Abstract:
A lighting system including a lighting module that receives a digital instruction stream containing lighting instructions, extracts a portion of the stream, provides a remainder of the stream to a connected adjacent lighting module, and executes the extracted portion.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/513,214 entitled “LED CONTROL MODULE,” filed Jul. 29, 2011, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates to lighting control systems and, more particularly, to an address-less LED lighting control system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain devices and locations have always benefitted from decorative lighting. Amusement park rides, arcades, and performance venues are examples of locations where decorative lighting has long been employed. Some decorative lighting is very simple. Lights may be illuminated or flashed on and off. If a bulb or device fails it may be replaced. However, it is often desired to have more complicated effects that are more visually interesting. It may also be desirable to time lighting to music or other events. 
     Where a particular segment or portion of a display is intended to be illuminated or operated differently than a neighboring segment, addressing schemes have been utilized. A lighting appliance or group of appliances may be assigned an address. A lighting device may only respond to commands issued on a system bus if the command contains its address. In other configurations, the bus may only deliver commands to a lighting device with a known address. In addition to lengthy and error prone setup times, systems such as these may suffer unacceptable downtime if one or more devices on the bus fails. At the very least, the replacement device must be programmed with the correct address. In some cases, the entire system may have to be readdressed. 
     What is needed is a system and method that addresses the above and related issues. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention of the present disclosure, in one aspect thereof comprises a lighting system including a lighting module that receives a digital instruction stream containing lighting instructions, extracts a portion of the stream, provides a remainder of the stream to a connected adjacent lighting module, and executes the extracted portion. 
     In some embodiments, the lighting module further comprises a light emitting diode (LED) driver that receives the instruction stream, extracts the portion of the stream, and provides the remainder of the stream to the connected adjacent lighting module. The lighting module may also comprise a digital switch connected to the LED driver, and at least one LED attached to the digital switch, the digital switch providing electrical energy for powering the at least one LED in response to a signal from the LED driver. In some cases, the at least one LED comprises a plurality of LEDs of a plurality of colors. 
     The lighting module may also comprise a weather-sealed partially transparent tube containing a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The lighting module may comprises at least one LED driver within the tube that receives the digital instruction stream, extracts the portion of the stream, and provides a remainder of the stream to a connected adjacent lighting module. At least one digital switch may be within the tube and connected between the LED driver at least one of the plurality of LEDs, the LED driver executing the extracted portion of the stream via control of the digital switch to selectively illuminate the plurality of LEDs. The LED driver may control the digital switch via pulse width modulation. 
     In some embodiments, the system further comprising a digital controller communicatively coupled to the lighting module and providing the digital instruction stream to the lighting module. In some embodiments, the digital instruction stream does not contain addressing information. The extracted portion of the digital instruction stream may contain digital information corresponding to a color to be illuminated, a control signal, an intensity, and a dot color correction. The digital controller may receive the instruction stream via the Internet and/or wirelessly. 
     The invention of the present disclosure, in another embodiment thereof, comprises an address-less lighting system having a plurality of lighting modules, each comprising a light emitting diode (LED) driver, a digital switch coupled to the LED driver, and at least one LED coupled to the digital switch. The system includes system controller providing a digital data instruction stream to the plurality of lighting modules without addressing data. The plurality of lighting module are connected in a serial chained configuration, a first lighting module in the chain receiving the digital data instruction stream from the system controller, extracting a portion of the received digital data instruction stream for use by the first module in the chain and passing a remainder of the data to a next lighting module in the chain. 
     In some embodiments, each of the plurality of lighting modules contains the LED driver, the digital switch, and the at least one LED in a weather proof enclosure. The digital controller may obtain a count of a number of lighting modules connected in the serial chained configuration before providing the digital data instruction stream. The digital data instruction stream may contain a series of data blocks, each data block in the series containing an address-less lighting instruction set for a corresponding one of the plurality of lighting modules in the serial chained configuration. 
