JP2023107393A - Lighting control system and controller - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a lighting control system and a controller capable of simultaneously completing changes in the lighting state of a plurality of lighting fixtures by setting on the controller side.SOLUTION: A lighting control system according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of lighting fixtures, and a master unit that sequentially transmits control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures to control the plurality of lighting fixtures. Based on time difference in transmitting the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures, the master unit adjusts the fade time of the plurality of lighting fixtures or the control waiting time from when the plurality of lighting fixtures receive the control signals to when the control based on the control signals is started, and simultaneously completes changes in the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the control signals.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present disclosure relates to lighting control systems and controllers.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a lighting control system capable of simultaneously operating a plurality of loads to be group-controlled without time lag. In this lighting control system, each control terminal device includes an individual address setting section that sets a unique individual address, and a simultaneous control address setting section that sets a common control address for a plurality of control terminal devices. A common control address is set for the control terminals to be group-controlled. When the up switch or the down switch of the operation terminal for group dimming is pushed, a transmission signal including a general control address is sent from the transmission control device to the signal line. Each control terminal receives the transmission signal almost simultaneously and changes the dimming level of the lighting load.

JP-A-2000-12242

In Patent Literature 1, control is performed in units of groups in which a plurality of lighting loads are collected. Here, when it is desired to control a plurality of areas all at once, it is necessary to group a plurality of groups together as a control unit. In such a system, if it is desired to change the range of groups to be collectively controlled, it is necessary to change the simultaneous control address set for each lighting load.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to obtain a lighting control system and a controller that can simultaneously complete changes in the lighting state of a plurality of lighting fixtures according to settings on the controller side. do.

A lighting control system according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of lighting fixtures, and a master device that sequentially transmits control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures to control the plurality of lighting fixtures, wherein the master device includes the The fade time of the plurality of lighting fixtures is based on the time difference in transmitting the control signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures, or the control based on the control signal is started after the plurality of lighting fixtures receives the control signal. By adjusting the control waiting time up to, the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the control signal is completed at the same time.

A controller according to the present disclosure sequentially transmits control signals to a plurality of lighting fixtures to control the plurality of lighting fixtures, and controls the plurality of lighting fixtures based on a time difference between transmission of the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures. The control signal of the plurality of lighting fixtures is adjusted by adjusting the fade time of the lighting fixtures or the control waiting time from when the plurality of lighting fixtures receive the control signal to when the control starts based on the control signal. At the same time, the change of the lighting state based on is completed.

In the lighting control system according to the present disclosure, the controller, which is the parent device, adjusts the fade time of the plurality of lighting fixtures or the control waiting time of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the time difference between transmission of control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures. to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state based on the control signal of the plurality of lighting fixtures. Therefore, by setting on the controller side, it is possible to complete the change of the lighting state of a plurality of lighting fixtures at the same time.
The controller according to the present disclosure adjusts the fade time of the plurality of lighting fixtures or the control latency of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the time difference between the transmission of control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures, and controls the control signals of the plurality of lighting fixtures. At the same time, the change of the lighting state based on is completed. Therefore, by setting on the controller side, it is possible to complete the change of the lighting state of a plurality of lighting fixtures at the same time.

1 is a block diagram showing a lighting control system according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a controller according to Embodiment 1; FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to Embodiment 2; FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to Embodiment 3; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to Embodiment 4;

A lighting control system and a controller according to each embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same or corresponding components, and repetition of description may be omitted.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a lighting control system 100 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. The controller 1 is installed, for example, in a lighting control panel or on the ceiling. The controller 1 collects information from the connected terminal devices and controls the lighting conditions of the lighting fixtures 2 to change. The controller 1 also transmits information to the host system and executes control instructions from the host system.

There are multiple types of terminal devices. In the example of FIG. 1, a lighting fixture 2, an illuminance sensor 3, a human sensor 4, and a wall switch 5 are shown as terminal devices. Each terminal device may be one or a plurality of devices. Also, the combination of terminal devices may be changed. Communication means between the controller 1 and the terminal device is wired communication or wireless communication. The controller 1 performs on/off, dimming, color temperature control, etc. of the lighting fixture 2 based on input information acquired from the terminal device and setting information such as a target value preset in the controller 1 .

