LIGHTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A LIGHTING DEVICE

Abstract

 A lighting device comprises a memory and a processor configured to control operation of the lighting device by executing a program stored in said memory. The lighting device comprises a hardware element that is coupled to said processor and adapted to acquire one of a plurality of possible states. The lighting device comprises a hard interface available to a user for allowing said user to set said hardware element to a desired one of said plurality of possible states. Additionally, the lighting device comprises a soft interface available to a configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into said lighting device an effect that a set state of said hardware element is to cause during the execution of said program.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of lighting devices, at least some operating features may be selected by hardware-based configuring. In particular, the invention relates to such lighting devices in which the hardware-based configuring can be augmented with programmable configuring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Devices that take part in the operation of a lighting system may be generally called lighting devices. Common examples of lighting devices include but are not limited to luminaires, switches, control panels, sensors, driver devices, controller devices, and the like.

[0003] Hardware-based configuring of lighting devices means that the lighting device comprises a hardware element the state of which can be set and/or changed in the purpose of making the lighting device operate in a particular way. A typical example of such a hardware element is a group of DIP (Dual Inline Package) switches installed on a circuit board of the lighting device. A user, an installing technician, or other authorized party may set each DIP switch into one of its two states. The state combination of the DIP switches then makes the lighting device operate in a desired way. Other examples of hardware elements that may be used for similar purposes include but are not limited to other kinds of switches; a connector, to which an external component such as a resistor of desired value can be connected; as well as a trimmer potentiometer installed on a circuit board.

[0004] A common problem with hardware-based configuring is that the hardware element(s) involved reserve a relatively large space. Or, the other way round, there may be such a limited space available in the lighting device that only a small number of hardware elements can be installed and made available for use in configuring. This in turn means that a relatively narrow range of settings may be available for hardware-based configuring.

[0005] A commonly used alternative to hardware-based configuring is software-based configuring. The lighting device may include a processor, which controls the operation of the lighting device by executing a program stored in a memory. An authorized party may change parts of the program or some stored information elements available to the processor, in order to make the lighting device operate differently. Programmable changes may be as extensive as replacing whole passages of program code, or they may be as simple as just storing a desired value for a parameter. Software-based configuring may be accomplished by using a dedicated programming device, which connects to the lighting device through a programming interface that may be wired or wireless. In some cases, software-based configuring may take place through a communications connection that the lighting device uses also during normal operation, such as a lighting control bus connection.

[0006] While software-based configuring offers almost unlimited flexibility concerning the configurable options, it may appear more complicated than hardware-based configuring. The authorized party desirous of performing software-based configuring must have the appropriate programming device(s) and software tools at their disposal, and they must be skilled enough to operate said tools accordingly.

SUMMARY

[0007] An objective of the invention is to provide a lighting device and a method that offer flexible ways of configuring without placing excessive requirements regarding available space or user expertise. Another objective is to enable hierarchical distribution of configuration-related tasks to different levels of a logistic chain. A further objective is to ease the burden that the need for numerous product versions causes to lighting device manufacturers.

[0008] These and further advantageous objectives are achieved by equipping the lighting device with one or more hardware elements for hardware-based configuring, while simultaneously allowing the effect of such hardware-based configuring to be set through software-based means.

[0009] According to a first aspect, there is provided a lighting device comprising a memory and a processor configured to control operation of the lighting device by executing a program stored in said memory. The lighting device comprises a hardware element that is coupled to said processor and adapted to acquire one of a plurality of possible states. The lighting device comprises a hard interface available to a user for allowing said user to set said hardware element to a desired one of said plurality of possible states. Additionally, the lighting device comprises a soft interface available to a configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into said lighting device an effect that a set state of said hardware element is to cause during the execution of said program.

