JPH0513177A - Illumination device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To light a light source at the specified dim level when a power stoppage is recovered after the power stoppage occurs during the transition to the specified dim level. CONSTITUTION:The dim level is specified by a dimming specifying means 16. A memory means 18 stores the specified dim level. A control means 15 shifts light sources 1, 2, 3 to the specified dim level. When a power source is again turned on after the power source of a device is turned off during the transition, the dim level is read out from the memory means 18, and the light sources 1, 2, 3 are lighted at the dim level.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lighting device for dimming a light source.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a lighting device for a house,
In order to create an atmosphere that suits the purpose of using the room, there are several lighting patterns, and when the lighting pattern is changed, the lighting of the lamp is gradually made brighter (fade in) and gradually made darker (fade out). There is a lighting device which is adapted to perform dimming lighting.

In such an illuminating device, a dimming level is designated by a remote controller, and a main switch of the device is turned on / off by a wall switch.

[0004]

However, if a power failure occurs or the wall switch is inadvertently operated to turn off the main power supply of the device during the transition to the instructed dimming level, the power is restored or the wall is turned off. Even if the power is turned on by operating the switch, the control means of the device is reset, so the lamp does not light up, and the operation of lighting up must be performed again.

It is to be noted that the present lamp lighting control state is stored in a backup memory, and when the power is turned on after a power failure or the like, the lamp control state at the time of power off is read from the backup memory and reproduced. There is. However, even if this backup memory is applied to a lighting device that performs dimming lighting, if there is a power failure during dimming lighting, the dimming level at the time of power failure is simply reproduced when the power is turned on. There is no dimming lighting to the level.

The remote controller has up and down dimming buttons for manually adjusting the dimming level of the lamp, and outputs the corresponding dimming signal only while these dimming buttons are being pressed. . Then, the control means of the apparatus inputs the dimming signal from the remote controller, and continuously controls the lamp while the signal is being input in response to the dimming signal. Therefore, if the dimming button is continuously pressed, dimming of the lamp is continuously performed, and if the dimming button is intermittently pressed for a short time, the dimming of the lamp is intermittently performed.

However, when adjusting the light control level by pressing the light control button for a short period of time, the time during which the light control button is pressed varies depending on the operator, and if it is too long, the light control level changes significantly. It is difficult to make adjustments while checking the dimming level.

By the way, when the lamp is dimmed,
An appropriate dimming level change rate can be set for each of the dimming lighting from the extinguished state or the full dimming, the dimming from the intermediate dimming lighting state, and the dimming from the all light lighting state. But,
When the rate of change changes in this way, when a plurality of lamps are individually dimmed, it is difficult to visually grasp the change in brightness due to each lamp, and the effect of dimming is low.

The present invention is an illumination device intended to solve the above problems. The first purpose is to turn on the light at the designated dimming level after the power is restored even if a power failure or the like occurs during the transition to the instructed dimming level. The second purpose is that when adjusting the light control level while checking the light control level for a short time, the light control level changes significantly even if the time for the light control operation varies slightly depending on the operator. Prevent it from getting lost. A third object is to make it possible to easily visually grasp the change in the brightness of each lamp even when dimming a plurality of light sources individually.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lighting device having a light source and a dimming means for dimming the light source and for fading in and out when the dimming level is changed. Dimming instruction means for instructing the light level, storage means for storing the dimming level instructed by the dimming instruction means, dimming level instructed by the dimming instruction means by controlling the dimming means When the power source of the device is turned off during the transition, the light source is turned off and then turned on again, the dimming level stored in the storage means is read and the light source is turned on at the dimming level. And means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lighting device having a light source and a dimming means for dimming the light source and for gradually fading in and out when the dimming level is changed. A dimming instruction means that is operated at the time of change and that continuously outputs a dimming signal that changes stepwise during the continuous operation, and a dimming signal is input from this dimming instruction means, and a signal is input based on this dimming signal. A control means for controlling the light control means by controlling the light control means,
In the initial stage when the dimming signal is input to the control means, the dimming holding means for holding the change of the dimming level by the control means for a certain period at a constant level is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a lighting device having a light source and a dimming means for dimming the light source and fading in and out stepwise when the dimming level is changed, the dimming level of the light source is changed. A dimming instruction means that is operated at the time of change and that continuously outputs a dimming signal that changes stepwise during the continuous operation and that outputs a long stepwise change width of the dimming signal at the beginning of the operation. A control means for inputting a dimming signal that changes stepwise from the dimming instruction means, and controlling the dimming means during signal input based on the stepwise change of the dimming signal to dimm the light source; It is equipped with.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of light sources, a plurality of dimming means for individually dimming and lighting each of the light sources and fading in and out when the dimming level is changed, and dimming of each of the light sources. A dimming instruction means for instructing a level change, a change rate storage means for storing a predetermined change rate of a dimming level predetermined for each light source, and each dimming means for controlling the dimming The dimming level instructed by the instructing means is provided with a control means for dimming each of the light sources with a corresponding constant change rate stored in the change rate storing means.