The lighting fixture 2 transmits and receives signals to and from the controller 1 . The lighting fixture 2 receives control signals indicating ON, OFF, dimming rate, and color temperature from the controller 1 to change the lighting state. The lighting fixture 2 may be internally equipped with a control unit that converts the received control signal and transmits it to an LED power source or the like. Alternatively, the LED drive power supply device of the lighting device 2 may directly transmit and receive the control signal.

The illuminance sensor 3 is mainly installed on the ceiling. The illuminance sensor 3 detects reflected light from the desk surface, floor surface, or the like of the target area with a light receiving unit. The illuminance sensor 3 converts the amount of input light into an electrical signal and relatively measures the illuminance value. The illuminance sensor 3 transmits the measured illuminance value data to the controller 1 . The controller 1 compares the received illuminance value data with a preset target illuminance, and transmits a dimming command to the lighting device 2 so that the illuminance value of the illuminance sensor 3 approaches the target illuminance. Note that the illuminance sensor function may be realized by detecting the brightness of the target area with an image sensor using imaging data from a camera and calculating the relative illuminance based on the reference illuminance from the detected brightness.

The human sensor 4 is mainly installed on the ceiling. The human sensor 4 detects whether or not a person exists in the target area, and notifies the controller 1 of this. As a result, the controller 1 performs a process of turning on the lighting equipment 2 when a person is present, or a process of turning off the lighting equipment 2 when the person is absent. The human body detection function may be realized by infrared detection. Also, the human body detection function may be realized by detecting the presence, absence, movement, passage, etc. of a person in the target area using a unique algorithm based on data captured by a camera.

The wall switch 5 is installed, for example, on a wall within reach of general users. On/off control, dimming control, color temperature control, etc. are set in advance for each switch included in the wall switch 5 in units of address numbers or group numbers of the lighting fixtures 2 . Also, each switch may be set with a combination of control patterns of multiple groups of on/off, dimming rate, and color temperature. These controls become possible when the user presses a switch.

The setting device 6 can carry out various settings and monitoring regarding the operation of each terminal device. The setting device 6 may directly transmit/receive data to/from the controller 1 or the terminal device through infrared communication or the like. The setting device 6 may be connected to wired communication or wireless communication that connects the controller 1 and each terminal device. The setting device 6 may be connected to a communication line connecting the controller 1 and a host system. The setting device 6 can be realized by a wireless remote controller, a personal computer, a mobile terminal, or the like.

When the controller 1 transmits control information to the host system, or when a control command is sent from the host system to the controller 1, the gateway device 7 switches between the communication mode of the lighting control system 100 and the communication mode of the host system. to convert The communication form of the host system is BACnet, which is an open standard, for example. As a result, the state of the lighting fixture 2 or the detection state of various sensors can be notified to a higher management system or other equipment.

A central manager 8 provides monitoring of the lighting control system 100 and manipulation of the status of the lighting fixtures 2 . The central management device 8 can monitor and supervise the state inside the lighting control system 100 from the gateway device 7 by BACnet communication, for example. In addition, the central management device 8 can transmit a control command from the gateway device 7 to the lighting control system 100 through BACnet communication, for example. Further, the lighting control system 100 communicates with an external air conditioning system or a security system, so that the lighting control system 100 and other systems can be controlled in conjunction with each other.

A lighting control system 100 of this embodiment includes a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . Individual identification numbers such as addresses or circuit numbers are assigned to a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 in order to manage each lighting fixture 2 individually. Here, it is assumed that an individual address is set for the lighting device 2 . A unique address for identification is previously set for each lighting fixture 2, and an individual address may be set arbitrarily or automatically based on this address. Alternatively, the lighting device 2 may be provided with an infrared communication function or the like, and an individual address may be arbitrarily set by the setting device 6 .

The controller 1 may individually operate the lighting fixtures 2 one by one by a control instruction command addressed to an individual address. Further, by grouping a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 and transmitting a control instruction command addressed to the group number from the controller 1, the lighting fixtures 2 set in a common group can be controlled simultaneously.

