[0001] This invention relates to a system for remotely controlling a plurality of lighting
equipments, which drives a remote-controlled relay by a control terminal connected
via a main controller and a transmission signal line, and which turns on/off lighting
requirements connected to the remote-controlled relay via a power source line by the
opening and closing operation of a relay contact.
[0002] In order to control a number of lighting equipments in a concentrated manner provided
in large-scale facilities such as multistoried buildings, Published Unexamined Japanese
Patent Application (PUJPA) No. 62-123896, for example, discloses a system for remotely
controlling lighting requirements wherein a main controller, a plurality of monitoring
terminals, and a plurality of control terminals are connected by a transmission line,
and a monitor signal transmitted from the monitoring terminal is processed by the
main controller, thereby transmitting a control signal to the control terminal from
the main terminal, and a plurality of remote-controlled relays connected to the control
terminal by the signal transmitted from the main controller are driven, thereby turning
on/off the lighting equipments.
[0003] However, in such system for remotely controlling the lighting equipments, the remote-controlled
relays are arranged in two rows in a distribution board and the control terminal is
arranged between the rows. Due to this, one wire, which connects the control terminal
to the remote-controlled relay, crosses the other wire, which connects to a transformer
for supplying driving power to the remote-controlled relays, thereby there was a problem
that an erroneous wiring is easily caused.
[0004] Moreover, in the above-mentioned system for remotely controlling the lighting equipments,
since the remote-controlled relays are arranged in two rows in the distribution board,
there was a problem that the wire connecting to the transformer becomes longer.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a system for remotely controlling
a plurality of lighting equipments, which can prevent an erroneous wiring from being
caused by crossing two wires, one of which connects the control terminal to the remote-controlled
relay, and the other of which connects to a transformer for supplying driving power
to the remote-controlled relays, and which can shorten the length of the wire connecting
the remote-controlled relay to the transformer.
[0006] Accordingly, the present invention provides a system for remotely controlling a plurality
of lighting equipments which comprises a plurality of remote-controlled relays arranged
in one row in a distribution board, and having a relay contact interrupting power-supply
to lighting equipments; relay power generating means, arranged in said distribution
board along the array direction of said remote-controlled relays, for generating power
for driving said remote-controlled relays; a main controller for controlling said
lighting equipments; a transmission line for transmitting a control signal output
from said main controller; and a control terminal including first signal input means,
arranged between said remote-controlled relays and said relay power generating means
in said distribution board, for inputting said control signal from said main controller
via said transmission line, second signal input means for inputting a power signal
output from said relay generating means, first signal outputting means for outputting
a signal opening and closing said relay contact of said remote-controlled relays in
accordance with said control signal input in said first signal input means, and second
signal outputting means for outputting said power signal input in said second signal
input means to said remote-controlled relays.
[0007] This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view showing one embodiment of a system for remotely
controlling a plurality of lighting equipments according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a view showing the relationship of the connection among a control terminal
in said system, a remote-controlled relay, and a remote-controlled transformer;
Fig. 3 is a structural view of a main controller in said system;
Fig. 4 is a structural view of a control terminal in said system;
Fig. 5 is a plan showing a control terminal arranged in a distribution board, a remote-controlled
relay, and a remote-controlled transformer;
Fig. 6 is a front view of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 5;
Fig. 8 is a plan showing a control terminal; and
Fig. 9 is a view showing a modification of the control terminal.
[0008] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.
[0009] Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view showing a system for remotely controlling a
plurality of lighting equipments according to the present invention. A plurality of
monitoring terminals 3A and a plurality of control terminals 3B are connected to a
main controller 1 of this system via a transmission signal line 2. A plurality of
lighting switches 4, which are monitoring objects, are connected to the monitoring
terminals 3A. A plurality of lighting equipment 5, which are controlling objects,
are connected to the control terminals 3B via remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃,
and 6₄, as shown in Fig. 2. A remote-controlled transformer 7 is connected to the
control terminals 3B.
[0010] The main controller 1 transmits a control signal to the control terminals 3B in accordance
with a monitor signal sent from the monitoring terminals 3A. As shown Fig. 3, the
main controller 1 comprises a transmitting/receiving circuit 8, a current detecting
circuit 9, a comparator 10, and a signal processing circuit 11.
[0011] The transmitting/receiving circuit 8 transmits/receives a transmission signal to/from
the monitoring terminals 3A and the control terminals 3B. The transmitting/receiving
circuit 8 comprises transistors Tr₁, Tr₂, Tr₃, Tr₄, a driving circuit 12 for driving
the transistors Tr₁, Tr₂, Tr₃, Tr₄, and signal input/output terminals 8
ST1 and 8
ST2 for inputting/outputting the transmission signal.