[0010] According to an embodiment, said memory comprises a protected part and an accessible part that is accessible through said soft interface. The program resides in said protected part. Information indicative of the selected effect that the set state of said hardware element is to cause resides in said accessible part. This involves the advantage that accidental and/or unauthorized changes to the program are prevented, while simultaneously allowing the configurer perform the selecting and storing as described above.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the lighting device comprises a programming port for loading said program into said memory. The soft interface may then be physically separate from said programming port. This involves the advantage that all accidental and/or unauthorized attempts of accessing the program can be prevented effectively, for example by making the programming port difficult or impossible to access after the manufacturer has delivered the completed product.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the lighting device comprises a power input for powering up the lighting device for normal operation. The soft interface may be configured for allowing said configurer to select and store into said lighting device said effect that a set state of said hardware element is to cause, without powering up said lighting device through said power input. This involves the advantage that a configurer can perform said actions quickly and easily, without having to care about separately providing operating power to the lighting device.

[0013] According to an embodiment, said soft interface is a wireless interface. This involves the advantage that the configurer may perform said actions without having to physically touch or even closely approach the lighting device.

[0014] According to an embodiment, said soft interface is one a Near Field Communications interface in accordance with the standard ISO/IEC 14443, a Bluetooth interface or Bluetooth Low Energy inter-face specified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, or a Wi-Fi interface in accordance with the standard IEEE 802.11. This involves the advantages that the configurer only needs some relatively common equipment to perform said actions, and that the same interface can also be used for other communications with the lighting device.

[0015] According to an embodiment, said soft interface is a wired interface and one of a control bus interface according to a standard of the DALI standards family, a KNX interface in accordance with the standard ISO/IEC 14543, or a DMX512 bus interface in accordance with the standard USITT DMX512/1990. This involves the advantages that the configurer only needs some relatively common equipment to perform said actions, and that the same interface can also be used for other communications with the lighting device.

[0016] According to an embodiment, said hardware element comprises one or more hardware switches. This involves the advantage that the use of the hard interface is easy, intuitive, and reliable in operation.

[0017] According to an embodiment, said hardware element comprises a connector for making contact with an external hardware component. This involves the advantage that a very large number of possible component options can be employed, most advantageously so that no access to the inside of the lighting device needs to be provided.

[0018] According to an embodiment, said hardware element comprises a trimmer potentiometer. This involves the advantage that stepless effects can be created with the hard interface.

[0019] According to an embodiment, said hardware element comprises a connection through a weakened detachable portion of a printed circuit board in the lighting device. This involves the advantages that the use of the hard interface is easy, intuitive, and reliable in operation and that the use of the hard interface leaves a permanent, non-repudiable proof.

[0020] According to an embodiment, said hardware element comprises a sensor interface for receiving sensor signals from an external sensor. The soft interface may then be available to said configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into said lighting device an effect that a predetermined sensor signal is to cause during the execution of said program. This involves the advantage that very simple sensors can be used together with lighting devices in a versatile way.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the lighting device comprises a control communications interface for exchanging control information with other lighting devices. The lighting device may then be configured to set said control communications interface into a predetermined communications mode in response to a predetermined set state of said hardware element. This involves the advantage that different communication modes can be set into use easily and with only simple actions required.

[0022] According to a second aspect, there is provided a method of operating a lighting device of some kind described above. The method comprises selecting and storing into said lighting device an effect that a set state of a hardware element in the lighting device is to cause during the execution of a program previously stored into a memory of the lighting device, and setting said hardware element to a desired one of a plurality of possible states in order to cause said selected and stored effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a lighting device according to an embodiment,

figure 2 illustrates the conceptual division of memory into protected and accessible parts,

figure 3 illustrates an example of a hardware element according to an embodiment,

figure 4 illustrates an example of a hardware element according to an embodiment,

figure 5 illustrates an example of a hardware element according to an embodiment,

figure 6 illustrates an example of a hardware element according to an embodiment,

figure 7 illustrates an example of a hardware element according to an embodiment,

figure 8 illustrates an example of a hardware element according to an embodiment,

figure 9 is a block diagram of a lighting device according to an embodiment, and

figure 10 is a block diagram of a lighting device according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a lighting device 101. For the sake of illustrative example, the following description assumes first that the lighting device 101 is a so-called led driver, the task of which is to provide operating power at a desired voltage and current to one or more sets of one or more semiconductor light sources, preferably as a part of a larger lighting system. This assumption is not restrictive, and examples of other kinds of lighting devices are described in more detail later.

