WO1996034516A1 - Improvements in or relating to lighting systems - Google Patents
Improvements in or relating to lighting systems Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1996034516A1 WO1996034516A1 PCT/GB1996/001029 GB9601029W WO9634516A1 WO 1996034516 A1 WO1996034516 A1 WO 1996034516A1 GB 9601029 W GB9601029 W GB 9601029W WO 9634516 A1 WO9634516 A1 WO 9634516A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- luminaires
- control unit
- lighting system
- group
- central control
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B47/00—Circuit arrangements for operating light sources in general, i.e. where the type of light source is not relevant
- H05B47/10—Controlling the light source
- H05B47/175—Controlling the light source by remote control
- H05B47/18—Controlling the light source by remote control via data-bus transmission
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B47/00—Circuit arrangements for operating light sources in general, i.e. where the type of light source is not relevant
- H05B47/10—Controlling the light source
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21W—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- F21W2131/00—Use or application of lighting devices or systems not provided for in codes F21W2102/00-F21W2121/00
- F21W2131/40—Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
- F21W2131/406—Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use for theatres, stages or film studios
Definitions
- This invention relates to a lighting system and to a method of controlling such a system.
- each dimmer has been controlled by a respective channel of a control unit so as to provide the desired degree of lighting from each luminaire. More recently it has been proposed to site the dimmers adjacent to their respective luminaires, again with each dimmer being controlled by a respective channel of a central control unit.
- each individual luminaire is directly controlled by a respective control channel of the central control unit and the number of luminaires that can be controlled is limited by the number of control channels that are available.
- a controlled lighting system comprising a multiplicity of luminaires and a central control unit for controlling the light outputs of the luminaires, the luminaires being divided into a plurality of groups, each of the groups being arranged to receive its own control signal from the central control unit and having a respective local control means which is arranged to control the light outputs of individual luminaires of the group in depen ⁇ dence upon both a signal from the central control unit and information stored in the local control means.
- each group of luminaires comprises a plurality of luminaires, but in special circumstances there may be one or more groups of luminaires which consist of only a single luminaire and there may also be other individual luminaires that are controlled directly from the central control unit and not provided with a local control means.
- the local control means of the luminaires may be connected to the central control unit via a common control loop and each local control means may be arranged to receive control signals from the central control unit via a respective control channel of the common control loop.
- the common control loop will be a wire loop but, if desired, a remote control system using for example a radio or infra-red control may be used.
- At least one, and advantageously each, of the local control means may be pre-programmed when the lighting system is set up so as to control each of the individual luminaires to provide a respective desired light output in response to a given control signal from the central control unit.
- the pre-programming is such that the light outputs of individual luminaires of the associated group are varied proportionally in dependence upon the signal from the central control unit, the ratios of the light outputs having been selected by the pre-programming.
- a dimmer module is provided as a plug-in unit for the luminaire the plugging-in of the module serving to provide both a mechanical and an electrical connection between the dimmer module and the luminaire.
- Each local control means may comprise a single control unit having separate outputs for each of the luminaires it is controlling but, preferably, as in the illustrated embodiment of the invention described below, each local control means comprises a plurality of local control units, each associated with a respective one of the luminaires of the group controlled by the local control means.
- the local control means are positioned at locations remote from the central control unit and preferably adjacent to or on the luminaires that they are arranged to control.
- each group of luminaires each group comprising a plurality of luminaires
- each luminaire is individually controlled by a respective control channel from the central control unit.
- Such an arrangement enables a reduced brightness to be provided by the luminaire, even when the signal from the central control unit indicates full brightness.
- the present invention also provides a controlled lighting system comprising a multiplicity of luminaires and a central control unit for varying the light outputs of the luminaires during use by means of a multi-channel control signal, the luminaires being arranged to respond to respective channels of the control signal and having respective local control units which are arranged to be preset by a user to control the actual light output in accordance with a combination of the control signal from the central control unit and the presetting of the local control unit.
- the present invention also provides a method of controlling a lighting system comprising a multiplicity of luminaires divided into a plurality of groups, in which method the light outputs of individual luminaires of a group are controlled in dependence upon both a signal from a central control unit that is common to all the luminaires of the group and upon information stored in a control means local to the group and providing respective controls for each of the luminaires of the group.
- a plug-in dimmer module as described above can be of advantage in other forms of lighting system since it provides a user of the system with an option to provide a dimming facility on any of a large number of luminaires without having to acguire a dinner for each luminaire; rather a user is able to plug in dimmer modules to those particular luminaires on which the dimming facility is required.