     The invention of the present disclosure, in another embodiment thereof, comprises a method of controlling a plurality of lighting modules, each module having a plurality of lights that may be illuminated in a plurality of ways. The method comprises designating a first instruction block for a first of the plurality of lighting modules and a second instruction block for a second of the plurality of lighting modules, appending the second instruction block to the first instruction block to create a data stream, providing the data stream to the first of the plurality of lighting modules for execution. The first instruction set is stripped from the data stream, and the stripped data stream is moved to the second of the plurality of lighting modules. The method may include executing the first instruction block by selectively illuminating a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) associated with the first of the plurality of lighting modules. The method may also include locating the first and second lighting modules at first and second spaced apart locations, respectively. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a system level diagram of a lighting control system according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the control circuitry of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart depicting the operation of part of the control circuitry of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of one embodiment of a data format utilized by the system of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is another diagram of the potential data format of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a lighting module according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a system level diagram of a lighting control system according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. In various embodiments, the system  100  may be utilized to illuminate amusement park rides, store fronts, theme parks, theatres, arcades and other locations. In the present embodiment, the system  100  comprises a control box  102  communicatively coupled to a plurality of lighting modules  112 . In the present embodiment, the lighting modules  112  are arranged into a plurality of lighting strips  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 . The lighting modules  112  and/or lighting strips  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , may be placed on amusement park rides, arcade games, doorways, paths and any other location in which lighting or lighting effects are desired. 
     The lighting modules  112  are address-less. For purposes of this disclosure, address-less means that each lighting module  112  within each lighting strip  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , can be controlled to produce illumination and/or lighting effects without the control box  102  associating a particular address with any strip  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110  or lighting module  112 . Thus, a failure or replacement of any lighting strip  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110  or module  112  does not necessitate readdressing or reprograming of any part of the system  100 . Particular implementations of this control system will be described in greater detail below. However, the control box  102  can be utilized to provide multiple and various effects within the lighting modules  112  and/or lighting strips  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 . Non-limiting examples include chasing, flashing, fading, and music beat effects. 
     The control box  102  may be a device built and programmed specifically to implement the control system of the present disclosure, or it may be a general purpose device such as a personal computer or headless terminal programmed to provide the appropriate output signals and/or power to the lighting strips  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 . In some embodiments the programming of the control box  102  may be altered via a telephone network  114 . For example, at pre-programmed intervals the control box  102  may telephone a programming server (not shown) via the telephone network  114  and receive updates. In other embodiments the control box  102  may be attached to the Internet  116  (via Ethernet or wirelessly, for example). The control box  102  may then communicate with an updating server via the Internet  116 . In one embodiment, a web interface may be provided such that a user of the system  100  can select new or updated programming using the web browser. The new and/or updated programming will then be provided to the control box  102  via the phone network  114  and/or the Internet  116 . In further embodiments, the control box  102  is directly connected to a user&#39;s computer and updated via universal serial bus (USB) connection, for example. As with the other updating methods, a web browser may be utilized to obtain the updated programming for the control box  102 . In other embodiments a dedicated program could be executed locally for updating the control box  102 . 
     In some embodiments the control box  102  will provide not only the lighting signals, but also the power to the lighting modules  112 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lighting modules  112  are arranged in a serial chain configuration and connected end-to-end. Thus, each lighting module  112  may obtain power and control signals either from the control box  102  and/or the lighting module  112  immediately upstream. As will be described in greater detail below, each lighting module  112  will also pass power and/or control signals to the one or more lighting modules  112  that are downstream. It is also understood that the lighting modules  112  may not be arranged in linear fashion as shown, but may be placed in any close or spaced apart location or order desired by the user. So long as each lighting module  112  is connected either to another lighting module or the control box  102 , such lighting module  112  may be powered and/or controlled. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of the control circuitry of the device of  FIG. 1  is shown. In the present embodiment, a microcontroller  202  determines and executes the control scheme of the device  100 . In some embodiments the microcontroller  202  is contained within the control box  102 . The microcontroller  202  communicates with a series of light emitting diode (LED) drivers  204  that may be located within the lighting modules  112 . The microcontroller  202  provides a data stream to the first LED driver  204  that is connected in a chain. Regardless of the length of the provided instruction stream, the LED driver  204  will extract or truncate only a portion of the data stream. Thus, a particular data block within the larger data stream will be utilized by the LED driver  204 . Based upon the information contained within the extracted control block, the LED driver  204  will communicate with one or more digital switches  206 . The digital switch  206  is connected to the appropriate power supply (possibly coming from the microcontroller  202 , LED driver  204 , and/or a power bus or power lead) and provides the appropriate electrical voltage and current to drive the LED  208 . 