[0025] The lighting device 101 comprises a memory 102 and a processor 103 that is configured to control operation of the lighting device by executing a program stored in the memory 102. The memory 102 and processor 103 are here considered in singular for simplicity. In a practical implementation a lighting device may comprise a plurality of processors and a plurality of memory means, some of which may even be remote memory means to which the processor or processors have a connection through a communications bus, a cloud service, or some other communications link. The following description can be straightforwardly generalized to cover also implementations with a plurality of processors and/or memories.

[0026] The functional parts block 104 in fig. 1 is a general representation of other kinds of parts that are needed for the lighting device to perform is intended function. For example, if the lighting device 101 is a led driver as assumed above, the functional parts 104 comprise the power converter(s) needed to convert an incoming input power (such as AC mains grid power) into the output power of desired voltage and amperage that is then fed to the semiconductor light source(s) through one or more functional interfaces 105. A major part of the control functions that the processor 103 performs may concern controlling the operation of the functional parts 104.

[0027] Optionally, the lighting device may comprise a communications functionality 106 for setting up and maintaining one or more communications interfaces 107. These it may use for communicating with other devices, such as other devices belonging to the same lighting system. An example of such a communications interface is a control bus interface, such as a DALI interface, DMX512 interface, KNX interface, PLC (Power Line Carrier) interface, or the like. Additionally or alternatively, there may be one or more wireless communications interfaces, like Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, or the like.

[0028] The lighting device comprises a hardware element 108 that is coupled to the processor 103. The hardware element 108 is adapted to acquire one of a plurality of possible states. Additionally, the lighting device comprises what is here called a hard interface 109. The hard interface 109 is available to a user for allowing the user to set the hardware element 108 to a desired one of said plurality of states. For simplicity, the hardware element 108 is here described in singular. There may be a plurality of hardware elements of this kind in the lighting device, each of them adapted to acquire a respective one of a plurality of possible states.

[0029] As an example, the hardware element 108 may comprise one or more hardware switches. DIP switches can be used, so that what is seen as a hardware element block 108 in the schematic representation of fig. 1 may appear as a block of two, four, or eight DIP switches in a practical implementation. Other kinds of hardware switches could be used as well. In such a case, the hard interface 109 consists of the levers, pressable surfaces, shafts, and/or other exposed parts of the switches, the manipulation of which by the user sets the position of the respective switch. A simple hardware switch may have two possible states, namely a conductive state and a non-conductive state, so that by manipulating the lever, pressable surface, shaft, or other exposed part the user sets the switch into one of these states. More elaborate hardware switches may have more than two possible states. As an example, a rotary switch may have a input terminal and a plurality of output terminals, so that the switch connects the input terminal to a selected one of the output terminals depending on the rotary position of a shaft.

[0030] As a consequence of the coupling between the hardware element 108 and the processor 103, the set state of the hardware element 108 causes a certain effect 110 during the execution of the program of the processor 103. A very large variety of such effects can be presented. As an illustrative example, assuming that the lighting device 101 is a led driver, the processor 103 may set the value of an output current in unambiguous dependence on the set state of the hardware element 108. More examples of what the effect 110 can be are described in detail later in this text.

[0031] The lighting device 101 comprises a soft interface 111 that is available to a user for allowing the user to select and store into the lighting device 101 an effect 110 that a set state of the hardware element 108 is to cause during the execution of the program of the processor 103. While the user to which the soft interface 111 is available may be the same as the user who accesses the hard interface 109, it may be expected that these would typically be two different users. For unambiguous reference, the user to which the soft interface 111 is available is called the configure. The designations hard interface and soft interface are just names used here of unambiguous reference to the two interfaces. As it name implies, the soft interface 111 is meant to affect the way in which a program, i.e. a piece of software, is to be executed.

