually controlling them.

  The structure of this type of conventional light emitting module device is shown in FIG. In the light emitting module device 100, the light emitting modules 101 are arranged in a matrix, the modules are connected to each other by a power transmission contact 102, and a terminal device 104 of a power line 103 is attached to one end. Each light emitting module 101 has a control device (not shown) for adjusting the light emission amount. When the termination device 104 supplies power to the light emitting module 101, electric power is sequentially transmitted to the light emitting module 101, whereby electric power is supplied to all the light emitting modules 101 (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the light emitting module device 100, the amount of light emission can be controlled for each light emitting module 101 by the control device. However, since the control device is provided for each light emitting module 101, the manufacturing cost may increase.

  FIG. 7 shows a light emitting module device configured to solve this problem. The light emitting module device 200 includes a control box 202 that collectively controls the amount of light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting modules 201. The light emitting module 201 has a configuration in which the amount of light emission is adjusted in accordance with the supplied power, and a power line 203 for power feeding is led out from the control box 202 to each light emitting module 201. The control box 202 is a light emitting module. The supply power is controlled for each 201 to control the light emission amount (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  However, in the light emitting module device 200, a plurality of light emitting modules 201 can be individually controlled, but the power lines 203 are wired in a star shape, which is twice the number of the light emitting modules 201, and there are many wirings. There is a concern that the manufacturing cost may increase, and it has been desired to reduce the manufacturing cost.

Special table 2007-536708 gazette US Pat. No. 7,348,738

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and in a light emitting module device including a plurality of light emitting modules, the light emitting modules can be individually controlled and manufactured with reduced wiring. An object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting module device capable of reducing the cost.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a light emitting module device comprising: a plurality of light emitting modules; and a power line that supplies power necessary for light emission to the light emitting modules. A signal generation unit that generates a control signal to perform, wherein the power line includes a switch that is shared by the plurality of light emitting modules and opens and closes energization of each light emitting module, and the signal generation unit includes the switch A signal for individually controlling the opening and closing is generated, and the opening and closing control is performed by controlling the supply power by closing the switch and emitting the light emitting module, and opening and closing the switch when there is a control signal to be transmitted. There is an extinction period in which the signal is superimposed and the light emitting module is extinguished, and each of the light emitting modules overlaps the supplied power. Is read control signal, in which a control unit that controls lighting of the light emitting module on the basis of the read control signal.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the light emitting module device according to the first aspect, in the opening / closing control of the switch by the signal generator, the switch is opened / closed when there is a control signal to be transmitted instead of the extinction period. Thus, there is a communication period in which the control signal is superimposed on the supplied power and the light emitting module emits light.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the light emitting module device according to the second aspect, the control unit of the light emitting module has a configuration in which setting is reset when power supply is interrupted for a predetermined period or longer, and the communication period Is a predetermined period after the setting of the control unit is reset and power supply is resumed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the light emitting module device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the light emitting modules are arranged in an array or a matrix, and the power line is the light emitting module. A column power line shared for each column and a row power line shared for each row of the light emitting module, and the switch is provided in each of the column power line and the row power line, and the signal generation unit Is to open and close the respective switches in the columns and rows of the light emitting modules to be controlled, and to superimpose the control signal on the power supplied to the light emitting modules.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control signal is superimposed on the power supplied to each light emitting module by the power line, and each light emitting module reads the control signal and lights up according to the control signal. can do. In addition, the power line can be used also as a communication line, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced by reducing wiring. Further, since the power line is shared by the plurality of light emitting modules, the wiring can be further reduced. In addition, since the control signal is superimposed on the supplied power during the extinction period when there is substantially no power supply to the light emitting module, the light emitting module can easily read the control signal, thus contributing to reliable signal communication.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, compared with the first aspect of the invention, the period during which the light emitting module is extinguished can be reduced, and the decrease in the light emission amount due to communication can be suppressed.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the setting reset of the control unit of the light emitting module can be regarded as a communication start trigger, and it is not necessary to detect a change in power supplied to the light emitting module for detecting the start trigger. The detection circuit is not required to be mounted, and as a result, the configuration is simplified.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the number of necessary power lines can be the sum of the number of columns and rows of the light emitting modules, for example, the number of power lines compared to a conventional light emitting module in which power lines are wired in a star shape. The manufacturing cost can be reduced.

