JP7534776B2 - Lighting Control System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a lighting control system.

Lighting control systems that use a control device to control the lighting of multiple lighting fixtures installed on the ceiling of a building or the like are becoming widespread. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional LED lighting device. The LED lighting device disclosed in this document includes multiple lighting fixtures and a lighting switch. The multiple lighting fixtures and the lighting switch are configured to be able to control the lighting via wireless communication in addition to being able to control the lighting via wires.

JP 2015-185906 A

In the LED lighting device described above, even when wireless communication is used, the lighting fixtures that are controlled by a certain lighting switch are only those that are connected by wire.

The present invention was conceived in light of the above circumstances, and its objective is to provide an LED lighting device that can control the lighting of multiple lighting fixtures in a more diverse manner.

The LED lighting device provided by the present invention is a lighting control system comprising a plurality of lighting fixtures, a plurality of lighting switches each having an operation unit operated by a user, and a control device, in which the plurality of lighting switches transmit setting signals to the control device via wireless communication to set the lighting state of one of the plurality of lighting fixtures in response to an operation on the operation unit, and the control device transmits control signals via wireless communication to control the lighting state of the lighting fixture corresponding to the setting signals, based on group information that corresponds to which of the plurality of operation units the lighting state of each of the plurality of lighting fixtures is set by.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal having a display unit that displays an arrangement screen showing the arrangement of the plurality of lighting devices and an input unit that performs operation input for the display content of the display unit is further provided, and the mobile terminal transmits an instruction signal by wireless communication to the control device to cause a lighting device selected from the plurality of lighting devices on the arrangement screen by operation input from the input unit to correspond to one of the plurality of operation units, and the control device updates the group information in response to the instruction signal.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lighting switch has a switch case, a switch unit attached to the front part of the switch case and having the operation part, and a wireless communication part and a control part housed in the switch case, and the wireless communication part is disposed between the switch unit and the rear part of the switch case.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lighting switch has a switch board on which the control unit and the wireless communication unit are mounted, and the wireless communication unit is mounted on a main surface of the switch board that faces the front portion of the switch case.

The present invention allows multiple lighting fixtures to be controlled in a more diverse manner.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing lighting fixtures of a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control device of a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a mobile terminal of a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a lighting switch of a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a lighting switch of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a front view showing a main part of a lighting switch of a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. 1 is a front view showing a main part of a control unit for a lighting switch of a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a sequence diagram of a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a table showing an example of group information of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 13 is a table showing another example of group information of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of operation of a mobile terminal in a modified example of the lighting control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a system configuration diagram showing a lighting control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment: lighting control system A1>
1 shows a lighting control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The lighting control system A1 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of lighting fixtures L, a control device Ct, a plurality of lighting switches Sw, and a mobile terminal Md.

[Lighting fixture L]
The lighting fixtures L are used, for example, for indoor lighting, and are installed in various locations such as ceilings, walls, and floors. The lighting fixtures L may also be configured for outdoor lighting. The specific form of the lighting fixtures L is not limited in any way, and various forms such as alternative lighting to straight tube fluorescent lamps, high ceiling lighting, ceiling lights, downlights, base lights, spotlights, and the like can be appropriately adopted. The number of the lighting fixtures L is not limited in any way, and in this embodiment, for ease of understanding, it is described that n lighting fixtures L1 to Ln are installed.

Figure 2 is a block diagram for explaining the lighting fixture L1 as an example among the multiple lighting fixtures L1 to Ln. In this embodiment, the lighting fixture L1 includes a light source unit 11, a control unit 12, a memory unit 13, a wireless communication unit 14, and a power supply unit 15. The multiple lighting fixtures L1 to Ln may have the same configuration, may have some common features with each other, or may have different configurations. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the multiple lighting fixtures L1 to Ln will be described as having the same configuration.

The light source unit 11 is a part of the lighting device L1 that performs the light emitting function. The specific configuration of the light source unit 11 is not limited in any way, and may be, for example, composed of a board and a number of LEDs mounted in a row on the board. In addition, the lighting device L1 may have a transparent or translucent cover (not shown) that allows the light from the light source unit 11 to pass through.

The control unit 12 is for controlling each part of the lighting fixture L1 based on instructions from the control device Ct, etc. The specific configuration of the control unit 12 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a CPU. The memory unit 13 is for storing information necessary for the control of the control unit 12, and may be, for example, a semiconductor memory.