     Although it is contemplated that each LED driver  204  will take either a first portion or last portion of the received data stream as the data control block, the present disclosure is not meant to be so limited. In the present example, the first LED driver  204  in the chain will then pass the remaining portion of the data stream to the LED driver  204  immediately downstream. The next LED driver  204  will then repeat the process. Thus, the microcontroller  202  and/or the control box  102  can provide a control signal to each LED driver  204 , which may be contained in one or more of the lighting modules  112 . It can be appreciated that with such a system, if any particular lighting module  112  fails, it may simply be replaced within the appropriate lighting strip  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , without any need for reprogramming or any need for the control box  102  and/or microcontroller  202  to know an address associated with the replacement lighting module. 
     In the present embodiment, the LED drivers  204  communicate with the attached digital switches  206  via a pulse with modulation protocol. It is understood that each LED driver  204  may be able to control multiple digital switches  206  which in turn could power multiple LEDs  208 . Thus the system  100  achieves selective control of all LEDs  208  via the LED drivers  204  and digital switches  206 . The LED drivers  204  may be a general-purpose programmable circuit so programed to perform the appropriate functions, or may be based upon an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). One suitable commercially available LED driver is available from Allegro Microsystems under the part number A6281. 
     As with the LED drivers  204 , it is contemplated that the digital switch  206  may be a general-purpose programmable circuit so programmed to perform the appropriate functions or it could be an ASIC. In the present embodiment, one suitable digital switch capable of providing necessary power output to the appropriate LEDs is available from National Semiconductor Corporation under the part number LM3414. The example parts given enable the system to operate on a wide voltage spectrum. Voltages that produce acceptable results range from 12 VDC to 48 VDC. 
     It is contemplated that the LEDs  208  may be extra wide angle, 120-degree LEDs. However, other LEDs may also be suitable. It is also contemplated that the LEDs  208  may be provided in a plurality of different colors. As is known in the art, a plurality of LEDs  208  may be provided in close proximity to act as pixels and be able to provide a multitude of additional visible colors other than those of the individual LEDs. Such an arrangement can be provided within and/or between the lighting modules  112 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a flow chart depicting the operation of the control circuitry of  FIG. 2  is shown. At the beginning, the appropriate LED driver  204  will receive the data stream at step  302 . At step  304  the appropriate control block is extracted (for example, from the beginning or end of the data stream) and the information contained in the data control block is utilized to operate the portion of the display under the control of the receiving LED driver. At step  306 , a portion of the data stream containing the executed data block is truncated from the data stream. At step  308 , the remaining data stream is then transmitted to the next LED driver in the chain series. It is understood that some of the operations of  FIG. 3  could execute in a different order. For example, the data stream could be truncated and retransmitted prior to the LED driver executing the commands contained within the extracted control block. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a diagram of one embodiment of a data format that may be utilized by the system of the present disclosure is shown. In the present example, the construction or data stream is 4,096 bits in length. The data stream may be propagated through the system at various different speeds. In the examples given in the present disclosure, the data stream propagates at a speed of 5 MHz. In  FIG. 4 , the top portion illustrates the initial full 4,096 bit data stream. This represents the data stream as it would be issued to a particular lighting strip  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , from the control box  102 . The lower portion of  FIG. 4  illustrates the data stream after it has passed through the first LED driver  204 . Thus, the lower portion of  FIG. 4  illustrates the data stream as seen by the second LED driver in the chain. Hence, in the present embodiment 32 bits of the data stream have been extracted as the control block for the receiving LED driver  204 . The next receiving LED driver  204  may repeat the process by executing the instructions contained in bits  33 - 64 . Such LED driver  204  would then remove bits  33 - 64  from the data stream before passing it to the following LED driver. 
