Patent ID: 12207370

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the Figures corresponding elements are denoted with identical reference signs.

FIG.1is a block diagram of a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention.

As shown inFIG.1, a luminaire1comprises at least one lighting means5, at least one acoustic sensor2, a processing unit3and an operating unit4for providing electrical energy to the at least one lighting means5from an external energy source7, such as mains and/or a battery, wherein the battery may be a rechargeable battery. The acoustic sensor2and the processing unit3are integrated in a sensor unit15, which further comprised a memory16as storage unit.

The above description of the luminaire according to an aspect of the invention is also valid for the luminaire1ofFIG.1. That is, the above description of the at least one lighting means, the at least one acoustic sensor and the processing unit of the luminaire according to an aspect of the invention is also valid for the at least one lighting means5, at least one acoustic sensor2and processing unit3of the luminaire1according toFIG.1.

The operating unit4is controllable by the processing unit3(as indicated by the solid line between the elements3and4inFIG.1) and is configured to supply the at least one lighting means5with electrical energy. Since the light emission by the at least one lighting means5is dependent on the electrical energy supplied by the operating unit4to the at least one lighting means5, the processing unit3is configured to control the light emission by the at least one lighting means5by controlling the operating unit4. In particular, by controlling the energy supply by the operating unit4to the at least one lighting means5. The term “lighting means driver” may be used as a synonym for the term “operating unit”. For controlling the light emission of the lighting means5, the sensor unit15and the operating unit4are connected such that the processing unit3can send information about identified environmental situations or control information derived by the processing unit3based on the identified environmental situations to the operating unit4. The sensor unit15and the operation unit15both may be connected to a bus system. For lighting applications, DALI or DALI-2 are preferred.

Preferably, the operating unit4is configured to convert electrical energy, in particular an input voltage or input current, supplied from the external energy source7, such as mains, into a different electrical energy level, in particular a higher or lower output voltage or output current. Further, the operating unit4preferably comprises at least one actively switched DC-to-DC converter with at least one switch, such as a transistor, and at least one electrical energy storage, such as a choke or an inductivity. An input voltage or current may be converted by the DC-to-DC converter into a higher or lower output voltage or current, depending on the type of DC-to-DC converter, by actively switching the at least one switch. Examples of an actively switched DC-to-DC converter are a boost converter, a buck converter, a flyback converter, a resonant converter etc.

In case the operating unit4comprises at least one actively switched DC-to-DC converter, the processing unit3is configured to control the switching of the at least one switch of the DC-to-DC converter in order to control the electrical energy provided by the operating unit4to the at least one lighting means5. Controlling the switching of the at least one switch also includes indirect control by providing information on an identified environmental situation or control information. The provided information may then internally in the operation unit4processed to generate a switch signal, which switches the switch in the end.

The at least one acoustic sensor2is configured to measure environmental sound and to provide the measurement results to the processing unit3(as indicated by the solid line between the elements2and3inFIG.1).

The processing unit3is configured to process the measured environmental sound, received from the at least one acoustic sensor2, in order to identify an environmental situation of the luminaire1. That is, the processing unit3is configured to identify the environmental situation of the luminaire1on the basis of at least one characteristic of the measured environmental sound, such as the amplitude, frequency or pattern of the measured environmental sound. In particular, the processing unit3is configured to identify the environmental situation of the luminaire1on the basis of the amplitude, frequency and/or pattern of the measured environmental sound. A correspondence between measured values of characteristics (or changes thereof) and associated environmental situations are stored in the memory16. Further, the memory can store a correspondence table, for example, a look-up table, to enable determination of control information based on an identified environmental situation. The memory16may further store algorithms for computing environmental situations from the measured sound.

The processing unit3is preferably configured to detect a change of the at least one characteristic of the environmental sound measured by the at least one acoustic sensor2and to identify on the basis of the detected change of the at least one environmental sound characteristic the environmental situation of the luminaire1.

As outlined already above, the sound caused by a vehicle driving over ice or snow on a street is different to the sound caused by a vehicle driving on a street without ice and snow. Weather conditions, such as light rainfall, heavy rainfall, wind, thunder etc., each cause a characteristic environmental sound that is indicative of/characteristic of the respective weather condition. For example, in case there is heavy rainfall, this causes an environmental sound indicative of the heavy rainfall, which may be measured by the at least one acoustic sensor2of the luminaire1.