The individual address and group number may be used not only for changing the lighting state from the controller 1 but also for associating the illuminance sensor 3 or the human sensor 4 with the lighting device 2 . For example, when the presence or absence of the human sensor 4 is detected, association may be made so that the lighting fixtures 2 set in the same group as the human sensor 4 are controlled. Further, when the brightness detected by the illuminance sensor 3 changes, the association may be made so that the brightness of the lighting fixture 2 set in the same group as the illuminance sensor 3 is changed.

By assigning an individual address or group number to each button of the wall switch 5, when the button is pressed, the lighting fixture 2 to which the individual address or group number assigned to the button is set is controlled.

If it is desired to collectively control a plurality of groups, for example, a control unit called zone may be used. You can optionally set multiple group numbers to include in each zone number. By assigning a zone number to the wall switch 5, or performing an ON/OFF operation with the zone as a control unit from the setting device 6 or the host system, the controller 1 sequentially controls the groups included in the corresponding zone. This makes it possible to collectively control multiple groups.

Also, for example, a control unit called a pattern in which a plurality of groups of dimming states are set may be used. In the pattern, a different dimming rate or the like can be arbitrarily set for each group. This makes it possible to collectively change the control states of a plurality of groups.

Multiple zone numbers and pattern numbers can be set. The controller 1 stores group numbers corresponding to each zone number and each pattern number as a data table. In the present embodiment, when the lighting states of the lighting fixtures 2 belonging to a plurality of groups are controlled, for example, like zone control, it is made visually impossible to recognize that the plurality of groups are sequentially controlled. In other words, the change of a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 is completed at the same time.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to Embodiment 1. FIG. In addition, the numerical value shown below is an example. A controller 1 serving as a master device controls the lighting fixtures 2 by transmitting control signals to the lighting fixtures 2 in order. In the example of FIG. 2, a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 belong to a plurality of groups 1-50, respectively. A controller 1 controls a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 by sequentially transmitting control signals to a plurality of groups. Alternatively, the controller 1 may control the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 by sequentially transmitting control signals to the lighting fixtures 2 with individual addresses of the lighting fixtures 2 as destinations.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the controller 1 sequentially transmits turn-off signals as control signals to groups 1 to 50 to which a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 belong. Note that groups 4 to 49 are omitted in FIG. 2 for convenience. One or more lighting fixtures 2 may belong to each group.

The lighting control system 100 allows fade time setting and fade control. In fade control, the dimming rate or color temperature of the lighting fixture 2 is changed stepwise or continuously. The fade time is the time required from when the lighting state of the lighting device 2 starts to change until the change is completed. By specifying the fade time, the lighting fixture 2 changes the lighting state step by step or continuously according to the fade time. A gradual change in fade time is preferably a smooth, continuous change. However, if fine control is not possible, a gradual change may be visible. The fade time may be set in advance in the lighting fixture 2 or may be included in the control signal from the controller 1 . The latter is applied in this embodiment.

For example, suppose that a control signal for 100% lighting and data designating a fade time of 10 seconds are transmitted to the lighting fixture 2 in the off state. In this case, the lighting device 2 changes from the off state to the 100% lighting state step by step over 10 seconds. As the fade time, the slope of the dimming ratio or color temperature with respect to time may be specified. When specifying the slope, for example, if the time required for the dimming rate to change by 100% is set to 10 seconds, the dimming rate changes from 50% to 100% in 5 seconds. In the present embodiment, as in the former case, an example will be described in which time is specified instead of slope as the fade time.

In the example of FIG. 2, it is assumed that group numbers 1 to 50 are registered in zone number 1 in the database of controller 1 . When the controller 1 receives the control command for the zone number 1 from the wall switch 5 or the like, it confirms that the group numbers 1 to 50 are registered in the zone number 1. FIG. After that, the controller 1 sequentially transmits control signals to a plurality of groups 1 to 50 at predetermined transmission intervals. The transmission interval is, for example, 0.1 seconds. At this time, when the control signals are sequentially transmitted from groups 1 to 50, 5 seconds elapse. Also, the shortest fade time is preset in the controller 1 . The shortest fade time is the target fade time in the group 50 that receives the control signal last. The shortest fade time is, for example, 1.0 seconds.