[0012] The base terminals of transistors Tr₁, Tr₂, Tr₃, Tr₄ are connected to the signal
output terminals 01, 02, 03, 04 of the driving circuit 12. If a driving signal is
applied to the base terminals of the transistors Tr₁, Tr₂, Tr₃, Tr₄ from the signal
output terminals 01, 02, 03, 04 of the driving circuit 12, the transistors Tr¹' Tr₂,
Tr₃, Tr₄ are turned on. Moreover, the signal input terminals 11, 12, 13 and 14 of
the driving circuit 12 are connected to the signal processing circuit 11. Then, if
a pulse signal is output to the signal input terminals 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the driving
circuit 12 from the signal processing circuit 11, a driving pulse is output from the
signal output terminals 01, 02, 03, and 04 of the driving circuit 12.
[0013] The collector terminals of the transistors Tr₁ and Tr₂ are connected to the output
terminal of a power source circuit (not shown) and a bias voltage of + 24 V is applied
thereto. The emitter terminals of the transistors Tr₁ and Tr₂ are connected to the
collector terminals of the the transistors Tr₃ and Tr₄. Moreover, the emitter terminals
of the transistors Tr₃ and Tr₄ are connected to the current detection circuit 9. Then,
the signal input/output terminal 8
ST1 is connected between the emitter of the transistor Tr₁ and the collector of the transistor
Tr₃, and the signal input/output terminal 8
ST2 is connected between the emitter of the transistor Tr₂ and the collector of the transistor
Tr₄.
[0014] Therefore, if the transistors Tr₁ and Tr₄ are turned on by the driving circuit 12,
a voltage signal of + 24 V is applied to the signal input/output terminals 8
ST1 and 8
ST2. If the transistors Tr₂ and Tr₃ are turned on by the driving circuit 12, a voltage
signal of - 24 V is applied to the signal input/output terminals 8
ST1 and 8
ST2.
[0015] The current detection circuit 9 converts the transmission signal received by the
transmitting/receiving circuit 8 to a voltage mode from a current mode. In other words,
the current detection circuit 9 is constituted so that the current signal sent from
the transistor Tr₄ is converted into the voltage signal at a condenser C.
[0016] The comparator 10 converts the output of the current detection circuit 9 into a binary
signal, and a reference voltage of + 5 is input to an input terminal of a plus side
of the comparator 10.
[0017] The signal processing circuit 11 processes the output signal sent from the comparator
10 and generates a control signal. The signal processing circuit 11 comprises a central
processing unit 13, a pulse signal generator 14 supplying a pulse signal for generating
the control signal to the central processing unit 13, and a reset circuit 15 resetting
the central processing unit 13 when power source is input.
[0018] The monitoring terminals 3A monitor the state of the switches 4 and transmits a monitor
signal to the main controller 1. A contact signal, which is generated by the respective
switches 4, is processed by a signal processing circuit (not shown) of the monitor
terminals 3A, thereafter outputting the signal as a monitor signal to the main controller
1 via the transmission signal line 2.
[0019] The control terminals 3B control the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄ in accordance
with the control signal sent from the main controller 1. As shown in Fig. 4, the monitoring
terminals 3B comprises a transmitting/receiving circuit 16, a signal processing circuit
17, a relay driving circuit 18, and a photocoupler circuit 19.
[0020] The transmitting/receiving circuit 16 transmits/receives the transmission signal
to/from the main controller 1. The transmitting/receiving circuit 16 comprises signal
input/output terminals SI₁₁ and SI₁₂ for inputting the control signal from the main
controller 1 via the transmission signal line 2.
[0021] The signal processing circuit 17 processes the control signal sent from the main
controller 1 and generates a control signal for driving the relays. The signal processing
circuit 17 comprises a central processing unit 20, and a pulse signal generator 22,
which supplies a pulse signal for generating a control signal to the central processing
unit 21.
[0022] The relay driving circuit 18 drives the remote-controlled relays 6₁ 6₂, 6₃, 6₄ in
accordance with the pulse signal output from the central processing unit 20. The relay
driving circuit 18 comprises signal input terminals SI₁₁, SI₁₂, SI₁₃, SI₁₄ for inputting
the pulse signal from the central processing unit 20, and signal output terminals
SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄ for outputting a driving signal to the remote-controlled relays
6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄.
