The invention relates to an LED fixture and a LED lighting arrangement comprising such LED fixture.
In general, LED based lighting applications are powered from a lighting grid via a so-called LED driver or ballast. Such an LED driver or ballast can e.g. comprise a Buck or Boost power converter or the like.
LED based lighting applications often comprise a plurality of LED fixture (or LED engine) which can be independently controlled or adjusted by a user (via one or more user interfaces). Therefore, LED based lighting applications may, in general, comprise a plurality of LED drivers or ballasts for powering the plurality of LED fixtures. Typically, an LED driver for powering an LED fixture may comprise a power converter (converting an input power such as obtained from a mains supply to an output power suitable for powering the LED fixture) and a control unit for controlling the power converter. As an example, the control unit can e.g. control an output characteristic of the power converter (e.g. a current level of the output power) based on an input signal received from a user interface.
As LED fixtures in general allow for a variety of illumination parameters to be adjusted, a (digital) communication system is often provided between the plurality of LED drivers and user interfaces. Examples of such systems can e.g. comprise communication busses using DALI or 1-10V protocols. As such, an LED based lighting application can in general comprise a plurality of LED fixtures, which can e.g. be powered by a plurality of LED drivers (e.g. connectable to a mains power supply), and one or more user interfaces, the LED drivers and/or LED fixtures and user interfaces being connected by a communication bus such as a DALI communication bus. The communication between the various components connected to the communication bus can e.g. be controlled by a (master) control unit connected to the bus. Such a master control unit, such as a DALI master may also be used to configure the lighting application.
The LED fixture may be exchangeable and form a separate module that may be connected to the LED driver. Such exchangeability may provide a problem with reproducibility of intensities, colors and other characteristics of the lighting application as a whole. For example neighboring fixtures may have aged and have lower intensity at nominal current than the exchanged fixture
It would be desirable to enhance a functionality of the LED fixture.
Accordingly, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an LED fixture comprising:
The LED fixture may hence provide additional functionality based on the ability to store data (exemplary embodiments will be provided below) an/or to enable communication. Additional electrical connections (for example between the LED fixture and the driver) may be avoided, thereby enabling compatibility with existing solutions. For data communication, use may thus be made of elements that are already available in the LED fixture, namely the connection to the driver via which the driver drives the LED, and/or via a driving of the LED, which may for example provide signaling to the user, or data modulated onto the LED light output, which may be detected and demodulated by a corresponding receiver. Hence, the LED fixture may provide additional functionality (e.g. logging data, storing data, detecting error conditions or defects, and communicate in relation thereto, substantially without adding additional interfaces for communication, as the communication takes place via the existing connection with the driver and/or optically via the LED. The data in relation to the LED may comprise The data in relation to the LED, as stored in the storage device may comprise any data having a relation to the LED, such as LED configuration data, LED operating data, examples of which will be provided in this document.
The storage device may comprise any type of data storage device, such as a digital memory (e.g. a RAM memory, a programmable ROM memory, etc.). The data processing device may comprise any type of data processing device, such as a microcontroller, microprocessor, or any other programmable device, such as an FPGA, PLD, etc. The data processing device and memory may form separate items, however may also be integrated into a single electronic device. The LED or LEDs of the fixture may for example comprise one or more separate LEDs or a plurality of LEDs on a same substrate. The LEDs, the memory and/or processing device may be integrated, e.g. on a single substrate, so as to form a single unit. The electrical power terminal (which may also be referred to as an electrical power contact, electrical contact or a driver interface) may comprise a single electrical contact (such as a pin, socket, connector, SMD connection, or a plug in type, a soldered type, etc.) or a plurality of such electrical contacts. The LED fixture may also be referred to in this document as an LED unit, LED module, LED lighting module, etc. The LED fixture forms an electronic circuit, the data processing device being connected into this circuit in such a way that the data processing device is able to communicate (e.g. communicate with the driver, communicate with an external device, provide an indication to an operator) via the electrical power terminal, i.e. the interface of the LED fixture towards the LED driver and/or via the LED. The data processing device may thereto be connected, e.g. by means of an electric switch, controllable current source, etc., to for example change an LED current, bridge an LED, switch a terminal of the electrical power terminal, or any other suitable circuit connection. The data communication may be one directional, i.e. sending or receiving, or bi-directional.
