WO1993023977A1

WO1993023977A1 - Lighting arrangement with variable luminous intensity and colour

Info

Publication number: WO1993023977A1
Application number: PCT/HU1993/000029
Authority: WO
Inventors: József LADÁNYI
Original assignee: Megalux Fénytechnikai Kft.
Priority date: 1992-05-20
Filing date: 1993-05-20
Publication date: 1993-11-25
Also published as: CA2136081A1; DE59308897D1; HUT65052A; HU9201682D0; EP0641511A1; AU4086193A; EP0641511B1

Abstract

The invention pertains to a lighting arrangement with variable luminous intensity and colour, containing a lighting unit (10) with gas-discharge tubes (11R, 11B, 11G) and with a control and power supply unit (30) attached to it. The essence of the invention is that the lighting unit (10) contains at least one light source (12) radiating light of variable luminous intensity and colour in a wide solid angle and has at least three gas discharge tubes (11R, 11B, 11G) of like design and of different colour; that the control and power supply unit (30) contains a receiver, preferably an infrared receiver (35), a decoder and a supply unit, preferably a switching supply unit (34); and that the arrangement is equipped with a remote control unit (20) establishing an unwired connection with the receiver and having a keyboard (24) enabling one to regulate luminous intensity and/or color.

Description

LIGHTING ARRANGEMENT WITH CHANGEABLE LIGHTNESS AND COLOR

The invention relates to a lighting arrangement with variable light intensity and color, which contains a lighting unit designed with gas discharge tubes and a control and voltage supply unit connected to it.

In the present application, lighting arrangements with variable light intensity and color are understood to mean those solutions in which color mixing is used to change the color by means of electronic means and not by means of color filter ballasts, and in which the light intensity is also regulated electronically.

Such lighting units are used as pixel elements in luminous information boards and display areas.

In a known light display panel system, the individual picture elements are formed by such light sources, each of which contains three differently colored, red, blue and green gas discharge tubes and the tubes are controlled by changing the ignition time and duration so that the resultant color changes as a result and change the light intensity of the light source within wide limits. A large number of lines must be connected between the control unit and the light source, and complicated control electronics determined by the image to be displayed are also required. Regarding the known solutions mentioned, examples are in the patent specification HU PS 201 439 with the title "Light source formed with gas discharge tubes", in the HU PS 202 701 based thereon with the title "fluorescent tube unit with controllable light intensity" and in the HU PS 202 700 with the Find the title "Method and fluorescent tube control for regulating the light intensity of fluorescent tubes with a heated cathode". The solutions described here have proven their worth in the field of luminous display panels, but because of their complicated control and their light emitted in one direction, ie in a small solid angle, they are not suitable for normal room lighting purposes.

For normal lighting purposes, a variety of chandeliers, lamps, lighting fixtures are known and the system used for the individual regulation of their light intensity is also known.

If, in addition to the change in light intensity, the change in light color is also required in a room, this is solved in demanding cases (for example in theaters, lecture halls) by using several reflectors and color filters arranged in the light path, or the desired one Effectively, lamps are arranged in the room and these are switched on according to the requirements. The color change achieved in this way requires complicated and costly means, a special room design and changes the mood of the room.

From a technical point of view, the change in the lighting color is the number and size of the lighting units that can be attached of the lines required for their connection, as well as the size, design and complexity of the operation of the switching system required for changing and the large number of lines required.

In view of these restrictions, suitable arrangements for continuously changing the color and the light intensity are only used at special locations, for example in theaters, lecture halls, bars, etc., for normal residential and office lighting purposes there is currently no simple and inexpensive option.

The object of the invention is to provide a lighting arrangement which is capable of fulfilling this claim and is suitable for changing the light intensity and color of the emitted light at a price and installation costs which are comparable with the price and the installation costs of the conventional lighting systems. The invention is based on the knowledge that the restrictions of the system used in the light display panels result primarily from the attachment of the large number of required lines between the light source and the assigned control unit and from the arrangement of the control unit and if the If light sources are designed to emit light in a correspondingly wide solid angle or if several of these are used, a suitable place for the control can be found in the arrangement acting as a chandelier or lamp or in the vicinity thereof, if the operation is not Connections using lines but is carried out with the aid of an infrared control unit. The term infrared control unit also includes to understand other units using electromagnetic radiation.

