Lighting system for emitting light comprising two connectable lighting modules, a lighting module, a method of operating a lighting module as well as a corresponding method

Abstract

A lighting system for emitting light, the system comprising a first and a second lighting module as well as a plug for connecting the two lighting modules to each other, each lighting module comprises a housing, the housing having a first side and a second side, opposite to the first side, such that the second side of the first lighting module is connected to the first side of the second lighting module when the two lighting modules are connected via the plug, each housing comprises at least one Light Emitting Diode, LED, for emitting the light, a controller arranged for wirelessly communicating with the other one of the two lighting modules via a magnetic field antenna, the magnetic field antennawherein the first lighting module has the magnetic field antenna positioned in the housing close to, or adjacent, its second side and wherein the second lighting module has the magnetic field antenna positioned in the housing close to, or adjacent, its first side such that when the two lighting modules are connected using the plug, the magnetic field antennas of the first and second module are aligned.

Claims

1. A lighting system for emitting light, the system comprising a first and a second lighting module as well as a plug for connecting the two lighting modules to each other, each lighting module comprises: a housing, the housing having a first side and a second side, opposite to the first side, such that the second side of the first lighting module is connected to the first side of the second lighting module when the two lighting modules are connected via the plug; at least one Light Emitting Diode, LED, for emitting the light; a controller arranged for wirelessly communicating with the other one of the two lighting modules via a magnetic field antenna; the magnetic field antenna; wherein the first lighting module has the magnetic field antenna positioned in the housing close to, or adjacent to, its second side and wherein the second lighting module has the magnetic field antenna positioned in the housing close to, or adjacent to, its first side such that when the two lighting modules are connected using the plug, the magnetic field antennas of the first and second module are aligned such that the magnetic field antenna of the first lighting module is able to communicate with the magnetic field antenna of the second lighting module.

2. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plug is arranged to align the two lighting modules such that the two magnetic field antennas are aligned with each other.

3. A lighting system in accordance with claim 2, wherein a length of the plug is smaller than 30 mm.

4. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plug is a two-pole power connector for transferring electrical power from the first lighting module to the second lighting module for powering the second lighting module.

5. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the magnetic field antennas comprised by the first and second lighting modules comprise a magnetic loop antenna.

6. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each housing comprises two transmit antennas and two receive antennas, wherein a first combination of a transmit antenna and a receive antenna is provided close to, or adjacent, its first side of the housing and wherein a second combination of a transmit antenna and a receive antenna is provided close to, or adjacent, its second side of the housing.

7. A lighting system in accordance with claim 6, wherein: the controller is arranged to forward a communication received via a receive antenna provided close to, or adjacent, the first side using the transmit antenna provided close to, or adjacent, the second side.

8. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lighting system further comprises a magnetic card for setting a characteristic of the light emitted by the lighting system, wherein: the controller of the first lighting module is arranged for receiving, via a magnetic field from the magnetic card, the characteristic of the light and for wirelessly communicating the characteristic with the second lighting module via its corresponding magnetic field antenna.

9. A lighting system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the characteristic is any of color and brightness.

10. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plug is an elongated, rigid, connector for connecting the two lighting modules.

11. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the controller of the first lighting module is further arranged for detecting that said second lighting module is connected to said first lighting module, and wherein the controller of the first lighting module is arranged for wirelessly communicating with the second lighting module upon said detection.

12. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the magnetic field antenna is provided on a Printed Circuit Board that is mounted to the housing.

13. A lighting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an elongated part as well as two end caps for closing the elongated part, and wherein the magnetic field antenna is provided in one of the two end caps.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 discloses a schematic drawing of a lighting system in accordance with the prior art.

(2) FIG. 2 discloses an illustrative drawing of a lighting system in accordance with the present disclosure.

(3) FIG. 3 discloses an example of a lighting module used in a lighting system in accordance with the present disclosure.

(4) FIG. 4 discloses an end cap comprised by a housing of a lighting module in accordance with the present disclosure.

(5) FIG. 5 discloses a housing of a lighting module in accordance with the present disclosure.

(6) FIG. 6 discloses a lighting system in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 discloses a schematic drawing 1 of a lighting system in accordance with the prior art.

(8) The lighting system 1 comprises a driver 2 as well as three lighting modules as indicated with reference numerals 5a, 5b and 5c. Each lighting module 5a, 5b, 5c comprises one or more Light Emitting Diodes, LEDs, 4 for emitting light. The lighting modules may comprise white LEDs and/or RGB LEDs for emitting any desired color.

(9) The driver 2 is arranged to provide the electrical power to all of the lighting modules 5a, 5b, 5c via power connection 3. The power is passed through by a lighting module 5a to the next lighting module 5b, and so on. This ensures that all lighting modules 5a, 5b, 5c are powered.

(10) FIG. 2 discloses an illustrative drawing of a lighting system 21 in accordance with the present disclosure.

(11) The lighting system 21 is arranged for emitting light, wherein the system 21 comprises a first lighting module 24a, a second lighting module 24b as well as a plug 23 for connecting the two lighting modules 24a, 24b to each other.

(12) Each lighting module comprises a housing to prevent a user from reaching the inside of the housing. The housing may be provided with a translucent material to ensure that light is emitted from the lighting module. The housing may be equipped with electronics like the LEDs, power converters, a controller, etc.

