DE4111397A1 - Real=time control equipment for building lighting - uses e.g. personal computer for bidirectional analogue control via low-voltage serial network connected to light units - Google Patents

Abstract

A transmitter (18), connected after the computer (10) is cable-connected at a specific distance (a) to a receiver (20), connected in turn to at least one light regulator (24). At least one luminescence carrier or light (26) is connected to the light regulator. The transmitter and receiver are provided with optically decoupled outputs. A digital to analogue convertor and a relay are connected after the receivers, the latter being in turn connected to a regulator (25) and a light (26). An electronic card installed in a computer converts the control signals of a program into standard levels for conversion into serial signals for transmission. The electronic card is also used to convert in-going serial signals from the receiver into parallel signals which are fed to the computer. ADVANTAGE - Computerised light regulating system optimises properties of each light, i.e. duration of useful life, light yield, and economy.

Description

The invention relates to a system and a method for controlling and Control of light control actuators.

The inventor set the goal of a new computer lighting rule to develop a system that is particularly suitable for control of light control actuators to the peculiarities of each light means to enter and its lifespan, light output and host optimize economy.

To solve this task, a system leads to bidirectional, analog control and regulation of light control actuators in so-called Real time using their low voltage control voltage by means of serial network - based on address data - with one computer and a transmitter connected downstream, which is at a distance from one at least one light controller connected to the receiver is wired, wherein at least one luminescent carrier or Illuminant is connected. This system is preferred for one Process used in which one installed in a computer Electronics card Control signals of a program in standardized levels converts that in a transmitter into serial signals for a receiver to be converted, with the electronics card also incoming serial signals of the receiver on the transmitter into parallel signals converted and fed to the computer.

A real-time calculation means that the computer with can "keep up" with the calculation of the current time conditions, ie not calculated in advance - over a longer period - in order to Then calculated to play in a shorter period.  

Additional inventive features are to the dependent claims remove.

With the teaching of the invention, a complete system for bidirectional tional, analog control and regulation of light controller special Control elements offered in so-called real time using their Low voltage control voltage via serial network - on addresses - Data base - by industrial standard computers for the purpose of Adaptation of the lamps:

• - optical and other environmental conditions (e.g. daylight, occupancy, etc.);
• - rationalization of energy consumption (Peak current limitation);
• - switching times;
• - Program control using controller characteristics;
• - Synthesis from these or other parameters.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments as well as from the drawing. This shows in

Figure 1 shows the schematic structure of a system according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a graph with controller characteristics.

. Fig. 3 is a so-called freeze list;

Fig. 4 is a cross-reference list.

In a standard PC 10 with drive 12 , keyboard 14 and printer 16 , a permanently installed electronics card "LARS" converts computer control signals coming from a program into standardized levels, which then leave the computer and in a transmitter 18 to serial Signals are converted. The same card also transmits the incoming signals from transmitter 18 to the program. Communication between the transmitter module 18 and a receiver module 20 takes place by means of a three-wire cable 22 . The signals can be transmitted between transmitter and receiver modules 18 , 20 over a distance of more than 3000 m <cable length a) without problems and without shielded cable material. Both transmitter 18 and receiver module 20 have optically decoupled outputs in order to prevent damage, for example due to mains voltages.

The task of the transmitter 18 is to translate the standardized signals from the computer 10 into serial signals and to convert serial signals coming from the receivers 20 into parallel signals for the computer 10 . The receiver 20 has the option of transmitting digital and analog signals to the transmitter 18 and thus to the control software, which enables regulators to be adapted to specific environmental conditions (light intensity, temperature, precipitation ...).

The receiver 20 translate the serial signals of the transmitter 18 into parallel signals with which a D / A converter and a relay are addressed. The relay in turn responds to the supply voltage of a regulator 24 or a lamp 26 . The D / A converter generates the analog values that are important for the controllers 24 , which then directly influence the control voltage of the controller 24 by means of optocouplers and voltage dividers.

It is also possible to use the control network to use other actuators as well - Switches, relays or consumers - to address that with a Control voltage of 10 V (max. 30 V) work.

The controller 24 is a phase control light controller and works with a control voltage of 0 to 10 V DC. It therefore corresponds to the standard for analog control signals. The following luminescence carriers can be controlled:

• - filament lamp;
• - neon lamps (e.g. advertising media);
• - Fluorescent illuminants (e.g. luminous fabric lamps);
• - Halogen lamps (220 V types);
• - Low-voltage lamps (e.g. 12 V - Halo gene lamps);
• - metal halide lamps;
• - sodium vapor lamps;
• - mercury vapor lamps.

The control program of the system is an under in the context of the invention Program created using a high-level language compiler with a executive part, a programming part and program parts for Cross references and freezes.

