Lighting system and method for operating a lighting system

• US 10,045,430 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wendt, Matthias, Budde, Wolfgang Otto, Lemma, Aweke Negash
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US12/864,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20100309016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,480 Days
• Field of Search: 340 31, 340 352, 34082569, 34082571, 315151, 315291, 315307, 250214 R
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

A lighting system and a method for a operating a lighting system, enabling to obtain an identification tag (7) comprised in lighting design data (5) directly from an output beam (3), i.e. from the emitted light of the at least one lighting unit (2). It is thus possible to trace any unauthorized distribution of a lighting design by monitoring the emitted light without the need to directly access the controller or any other part of the lighting system.

Claims

1. A method for operating a lighting system with at least one lighting unit, the method comprising:

receiving lighting design data, said lighting design data including an identification tag and including a lighting definition for obtaining a specific lighting scene;

translating the lighting design data to control values for at least one lamp, the control values for the at least one lamp including the identification tag;

wherein the translating of the lighting design data includes;

compiling the lighting design data into an atmosphere model;

rendering the atmosphere model to a target;

mapping the target into the control values for controlling the at least one lighting unit;

wherein the identification tag is embedded within the control values after the translating step.

2. Lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said identification tag comprises information associated with individual elements of the lighting design data.

3. Lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said lighting design data comprises abstract atmosphere definitions.

4. Lighting system according claim 1, wherein said control values include a detectable signal in an output beam invisible to the human eye.

5. Lighting system according to claim 4, comprising at least one detector, arranged to detect said signal in said output beam, wherein the detector is configured to supply information on said signal to a controller for comparing data from said signal with said identification tag so that the generation of control values is stopped, when said signal does not correspond to said identification tag.

6. Lighting system according to claim 4, wherein multiple lighting units are arranged for providing multiple output beams and a controller is configured to generate said control values so that each output beam comprises said detectable signal.

7. Lighting system according claim 1, wherein variable memory storage are provided for storing said lighting design data, which supply said lighting design data for said generation of said control values.