JPH0522357B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Technical field of invention The present invention relates to a lighting control device.

Technical background of the invention and its problems Hitherto, so-called window control has been known, which dims a lighting fixture used indoors such as a small store by combining it with a light sensor that detects the daylight level by receiving outside light. . However, this control is step dimming control, and can be switched to three steps, for example, 100%, 50%, and 0%. Therefore, looking at the dimming state, step-by-step dimming as shown in Fig. 1b is performed for the light reception level (daylight level) of the optical sensor as shown in Fig. 1a, resulting in power saving. Although this is effective in terms of brightness, if it is used in a store or the like, it will give customers a sense of discomfort when the dimming level changes. In addition, if you look at the entire room of a store or the like, there are multiple lighting fixtures installed, but as the name suggests, only the lighting fixtures near the window are subject to dimming, and the lighting fixtures in the back are always set at 100%. % lighting, two control systems are required and power is wasted.

Therefore, the applicant has proposed a device in which continuous dimming control is performed in accordance with the daylight level detected by an optical sensor. However, even with such a continuous dimming control method, the amount of daylight received by lighting fixtures differs depending on their placement, etc., and all lighting loads are controlled under the same conditions depending on the daylight level of the light sensor. If the dimming control is performed uniformly, it will not be possible to equalize the indoor illuminance. However, even with the window control method, it is not possible to equalize the indoor illuminance, and power is wasted.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and makes it possible to perform dimming control using daylight over a wide area indoors while taking advantage of the continuous dimming control method. An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting control device that can achieve uniform indoor illuminance and save power by performing dimming control.

Summary of the Invention The present invention employs a continuous dimming control method using an optical sensor, a power controller, and a phase controller.
The entire room where daylight can be used is controlled by one light sensor. Multiple lighting fixtures are divided into blocks depending on the degree of daylight exposure, and a power control section and a phase control section are installed for each block. By providing a wide range of light sources and varying their control characteristics, appropriate dimming control can be performed over a wide range.

Embodiment of the Invention An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 2 to 7. First, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical sensor, which is placed near the window of a store, etc., detects the external light illuminance, and depending on the illuminance, for example, 0 to 0 as shown in Figure 3a.
It produces an output of 5V. On the other hand, the lighting load 2 is connected in series with an AC power source 3 together with a triax 4 serving as a power control section. and,
A phase control section 5 is provided as an output degree control section that receives the output of the optical sensor 1 and controls the phase angle of the triax 4.

First, the output of the optical sensor 1 is input to the amplifier 6. Here, by adjusting the variable resistor _VR1 constituting the control characteristic setting section, the slope of the dimming characteristic curve can be adjusted as shown in FIG. 3b. Then, the output of the amplifier 6 is ORed with the output of the low illuminance setting section 7 by diodes _D1 and _D2 .
is taken, and the setting is made so that the higher output is produced. Section 3c shows this OR output. Here, the low illuminance level can be variably adjusted by a variable resistor VR ₂ constituting a control characteristic setting section. This OR output is then input to the subtracter 8 and converted into an output as shown in FIG. 3d. The output of the subtracter 8 is ORed with the output of the high illuminance setting section 9 by diodes _D3 and _D4 , and the output is set to produce the higher output. FIG. 3e shows this OR output. Here, the high illuminance level can be variably adjusted by a variable resistor VR ₃ constituting a control characteristic setting section. This output is passed through the integrator 10 to the phase control IC.
11, and controls a trigger pulse generation circuit 13 via a photocoupler 12. The output pulse of this trigger pulse generation circuit 13 controls the phase angle of the triax 4.
Since this trigger pulse is output in accordance with the light reception level of the optical sensor 1, the lighting load 2 can be continuously dimmed as shown in Figure 4b in response to changes in the light reception level as shown in Figure 4a. That will happen. In this way, since the light is continuously adjusted according to the level detected by the optical sensor 1, there is no sudden change during the dimming, and no discomfort is caused.

