Description:

The invention relates to the installation of devices using radio transmission of control signals or other signals in building automation. More specifically, the invention relates to an installation housing arrangement for the integration of radio transmitter and/or receiver in a building structure or a building technology device.

In building automation, a controller often sends commands and control signals to lighting or other devices based on sensor signals indicating, for example, brightness, temperature, humidity, presence of persons and other essential elements, wherein the signals are transmitted by wireless link or cable. Radio transmission of information or data is usually performed by using separate transceivers connected by cable to the control and sensor devices or by transceiver modules integrated into the devices. These transmitters are often accommodated in a housing. Often, these housings are mounted in a building, for example in a ceiling while the housing is built. Later, the transmitter or the device including the transmitter, must be inserted into this housing.

Further, the system can support data transmission not related to the building automation or lighting control. US 2005/0242290 Al discloses a lighting system, in which a wireless network module is integrated into a ceiling lamp to provide Internet access.

However, the quality and range of the radio connection depends on spatial conditions. In particular, if the transceiver is arranged within the building structure (e.g., a wall or ceilings made of reinforced concrete) or in a device (e.g., luminaire with metal housing) for example for aesthetic reasons, metallic components of the device or the building structure can affect the transmission range. On the other hand, the transceiver may interfere with other electronic components of the device in which it is installed. To prevent this, metallic and/or electronic components must be identified and, if necessary, protective measures (e.g., safety distance or shielding) must be taken. In addition, boundary surfaces between dielectric materials with very different dielectric constants (permittivity), such as air and concrete, can affect the transmission of the radio signal. Further, only providing an accommodation space in a housing in which the transmitting device is accommodated results in a high degree of uncertainty regarding the specific position of the device and may be even the direction in which radio signals are emitted. Additionally, radio signals generated within the device or transmitter pass a plurality of different materials (having different dielectric properties) which badly affect transmission quality. It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide an improved system. More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement, with which an electronic device comprising an antenna (radio transmitter and/or receiver) can be easily installed in a building structure or a building technology device with low effort and costs and with which radio propagation conditions for the electronic device housed in the installation frame can be improved.

This object is achieved by an installation housing arrangement and system according to the enclosed independent claims. Advantageous features of the present invention are defined in the corresponding dependent claims.

According to the present invention, an installation housing arrangement comprises an installation housing for accommodating an electronic device comprising an antenna. The installation housing is configured for installation in a building structure or a building technology device. The arrangement further comprises a fastening means for fastening and positioning the electronic device within the installation housing. This is achieved by first inserting the fastening and positioning means into the installation housing. Then, or simultaneously with the fastening and positioning means, the device that shall transmit or receive radio signals is placed in the installation housing. Since the device is at least partially surrounded by the fastening means, the position of the device is defined within closed boundaries. Thus, transmission characteristics of the device are highly reproducible, because the position of the device relative to the installation housing only has small variations. The fastening means is made of a dielectric material that at least partially fills the installation housing, in particular preferably the entire propagation path of the emitted radio wave or radio wave to be received. Thus, an electromagnetic wave which is generated within the device shows improve propagation characteristics, because the propagation path of the electromagnetic wave comprises less critical steps of the permittivity at the boundary surfaces of the different materials.

The installation housing arrangement including the installation housing plus the fastening means of a dielectric material establishes an enclosure for the electronic device that provides defined transmitting and receiving conditions for the device's antenna(s), regardless of the local conditions at the installation site. In this way, the electronic device can be installed in a building structure or a building technology device with low effort and costs.

The dielectric material of the fastening means at least partially fills the installation housing so that, at least in a section of the installation housing, the space between the electronic device and the installation housing is completely filled with the dielectric material. It is preferred that completely filling the space between the electronic device and the installation housing wall is done at the wall towards which the radio signals are emitted (or received). In this way, there are no different dielectric materials, such as air and a holder for the electronic device, in the section located in a preferred transmission direction, and the dielectric material inwall can be adapted to the dielectric material on the outwall of the installation housing in order to reduce the difference between the permittivity of the dielectric material located inwall the installation housing and the permittivity of the dielectric material at least partially surrounding the installation housing. The fastening means can be designed in one or more parts, wherein at least some of the parts may be removable cuboids of different or the same size. The cuboids may be made of an elastic material that rests on the installation housing and electronic device to hold/ clamp the device in the housing.

