Light source luminaire system light element control by symbol tag interpreter

• US 8,442,691 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Der Veen, Geert Willem, Deixler, Peter, Jalink, Cornelis Jojakim, Stravers, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTSON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/811,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/275, 700/183, 362/96, 362/471, 315/247, 315/292
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

Light source having a plurality of light elements (207) and a control system for controlling the light elements. The control system comprises a plurality of light element controllers (213), each connected to a respective light element (207), and arranged to obtain light element data; and a bus interface (203), which is connected to the light element controllers (213) via a light source bus (209). The bus interface (203) provides the light element controllers (213) with a general command, and the light element controllers generate light element drive signals on basis of the general command and the light element data.

Claims

1. A light source having a plurality of light elements and a control system for controlling said plurality of light elements, the control system comprising:

a plurality of light element controllers, each connected to a respective one of said light elements, and arranged to obtain light element data;

a bus interface, which is connected to said light element controllers via a light source bus,

wherein said bus interface is arranged to provide said light element controllers with a general command, and wherein said light element controllers are arranged to generate light element drive signals on basis of the general command and said light element data, and

a sensor interface for detecting properties of the light elements by sensing their light output, the sensor interface being connected to the light source bus and configured to provide a sensor interface signal carrying data about said properties to the light source bus

said light element controllers each comprise a symbol tag interpreter and is tagged with at least one symbol tag, wherein said general command each include at least one symbol tag, and wherein there are several different types of symbol tags.

2. A light source according to claim 1, wherein said light source bus is set in broadcast mode.

3. A light source according to claim 1, wherein said light elements are solid state light elements.

4. A light source according to claim 1, wherein said light element controllers are individually switchable between on and off states.

5. A light source according to claim 1, wherein said general command include overall light settings.

6. A light source according to claim 1, wherein each one of said light element controllers includes a light element data storage containing said light element data.

7. A light source according to claim 1, wherein said symbol tag interpreter comprises a symbol tag comparator, which is arranged to compare a symbol tag received in said general command with said at least one symbol tag that the light source controller is tagged with, and wherein said symbol tag interpreter is arranged to accept the general command if said symbol tag comparator finds a symbol tag match.

8. A light source according to claim 1, wherein said light element controllers each comprise a state monitor, which is able to redefine said at least one symbol tag if an internal state of the light element changes.

9. A light source according to claim 1, wherein said sensor interface comprises a temperature sensor and a color sensor.

10. A light source according to claim 1, wherein each one of said light element controllers is provided with calculation capability for extracting the contribution generated by the particular light element that it controls from the sensor interface signal, and for calculating, on basis thereof, any resulting adjustment of the associated light element drive signal.

11. A light source according to claim 1, further comprising a synchronization generator, which is connected to said light element controllers and to said sensor interface.

12. A luminaire comprising

a plurality of light sources, each of said light sources having a plurality of light elements and a control system for controlling said plurality of light elements, the control system including

a plurality of light element controllers, each connected to a respective one of said light elements, and arranged to obtain light element data;

a bus interface, which is connected to said light element controllers via a light source bus,

wherein said bus interface is arranged to provide said light element controllers with a general command, and wherein said light element controllers are arranged to generate light element drive signals on basis of the general command and said light element data, and

a sensor interface for detecting properties of the light elements by sensing their light output, the sensor interface being connected to the light source bus and configured to provide a sensor interface signal carrying data about said properties to the light source bus

a luminaire controller which is connected to the bus interfaces of said light sources via a luminaire bus,

wherein the luminaire controller is arranged to provide the bus interfaces with said general command

wherein said luminaire controller comprises a symbol tag interpreter and is tagged with at least one symbol tag, wherein the symbol tag interpreter is arranged to receive input data including at least one symbol tag, and wherein the symbol tag interpreter comprises a symbol tag comparator, which is arranged to compare said at least symbol tag received in said input data with said at least one symbol tag that the luminaire controller is tagged with, and wherein said symbol tag interpreter is arranged to accept the input data and translate it into said general command if said symbol tag comparator finds a symbol tag match.

13. A luminaire according to claim 12, wherein said luminaire controller comprises an effect translator for receiving input data regarding a desired experience, which is to be generated by means of said light sources, and for translating the experience into at least one effect embodied as at least one general command.

14. A luminaire according to claim 12, wherein said luminaire bus is set in a broadcast mode.

15. A luminaire system comprising a plurality of luminaries, according to claim 12, and a system controller, which is connected with the plurality of luminaries via a system bus, and which is arranged to generate output data regarding experiences.

16. A luminaire system according to claim 15, wherein said system bus is set in addressing mode, wherein said output data is individual experience commands, and wherein said system controller is arranged to send the individual experience commands to individual luminaries.

17. A luminaire system according to claim 15, wherein said system bus is set in broadcast mode, and wherein said output data is common to said plurality of luminaries.

18. A luminaire system according to claim 15, wherein said system controller comprises a symbol tag generator, which is arranged to generate and tag said output data with at least one symbol tag.

19. A light source having a plurality of light elements and a control system for controlling said plurality of light elements, the control system comprising:

a plurality of light element controllers, each connected to a respective one of said light elements and arranged to obtain light element data;

a bus interface connected to said light element controllers via a light source bus;

wherein said bus interface is arranged to provide said light element controllers with a general command and wherein

said light element controllers are arranged to generate light element drive signals based upon said general command and said light element data;

a sensor interface enabled to detect properties of the light elements by sensing their light output, the sensor interface in communication with the light source bus and configured to provide a sensor interface signal carrying data;

said light element controllers each including a symbol tag interpreter tagged with at least one symbol tag, wherein said general command each include at least one symbol tag and wherein there are a plurality of symbol tag types.