JPH0222999B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a remote control dimming device that remotely controls the dimming of a load lamp.

Generally, a remote control dimmer has a plurality of transmitters 3a, 3b and receivers 4a, 4b connected to a signal line 2 connected to a base unit 1, as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 3b has a switch for turning up and down the dimming and a stop switch for stopping the brightness, and a load lamp to be dimmed is connected to the receivers 4a and 4b. 5 is a power line.
Figure 2 a and b show the transmission signal format of this remote control dimmer. , receivers 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b
A channel identification signal for designating one of the channels is sent, followed by a control signal for controlling the dimming state. The receivers 4a, 4b control the load lamps using control signals. Next, the reply signal timing shown in FIG. 2b is the timing at which the transmitters 3a and 3b return the switch status to the base unit 1.

In a conventional remote control dimmer, the control signals include an up signal to brighten the load lamp, a down signal to dim it, and a stop signal to stop the change. An example of the signal flow is shown in FIG. Note that FIG. 3 shows only the A channel composed of the transmitter 3a and the receiver 4a, and shows the sequence when the transmitter 3a is operated down. or,
In FIG. 3, SW ₁ is an up switch that brightens the load lamp, SW ₂ is a down switch that dims it, and SW ₃ is a stop switch that stops the change.

First, when down switch SW ₂ is pressed, base unit 1 learns in sequence A that down switch SW ₂ has been pressed, and sends a down signal to receiver 4a in sequence B. When the load lamp of the receiver 4a becomes dark and reaches an appropriate level, the stop switch _SW3 of the transmitter 3a is pressed, and in sequence C, the base unit 1 learns that the stop switch _SW3 has been pressed. Base unit 1 then sends a stop signal of sequence D. The above operation is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

By the way, when the load lamp is dimmed by pressing up switch SW ₁ or down switch SW ₂ , the user presses stop switch SW ₃ when the load lamp reaches the desired brightness.
There was a problem in that if the user delayed pressing the stop switch SW ₃ , the brightness of the load lamp would suddenly change. For example, when the load lamp is dimmed in the down direction by pressing down switch SW ₂ ,
Although _the desired dimming state was reached at time t ₁ shown in _{FIG .}
If you press , the brightness of the load lamp, which had become dark in this case, suddenly becomes brighter when it passes the 0 cross point.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and its purpose is to provide a remote control dimming device that does not cause sudden changes in the brightness of a load lamp due to a delay in the user's operation. be.

FIG. 6 shows the signal flow of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows only the A channel composed of the transmitter 3a and the receiver 4a, and shows the case where the transmitter 3a is operated down. Base unit 1 recognizes that down switch SW ₂ has been pressed in sequence A, and since this is a down operation, base unit 1 first transmits the darkest level in sequence B. In the receiver 4a, the level gradually decreases to the darkest level, and the load lamps gradually become darker. After that, when stop switch SW ₃ is pressed on the transmitter 3a, the stop signal is recognized by the base unit 1 in sequence C, and the base unit 1 receives the stop signal in sequence D.
A stop signal is sent to the receiver 4a. Receiver 4a
stops changing the brightness at that point. The above operation is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

A case where the user's operation of the stop switch SW ₃ is delayed will be explained below. In this way, the operation of the stop switch SW ₃ is delayed, and when the final level indicating the darkest level of the load lamp sent from the base unit 1 to the receiver 4a is reached, the receiver 4a operates by exiting from the signal processing loop that dims the load lamp in the down direction. Therefore, the load lamp will not become darker than that level, and even if the operation of the stop switch SW ₃ is delayed, the brightness of the load lamp will not change suddenly. Note that FIG. 8 shows only the operation of the dimming level according to the present invention of the receiver 4a, and the receiver 4a is configured as shown in FIG. 8 is a dimming clock generation circuit, 8 is a counter, 9 is a signal receiving circuit, 10 is a dimming level up/down counter, and 11 is a comparison circuit. The output of the comparator circuit 11 controls the phase of a control element 13 connected in series to the load lamp 12 to dim it. Furthermore, even when the light is turned up, the light can be adjusted without overrun. here,
If a dimming pulse is generated at the same timing from the 0 cross point when the power frequency is 50Hz and 60Hz, the 60Hz case will be dark, so the dimming clock generation circuit 7 is configured as a basic circuit as shown in Figure 10. The output of the clock generating circuit 14 is frequency-divided by a 1/5 frequency dividing circuit 15 or 1/6 frequency dividing circuit 16, and a dimming clock is obtained by switching a switch 17 depending on the power supply frequency.