The invention thus relates to a lighting arrangement with variable light intensity and color, which includes a lighting unit designed with gas discharge tubes and a control and voltage supply unit connected to it, the lighting unit comprising at least one in a wide solid angle with variable light intensity and color Light-emitting light source in which at least three different-colored gas discharge tubes of the same construction are arranged, that the control and voltage supply unit has a receiver, preferably an infrared receiver, a decoder, and a supply unit, preferably one in switching operation ¬ ting supply unit, further the arrangement is provided with a remote control unit establishing a wireless connection with the receiver, which has a keyboard which enables the regulation of the light intensity and / or the color. In a preferred embodiment, the lighting unit is designed as a ceiling lamp, wall lamp or floor lamp. The control and voltage supply unit is preferably arranged in the lighting unit or in the vicinity thereof.

For the purpose of simplifying operation, the input voltage line of the control and voltage supply unit is connected to a conventional switch.

In a preferred embodiment of the arrangement, a digital control and voltage supply unit is provided which contains EPROM and RAM memories and the remote control unit is included a memory.

In a further embodiment variant, the arrangement comprises a plurality of lighting units arranged in a room, a plurality of control and voltage supply units directly assigned to them, and a common remote control unit.

The structure of the arrangement according to the invention is simple, its installation corresponds to that of the conventional lighting units and enables the color and intensity of the light to be changed in an illuminated room, all of this by means of simple operation. The solution according to the invention opens up new perspectives in the field of apartment and room lighting, as well as workplace lighting.

The solution according to the invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing. Show in the drawing

1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of the lighting arrangement according to the invention, and FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of the lighting arrangement according to the invention. The lighting arrangement shown schematically in FIG. 1 contains three main parts which differ functionally, namely a light unit 10 emitting light with variable light intensity and color, a remote control unit 20, and a control and voltage supply unit 30 securing the power supply and control of the lighting unit 10 The lighting unit 10 contains one Light source 12 with variable light intensity and color or several such light sources 12a ... 12n, each of which, for example, according to the mentioned HU PS 201 439 with the title "Light source formed with gas discharge tubes", the HU PS based thereon 202 701 with the title "Leuchtröhren¬ unit with controllable light intensity" or the HU PS 202 700 with the title "Method and Leuchtröhren¬ control for regulating the light intensity of fluorescent tubes with heated cathode", ie three differently colored gas discharge tubes 11R, 11G and 11B have the same structure, preferably compact fluorescent tubes. The light sources 12 located in the lighting unit 10 and designed in this way are not used in the solution according to the invention as light point units of a light display panel, but rather as independent light elements of the lighting unit 10 used for general lighting purposes. The lighting unit 10 can preferably provide the function of a chandelier mounted on the ceiling or a lamp used for any other lighting purpose (floor lamp, wall lamp, desk lamp, etc.) and the light sources 12a... 12n associated with it form a common illumination ¬ technical unit, its training is primarily determined by the requirements and aesthetic aspects, which can be regarded as secondary with regard to the basic idea of the invention.

The control and voltage supply unit 30 is preferably arranged in the vicinity of the lighting unit 10, since it is connected to the latter via a plurality of lines; The signals passed through the individual lines ensure that Talking control and voltage supply of the light sources 12. In the case of the design as a ceiling lamp, the control and voltage supply unit 30 can be arranged in any concealed central part of the lamp. The lighting unit 10 can be switched on and off by means of a switch 31 connected to the control and voltage supply unit 30 or also by means of the remote control unit 20. The switch 31 has a customary construction and from it only the switched branch of the network (or the neutral line) is connected to the control and voltage supply unit 30, ie the installation of the arrangement can be carried out in the usual way with normal electrical knowledge respectively.

The control and voltage supply unit 30 is constructed in such a way that when the voltage is applied, the lighting unit 10 generates a light with a preset intensity (for example stored in the memory) and color.

The remote control unit 20 has a structure similar to that of the infrared remote controls of the electronic entertainment devices (television, video recorder, CD player, etc.) and contains an infrared television 21, a power amplifier 22 connected to it, a co-degenerator 23 connected thereto Keyboard 24 and a current source 25.