[0014]

According to the invention of claim 1, when the dimming level is instructed by the dimming instructing means, the instructed dimming level is stored in the storage means and the light source is moved to the instructed dimming level. Even if a power failure or the like occurs during the transition and the power of the apparatus is turned off, when the power is turned on again, the dimming level is read from the storage means and the light source is turned on at the instructed dimming level.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a dimming signal that changes stepwise by the dimming operation by the dimming instruction means is output, and the dimming level of the light source is stepped only while the dimming signal is continuously output. Change continuously. In addition, when adjusting while checking the dimming level by operating the dimming for a short time,
Even if the dimming operation time is slightly different depending on the operator, the dimming level is maintained at a constant level in the early stage of dimming so that the dimming level does not change significantly.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a dimming signal that changes stepwise by the dimming operation by the dimming instruction means is output, and the dimming level of the light source is stepped only while the dimming signal is continuously output. Change continuously. In addition, when adjusting while checking the dimming level by operating the dimming for a short time,
Even if the dimming operation time is slightly different depending on the operator, the dimming level is prevented from changing greatly by increasing the gradual change width of the dimming signal at the initial operation of the dimming instruction means. There is.

According to the invention of claim 4, when the dimming level of the plurality of light sources is instructed by the dimming direction means, a constant rate of change of the dimming level predetermined for each light source is given from the rate of change storage means. Readout is performed, and each light source is dimmed at the constant rate of change.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of an embodiment corresponding to the invention of claim 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of a lighting device, which includes an incandescent lamp 1, a high-intensity lamp 2 and a discharge lamp 3 as a light source. These light sources are placed in one fixture or installed in different places in the room.

The incandescent lamp 1 and the high-intensity lamp 2 are connected to a commercial AC power source 4 via triacs 5 and 6 as dimming means, respectively. A series circuit including capacitors 7 and 8 and resistors 9 and 10 is connected in parallel with the triacs 5 and 6, respectively.

The discharge lamp 3 is connected to the light control means 11 connected to the commercial AC power supply 4. This dimmer 11
It is composed of a triac 12 and an inverter lighting device 13. In addition, 14 is a capacitor for starting.

The triacs 5, 6 and 12 are connected to the control means 15. The control means 15 variably controls the power supply amount to the incandescent lamp 1 and the high-intensity lamp 3 by the triacs 5 and 6, and variably controls the power supply to the inverter lighting device 13 by the triac 12. Therefore, the dimming lighting control of each of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 is performed, and the fade-in / fade-out control is performed when the dimming level is changed. The dimming lighting is, for example, 5
It includes lighting at a dimming level of 0% or the like and lighting at a full light level.

A receiver 17 for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a remote controller 16 is connected to the control means 15 as a dimming instruction means. Then, the control means 15 performs corresponding control based on a command from the remote controller 16.

Further, the control means 15 is connected to a storage means 18 which is composed of, for example, an EEPROM or a memory having a backup power source whose memory is not erased even when the power is turned off.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When the dimming level is instructed by the operation of the remote controller 16, the remote controller signal is received by the receiving section 17 and input to the control means 15 (step 1).

The control means 15 first stores the instructed dimming level in the storage means 18 (step 2). continue,
The brightness of each of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 is gradually increased or decreased, and the lamps are dimmed to a designated dimming level (steps 3 and 4). 2A shows a dimming start point A and a dimming completion point B of a designated dimming level.

At the intermediate point C from the start of dimming A to the end of dimming B, for example, a power failure occurs temporarily or the main power switch of the apparatus is inadvertently turned off. Then, the power of the device is turned off, the lamps 1, 2 and 3 are turned off, and the current data in the control means 15 is erased.

After that, when the power of the device is turned on again by the restoration of the power failure and the turning on of the main power switch, the control means 15
The data of the dimming level stored in the storage means 18 is read (steps 5 and 6), and the process proceeds to step 3 to turn on the lamps 1, 2 and 3 at the read dimming level. Of FIG.
(b) shows the dimming start point A1 and the dimming completion point B1 of the read dimming level.

Therefore, the storage means for storing the data of the dimming level instructed by the remote controller 16 even when the main power is turned off.
Since it is stored in the memory 18, even if the power of the device is turned off during the transition to the instructed dimming level, when the power is turned on again, the dimming level is read out from the storage means 18,
It is possible to reliably turn on 2 and 3 at the instructed dimming level.

