CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE HUE OF LIGHT EMITTED FROM A LIGHT SOURCE

• US 20090200967A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Joosen, Bram Francois, Bergman, Anthonie Hendrik, Vinkenvleugel, Lucius Theodorus, Cortenraad, Hubertus Maria Rene
• Granted Patent: US 7,948,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/363
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device (1) for controlling the hue (H) of light (L) emitted by a light source (2). The control device comprises a hue selection surface (20) capable of displaying one or more hues available for said light of said light source and interaction detection means (21) for detecting interaction between said hue selection surface and a user of said control device in selecting said hue for said light of said light source. The control device (1) allows the user to select the desired hue for the light source simply by interacting with the hue selection surface that displays the available hues. Consequently, the control device can be operated easily and intuitively.

Claims

1. A control device (1) for controlling the hue (H) of light (L) emitted by a light source (2), wherein said control device comprises a hue selection surface (20) capable of displaying one or more hues (H0-H127;

H0-H35) available for said light of said light source and interaction detection means (21) for detecting interaction between said hue selection surface and a user of said control device in selecting said hue for said light of said light source.

2. The control device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface (20) displays a plurality of printed available hues for said light, and said interaction detection means (21) is capable of detecting a selection of at least one of said printed displayed hues by said user.

3. The control device (1) according to claim 2, wherein said control device comprises assigning means (25) for assigning at least one subset (H35-H55) of available printed hues (H0-H127) to said hue selection surface (20), and wherein said interaction detection means (21) is capable of detecting a selection of a hue (H47) of said assigned subset.

4. The control device (1) according to claim 3, wherein said control device comprises duration detection means (26) for detecting the duration of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface (20), and said assigning means (25) is capable of assigning said subset (H35-H55) of said available printed hues (H0-H127) to said hue selection surface in dependence on said detected duration.

5. The control device (1) according to claim 3, wherein said control device comprises velocity detection means (27) for detecting the velocity of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface (20), and said assigning means (25) is capable of assigning a subset (H35-H55) of said available printed hues (H0-H127) to said hue selection surface in dependence on said detected velocity.

6. The control device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface (20) comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements (23) capable of displaying said available hues (H0-H127) for said light of said light source, and said interaction detection means (21) is capable of detecting a selection of at least one of said displayed hues by said user.

7. The control device (1) according to claim 6, wherein said control device comprises control means (22) for controlling said light-emitting elements (23) into displaying at least one subset (H39-H50) of said available hues (H0-H127) on said hue selection surface (20), and wherein said interaction detection means (21) is capable of detecting a selection of a hue (H47) of said subset.

8. The control device (1) according to claim 7, wherein said control device comprises activation means (28) for activating said control means for controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying said at least one subset on said hue selection surface.

9. The control device (1) according to claim 7, wherein said control device comprises duration detection means (26) for detecting the duration of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface (20), and said control means (22) is capable of controlling said light-emitting elements (23) into displaying said subset of available hues (H39-H50) on said hue selection surface in dependence on said detected duration.

10. The control device (1) according to claim 7, wherein said control device comprises velocity detection means (27) for detecting the velocity of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface (20), and said control means is capable of controlling said light-emitting elements (23) into displaying said subset of available hues (H39-H50) on said hue selection surface in dependence on said detected velocity.

11. The control device (1) according to claim 6, wherein said interaction detection means (21) is capable of detecting a selection of a hue (H47) from among said available hues (H0-H127), and said control device comprises control means (22) for controlling said light-emitting elements (23) into displaying at least one series of available saturation levels (S0-S90) on said hue selection surface (20) corresponding to said selected hue, and wherein said interaction detection means (21) are capable of detecting a selection of a saturation from said series of available saturations.

12. The control device (1) according to claim 11, wherein said control device comprises velocity detection means (27) for detecting the velocity of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface (20), and said control means (22) is capable of controlling said light-emitting elements (23) into displaying said series of available saturation levels (S0-S90) in dependence on said detected velocity.

13. The control device (1) according to claim 6, wherein said control device comprises control means (22) capable of controlling said light-emitting elements (23) into displaying a first portion (H0-H11) of said available hues (H0-H35) on said hue selection surface (20) and displaying a second portion (H12-H23) of said available hues subsequent to said first portion such that at least part of said second portion of available hues replaces at least part of said first portion of available hues.

14. The control device (1) according to claim 6, wherein said hue selection surface (20) comprises a selection surface part (30), and said control means (22) is capable of controlling said light-emitting elements (23) into displaying a selected hue on said selection surface part in response to said interaction between said hue selection surface and said user.

15. The control device (1) according to claim 6, wherein said control device comprises a diffuser plate arranged over one or more of said light-emitting elements (23).

16. The control device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface (20) is capable of displaying a single hue (H47) and several saturation levels (S0-S90) of said hue.

17. The control device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface (20) displays or is capable of displaying a plurality of white surface portions substantially corresponding to the CIE black body line (BBL).

18. The control device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface (20) comprises a ring-shaped surface.

19. The control device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said control device is furthermore capable of selecting the saturation (S) of said light (L) in that it comprises a saturation selection surface capable of displaying one or more saturation levels available for said light source.

20. The control device (1) according to claim 19, wherein said interaction detection means (21) is capable of detecting interaction between said saturation selection surface and a user of said control device in selecting said saturation for said light of said light source.

21. The control device (1) according to claim 19, wherein said saturation selection surface comprises one or more printed saturation levels (S) for one or more hues (H).