1 is a circuit diagram of a light emitting module device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a disassembled perspective view of the light emitting module of the said apparatus, (b) is the circuit block diagram. (A) is a wiring diagram of the light emitting module, column switch, and row switch portion of the device, and (b) is an operation chart of the column switch and row switch. The operation | movement chart of the column switch and row switch of the light emitting module apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The operation | movement chart of the column switch and row switch of the light emitting module apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the conventional light emitting module apparatus. The circuit block diagram of the light emitting module apparatus different from the above.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a light emitting module device according to the first embodiment. The light emitting module device 1 includes a plurality of light emitting modules 2 and a module driving circuit 4 that supplies each light emitting module 2 with power necessary for light emission using a power line 3. For example, the light emitting modules 2 are arranged in a matrix of 4 rows and 4 columns. The power line 3 is shared by the plurality of light emitting modules 2. Further, the power line 3 includes switches 31 and 32 that open and close the energization of the light emitting modules 2. The module drive circuit 4 superimposes a control signal for setting the light emitting module 2 on the supplied power by controlling opening and closing of the switches 31 and 32.

  The power line 3 includes a plus line 33 and a minus line 34. The plus line 33 and the minus line 34 are respectively derived from the module drive circuit 4 and branched. The branched plus line 33 becomes the column power lines 33a to 33d shared for each column of the light emitting module 2, and the column power lines 33a to 33d of each column are connected to the plus electrode of the light emitting module 2 of that column in a bus shape. ing. The branched minus line 34 becomes row power lines 34a to 34d shared for each row of the light emitting module 2, and the row power lines 34a to 34d of each row are connected to the minus electrode of the light emitting module 2 of that row in a bus shape. .

  The switch 31 is provided in each of the column power lines 33a to 33d, and the switch 32 is provided in each of the row power lines 34a to 34d. The switches 31 and 32 make the column power lines 33a to 33d and the row power lines 34a to 34d conductive or non-conductive by a switching operation, thereby switching between power supply to the light emitting modules 2 in each column and each row and stop thereof. . The switches 31 and 32 are configured by switching elements such as FETs or IGBTs. Here, the switch 31 provided in each of the column power lines 33a to 33d is referred to as column switches 31a to 31d, and the switch 32 provided in each of the row power lines 34a to 34d is referred to as row switches 32a to 32d.

  The module drive circuit 4 includes a control circuit 41 that individually controls the opening and closing of the switches 31 and 32, and a power adjustment circuit 42 that receives power from an external power source and supplies the light emitting module 2 and the control circuit 41 with electric power adjusted to an appropriate value. And have. The control circuit 41 includes a signal generation unit 43 that generates an opening / closing signal that controls opening and closing of the switches 31 and 32, and a switch control unit 44 that controls opening and closing of the switches 31 and 32 based on the opening and closing signal generated by the signal generation unit 43. Have The signal generator 43 generates the control signal. The open / close control of the switches 31 and 32 by the signal generator 43 is supplied by closing the switches 31 and 32 and causing the light emitting module 2 to emit light, and opening and closing the switches 31 and 32 when there is a control signal to be transmitted. There is a quenching period in which the control signal is superimposed on the power and the light emitting module 2 is quenched.

  The control signal is a PWM signal or a digital data signal, and includes information for designating an operation pattern such as lighting / extinction of the light emitting module 2, dimming ratio, or fade-in / out operation or blinking speed. The signal generation unit 43 controls the switching operation of the switches 31 and 32 using the switch control unit 44, and controls power supply and communication to the power line 3. The module drive circuit 4 may supply a current to the light emitting module 2 as a current source or supply a voltage as a voltage source for power supply.

  2A and 2B show the configuration of the light emitting module 2. The light emitting module 2 includes an organic EL panel 21, a current control unit 22 (control unit) that controls a supply current to the organic EL panel 21 according to power supplied from the power line 3 (see FIG. 1), and a current control unit 22. Connector 23 and 24 to which a plus line 33 and a minus line 34 of the power line 3 are respectively connected, a substantially box-like case 25 for housing them, and a lid 26 thereof. A wiring 22 a extends from the current control unit 22 to the organic EL panel 21. The current control unit 22 includes a reading circuit that reads a control signal superimposed on the supplied power, controls the supply current to the organic EL panel 21 based on the read control signal, and turns on / adjusts the organic EL panel 21. Light control. The case 25 is formed with a light emission port 25 a that emits light from the organic EL panel 21 and holes 25 b and 25 c that expose the connectors 23 and 24.