Here, when looking at the light reception level--light control level characteristics, they correspond to FIG. 3e, and are as shown in FIG. 5. That is, the slanted straight line indicates continuous dimming characteristics, but the upper limit is regulated by the low illuminance setting section 7, and the lower limit is controlled by the high illuminance setting section 9, so that continuous dimming is possible in the range of, for example, 20 to 90%. It shows what is possible. Therefore, for example, even if the light sensor 1 detects that the outside light is quite bright, if it exceeds a certain level, the light will not be dimmed along the inclined straight line, and the light will be maintained at a dimming state of at least 20%. . Therefore, if the object is a store, the lighting equipment 4 will not be turned off during the day just because it is bright outside, and image town will not occur. Conversely, even if the light sensor 1 detects that it is getting dark outside, the dimming state will be suppressed to 90% if it is below a certain level. Therefore, there is no need to waste electricity due to 100% lighting.

In addition, in Fig. 2, the output of the phase control IC 11 is connected to the all-optical start circuit 1 by diodes D ₅ and D ₆ .
The all-optical start circuit 14 does not perform phase control when starting the light and turns on the light at 100% to improve the starting characteristics.

Therefore, the lighting load 2 is actually, for example, the sixth
As shown in the figure, multiple items are placed in the room.
In this case, the degree of daylight received varies depending on the size and position of the window 15, the number and arrangement of the lighting loads 2, etc.
Since the appropriate value of the amount of light adjustment for the light reception level of the optical sensor 1 is different, first, the lighting load 2 is divided into blocks, for example, as shown by B ₁ to _{B 3} according to the degree of daylight reception. And each block
Triaxes 4a to 4c and phase control units 5a to 5c are provided for each of _B1 to _B3 , and variable resistors _VR1 ,
By adjusting VR ₂ and VR _3, different control characteristics are set as shown by a to c in FIG. That is, the slope, upper limit value, and lower limit value of each control characteristic are different. For example, characteristic a for block _B1 has a steep slope of 50 to 70%, characteristic b for block _B2 has a steep slope of 50 to 80%, and block B Characteristic c for ₃
is set at 60-90% with a gentle slope.

With such a configuration, continuous dimming control is performed for each lighting load 2, but only one light sensor 1
Each block B ₁ to _{B 3} for the detected daylight level.
Continuous dimming control is performed under different control characteristics,
For example, block _B1 , which is close to the window 15 and receives a large amount of daylight, will be relatively dark due to characteristic a, while block _B3 , which is located in the back and receives less daylight, will be relatively dark. The characteristic c allows the light to be relatively bright, and as a result, it is possible to achieve uniform indoor illuminance while saving power. Also, only one sensor is required.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to perform dimming control using daylight over a wide range of the entire room while making full use of the advantages of the continuous dimming control method, resulting in power saving. While achieving this, by performing dimming control for each block, it is possible to equalize indoor illuminance and provide comfortable illumination.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a characteristic diagram showing a conventional example, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is an operation waveform diagram of each part, Fig. 4 is a characteristic diagram, and Fig. 5 is a characteristic diagram. , FIG. 6 is a block diagram, and FIG. 7 is a characteristic diagram. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Optical sensor, 2... Lighting load, 3... AC power supply, 4a-4c... Triack (power control part), 5a-5c... Phase control part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Divide multiple lighting loads placed indoors into blocks according to the degree of daylight they receive, connect these lighting loads to an AC power source via a power control unit for each block, and adjust the daylight level by receiving outside light. A common optical sensor is provided for each of the power control units to detect, and an output degree control unit is provided for continuously controlling the output level of each power control unit in accordance with the daylight level detected by these common optical sensors, 1. A lighting control device characterized in that each output degree control section is provided with a control characteristic setting section that can set control characteristics differently depending on the degree of exposure to daylight.