In an embodiment, the data processing device is electrically connected to the electrical power terminal and being arranged for communication with the driver via the electrical power terminal. Thereby, data communication with the LED driver is provided without requiring additional electrical connections between the LED fixture and the driver.
In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for sending data to the LED driver by:
Some possibilities for receiving by, the LED fixture, data from the driver, are provided below
In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for receiving data from the LED driver by
A deviation from the nominal current may hence be applied by the driver to form a bit value.
For example, the data processing device may be arranged for determining the data bit value from whether or not the detected LED driver current exceeds the nominal maximum current, whereby the exceeding or not exceeding is translated into a 0 or 1 bit value. Alternatively, the data processing device is arranged for determining the data bit value from whether or not the detected LED driver current substantially matches the nominal maximum current, whereby the matching or not matching is translated into a 0 or 1 bit value. A pattern of e.g. alternatingly too low and too high LED drive current may be applied, so as to keep the LED driver current value in average at its nominal level, hence having less or no effect on average light output. Alternatively, the data processing device may be arranged for determining a value in bits from a deviation of the LED drive current from its nominal value. The processing device may compare the LED drive current to predefined ranges and determine the bit value from the comparison.
In a further embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for receiving data from the LED driver by:
In a still further embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for receiving data from the LED driver by:
In order to enable the data processing device of the LED fixture to control a LED light output, in an embodiment, the data processing device is in a circuit connection with the LED for controlling a light output of the LED. In order to change the LED light output, the LED fixture may comprise a switch, connected in series with the LED, a control input of the switch being electrically connected to the data processing device for enabling the data processing device to control the switch.
Alternatively, the LED fixture may transmit data to the LED driver (for example via the electrical power terminal) so as to instruct the LED driver to provide the desired LED driving to achieve the desired LED light output. In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged to provide optical data transmission by the LED fixture by:
sending an instruction signal via the electrical power terminal to the driver, the instruction signal to make the driver drive the LED accordingly to optically transmit the data.
Generally, the control by the data processing device of the LED light output may be used either to allow the processing device to adapt a setting of a light intensity (for example to compensate for aging of the LED) or to allow the LED fixture itself to set the light output, for example to provide signaling, e.g. an optical signaling of an error condition, end of life, etc.
In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged to provide optical data transmission (i.e. optical communication) by the LED fixture by:
powering and depowering the LED from the electrical power terminal so as to make the LED optically transmit the data accordingly.
Optically receiving data may be performed by the LED fixture comprising a photo amplifier having an output thereof electrically connected to an input of the data processing device. The photo amplifier may be formed by the LED (acting as a photodiode) and an electronic amplifier having an input thereof connected to the LED, so as to use the LED as a photodiode.
The optical data transmission may be applied for different uses, as will be described in this document. In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for activating the LED in case a predetermined operating condition is established, so as to allow to signal the predetermined operating condition, for example to a user.
In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for storing an accumulated operating time of the LED fixture in the storage device, the data processing device being arranged for generating an end of life signal using the accumulated operating time. Hence, the operating condition of end of life of the LED fixture may be signaled. The data processing device may be arranged for transmitting the end of life signal by activating the LED (e.g. pulse wise powering the LED from the power provided by the drive at to the electrical power terminal, so as to e.g. provide signaling pulses, e.g. pulse wise activating a red LED of the fixture for signalling). The data processing device may in an embodiment be arranged for:
connecting for a signaling time period by means of the switch the LED to a supply for generating a signaling optical pulse.
In order to signal a possible defect by having exceeded a safe operating region, in an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for:
In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for gathering and storing in the storage device at least one of LED operating voltage data, LED operating current data, LED operating temperature data, LED optical output data, LED position data, audio data, video data and for deriving a control signal from the stored data.
In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for controlling at least one of a LED intensity and LED color or other LED fixture output characteristic (such as controlling a heat sinking by a cooler, driving an actuator for controlling a position and/or direction of a light bundle emitted by the fixture, providing an optical filter in an optical beam of at least one LED of the fixture, etc.) using the data stored in the storage device. For example an intensity correction over a lifetime of the LED may be performed thereby, Thereto, in an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for controlling the LED intensity using the operating parameter as stored in the storage device, the operating parameter preferably comprising the accumulated operating time of the LED. The LEDs may be controlled such as to dim an intensity thereof when new, and gradually reduce the dimming when the LEDs age.
