Systems and methods of controlling light systems

• US 20030057887A1
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor A., Dowling, Kevin J., Morgan, Frederick M., Ducharme, Alfred D., Chemel, Brian, Blackwell, Michael K., Warwick, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,242,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention is a system for generating control signals. The system may allow a user to generate an image, representation of an image, algorithm or other effect information. The effect information may then be converted to lighting control signals to be saved or communicated to a networked lighting system. An embodiment of the invention may enable the authoring, generation and communication of control signals such that an effect is generated in a space or area. An embodiment of the invention may provide systems and methods for the control of a plurality of lighting devices in an environment.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of light systems, comprising:

providing a plurality of light systems adapted to receive wireless communications;

providing a transmitter adapted to transmit wireless communication signals;

transmitting a lighting control signal from the transmitter to the plurality of light systems; and

changing a light effect generated by at least one of the plurality of light systems in response to the lighting control signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a plurality of light systems comprises providing a plurality light systems adapted to produce color-changing effects.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a plurality light systems adapted to produce color changing effects comprises providing a plurality of LED based light systems adapted to produce color changing effects.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing a plurality of LED based light systems adapted to produce color changing effects comprises providing a plurality of uniquely addressable LED based light systems adapted to produce color changing effects.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of arranging the plurality of light systems in an audience.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of changing a light effect generated by at least one of the plurality of light systems in response to the lighting control signal comprises changing a light effect generated by the plurality of light systems in the audience.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of arranging the plurality of light systems in an audience comprises arranging the plurality of light systems in an audience of a stadium.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the stadium comprises at least one of a football stadium, Olympic stadium, soccer stadium, baseball stadium, track and field stadium, indoor stadium, and outdoor stadium.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of arranging the plurality of light systems in an audience comprises arranging the plurality of light systems along a parade route.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication signals comprise RF signals.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication signals comprise IR signals.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication signals comprise microwave signals.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication signals comprise acoustic signals.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is further adapted to transmit omni-directional lighting communication signals.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is further adapted to transmit directional lighting communication signals.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of directing the directional communication signals such that a portion of the plurality of light systems may be affected by the directional communication signals.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of changing the direction of the directional communication signal such that a second portion of the plurality of light systems is affected by the directional communication signals.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting a lighting control signal from the transmitter to the plurality of light systems comprises transmitting a lighting control signal from the transmitter to the plurality of light systems in a pattern.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the pattern comprises a raster pattern.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the pattern comprises a static pattern

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the pattern comprises a dynamic pattern

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the pattern comprises at least one of an Olympic ring pattern, a logo, a team logo, a trademark, a team trademark, an advertisement, and an image.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting a lighting control signal from the transmitter to the plurality of light systems comprises transmitting a blanking control signal from the transmitter to the plurality of light systems.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of changing a light effect generated by at least one of the plurality of light systems in response to the lighting control signal comprises turning at least one of the plurality of light systems off in response to the blanking signal.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of changing a light effect generated by at least one of the plurality of light systems in response to the lighting control signal comprises turning at least one of the plurality of light systems to a set color in response to the blanking signal.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting a lighting control signal from the transmitter to the plurality of light systems comprises transmitting an initiation signal control signal from the transmitter to the plurality of light systems.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of changing a light effect generated by at least one of the plurality of light systems in response to the lighting control signal comprises executing a lighting program in at least one of the plurality of light systems in response to the initiation signal.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of changing a light effect generated by at least one of the plurality of light systems comprises changing a light effect generated the plurality of light systems.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the effect generated by the plurality of light systems appears coordinated.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the effect generated by the plurality of light systems generates a pattern.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the pattern is apparently a static pattern.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the pattern comprises a dynamic pattern.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein the dynamic pattern is color changing.

34. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a light management facility for mapping the positions of the plurality of light systems;

generating a map file that maps the positions of the plurality of light systems;

generating an effect using a computer application; and

associating characteristics of the light systems with code for the computer application.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein generating the effect comprises generating a computer graphics file.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the file comprises at least one 2D graphics file.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the file comprises at least one 3D graphics file.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein generating the effect comprises using at least one of a bitmap and a vector coordinate.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein generating the effect comprises using a generation function.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the light management facility generates a configuration file for the plurality of light systems that stores at least one of the position, intensity, color, illumination characteristics, location, and type of the lighting system.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein a configuration file is generated by associating a lighting system with a location in an environment.

42. A method for controlling a plurality of light systems, comprising:

providing a plurality of light systems wherein each of the plurality of light systems is adapted to execute a program at a predetermined time;

assembling the plurality in an environment;

executing the program in each of the light systems at the predetermined time to provide a lighting effect from each of the light systems in the plurality of light systems.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the time corresponds with an event.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the event comprises a period of time corresponding to a portion of at least one of an Olympic event, football event, soccer event, baseball event, and sporting event.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the predetermined time is determined during manufacture of the each of the light systems of the plurality of light systems.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein the predetermined time is determined at a time after manufacture the light system.

47. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of assembling the plurality in an environment comprises assembling the plurality in an audience.

48. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of assembling the plurality in an environment comprises assembling the plurality in an stadium.

49. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of assembling the plurality in an environment comprises assembling the plurality in an parade route.