The electronic device can be Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread or Matter transmitter that transmits radio signals, for example, using short-wavelength UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2,4 to 2,485 GHz. The antenna can be a monopole antenna or a dipole antenna. The radio signals can be transferred between components of a lighting system or forwarded by the lighting system. The electronic device can be inserted into the installation housing by a manufacturer or by the installer on site.

The installation housing can be rectangular-shaped or cylindrical, for example. Preferably, the installation housing is a block-shaped scaffold framework, whose walls are closed with removable panels.

The installation housing can comprise or can be formed by a plurality of housing walls, wherein at least one housing wall (e.g., the panel) is detachable from the installation housing and/or is made of non-metallic material and the fastening means is laminar connected with the at least one housing wall.

The permittivity of the dielectric material can be constant or can be increased or decreased continuously or gradually in the direction of a surface normal of the at least one housing wall.

The installation housing can comprise a reflector for reflecting a radio signal sent by the antenna and passed through the at least one housing wall. A housing wall made of metallic material can form the reflector.

The at least one housing wall can comprise a window or slot for emitting a radio signal sent by the antenna.

Alternatively or in addition, the at least one housing wall can comprise at least one projection configured to project from the building structure, wherein the at least one projection is made of a dielectric material with a permittivity equal to or greater than the permittivity of the dielectric material of the fastening means. A boundary surface between the installation housing and its surroundings in the transmission direction can be formed to allow smooth transition of the permittivity. For this, the at least one projection may have a perimeter that decreases with the depth of penetration into the building structure. Preferably, the at least one projection is wedge, cone or pyramid shaped. The projection can be pressed into the building structure (plaster or wooden plate) or concreted in, where it can also serve as a spacer to the casing. The at least one projection can positioned at the window or the slot.

Preferably, the installation housing arrangement is configured to position the electronic device at different positions within the installation housing, which allows for optimal positioning of the respective electronic device using adapted fastening means. For this, the fastening means can comprise at least one removable insert (part) to position the electronic device and/or to adapt the fastening means to different sizes of the electronic device.

The installation housing accommodating an established the final system, wherein the antenna of the electronic device is configured to send and/or receive a radio signal having a wavelength X. In order to suppress interference from metallic components of the building structure or the building technology device, the fastening means can be configured to position the electronic device so that the antenna has a preferred distance of > X/4 to at least one inner or outer wall of the installation housing.

The installation housing can comprise insertion aid for the electronic device. Preferably, a funnel-shaped insertion opening for the electronic device is formed by the fastening means, at least on one wall. When the fastening means is inserted in the installation housing, this funnel - shaped insertion opening is oriented towards the open wall of the installation housing.

In addition, the installation housing can comprise a removable cover for the funnel-shaped insertion opening, wherein the fastening means comprises a closing plug attached to the removable cover for closing the funnel-shaped insertion opening.

The fastening means can form a cavity into which the electronic device is substantially positively insertable.

Alternatively or in addition, the installation housing can comprise a waveguide for transmitting a radio signal sent by the antenna, wherein the waveguide is at least partially formed by at least one housing wall of the plurality of housing walls.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 shows an installation housing according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a sectional view,

FIG. 2 shows the installation housing shown in FIG. 1 from a top view,

FIG. 3 shows the installation housing shown in FIG. 2 with the cover plate open,

FIG. 4 shows a lighting system comprising the installation housing shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 shows an installation housing according to a second embodiment of the present invention from a top view,

FIG. 6 shows an installation housing 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention in a sectional view,

FIG. 7 shows the installation housing shown in FIG. 6 in wall view, and

FIG. 8 shows an installation housing 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention in a sectional view.

The same features are denoted by the same reference signs throughout all figures.

FIG. 1 shows an installation housing arrangement with an installation housing 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The installation housing 1 shown in FIG. 1 has the shape of a rectangular block and consists of a base plate 2, four sidewalls 3, 4 and a removable cover plate 5, all of which are made of a non-conductive material. The base plate 2 can be casted in one piece with the four sidewalls 3, 4.