- the present invention provides a luminaire assembly comprising a luminaire including a light source, and a dimmer module, the luminaire being operable without the dimmer module but also being able to receive the dimmer module as a plug-in fit in which the di mer module is mechanically and electrically connected to the luminaire and dimming means is interposed in the electrical power supply to the light source.
- the luminaire assembly may be part of a lighting system having some or all of the features of the lighting system referred to above or below.
- Fig. l is a diagram of an entertainment lighting system comprising a plurality of luminaires
- Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a control arrangement for one of the luminaires.
- Fig. 3 is a front view of a dimmer module for each luminaire.
- the entertainment lighting system shown in Fig. 1 has a central control unit 1, a main power supply 2 and four groups A, B, C and D of luminaires.
- Each of the groups of luminaires comprises four luminaires referenced Al to A4, Bl to B4, Cl to C4 and Dl to D4.
- Associated with each luminaire is a local control unit and a dimmer for controlling the light outputs of the luminaires.
- the local control units and the dimmers are mounted on the luminaires and are not shown separately in Fig. 1.
- Each luminaire is connected by a power cable 3 to the main power supply 2 and by a control cable loop 4 to the central control unit 1.
- the central control unit l shown in the drawing has nine channels of which only the first four are used in the illustrated embodiment.
- the central control unit 1 provides a multiplexed control signal with luminaires of group A controlled by the first channel, luminaires of group B controlled by the second channel, luminaires of group C controlled by the third channel and luminaires of group D controlled by the fourth channel.
- the luminaires of each group may be positioned in proximity to one another but they may also be spaced apart with other luminaires of other groups interposed between them. As can be seen in Fig. 1, all the luminaires of a group are directed towards the same subject referenced SI to S4 in Fig. 1; whilst that is an advantageous arrangement which has the advantage that there is a clear connection between the desired relative brightness levels of the luminaires within one group, it is not an essential feature of the invention.
- the central control unit 1 is a conventional control unit for a lighting control system of a kind already available from many manufacturers.
- the unit is in accordance with the industry standard DMX512 (1991) protocol.
- suitable units are the Regal II+4 DMX Control System available from CCT Lighting Ltd. , Sutton, England, the Gemini 2+, Galaxy Nova and MX control systems available from Strand Lighting, Isleworth, England, and the Obsession, Expression, Impression, Concept, Insight, Microvision, Idea and Acclaim systems available from Electronic Theatre Control Inc., Niddleton, USA.
- Fig. 2 shows the control arrangement at each luminaire.
- the control cable loop 4 is connected to a master control microprocessor 5 which is connected to receive an input from a channel selector switch 6 comprising three decimal switches 6A, 6B and 6C.
- An output from the master processor 5 is passed to a slave processor 7 having an associated local light output level setting switch 8.
- the output of the slave processor 7 is connected to a dimmer circuit 9 interposed between a mains power supply 10 and an output 11 to a lamp.
- the slave processor 7 controls the dimmer circuit 9 in dependence upon the combination of the setting of the switch 8, which is a hexadecimal switch giving 16 proportionate output levels including 0% and 100%, and the output level signal from the master processor 5.
- an operator sets the three decimal switches 6A, 6B and 6C of a luminaire to the channel of the control unit 1 that has been selected to control the group of luminaires to which the particular luminaire belongs.
- the channel selector switch 6 then causes the master processor 5 to react to control signals from the control unit 1 in the selected channel but not to signals of any of the other channels in the multiplexed control signal.
- the operator also selects the ratio of the light outputs of the luminaires of a group and adjusts the switches 8 of the local control units of the luminaires accordingly.
- the proportional controls provided by the switches 8 are set so that the luminaire Al provides full output, luminaire A2 60% output, luminaire A3 40% output and luminaire A4 80% output.
- the other luminaires are set to provide the following outputs:
- the settings indicated above determine the relative amounts of light outputs of luminaires in a group while the signal from the central control unit l determines the general level of output.
- luminaire Al will be at full light output, luminaire A2 at 60% output, luminaire A3 at 40% output and luminaire A4 at 80% output.
- luminaire Bl will be at 80% of full light output, luminaire B2 at 38.4% output, luminaire B3 at 25.6% output and luminaire B4 at 51.2% output.
- the light output of each luminaire is dependent upon the control signal from the central control unit and the proportional control preselected by the operator when the lighting system is first set up.
- the dimmer circuit 9 is interposed between the mains power supply 10 and the output 11 to a lamp.
- the physical position of the dimmer circuit 9 (and the processors 5, 7 and switches 6, 8) is flexible.
- the dimmer circuit 9 and the other components shown in Fig. 2 (processors 5, 7 and switches 6, 8) are incorporated in a dimmer module that is a plug- in fit into a luminaire housing. With the dimmer module unplugged the mains power supply 10 is directly connected to the output 11 and no dimming facility is provided.