The wireless communication unit 14 is a module for wirelessly communicating with the control device Ct and transmitting and receiving wireless signals. The communication frequency of the wireless communication performed by the wireless communication unit 14 is not limited in any way, and examples of the communication frequency include the 920 MHz band, the 2.4 GHz band, and the 5 GHz band. The standard of the wireless communication performed by the wireless communication unit 14 is not limited in any way, and examples of the standard include Bluetooth (registered trademark) including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee (registered trademark), and Wi-Fi (registered trademark). In this embodiment, the unique luminaire ID of each of the multiple lighting fixtures L1 to Ln is stored in the wireless communication unit 14. The information format of the luminaire ID is not particularly limited, and for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address is used. The luminaire ID may be stored in the storage unit 13, for example.

The power supply unit 15 is for supplying the light source unit 11, the control unit 12, the wireless communication unit 14, etc. with the power required for their operation. The power supply unit 15 has a function as an AC/DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power into DC power, a voltage transformation function, etc.

[Control device Ct]
The control device Ct controls the lighting of the multiple lighting fixtures L1-Ln. In this embodiment, the control device Ct may be installed in the same room as the room in which the multiple lighting fixtures L1-Ln are installed, or in another room or another floor of the same building, or in another building. When the control device Ct and the multiple lighting fixtures L1-Ln are located at a certain distance from each other, the control device Ct and the multiple lighting fixtures L1-Ln may communicate with each other using not only wireless communication, but also wired communication and wireless communication.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control device Ct. In this embodiment, the control device Ct includes a display unit 21, a control unit 22, a memory unit 23, a wireless communication unit 24, and a power supply unit 25.

The display unit 21 is not necessarily required in the lighting control method of the lighting control system A1 described below, but is used for initial setup and maintenance of the control device Ct. The display unit 21 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and may further have a touch panel function. Also, instead of the display unit 21 functioning as a touch panel, the control device Ct may be provided with a separate operating device, for example, a keyboard or a mouse.

The control unit 22 is a main component that controls the lighting of the multiple lighting fixtures L1 to Ln, and controls each part of the control device Ct. For example, the control unit 22 transmits a control signal to the wireless communication unit 24 so that the wireless communication unit 24 transmits a control signal to the target lighting fixture L based on an instruction signal received from the mobile terminal Md. The specific configuration of the control unit 22 is not particularly limited, and may be composed of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 23 stores information such as programs and setting conditions required for the control of the control unit 22, and may be composed of a semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, etc.

The wireless communication unit 24 is for performing wireless communication with the multiple lighting fixtures L1-Ln, the multiple lighting switches Sw, and the mobile terminal Md. The frequency band and wireless communication standards of the wireless communication unit 24 are the same as those of the wireless communication unit 14 described above. The wireless communication unit 24 transmits control signals from the control unit 22 to the multiple lighting fixtures L1-Ln. It also receives setting signals from the lighting switches Sw and instruction signals from the user transmitted from the mobile terminal Md. The received setting signals and instruction signals are transmitted to the control unit 22. Note that the control device Ct may have a wired or wireless communication circuit for connecting to the Internet in addition to the wireless communication unit 24.

The power supply unit 25 is for supplying the power required for operation to the display unit 21, the control unit 22, the wireless communication unit 24, etc. The power supply unit 25 has a function as an AC/DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power into DC power, a voltage transformation function, etc.

[Mobile terminal Md]
The mobile terminal Md is a terminal operated by a user in the lighting control system A1. The mobile terminal Md is operated to set group information that associates a plurality of lighting fixtures L and a plurality of operation units Op (described below) of a plurality of lighting switches Sw in the lighting control system A1. The mobile terminal Md is not particularly limited as long as it has portability and information processing capabilities that enable a user to perform operations, and may be, for example, a tablet, a smartphone, or a notebook PC. Note that when the plurality of lighting fixtures L constituting the lighting control system A1 are installed in a wide area, the lighting control system A1 may include a plurality of mobile terminals Md.

Figure 4 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal Md. In this embodiment, the mobile terminal Md includes a display unit 31, a control unit 32, a memory unit 33, a wireless communication unit 35, and a power supply unit 36.