Next, an embodiment corresponding to the invention of claim 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The remote controller 16 as the dimming instruction means is provided with a dimming button (not shown) for raising and lowering the dimming level, and the corresponding dimming signal is gradually output only while the dimming button is pressed. Output to. As shown in FIG. 5, the dimming signal first outputs a normal signal including the dimming up / down identification control data, and subsequently does not include the identification control data, but shows a shortened signal indicating that the operation is continued. Is output intermittently.

The control means 15 inputs a stepwise dimming signal from the remote controller 16 and continuously dims the lamps 1, 2 and 3 stepwise during signal input based on the dimming signal.

Further, the control means 15 has a function of the dimming holding means 15a for holding the change of the dimming level by the control means 15 at a constant level for a fixed period at the initial stage when the dimming signal is inputted to the control means 15. Have

When the dimming button for increasing dimming of the remote controller 16 is operated, a dimming signal is output from the remote controller 16. The control means 15 first inputs the normal signal of the dimming signal (steps 11 and 12) and raises the dimming level of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 by a certain level (step 13).

The control means 15 continuously inputs the shortened signal of the dimming signal, counts it by the counter provided in the control means 15, and waits until the count value = 7 (step 14,
15, 16). That is, the function of the dimming holding means 15a of the control means 15 holds the dimming level of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 at a constant level for a certain period. This period is set longer than the normal time described later.

When the count value = 7, the counter is reset (step 17) and the process proceeds to step 13 to raise the dimming level of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 by a certain level.

After that, the process proceeds to step 18 to count the shortening signal, and when the count value = 2, the counter is reset (steps 19 and 20), and the process proceeds to step 13, where the dimming level of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 is reached. Is raised by a certain level.

After that, the dimming level of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 is increased by a constant level each time the count value of the shortened signal = 2.

Therefore, when the dimming button is pressed for a short period of time to make adjustments while checking the dimming level, the dimming level is constant at first even if the operator slightly presses the dimming button. Since the level is maintained, it is possible to easily adjust while checking the dimming level.

The function of suppressing the change in the dimming level at the initial operation may be provided on the remote controller 16 side so as to correspond to the invention of claim 3. That is, the remote controller 16 is operated when changing the dimming level of the lamps 1, 2 and 3, and continuously outputs a dimming signal that changes stepwise during the continuous operation, and at the beginning of the operation, the step of the dimming signal is generated. Output with a wide variation range.

Further, the control means 14 inputs a dimming signal which changes stepwise from the remote controller 16, and dims the lamps 1, 2 and 3 during signal input based on the stepwise change of this dimming signal. To do.

Then, in the case where the light adjustment operation is performed while checking the light adjustment level for a short time, even if the time for the light adjustment operation is slightly different depending on the operator, the light adjustment signal is initially generated by the remote controller 16. The dimming level does not change significantly by increasing the stepwise change width of and outputting.

Next, the structure of an embodiment corresponding to the invention of claim 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, a change rate storage means 18a for storing a predetermined change rate of the dimming level for each of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 is provided.

The control means 15 dims each of the lamps 1, 2, 3 to the dimming level designated by the remote controller 16 with the corresponding constant change rate stored in the change rate storage means 18a.

FIG. 8 shows an example of dimming the lamp, and shows changes in the apparent brightness. In the figure, the one-dot chain line is the incandescent lamp 1 and the high-intensity lamp 2, the broken line is the discharge lamp 3, and the two-dot chain line is another discharge lamp (not shown). This discharge lamp only turns on and off and does not perform dimming.

When the lighting is instructed by the remote controller 16, the control means 15 reads out the change rate of the dimming level of each of the lamps 1, 2 and 3 from the change rate storage means 18a, and the lamps are read with the change rate. Dimming is performed so that the brightness of 1, 2, and 3 is constantly increased. The discharge lamp indicated by the chain double-dashed line is turned on in accordance with the full-light turn-on of the lamps 1, 2, and 3.

When turning off is instructed, the rate of change is read out, and the rate of change is used to dimm the lamps 1, 2 and 3 so as to reduce the brightness of the lamps to a constant level. When the dimming of the lamps 1, 2, 3 is started, the discharge lamp indicated by the chain double-dashed line is turned off.

FIG. 9 shows another example of lamp dimming, in which the dimming state for producing the atmosphere of the room is set for each of scenes 1 to 4.
Do each time. In each of scenes 1 to 4, a combination of lighting and extinguishing of a plurality of lamps and a dimming state are set. Then, when transitioning from a certain scene to another scene, as described above, dimming is performed at a constant rate of change of the dimming level predetermined for each lamp.