  The organic EL panel 21 is formed by laminating an anode 21b, a light emitting layer 21c, and a cathode 21d in this order on a substrate 21a. The current control unit 22 performs PWM / PFM control of the constant current circuit that keeps the peak value of the supply current to the organic EL panel 21 substantially constant, and the supply current whose peak value is made substantially constant. A CPU for controlling a light emission state; and a substrate on which the constant current circuit and the CPU are mounted. The constant current circuit makes the peak value of the supplied current substantially equal to the current value necessary for the organic EL panel 21 to emit light. The constant current circuit can be constituted by a DC-DC converter having a series regulator or a switching regulator, or a constant current diode. The CPU demodulates the control signal superimposed on the power supplied from the power line 3 and performs PWM / PFM control so that the light emission state of the organic EL panel 21 becomes a designated state by the control signal.

  The CPU of the current control unit 22 can be configured by a semiconductor circuit using C-MOS. In such a semiconductor circuit, even if the power supply is cut off, the circuit operates for a predetermined time due to the operation delay due to the time constant of the circuit, and the setting of the organic EL panel 21 can be maintained. However, when the predetermined time elapses, the circuit stops operating, the setting of the organic EL panel 21 is reset, and becomes the default. Therefore, the current control unit 22 is provided with a capacitor for extending the operation period of the CPU after the power supply is cut off. The current control unit 22 may be provided with a memory that stores the settings of the organic EL panel 21. In this case, even if the CPU is reset, the setting is read from the memory and the setting is reflected on the organic EL panel 21.

  Next, opening / closing control of the column switches 31a to 31d and the row switches 32a to 32d by the signal generation unit 43 will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, the light emitting module 2 (hereinafter referred to as the light emitting module 2A) in the first row in the first column in FIG. 3A is a control target, that is, a control signal transmission target.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, in the open / close control of the column switches 31a to 31d and the row switches 32a to 32d, power necessary for light emission is supplied to all the light emitting modules 2 including the light emitting module 2A. There is a light emission period T1 to be extinguished and a quenching period T2 to be extinguished. A control signal is superimposed on the supplied power during the extinction period T2. The light emitting period T1 and the extinction period T2 of each light emitting module 2 have substantially the same start and end timings with other light emitting modules 2, but they may be different for each light emitting module 2. The light emission period T1 and the extinction period T2 are preset in the signal generation unit 43.

  In the light emission period T1, the column switches 31a to 31d and the row switches 32a to 32d of each light emitting module 2 are closed, power is supplied, and each light emitting module 2 emits light. The control signal is not superimposed on the power during the light emission period T1.

  In the extinction period T2, the column switches 31a to 31d and the row switches 32a to 32d are opened at the start thereof, and the power supply is stopped. Since each light emitting module 2 except the light emitting module 2A does not have a control signal to be transmitted, the column switches 31b to 31d and the row switches 32b to 32d of the light emitting modules 2 are kept open, and the power supply is stopped. The light emitting module 2 enters the extinction state.

  Since the light emitting module 2A has a control signal to be transmitted, the column switch 31a and the row switch 32a of the light emitting module 2A are opened / closed in accordance with the control signal, whereby the power supply to the light emitting module 2A is turned on and off. Thus, the control signal is superimposed on the supplied power. When the extinction period T2 begins, the column switch 31a and the row switch 32a are in an open state to stop power supply, and then they are in a closed state at substantially the same time. While the control signal is superimposed on the supplied power, one of them maintains a closed state, and the other performs a switching operation according to the control signal. Thereby, supply electric power is modulated.

  3A and 3B show an example in which the control signal is transmitted only to the light emitting module 2A, the control signal is also transmitted to the other light emitting modules 2. The transmission method is the same as that for the light emitting module 2A. The light emission period T1 and the extinction period T2 are alternately repeated in time. The period of the extinction period T2 and the ratio of the light emission period T1 and the extinction period T2 are set so that a human cannot see the light output change caused by the extinction period T2, and the period of the extinction period T2 is several hundred hertz or more, For example, it is desirable that the frequency is approximately 150 [Hz] or higher. The frequency of the extinction period T2 is set to, for example, 200 [Hz], the ratio of the extinction period T2 to the light emission period T1 is set to, for example, 1: 9, and the extinction period T2 is set to about 500 [μs]. In this case, communication can be performed using a PWM signal of 10 [kHz] (period 100 [μs]) as a control signal.