The display unit 31 is for displaying information and images necessary for operating the mobile terminal Md. The display unit 31 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and has a touch panel function in this embodiment. Note that instead of the display unit 31 functioning as a touch panel, the mobile terminal Md may also be provided with a separate operating device such as a keyboard or a mouse.

The control unit 32 is for controlling each part of the mobile terminal Md. The specific configuration of the control unit 32 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a CPU. The storage unit 33 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions required for the control of the control unit 32, and may be, for example, a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive.

The wireless communication unit 35 transmits instruction signals to the control device Ct and receives display signals and the like based on status information signals of the multiple lighting fixtures L1 to Ln from the control device Ct. The frequency band and wireless communication standard of the wireless communication unit 35 may be the same as or different from those of the wireless communication unit 14 and wireless communication unit 24 described above, and for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) is selected. Note that the wireless communication unit 35 may be a wireless communication module built into a tablet or the like as the mobile terminal Md, or may be an external wireless communication module connected to a USB terminal or the like.

The power supply unit 36 is for supplying the display unit 31, the control unit 32, the wireless communication unit 35, etc. with the power required for their operation. The power supply unit 36 is, for example, a rechargeable battery.

[Lighting switch Sw]
The lighting switches Sw are operated by a user to change the lighting state of the lighting devices L. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the lighting switch Sw of this embodiment. Fig. 6 is a front view showing the lighting switch Sw. Fig. 7 is a front view showing the main parts of the lighting switch Sw, omitting a switch unit 41 and a front part 401 described below. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a front view showing the main parts of the lighting switch Sw, showing a control unit 49 described below.

The lighting switch Sw of this embodiment has a switch case 40, a switch unit 41, and a control unit 49. The switch case 40 holds the switch unit 41 and houses the control unit 49. The specific configuration of the switch case 40 is not limited in any way, and it is a general-purpose housing equipment part that is installed, for example, by fitting into a hole provided in an indoor wall Wl. The switch case 40 is made of, for example, metal, resin, etc.

The switch case 40 of this embodiment has a front portion 401, a rear portion 402, and a side portion 403. The front portion 401 is a plate-like portion located on the front side of the switch case 40, and is a portion that appears on the front appearance of the switch case 40 (light switch Sw) along the wall surface of the wall Wl as shown in FIG. 8. The rear portion 402 is a plate-like portion located on the rear side of the switch case 40, in other words, it corresponds to the bottom of the switch case 40. The side portion 403 is a plate-like portion that is connected to the periphery of the rear portion 402 and surrounds the rear portion 402. In the illustrated example, the front portion 401 is detachable from the side portion 403.

The switch unit 41 is attached to the front part 401 of the switch case 40. The switch unit 41 of this embodiment has an operation part Op, a main body part 412, and a mounting frame 413. The operation part Op is for a user to operate to set the lighting state of one of the multiple lighting devices L. The specific configuration of the operation part Op is not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, for example, it is a push button type, but the operation part Op may be a slide switch, a rotary switch, or the like. The number of operation parts Op that the switch unit 41 has is not particularly limited, and may be one or more. In FIG. 6, a switch unit 41 having two operation parts Op (operation parts Op1, Op2) is shown as an example. The two operation parts Op (operation parts Op1, Op2) are arranged side by side in the vertical direction when viewed from the front. The main body part 412 is a part that performs functions such as converting operations from the operation part Op into electrical signals. When an operation is performed on the operation unit Op, the main body 412 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the operation. The mounting frame 413 is attached to the front portion 401 of the switch case 40, and supports the operation unit Op and the main body 412. In the illustrated example, the mounting frame 413 is a plate-like member that is substantially rectangular when viewed from the front, but the shape of the mounting frame 413 is not limited in any way. In this embodiment, each operation unit Op has a unique operation unit ID. Specific examples of the operation unit ID are not limited in any way, and are stored in the memory unit 43, for example.

The control unit 49 is a unit for controlling the lighting state of the multiple lighting devices L by receiving an electrical signal corresponding to an operation on the operation unit Op sent from the switch unit 41. The control unit 49 of this embodiment also has a function of transmitting a setting signal to the control device Ct via wireless communication. In the illustrated example, the control unit 49 has a unit case 490, a control unit 42, a wireless communication unit 45, a power supply unit 46, and a switch board 47. The control unit 49 is mutually connected to the switch unit 41 by multiple cables 482. The control unit 49 is also disposed between the switch unit 41 (front part 401) and the back part 402 in the switch case 40.