[0023] The photocoupler circuit 19 electrically separates the input side of the control
terminals 3B and the output side. The photocoupler circuit 19 comprises a plurality
of light-emitting diodes 24 connected to the central processing unit 20 and a plurality
of phototransistor 25 connected to the relay driving circuit 18.
[0024] The control terminals 3B comprises a control power source circuit 26 for generating
a controlling power source from the transmition signal input into the transmitting/receiving
circuit 16, a transmission abnormality detection circuit 27 for detecting abnormality
of the transmission signal, a fail-safe circuit 28 for lighting the lighting equipments
5 when the transmission abnormality is detected by the transmission abnormality detection
circuit 27, an address setting circuit 29 for setting addresses of the control terminals
3B, signal input terminals SI₂₁, SI₂₂ for inputting an output signal sent from the
remote-controlled transformer 7, a relay driving power circuit 32 for using a power
signal input into the signal input terminals SI₂₁, SI₂₂ as a remote-controlled power
source, and signal output terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄ for outputting a voltage
generated by the relay driving power circuit 32 to the remote-controlled relays 6₁,
6₂, 6₃, and 6₄ via the relay driving circuit 18.
[0025] The remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄ turn on/off the lighting equipment 5
in accordance with the control signal sent from the control terminals 3B. The remote-controlled
relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄ comprise a relay contact RY, which interrupts the power supply
to the lighting equipment 5, and a relay coil (not shown), which opens and closes
the relay contact RY.
[0026] The remote-controlled transformer 7 generates power source of to drive the remote-controlled
relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄. The voltage signal, which is output from the remote-controlled
transformer 7, is supplied to the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄ via the
control terminals 3B.
[0027] The control terminals 3B, the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄, and the remote-controlled
transformer 7 are arranged in one row in a distribution board (not shown). Also, the
control terminals 3B, the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, 6₄, and the remote-controlled
transformer 7 are fixed to the distribution board via a fixing plate 31 as shown in
Figs. 5 to 7. Moreover, the control terminals 3B are provided between the remote-controlled
relay 6₄ and the remote-controlled transformer 7.
[0028] As shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the signal output terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, and SO₂₄,
the signal output terminals SO₁₁, and SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄, and the signal input terminals
SI₁₁ and SI₁₂ are provided in one side of the control terminals 3B. The signal input
terminals SI₂₁ and SI₂₂ are provided in the other side of the control terminals 3B.
Also, the first signal output terminals SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄, the second signal
output terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄, and the first input terminals SI₁₁ and SI₁₂
are provided on the same on side where the signal input terminals 6
S11 to 6
S14 of the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃,and 6₄ are provided. The second signal
input terminals SI₂₁ and SI₂₂ are provided on the same one side where the signal output
terminal 7
SO of the remote-controlled transformer 7 is provided.
[0029] Moreover, the signal output terminals SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄ of the control terminals
3B, and the signal output terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄ are provided on the one
end side of the control terminals 3B to be adjacent to the remote-controlled relays
6₁, 6₂, 6₃ and 6₄. The signal input terminals SI₂₁ and SI₂₂ are provided on the other
end side of the control terminals 3B to be adjacent to the remote-controlled ttansformer
7.
[0030] Moreover, the signal input terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, and SO₂₄ are provided on the
same one side where the signal output terminals SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, and SO₁₄ are provided
to be close to the side of the remote-controlled transformer 7.
[0031] In the above-structured embodiment, if the monitor signal, which is sent from the
monitor terminals 3A, is input to the main controller 1, the control signal is output
from the main controller 1 and input to the control terminals 3B via the transmission
signal line 2. At this time, in the control terminals 3B, the central processing unit
20 discriminates whether or not address data, which is included in the control signal
input from the transmitting/receiving circuit 16, coincides with self-address data.
If the address data coincides with self-address data, the control signal, which turns
on/off the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, and 6₄, is output from the signal
output terminal SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, and SO₁₄. Thereby, the remote-controlled relays
6₁, 6₂, 6₃ and 6₄ open and close the relay contact RY by the control signal, which
is output from the signal output terminal SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, and SO₁₄ of the control
terminals 3B, and turn on/off the lighting equipments 5.
[0032] In the above-structured embodiment, the voltage signal, which is output from the
remote-controlled transformer 7, is input to the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂,
6₃, and 6₄ via the control terminals 3B. Due to this, the signal line, which transmits
the control signal to the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, and 6₄ from the control
terminals 3B, does not cross the signal line, which supplies power to the remote-controlled
relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, and 6₄ from the remote-controlled transformer 7.
[0033] Thereby, the erroneous wiring can be prevented and the wiring can be efficiently
provided. Also, electrical interference can be prevented, thereby obtaining the technical
advantage in terms of the noise surface.