In order to take account of an intensity level when determining the operating time, in an embodiment, the processing device is arranged for determining an accumulated operating time of the LED, detecting a dimming level of the LED and correcting the accumulated operating time for the dimming level. As a possible alternative, the processing device is arranged for adding a number of LED current drive pulses provided to the LED, and for determining an accumulated operating time of the LED from the accumulated number of LED drive pulses. The processing device may be arranged for determining the accumulated operating time per LED group of the LED fixture.
A defective LED may be detected, for example from an operating voltage thereof not matching an operating voltage the LED would have when working properly, and once the broken LED is detected, appropriate actions may be taken by the fixture. For example, the data processing device may be arranged for detecting if an LED of the fixture is defective, and for controlling the LED intensity on the basis thereof. Also, the data processing device may be arranged for detecting if an LED of the fixture is defective (e.g. provides a short circuit), and for de-activating the defective LED on the basis thereof.
In a further embodiment, the processing device is arranged to read from the memory device an identification of the LED fixture, and to transmit the identification via at least one of the electrical power terminal and the LED. The identification of the LED fixture may hence be stored and read out, e.g. automatically. The identification may comprise at least one of LED fixture manufacturer identification, LED fixture model name/type identification, LED fixture serial number, LED fixture configuration data.
In an embodiment, the data processing device is arranged for sending data to the driver in response to receiving from the driver a polling signal, so as to for example allow the LED fixtures to work in a slave mode under control of the LED driver acting as a master.
The data processing device may be arranged for sending in response to receiving the polling signal, a response signal for indicating to the LED driver that the LED fixture has an event to report, the data processing device further being arranged to send data to the LED driver concerning the event, in response to receiving from the LED driver a message comprising an identifier of the LED fixture. The communication of the LED driver and the LED fixture or devices may be arranged in an alternating fashion, the LED driver, operating as master, can provide a polling signal to the lighting devices (operating as slaves) whereupon the lighting devices can send a response signal in order to inform the LED driver whether or not the lighting devices have an event to report; such event e.g. corresponding to the provision of data, such as control signal based on configuration data or operating data. The An effect of providing a polling signal (by the LED driver) and a response signal (by any of the LED fixtures) may be that the amount of power needed to perform the polling may be minimalized. Further, when the polling signal is not followed by a response signal, the data processing device of the LED driver does need not start the query because there is no event to report. This has been found to be particularly useful since minimizing power is needed to achieve the very strict standby or low power requirements of the lighting industry. The avoidance of unnecessary data traffic may also be particularly useful since the bandwidth of the communication between driver and LED fixture can be low, i.e. down to 1 bit per light modulation period which can subceed 100 bit per second.
The data processing device may be arranged to synchronize an operation of the LED fixture with a rate of the polling signal received. In an embodiment, the polling signal is provided by the LED driver at a predetermined rate. This rate can e.g. be related to a refresh rate of set-points of an output characteristic of the LED fixture or, via the driver, to some external rate such as the image capturing rate of a camera. The polling signal may be applied by the LED fixture for synchronization as well. As such, in case the LED fixture comprises a sensor, the sensing by the sensor of e.g. an ambient condition or a characteristic of the LED fixture takes place in synchronism with the polling signal. By doing so, one can ensure that, assuming the output characteristics of the LED fixture are refreshed at the same rate, an output characteristic of the LED fixture is not altered during a sensing operation of for example a sensor.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an LED lighting arrangement comprising
The same or similar effects as may be achieved with the LED fixture according to an embodiment of the invention may also be achieved with the LED lighting arrangement according to the invention. Also, the same or similar preferred embodiments may be provided.
The above and other aspects of the invention will be further explained with reference to the appended drawing and corresponding description, showing non-limiting embodiments, wherein:
Throughout the figures, the same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar items.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, an LED-module (i.e. an LED fixture) may comprise a chip that may measure and log LED-module relevant (internal and/or external [when measurable]) data into a memory area within that chip.
When the LED module is sent back to a manufacturer because of problems, the manufacturer can perform an analysis on the data in the memory part of the chip and can judge if there are grounds to perform the repair for money instead of under warranty, or to learn under what type of circumstances or with what type of driving their LED-modules fail and subsequently improve the design of the LED-module(s).
The LED fixture may also communicate with the LED driver during the normal operational mode (that is giving light of certain intensity/color; dimming; shows; . . . ).