50. The method of claim 42 wherein the lighting effect comprise a static pattern.

51. The method of claim 42 wherein the lighting effect comprise a dynamic pattern.

52. A method of communicating with a lighting device, comprising:

providing a mobile light system adapted to receive communication signals; and

communicating with the light system to cause the light system to generate a lighting effect.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the mobile light system further comprises a handheld housing.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the mobile light system further comprises a transmitter.

55. The method of claim 52 wherein the light system comprises a color changing light system.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the color changing light system comprises a color changing LED light system.

57. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of communicating with the light system to cause the light system to generate a lighting effect comprises communicating with the light system to cause the light system to generate a lighting effect to indicate a person associated with the light system has been tagged.

58. The method of claim 52 wherein the lighting effect is a new lighting effect for the light system.

59. The method of claim 52 wherein the lighting effect comprises a priority.

60. The method of claim 58 wherein the priority indicates the level of access a user has to the lighting effect from the light system.

61. The method of claim 58 wherein the priority changes a priority in the light system.

62. The method of claim 58 wherein the priority changes the priority of a plurality of lighting effects in the light system.

63. The method of claim 58 wherein the changed priority indicates the new lighting effect is the first priority.

64. The method of claim 58 wherein the priority controls a level at which the lighting effect will be available.

65. A light system, comprising:

a color changing light system adapted to receive wireless communications and generate a color in response to a received communication.

66. The light system of claim 65 wherein the color changing light system further comprises an LED based color changing light system.

67. The light system of claim 66 wherein the LED based color changing light system is adapted to generate color changing effects using red, green and blue LEDs.

68. The light system of claim 65, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter.

69. An environment comprising a plurality of light systems of claim 65 wherein each of the plurality of light systems is arranged in close proximity to another of the plurality such that a coordinated lighting effect can be generated in the plurality of light systems.

70. The environment of claim 68 wherein the environment comprises at least one of a crowd of people, audience, stadium, concert hall, indoor environment, outdoor environment, parade route, park, and amusement park.

71. The system of claim 65 wherein the light system is adapted to receive at least one of an rf signal, IR signal, microwave signal, electromagnetic signal, and acoustic signal.

72. The system of claim 65 wherein the color changing light system is further adapted to execute a program upon receipt of an initiation signal.

73. The system of claim 65 wherein the color changing light system is further adapted to read data from the received communication and generate the color based on the data.

74. The system of claim 73 wherein the color changing light system is further adapted to use a look-up table to generate the color.

75. The system of claim 65 wherein the color changing light system is further adapted to generate the color at a predetermined time.

76. The system of claim 75 wherein the predetermined time corresponds with an event.

77. The system of claim 76 wherein the event comprises a time period associated with at least one of an Olympic event, football event, soccer event, baseball event, and sporting event.

78. The environment of claim 69 wherein the coordinated light effect comprises a static light effect.

79. The environment of claim 69 wherein the coordinated light effect comprises a dynamic light effect.

80. The environment of claim 69 wherein the coordinated light effect comprises an image.

81. The environment of claim 69 wherein the coordinated light effect comprises a pattern.

82. The environment of claim 80 wherein the pattern comprises an Olympic ring pattern, a logo, a team logo, a trademark, a team trademark, and an advertisement.

83. A lighting control system, comprising:

a controller adapted to generate a first lighting control signal;

a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit the first lighting control signal to a light system.

84. The system of claim 83 wherein the wireless transmitter is adapted to transmit the first lighting control signal directionally.

85. The system of claim 84 wherein the wireless transmitter is further adapted to change the direction of the transmission.

86. The system of claim 85 wherein the wireless transmitter is adapted to rotate the transmission about an axis.

87. The system of claim 83 wherein the wireless transmitter is adapted to transmit the first lighting control signal over a wide area.

88. The system of claim 83 wherein the controller is further adapted to generate a second lighting control signal and the wireless transmitter is further adapted to transmit the second lighting control signal to at least a second light system.

89. The system of claim 88 wherein the first lighting control signal and the second lighting control signal comprise different data.

90. The system of claim 89 wherein the transmitter is further adapted to substantially simultaneously transmit the first lighting control signal and the second lighting control.

91. The system of claim 83 wherein the controller further comprises:

a light management facility for mapping the positions of a plurality of light systems and generating a map file that maps the positions of a plurality of light systems;

a computer application adapted to generate an effect; and

an association system adapted to associate characteristics of the light systems with code for the computer application.

92. A system of claim 91, wherein the computer application is adapted to generate a computer graphics file.

93. A system of claim 92, wherein the file comprises at least one 2D graphics file.

94. A system of claim 92, wherein the file comprises at least one 3D graphics file.

95. A system of claim 91, wherein the computer application is adapted to generate the effect using at least one of a bitmap and a vector coordinate.

96. A system of claim 91, wherein the computer application is adapted to generate the effect using a generation function.

97. A system of claim 91, wherein the light management facility generates a configuration file for a plurality of light systems that stores at least one of the position, intensity, color, illumination characteristics, location, and type of the lighting system.

98. A system of claim 97, wherein the configuration file is generated by associating a lighting system with a location in an environment.

99. A system of claim 98 wherein the environment is selected from the group consisting of a stadium, concert hall, and parade route.

100. A system of claim 97, wherein the configuration file is generated by associating a plurality of addressable light systems with surfaces that are lit by the light systems.

101. A system of claim 91, wherein the association system is adapted to generate code for the lighting control signal based on code for the computer application.

102. A system of claim 91, wherein the association system is adapted to use an algorithm of the computer application to generate the lighting control signal.