FR2669499A1 - Installation with lighting effects, and transmitter and receiver members for such an installation - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an installation with lighting effects. It relates to an installation in which a transmitter member (16) transmits a signal modulated by frequency shifting to an electrical power supply network (10, 12) and this signal is detected by a receiver member (28) which controls a unit (24) with light sources as a function of the data contained in the signal which it has detected. Several sets (24, 25, 26) with light sources can thus be synchronised or programmed so that they give particular effects. Application to animated lighting.

Description

 The present invention relates to a light play installation, comprising several assemblies with electric light sources, as well as transmitter and receiver members intended for such an installation.

 Light decorations and animations have been used for a long time, especially during festive periods. Light patterns are known, for example, suspended above the streets and comprising light sources of various colors. Often the light sources are of the static type.

 Light games are also known in which elementary light sources are controlled, randomly or programmed, so that they give light effects. These are obtained by association of several assemblies each having several light sources controlled in a programmed manner, the assemblies operating independently.

 The subject of the invention is a light play installation in which all or most of the light sources of different assemblies are controlled in a programmed and synchronized manner.

 It is conceivable to order a light play installation comprising a large number of light source assemblies, by separate control of the various sources or of the various groups of sources. The disadvantage of such an installation is that it requires a very large number of wires for the transmission of the control or synchronization signals between a central programming device and the various light sources or the various assemblies with light sources.

 The invention relates to a light play installation comprising a very large number of light sources and in which the animation can be carried out in a simple, convenient and inexpensive manner.

 In general, the invention implements the control of the light sources by using a programming signal which is transmitted directly by the power supply network of the light sources. The most important result of such an embodiment is that it allows the elimination of a specialized network of wires for programming and allows the realization of installations with light games with synchronized sources in a manner practically as simple as the realization of installations in which the light source assemblies are independent.

 More specifically, the invention relates to a light play installation, of the type which comprises several assemblies with electric light sources, each assembly comprising at least one light source and a control device intended to switch the source or sources to one. at least two different states, the assemblies being supplied by a common electrical supply network according to the invention, the installation comprises a central transmitting member intended to transmit a programming signal on the common supply network, the signal programming comprises a carrier modulated so that it contains control information, and the control devices of at least two sets are each controlled by a receiver connected to the common network and intended to extract control information from the programming signal transmitted by the network, so that the commands of the light source assemblies are synchronized.

 In a first embodiment, the receiving member of each light source assembly includes a device intended to identify particular data in the programming signal, and this particular data is used directly for controlling the operation of the light sources of the together.

In this case, the entire programming is carried out at the level of the central transmitting member.

 In another embodiment, the receiving member comprises a device intended to identify particular data in the programming signal, and this particular data is used for the synchronization of a control program specific to the particular assembly. In this embodiment, the programming is distributed between the central emitting member and each assembly with light sources.

 In the aforementioned embodiment, the particular data identified by the receiving member advantageously constitute an address of the particular assembly with light sources.

 In an advantageous embodiment, a set of light sources or each set comprises several light sources which are controlled separately from each other from the control unit control information. Of course, this separate command is synchronized by the programming signal. An assembly can for example comprise light sources forming four groups controlled by four different channels.

 The programming signal is advantageously a signal constituted by a carrier modulated by frequency displacement so that it represents a serial signal.

 Preferably, the frequency of the carrier of the programming signal is included in the range of "low frequencies", that is to say that it is of the order of 50 to 300 kHz.

 It is advantageous, especially when the installation includes a very large number of light sources, that the common supply network is a three-phase electrical network, and that the light source assemblies are connected in a balanced manner to the different phases; in this case, the transmitter member is coupled between two conductors of the supply network, and at least one of these two conductors is coupled by capacitors to the other conductors so that the programming signal is coupled to all the conductors of the three-phase network.

 The control devices of the light source assemblies are preferably switching members, for example relay, thyristor, bidirectional controlled switch, transistor or others.

 In a particular embodiment, the light sources are incandescent lamps. In other embodiments, the light sources may include gas discharge lamps.

 The invention also relates to a transmitter element intended for an installation as defined in the preceding paragraphs, comprising a storage circuit intended to transmit a serial signal, and a transmitter-receiver circuit intended to transform a serial signal into a signal modulated by displacement frequency in the low frequency range. The storage circuit may for example include a programmable memory, an address counter, a clock and a multiplexing device which transmits the serial signal.

 It is advantageous that the transmitting member also comprises a coupling circuit, comprising for example a transformer and a capacitor, and intended to couple the signal at low frequencies to the supply network.

 The invention also relates to a receiving member intended for an installation as defined in the preceding paragraphs. This member comprises a transmitter-receiver circuit intended to transform a signal, comprising a carrier modulated by displacement of frequency in the range of low frequencies, into a serial signal.

 In a particular embodiment, the receiving member comprises a demultiplexing circuit intended to transmit signals drawn from the serial signal to several members controlling light sources.

 Preferably, when the receiving member does not receive a programming signal, it transmits a signal such that it causes the light sources of the assembly associated with a predetermined state to be switched on, for example the operating state of the light sources. .

