MODULES FOR A LUMINAIRE, LUMINAIRE AND SYTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a module (1a) for a luminaire. The module (1a) comprises a processing unit (2a) and a transmitter (3a) for wireless communication. The module (1a) may be electrically connected with a bus of the luminaire. In response to an event and/or a command of the luminaire, the processing unit (2a) is configured to control the transmitter (3a) to transmit a data packet (6), when the module (1a) is electrically connected with the bus of the luminaire. The data packet (6) comprises information on the event and/or the command of the luminaire in association with an address of the luminaire and a packet number; wherein the packet number is incremented by a number, optionally by one, each time the processing unit (2a) controls the transmitter (3a) to transmit the data packet (6). The invention relates to a further module, a luminaire and a system comprising the module and the further module.

Claims

1. A module (1a) for a luminaire, wherein the module (1a) comprises a processing unit (2a) and a transmitter (3a), optionally infrared transmitter, for wireless communication; the module (1a) is configured to be electrically connected with a bus, optionally DALI-2 bus, of the luminaire, in response to an event and/or a command of the luminaire, the processing unit (2a) is configured to control the transmitter (3a) to transmit a data packet (6), when the module (1a) is electrically connected with the bus of the luminaire; and the data packet (6) comprises information on the event and/or the command of the luminaire in association with an address of the luminaire and a packet number; wherein the packet number is incremented by a number, optionally incremented by one, each time the processing unit (2a) controls the transmitter (3a) to transmit the data packet (6).

2. The module (1a) according to claim 1, wherein the module (1a) comprises a receiver (4a), optionally an infrared receiver, for wireless communication and a data storage (5a); the receiver (4a) is configured to receive data packets, each comprising information on an event and/or a command in association with the address of a further luminaire, which transmitted the received data packets, and a packet number; wherein the later a respective received data packet of the received data packets has been transmitted by the further luminaire the greater the packet number of the respective received data packet; and wherein the processing unit (2a) is configured to chronologically store, in the data storage (5a), the different packet numbers of the received data packets in association with the address of the further luminaire, compute for the address of the further luminaire, based on the different packet numbers of the received data packets, an error rate with regard to receiving the data packets from the further luminaire, and perform an action dependent on the information on the event and/or the command of the received data packets, in case the computed error rate is less than or equal to a threshold for the error rate.

3. A module (1b) for a luminaire, wherein the module (1b) comprises a processing unit (2b), a receiver (4b), optionally an infrared receiver, for wireless communication and a data storage (5b); the receiver (4a) is configured to receive data packets (6), each comprising information on an event and/or a command in association with the address of a further luminaire, which transmitted the received data packets (6), and a packet number; wherein the later a respective received data packet of the received data packets (6) has been transmitted by the further luminaire the greater the packet number of the respective received data packet; and wherein the processing unit (2a) is configured to chronologically store, in the data storage (5b), the different packet numbers of the received data packets (6) in association with the address of the further luminaire, compute for the address of the further luminaire, based on the different packet numbers of the received data packets (6), an error rate with regard to receiving the data packets from the further luminaire, and perform an action dependent on the information on the event and/or the command of the received data packets (6), in case the computed error rate is less than or equal to a threshold for the error rate.

4. The module (1b) according to claim 3, wherein the module comprises a transmitter (3b), optionally infrared transmitter, for wireless communication; the module (1b) is configured to be electrically connected with a bus, optionally DALI-2 bus, of the luminaire, in response to an event and/or a command of the luminaire, the processing unit (2b) is configured to control the transmitter (3b) to transmit a data packet, when the module (1b) is electrically connected with the bus of the luminaire; and the data packet comprises information on the event and/or the command of the luminaire in association with an address of the luminaire and a packet number; wherein the packet number is incremented by a number, optionally incremented by one, each time the processing unit (2b) controls the transmitter (3b) to transmit the data packet (6).

5. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit (2a, 2b) is configured to perform the action dependent on the event and/or the command of the received data packets, and stop performing the action, in case the computed error rate is greater than the threshold for the error rate.

6. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 1, wherein in response to the event and/or the command of the luminaire, the processing unit (2a, 2b) is configured to control the transmitter (3a, 3b) to repeatedly transmit the data packet, optionally to periodically transmit the data packet.

7. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 2, wherein the action comprises converting the information on the event and/or the command of the received data packets into bus signals, optionally DALI-2 signals, and inputting the bus signals to the bus, when the module (1a, 1b) is electrically connected with the bus.

8. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 2, wherein the action comprises: generating, based on each received data packet of the received data packets, a further data packet comprising the information on the event and/or the command of the respective received data packet in association with an address of the luminaire and a further packet number, wherein the further packet number is incremented by a number, optionally incremented by one, each time the processing unit (2a) controls the transmitter (3a) to transmit the further data packet (6); and controlling the transmitter (3a, 3b) to transmit the further data packet.

9. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 2, wherein the received data packets each comprise a count; and when the count of the received data packets is greater than zero, the action comprises: decrementing the count of each received data packet of the received data packets by one; generating, based on each received data packet of the received data packets, a further data packet comprising the decremented count and the information on the event and/or the command of the respective received data packet in association with an address of the luminaire and a further packet number, wherein the further packet number is incremented by a number, optionally incremented by one, each time the processing unit (2a) controls the transmitter (3a) to transmit the further data packet (6); and controlling the transmitter (3a, 3b) to transmit the further data packet.

10. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit (2a, 2b) is configured to compute for the address of the further luminaire the error rate when the number of received packets each comprising the address of the further luminaire is greater than or equal to a threshold for the number of received packets.

11. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit (2a, 2b) is configured to compute for the address of the further luminaire the error rate based on a currently received data packet comprising the address of the further luminaire by determining, based on data stored in the data storage (5a, 5b), the packet number of a previously received data packet comprising the address of the further luminaire, wherein the amount of data packets received between the previously received data packet and the currently received data packet is one less than the threshold for the number of received data packets, computing a difference between the packet number of the currently received data packet and the determined packet number, dividing the computed difference by the threshold for the number of received packets.

12. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 2, wherein when the data storage (5a, 5b) is full, the processing unit (2a, 2b) is configured to overwrite the packet number stored for the longest time in the data storage with the packet number of a currently received data packet.

13. The module (1a, 1b) according to claim 1, wherein the data packet to be transmitted by the transmitter (3a, 3b) or each of the received data packets comprises: information on whether the information on the event and/or the command of the data packet is to be transmitted by a luminaire receiving the data packet; and/or a checksum.

14. A free-standing luminaire, comprising a bus (20), optionally a DALI-2 bus, a control unit (30), optionally a DALI-2 application controller, electrically connected with the bus (20), and a module (40) according to claim 1 electrically connected with the bus (20), wherein the control unit (30) is configured to control communication via the bus.

15. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0108] In the following, the invention is described exemplarily with reference to the enclosed figures, in which

[0109] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first module for a luminaire and a second module for a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0110] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a first module for a luminaire and a second module for a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0111] FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram for computing an error rate with regard to receiving data packets from a further luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0112] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

[0113] In the Figures, corresponding elements have the same reference signs.

[0114] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first module for a luminaire and a second module for a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention. In particular, the first module of FIG. 1 is an example of the module according to the first aspect, as described above, and the second module is an example of the module according to the second aspect, as described above.

[0115] As shown on the left side of FIG. 1, a first module 1a comprises a processing unit 2a and a transmitter 3a for wireless communication. The first module 1a is configured to be electrically connected with a bus of a luminaire (not shown in FIG. 1). In response to an event and/or a command of the luminaire, the processing unit 2a is configured to control the transmitter 3a to transmit a data packet 6 when the module 1a is electrically connected with the bus of the luminaire. The data packet comprises information on the event and/or the command of the luminaire in association with an address of the luminaire and a packet number. The packet number is incremented by a number (e.g. by one) each time the processing unit 2a controls the transmitter to transmit the data packet.

[0116] As shown on the right side of FIG. 1, a second module 1b comprises a processing unit 2b, a receiver 4b for wireless communication and a data storage 5b. The receiver 4b is configured to receive data packets 6, each comprising information on an event and/or a command in association with the address of a further luminaire (not shown in FIG. 1), which transmitted the received data packets 6, and a packet number. The later a respective received data packet 6 of the received data packets 6 has been transmitted by the further luminaire the greater the packet number of the respective received data packet 6. The processing unit 2b is configured to chronologically store, in the data storage 5b, the different packet numbers of the received data packets 6 in association with the address of the further luminaire. Further, the processing unit 2b is configured to compute for the address of the further luminaire, based on the different packet numbers of the received data packets 6, an error rate with regard to receiving the data packets 6 from the further luminaire. Furthermore, the processing unit is configured to perform an action dependent on the information on the event and/or the command of the received data packets 6, in case the computed error rate is less than or equal to a threshold for the error rate.

[0117] The second module 1b may be configured to be electrically connected with a bus of a luminaire (not shown in Figure). This luminaire may be referred to as second luminaire in order to distinguish it from the luminaire, to which the first module 1a may be electrically connected.

