SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A PLURALITY OF LIGHT SOURCES

• US 20120032601A1
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wendt, Matthias, Fuhrmann, Peter, Luerkens, Peter, Schreyer, Oliver, Draaijer, Maurice Herman Johan
• Application Number:
  US13/265,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032601A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/154
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• 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: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system (100) for controlling a plurality of light sources (104a-f) by means of light groups, wherein each light group synchronously controls a subset of the plurality of light sources. The system (100) comprises: a central controller (102); a plurality of light sources (104a-f) wired to the central controller (102); and a light sensor (106a-c) wired to the central controller (102). The central controller (102) is configured to: receive a measurement signal from the light sensor; based on the received measurement signal, determine a subset of light sources that are in optical contact with the light sensor; and include the subset of light sources in a light group associated with the light sensor.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a plurality of light sources by means of light groups, wherein each light group synchronously controls a subset of said plurality of light sources, said system comprising:

a central controller;

a plurality of light sources wired to said central controller; and

a light sensor wired to said central controller;

wherein said central controller is configured to;

receive a measurement signal from said light sensor;

based on the received measurement signal, determine a subset of light sources that are in optical contact with said light sensor; and

include the subset of light sources in a light group associated with said light sensor.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said subset of light sources includes all light sources that are in optical contact with said light sensor.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to identify a specific light source by a light property of the light emitted by that specific light source.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said light property is a variation in light intensity.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said central controller is configured to switch on and off the light source to achieve said variation in light intensity.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said central controller is configured to sequentially switch on and off each light source, while the other light sources remains switched off.

7. A system according to claim 3, wherein said central controller is configured to identify individual light sources by means of intensity modulation.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said subset of light sources only includes light sources of a specific type.

9. A system according to claim 1 wherein said central controller is configured to identify a specific type of light source by means of at least one light property selected from the group of spectral contribution, colour, or white point.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said light sensor and a triggering device are arranged in a combined housing.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said triggering device is a manual switch.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein said central controller is configured to automatically trigger a procedure for creating light groups at a predetermined occasion.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said procedure for creating light groups is delayed until a light level registered by the light sensor is below a predetermined value.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein said procedure for creating light groups is delayed until a predetermined time has elapsed during which no person has been detected by a movement detector.

15. A system according to claim 1 wherein said central controller has a pre-programmed default light group that includes all light sources that are connected the central controller.