USER INTERFACE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A CONNECTED CONSUMER LOAD, AND LIGHT SYSTEM USING SUCH USER INTERFACE DEVICE

• US 20110074672A1
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Mason, Jonathan, Diederiks, Elmo Marcus Attila, Van De Sluis, Bartel Marinus
• Granted Patent: US 8,692,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

The invention relates to a user interface device for controlling an electrical consumer, in particular, a light system. Further, it relates to light system using such user interface device. Moreover it relates to a method for controlling such light system using a user interface device. To provide a user interface device, a light system and a method for controlling a consumer load providing feed forward or feed-back information facilitating an easy and intuitive use of the user interface device when controlling a light system, a user interface device for controlling a connected light system (44) is proposed, comprising: a display unit (12) including a plurality of LEDs (13) in a matrix form, wherein each of the LEDs (13) of the matrix is addressable individually; an input unit (11) to receive a user input; a control unit (40) adapted to receive a signal (1a) based on the user input and to generate an information signal (1b) provided to the display unit (12) and to generate a control signal (1c) for controlling the connected consumer load (44).

Claims

1. User interface device for controlling a connected consumer load (44), comprising:

a display unit (12) including a plurality of LEDs (13) in a matrix form, wherein each of the LEDs (13) of the matrix is addressable individually;

an input unit (11) to receive a user input;

a control unit (40) adapted to receive a signal (1a) based on the user input and to generate an information signal (1b) provided to the display unit (12) and to generate a control signal (1c) for controlling the connected consumer load (44).

2. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LEDs (13) are used for providing feedback and/or feed forward information on the status of the connected consumer load, which is preferably realized as a light system (44).

3. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LEDs (13) of the display unit (12) output light having a characteristic corresponding to the light output by the light system (44) and/or are adapted to control elements of a control function to control the connected light system (44).

4. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a group of LEDs (13) of the matrix represent an area (51), which is adapted to glow softly, when the light system (44) is switched off, wherein preferably the glowing area (51) is displayed based on the surrounding brightness and/or depending on a detected person and/or after receiving a user input to switch on the connected light system (44), the display unit (12) is adapted to illuminate the LEDs (13) of the matrix in a bright light indicating that the light is switched on.

5. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input unit (11) is adapted to sense a moving of an object on the surface of the input unit (11), wherein the control unit (40) is adapted to control a characteristic of the light system, depending on the moving object, wherein when controlling a dimming level of the light system (44) to be minimal the light output by the display unit (13) is minimal, wherein when controlling the dimming level of the light system (44) to be maximal the light output by the display unit (13) is maximal.

6. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when moving an object on the input unit (11) the level of the light of the LEDs (13) of the display unit (12) is directly adapted, wherein when releasing the input unit (11) the corresponding control signal (1c) is sent to the light system corresponding the level of light of the LEDs (13).

7. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when touching the input unit (11) the corresponding control signal (1c) is directly sent to the light system (44), wherein the display unit (12) receives a corresponding information signal (1b).

8. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a relief (71) to provide feed forward information to the user how to use the user interface device and/or

a slot (72) for inserting a paper (74) indicating a feed forward information (73), wherein a color layer (15, 74) representing a scale for adjusting values of the light system is arranged in front of the display device (12).

9. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display unit (12) is controlled to display at least one preset area (81-84), wherein the preset area represents a preset setting for the light system (44), wherein the at least one preset area (81-84) on the display unit (12) is displayed in a predetermined color representing the setting of the light system (44).

11. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display unit (12) is adapted to display a scale (90) representing adjustable values of the color temperature, brightness, time, saturation of the light system (44) and/or a background area (91) having a characteristic corresponding to a value selected via a user input from the scale (90).

12. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display unit is adapted to display a colored scale (112) and a background area (91), wherein when moving an object on the scale (112) the background area (91) color is amended to a color corresponding to the position of the object on the scale (112).

13. User interface device as claimed in claim 1, providing an automatic or user controlled light setting, wherein the light of the light system (44) and the light output by the display device (13) are faded out slowly over a preset time, wherein the user interface device may include means (41) for setting the time for fading out the lights and the display unit (12) may be adapted to display a number of glowing dots (142-145), wherein the number of dots represents the remaining fading out time, wherein a user may increase the fading out time by pressing the input unit (11) at a place (141) representing a higher number of dots, wherein during expiration of time the number of dots is decreasing.

14. Light system having at least one full color light source and/or variable color temperature light source and having a user interface device as claimed in claim 1.

10. User interface device as claimed in 9, wherein when selecting a preset area (81-84), the selected area (82, 83) is enlarged in its size on the display unit (12) or changes its color or brightness;

and/or the display unit (12) is controlled by the control unit (40) to display in the remaining area outside the preset areas (81-84) a color corresponding to the color of the setting of the light system (44), when receiving a user input on a preset area (81-84) on the display unit (12).

15. Method for controlling a light system (44) including the steps of:

receiving a user input on an input unit (11);

determining the position of the user input;

generating a control signal (1c) for controlling the light system (44) based on the position of the user input and the current control function;

generating an information signal (1b) corresponding to the control signal (1c);

outputting the information signal (1b) to a display device (12) including a plurality of LEDs.

16. Computer program or computer program product for performing the method as claimed in claim 15 when executed on a computer.

17. Data carrier including a computer program for performing the steps of the method as claimed in claim 15.

18. Computer for executing a computer program as claimed in claim 16.