[0118] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the luminaire, to which the first module 1a may be electrically connected to, may correspond to the further luminaire from which the receiver 4b of the second module 1b wirelessly receives data packets 6. Thus, when the transmitter 3a of the first module 1a wirelessly transmits a data packet 6, the receiver 4b of the second module 1b may receive that data packet 6.

[0119] An example of how the processing unit 4b of the second module 1b may be configured to compute, with regard to a wireless communication from the further luminaire, the error rate with regard to receiving data packets from the further luminaire is shown in FIG. 3.

[0120] The first module 1a and the second module 1b may form a system or may be part of a system. Such a system is an example of the system according to the fourth aspect of the disclosure.

[0121] For further details on the first module 1a and the second module 1b of FIG. 1 reference is made to the above description of the module according to the first aspect of the disclosure and the module according to the second aspect of the disclosure. For further details on the luminaire, to which the first module 1a is electrically connectable, and the second luminaire, to which the second module 1b is optionally connectable, reference is made to the above description of the luminaire according to the third aspect of the disclosure.

[0122] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a first module for a luminaire and a second module for a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention. The first module and second module of FIG. 2 are an implementation form of the first module and second module of FIG. 1, respectively. Therefore, the above description of FIG. 1 is correspondingly valid for the first module and second module of FIG. 2 and in the following mainly additional optional features of the first module and second module of FIG. 2 are described.

[0123] As shown on the right side of FIG. 2, the second module 1b may comprise an optional transmitter 3b for wireless communication (in addition to the processing unit 2b, the receiver 4b and the data storage 5b). The second module 1b may be configured to be electrically connected with a bus of a luminaire (not shown in FIG. 2). In the following, this luminaire is referred to as second luminaire in order to distinguish it from the luminaire to which the first module 1a may be electrically connected to. In response to an event and/or a command of the second luminaire, the processing unit 2b may be configured to control the transmitter 3b to transmit a data packet, when the module 1b is electrically connected with the bus of the second luminaire. The data packet comprises information on the event and/or the command of the second luminaire in association with an address of the second luminaire and a packet number. The packet number is incremented by a number (e.g. by one) each time the processing unit 2b controls the transmitter 3b to transmit the data packet.

[0124] As shown on the left side of FIG. 2, the first module 1a may comprise, in addition to the processing unit 2a and the transmitter 3a, an optional receiver 4a for wireless communication and an optional data storage 5a. The receiver 4a may be configured to receive data packets, each comprising information on an event and/or a command in association with the address of a further luminaire (not shown in FIG. 2), which transmitted the received data packets, and a packet number. The later a respective received data packet of the received data packets has been transmitted by the further luminaire the greater the packet number of the respective received data packet. The processing unit 2a may be configured to chronologically store, in the data storage 5a, the different packet numbers of the received data packets in association with the address of the further luminaire. Further, the processing unit 2a may be configured to compute for the address of the further luminaire, based on the different packet numbers of the received data packets, an error rate with regard to receiving the data packets from the further luminaire. Furthermore, the processing unit 2a may be configured to perform an action dependent on the information on the event and/or the command of the received data packets, in case the computed error rate is less than or equal to a threshold for the error rate.

[0125] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the second luminaire, to which the second module 1b may be electrically connected to, may correspond to the further luminaire from which the receiver 4a of the first module 1a wirelessly receives data packets. Thus, when the transmitter 3b of the second module 1b wirelessly transmits a data packet, the receiver 4a of the first module 1a may receive that data packet.

[0126] For further details on the first module 1a and the second module 1b of FIG. 2 reference is made to the above description of the module according to the first aspect of the disclosure and the module according to the second aspect of the disclosure as well as to the above description of the first module and second module of FIG. 1. For further details on the second luminaire, to which the second module 1b is electrically connectable, reference is made to the above description of the luminaire according to the third aspect of the disclosure.

[0127] FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram for computing an error rate with regard to receiving data packets from a further luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention. In the following description, reference is made to the second module of FIGS. 1 and 2. Therefore, the reference signs of FIGS. 1 and 2 of the second module and its components are used in the following description. This description is also valid for the first module of FIG. 2 comprising the optional receiver and optional data storage.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 3, when the receiver 4b of the second module 2b receives a data packet 6, the processing unit 2b of the second module determines whether the address of a further luminaire comprised by the received data packet 6 is already known or not. In case, it is not known (NO at address of received data packet known?), the processing unit 2b stores, in the data storage 5b, the packet number of the received data packet 6 in association with the address of the further luminaire. The storing is performed chronologically. That is, for the address of the further luminaire, packet numbers comprised by data packets received from the further luminaire are stored in association with the address of the further luminaire in the order they are received by the receiver 4b. Next, the second module 1b is ready for receiving a next data packet.