The controller 1 calculates the fade time of each group based on the number of groups belonging to the zone to be controlled, the transmission interval, and the shortest fade time so as to simultaneously complete changes in the lighting state based on the control signals of the multiple groups. Controller 1 specifies a fade time of 5.9 seconds for group 1, 5.8 seconds for group 2, and 5.7 seconds for group 3. Thus, the controller 1 decreases the fade time specified by the control signal at intervals of 0.1 seconds. As a result, the last group 50 has a fade time of 1.0 seconds, which is the shortest fade time.

As a result, the lighting fixture 2 that received the control signal first is extinguished with a longer fade time. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the difference in control completion timing caused by the transmission intervals of the control signals transmitted to a plurality of groups. That is, at the same time that the group 50 that received the last control signal is turned off with a fade time of 1.0 seconds, the lighting fixtures 2 of the groups 1 to 49 are also turned off.

As described above, the controller 1 of the present embodiment adjusts the fade time based on the time difference between the transmission of the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2, and changes the lighting states of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 based on the control signals. complete at the same time. The controller 1 sequentially transmits control signals including fade time information to a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 at predetermined transmission intervals. The controller 1 adjusts the fade time based on the number of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 and the transmission interval, and simultaneously completes the lighting state change based on the control signal for the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 .

Therefore, it is possible to make the user feel that the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 are changing all at once, suppress the user's visual discomfort, and improve the visual comfort. Note that in the present embodiment, there is a time difference between the control start times of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . Also, the number of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 referred to here corresponds to the number of times the control signal is transmitted, and means the number of groups when the control signal is transmitted to the group number.

Further, in this embodiment, for example, when it is desired to control lighting fixtures 2 belonging to a plurality of groups on the floor all at once, there is no need to change the address or group on the lighting fixture 2 side. In other words, it is possible to complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 at the same time by setting on the controller side. Therefore, the setting of the lighting control system 100 can be facilitated.

The transmission interval of the control signal transmitted by the controller 1 may be a fixed value for the lighting control system 100, or may be changed by the setting device 6 or the like. Also, the shortest fade time can be easily changed by the administrator using the setting device 6 or the like.

In addition to zone control or pattern control, the host system may continuously issue control commands for a plurality of group numbers. In this case, every time the controller 1 sequentially receives a control command from the host system, it sends a sequential control signal to the lighting fixture 2 so that the control command is reflected in the system on the lower side. When performing control to simultaneously complete the change in the lighting state of the present embodiment based on such control from the host system, data on the number of groups to be controlled may be included in the first control command from the host system. . Thereby, the controller 1 can be notified of the number of groups to be controlled. Based on the acquired number of groups, the controller 1 can calculate the fade time of each group in the same manner as in the case of zone control.

Alternatively, data indicating completion of transmission may be included only in the last control command among a plurality of control commands from the host system. The controller 1 does not transmit a control signal to the lighting fixture 2 until it receives a control command including data indicating completion of transmission. When the controller 1 receives a control command including data indicating completion of transmission, the controller 1 calculates the number of groups controlled by the control commands received from the host system up to that point. As a result, the controller 1 can grasp the number of groups and calculate the fade time of each group as in the case of zone control.

The control for simultaneously completing the changes in the lighting states of the present embodiment may be performed based on schedule control managed by a controller or the like. In this case, the controller 1 only needs to manage the number of groups to be controlled, so that the control can be performed more easily than the control based on the control command from the host system.

Further, for example, even in the setting of switching between valid/invalid of the control by the human sensor 4, the illumination state may be changed indirectly. For example, assume that the lighting fixtures 2 in each group are lit while the control by the human sensor 4 is disabled. At this time, when the control by the human sensor 4 is switched from disabled to enabled by the administrator's operation or schedule control, the groups in which the human sensor 4 detects the presence of people continue to light up. On the other hand, the group for which the human sensor 4 detects the absence of a person is extinguished when the control by the human sensor 4 becomes effective.