[0032] The purpose is not to allow the configurer to make changes to the actual program code that the processor 103 executes. Rather, the program code has been prepared so that it allows for at least two alternatives, like two alternative values of an output current or two alternatives of settable parameters for example. What exactly these alternatives are is not fixedly determined, but determinable later through the soft interface 111. Setting the state of the hardware element 108 through hard interface 109 then selects, which of the two alternatives determined through the soft interface 111 is taken into use.

[0033] Considering the output current values as an example, the program code may have been written so that there are alternative output current values I1 and 12. A configurer then utilizes the soft interface 111 to determine that for example I1 = 150 mA and 12 = 300 mA. After that, either the configurer or some different user then sets a switch in the hardware element block 108 either conductive, selecting output current 150 mA, or non-conductive, selecting output current 300 mA. If the configurer had utilized the soft interface 111 to determine that I1 = 350 mA and I2 = 500 mA instead, the same switch settings (conductive / non-conductive) by the latter user would then select output current 350 mA or output current 500 mA respectively.

[0034] Considering the settable parameters as an example, the program code may have been written so that there are alternative control protocols P1 and P2. A configurer then utilizes the soft interface 111 to determine that for example P1 = DALI type 6 and P2 = DALI type 8. After that, either the configurer or some different user then sets a switch in the hardware element block 108 either conductive, selecting DALI type 6 as the control protocol to be used, or non-conductive, selecting DALI type 8 as the control protocol to be used. It is noteworthy that the lighting device in this example may be of exactly the same kind as in the first example above: when using the soft interface 111, the configurer may determine, whether the selection made through the hard interface 109 will affect the output current (while a default control protocol will be used) or control protocol (while a default output current will be used).

[0035] Versatile combinations and modifications of these exemplary embodiments can be provided. For example, the hardware element block 108 may comprise two switches, each of which may be set either conductive or non-conductive. The configurer may determine that for the first switch, the alternative positions mean: set output current (conductive) / set control protocol (non-conductive) . Similarly the configurer may determine that for the second switch, the alternative positions mean: 350 mA or DALI type 6 (conductive) / 500 mA or DALI type 8 (non-conductive). There may be a default value for output current and a default control protocol. The user capable of utilizing the hard interface may then use the first switch to select, whether this particular lighting device should have the output current or the control protocol as the selectable variable, and use the second switch to select the desired value for that variable. For the parameter that was not selected with the first switch, the default value would be used.

[0036] The order in time of said actions (determining the values through soft interface 111, selecting one of the determined values through hard interface 109) is not important. It is equally possible that the state of the hardware element 108 is set first and the respective effect is determined through the soft interface 111 thereafter.

[0037] The lighting device 101 may comprise an additional programming port 112, available only for the manufacturer, servicing technician, and/or other properly authorized party for the purpose of actually making changes to the program executed by the processor 103. The program may have been stored into the memory 102 permanently at manufacturing time, using a pre-programmed memory circuit for example, in which case there is no need for a programming port 112. Alternatively, there may be e.g. a programming port connector that is only accessible after some disassembling of the lighting device, or otherwise not readily accessible for ordinary users or unauthorized parties. Additionally or alternatively, software means may be employed to establish a protected programming port 112 that is only accessible to a party possessing an appropriate encryption key. In such a case, the programming interface 112 - if one exists - may even share the same hardware with the soft interface 111 and/or the communications interface 107. The other option is that the soft interface 111 is physically separate from the programming port 112.

[0038] The use of the soft interface 111, to select and store into the lighting device 101 an effect that a set state of the hardware element 108 is to cause during the processor executing its program, may be referred to as configuring or a kind of simple programming. Yet, as emphasized above, it should not change the program proper stored in the memory 102. Conceptually this can be described as shown in fig. 2. In fig. 2, the memory 102 comprises a protected part 201 and an accessible part 202. Of these, the accessible part 202 is accessible through the soft interface 111 seen in fig. 1. The program that the processor 103 executes during operation resides in the protected part 201 of the memory 102. Information indicative of the selected effect that the set state of the hardware element 108 is to cause resides in the accessible part 202.