[0129] In case, the address of the further luminaire comprised by the received data packet 6 is already known (YES at address of received data packet known?), the processing unit 2b determines, based on data of the data storage 5b, whether for the address of the further luminaire at least n data packets have already been received. That is, the processing unit determines whether already n data packets have been received from the further luminaire. The symbol n is a positive integer. It denotes or represent a threshold value for the number of data packets that need to be received from the further luminaire, before the processing unit starts for the wireless communication from the further luminaire to compute or determine an error rate with regard to receiving data packets from the further luminaire. If this is not the case (NO at at least n data packets received for the address of the received data packet?), the processing unit 2b stores, in the data storage 5b, the packet number of the received data packet in association with the address of the further luminaire. Next, the second module 1b, is ready for receiving a next data packet.

[0130] In case for the address of the further luminaire at least n data packets have already been received (YES at at least n data packets received for the address of the received data packet?), the processing unit 2b stores, in the data storage 5b, the packet number of the received packet in association with the address of the further luminaire. Optionally, the processing unit 2b stores, in the data storage 5b, the packet number of the received packet in association with the address of the further luminaire by overwriting the packet number associated with the address of the further luminaire that has been stored for the longest time in the data storage 5b. In other words, the processing unit optionally overwrites the oldest packet number associated with the address of the further luminaire with the packet number of the received data packet.

[0131] Next the processing unit 2b computes the error rate with regard to receiving data packets from the further luminaire by performing the following steps: Determining, based on the data stored in the data storage 5b, the packet number of a previously received data packet comprising the address of the further luminaire (packet number [current data packet-n]). The amount of data packets received between the previously received data packet and the received data packet is one less than the threshold for the number of received data packets. That is, the amount of data packets received between the previously received data packet and the received data packet is one less than the positive integer n (i.e. n1). Computing a difference between the packet number of the received data packet and the determined packet number. That is, subtracting the determined packet number from the packet number of the received data packet (packet number [current data packet]packet number[current data packet-n]). Dividing the computed difference by the threshold for the number of received packets. That is, dividing the computed difference by the positive integer n ((packet number[current data packet]packet number [current data packet-n])/n).

[0132] Next, the processing unit 2b determines whether the computed error rate is smaller than or equal to a threshold for the error rate. In case the computed error rate is smaller than or equal to the threshold for the error rate (YES at error rate smaller than or equal to threshold?), the processing unit performs an action dependent on the information on an event and/or a command of the received data packet 6. Otherwise, (NO at error rate smaller than or equal to threshold?) the processing unit does not perform the action. Next, the second module 1b is ready for receiving a next data packet.

[0133] The process for determining or computing the error rate may correspond to a state machine. The present disclosure is not limited to the process of FIG. 3 for computing the error rate and, thus, other methods may be used for computing the error rate for an address of a luminaire based on packet numbers associated to the address of the luminaire.

[0134] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention. In particular, FIG. 4 shows an example of the luminaire according to the third aspect, as described above.

[0135] The luminaire 10 of Figure comprises a bus 20 and a control unit 30, wherein the control unit 30 is electrically connected with the bus 20. Further, the luminaire 10 comprises a module 40 electrically connected with the bus. The module 40 may be the first module 1a or the second module 1b of FIGS. 1 and 2. The control unit 30 is configured to control communication via the bus 20.

[0136] Optionally, the luminaire comprises a presence and/or movement sensor 50 electrically connected with the bus 20. The presence and/or movement sensor 50 is configured to detect presence and/or movement of a person in a vicinity of the luminaire 10. Further, the presence and/or movement sensor 50 may be configured to transmit, via the bus 20, bus signals indicating presence and/or movement of a person in the vicinity of the luminaire 10 and/or bus signals indicating no presence and/or no movement of a person in the vicinity of the luminaire 10. The luminaire 10 may comprise a light source 70 for light emission of the luminaire 10. The luminaire 10 may comprise at least one driver 60 (lighting means driver) for driving the light source 70. The at least one driver 60 is electrically connected with the bus 20.

[0137] For further details on the luminaire 10 of FIG. 4 reference is made to the above description of the luminaire according to the third aspect of the disclosure. For further details on the module 40 of the luminaire 10, which may be the first module 1a or the second module 1b of FIGS. 1 and 2, reference is made to the above description of FIGS. 1 to 3, the description of the module according to the first aspect of the disclosure and the description of the module according to the second aspect of the disclosure.

[0138] All steps which are performed by the various entities described in the present disclosure as well as the functionalities described to be performed by the various entities are intended to mean that the respective entity is adapted to or configured to perform the respective steps and functionalities. In the claims as well as in the description the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in the mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used in an advantageous implementation.