Therefore, since the brightness of each lamp changes at a predetermined constant rate of change, it is easy to visually recognize the change in brightness by each lamp, and the effect of dimming can be enhanced.

The constant change rate of the dimming level stored in advance in the change rate storage means 18a may be set to be different for each lamp, and can be arbitrarily selected with a switch or the like. Good.

Further, the rate of change of the dimming level between the scenes 1 to 4 may be set to be different from that at the time of dimming from extinguished to lit or lit to extinguished.

[0054]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the dimming level is instructed by the dimming instructing means, the instructed dimming level is stored in the storage means, and the light source reaches the instructed dimming level. To migrate. Even if a power failure or the like occurs during this transition and the power of the device is turned off, the dimming level can be read from the storage means when the power is turned on again, and the light source can be reliably turned on at the instructed dimming level.

According to the invention of claim 2, the dimming signal is output stepwise by the dimming operation by the dimming instruction means, and the dimming level of the light source is stepped only while the dimming signal is continuously output. In an illuminating device that continuously performs dimming, when adjusting while checking the dimming level by performing dimming operation for a short time, even if the dimming operation time varies slightly depending on the operator, In the steps, the dimming level can be maintained at a constant level, the dimming level can be prevented from largely changing, and the dimming level can be easily adjusted.

According to the invention of claim 3, the dimming signal is output stepwise by the dimming operation by the dimming instruction means, and the dimming level of the light source is stepped only while the dimming signal is continuously output. In a lighting device that continuously performs dimming, if the dimming operation is performed for a short time and the dimming level is checked while adjusting, even if the dimming operation time is slightly different depending on the operator, the dimming instruction means By increasing the stepwise change width of the dimming signal and outputting it at the initial stage of the operation, it is possible to prevent the dimming level from largely changing, and it is possible to easily adjust the dimming level.

According to the invention of claim 4, when the dimming level of the plurality of light sources is instructed by the dimming instructing means, a constant change of the dimming level predetermined for each light source from the change rate storing means. The rate is read out, and each light source is dimmed with this constant rate of change, so even when dimming multiple light sources individually, the change in the brightness of each lamp can be easily visually recognized and the dimming The staging effect can be enhanced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a lighting device corresponding to the invention of claim 1.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a dimming state.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of dimming lighting control.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a lighting device corresponding to the invention of claim 2.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a remote control signal and dimming.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of dimming lighting control.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a lighting device corresponding to the invention of claim 4.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a dimming state.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a dimming state.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3 light source 5,6,11 Dimming means 15 Control means 15a Dimming holding means 16 Dimming instruction means 18 Means of storage 18a Change rate storage means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A lighting device having a light source and a dimming means for dimming and turning on the light source and for fading in and out when the dimming level is changed, comprising: a dimming instructing means for instructing a dimming level of the light source; Storage means for storing the dimming level instructed by the dimming instruction means, and controlling the dimming means to shift the light source to the dimming level instructed by the dimming instruction means, and during the transition And a control means for reading out the dimming level stored in the storage means and turning on the light source at the dimming level when the device is powered off, turned off, and then turned on again. apparatus. 2. A lighting device having a light source and a dimming means for turning on and off the light source and gradually fading in and out when the dimming level is changed, wherein the lighting device is operated when the dimming level of the light source is changed, During the continuous operation, a dimming instruction unit that continuously outputs a dimming signal that changes stepwise, and a dimming signal is input from the dimming instruction unit, and the dimming signal is input during signal input based on the dimming signal. Control means for controlling the light source to dimm the light source, and dimming holding means for holding the dimming level change by the control means at a constant level for a fixed period at the initial stage when a dimming signal is input to the control means. An illuminating device comprising: 3. A lighting device having a light source and a dimming means for dimming the light source and gradually fading in and out when the dimming level is changed, wherein the lighting device is operated when the dimming level of the light source is changed, During the continuous operation, a dimming signal that changes stepwise is continuously output, and at the beginning of the operation, a dimming instruction unit that outputs by increasing the stepwise change width of the dimming signal, and the dimming instruction unit A dimming signal that changes stepwise is input, and a control means that controls the dimming means to dimm the light source during signal input based on the stepwise change of the dimming signal is provided. Characteristic lighting device. 4. A plurality of light sources, a plurality of dimming means for individually turning on and off each of the light sources and fading in and out when changing the dimming level, and an instruction for changing the dimming level of each of the light sources. Dimming instructing means, a change rate storing means for storing a constant change rate of a dimming level predetermined for each light source, and each dimming means is controlled by the dimming instructing means. An illumination device comprising: a dimming level and a control unit for dimming each of the light sources with a corresponding constant change rate stored in the change rate storage unit.