Next, FIG. 11 is a flowchart of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the receiver 4a is shown in FIG.
Use one that does not include 50/60Hz switching. Also, as is clear from the flowchart, there is a difference in that the power supply frequency and the degree of deterioration of the load lamp are taken into consideration in determining the brightest level and the darkest level. The operation is to determine which frequency is set on the base unit 1 side when sending the brightest level or darkest level of sequence B.
Alternatively, a level that takes into consideration whether the load lamp has deteriorated is transmitted. Other operations are the same as in the previous embodiment. Therefore, 50/60Hz is applied to the receiver 4a side.
Since there is no need to have a switching circuit, the configuration is simple and inexpensive, and deterioration compensation for the load lamp can be performed using only the processing program of the base unit 1.

As described above, the present invention provides a load lamp, an operation section that increases or decreases the dimming state of the load lamp, and stops the dimming state of the load lamp at a desired dimming state, and this operating section is connected to the load lamp. It consists of a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of receivers to which the load lamps are connected, and a base unit to which the transmitters and receivers are connected via signal lines. Data is transmitted bi-directionally between the base unit and each receiver using multiplex transmission, and the base unit monitors the operation status of the control unit and sends control signals to the receiver according to the operation of the control unit. In a remote control dimmer in which the receiver continuously varies the dimming control of the load lamp in the up direction or down direction in response to this control signal to control the dimming state of the load lamp to a desired state, the above operation is performed. When the unit is operated up or down, the base unit transmits to the receiver in advance the final attained level indicating the up dimming limit or down dimming limit that prevents further dimming control of the load lamp. Since the receiver controls the dimming of the load lamp, even if the operation to stop the dimming of the load lamp is delayed, the receiver will indicate the up dimming limit or the down dimming limit. There is an advantage that the load lamp is not dimmed to a level higher than the final level, and therefore the problem of sudden changes in the brightness of the load lamp does not occur.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is the basic circuit diagram of the remote control dimmer, Figure 2
Figures a and b are transmission signal format diagrams as above, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a conventional remote control dimming device, Figure 4 is a flowchart of the same as above, and Figures 5 a and b are explanations of dimming levels as above. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the same as the above, FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the operation of the main part of the same receiver, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a block circuit diagram of the dimming clock generation circuit described above, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart of another embodiment of the present invention. 1...Base unit, 2...Signal line, 3a, 3b...Transmitter, 4a, 4b...Receiver, 12...Load lamp, SW ₁ ...Up switch, SW ₂ ...Down switch, SW ₃ ... ...stop switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A load lamp, an operating section for increasing or decreasing the dimming state of the load lamp, and stopping the dimming state of the load lamp at a desired dimming state, and a plurality of devices to which this operating section is connected. It consists of a transmitter, a plurality of receivers to which the load lamps are connected, and a base unit to which the transmitters and receivers are connected via signal lines. Data is transmitted bidirectionally between the device and each receiver using multiplex transmission, and the parent device monitors the operating status of the operating section and sends control signals to the receiver according to the operation of the operating section. In the remote control dimmer device, the receiver continuously varies the dimming control of the load lamp in an up direction or a down direction in accordance with the control signal to control the dimming state of the load lamp to a desired state. When the UP or DOWN operation is performed, the base unit transmits to the receiver in advance the final attained level indicating the UP dimming limit or DOWN dimming limit that prevents further dimming control of the load lamp. A remote control dimmer device that allows a receiver to perform dimming control of a load lamp. 2. The remote control adjustment according to claim 1, wherein the base unit sets the final attained level according to either or both of the power supply frequency and the degree of deterioration of the load lamp and transmits it to the receiver. light device.