The processing unit3of the luminaire1may then identify on the basis of the measured environmental sound the presence of heavy rainfall as the environmental situation of the luminaire1.

Moreover, street users, such as vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, persons, each cause a characteristic environmental sound that is indicative of the respective street user.

For example, in case there is a vehicle passing by the luminaire1, this causes an environmental sound indicative of the moving vehicle, which may be measured by the at least one acoustic sensor2of the luminaire1. The processing unit3of the luminaire1may then identify on the basis of the measured environmental sound the passing by of a vehicle as the environmental situation of the luminaire1.

Furthermore, the sound caused by a vehicle driving on a street with a damage, such as a pothole, is different to the sound caused by the vehicle driving on a street without any damage, i.e. with a smooth street surface. Thus, the processing unit3may identify on the basis of the environmental sound whether the street comprises a damage, such as a pothole, or not.

The processing unit3is configured to control the light emission by the at least one lighting means5on the basis of the identified environmental situation. In particular, the processing unit3is configured to change the light intensity, light color and/or color temperature of the light emission by the at least one lighting means5on the basis of the identified environmental situation. To control the light emission the processing unit3generates control information or provides information on the identified environmental situation to the operation unit4.

The processing unit3is configured to communicate the identified environmental situation and/or the contol information derived therefrom to extern. In particular, the processing unit3is configured to communicate with at least one element of a system6, such as at least one central control unit of the system6(as indicated inFIG.1by the solid line between the elements15and6). The luminaire1may be a part of the system6.

The processing unit3is a part of the sensor unit15. This case is shown inFIG.2Ashowing a sensor unit15including the acoustic sensor2with a processing unit.

FIGS.2A and2Bare each a block diagram of sensor units of a luminaire according to an embodiment of the invention.

The sensor units ofFIGS.2A and2Bmay be used in a luminaire according to an aspect of the invention. The sensor unit15ofFIG.2Bmay be used in a luminaire of the system according to a further aspect of the invention and in a luminaire of the system according to another aspect of the invention.

The above description with respect to the at least one sensor unit15of the luminaire according to an aspect of the invention and the above description with respect to the at least one sensor unit of the luminaire ofFIG.1is also valid for the sensor units ofFIGS.2A and2B.

The sensor unit15ofFIG.2Acomprisesa microphone21as acoustic sensor for measuring the environmental sound,a signal processing unit22for signal processing the measurement signals received from the microphone21,a processing unit23for identifying an environmental situation on the basis of at least one characteristic of the environmental sound measured by the microphone21and optionally signal processed by the signal processing unit22,a memory16, anda communication interface24for communicating with the operation unit4and/or extern, in particular for communicating information to extern.

The at least one characteristic of the environmental sound may be an amplitude, frequency or pattern of the environmental sound. The information communicated by the communication interface24may be the identified environmental situation.

The communication interface24is configured for a wireless and/or wired communication with extern. The communication interface24may be an interface according to the DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) industry standard or DALI-2 industry standard.

The processing unit23is configured to perform the processes that may be performed by the processing unit of the luminaire according to an aspect of the invention as described above, in particular by the processing unit3of the luminaire1ofFIG.1. That is, the processing unit23preferably corresponds to the processing unit3of the luminaire1according to an aspect of the invention ofFIG.1.

The acoustic sensor ofFIG.2Bdiffers to the acoustic sensor ofFIG.2Ain that the acoustic sensor ofFIG.2Bdoes not comprise a processing unit23.

That is, the sensor unit ofFIG.2Bcomprisesa microphone21as acoustic sensor2for measuring the environmental sound,an optional signal processing unit22for signal processing the measurement signals received from the microphone21, anda communication interface24for communicating with extern or to a separate processing unit within the luminaire.

In particular, the communication interface24is configured to communicate the measurement results (measured environmental sound) of the microphone21, which may be signal processed by the optional signal processing unit22, to extern.

The communication interface24is configured for a wireless and/or wired communication with extern. The communication interface24may be an interface according to the DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) industry standard or DALI-2 industry standard. In particular, the communication interface24is configured to communicate the acoustic sound measured by the acoustic sensor2, in particular by the microphone21, to a processing unit of a luminaire and/or to a central control unit extern to the luminaire, in case the acoustic sensor is part of the luminaire.