(13) Each housing has a first side 25, 27 and a second side 26 that is opposite to the first side 25, 27. As such, the second side 26 of a first lighting module 24a is connected to the first face 27 of the second lighting module 24b using the plug 23.

(14) The housing thus comprises at least one LED for emitting light, a controller arranged for wirelessly communicating with the other one of the two lighting modules via a magnetic field antenna as well as the magnetic field antenna itself. This is explained in more detail with respect to FIGS. 3-6.

(15) The magnetic field antennas are oriented such that the first lighting module 24a has the magnetic field antenna positioned in the housing close to, or adjacent, its second side 26 and the second lighting module 24b has the magnetic field antenna positioned in the housing close to, or adjacent, its first side 27 such that when the two lighting modules 24a, 24b are connected using the plug 23, the magnetic field antennas of the first and second module are aligned.

(16) FIG. 3 discloses an example of a lighting module 31 used in a lighting system in accordance with the present disclosure.

(17) The housing of the lighting module 31 is indicated with reference numerals 32 and 33. The housing 32 is elongated. The housing 32 is closed by the end cap as indicated with reference numeral 33. The end cap 33 is mounted to the elongated part 32 via the mounting holes 36.

(18) On the right-hand side of FIG. 3, the end cap 33 is shown in more detail. The mounting holes are again indicated with reference numeral 36. A receiving section 34 is provided that is arranged for receiving the plug for connecting the lighting module to a next lighting module.

(19) As shown in FIG. 3, the magnetic field antenna 35 may be mounted at the end cap 33, for example integrated in the end cap 33. An electrical connection between the magnetic field antenna 35 and the controller may be provided by screws that are to be used for mounting the end cap 33 to the elongated part 32. The screws may make an electrical connection with the magnetic field antenna 35 as well as with a controller, for example via an electrical connection wire/track or the like.

(20) The magnetic field antenna 35 may be provided in the form of an inductor, as shown in FIG. 3. Another option is that a PCB is provided in the end cap 33, and that tracks on the PCB form the magnetic field antenna. The tracks may, for example, be provided in a loop for generating the magnetic field.

(21) FIG. 4 discloses an end cap 41 comprised by a housing of a lighting module in accordance with the present disclosure.

(22) This particular example shows an end cap 41 having two mounting holes 42 for mounting the end cap to the elongated part of the housing. Again, a receiving section 45 is provided for receiving a plug for connecting the lighting module to the next lighting module.

(23) Here, two antennas are provided in the end cap 41 as indicated with reference numerals 43 and 44. One antenna may be used for transmitting data and the other antenna may be used for receiving data.

(24) FIG. 5 discloses a housing of a lighting module 51 in accordance with the present disclosure.

(25) The housing is indicated with reference numeral 52. The magnetic field antenna is indicated with reference numeral 53 and is embodied in the elongated part of the housing, not in the end cap.

(26) The magnetic field antenna may, for example, be provided on a PCB, or may be provided as a separate component. In any case, it may be desirable to assure that the loop faces the loop of the magnetic field antenna comprised by the lighting module connected to the present lighting module.

(27) FIG. 6 discloses a lighting system 61 in accordance with the present disclosure.

(28) In this particular example, the lighting system 61 comprises three interconnected lighting modules as indicated with reference numerals 63a, 63b and 63c.

(29) The first lighting module 63 comprises a string of LEDs 64 for emitting light. Further a controller 70 is provided for wirelessly communicating with the next lighting module 63b via a magnetic field antenna 65.

(30) The controller may be a microcontroller, a Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA, and Application Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC, a processor or anything alike. The controller may be fed by the same driver 62 that also feeds the lighting modules 63a, 63b and 63c.

(31) The controller is electrically connected with the corresponding magnetic field antennas, for example the one indicated with reference numeral 65. As explained above, the magnetic field antennas 65 may be mounted to an end cap of the housing or inside the elongated housing itself.

(32) The lighting system 61 of FIG. 6 comprises a magnetic card 69 for setting a particular characteristic of the light that is emitted by the lighting system. The magnetic card 69 may be swept over a color reed contact 68 for changing the color of the lighting system 61 and/or may be swept over a reed contact 67 for changing the brightness of the lighting system 61.

(33) The controller 70 may thus detect the above-mentioned swipes of the card, and may translate this to a particular characteristic that is subsequently communicated to the next lighting module 63b via the magnetic field antenna 65.

(34) The controller 70 of the first lighting module 63a is thus arranged for receiving, via a magnetic field from the magnetic card, the characteristic of the light and for wirelessly communicating the characteristic with the second lighting module 63b via its corresponding magnetic field antenna.

(35) It is noted that in this particular example, the driver 62 provides a Direct Current, DC, voltage supply of 24 Vdc to the first lighting module 63a and that the first lighting module 63 provides that 24 Vdc to the next lighting module 63 and so on. The advantage of 24V is that it is an SELV voltages which may be double isolated from mains, such that each person can and is allowed to plug in the modules. The driver 62 may, alternatively, also provide for an Alternating Current, AC, voltage supply to the first lighting module 63a. In that case, the lighting module 63 may comprise a buck converter or the like for converting the AC supply to a DC supply for powering the LEDs and the controller.

(36) As mentioned above, the lighting modules 63a, 63b and 63c are connected to each other using plugs (not shown in this figure) for aligning the lighting modules with respect to each other. The plugs are also arranged for ensuring power transfer between two connected lighting modules.

(37) Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word Comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. 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.

(38) Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope thereof.