As described above, regarding the change in the lighting state based on the change in the setting value such as the switching between enabling and disabling the control by the motion sensor 4, even if the control for simultaneously completing the change in the lighting state of the present embodiment is performed. good. Such setting value changes are often performed by schedule control. In the case of schedule control managed by the controller 1, the number of groups to be controlled by the controller 1 can be grasped. On the other hand, when the set value is changed from the host system, the host system may include the data of the number of groups to be controlled in the first control command and transmit it to the controller 1 . Also, the host system may include data indicating completion of transmission in the final control command. Thereby, the controller 1 can grasp the number of groups to be controlled.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the controller 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. The control unit 1a is, for example, a microcomputer or processor. The control unit 1a performs various controls performed by the controller 1. FIG. Various setting values for control in the control unit 1a are stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 1b. The nonvolatile storage unit 1b retains the set values even when the controller 1 is restarted after being powered off. The volatile storage unit 1c stores status information of the controller 1 or terminal equipment. State information is constantly changing. For this reason, it is preferable not to store the data in the nonvolatile storage unit 1b but to store it in the volatile storage unit 1c, which has no limit on the number of times of reading and writing. When the controller 1 is powered off, the data in the volatile storage section 1c are reset to their initial values. The date/time information management unit 1d holds date, day of the week, time information, and the like. The control unit 1a acquires the current date and time from the date and time information management unit 1d when performing control according to preset schedule information.

The upper communication unit 1 e is connected to the gateway device 7 . Thereby, the controller 1 performs two-way communication with the host system. The gateway device 7 and the higher-level communication unit 1e communicate with each other through, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark). The infrared communication unit 1f performs two-way communication with the setting device 6 using infrared rays. Various settings, operations, status monitoring, etc. can be performed from the setting device 6 by the infrared communication section 1f. Communication means with the setting device 6 is not limited to infrared communication, and may be other wireless communication or wired communication. The wired communication unit 1g is connected to a terminal device such as the lighting fixture 2 or the like. Communication with the terminal device is not limited to wired communication, and may be wireless communication. The control unit 1a performs two-way communication with the terminal device via the wired communication unit 1g when transmitting a control signal to the lighting device 2 or when monitoring the state of the terminal device.

Upon receiving the transmission interval or the shortest fade time from the setting device 6 or the host system via the gateway device 7, the control unit 1a saves the data in the nonvolatile storage unit 1b. In addition, as an initial setting, individual information of each terminal device or allocation information such as a group number and a zone number are also stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 1b. Thereby, the controller 1 can grasp the number of times of transmitting the control signal corresponding to the number of lighting fixtures 2 or the number of groups.

For example, when there is a zone control command from the host system, the control unit 1a receives the control command via the host communication unit 1e. The control unit 1a extracts the group number assigned to the corresponding zone number from the nonvolatile storage unit 1b. The control unit 1a also extracts the transmission interval and the shortest fade time from the nonvolatile storage unit 1b. Furthermore, the control unit 1a calculates the fade time of each group from the transmission interval, the shortest fade time, and the number of groups. The control unit 1a transmits a control signal including information on the calculated fade time via the wired communication unit 1g.

The control signal designates a group number or an individual address as a destination, and includes, for example, dimming rate, color temperature, and fade time as data. When the preset group number or individual address matches the destination information included in the control signal, the lighting fixture 2 changes the lighting state according to the data of the control signal.

The control unit 1a does not refer to the data stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 1b each time, but temporarily stores the data stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 1b in the volatile storage unit 1c when the controller 1 is activated. You can

Extinguishing control has been described as an example in FIG. 2, but control for completing the change in the lighting state of the present embodiment at the same time when performing lighting control, dimming, and color toning may be performed. At this time, the dimming rate and color temperature of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 may be the same or different when the lighting state change is completed.

These modifications can be appropriately applied to lighting control systems and controllers according to the following embodiments. Since the lighting control system and the controller according to the following embodiment have many points in common with the first embodiment, the points of difference from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

Embodiment 2.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to Embodiment 2. FIG. The configuration of lighting control system 100 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and group numbers 1 to 50 are registered in zone number 1. FIG. Also, the transmission interval is 0.1 second. In this embodiment, the fade times for all group numbers 1 to 50 are the same, eg, 1.0 second. In this embodiment, the control waiting time from when a plurality of groups receive the control signal to when control based on the control signal is started is adjusted, and the lighting state changes based on the control signal of the plurality of groups are completed simultaneously. It differs from the first embodiment in that the Also, a plurality of groups simultaneously start control based on the control signal.

