SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIGHT CONTROL

• US 20100097312A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Tatousek, Jan, Destura, Galileo June
• Application Number:
  US12/444,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20100097312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

A system for light control, comprising a light source (4) for illuminating an area (10), a pointer device (6) for projecting location information (11) on the area (10), and a receiver (5) for detecting the location information (11), wherein the system is configured to determine the position of the locations information (11) on the area (10), and a controller is configured to control illumination of the area (10), depending on said location information (11).

Claims

1. A system for light control, comprising

a light source for illuminating an area,

a pointer device for projecting location information on the area,

a controller, and

a receiver for detecting the location information, wherein the system is configured to:

determine the position of the locations information on the area, and

control illumination of the area, depending on said location information.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the location information is projected as a two-dimensional symbol on the area.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein projecting the location information comprises moving the location information on the area according to a two-dimensional pattern, the controller being configured to interpret the movement of the location information.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to selectively vary illumination properties for sub-areas of the area.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to project visible light on the area at the position of the location information.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the pointer device is a hand held unit.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the light source, the receiver and the control unit are assembled as a single unit.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a wavelength filter for detecting the location information.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a field of detection, which is greater than the illuminated area.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises light emitting diodes and means for directing light from at least one of the light emitting diodes.

11. A method of controlling light, said method comprising the steps of:

illuminating an area by a light source,

projecting location information on the area by a pointer device,

detecting the location information by a receiver,

determining the position of the locations information on the area, and

controlling illumination of the area, depending on said location information.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the location information is projected as a two-dimensional symbol on the area.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of projecting the location information comprises moving the location information on the area according to a two-dimensional pattern, and interpreting, the motion pattern of the location information.

14. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of selectively varying, by the light source, illumination properties for sub-areas of the area.

15. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of projecting visible light, by the light source, on the area at the position of the location information.

16. (canceled)