[0039] There are many ways to implement in practice a division of a memory into a protected part 201 and an accessible part 202 like in fig. 2. The protected part 201 and accessible part 202 may be physically different parts of memory, with a write-enabling access only to the accessible part 202. According to another possibility, software-based restrictions allow write operations only at a predefined range of memory addresses that consequently constitute the accessible part 202. For the purposes of the present description, it is not important what technical solution is used to ensure that configurers can only perform such write operations that represent selecting and storing into the lighting device an effect that a set state of the hardware element 108 is to cause during the execution of the program of the processor 103.

[0040] In many cases, the lighting device 101 may comprise a power input for powering up the lighting device for normal operation. Such a power input may be coupled to the mains grid of a building as a part of installing the lighting device. It may be advantageous to configure the soft interface 111 for allowing the configurer to select and store into the lighting device the effect that a set state of the hardware element 108 is to cause, without powering up the lighting device through the power input. In other words, the soft interface 111 may be available for selecting and storing the effect 110 even if the processor 103 was not operational, or at least not fully operational.

[0041] A well-known and frequently used physical form of an interface that allows simple communications with a device without otherwise powering it up is the NFC interface (Near Field Communications) in accordance with the standard ISO/IEC 14443. If the soft interface 111 involves aspects of NFC, the memory 102 (or some other memory in the lighting device 101) may comprise one or more registers that are accessible through NFC communications.

[0042] In addition to or in place of NFC, the soft interface 111 may involve aspects of other kinds of wireless interfaces. It may be for example a Bluetooth interface or Bluetooth Low Energy interface specified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, or a Wi-Fi interface in accordance with the standard IEEE 802.11. The use of a wireless interface for selecting and storing into the lighting device 101 the effect that a set state of the hardware element 108 is to cause is particularly advantageous, because it helps to avoid the possibly laborious method step of connecting the lighting device 101 physically to a programming device. In some cases, it may allow operating batch-wise so that a wirelessly communicating programming device may select and store the desired effect into a plurality of lighting devices simultaneously.

[0043] Examples of wired interfaces that may be involved in the implementation of the soft interface include but are not limited to a control bus interface according to a standard of the DALI standards family, a KNX interface in accordance with the standard ISO/IEC 14543, and a DMX512 bus interface in accordance with the standard USITT DMX512/1990.

[0044] The principle of using a soft interface to select and store into a lighting device an effect that a set state of a hardware element is to cause may be utilized in various advantageous ways. It enables distributing configuration-related tasks hierarchically to different levels of a logistic chain. In such a hierarchy, using the soft interface may be considered a higher hierarchical level than just setting the state of one or more hardware elements. For example, a party who has overall responsibility for designing and building a lighting system may order a large number of lighting devices from a manufacturer and use the soft interface and an appropriate programming device to select the way in which the states of their included hardware elements will affect their operation. Such "soft-configured" lighting elements may then be delivered to the installing site, where an installing technician is instructed to set, at the moment of installing each individual one of said lighting devices, their hardware elements so that the lighting devices will operate according to e.g. location-specific operation criteria.

[0045] In the example above, it is relatively simple to instruct the installing technician to e.g. set the four DIP switches to the state combination "1001" in those devices that will end up closest to windows and "0011" in others. It could be somewhat more demanding if the installing technician would need to use a programming device to select and configure one level of daylight sensitivity to the devices close to windows and another level to the others. On the other hand, the same lighting devices may be used in the underground floor where none of them needs to have any daylight sensitivity, but they must be set up differently regarding dim-down delay. The party on the higher hierarchical level may then "soft-configure" the lighting devices destined to the underground floor so that the state combination "1001" of the DIP switches causes a different dim-down delay than "0011". The effects related to daylight sensitivity and dim-down delay are presented here as non-limiting examples, and the same principle can be applied in relation to any other desired effect that the set state(s) of the hardware element(s) should have.