[0034] Moreover, the control terminals 3B are arranged between the remote-controlled relays
6₁, 6₂, 6₃,and 6₄, which are arranged in one row in the distribution board, and the
remote-controlled transformer 7. Due to this, the wiring between the control terminals
3B and the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, and 6₄, and the wiring between the
control terminals 3B and the remote-controlled transformer 7 can be shortened.
[0035] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the signal input terminals SI₂₁, and SI₂₂,
which input the voltage signal from the remote-controlled transformer 7, and the signal
output terminal SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄, which output the control signal to the remote-controlled
relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, and 6₄, and the signal output terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, and SO₂₄,
which output the driving voltage signal to the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃,
6₄, are provided on one side where the control terminals 3B are opposed to each other.
Moreover, the signal input terminals SI₂₁, and SI₂₂ are arranged on the side of the
remote-controlled transformer 7. The signal output terminals SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, and
SO₁₄, and the signal output terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, and SO₂₄ are provided on the
side of the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃, and 6₄. Due to this, the length of
the transmission line, which transmits the voltage signal output from the remote-controlled
transformer 7 to the control terminals 3B, can be shortened.
[0036] Fig. 9 is a view showing a modification of the control terminal 3B. As shown in Fig.
9, on one side of the control terminals 3B and the same one side where the signal
input terminals 6A11 to 6S14 of the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃ and 6₄, there
are provided the first signal input terminals SI₁₁ and SI₁₂, the second signal input
terminals SI₂₁ and SI₂₂, the first signal output terminals SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄
for outputting a control signal to the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃ and 6₄,
and the second signal output terminals SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄ for outputting a control
signal to the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃ and 6₄. Then, the second signal
input terminals S
I21 and S
I22 are provided on one end side of the control terminals 3B to be adjacent to the remote-controlled
transformer 7. The first and second signal output terminals So₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄,
SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄ are provided on the other end dise of the control terminals
3B to be adjacent to the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃ and 6₄.
[0037] According to the above structure, similar to the above-mentnioned embodiment, the
erroneous wiring can be prevented. Moreover, the wiring between the control terminals
3B and the remote-controlled relays 6₁, 6₂, 6₃ and 6₄, and the wiring between the
control terminals 3B and the remote-controlled transformer 7 can be shortened.
[0038] Additionally, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.
Various modifications can be applied to the present invention without departing from
the gist of the present invention.
1. A system for remotely controlling a plurality of lighting equipments, comprising:
a plurality of remote-controlled relays (6₁ to 6₄) arranged in one row in a distribution
board, and having a relay contact (RY) interrupting power-supply to lighting equipments
(5);
relay power generating means (7), arranged in said distribution board along the
area direction of said remote-controlled relays (6₁ to 6₄), for generating power for
driving said remote-controlled relays (6₁ to 6₄);
a main controller (1) for controlling said lighting equipments (5);
transmission line (2) for transmitting a control signal output from said main controller
(1); and
a control terminal (3B) arranged between said remote-controlled relays (6₁ to 6₄)
and said relay power generating means (7) in said distribution board and including
first signal input means (SI₂₁, SI₂₂), for inputting said control signal from said
main controller (1) via said transmission line (2), second signal input means (SI₂₁,
SI₂₂) for inputting a power signal output from said relay generating means (7), first
signal outputting means (SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄) for outputting a signal opening and
closing said relay contact (RY) of said remote-controlled relays (6₁ to 6₄) in accordance
with said control signal input in said first signal input means (SI₁₁, SI₁₂), and
second signal outputting means (SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄) for outputting said power
signal input in said second signal input means (SI₂₁, SI₂₂) to said remote-controlled
relays (6₁ to 6₄).
2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first signal input means
(SI₁₁, SI₁₂), second signal input means (SI₂₁, SI₂₂), first signal output means (SO₂₁,
SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄) are provided on one side of said control terminal (3B).
3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that said second signal input means
(SI₂₁, SI₂₂) are provided on one end side of said control terminal (3B) to be adjacent
to said relay power generating means (7).
4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first signal output means
(SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄) and second signal output means (SO₂₁, SO₂₂, SO₂₃, SO₂₄) are
provided on the other end side of said control terminal (3B) to be adjacent to said
remote-controlled relays (6₁ to 6₄).
5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first signal input means
(SI₁₁, SI₁₂) are provided between said second signal input means (SI₂₁, SI₂₂) and
said first signal output means (SO₁₁, SO₁₂, SO₁₃, SO₁₄).