Note that LED-modules are often used with a socketing system such that the LED-module can be easily exchanged by pulling it from its socket and inserting another LED-module. This gives the opportunity to place the data processing device and storage device in the socket and/or in the actual LED-module. For some functions, placing it in the socket may be advantageous. There may be N sockets in a system with 0 to M LED-modules devices in them.
The combination of a storage device and data processing device may also be used in another lighting related object, such as an occupancy sensor, an actuator, etc. Note that these sensors can either be connected directly to the LED-fixture, or that they can be separate nodes in a network etc. Examples are:
The combination of data processing device and storage device may thus also be installed into a module that has no direct lighting element for radiating light (i.e. a sensor module, a fan, a positioning actuator) or mixed forms such as LED-modules having a fan or other type of cooling element, having internal or externally connected sensors and actuators.
The communication between a LED module and its controlling or connecting environment (driver, analysis environment, socket), can be electrical, optical, capacitive, inductive, RF etc.
The data processing device and memory may allow the fixture to measure quantities, log quantities, communicate off-line with an analysis environment. The measured quantities may be internal to the module, or quantities may be measured from I/O connections on the module (f.e. for sensors and actuators, where quantities may for example comprise time, voltages, currents, temperatures, optical quantities, audio quantities, video quantities, positional quantities (position, speed, acceleration, jerk, linear as well as angular, or derivatives such as vibration and shock), trends in these quantities, etc. The communication can be any known communication (wired/protocols; optical; RF; chemical; via movement; etc.)
In an embodiment the LED fixture according to the invention may also send messages to the user by coding the light it produces, for example it may control the RED LED to flash when the guaranteed life time of the LED-module has been reached or when a protection limit has been exceeded (i.e. temperature or current, etc.)
In an embodiment, the fixture will be able to perform functions using one or more of the measured quantities as input and producing one or more results, where one or more of the said results are logged into the memory
In an embodiment, the results of the said functions can also be used to control internal and external quantities, i.e. the intensity of light, the balance between a warm white and a cold white LED group, etc.
In an embodiment the fixture may also communicate on-line with suitable drivers, as described in more detail elsewhere in this document. In an embodiment the method (protocol) for on-line communication with the driver and off-line communication are the same. Same protocol may provide the least HW overhead and/or product family members. Different protocols may be applied also.
In an embodiment the communication via light can be bi-directional, i.e. enabled by a photodiode [needs reverse bias and strong light (laser?)] in the LED-module, or by using one of the LED's as a photodiode.
The functions available for bidirectional lighting communication can be the same as all other communication between the LED-module and other objects/users (such as driver/analysis environment etc.).
In an embodiment, the LED-module has multiple LED-groups. Each group may have its own data processing device and storage device. LEDs in a group can be switched in series or in parallel. Any mix is possible.
A bidirectional data communication over the LED power lines, i.e. between the LED driver and the LED fixture, via the electrical power terminal, is described below.
As the LED power lines are used, there may be a dependency between the data communication and the power delivery from driver to LED-unit. As the power delivery to the LED-unit can be done in different modes, the data communication may need more modes also. Below first the possible methods of data communication are given in the power delivery mode of “0% to 100% pulse code modulation”. The data communication during the existence of other power delivery modes is given afterwards so that it can refer to principles discussed next.
A possible protection of the LED-unit's LED chains in case of a reverse polarity is described below.
Based on the LED-unit counting the total amount of time that the LED unit was in use, it can signal it has reached the end of its guaranteed lifetime by flashing one of the LEDs, f.e. the red one.
Some possible functions of the LED-unit's LED chains in case of a reverse polarity is described below.
Based on ‘the LED-unit counting the total amount of time that the LED unit was in use’, it can signal it has reached the end of its guaranteed lifetime by flashing one of the LEDs, f.e. the red one.
In an embodiment the driver can request whether or not the preset lifetime has been exceeded from the LED-unit.
In an embodiment, the driver can request whether or not the maximum temperature is reached or has ever been reached, or whether throttling is active or has aver been active and how many hours throttling has been on, etcetera.
3B. Some possible Co-operative functions of the LED-unit's LED chains in case of a reverse polarity is described below.
Some possible embodiments related to LED-modules in series are described below.
In an embodiment, multiple LED-modules can be connected in series to LED drivers.