FIG.3is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Thus, the above description with regard to the system according to a further aspect of the invention and the description with regard to the system according to another aspect of the invention is also valid for the system6ofFIG.3.

As shown inFIG.3, the system6comprises a plurality of luminaires. Namely, the system6comprises five luminaires1comprising at least one acoustic sensor for providing lighting and measuring environmental sound and one further luminaire14for providing lighting. The system6may comprise also a different number of luminaires1and14. That is, the number of luminaires shown inFIG.3is only by way of example for describing an embodiment of the invention and is not limiting the invention.

At least one of the luminaires1corresponds to the luminaire according to an aspect of the invention, as described above, in particular to the luminaire1according toFIG.1. Therefore, the description with regard to the luminaire according to an aspect of the invention and the description with regard to the luminaire1ofFIG.1is valid for this at least one luminaire1.

On the top ofFIG.3, two luminaires1and the further luminaire14are electrically supplied from a common supply line13and, on the bottom ofFIG.3, three luminaires1are electrically supplied from a common supply line13. These two groups of luminaires may for example correspond to the luminaires of two different streets.

The luminaires of each group may communicate via the respective supply line13(power line communication) with a corresponding communication sub-unit8, such as a concentrator unit.

Each communication sub-unit8may then communicate data to an optional communication unit9. The communication unit9is configured to communicate via a network10, such as the internet, data to central control units12. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the communication sub-units8may communicate directly data via the network10. In particular, the communication unit9and/or at least one of the communication sub-units8are configured to communicate data to an optional server11of the system6. At least one central control unit12is configured to communicate data via the server11, in particular to receive data from the server11.

The communication between the elements of the system6may be wireless and/or wire-bound and is not limited to a specific communication method and communication protocol.

The number of central control units12, optional server11, optional communication unit9and communication sub-units8of the system6ofFIG.3is only by way of example for explaining an embodiment of the invention and is not limiting the invention. The number of control units12, optional server11, optional communication unit9and communication sub-units8may, thus, be different compared to the number shown inFIG.3.

The following explanation with regard to one central control unit12of the system6is also valid for the other central control unit(s)12of the system6.

The central control unit12may receive from one or more luminaires1an identified environmental situation and/or control information. On the basis of the received information of a first luminaire1or a plurality of luminaires, the central control unit12may control the light emission by the first luminaire and/or control the light emission by at least one other luminaire, such as another luminaire1or the further luminaire14. Collecting information from a plurality of luminaires allows to determine an improved situation understanding. In case that the resulting control of a luminaire1contradicts the control of a luminaire performed internally in the luminaire1, the local control of the luminaire may be overruled by control information receive from the central control unit12. The luminaires1may also be configured to ignore control information received from extern.

Additionally, the central control unit12may receive from one or more luminaires1, which do not comprise a processing unit but at least one acoustic sensor, measured environmental sound.

The central control unit12is configured to identify on the basis of the measured environmental sound, in particular on the basis of at least one characteristic of the measured environmental sound, an environmental situation of the respective luminaire1. On the basis of the identified environmental situation of the respective luminaire1, the central control unit12may control the light emission by the respective luminaire1and/or control the light emission by at least one other luminaire, such as another luminaire1or the further luminaire14.

The central control unit12may identify on the basis of the measured environmental sound received from at least two luminaires1an overall environmental situation of the system6.

Additionally or alternatively, the central control unit12may identify on the basis of the environmental situations of at least two luminaires1an overall environmental situation of the system6.

The central control unit12may control the light emission by at least one luminaire of the system6on the basis of the identified overall environmental situation of the system6.

Controlling the light emission of a luminaire by the central control unit12may include changing the light intensity, light color and/or color temperature of the light emission but also geometry and/or direction of the emitted light. For changing the direction and/or opening angle of the emitted light, the luminaire may comprise actuators for actuating optical devices of the luminaire.

For example, in case the two luminaires1and the one further luminaire14on the top ofFIG.3correspond to street lamps of a street, wherein the two luminaires1are placed at different spots of the street, e.g. one at the beginning and one at the end of the street, then the central control unit12is configured to identify respectively determine an overall street condition (overall environmental situation) of the street on the basis of the environmental situation of each of the two luminaires1. The environmental situation of each of the two luminaires1may be identified directly by a processing unit of the respective luminaire1or by the central control unit12.