     Using the present example, it will be appreciated that up to 128 different LED drivers  204  may be operated or controlled with no addressing required within the data stream. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of strips  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , could be connected to a single control box  102 . Thus, a large array of discrete LEDs may be operated and controlled from the single control box  102  with no addressing required. It is understood that in other embodiments the data stream may be shorter or longer and the length of the extracted control block may also be longer or shorter. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a diagram of a portion of the potential data format of  FIG. 4  is shown. In  FIG. 5  the first 32 bits of the data stream are shown. As described, this is the portion of the data stream extracted for execution by the first LED driver  204  in the chain. In the present embodiment, the first 8 bits shown in  FIG. 5  are designated to control a desired color to be produced by the receiving LED driver  204 . As described, each LED driver  204  could be connected to a plurality of different digital switches  206  and/or LEDs  208 . Thus, each LED driver  204  may be capable of providing a wide array of different colors. In the present embodiment, the bits  9 - 16  are designated as control bits. The control bits,  9 - 16 , may be utilized for a wide array of purposes related to the control of the LEDs  208 . For example, the control bits  9 - 16  may encode for flashing or steady illumination, the duration of illumination, whether the illumination ceases abruptly, and/or whether the illumination fades. 
     Bits  17 - 24  may encode the intensity of the color to be provided under the current control instruction set. Bits  25 - 32  may provide for any necessary color correction. It is contemplated that each LED driver  204  within the system  100  may be provided with a different control block. Thus the lighting strips  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , within the larger system  100  may each be coordinated and utilized to produce lighting effects system wide. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a perspective view of a lighting module according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown.  FIG. 6  is meant to illustrate one particular implementation of a lighting module  112 .  FIG. 6  further illustrates the relationship between the lighting module  112  and the circuitry that may be contained therein. The circuitry may include LED drivers  204 , digital switches  206 , and/or LEDs  208 . In the present embodiment, the lighting module  112  comprises a protective tube  602 . The tube  602  may comprise a section of polycarbonate tubing. In one embodiment, the diameter of the tubing will be 1.25 inches. It may be UV rated and impact resistant. In the present embodiment, the tube  602  is substantially transparent. However, it is also possible to utilize a tube  602  that may be translucent, or may be opaque along a portion thereof. 
     In the present embodiment, the tube  602  contains a number of light strips  604  that may be joined at a connection  608 . Each of the light strips  604  contains one or more LEDs  208  that may be surfaced mounted thereto. In the present embodiment, each of the light strips  604  contains its own LED driver  204  and digital switch  206 . It will be appreciated that the number of LEDs  208 , digital switches  206 , and LED drivers  204 , is only exemplary. For example, it is possible for a single LED driver  204  to control a plurality of digital switches  206  that may provide power output to a plurality of LEDs  208 . It is also understood that a lighting module  112  may be constructed such that each module  112  only contains a single LED driver  204 . 
     In embodiments where multiple light strips  604  are provided within the same tube  602 , a connection between the light strips may be provided at  608 . It will be appreciated that the connection  608  could be implemented a variety of different ways, depending upon the control path, the power path, and ground path provided. In one embodiment, the connection  608  will be constructed according to United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/0073864 A1, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     In addition to each lighting module  112  possibly having two or more light strips  604  each with one or more LED drivers  204 . It is also possible that only a single LED driver  204  may be provided, although there are multiple light strips  604 . It is also possible that even when multiple LED drivers  204  are present that only one may be active per lighting module  112 . In this way the control over the system  100  may be as finely grained as desired by the user of the system. 
     In the present embodiment, the tube  602  is capped off by an end cap at each end  610 . The caps  610  may be sealed to the tube  602  using chemical sealers or O-rings (not shown) such that the entire tube  602  may be made substantially weather-proof. In this way the system  100  is suitable for use outdoors and in a variety of weather conditions. In the present embodiment, a power and signal input lead  612  is provided on one end of the lighting module  112 . A power and signal output line  614  is provided on the opposite end of the lighting module  112 . The module  112  may connect and receive power and/or data via the connection  612  from the control box  102  and/or upstream lighting module. Correspondingly, the lighting module  112  may provide outgoing power and control signals via the line  614 . 
     Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the claims.