- the dimmer module When the dimmer module is plugged in the direct electrical connection between the mains power supply 10 and the output 11 is broken and replaced by the connec ⁇ tion shown in Fig. 2; at the same time as the dimmer module is electrically connected it is also mechanically connected to the luminaire.
- Fig. 3 shows a dimmer module for plug-in connection as just described.
- the module has a front panel on which are a mains power socket 15 (for connection to the mains power supply 10 of Fig. 2), input and output control cable connections 16A and 16B, switches 6A, 6B and 6C for setting the channel to which the module responds (in the described embodiment there are 512 channels), switch 8 for setting the local proportionate light output control and a plug 17 for connection to a luminaire housing in the same way as a mains power lead can be directly connected to the luminaire housing.
- a mains power socket 15 for connection to the mains power supply 10 of Fig. 2
- input and output control cable connections 16A and 16B for setting the channel to which the module responds (in the described embodiment there are 512 channels)
- switch 8 for setting the local proportionate light output control
- a plug 17 for connection to a luminaire housing in the same way as a mains power lead can be directly connected to the luminaire housing.
- a mains power lead (10 in Fig. 2) is inserted into the socket 15 control cables (4 in Fig. 2) are connected to the connections 16A and 16B and the plug 17 is plugged into a socket in the luminaire housing 18 shown in dotted outline.
- the operator sets the switches 6A, 6B and 6C to the selected channel to determine the group to which the luminaire belongs and sets the switch 8 to a chosen proportionate setting to select the brightness of the luminaire compared to other luminaires of the same group, or, especially in a case where the luminaire is not part of a group, sets the reduction in brightness of the luminaire from the brightness signalled from the central control unit.
- the dimmer module is unplugged from the luminaire housing 18 and the mains power lead (10 in Fig. 2) unplugged from the dimmer module and plugged directly into the luminaire housing.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE69610979T DE69610979T2 (en) | 1995-04-28 | 1996-04-26 | IMPROVEMENTS IN AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS |
EP96912117A EP0823191B1 (en) | 1995-04-28 | 1996-04-26 | Improvements in or relating to lighting systems |
AU55066/96A AU5506696A (en) | 1995-04-28 | 1996-04-26 | Improvements in or relating to lighting systems |
AT96912117T ATE197662T1 (en) | 1995-04-28 | 1996-04-26 | IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONCERNING LIGHTING SYSTEMS |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9508679.9 | 1995-04-28 | ||
GB9508679A GB2300254B (en) | 1995-04-28 | 1995-04-28 | Improvements in or relating to lighting systems |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1996034516A1 true WO1996034516A1 (en) | 1996-10-31 |
Family
ID=10773691
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB1996/001029 WO1996034516A1 (en) | 1995-04-28 | 1996-04-26 | Improvements in or relating to lighting systems |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0823191B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE197662T1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU5506696A (en) |
DE (1) | DE69610979T2 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2300254B (en) |
WO (1) | WO1996034516A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB9521527D0 (en) * | 1995-10-20 | 1995-12-20 | Ashley & Rock Ltd | Controlling lamps |
Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1984000663A1 (en) * | 1982-07-22 | 1984-02-16 | Johnson Ramanantsoa | Power graduation system with monoline distribution of the controls and energy |
US4566036A (en) * | 1983-06-07 | 1986-01-21 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Remote control apparatus |
EP0253082A2 (en) * | 1986-07-17 | 1988-01-20 | Vari-Lite, Inc. | Computer controlled lightning system with distributed processing |
US4797795A (en) * | 1982-11-19 | 1989-01-10 | Michael Callahan | Control system for variable parameter lighting fixtures |
WO1989005421A1 (en) * | 1987-12-02 | 1989-06-15 | Morpheus Lights, Inc. | Stage light system |
EP0375289A2 (en) * | 1988-12-20 | 1990-06-27 | Strand Lighting Limited | Electric lighting and power controllers therefor |
US4947302A (en) * | 1982-11-19 | 1990-08-07 | Michael Callahan | Improvements to control systems for variable parameter lighting fixtures |
US5225765A (en) * | 1984-08-15 | 1993-07-06 | Michael Callahan | Inductorless controlled transition and other light dimmers |
US5406176A (en) * | 1994-01-12 | 1995-04-11 | Aurora Robotics Limited | Computer controlled stage lighting system |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4527198A (en) * | 1982-11-19 | 1985-07-02 | Michael Callahan | Followspot parameter feedback |
DE4124794C2 (en) * | 1991-07-26 | 1993-11-11 | Werner Mielke | Lighting system with movable light fixtures containing a dimming and switching unit |