7 shows the overall appearance of the control unit 49. FIG. 9 is a front view of the main part, with the front side portion (e.g., the lid portion) of the unit case 490 omitted for ease of understanding. The unit case 490 is a box-shaped member that houses the control unit 42, the wireless communication unit 45, the power supply unit 46, and the switch board 47. The unit case 490 is made of, for example, resin. The switch board 47 is arranged along the bottom (rear side portion) of the unit case 490, and is fixed, for example, by a screw not shown. The control unit 42, the wireless communication unit 45, and the power supply unit 46 are mounted on the switch board 47, and a plurality of cables 482 are connected to it. The switch board 47 has a main surface 471. The main surface 471 is a surface that faces the front part 401 side (front side) of the switch case 40.

The control unit 42 is for controlling each part of the lighting switch Sw. The specific configuration of the control unit 42 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a CPU. The storage unit 43 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions required for the control of the control unit 42, and may be, for example, a semiconductor memory.

The wireless communication unit 45 is for performing wireless communication with the control device Ct. The frequency band and wireless communication standard of the wireless communication unit 45 are the same as those of the wireless communication unit 14 and the wireless communication unit 24 described above.

The power supply unit 46 is for supplying the switch unit 41, the control unit 42, the wireless communication unit 45, etc. with the power required for their operation. The power supply unit 46 has a function as an AC/DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power into DC power, a voltage transformation function, etc., or is a rechargeable battery. In the illustrated example, the control unit 49 has a terminal block 481 attached to the unit case 490. A cable (not shown) from a commercial power source is connected to the terminal block 481. The terminal block 481 is connected to the power supply unit 46.

Next, an example of a lighting control method using the lighting control system A1 will be described below with reference to Figures 10 to 19.

Figure 11 shows an example of the operation state of a mobile terminal Md used in the lighting control method of the lighting control system A1. The display unit 31 of the mobile terminal Md shown in the figure displays an arrangement screen Sc. The arrangement screen Sc appropriately displays icons corresponding to the actual arrangement of multiple lighting fixtures L at the installation location. Multiple horizontally long rectangular icons in the figure represent individual lighting fixtures L. W1 to W8, X1 to X8, Y1 to Y8, and Z1 to Z8 attached to the lighting fixtures L are the luminaire IDs of the individual lighting fixtures L. This luminaire ID does not need to be displayed on the actual arrangement screen Sc, and is shown in the figure for convenience of explanation, and the same applies to the subsequent figures. Two lighting switches Sw1 and Sw2 are displayed on the arrangement screen Sc. The lighting switch Sw1 has two operation units Op1 and Op2. The lighting switch Sw2 has two operation units Op3 and Op4. The control device Ct may be displayed with an icon corresponding to the actual installation location, may be displayed in an imaginary location, or may not have an icon for the control device Ct.

In the figure, a display is made according to the correspondence between multiple lighting fixtures L (lamp IDs: W1-W8, X1-X8, Y1-Y8, Z1-Z8) and multiple operation units Op1-Op4 based on group information Ig for a certain state. Group information Ig is information that associates the lighting state of each of multiple lighting fixtures L with which of multiple operation units Op1-Op4 is set. FIG. 12 shows the contents of group information Ig for that state. The operation IDs of multiple operation units Op1-Op4 are set as G1-G4, and the luminaire IDs of the corresponding lighting fixtures L are grouped and stored. This group information Ig is stored, for example, in the storage unit 23 of the control device Ct. Furthermore, the group information Ig may be stored in the storage unit 33 of the mobile terminal Md in addition to the storage unit 23. Multiple lighting fixtures L with luminaire IDs: W1-W8 are associated with operation unit Op1 (operation unit ID: G1). Operation unit Op2 (operation unit ID: G2) is associated with multiple lighting fixtures L with luminaire IDs: X1 to X8. Operation unit Op3 (operation unit ID: G3) is associated with multiple lighting fixtures L with luminaire IDs: Y1 to Y8. Operation unit Op4 (operation unit ID: G4) is associated with multiple lighting fixtures L with luminaire IDs: Z1 to Z8. Note that the number of operation units Op and multiple lighting fixtures L in the figure is an example set for convenience of explanation, and the number and association of the multiple operation units Op and multiple lighting fixtures L are not limited in any way.