The controller 1 calculates the control waiting time of each group based on the number of groups and the transmission interval so that the lighting state changes based on the control signals of the groups are started and completed at the same time. Group 1 receives a control signal 4.9 seconds before the last group 50 receives a control signal. Therefore, a control wait time of 4.9 seconds is set for group 1, 4.8 seconds for group 2, and 4.7 seconds for group 3. FIG. In this way, the control wait time data included in the control signal is reduced at intervals of 0.1 second. The control wait time for the last group number 50 is 0 seconds.

After receiving the control signal, the lighting fixture 2 does not change the lighting state for the control waiting time. Each lighting fixture 2 starts control based on the control signal after the control waiting time has elapsed after receiving the control signal. As a result, the groups 1 to 49 also start changing the lighting state at the timing when the group 50 that received the last control signal starts changing the lighting state. Also, since the same fade time is set for all groups, the state changes of all the lighting fixtures 2 of groups 1 to 50 are completed at the same time.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the controller 1 serving as the master unit receives the control signal from the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 based on the time difference between the transmission of the control signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2, and then transmits the control signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2. Adjust the control wait time until control starts. Thereby, the controller 1 simultaneously starts and completes the lighting state change based on the control signal of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . The controller 1 sequentially transmits control signals including control wait time information to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 at predetermined transmission intervals. The controller 1 adjusts the control wait time based on the number of lighting fixtures 2 and the transmission interval to simultaneously start and complete the lighting state changes based on the control signals of the lighting fixtures 2 .

Therefore, similarly to the first embodiment, by setting the controller 1 side, it is possible to complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 at the same time. Further, in the present embodiment, it is possible to simultaneously start changing the lighting state based on the control signals of a plurality of groups. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the user's visual discomfort.

In the present embodiment, the fade time may be set to 0 seconds to perform control without fading. In addition, like the transmission interval, the fade time can also be easily changed by the administrator using the setting device 6 or the like. Further, as in the first embodiment, when it is desired to perform control to simultaneously complete the change in the lighting state of the present embodiment under control from the host system, the number of groups to be controlled is included in the first control command. You can also send Also, as in the first embodiment, data indicating completion of transmission may be included in the final control command from the host system. Thereby, the controller 1 can grasp the number of groups to be controlled.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the control for simultaneously completing the changes in the lighting state of the present embodiment may be performed based on the schedule control managed by the controller or the like. In addition, as in the first embodiment, changes in the lighting state based on changes in the set values, such as switching between enabling and disabling control by the motion sensor 4, are completed at the same time as in the present embodiment. Control may be implemented.

In Embodiment 1, the control timing is adjusted by the fade time. At this time, the fade time that defines the time from the current dimming rate and color temperature to the target dimming rate and color temperature is applied instead of the fade time that specifies the slope of the dimming rate and color temperature. preferably. As a result, for example, even if the states of the dimming rate or color temperature of a plurality of groups are different, the control completion timing can be made the same. The control of Embodiment 1 is likely to be effective when the states of the lighting fixtures 2 in a plurality of groups are different due to control by the illuminance sensor 3, individual control for each group, or the like.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, fade times are common to a plurality of groups. At this time, if the current dimming rate and color temperature of a plurality of groups are the same, a fade time specifying the slope of the dimming rate and color temperature can be applied. As a result, it is possible to control the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 while suppressing the visual discomfort by aligning the dimming rate and the change speed of the color temperature among the plurality of groups. Also, if the current dimming ratios and color temperatures of a plurality of groups are different, it is better to use a fade time with a defined time instead of a fade time with a specified slope. In this case, even if the current dimming ratios and color temperatures of a plurality of groups are different, control can be started and completed at the same time. At this time, although the change speed of the lighting state differs among the plurality of groups, comfort can be improved by aligning the start and end timings.

In this embodiment, an example in which a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 belong to a plurality of groups has been described. At this time, the controller 1 sequentially transmits control signals to the plurality of groups, thereby sequentially transmitting the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 and controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . Not limited to this, the controller 1 may control the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 by sequentially transmitting control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 with individual addresses as destinations.

