Programmable lighting unit and remote control for a programmable lighting unit

• US 20080297070A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GLP German Light Products GmbH
• Original Assignee: GLP German Light Products GmbH
• Inventors: Englert, Walter, Kuenzler, Udo, Salm, Markus, Klee, Oliver
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/308
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A programmable lighting unit includes a radio interface to be remote controlled by a radio remote control. In particular, the remote control sends parameter data which is supplied to parameter adjustment means in the programmable lighting unit which programs the parameter data such that a controller of the programmable lighting unit controls a controllable lamp dependent on the parameter data. In particular, the controller is adapted to be programmed using the one or the multiple parameters such that a reaction by the controller to the control data depends on the one or the multiple parameters.

Claims

1. A programmable lighting unit comprising:

a radio interface for receiving parameter data;

a parameter adjuster for adjusting one or multiple parameters of the programmable lighting unit using the parameter data;

a controllable lamp for emitting light;

a control input for receiving control data for the controllable lamp; and

a controller for controlling the controllable lamp using the control data, wherein the controller is adapted to be programmed using the parameters such that a reaction by the controller to the control data depends on the one or the multiple parameters.

2. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the control input is an interface for a control cable or an interface for a supply line onto which the control data is modulated.

3. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to respond to a predefined data transmission protocol,

wherein the parameter data includes a unique indication to a time slot in a time-division multiplex protocol, a unique indication to a carrier frequency in a frequency-division multiplex protocol, or an indication to a sequence of a code in a code-division multiplex protocol allocated to the programmable lighting unit, and

wherein the unique indicia is different from one programmable lighting unit to another programmable lighting unit.

4. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1,

wherein the parameter is a start address of a serial data protocol.

5. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the parameter data includes a parameter defining a dynamic range for control signals, wherein the controller is adapted to perform a conversion to lamp output signals based on the dynamic range defined by the parameter.

6. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the controllable lamp comprises illuminants of different colors, wherein a parameter includes an assignment of a control channel to a specific color.

7. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a unique ID assigned to the programmable lighting unit, wherein the controller is adapted to send the unique ID to a distant remote control in a log-on operation.

8. The programmable lighting unit of claim 7, wherein the controller is adapted to receive an indication to an allocated channel in a multiple-access method in response to sending the unique ID.

9. The programmable lighting unit of claim 7, wherein the controller is adapted to start a log-on operation in response to a predefined event.

10. The programmable lighting unit of claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted to start the log-on operation in response to turning on the programmable lighting unit, receiving a synchronization signal via radio from a remote control, in response to an absolute or relative time, or in response to a predefined data word received via the control input.

11. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the control input is implemented to be separate from the radio interface.

12. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, which is adapted to use current provided via an external power supply for the parameter adjustments.

13. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a mounting processor for mounting the programmable lighting unit to a wall, to a column, or to a ceiling of a room.

14. The programmable lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the controllable lamp is controllable relating to its direction of lighting, lighting color, color temperature, and wherein control signals are received via the control input to control the direction of lighting, lighting color or color temperature.

15. A method for operating a programmable lighting unit, comprising:

receiving parameter data via a radio interface;

adjusting one or multiple parameters of the programmable lighting unit using the parameter data;

emitting light via a controllable lamp;

receiving control data for the controllable lamp; and

controlling the controllable lamp using the control data using the one or the multiple parameters, wherein a reaction to control data in controlling depends on the one or the multiple parameters.

16. A remote control for a programmable lighting unit with a controllable lamp, comprising:

an input interface for inputting parameter data for the programmable lighting unit, wherein the parameter data includes one or multiple parameters for the programmable lighting unit; and

a radio interface for sending the parameter data to the programmable lighting unit or to multiple programmable lighting units, wherein the parameter data is such that a reaction by the programmable lighting unit to control data depends on the parameter data.

17. The remote control of claim 16, which further comprises a controller adapted to accept a logon of at least two programmable lighting units in radio range of the remote control in a log-on operation, to receive a sequence of the programmable lighting units with respect to transmission control data according to a predefined data protocol from a user via the input interface, and to assign to each programmable lighting unit according to the sequence a channel identification, such as a start address or a data address, for a channel of a multi-channel access method.

18. The remote control of claim 16, which further comprises a controller adapted to cause a reset of a parameter adjustment to a basic parameter adjustment by a predetermined command, wherein the basic parameter adjustment is the same for all programmable lighting units in the radio range.

19. A method for operating a remote control for a programmable lighting unit, comprising:

receiving an input of parameter data for the programmable lighting unit; and

sending the parameter data to the programmable lighting unit or to multiple programmable lighting units in a radio range of the remote control, wherein the parameter data is such that a reaction by the programmable lighting unit to control data depends on the parameter data.

20. A computer program comprising a program code for executing a method for operating a programmable lighting unit, comprising:

receiving parameter data via a radio interface;

adjusting one or multiple parameters of the programmable lighting unit using the parameter data;

emitting light via a controllable lamp;

receiving control data for the controllable lamp; and

controlling the controllable lamp using the control data using the one or the multiple parameters, wherein a reaction to control data in controlling depends on the one or the multiple parameters