In the lighting control method shown in FIG. 10, group information setting (steps S1 and S2) is executed first. In step S1, the user specifies the ON-OFF control range of each of the operation units Op of the lighting switch Sw. This is an operation to set multiple lighting fixtures L (lamp IDs: W1-W8, X1-X8, Y1-Y8, Z1-Z8) corresponding to each of the multiple operation units Op (operation unit IDs: G1-G4). For example, in FIG. 11, a message is displayed at the top of the display unit 31 saying "Set the control range of the lighting switches. Please select the range to be controlled by the first switch." Here, the first switch is a term corresponding to the operation unit Op1, defined according to the user's sense. The second switch and subsequent switches have the same definition.

FIG. 13 shows the operation of selecting a lighting fixture L to be associated with the operation unit Op1 (operation unit ID: G1). The user taps a corner of the dotted frame corresponding to the operation unit ID: G1 displayed in the figure and drags it to enlarge, reduce, or move the dotted frame. The dotted frame is a positional aspect for identifying the lighting fixture L to be selected. Instead of the dotted frame, a solid frame may be used, or a predetermined area may be changed to a predetermined color. The desired lighting fixture L is then surrounded by the dotted frame. After the desired lighting fixture L is surrounded by the dotted frame, the user taps, for example, the "Next" icon as shown in FIG. 14 to complete the selection operation for the operation unit Op1 (operation unit ID: G1). As a result, the control unit 32 of the mobile terminal Md acquires that the lighting fixture L corresponding to the operation unit Op1 (operation unit ID: G1) has luminaire IDs: W1 to W8, X1, X3, X5, X7, Y1...Y4, Z1, and Z3. The dotted frame that is the target of the drag operation may be displayed, for example, in a blinking manner.

Correspondence information between the operation unit Op1 (operation unit ID: G1) and the lighting fixture L (lamp IDs: W1-W8, X1, X3, X5, X7, Y1...Y4, Z1, Z3) obtained by the selection operation in step S1 is transmitted as an instruction signal Sg3 from the mobile terminal Md to the control device Ct. The transmission from the mobile terminal Md to the control device Ct is, for example, from the wireless communication unit 35 to the wireless communication unit 24, for example, by wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Note that the instruction signal Sg3 may be transmitted each time the setting of each of the operation units Op1-Op4 (operation unit IDs: G1-G4) is completed, or may be transmitted collectively for the operation units Op1-Op4 (operation unit IDs: G1-G4).

Next, in step S2, the control unit 22 of the control device Ct associates the lighting switch Sw (operation unit Op) to be controlled with the lighting fixture L. Specifically, based on the instruction signal Sg3 received from the mobile terminal Md via wireless communication, the control unit 22 retrieves the association between the operation unit Op1 (operation unit ID: G1) and the lighting fixture L (lamp IDs: W1-W8, X1, X3, X5, X7, Y1...Y4, Z1, Z3), updates the group information Ig, and stores it in the memory unit 23, for example.

Next, as shown in FIG. 15, step S1 is executed again, and the control unit 32 requests the selection operation of the lighting fixture L corresponding to the operation unit Op2 (operation unit ID: G2) on the arrangement screen Sc of the display unit 31. The user taps the corner of the dotted frame corresponding to the operation unit ID: G1 displayed in the figure, and drags it as shown in FIG. 16 to enlarge, reduce, or move the dotted frame. Then, the desired lighting fixture L is surrounded by the dotted frame. After the desired lighting fixture L is surrounded by the dotted frame, the user taps the "Next" icon to complete the selection operation for the operation unit Op2 (operation unit ID: G2). As a result, the control unit 32 of the mobile terminal Md acquires that the lighting fixture L corresponding to the operation unit Op2 (operation unit ID: G2) has luminaire IDs: X2, X4, X6, X8, Z2, and Z4. Next, step S2 is executed, and an instruction signal Sg3 including the correspondence between the operation unit Op2 (operation unit ID: G2) and the lighting fixtures L (lamp IDs: X2, X4, X6, X8, Z2, Z4) is sent to the control device Ct. The control unit 22 of the control device Ct updates the correspondence information for the operation unit Op2 in the group information Ig, and stores the group information Ig in the storage unit 23.

