JP2013073827A - Control device of illumination apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain control of lighting control and color control of an LED illumination apparatus having a bulb color LED module and a white LED module by one PWM control signal.SOLUTION: When duty ratio of a PWM control signal increases from 0% to 50%, optical output (lighting control ratio) of a white LED module of an LED illumination apparatus decreases from 100% to 0%, and when the duty ratio increases from 50% to 100%, optical output of a bulb color LED module of the LED illumination apparatus increases from 0% to 100%.

Description

  The present invention relates to control of lighting equipment, and more particularly to toning and light control of lighting equipment using LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

  An illumination device using an LED as a light source is known. Regarding such a lighting device, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-282840 (Patent Document 1) discloses a lighting device that can prevent malfunction of remote operation.

JP 2010-282840 A

  In a lighting device using an LED, dimming and toning control require a dedicated remote control terminal that emits infrared rays. In addition, PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control is used as the dimming control of the lighting device. In this case, the control target is only dimming, and the toning control cannot be performed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can easily control toning and dimming of a lighting device.

  According to one embodiment, a lighting apparatus control device includes: a generation unit that generates a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control signal; and a plurality of light emitting units that emit different colors based on the PWM control signal. And a control means for controlling the light emission by the light emitting unit and the light emission amount.

  Preferably, the control means emits light from either the first light emitting unit or the second light emitting unit among the plurality of light emitting units based on the duty ratio of the PWM control signal, and the output level of the light emitting unit emitting the light And control.

  Preferably, when the duty ratio is in a first range defined in advance, the control unit causes the first light emitting unit to emit light and emits light from the first light emitting unit according to the duty ratio in the first range. Control the amount.

Preferably, when the duty ratio increases in the first range, the light emission amount decreases.
Preferably, when the duty ratio is in a second range different from the first range, the control unit causes the second light emitting unit to emit light, and the second light emitting unit according to the duty ratio in the second range Control the amount of light emitted.

  Preferably, when the duty ratio increases in the second range, the light emission amount of the second light emitting unit increases.

  Preferably, the control means changes the light emission amount linearly or stepwise according to the duty ratio of the PWM control signal.

  In one aspect, toning and dimming of a lighting device using LEDs can be controlled.

  The above and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

It is a figure showing the relationship between a duty ratio and an optical output (dimming rate). It is a figure showing the relationship between a duty ratio and light output in the case of controlling light control and color control. It is a figure showing the state to which the light controller 300 and the illuminating device 310 were connected. It is a figure showing the detail of the light control device 300 and the illuminating device 310 which comprise an illumination system. It is a flowchart showing a part of a series of processes which the illuminating device 310 performs. It is a figure showing PWM duty ratio, signal waveform 610, and toning and dimming settings 620 and 630. It is a figure showing a toning system or a light control system. It is a graph showing the relationship between the duty ratio and the light output when toning is performed in multiple stages, or the relationship between the duty ratio and toning when the toning is realized with linearity (linearly).

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the control only for light control will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the duty ratio and the light output (dimming rate). In one aspect, the duty ratio is set such that the light output decreases at a constant rate as it changes from 0% to 100%.

  With reference to FIG. 2, control of light control and color control according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the duty ratio and the light output in the case of controlling dimming and toning.

  In one aspect, the duty ratio for causing the white lighting device to emit light is defined, for example, between 0% and 50%. At this time, as the duty ratio increases from 0% to 50%, the light output for causing the white lighting device to emit light is configured to decrease at a predetermined constant rate. Further, as a relationship between the duty ratio and the light output, when the duty ratio increases from 50% to 100%, the light output for causing the light bulb-colored lighting device to emit light increases at a predetermined constant rate. It is configured. Note that the relationship between the duty ratio and the light output is not limited to the relationship shown in FIG. 2. For example, the toning stage may be further increased by re-dividing the duty ratio. In addition, the light adjustment may be performed in stages to change the color adjustment linearly. In yet another aspect, at a color change boundary (that is, a duty ratio at which white and light bulb color change), a flickering of color due to noise or the like may be eliminated by providing a hysteresis.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the dimmer 300 and the illuminating device 310 which concern on this Embodiment are demonstrated. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the dimmer 300 and the lighting device 310 are connected. The dimmer 300 includes an input switch 301 configured to rotate. The input switch 301 includes a knob 302. The knob 302 is configured to rotate approximately 360 degrees. For example, when the knob 302 is rotated clockwise, a signal corresponding to the rotation angle is sent to the illumination device 310.

  The illumination device 310 includes a white LED (Light Emitting Diode) module 320 and a light bulb color LED module 330. The white LED module 320 and the light bulb color LED module 330 emit light based on a signal sent from the dimmer 300.