  The control signal is transmitted to one light emitting module within one extinction period T2 every extinction period T2. In addition, the control signal is sequentially transmitted in the order of arrangement of the light emitting modules 2, for example, from the first row to the fourth row, in the order of the first column to the fourth column for each row. The transmission method of the control signal is not limited to the above, and the control signal may be transmitted to the plurality of light emitting modules 2 within one extinction period T2, or not transmitted every extinction period T2, but transmitted as necessary. Alternatively, the light emitting modules 2 may be transmitted randomly rather than in the order of arrangement. In addition, the control signal may be transmitted substantially simultaneously to the plurality of light emitting modules 2 in the same column or the same row.

  The current controller 22 of each light emitting module 2 including the light emitting module 2A detects the start of the extinction period T2 by stopping the power supply after the light emission period T1 ends. And the current control part 2 detects the electric power supply restart and the stop which generate | occur | produce in the quenching period T2 as a control signal, and recognizes that it is a control object. The current control unit 2 reflects the content of the control signal after the next light emission period T1. The capacitance of the capacitor provided in the current control unit 22 of each light emitting module 2 is configured such that the operation period of the current control unit 22 after the power supply is stopped is longer than the extinction period T2. The setting of the organic EL panel 21 is prevented from becoming default during T2.

  In the light emitting module device 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above, a control signal is superimposed on the power supplied to each light emitting module 2 through the power line 3, and each light emitting module 2 reads the control signal and outputs it to the control signal. Accordingly, the light emitting module 2 can be individually controlled. Further, the power line 3 can also be used as a communication line for transmitting a control signal, wiring can be reduced, and thus manufacturing costs can be reduced. Further, since the power line 3 is shared by the plurality of light emitting modules 2, the wiring can be further reduced. In addition, since the control signal is superimposed on the supplied power during the extinction period T2 in which the power supply to the light emitting module 2 is substantially absent, the light emitting module 2 can easily read the control signal, thus contributing to reliable signal communication.

  Further, since the number of necessary power lines 3 is the sum of the number of columns and rows of the light emitting modules 2, for example, the number of power lines is 2 in the light emitting module by connecting the power lines to the light emitting module in a star shape as in the prior art. Compared with the case of doubling, the number of power lines 3 can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, since the number of power lines 3 is small, the degree of freedom of wiring is increased.

  Moreover, since it is not necessary to give ID for individual identification to the light emitting module 2, and it is not necessary to have the memory which memorize | stores ID in the light emitting module 2, it can aim at reduction of manufacturing cost.

(Second Embodiment)
A light emitting module device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the configuration of the light emitting module device is the same as that of the first embodiment, description will be made with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the communication control method to the light emitting module 2 by the signal generation part 43 differs from the said 1st Embodiment.

  FIG. 4 shows the switching operation of the column switches 31a to 31d and the row switches 32a to 32d that are controlled to be opened and closed by the signal generator 43 in this embodiment. In the figure, only the light emitting module 2A (see FIG. 3A) is a control signal transmission target. This open / close control has a communication period T3 for superimposing the control signal on the supplied power when there is a control signal to be transmitted and causing the light emitting module to emit light, instead of the extinction period T2 of the first embodiment.

  In the communication period T3, since there is no control signal to be transmitted for the light emitting modules 2 other than the light emitting module 2A, the column switches 31b to 31d and the row switches 32b to 32d are kept closed and the power supply is continued. The light emission state continues.

  As for the light emitting module 2A, one of the column switch 31a and the row switch 32a is changed from the closed state to the open state, the power supply is stopped for a predetermined time, and then returned to the closed state. This is the trigger signal. Thereafter, the other opens and closes according to the control signal within the communication period T3, whereby the power supply to the light emitting module 2A is stopped and restarted, and the control signal is superimposed on the supplied power.

  The current control unit 22 of each light emitting module 2 including the light emitting module 2A considers that the start trigger signal has been received when the power supply is cut off and resumed after a predetermined time. Then, after receiving the start trigger signal, the current control unit 22 recognizes them as a control signal when detecting the supply stop and the supply restart within the communication period T3, and receives the start trigger when not detecting them. Delete the trigger signal. The power supply stop period in the start trigger signal is set shorter than the operation period of the current control unit 22 after the stop.

  In the present embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, the period during which the light emitting module 2 is extinguished can be reduced, and a decrease in the light emission amount due to communication can be suppressed.