[0046] The principle explained above can also be utilized in a logistic chain where a manufacturer or wholesaler of lighting units orders the actual products from a subcontractor and stores them in anticipation of orders from and deliveries to customers. If there was no soft interface in the products, the manufacturer or wholesaler should store different kinds of hardware-configurable products separately: for example, lighting devices that are hardware-configurable for different levels of daylight sensitivity and lighting devices that are hardware-configurable for different dim-down delays. Due to the advantageous possibilities offered by the soft interface, the manufacturer or wholesaler only needs to store one kind of lighting devices, which they then subject to suitable soft configuring according to each order prior to delivery. Preferably, the manufacturer or wholesaler utilizes a programming device capable of accessing the soft interface of a large number of lighting devices simultaneously. The customers do not need any programming devices of their own, but only the ability to set the state(s) of the hardware element(s) in the lighting devices delivered to them.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the hardware element(s) in the lighting device may comprise one or more hardware switches. Fig. 3 shows an example, in which the hardware elements comprise a grounding 4-channel DIP switch block 301 and a set of pull-up resistors, of which resistor 302 is shown as an example. The processor 103 is coupled to a supply voltage between a supply potential VCC and local ground. The memory 102 and the soft interface 111 are coupled to appropriate pins of the processor 103 for mutual interaction. There are as many pins of the processor 103 dedicated to hardware-based configuring as there are channels in the DIP switch block 301. Each of said pins is coupled to the respective switch and to the supply potential VCC through the respective pull-up resistor. These pins thus constitute digital input pins, so that if the respective switch is closed, the pin assumes the digital value 0, while if the respective switch is open, the pin assumes the digital value 1. The soft interface 111 is available to a configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into the lighting device an effect that each combination of the 16 possible four-bit digital values is to cause during the execution of the program stored in the memory 102.

[0048] Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate some examples of alternative embodiments in which the hardware element also comprises one or more hardware switches. Both in fig. 4 and in fig. 5, there is only one pin in the processor 103 dedicated to hardware-based configuring. In fig. 4 said pin is coupled to all four channels in the DIP switch block 301. A resistor network 401 is coupled between the supply potential VCC and local ground, and the four channels in the DIP switch block 301 are each coupled to different parts of the resistor network 401. The dedicated pin in the processor 103 is an analogue input pin, the potential of which acquires one of the 16 possible values between VCC and ground, the ends included, depending on the on/off combination of the switches in the DIP switch block 401. The soft interface 111 is available to a configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into the lighting device an effect that each of the 16 possible potential values is to cause during the execution of the program stored in the memory 102.

[0049] The difference between the embodiments of fig. 4 and fig. 5 is in the coupling order of the DIP switch block 301 and the resistor network 401. Fig. 5 serves to show that these can be coupled in any order between the dedicated pin in the processor 103, the supply potential VCC, and the local ground.

[0050] In place of, or in addition to, toggling type on-off switches like DIP switches the hardware element(s) may comprise other kinds of switches, like rotary switches for example. Embodiments based on switches involve the common advantage that everything that is needed for offering the hard interface to the user is and remains there within the lighting device. Setting the state of such hardware elements is also very easy and intuitive even to inexperienced users. It is straightforward to instruct anyone to set one or more switches to some desired states, and the result of such setting can be easily verified visually.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the hardware element 108 shown in fig. 1 comprises a connector for making contact with an external hardware component. Such a connector may then conceptually double as also the hard interface 109. Fig. 6 illustrates an example, in which the connector 601 is shown coupled to a pin of the processor 103 through a resistor network 401. An external resistor 602 is shown connected to the connector 601. The idea is that the external resistor 602 becomes functionally a part of the resistor network 401, so that depending on its resistance, the dedicated pin in the processor 103 acquires some possible potential between the supply potential VCC and local ground. The soft interface 111 is available to a configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into the lighting device an effect that each possible potential value is to cause during the execution of the program stored in the memory 102. In place of, or in addition to, a resistor, other kinds of external components could be used for the same purpose.