The mobile terminal Md and the control device Ct also execute steps S1 and S2 for operation unit Op3 (operation unit ID: G3) and operation unit Op4 (operation unit ID: G4). As a result, the control unit 22 of the control device Ct acquires the lighting fixtures L (lamp IDs) corresponding to each of operation units Op3 (operation unit ID: G3) and operation unit Op4 (operation unit ID: G4). Figure 17 shows a state in which the selection operation of the lighting fixtures L corresponding to operation units Op1 to Op4 (operation unit IDs: G1 to G4) has been completed. In this state, the group information Ig set as shown in Figure 12 is changed to the content shown in Figure 18 and stored in the memory unit 23.

Next, the ON-OFF operation (steps S3 to S7) is performed. First, the user operates one of the multiple operation parts Op of the multiple lighting switches Sw by pressing it or the like (step S3). This operation is an operation in which a setting signal Sg1 that sets the lighting state of the lighting device L corresponding to the operated operation part Op is transmitted to the control device Ct via wireless communication. For example, a case in which the user operates the operation part Op1 of the lighting switch Sw1 when all of the multiple lighting devices L are turned off will be described as an example. The main body part 412 of the switch unit 41 transmits an electrical signal corresponding to the pressing of the operation part Op1 to the control unit 49 via the cable 482. The control part 42 of the control unit 49 recognizes the operated operation part Op from the received electrical signal. In this case, the control part 42 recognizes that the operation is directed to the operation part Op1 (operation part ID: G1). Then, a setting signal Sg1 including the operation unit ID: G1 of the operation unit Op1 and information for changing the lighting state of the lighting device L corresponding to this operation unit ID: G1 is transmitted from the wireless communication unit 45 to the control device Ct via wireless communication.

The control device Ct transmits a control signal Sg2, which controls the lighting state of the lighting devices L corresponding to the setting signal Sg1, to the lighting devices L via wireless communication. For example, the setting signal Sg1 received by the wireless communication unit 24 of the control device Ct is sent to the control unit 22. The control unit 22 acquires the operation unit ID: G1 included in the setting signal Sg1, and recognizes the luminaire IDs: W1-W8, X1, X3, X5, X7, Y1...Y4, Z1, Z3 of the lighting devices L that are the targets of operation of the setting signal Sg1, based on the group information Ig. The control unit 22 also acquires the lighting state of the lighting devices L at the time the operation is performed, for example, as status information. For example, if the target lighting fixtures L (lamp IDs: W1-W8, X1, X3, X5, X7) are off, the control unit 22 generates a control signal Sg2 that turns on these lighting fixtures L (lamp IDs: W1-W8, X1, X3, X5, X7, Y1...Y4, Z1, Z3). The control unit 22 then transmits this control signal Sg2 to the multiple lighting fixtures L via wireless communication from the wireless communication unit 24 (step S4).

The control signal Sg2 is transmitted from the control device Ct to the lighting fixtures L in accordance with a method conforming to wireless communication standards. For example, when the wireless communication unit 24 of the control device Ct and the wireless communication unit 14 of the lighting fixtures L form a mesh network, the control device Ct transmits the control signal Sg2 to the lighting fixtures L located close to the control device Ct. The lighting fixture L that receives the control signal Sg2 determines whether its own lighting fixture ID is included in the lighting fixture ID of the control signal Sg2 (step S5). If its own lighting fixture ID is included, the control unit 12 changes the lighting state of the light source unit 11 according to the lighting control content of the control signal Sg2, and in this example, turns on the light source unit 11. The control unit 12 also transfers this control signal Sg2 to other lighting fixtures L located close to the control device Ct via the mesh network. The control unit 12 also generates a status signal Sg4 representing the changed lighting state, and transmits it from the wireless communication unit 14 to the control device Ct by wireless communication. On the other hand, if the received control signal Sg2 does not include the luminaire's own ID, the control unit 12 transfers the control signal Sg2 to another lighting fixture L located nearby via the mesh network without changing the lighting state of the light source unit 11.