In the executing part, the control sequence - stored in a coded (protected) database - is addressed and released for execution. The process of influencing the controller takes place in what is known as real time, with the control value corresponding to real time being released for transmission even in the case of delayed transactions (eg control network failure) after the network is restarted. A control sequence spans 24 hours. Control states not directly defined in the sequence between two (one !!) control states (status) directly defined in the sequence are interpolated logically and linearly. In this way it is possible to let the controller rise (decrease) linearly from one control value to another over a time interval. If the start control value is identical to the end control value, the control values inside the control interval determined by the start control value and the end control value are identical to the limitation control values. The control values encompass the entire range of the control element, since the entire range of the control voltage of the control element can be used. In addition to the response of the control voltage of the control element, it is also possible to switch the consumer on and off, which is not possible by the controller itself. In addition to the name of the active control sequence, the program also shows the time and current energy consumption of all connected lamps. The program - active program:
Ramadan.Pro - supports so-called multitasking programs, RAM disks, CACHE memory and can run on networked computers. Internal tests with different types of computers from different manufacturers showed no restrictions in the choice of the type of computer.

If the serial transmission network fails, this is indicated in the executing program section by the comment "NETZAUSFALL". The control elements keep their information - and consequently also the actuators lights 26 - their current status. Once the source of the error has been remedied, the transmission network restarts automatically and transmits the real-time correct control values to the controller 24 .

The program checks the status of the network before and after sending the controller values. Nevertheless, the possibility of incorrect transmission of individual controller values due to external influences cannot be completely ruled out, since it is a redundancy-free, unshielded network. Larger effects of an incorrect transmission on the rule are not expected to occur; the network transmits the control values to the controller 24 several times per second. The physical inertia of the illuminants 26 itself prevents these outliers from being perceived.

It is assumed that if the voltage ver care is a general emergency. Accordingly, the pro gram package a panic quick start, which - regardless of the ener energy consumption - all lamps switched on and on automatically maximum power can be regulated. The program is started manually This process can be prevented by the operator to avoid un Avoid steadiness or energy peaks.

The programming part can be used to easily and effectively determine the daily rhythm of lighting in the environment to be controlled. For each computer 10 , the system can address one thousand and twenty-four controllers 24 in real time, and a plurality of lamps 26 can be addressed simultaneously by each of the controllers 24 . The input of the control values can be reduced to a minimum, since the program calculates all logical intermediate values in order to avoid any discrepancies. The shortest program influencing interval is five minutes, whereby this period of time is also converted by the program into more than 300 logical linear-interpolated control values. The characteristic curves of the individual controllers 24 can be represented graphically according to FIG. 2; the latter shows the controller characteristics of the receiver 0 OEa to 7 2Bou as a function of time (0 to 24 h) and control state (0% to 100%) light.

Cross-references (cross-reference list in FIG. 4) give the user the possibility of defining the individual controllers 24 . In addition, you can give the controllers 24 short names and record the lamp load. The latter is in turn the basis for the statement about the total energy consumption during the regulation described.

In addition, there is the possibility of freezing the controller 24 to a specific control value in order to decouple it from the rule (so-called freezing list in FIG. 3). These frozen controllers 24 are - just like all the others - addressed several times per second, but always with the predetermined control value on which they are frozen. This is necessary if temporary light accents are to be set, but a separate control sequence does not have to be specially programmed.

Claims (7)

1. Plant for bidirectional, analog control and regulation of light controller actuators in real time using their low-voltage control voltage by means of a serial network with a computer ( 10 ) and a transmitter ( 18 ) connected downstream, which is at a distance (a) to one at least one receiver ( 20 ) connected to a light controller ( 24 ) is wired, at least one luminescent carrier or illuminant ( 26 ) being connected to the light controller. 2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmitter ( 18 ) and receiver ( 20 ) are provided with optically decoupled outputs. 3. Plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a D / A converter and a relay are connected downstream of the receiver ( 20 ) and the latter is connected to a controller ( 24 ) or an illuminant tel ( 26 ). 4. Method for bidirectional, analog control and regulation of Light control actuators in real time, especially under Use of the system according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which an electronic card installed in a computer Control signals of a program are converted into standardized levels that in a transmitter into serial signals for a receiver be converted, with the electronics card too  incoming serial signals of the receiver at the transmitter in parallel lele signals are converted and fed to the computer. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that from Receiver converted the serial D / A converter and a relay will. 6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the relay the supply voltage of a controller or a light responds by means of. 7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized records that with the D / A converter analog values for the controller are generated, the control voltage of which by means of optocoupling Apply voltage and voltage divider directly.