LIGHT SOURCE SELECTION

• US 20130009036A1
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Yianni, George Frederic, Den Dulk, Jacob Cornelis Paul, Penning De Vries, Hendricus Theodorus Gerardus Maria, Vinkenvleugel, Lucius Theodorus
• Granted Patent: US 9,049,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/206
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/71 Directional beams
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

The invention relates to selecting a light source from a plurality of light sources, particularly to the selecting of a light source by pointing to it with a light source selection device. An embodiment of the invention relates to a light source selection device (10) comprising—at least one photosensor (36, 38, 40) with a field of view (20, 22, 24), wherein light (26, 28, 30) from one or more light sources (32, 34) may be received by the photosensor within the field of view, and - a photosensor output signal processing unit (42) being adapted to select one or more light sources by processing the light received by each photosensor. The present invention may be for example used to select appliances or devices or objects provided with the ability to transmit coded light in the ultra violet, visible or infra red spectra, for example lights, climate, curtains, kitchenware, etc.

Claims

1. A light source selection device comprising

at least one photosensor with a field of view, wherein light from one or more light sources may be received by the photosensor within the field of view, and

a photosensor output signal processing unit being adapted to select one or more light sources by processing the light received by each photosensor.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising

light selecting means comprising at least one tunnel, wherein a tunnel is adapted for defining a field of view and for transmitting light from one or more light sources incident on one end of the tunnel within the field of view to a photosensor arranged on the other end of the tunnel

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the photosensor output signal processing unit is adapted to process the received light by

determining different light sources through decoding identifiers contained in the received light, and

selecting one or more light sources from the determined different light sources.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the photosensor output signal processing unit is adapted to select one or more light sources by

determining the signal strength of the light received from the determined different light sources, and

selecting one or more light sources depending on the determined signal strengths.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the photosensor output signal processing unit, is adapted to select one or more light sources with the largest signal strengths among the determined signal strengths.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the photosensor output signal processing unit is adapted to select a light source by

determining the signal strength of the light received from a light source by a first one of the photosensors,

checking if the determined signal strength exceeds a threshold or has a threshold lead on other signal strengths,

repeating the above steps for the next one of the photosensors if the determined signal strength does not exceed the threshold or selecting the light source if the determined signal strength exceeds the threshold.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the photosensor output signal processing unit is adapted to select a light source by

determining the signal strength of the light received from a light source by each photosensor,

repeating the above step for each of the determined different light sources, and

selecting the light source for which the largest signal strength is determined.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the photosensor output signal processing unit is adapted to select a light source by

determining the signal strength of the light received from a light source by each photosensor,

fitting the determined signal strengths to a distribution of a signal strength,

estimating the offset of the light source from a pointing direction of the device,

repeating the above steps for each of the determined different light sources, and

selecting the light source with the smallest estimated offset from the pointing direction.

9. The device of claim 3, further comprising one or more of the following:

a RF unit being adapted to transmit an identification of a selected light source;

a RF unit being adapted to request a light source to transmit its identification;

a display for displaying a selected light source;

buttons for selecting one of several selected light sources;

a laser pointing unit for aiding a user in selecting a light source.

10. Light selecting means being adapted for a device of claim 3 and comprising

at least one tunnel and

photosensors assigned to each tunnel, wherein

each tunnel is adapted for defining a field of view and for transmitting light from one or more light sources incident on one end of the tunnel within the field of view to one of the photosensors being arranged on the other end of the tunnel, and wherein

the fields of view of the tunnels differ from each other.

11. The means of claim 10, comprising

a first tunnel having a first length determining a first field of view,

a second tunnel having a second length being larger than the first length and determining a second field of view,

a third tunnel having a third length being larger than the second length and determining a third field of view, and wherein

the first, second, and third fields of view differ from each other in their view angles (α

, β

, μ

).

12. The means of claim 10, wherein a tunnel is formed by means of a light guiding core with a light absorbing casing or a light guide.

13. Light selecting means being adapted for a device of claim 9, and implementing a field of view restriction for one or more photosensors by means of a carbon nanotube sheet.

14. A light source selection system comprising

a light source selection device of claim 9 and a

lighting system controller being adapted to receive information related to a selected light source from the light source selection device and to control the selected light source.

15. A method for using a light source selection device of claim 9 for controlling appliances, devices and/or objects, each being adapted to transmit a coded signal in the ultra violet, visible or infra red spectra.