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings in which
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an installation with light effects produced according to the invention
Figure 2 is a block diagram of a transmitter of the installation of Figure 1; and
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a receiving member, a control device and light sources of a set of light sources of the installation of FIG. 1.

 Figure 1 is a very simplified diagram of an installation according to the invention. A three-phase network is represented by four conductors, a neutral 10 and three phases 12, 13, 14. A transmitting member 16 according to the invention, intended for programming the installation, is connected between neutral 10 and a phase 12 by two wires 18 for power supply. The transmitter unit 16 transmits a programming signal by two wires 20, connected for example to neutral 10 and to phase 12. The programming signal consists of a carrier modulated by frequency displacement. More specifically, the carrier is included in the range of low electrical frequencies, that is to say of the order of 50 to 300 kHz. However, this frequency may deviate from this range to some extent. In one example, the carrier frequency is 125 kHz, and the programming signal is modulated between two levels which are respectively 2 kHz lower and higher than the carrier frequency of 125 kHz.

 Capacitors 22 are mounted between the conductors of phases 12, 13, 14 so that the programming signal can be obtained by connection between neutral 10 and any of the conductors of phases 12, 13 and 14.

 Several sets with light sources, identified by the references 24, 25 and 26, are connected to the network.

More specifically, there are shown three assemblies each connected between the neutral and a phase conductor so that the entire installation is balanced.

 Each set of light sources 24, 25, 26, comprising one or more light sources and a corresponding control device, is associated with a receiving member 28 according to the invention, described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3.

 The general operation of the installation is quickly described in FIG. 1. The three-phase network ensures balanced supply of the light source assemblies 24, 25 and 26, with the interposition of the control devices of each of these assemblies 24, 25 and 26 The transmitting member 16 transmits by the wires 20 a programming signal which reaches the receiving members 28 of each of the assemblies 24, 25, 26. Each receiving member 28 draws from the programming signal specific data according to which it controls the control device for the light source assembly 24, 25 or 26 associated therewith.

 Compared to an analogous but unscheduled or unsynchronized installation, the installation of FIG. 1 comprises the single transmitting member 16, associated with the capacitors 22, and a receiving member 28 associated with each assembly with light sources 24, 25, 26 .

 We now consider in more detail the transmitting member, with reference to FIG. 2.

 In FIG. 2, the reference 30 designates the supply circuit of the transmitting member. This is not described in detail since it is conventional and comprises for example a transformer, a rectification and smoothing circuit, and a voltage regulator. This power supply supplies all the current necessary for the various elements, described below, at the necessary voltage levels, for example 5 V and 18 V.

 A clock 32 sets the speed of the entire transmitting member and controls a counter 34. The latter transmits at its output an address giving access to locations of a programmable memory 36. This is for example a programmable memory electrically EPROM in which the control program for the various light source assemblies has been loaded beforehand, using a conventional microcomputer programming system which is not shown. Those skilled in the art know well how to load programmable memories and therefore this operation is not described.

 In some cases, it may be advantageous if the memory contains several programs which can be chosen as desired. For example, there are simply shown two switches 38 allowing the selection of different programs in the memory 36. The memory transmits a parallel signal, represented by four lines in FIG. 2, to a multiplexing circuit, for example an encoder. This transmits, via a line 41, a serial signal constituted by successive states 0 and 1. This serial signal arrives at a carrier transceiver circuit.

This circuit is advantageously constituted by a single component which is intended to receive a serial signal representing data and to put it in the form of a carrier modulated by frequency displacement. In a particular embodiment, the transceiver 42 is constituted by the LM1893 component from National Semiconductor
Corporation. This component allows the use of a power network to transport information between remote locations. It constitutes an interface circuit allowing two-way alternating communications of serial bit currents having virtually any coding. In transmission, a sinusoidal carrier is modulated by frequency displacement and is applied to the network via an incorporated control circuit.

 For example, the nominal carrier frequency can be 125 kHz, and it can be modulated by 2 kHz frequency shift from the nominal frequency.

The signal formed is transmitted to a coupling circuit 44 which conventionally comprises a transformer and capacitors.

 The transmitter unit may also include a frequency indicator 46, connected to the transceiver 42, and light emitting diodes 48 indicating the level of the memory output signals and therefore indicating the state of the programming signal.

 We now consider in more detail the receiving member associated with a set of light sources.

 In Figure 3, there is shown the assembly 24 of Figure 1, with the associated receiving member 28. The receiving member 28 comprises a coupling circuit 50, quite similar to the circuit 44 of Figure 2. This coupling circuit is intended to separate the programming signal formed by the carrier modulated by frequency displacement.

The separate signal arrives at a transceiver circuit 52 which is preferably identical to the transceiver circuit 42 described with reference to FIG. 2. It should simply be noted that, when this component is used at reception, it forms a loop demodulator with phase lock and a pulse noise filter which are integrated in the aforementioned component LM1893. This component, which receives the necessary voltages from a power supply 54, transmits a serial signal to a demultiplexing circuit 56 which can for example be a simple decoder. This demultiplexing circuit then transmits the demultiplexed signals to the assembly 24 with light source.

