LIGHTING SYSTEM

Abstract

A lighting system comprises a plurality of lighting devices interconnected with one another in a communication network, preferably a wireless communication network; the lighting devices define respective equivalent nodes of the network and are configured so that any one of said lighting devices of the lighting system selectively acts as a master, if an initial control input is received directly by that lighting device; and as a slave, if the initial control input is received by another lighting device.

Claims

1. A lighting system (1) comprising a plurality of lighting devices (2) interconnected with one another in a communication network (3), preferably a wireless communication network; wherein the lighting devices (2) define respective equivalent nodes (7) of the network (3) and are configured so that any one of said lighting devices (2) of the lighting system (1) selectively acts as a master, if an initial control input is received directly by that lighting device (2); and as a slave, if the initial control input is received by another lighting device (2).

2. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the network (3) is configured so that all the lighting devices (2) communicate and exchange data with one another and each lighting device (2) accordingly acts in response to inputs received by any other lighting device (2).

3. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein each lighting device (2) defines a node (7) of the network (3) and each node (7) receives and sends controls/data to/from all the other nodes (7).

4. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein each lighting device (2) is provided with a control device (5) activated by a user, possibly via a remote control, and/or by an activation device connected to the network (3), for example a sensor.

5. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein each lighting device (2) comprises at least one light source (4), a control device (5) that controls the light source (4), and a communication device (6) associated with the control device (5) and that connects the lighting device (2) to the network (3) and thus to all the other lighting devices (2) of the lighting system (1).

6. A lighting system according to claim 5, wherein the lighting devices (2) are configured so that instructions given to any one of the lighting devices (2) via the respective control device (5) are transmitted to all the other lighting devices (2), which are accordingly controlled.

7. A lighting system according to claim 5, wherein the control devices (5) are configured to operate according to an adaptive logic.

8. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the communication network (3) is a wireless communication network.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying FIGURE, which schematically shows a lighting system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The numeral 1 in the appended FIGURE shows as a whole a lighting system, in particular a lighting system formed by a plurality of lighting devices interconnected in a network and operating coordinately and interdependently with each other.

[0021] The lighting system 1 comprises a plurality of lighting devices 2 interconnected with each other in a communication network 3, preferably a wireless communication network.

[0022] Each lighting device 2 comprises (as shown in the FIGURE only extremely schematically and only for one of the lighting devices 2) at least one light source 4 (optionally associated with a suitable optical unit), a control device 5 that controls the light source 4, and a communication device 6 associated with the control device 5 and that connects the lighting device 2 to the network 3 and thus to all the other lighting devices 2 of the lighting system 1.

[0023] In particular, the control device 5 can be directly actuated by a user, possibly via a remote control or controller, and/or by an external activation device connected to the network 3, for example a sensor (e.g., a light sensor, a temperature sensor, etc.).

[0024] The lighting devices 2 are configured so that instructions given directly to any one of the lighting devices 2 via the respective control device 5 are transmitted (via the respective communication device 6) to all the other lighting devices 2 (i.e. to the respective control devices 5), which are accordingly controlled.

[0025] The lighting devices 2 define respective equivalent nodes 7 of the network 3 and are configured so that any lighting device 2 of the lighting system 1 selectively acts as a master, if an initial control input is received directly by that lighting device 2 (precisely, by the respective control device 5); and as a slave, if the initial control input is received by another lighting device 2.

[0026] The network 3 is thus configured so that all the lighting devices 2 communicate and exchange data with one another and each acts in response to inputs received by any other lighting device 2 connected to the network 3, i.e. by any other lighting device 2 of the lighting system 1.

[0027] Each lighting device 2 thus defines a node 7 of the network 3 and each node 7 receives and sends controls/data to/from all the other nodes 7.

[0028] Preferably, the control devices 5 are configured to operate according to an adaptive logic.

[0029] In essence, in use, any lighting device 2 actuated with an initial control input, for example by means of a direct intervention of a user or an intervention provided by a sensor or other external actuation device, momentarily acts as a master: the imparted command is processed by the control device and sent, via the communication device 6 and the network. 3, to all the other lighting devices 2 connected to the network 3, which adapt their operation accordingly, possibly according to preset logics.

[0030] For example: if the initial control input is simply an on/off control, this is replicated on all the lighting devices 2 which, in turn, are turned on/off; if the initial control input controls a variation the light intensity of the directly controlled lighting device 2 (acting as a master), the command sent to the other lighting devices 2 (acting as slaves) may be of varying the intensity of the other lighting devices 2 in an equal and concordant manner, or varying the intensity of the other lighting devices 2 in the opposite way to compensate for the variation performed on the first lighting device 2 and, for instance, maintain the overall light intensity of the lighting system 1 constant; etc. Lastly, it is understood that the lighting system as described and illustrated herein can be subject to modifications and variations that do not depart from the scope of the accompanying claims.