Embodiment 3
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to the third embodiment. The controller 1 adjusts the fade time again when interrupting communication is performed while the control signals are being sequentially transmitted to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . Thereby, the controller 1 simultaneously completes the change of the lighting state based on the control signal of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

If another high-priority process enters while control signals are being sequentially transmitted to a plurality of groups as in the first embodiment, the high-priority process must be executed first. A high priority process is, for example, turning on the lighting fixture 2 by operating the wall switch 5 by the user. Even if the fade time is calculated for each group, the timing is shifted when an interruption occurs. Therefore, the group that transmitted the control signal before the interruption and the group that transmitted the control signal after the interruption cannot complete control at the same time. Therefore, the controller 1 recalculates the fade time of the group that transmits the control signal after the interrupt so as to make up for the delay caused by the interrupt.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, communication based on the operation of the wall switch 5 occurs after transmitting the control command to the group 2 . This communication requires 0.1 second, which is the same as the control signal transmission interval. After this, the fade time of group 3 is changed from 5.7 seconds to 5.6 seconds. That is, the fade time is shortened by the time of one control signal due to the interrupt. For group 4 and after, the fade time is reduced by 0.1 second from the calculation result before the interruption. The fade time for the last group 50 is reduced by 0.1 seconds from the shortest fade time to 0.9 seconds.

In this process, it is necessary that a sufficient time be held in advance as the shortest fade time. Therefore, if there is a possibility that many interrupt processes will occur, it is better to set the shortest fade time longer.

Embodiment 4.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a communication sequence according to the fourth embodiment. The controller 1 of the present embodiment adjusts the control waiting time again when interrupting communication is performed while the control signals are being sequentially transmitted to the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . Thereby, the controller 1 simultaneously completes the change of the lighting state based on the control signal of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment.

In this embodiment, holding times are set for all groups in addition to control waiting times. The holding time is the time from the elapse of the control waiting time to the start of control based on the control signal. The retention time is, for example, 1.0 seconds. The hold time may be stored as data separate from the control wait time, or a value including the hold time may be stored as the control wait time. The holding time is sent to the multiple groups as control signal data together with the control latency.

In the example of FIG. 6, the control latency for Group 1 is 4.9 seconds and the hold time is 1.0 seconds, resulting in a total latency of 5.9 seconds. Group 2 has a control latency of 4.8 seconds and a hold time of 1.0 seconds, giving a latency of 5.8 seconds. It is assumed that one transmission by interrupt processing is received before transmission of the control signal to group 3 . The control latency of group 3 before the interrupt was 4.7 seconds and the holding time was 1.0 seconds, but the holding time is set to 0.9 seconds to compensate for the 0.1 second delay due to interrupt processing. . Therefore, the total latency for Group 3 is 5.6 seconds. The last group 50 has a control wait of 0 seconds and a hold time of 0.9 seconds, resulting in a total wait time of 0.9 seconds.

By including the holding time for adjustment in advance in the waiting time in this manner, it is possible to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state based on the control signal for the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 also in the present embodiment. The retention time can be easily changed with the setting device 6 . The addition of the holding time delays the time until the start of control. Therefore, it is preferable that the holding time can be arbitrarily adjusted according to the frequency of interrupts and the like.

The function of simultaneously completing the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 based on the fade time described above and the function of simultaneously completing the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 based on the control waiting time are performed by the controller 1. may be provided with both. It may be possible to switch whether to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 based on the fade time or to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 based on the control waiting time. Further, it may be possible to switch to a mode in which the control for simultaneously completing the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 is not performed based on the fade time or the control waiting time. These settings can be performed by the host system or the setting device 6. FIG.

Based on the schedule information, the controller 1 may enable or disable the control for simultaneously completing the lighting state changes of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 . The date/time information management unit 1d of the controller 1 can set the details of lighting control to be performed on any date, day of the week, and time. As a result, for example, by performing the control according to the present embodiment during a time period in which the user often looks at the lighting fixture 2 or a time zone in which the amount of change in the state of the lighting fixture 2 is large, efficient operation can be achieved. It becomes possible.