 More specifically, the light source assembly 24 includes input amplifiers 58 which receive the signals from the demultiplexer 56. Each amplifier 58 transmits a signal to an optocoupler and to a photoemissive diode 60 which indicates the state of the corresponding line, then to a bidirectional triode thyristor (triac) 62. The latter, depending on the trigger signal, conducts or not the current and thus controls the operation of a lamp 64. The four circuits connected in parallel allow the separate control of four lamps or groups of lamps 64, 66, 68 and 70.

 It should therefore be noted that the installation according to the invention requires only one emitting member for the entire installation, and only one receiving member per assembly with light sources, each assembly possibly comprising a large number of light sources. In an example of installation giving a wave effect, each set includes four groups of lamps arranged on a support transverse to a street; the groups of all the sets are staggered along a street. The groups of rank one of all the sets are controlled by the first channel of the corresponding receiving member, the groups of rank two by the second channel and so on. This command gives a wave effect when the commands of the successive channels are offset in time, this offset being obtained simply by programming the memory of the transmitting member.

 Although the installation has been shown in the case where each assembly with light sources comprises four channels, each channel possibly comprising a large number of sources, the number of channels is not limited to four.

 In the embodiment described above, if all the receiving members 28 are produced in exactly the same way, all the light source assemblies function in the same way. For example, all the light assemblies can have the same relative variation on the four channels, in the example shown.

It can be convenient, for example to obtain wave effects, to be able to control the light assemblies differently. In this case, two main embodiments are possible. In a first embodiment, each receiver circuit comprises a member introducing a time shift or a shift in the control of the channels. This member can be incorporated into the decoder 56. In another embodiment, the simple decoder 56 can be replaced by a more elaborate programming member which controls the various channels with a program which is specific to it. In this case, the programming circuit of the receiving device uses the signal coming from the sending device mainly or only to synchronize with the rest of the installation. In this case, it can also receive its own data. , when associated with an address transmitted by the sending body and recognized by the receiving body.

 Although an embodiment has been described in which the light sources are connected to a three-phase network, it is quite possible to use a two-phase network.

 The light sources of the assemblies used according to the invention are most often incandescent lamps. However, they can also include gas discharge lamps, associated with a suitable ballast.

 Although it has been indicated that the control devices of the lamps 64, 66, 68, 70 are constituted by bidirectional triode thyristors, the control devices can be any. It is advantageously a switching device such as a relay, a thyristor or even a power transistor.

 It is understood that the invention has only been described and shown as a preferred example and that any technical equivalence may be made in its constituent elements without going beyond its ambit.

Claims (10)

 1. Installation with light effects, of the type which comprises several assemblies (24, 25, 26) with electric light sources, each assembly comprising at least one light source (64, 66, 68, 70) and a control device (62 ) intended to put the source or sources in one of at least two different states, the assemblies being supplied by a common network (10, 12, 13, 14) of electrical supply, characterized in that  it comprises a central transmitting member (16) intended to transmit a programming signal on the common supply network, the programming signal comprising a carrier modulated so that it contains control information, and  - Each assembly (24, 25, 26) comprises a receiving member (28) connected to the common network and intended to extract control information from the programming signal transmitted by the network and to control the device for controlling the source or sources from the whole,  - so that the controls of the light source assemblies are synchronized.  2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving member (28) of each set of light sources comprises a device (56) intended to identify particular data in the programming signal, and this particular data is used directly for controlling the operation of the light sources of the assembly.  3. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving member (28) comprises a device (56) intended to identify particular data in the programming signal, and this particular data is used for the synchronization of a program specific control unit.  4. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the programming signal is a signal constituted by a carrier modulated by frequency displacement so that it represents a serial signal.  5. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the common supply network is a three-phase electrical network (10, 12, 13, 14), and the assemblies (24, 25, 26) with light sources. are connected in a balanced manner to the different phases, and in that the emitting member (16) is coupled between two conductors of the supply network, and at least one of these two conductors is coupled by capacitors (22) to the other conductors so that the programming signal is coupled to all conductors in the three-phase network.  6. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control devices (62) of the light source assemblies are switching members, chosen from the group which includes relays, thyristors, bidirectional controlled switches and transistors.  7. Transmitter member intended for an installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a storage circuit intended to transmit a serial signal, and a transmitter-receiver circuit (42) intended to transform a serial signal into a signal modulated by frequency shift in the low frequency range.  8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the storage circuit comprises a programmable memory (36), an address counter (34), a clock (32) and a multiplexing device (40) which transmits the signal series.  9. Receiving member intended for an installation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a transceiver circuit (52) intended to transform a signal comprising a carrier modulated by frequency displacement in the range low frequencies into a serial signal.  10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that, when it does not receive a programming signal, it transmits a signal such that it causes the light sources of the associated assembly to be switched on (24, 25, 26) to a predetermined operating state.