(One Modification of Second Embodiment)
A light emitting module device according to a modification of the second embodiment will be described. Since the configuration of the light emitting module device is the same as that of the first embodiment, description will be given with reference to FIGS. In this modification, the current control unit 22 of the light emitting module 2 does not include a capacitor for extending the operation time after the power supply is stopped, and the setting is reset when the power supply is stopped for a predetermined period or longer. Has a configuration.

  FIG. 5 shows the switching operations of the column switches 31a to 31d and the row switches 32a to 32d that are controlled to be opened and closed by the signal generation unit 43 in this modification. In the figure, only the light emitting module 2A (see FIG. 3A) is a control signal transmission target.

  For the light emitting module 2A, one of the column switch 31a and the row switch 32a is changed from the closed state to the open state, the open state continues for a predetermined time T4, during which the power supply is cut off, and then returns to the closed state. The power supply resumes. The predetermined time T4 is set longer than the operation time of the current control unit 22 after the power supply is stopped. Accordingly, the setting of the current control unit 22 for the organic EL panel 21 is reset after the elapse of the predetermined period T4. The communication period T3 is a predetermined period after the setting of the current control unit 22 is reset and power supply is resumed.

  When the current controller 22 of each light emitting module 2 including the light emitting module 2A detects the supply interruption and the supply resumption within the communication period T3 after the setting is reset, it recognizes them as a control signal, and the control signal Operates based on. When the current control unit 22 does not detect a control signal within the communication period T3, the current control unit 22 performs a predetermined operation or operates the organic EL panel 21 with settings before reset stored in the memory.

  In the present modification, the setting reset of the current control unit 22 of the light emitting module 2 can be regarded as a communication start trigger, and it is not necessary to detect a change in power supplied to the light emitting module 2 for detecting the start trigger. The detection circuit is not required to be mounted, and as a result, the configuration is simple. Moreover, since it can reset after resetting the setting of the light emitting module 2, a setting can be made reliable.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure of said various embodiment and modification, Various deformation | transformation are possible according to a use purpose. For example, the light emitting modules 2 may be arranged in an array. The light emitting body of the light emitting module 2 may be a light emitting module, an incandescent bulb, or a fluorescent lamp, and may be any light emitting body whose operation can be controlled by signal communication. The control signal may be digital transmission data generated by an asynchronous serial communication circuit such as a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter), or may be an analog value. The switches 31 and 32 may be mounted on the control circuit 41. Further, the plus line 33 may be a row power line, and the minus line 34 may be a column power line. Further, the power adjustment circuit 42 is not provided, and the light emitting module 2 or the control circuit 41 may be directly supplied with power from an external power source.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light emitting module apparatus 2 Light emitting module 3 Power line 31, 32 Switch 31a-31d Column switch 32a-32d Row switch 33a-33d Column power line 34a-34d Row power line 43 Signal generation part

Claims (4)

In a light emitting module device comprising: a plurality of light emitting modules; and a power line that supplies power necessary for the light emission to the light emitting modules.
A signal generation unit for generating a control signal for setting the light emitting module;
The power line has a switch that is shared by the plurality of light emitting modules and opens and closes energization of each light emitting module,
The signal generation unit generates a signal for individually controlling the opening and closing of the switch, and the opening and closing control includes a light emission period in which the light emitting module is caused to emit light by closing the switch, and the switch when there is a control signal to be transmitted. A control signal is superimposed on the supplied power by opening and closing the light source, and there is a quenching period for quenching the light emitting module,
Each of the light emitting modules has a control unit that reads a control signal superimposed on the supplied power and controls lighting of the light emitting module based on the read control signal.   In the opening / closing control of the switch by the signal generation unit, instead of the extinction period, when there is a control signal to be transmitted, the control signal is superimposed on the supplied power by opening / closing the switch and causing the light emitting module to emit light. The light emitting module device according to claim 1, wherein there is a communication period. The controller of the light emitting module has a configuration in which the setting is reset when the power supply is cut off for a predetermined period or more,
The light emitting module device according to claim 2, wherein the communication period is a predetermined period after the setting of the control unit is reset and power supply is resumed. The light emitting modules are arranged in an array or matrix,
The power line is composed of a column power line shared for each column of the light emitting module and a row power line shared for each row of the light emitting module,
The switch is provided in each of the column power line and the row power line,
4. The signal generation unit according to claim 1, wherein the signal generation unit opens and closes each switch of a column and a row of a light emitting module to be controlled, and superimposes a control signal on power supplied to the light emitting module. The light emitting module device according to any one of the above.

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