When the control signal Sg2 is transmitted to all the lighting fixtures L via the mesh network and step S5 is completed, the control device Ct receives the result of the change made by the control signal Sg2 as a status signal Sg4 (step S6). Next, the control unit 22 of the control device Ct generates a display signal Sg5 to display the lighting state of the lighting fixtures L, and may transmit the display signal Sg5 to the mobile terminal Md via wireless communication from the wireless communication unit 24. The control unit 32 of the mobile terminal Md that received the display signal Sg5 changes the display content of the arrangement screen Sc of the display unit 31 to reflect the lighting state (step S7). In the example shown in FIG. 19, the lighting fixtures L (lamp IDs: W1-W8, X1, X3, X5, X7, Y1...Y4, Z1, Z3) corresponding to the operation unit ID: G1 that was the target of the above-mentioned operation are colored in the arrangement screen Sc to indicate that they have been changed from an off state to a lighting state. This completes the ON-OFF operation by the operation unit Op1. The ON-OFF operation is repeatedly performed on any of the operation units Op1 to Op4. Also, when a certain ON-OFF operation is completed, group information may be set and then the ON-OFF operation may be resumed.

Next, the operation of the lighting control system A1 will be explained.

According to this embodiment, the correspondence between the multiple operation units Op and the multiple lighting fixtures L in the group information Ig can be set to a desired combination by the user's operation. Therefore, it is possible to turn on the desired lighting fixture L using the desired operation unit Op, without being restricted by the arrangement of the multiple lighting fixtures L, the arrangement of the multiple lighting switches Sw, or the wiring connection state thereof. Unlike the conventional technology in which control was only possible within the range in which the lighting fixtures L and the lighting switches Sw were connected to each other, the range of the multiple lighting fixtures L controlled by the lighting switches Sw can be set regardless of the power system. Therefore, the lighting of the multiple lighting fixtures L can be controlled in a more diverse manner.

As shown in FIG. 13, the operation of selecting a lighting fixture L (lamp ID) corresponding to an operation unit Op (operation unit ID) is performed, for example, by a drag operation on the layout screen Sc on which multiple lighting fixtures L are visually displayed according to their actual layout. This makes it easier for the user to operate and is also suitable for avoiding operational errors.

As shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 49 (control unit 42, wireless communication unit 45, power supply unit 46) is disposed between the switch unit 41 (front unit 401) and rear unit 402 inside the switch case 40. This makes it possible to add the control unit 49 (control unit 42, wireless communication unit 45, power supply unit 46) inside an existing switch case 40 that is generally used for general purposes. This is preferable for constructing the lighting control system A1 of this embodiment using a configuration that already has multiple lighting fixtures L and existing lighting switches.

The wireless communication unit 45 is mounted on the main surface 471 of the switch board 47. This makes it possible to prevent the wireless signals transmitted and received by the wireless communication unit 45 from being attenuated by the switch board 47, etc. This makes it possible to improve the stability of wireless communication by the wireless communication unit 45.

The operation of selecting a lighting fixture L corresponding to the operation unit ID on the arrangement screen Sc displayed on the display unit 31 of the mobile device Md is not limited to the drag operation shown in FIG. 13. For example, instead of or in addition to a drag operation, a configuration may be adopted in which lighting fixtures L are selected by tapping on each lighting fixture L. With such a configuration, in addition to selecting lighting fixtures L surrounded by a rectangular or other frame, it is possible to select lighting fixtures L arranged in a more diverse manner, such as selecting multiple lighting fixtures L arranged in an L-shape.

Figures 18 and 19 show modified and other embodiments of the present invention. In these figures, elements that are the same as or similar to those in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals as those in the above embodiment.

<Modification of layout screen Sc>
20 shows a modified example of the layout screen Sc in group information setting. In this example, the layout screen Sc displays the switch screen Sb in the form of, for example, a pop-up screen. The switch screen Sb is an image corresponding to the appearance of the lighting switch Sw1 and the lighting switch Sw2 as seen from the front. For example, in step S1 described above, when the operation unit Op1 of the lighting switch Sw1 is selected, the operation unit Op1 is displayed in a predetermined color.

This example also allows the lighting of multiple lighting fixtures L to be controlled in a more diverse manner. In addition, by displaying the switch screen Sb, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally selecting and operating an unintended operation unit Op. This configuration is preferable for avoiding user confusion, particularly when there are a large number of lighting switches Sw (operation units Op).

Second Embodiment
21 is a system configuration diagram showing a lighting control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The lighting control system A2 of this embodiment includes a plurality of lighting fixtures L1 to L9, a control device Ct, a plurality of lighting switches Sw, and a mobile terminal Md.