The cover plate 5 is mounted on the top of installation housing 1 with four screws 6.-9 as shown in FIG. 2. The base plate 2 has two through-holes 10, 11 by means of which the installation housing 1 can be mounted in or to a building technology device or on a concrete formwork panel (not shown).

An RF transceiver 12 is enclosed by the installation housing arrangement, which is transparent to RF transmission/reception and provides a safety area around the transceiver 12 with respect to potential elements interfering with the RF transmission/reception. The installation housing 1 accommodates six cuboids 13..18 arranged around the transceiver 12 (cuboids 17..18 not shown) to establish the installation housing arrangement, and comprises cable bushing for power supply and data cables (not shown). All cuboids 13..18 are made of the same dielectric material to provide a homogeneous space within the installation housing 1 around the transceiver 12. In addition, the sizes of the cuboids 13..18 are selected to fix the transceiver 12 within the installation housing 1 at a desired position. At least some of the cuboids 13..18 can be exchanged for cuboids of a different size in order to adapt the installation housing i to electronic devices with a different size and/or a different antenna position.

Alternatively, instead of using a plurality of cuboids building the fastening means a smaller number of elements made from the dielectric material might be used. It is particularly possible to mold one part having a recess corresponding to the shape of the device that shall be accommodated in the installation housing and a corresponding lid.

The transceiver 12 is a Bluetooth, Thread, Matter or Wi-Fi transceiver that operates, for example, at 2,4 GHz and transmits a radio signal using a wavelength, for example, of X of 125 mm. Other frequencies or transmission standards maybe used as well. An antenna symbol 19 on the housing of the transceiver 12 marks an exemplary position of the antenna located in the RF transceiver 12, wherein the transceiver 12 shown in FIG. 1 is positioned so that the antenna of the transceiver 12 is located in the center of the installation housing 1. Alternatively, the transceiver 12 can be positioned so that the antenna or the housing of the transceiver 12 has a distance >X/4 to each of the base plate 2, the sidewalls 3, 4 and the cover plate 5. This ensures that there are no metallic objects near the antenna when the installation housing 1 is installed at the site. The distance in which the transceiver is positioned relative to the housing wall 2 is defined by the thickness of cuboid 16 or the corresponding part of a molded dielectric material.

The distance between the transceiver 12 and the base plate 2 (and the cover plate 5) can be varied by varying the thickness Ti of the cuboid 17 and the thickness T2 of the cuboid 16 and the distance between the transceiver 12 and the sidewalls 3, 4 can be varied by varying the length T3 of the cuboid 13 and the length T4 of the cuboid 14.

FIG. 3 shows the installation housing shown in FIG. 2 with the cover plate 5 open and the cuboid 14 removed. As shown in FIG. 3, the distance between the transceiver 12 and the sidewalls 20, 21 can be varied by varying the width T5 of the cuboid 17 and the width T6 of the cuboid 18. The cuboids 13..18 represent a fastening means for fastening and positioning the transceiver 12 within the installation housing 1. Alternatively, the fastening means can comprise only two parts enclosing the transceiver 12 or it can comprise more or fewer than six parts.

FIG. 4 shows the installation housing 1 installed in a mounting rail 22 for carrying luminaires and/or other devices. The metallic mounting rail 22 can be made of extruded metal or deepdrawn sheet metal and is covered on its lower side with a non-conductive plate 23. The installation housing 1 is fixed to the mounting rail 22 by a screw connection 24, 25 and encloses the transceiver 12, with which control and/or other signals can be transmitted to a receiver located in or outside the mounting rail 22. Alternatively or in addition, the transceiver 12 can receive a command to switch on/off luminaires mounted on the mounting rail 22 and output the command to a control unit/gear of the luminaires via cable (not shown).

The installation housing 1 shown in FIG. 1 is made of a non-conductive/metallic material that is transparent to radio transmission/reception in all directions. However, if a radio link is only between the transceiver 12 and a device located outside the mounting rail 19, radiation of the radio signal into the mounting rail 19 should be suppressed. For this purpose, a shield can be attached to the installation housing 1 that directs the radiation emerging from the sidewalls 3, 4 downward, i.e., towards the plate 23. Alternatively, the sidewalls 3, 4, 21, 22 or even the base plate 2 can be made of a metallic material (e.g., aluminum, steal), wherein the cover plate 5 is made of the non-conductive/metallic material. This also reduces interference to the transceiver 12 from EM fields generated by electronic devices located in the mounting rail 19.