  With reference to FIG. 4, the structure of the illumination system according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of the dimmer 300 and the illumination device 310 that constitute the illumination system. The illumination device 310 includes a noise filter circuit 410, a rectifier circuit 420, a DC / DC (Direct Current / Direct Current) converter 430, an LED module drive duty control circuit 440, a control microcomputer 450, and a current-voltage detection circuit. 460, 470, white LED module 320, and light bulb color LED module 330. The output of the dimmer 300 is input to the control microcomputer 450.

  The noise filter circuit 410 removes noise entering from a household power line or other commercial power source. The output of the noise filter circuit 410 is input to the rectifier circuit 420.

  The rectifier circuit 420 converts alternating current into direct current. The output of the rectifier circuit 420 is input to the DC / DC converter 430.

  The DC / DC converter 430 converts the voltage of the input direct current into a preset voltage. The output of the DC / DC converter 430 is input to the LED module drive duty control circuit 440 and the control microcomputer 450.

  The LED module drive duty control circuit 440 controls light emission of the white LED module 320 and the light bulb color LED module 330 based on a signal output from the control microcomputer 450. Specifically, the LED module drive duty control circuit 440 controls the current supplied to the white LED module 320 and the light bulb color LED module 330 by performing pulse width modulation on the DC voltage as a PWM drive unit.

  The control microcomputer 450 controls the lighting device 310 based on the output from the DC / DC converter 430 and the output from the dimmer 300.

  The current / voltage detection circuit 460 detects the current value supplied to the white LED module 320 and the applied voltage value. The detection result is input to the control microcomputer 450 and the LED module drive duty control circuit 440.

  The current voltage detection circuit 470 detects the current value supplied to the light bulb color LED module 330 and the applied voltage value. The detection result is input to the control microcomputer 450 and the LED module drive duty control circuit 440.

[Control structure]
With reference to FIG. 5, the control structure of lighting apparatus 310 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of a series of processes executed by lighting device 310. These processes are executed by the control microcomputer 450 or the LED module drive duty control circuit 440.

  In step S510, control microcomputer 450 determines the magnitude of the PWM control duty ratio based on the signal sent from dimmer 300. If the PWM control duty ratio is 50% or less, the control microcomputer 450 switches the control to step S520. If the PWM control duty ratio is 50% or more, the control microcomputer 450 switches the control to step S530.

  In step S520, control microcomputer 450 sets the duty ratio for driving white LED module 320 to a large value, and sets the drive duty ratio for light bulb color LED module 330 to a small value. Here, the mode of setting is based on, for example, the graph shown in FIG. The control microcomputer 450 sends a signal based on the setting result to the LED module drive duty control circuit 440.

  In step S530, control microcomputer 450 decreases the drive duty ratio of white LED module 320 and sets the drive duty ratio of bulb-color LED module 330 to a large value. This setting is based on a region where the duty ratio of the graph shown in FIG. 2 is 50% or more. The control microcomputer 450 sends a signal based on the setting result to the LED module drive duty control circuit 440.

  In step S540, the LED module drive duty control circuit 440 sends the signal sent from the control microcomputer 450 and the data outputted from the current voltage detection circuits 460 and 470 so that the light output corresponds to the PWM duty ratio. Based on the above, the LED module drive current value is set. The current voltage detection circuits 460 and 470 supply current to the LED module 320 and the light bulb color LED module 330 according to the set values. The white LED module 320 and the light bulb color LED module 330 emit light according to the supplied current.

  With reference to FIG. 6, the relationship among PWM duty ratio, toning, and dimming will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a PWM duty ratio, a signal waveform 610, and toning and dimming settings 620 and 630.

  For example, when the PWM duty ratio is 0%, the signal waveform 610 maintains the minimum value level. At this time, for example, in the conventional situation, as indicated by setting 620, white is turned on as the toning, and white is set to 100% as the dimming rate. On the other hand, in a certain aspect of the present embodiment, when the PWM duty ratio is 0%, as indicated by setting 630, white LED module 320 is similarly turned on at a dimming rate of 100% as indicated by setting 630.

  As the PWM duty ratio increases from 0% to 50%, the dimming rate decreases from 100% to 50%, as shown in the setting 620 in the conventional aspect. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as indicated by setting 630, the dimming rate decreases from 100% to 0% as the PWM duty ratio increases from 0% to 50%. As is apparent from this example, when the duty ratio is 50%, the white LED module emits light with a brightness of 50% under the conventional setting 620. On the other hand, in the setting 620 according to the present embodiment, the dimming rate is 0%, and the white LED module 320 does not emit light.

  Thereafter, until the PWM duty ratio increases from 50% to reach 100%, the setting 620 in the conventional aspect and the setting 630 in the present embodiment have different illumination colors. That is, in the conventional setting 620, the dimming rate of the white lamp is further reduced. On the other hand, according to the setting 630 in the present embodiment, the light bulb color LED module is turned on as the LED module to be turned on, and the dimming rate gradually increases from 0% to 100%.