-
1995
- 1995-04-28 GB GB9508679A patent/GB2300254B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1996
- 1996-04-26 AT AT96912117T patent/ATE197662T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1996-04-26 WO PCT/GB1996/001029 patent/WO1996034516A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1996-04-26 DE DE69610979T patent/DE69610979T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1996-04-26 EP EP96912117A patent/EP0823191B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-04-26 AU AU55066/96A patent/AU5506696A/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1984000663A1 (en) * | 1982-07-22 | 1984-02-16 | Johnson Ramanantsoa | Power graduation system with monoline distribution of the controls and energy |
US4797795A (en) * | 1982-11-19 | 1989-01-10 | Michael Callahan | Control system for variable parameter lighting fixtures |
US4947302A (en) * | 1982-11-19 | 1990-08-07 | Michael Callahan | Improvements to control systems for variable parameter lighting fixtures |
US4566036A (en) * | 1983-06-07 | 1986-01-21 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Remote control apparatus |
US5225765A (en) * | 1984-08-15 | 1993-07-06 | Michael Callahan | Inductorless controlled transition and other light dimmers |
EP0253082A2 (en) * | 1986-07-17 | 1988-01-20 | Vari-Lite, Inc. | Computer controlled lightning system with distributed processing |
WO1989005421A1 (en) * | 1987-12-02 | 1989-06-15 | Morpheus Lights, Inc. | Stage light system |
EP0375289A2 (en) * | 1988-12-20 | 1990-06-27 | Strand Lighting Limited | Electric lighting and power controllers therefor |
US5406176A (en) * | 1994-01-12 | 1995-04-11 | Aurora Robotics Limited | Computer controlled stage lighting system |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB9508679D0 (en) | 1995-06-14 |
ATE197662T1 (en) | 2000-12-15 |
GB2300254A8 (en) | 1997-05-06 |
GB2300254B (en) | 1999-04-07 |
EP0823191B1 (en) | 2000-11-15 |
AU5506696A (en) | 1996-11-18 |
DE69610979D1 (en) | 2000-12-21 |
GB2300254A (en) | 1996-10-30 |
DE69610979T2 (en) | 2001-06-28 |
EP0823191A1 (en) | 1998-02-11 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP0728275B1 (en) | Theatrical lighting control network | |
US6815842B2 (en) | Sequential control circuit | |
US20050289279A1 (en) | Power supply system and method thereof | |
US5828183A (en) | Flashing control circuit for decorative light string | |
US5059871A (en) | Programmable lighting control system linked by a local area network | |
US6930455B2 (en) | Theatrical lighting control network | |
US6380696B1 (en) | Multi-scene preset lighting controller | |
US6653797B2 (en) | Apparatus and method for providing synchronized lights | |
EP2277360B1 (en) | Configurable lighting devices under broadcast control | |
WO2006018604A1 (en) | Lighting system power adaptor | |
US20100084986A1 (en) | Circuit arrangement and method for progressively dimming one or more lighting means | |
CA2339723A1 (en) | Device for controlling light sources having a ballast | |
US11369018B2 (en) | Device having data signal transmission over power | |
EP0823191B1 (en) | Improvements in or relating to lighting systems | |
JP2000013415A (en) | Remote supervisory and control system | |
HUT65052A (en) | Lighting arrangement of variable intensity and colour of light | |
JP6941804B2 (en) | Lighting equipment control device and directing lighting system | |
JP2000260575A (en) | Lighting control system | |
JP3985292B2 (en) | Lighting system | |
JP2000188187A (en) | Light modulation control system | |
JPH04368796A (en) | Lighting control device | |
JPH0574578A (en) | Color temperature variable lighting system | |
JPH0148638B2 (en) | ||
GB2417377A (en) | Lighting system power adapter | |
JPS62229686A (en) | Lighting system |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AK | Designated states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AL AM AT AU AZ BB BG BR BY CA CH CN CZ DE DK EE ES FI GB GE HU IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LK LR LS LT LU LV MD MG MK MN MW MX NO NZ PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK TJ TM TR TT UA UG US UZ VN AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM |
|
AL | Designated countries for regional patents |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): KE LS MW SD SZ UG AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN |
|
DFPE | Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101) | ||
121 | Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application | ||
WWE | Wipo information: entry into national phase |
Ref document number: 1996912117 Country of ref document: EP |
|
WWP | Wipo information: published in national office |
Ref document number: 1996912117 Country of ref document: EP |
|
REG | Reference to national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: 8642 |
|
NENP | Non-entry into the national phase |
Ref country code: CA |
|
WWG | Wipo information: grant in national office |
Ref document number: 1996912117 Country of ref document: EP |