The installation housing 1 can consist of exchangeable conductive/non-conductive walls (e.g., the sidewalls 3, 4, 21, 22, the base plate 2 and/or the cover plate 5) so that the combinations of conductive and/or non-conductive walls enables the installation housing 1 more flexibility and provides a large number of solutions for different applications. It is particularly preferred that, a conductive/metallic plate is attachable to at least one wall of the installation housing 1, which is made of a non-conductive/metallic material, by a clamp or screwed connection.

The installation housing 1 may be waterproof, which is advantageous when used in liquid concrete. Alternatively, the wall of the installation housing 1 that is located in a desired radiation direction (e.g., the cover plate 5 in FIG. 4) may be open or have an opening. Further, waveguiding structures (reflectors, slot-arrays ...) may be present in the installation housing 1 or may be attached to one or more of the walls.

FIG. 5 shows an installation housing 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the base plate 2, the four sidewalls 3, 4, 21, 22 (not shown) and the cover plate 5 are made of a metallic material, and the cover plate 5 comprises a slot S to radiate electromagnetic waves in a way similar to a dipole antenna. The installation housing 1 shown in FIG. 5 forms a slot antenna for emitting a radio signal sent by the antenna of the transceiver 12. Cover plates 5, each with a different orientation and/or size of slot, can be provided to adjust the radiation direction/characteristic to a given application/environment. Alternatively or in addition, the cover plate 5 can have a square shape so that the cover plate can be mounted rotated by 90 degrees and/or the cover plate 5 may have a plurality of different slots, wherein the slots that are not required can be closed or the slot that is required can be opened.

FIG. 6 shows an installation housing 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the base plate 2, the four sidewalls 3, 4, 21, 22 and the cover plate 5 are made of the metallic material (sidewalls are 21, 22 not shown), and the base plate 2 comprises the slot S. The installation housing 1 shown in FIG. 6 is intended for mounting on a soft building substance, such as plaster or wood, and has a wedge 26 attached below the slot S. FIG. 7 shows the installation housing shown in FIG. 6 in wall view.

The installation housing 1 shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 may be mounted, for example, on the top of a suspended ceiling, wherein the transceiver 12 sends signals to a receiver below the ceiling. The wedge 26 is made of a different dielectric material than the ceiling (building substance) and penetrates into the ceiling when the installation housing 1 is fixed with screws, allowing a smooth transition of permittivity between the installation housing 1 and the ceiling. The slot S can be filled with the dielectric material of the wedge 26 or the wedge 26 can extend into the slot S.

FIG. 8 shows an installation housing 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is intended for installation in (liquid) concrete. The installation housing 1 consists of a first part la, in which a luminaire insert can be mounted, and a second part lb, in which the transceiver 12 can be inserted. For installation, e.g. in a concrete ceiling, the installation housing 1 including the cuboids 13, 14, 16..18 is placed with its underside on the formwork, whereby the wedge 26 covering the slot S additionally serves as a spacer to the formwork (not shown). After the concrete has cured and the formwork has been removed, the transceiver 12 is inserted first and then the luminaire insert 27 is mounted. To facilitate insertion of the transceiver 12 through the single opening of the installation housing 1, the ends of at least the cuboids 16 and 14 facing the opening are beveled. In this way, the ends form a funnel-shaped insertion opening 26. The cuboid 16 (not shown) can be formed as a closing plug for closing the funnel-shaped insertion opening 28.

The wedge 26 of the installation housing 1 shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8 covers the slot S. Alternatively, one or more wedge, cone and/or pyramid shaped projection can be arranged on a non- metallic housing wall without a slot S.

All cuboids 13..18 of the installation housing 1 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 8 have the same/constant permittivity. Alternatively, the permittivity can increase or decrease continuously or gradually in one cuboid or over several cuboids depending on the distance to the antenna or the distance to one of the base plate 2, a sidewall and the cover plate 5.