Using the keyboard 24, the lighting unit 10 can be switched on and off on the one hand and the light intensity and color can be changed on the other hand. When changing the light intensity, the relative intensities belonging to the set color remain unchanged, while the setting of the colors changes the ratio of the three Components.

The control and voltage supply unit 30 preferably contains a network interference suppression unit

32, at the input of which the mains line arriving from the switch 31 is switched, a line connected to it. Heating and auxiliary voltage generating unit

33, a supply unit 34 generating anode voltage and operating in the switching mode, an infrared receiver 35, a preamplifier 36 and decoder 37 connected to it and an output peripheral unit 38, which on the one hand is connected to the supply unit 34 and the decoder 37 and others ¬ is connected to the light sources 12a ... 12n located in the lighting unit 10. The lighting arrangement shown in FIG. 2 uses digital technology and is a further developed variant. The difference from the lighting arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is that in the control and voltage supply unit 30 the decoder _. 37 is connected via a digital data line to a control unit 40 which is provided with a microprocessor and which has an input interface circuit 41, a microprocessor 42, an address decoder 43, an EPROM memory 44, a RAM memory 45 and a time circuit 46 contains, which are connected to one another via an address and control bus 47 and a data bus 48, which are also connected to a digital output peripheral unit 38 at the same time. The remote control unit 20 also contains a memory 26.

The function of the lighting arrangement according to the invention uses the controlled actuation of the light sources 12. This control mode is described in the patent documents mentioned for the case of the lighting. display board described in detail, however, each of the light points given there receives the same control that is also required for the light sources 12. In the case of analog control, the

The strength and the color of the light of the lighting unit 10 constructed with the light sources 12 can be freely selected using the keyboard 24 of the remote control unit 20 within the maximum light intensity and all possible mixed color tones of the three basic colors, and thus the interior lighting of the home - and office rooms, clubs, restaurants and other rooms are set according to the respective requirements and mood. Thanks to the possibility of remote control, the construction of complicated line systems, the electrical installation and special means are no longer necessary; the use of the remote control unit 20 makes them superfluous. The digital solution offers further advantages.

Since the setting of the colors and light intensities requires a certain routine, the cheapest setting data can be stored in the memory 26 and this can be brought about at any time by activating a push button assigned to the corresponding memory address. Furthermore, there is the possibility of storing and calling up lighting programs corresponding to a predetermined chronological order; these programs are preferably stored in the EPROM memory 44. The selection of the corresponding program can be easily implemented by certain combinations of the keyboard 24.

Another possibility arises from the fact that several lighting devices according to the invention are can be arranged, to which a common remote control unit 20 is assigned. The effect achieved by the lighting system created in this way can at most be compared with the theater lighting, although the system of colored reflectors and complicated controls which is customary in theater lighting is not required.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Lighting arrangement with variable light intensity and color, which contains a lighting unit designed with gas discharge tubes and a control and voltage supply unit connected to it, characterized in that the lighting unit (10) has at least one in a wide solid angle with variable light intensity and Color light-emitting light source (12), in which at least three differently colored gas discharge tubes (11R, 11B, 11G) are arranged in the same way, that the control and voltage supply unit (30) has a receiver, preferably an infrared receiver (35), contains a decoder and a supply unit, preferably a supply unit (34) operating in switching mode, that the arrangement is further provided with a remote control unit (20) which establishes a wireless connection with the receiver and which regulates the light intensity and / or the color enabling keyboard (2nd 4).

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized ge indicates that the lighting unit (10) is formed as a ceiling lamp, wall lamp or floor lamp.

3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, da¬ characterized in that the control and voltage supply unit (30) is arranged in the lighting unit (10) or in the vicinity thereof.

4. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to

3, characterized in that the input chip Power line of the control and voltage supply unit (30) is connected to a conventional switch (31).

5. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a digital control and voltage supply unit (30) is provided in the arrangement, the EPROM and RAM memory (44, 45) contains that further the remote control unit (20) contains a memory (26).

6. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to

5, characterized in that several lighting units (10) arranged in a room, several control and voltage supply units (30) and a common remote control unit (20) directly associated therewith are provided in the arrangement.

7. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to

6, characterized in that an infrared receiver (35) is provided in the arrangement and the remote control unit (20) contains an infrared television (21).