A command may be provided from driver to module, e.g. a polling command to request the Led fixture (i.e. Led module) to provide data or to request the LED module to indicate if is has data to send.
Compare to CAN recessive addressing (zero bits win; so when multiple units answer at the same time, the one with a 0 in the address at the first differing bit position wins. Similar principle can be applied here.
DALI method: the fixture chooses initial random number to use as address. The master can then communicate with each of them separately in 99.99x % of the cases as the addresses will typically differ (Note the chance on double errors depends also on the amount of nodes in a system). The master node may assign a short address a.o. for convenience and performance improvement.
Some possible embodiments for power transfer over RF are described below.
The data processing device and memory device may be supplied with power from a rectified and stabilized signal received via RF over a coil.
In another embodiment the data processing device and memory device is supplied with electrical power by the LED driver over the LED lines, this may be advantageous in for example the following 2 cases:
Circuit Breaker Apparatus
An apparatus that can break the current in a series chain of this apparatus together with 1 or more LED-modules and supplied by a supply, i.e. of the continuous current type.
In
Device 140 can comprise a memory device (i.e. a storage device) and/or an intelligent device (i.e. a data processing device) such as an analog circuit, a microcontroller, an FPGA or PLD etcetera.
In case of a memory device it can be preprogrammed at the factory and/or it can be written to and read from through a form of communication over the terminals 100 and 110.
In case of an intelligent device, it can measure several internal or external quantities and store them in internal memory. I.e. it can measure the supply voltage it receives from supply 130. It can measure the approximate Vforward of the LED through impedance 150. In case impedance 180 is known to 140 and the current through it is measured also, 140 can more accurately calculate the forward voltage across said LED(s) 160 in case switch 170 is closed. Controlling switch 170 is performed by device 140 via control line 220. Via switch 200, controlled by control line 230, device 140 can short circuit the terminals 100, 110. Furthermore, the voltage across resistor 190 can be used to calculate the current through the LED in case impedance 180 is zero and the switch is open.
When 140 closes switch 200, current may flow through the LED-module without light being radiated, so that LED-modules can be connected in series and a following, series connected LED-module can be powered. Reversed polarity protection is be provided by parallel by device 210. Device 140 senses its supply voltage, provided at connection 250 by supply 130, at 240.
By very fast switching of 170 with a certain balance B between the ON-time and the OFF-time of 170, the module can dim the light radiated by 160. It depends on the type of driver connected to 100/110 whether or not this will deliver reliable/predictable light output. With a driver only delivering a continuous current when switched ON, this type of dimming works. With complex drivers using a dimming strategy of their own, it is dependent on the interference between the driver and the fast switching of 170 whether or not the resulting behavior is as desired. To cope with these different situations, LED-modules could be designed to fit into certain categories, where each category is optimized to deal with a certain external behavior of the driver as observable by the LED-module on terminals 100 and 110.
By duplicating the chain 160, 170, 180 delivering a chain A and a chain B, it becomes possible to control 170A and 170B by the device 140 in such a way that current either flows through the A chain or through the B chain. When choosing the LEDs 160A to radiate warm white light and LEDs 160B to radiate cold white light, and by controlling the ON-time of 1 switch which is substantially the OFF-time of the other 170 switch, it is possible to control the color temperature of the radiated light from the temperature of the cold white LEDs to the temperature of the warm white LEDs. An alternative embodiment is depicted in
The device 140 as depicted in
Although the LED fixture according to the invention may be arranged for communicating via the electrical power terminal and/or the LED, a further communication interface may also be provided in the LED fixture, for example a data communication connection via a separate data communication terminal, e.g. a network connection, or a capacitive, inductive or optical connection.
The ability for the LED fixture according to the invention to communicate, e.g. via the lines with which it in operation is driven by the LED driver, may also be used for service and repair purposes, e.g. to read out data as stored in the storage device, e.g. data that has been logged in the storage device, to program the LED fixture, etc.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention.
The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including and/or having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language, not excluding other elements or steps). Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims or the invention.
The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
The term coupled, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically.
A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009458 | Sep 2012 | NL | national |
This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/426,409, filed Mar. 6, 2015, which is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/NL2013/050653 filed Sep. 10, 2013, which claims the benefit of Netherlands Application No. NL 2009458, filed Sep. 13, 2012 and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/699,085, filed Sep. 10, 2012, the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14426409 | US | |
Child | 15462171 | US |