In this embodiment, the lighting fixtures L1, L2, and L3 each function as a gate module. The gate module functions as a module that configures a small network (cluster) together with some of the lighting fixtures L within the communication network Cn1, which is a mesh network. Wireless communication between multiple clusters is performed by the gate modules. The lighting fixtures L1, L2, and L3 that function as gate modules can be constructed, for example, by appropriately modifying the setting program of the wireless communication unit 14 of the lighting fixture L configured as described above.

In the illustrated example, cluster Cn11 is formed by lighting fixtures L1, L4, and L7 that are installed close to each other. Cluster Cn12 is formed by lighting fixtures L2, L5, and L8 that are installed close to each other. Cluster Cn13 is formed by lighting fixtures L3, L6, and L9 that are installed close to each other.

For example, a control signal Sg2 from the control device Ct is transmitted from the control device Ct to each of the lighting fixtures L1, L2, and L3 in the communication network Cn1. Lighting fixture L1 forwards the received control signal Sg2 to lighting fixtures L4 and L7. Similarly, lighting fixture L2 forwards the received control signal Sg2 to lighting fixtures L5 and L8, and lighting fixture L3 forwards the received control signal Sg2 to lighting fixtures L6 and L9.

This embodiment can achieve the same effects as the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, by providing lighting fixtures L1, L2, and L3 that function as gate modules, it is possible to construct clusters Cn11, Cn12, and Cn13, and the communication efficiency of the communication network Cn1, which is a mesh network, can be further improved.

The lighting control system according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The specific configuration of each part of the lighting control system according to the present invention can be freely designed in various ways.

A1, A2: lighting control system 11: light source unit 12: control unit 13: memory unit 14: wireless communication unit 15: power supply unit 21: display unit 22: control unit 23: memory unit 24: wireless communication unit 25: power supply unit 31: display unit 32: control unit 33: memory unit 35: wireless communication unit 36: power supply unit 40: switch case 41: switch unit 42: control unit 43: memory unit 45: wireless communication unit 46: power supply unit 47: switch board 49: control unit 401: front part 402: rear part 403: side part 412: main body part 413: mounting frame 471: main surface 481: terminal block 482: cable 490: unit case Cn1: communication network Cn11, Cn12, Cn13: cluster Ct: control device Ig : Group information L, L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8, L9: Lighting fixture Md: Mobile terminal Op, Op1, Op2, Op3, Op4: Operation unit S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7: Step Sb: Switch screen Sc: Layout screen Sw, Sw1, Sw2: Lighting switch Sg1: Setting signal Sg2: Control signal Sg3: Instruction signal Sg4: Status signal Sg5: Display signal Wl: Wall

Claims (2)

A number of lighting fixtures;
A plurality of lighting switches each having an operation unit operated by a user;
A lighting control system including: a control device that transmits a control signal for controlling a lighting state of the plurality of lighting devices to the plurality of lighting devices via wireless communication;
the plurality of lighting switches transmit a setting signal to the control device via wireless communication in response to an operation of the operation unit to set a lighting state of any one of the plurality of lighting devices;
the control device identifies a lighting device that is to be operated by the setting signal based on group information that associates a lighting state of each of the plurality of lighting devices with which one of the plurality of operation units is set, generates a control signal, and transmits the control signal via wireless communication ;
a mobile terminal having a display unit that displays an arrangement screen showing an arrangement of the plurality of lighting devices, and an input unit that performs an operation input for the display content of the display unit,
the mobile terminal transmits to the control device via wireless communication an instruction signal for causing a lighting device selected from the plurality of lighting devices on the arrangement screen by an operation input from the input unit to correspond to one of the plurality of operation units;
The control device updates the group information in response to the instruction signal;
A lighting control system in which, when the mobile terminal selects the lighting fixture through operation input from the input unit, the mobile terminal displays an image corresponding to the appearance of the plurality of lighting switches on the layout screen, and displays the operation unit corresponding to the selected lighting fixture in a predetermined color . The mobile terminal includes:
displaying, on the display unit, the layout screen including a frame line surrounding lighting fixtures corresponding to a specific group among the plurality of lighting fixtures;
The lighting control system according to claim 1 , wherein the frame line is enlarged, reduced, or moved in response to an operation input from the input unit to change the lighting fixtures corresponding to the specific group included within the frame line.

Images