Artificial intelligence may be installed in the controller 1 to store and learn operation information of the lighting control system 100 for the day of the week and time period. In this case, the controller 1 enables or disables the control to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 based on the learned data on the usage frequency. The usage frequency is, for example, the frequency with which the user operates the wall switch 5 or the frequency with which the human sensor 4 detects a person. For example, during times when the wall switch 5 is frequently operated, it may not be possible to accurately adjust the timing based on the fade time or the control wait time. Therefore, the timing adjustment of this embodiment may not be performed.

The timing adjustment of the present embodiment may not be performed during a time period when no one stays and the lighting fixture 2 is out of sight. This makes it possible to reduce the load of system control. Further, as in the third and fourth embodiments, the day of the week or the time period in which the high-priority process interrupts frequently may be learned from the accumulated data. As a result, the fade time or hold time can be operated with an appropriate value.

Note that the technical features described in each embodiment may be used in combination as appropriate.

Reference Signs List 1 controller 1a control unit 1b nonvolatile storage unit 1c volatile storage unit 1d date and time information management unit 1e host communication unit 1f infrared communication unit 1g wired communication unit 2 lighting fixture 3 illuminance sensor 4 people Sensor, 5 Wall switch, 6 Setting device, 7 Gateway device, 8 Central management device, 100 Lighting control system

Claims (12)

a plurality of lighting fixtures;
a parent device that sequentially transmits control signals to a plurality of lighting fixtures to control the plurality of lighting fixtures;
with
Based on the time difference in transmitting the control signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures, the parent device determines the fade time of the plurality of lighting fixtures, or the control signal after the plurality of lighting fixtures receive the control signal. A lighting control system, wherein a control waiting time until control based on the control signal is started is adjusted to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the control signal. The master unit adjusts the fade time based on the time difference for transmitting the control signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures, and simultaneously completes the lighting state change based on the control signal for the plurality of lighting fixtures. The lighting control system of claim 1, characterized by: The master unit sequentially transmits the control signal including the fade time information to the plurality of lighting fixtures at a predetermined transmission interval, and based on the number of the plurality of lighting fixtures and the transmission interval, the 3. The lighting control system according to claim 2, wherein a fade time is adjusted to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the control signal. When the master device performs interrupt communication while sequentially transmitting the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures, the master device adjusts the fade time again to match the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures. 4. The lighting control system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the change of the lighting state based on the lighting state is completed at the same time. The master unit adjusts the control waiting time based on the time difference for transmitting the control signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures, and simultaneously completes the lighting state change based on the control signal for the plurality of lighting fixtures. The lighting control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The master unit adjusts the control waiting time based on the time difference for transmitting the control signal to the plurality of lighting fixtures, and causes the plurality of lighting fixtures to simultaneously start changing lighting states based on the control signal. 6. The lighting control system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The master unit sequentially transmits the control signal including the control wait time information to the plurality of lighting fixtures at predetermined transmission intervals, and based on the number of the plurality of lighting fixtures and the transmission interval 7. The lighting control system according to claim 5, wherein the control waiting time is adjusted to simultaneously complete the change of the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the control signal. When communication by interruption is performed while the control signals are being sequentially transmitted to the plurality of lighting fixtures, the master device adjusts the control waiting time again to transmit the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures. 8. The lighting control system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the change of the lighting state based on is completed at the same time. It is possible to switch between simultaneously completing changes in the lighting states of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the fade time and simultaneously completing changes in the lighting states of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the control wait time. 9. A lighting control system according to any one of the preceding claims. The plurality of lighting fixtures belong to a plurality of groups,
10. The lighting control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the master unit sequentially transmits the control signal to the plurality of groups to control the plurality of lighting fixtures. 11. The base unit enables or disables the control for simultaneously completing the lighting state changes of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on schedule information or learning data about the frequency of use. 2. The lighting control system according to claim 1. a fade time for the plurality of lighting fixtures based on a time difference between sequentially sending control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures to control the plurality of lighting fixtures and sending the control signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures; or and adjusting a control waiting time from when the plurality of lighting fixtures receive the control signal to when the control is started based on the control signal, and changes in the lighting state of the plurality of lighting fixtures based on the control signal. A controller characterized by simultaneous completion.

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