[0052] The resistor network 401 does not need to be very complicated in fig. 6; as an extreme example, a simple "resistor network" could consist of a first direct connection between the dedicated pin of the processor 103 and a first terminal of the connector 601 and a second direct connection between the second terminal of the connector 601 and local ground. The processor 103 could then be capable of simply measuring the resistance between the dedicated pin and ground. The skilled person can readily construct other kinds of simpler and more complicated resistor networks for essentially the same purpose. The terminals of the connector 601 could likewise be coupled to just two respective dedicated pins of the processor 103.

[0053] Embodiments of the invention in which the hardware element comprises a connector have the common advantage that the hardware interface itself does not limit the extent of possible hardware-based configuration. The possible number of different external components depends essentially only on the resolution at which the processor 103 is capable of detecting the effect caused by the external component connected. Additionally, as the use of an external current-setting resistor has been commonplace in many known lighting devices, this kind of hardware-based configuring is well known to parties experienced on this technical field. As a yet further advantage, the connector allows using an environment-sensitive external component, such as a temperature-dependent resistor for example, so that the exact effect that each environmental condition should have can be selected and stored through the soft interface.

[0054] Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment in which the hardware element comprises a trimmer potentiometer 701. In this embodiment, the trimmer potentiometer is shown connected to a dedicated pin of the processor 103 through a resistor network 401, but - similar to the embodiments described above with reference to figs. 3 to 6 - other ways of connecting are readily available for the skilled person. Compared to e.g. a rotary switch, a trimmer potentiometer 701 has the advantage of offering stepless control and a much larger number of possible, distinctive settings.

[0055] Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment in which the hardware element comprises a connection 801 through a weakened detachable portion of a printed circuit board in the lighting device. Conceptually and functionally this embodiment is close to that of figs. 6 and 7, only so that the resistance through a connection that becomes part of the resistor network 401 is either zero or infinite. The weakened portion of the printed circuit board may be for example a corner or strip separated from the rest of the printed circuit board by a perforated line or a groove cut half-way through the insulating support material of the printed circuit board.

[0056] Fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment in which the hardware element in the lighting device 101 comprises a sensor interface 901 for receiving sensor signals from an external sensor 902. The physical appearance of the sensor interface 901 may be a connector, much like that shown as connector 601 in fig. 6. The soft interface 111 is available for the configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into the lighting device 101 an effect that a predetermined sensor signal is to cause during the execution of the program stored in the memory 102 and executed by the processor 103.

[0057] The embodiment shown in fig. 9 is advantageous in applications where some aspect of the operation of the lighting device should be governed by signals from an external sensor, but it is either not possible or not advantageous to fixedly decide beforehand, how the lighting device should react to which particular sensor signal.

[0058] As an example, one may assume that the lighting device 101 is a led driver and the external sensor 902 is a motion or presence sensor. A simple motion or presence sensor may be based on a PIR (passive infrared) sensor, which basically detects the overall amount of infrared radiation received from a field of view. In a typical prior art case, the sensor-to-driver interface had to be standardized, for example so that the led driver switched on the lights and kept them on whenever it received a signal representing the logical value "1" from the sensor. A logical value "0" from the sensor was an order for the led driver to switch off the lights. Such a prior art arrangement necessitated calibrating and programming the sensor, for example by turning a sensitivity knob and a switch-off delay knob provided on its casing, so that the sensor could be counted on to give the appropriate signals at each location where such a system was installed. In the embodiment of fig. 9, one can let the sensor 902 send "raw" sensor data through the sensor interface 901, and utilize the soft interface 111 to instruct the processor 103, how it should react to each received kind of sensor signal. This allows using much simpler sensors than in prior art, because the responsibility of interpreting the sensor signals is transferred to the processor 103 of the lighting device 101.

[0059] Fig. 10 illustrates an embodiment in which the lighting device 101 comprises a control communications interface for exchanging control information with other lighting devices. The control communications interface may be the communications interface 107 or a part thereof. In this case, the lighting device 101 may be for example a lighting controller, the task of which is to send lighting control commands to other devices. As a non-limiting example, the lighting device 101 may be a controller device as described in the DALI standards, in which case the control communications interface would be its interface to the DALI bus.

