System for combining exterior lighting and artificial lighting

• US 20120320560A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting Holding BV (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Der Poel, Lucas Leo Desiree, Van Der Lans, Dorien Cato
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/247 Electrically powered illumination
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2476 Solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/30 liftable
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/32 Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor operation of tilting bars E06B9/307
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/40 Roller blinds usable only as awnings E04F10/06
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 11/00 Non-electric lighting devices or systems using daylight roofs with sky-light opening E04D13/03; sun blinds for windows with means for redirecting light onto ceiling of a room E06B9/00; hybrid lighting devices combining artificial and natural light F21S19/00; solar heat collectors F24S; solar cells or solar cell modules H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 19/005 Combining sunlight and electric light sources for indoor illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/24 Structural elements or technologies for improving thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 80/00 Architectural or constructional elements improving the thermal performance of buildings

Abstract

A system for combining exterior light with artificial lighting, comprising a light shielding arrangement (2) for shielding exterior light from a space (5) and at least one light source (6) arranged to emit artificial light that is directed toward the exterior side of the light shielding arrangement (2), which light source (6) is controllable in response to current exterior lighting conditions. The system further comprises a controller (8) connected to said light source (6), which is arranged to control light emission of the light source (6) in response to a current position of the light shielding arrangement, so as to emulate an effect of exterior light escaping through the light shielding arrangement. The artificial light can thus be controlled (manually or automatically) to compensate for lack of sufficient exterior light, and the controller ensures that the artificial light is emitted in such a way as to be perceived as exterior light.

Claims

1. A system for combining light from exterior lighting with light from artificial lighting, comprising:

a light shielding arrangement for shielding exterior light from a space said light shielding arrangement having an interior side toward the inside of said space, and an exterior side toward the outside of said space;

at least one light source arranged to emit artificial light that is directed toward the exterior side of said light shielding arrangement,

said light source being controllable in response to current exterior lighting conditions, and

a controller connected to said light source, and arranged to control light emission of said light source in response to a current position of said light shielding arrangement, so as to emulate an effect of exterior light escaping through said light shielding arrangement.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a detector for detecting a current position of said light shielding arrangement, said detector being connected to said controller and adapted to provide information regarding said current position to said controller.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a light sensor for detecting said current exterior lighting conditions said sensor being connected to said controller and adapted to provide information regarding said exterior lighting conditions to said controller.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said light sensor is configured to detect at least one of a luminance level and a color temperature.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said at least one light source is arranged on the outside of said space.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein said at least one light source is arranged on the inside of said space, the system further comprising means for directing the light toward the exterior side of said light shielding arrangement.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein said at least one light source is adapted to emit directional light.

8. The system according to claim 3 wherein said light source is a solid state light source.

9. The system according to claim 3, wherein said controller is configured to control a position and orientation of said plurality of slats in response to the current exterior lighting conditions.

10. The system according to claim 3, wherein said light shielding arrangement comprises a plurality of controllable slats, which are positionable to allow exterior light to enter between said slats.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising at least one solar cell arranged on one of said slats.

12. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a solar cell arranged at a distance from said slats, said solar cell being arranged in a position allowing daylight to be reflected by said slats toward said solar cell.

13. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a presence detector for detecting presence of a person in said space, said controller being configured to control said slats to perform sun tracking as long as no presence is detected.