  With reference to FIG. 7, the toning method and the dimming method will be further described. FIG. 7A shows a toning method. FIG. 7B shows a dimming method.

[Toning method]
With reference to FIG. 7A, in the toning method, the drive duty ratio between the white LED module 320 and the light bulb color LED module 330 is changed. In order to emit white light, the driving duty ratio of the white LED module 320 and the driving duty ratio of the light bulb color LED module 330 are set. In this case, since the lighting device emits white light as a whole, the drive duty ratio of the white LED module 320 is set to be larger than the drive duty ratio of the light bulb color LED module 330.

  On the other hand, when the user of the lighting device instructs the lighting device to emit light with a light bulb color as a whole, the magnitude relationship of the drive duty ratios of the modules is as shown on the right side of FIG. This is the opposite of when the device emits white light.

[Dimming method]
Referring to FIG. 7B, in the dimming method, the drive currents of the white and light bulb color LED modules are changed when white. For example, when the brightness is 100%, the drive current of the white LED module 320 and the drive current of the light bulb color LED module 330 are set to be maximum (for example, A (mA)). On the other hand, when the brightness is 50%, the drive current of the white LED module 320 and the drive current of the light bulb color LED module 330 are each about half the value of the drive current when the brightness is 100% (for example, , 0.5 A (mA)).

  With reference to FIG. 8, another aspect of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 8A is a graph showing the relationship between the duty ratio and the light output when toning is performed in multiple stages. FIG. 8B is a graph showing the relationship between the duty ratio and the toning when the toning is realized with linearity (linearly).

  Referring to FIG. 8A, there is a case where an illuminating device having each LED module of three colors (white, intermediate color, and light bulb color) is used as a toning target. At this time, for example, it is possible to divide the range in which the duty ratio for causing each LED module to emit light is divided into three to achieve toning for each range.

  More specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 8A, when the duty ratio is from 0% to about 33%, the light output changes from the maximum value to 0 while emitting white light. Further, when the duty ratio is in the range from 33% to 67%, the intermediate color is lit. Specifically, when the duty ratio is about 33%, the intermediate color LED module starts lighting, and the light output increases to the upper limit (67%) of the duty ratio.

  The range of the duty ratio from 67% to 100% is used for light emission of a light bulb color. Specifically, as the duty ratio decreases from 67% to 100%, the brightness (light output) of the light bulb color LED module decreases.

  Note that the example shown in FIG. 8A is an example of a case where the optical output changes linearly, but the mode of change is not limited to that shown in FIG. For example, the light output may vary nonlinearly.

  Referring to FIG. 8B, the duty ratio may be used for color matching. For example, when the duty ratio is 0% to 50%, an output level that is darker than the standard can be used as the degree of dimming. At this time, for example, when the duty ratio increases from 0% to 50%, the output decreases from the maximum value to 0 as a toning effect. On the other hand, when the duty ratio is 50% to 100%, the degree of dimming is greater than the preset brightness, and the degree of toning increases as the duty ratio increases to 100%.

  As described above, according to lighting apparatus 310 according to the present embodiment, two LED modules of white and light bulb color are driven by one PWM control signal using a dimmer using an existing PWM control method. Duty and drive current can be controlled.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  300 dimmer, 302 input switch, 310 lighting device, 320 white LED module, 330 light bulb color LED module, 410 noise filter circuit, 420 rectifier circuit, 430 DC / DC converter, 440 module drive duty control circuit, 450 control micro Computer, 460, 470 Current voltage detection circuit.

Claims (7)

A control device for lighting equipment,
Generating means for generating a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control signal;
A control device for a lighting device, comprising: control means for controlling light emission by one of a plurality of light emitting units for emitting different colors and a light emission amount based on the PWM control signal.   Based on the duty ratio of the PWM control signal, the control means emits light from either the first light emitting unit or the second light emitting unit among the plurality of light emitting units, and the output level of the light emitting unit emitting the light The control apparatus of the lighting equipment of Claim 1 which controls.   When the duty ratio is in a first range defined in advance, the control means causes the first light emitting unit to emit light, and the first light emitting unit according to the duty ratio in the first range. The lighting device control device according to claim 2, wherein the light emission amount is controlled.   The lighting device control device according to claim 3, wherein when the duty ratio increases in the first range, the light emission amount decreases.   When the duty ratio is in a second range different from the first range, the control means causes the second light emitting unit to emit light, and the second ratio according to the duty ratio in the second range. The lighting device control device according to claim 4, wherein the light emission amount of the light emitting unit is controlled.   The lighting device control device according to claim 5, wherein when the duty ratio increases in the second range, the light emission amount of the second light emitting unit increases.   The said control means is a control apparatus of the lighting equipment in any one of Claims 1-6 which changes the said light emission amount linearly or in steps according to the duty ratio of the said PWM control signal.

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