[0060] In the embodiment of fig. 10, the lighting device 101 is configured to set said control communications interface into a predetermined communications mode in response to a predetermined set state of the hardware element(s) 108. In other words, in such a case the hardware element (s) 108 set up a kind of a simple user interface for controlling the communications with other lighting control devices.

[0061] As an illustrative, non-limiting example, one may consider that a lighting system is under construction at a large site. During the constructing phase, it would be advantageous to have all centrally controlled luminaires at the site light up to 80 % lighting intensity, irrespective of any detected movement, daylight, or other factor that should affect their operation once in normal use. The controller device, which is the lighting device 101 in this case, comprises a DIP switch as a hardware element. Through the soft interface 111, there may have been selected and stored into the lighting device 101 an effect, according to which closing the DIP switch makes the lighting device 101 send a universal "light up to 80%" command through its control communications interface. Opening the DIP switch may make the lighting device 101 assume normal mode of operation, i.e. the one it is expected to have once the lighting system has been completed.

[0062] As another illustrative, non-limiting example, one may utilize the soft interface 111 in fig. 10 to select and store into the lighting device an effect, according to which a first state of a DIP switch makes it use its control communications interface for communications over a powered DALI bus, while another state of the DIP switch makes it use its control communications interface for communications over a non-powered DALI bus.

[0063] It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above, instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising:

- a memory,

- a processor configured to control operation of the lighting device by executing a program stored in said memory,

- a hardware element coupled to said processor, said hardware element being adapted to acquire one of a plurality of possible states,

- a hard interface available to a user for allowing said user to set said hardware element to a desired one of said plurality of possible states;

characterized in that the lighting device comprises a soft interface available to a configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into said lighting device an effect that a set state of said hardware element is to cause during the execution of said program.

2. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein:

- said memory comprises a protected part and an accessible part, of which said accessible part is accessible through said soft interface,

- said program resides in said protected part, and

- information indicative of the selected effect that the set state of said hardware element is to cause resides in said accessible part.

3. A lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

- the lighting device comprises a programming port for loading said program into said memory, and

- said soft interface is physically separate from said programming port.

4. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said lighting device comprises a power input for powering up the lighting device for normal operation, and

- said soft interface is configured for allowing said configurer to select and store into said lighting device said effect that a set state of said hardware element is to cause, without powering up said lighting device through said power input.

5. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said soft interface is a wireless interface.

6. A lighting device according to claim 5, wherein said soft interface is one of:

- a Near Field Communications interface in accordance with the standard ISO/IEC 14443,

- a Bluetooth interface or Bluetooth Low Energy interface specified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group,

- a Wi-Fi interface in accordance with the standard IEEE 802.11.

7. A lighting device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said soft interface is a wired interface and one of:

- a control bus interface according to a standard of the DALI standards family,

- a KNX interface in accordance with the standard ISO/IEC 14543,

- a DMX512 bus interface in accordance with the standard USITT DMX512/1990.

8. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said hardware element comprises one or more hardware switches.

9. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said hardware element comprises a connector for making contact with an external hardware component.

10. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said hardware element comprises a trimmer potentiometer.

11. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said hardware element comprises a connection through a weakened detachable portion of a printed circuit board in the lighting device.

12. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- said hardware element comprises a sensor interface for receiving sensor signals from an external sensor, and

- said soft interface is available to said configurer for allowing said configurer to select and store into said lighting device an effect that a predetermined sensor signal is to cause during the execution of said program.

13. A lighting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein:

- the lighting device comprises a control communications interface for exchanging control information with other lighting devices,

- the lighting device is configured to set said control communications interface into a predetermined communications mode in response to a predetermined set state of said hardware element.

14. A method of operating a lighting device according to any of claims 1 to 13, the method comprising:

- selecting and storing into said lighting device an effect that a set state of a hardware element in the lighting device is to cause during the execution of a program previously stored into a memory of the lighting device, and

- setting said hardware element to a desired one of a plurality of possible states in order to cause said selected and stored effect.

Drawing