Adaptive Optical Distribution System

• US 20140265874A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marquardt, Craig Eugene, Weiss, Daniel Aaron, Chen, Jie
• Granted Patent: US 9,192,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/153
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• 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 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a luminaire that includes a plurality of different light engines. Light engines having different light distributions can be included in a single luminaire and a subset of the light engines selectively driven to dynamically change the light distribution of the luminaire. In this way, a single luminaire is capable of illuminating an area with a variety of different light distributions.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operation of a luminaire having a first light engine and a second light engine, the method comprises:

illuminating a first area with the first light engine, wherein the first light engine is disposed within the luminaire and the first light engine is configured to provide a first light distribution;

illuminating a second area with the second light engine, wherein the second light engine is disposed within the luminaire and the second light engine is configured to provide a second light distribution;

dimming up the first light engine in response to presence of a trigger event; and

dimming down the second light engine in response to presence the trigger event.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises at least one of a hydrology value exceeding a predetermined value, a temperature value exceeding a predetermined value, an air-particulate count value exceeding a predetermined value, a reflected light value exceeding a predetermined value, a surface luminance value exceeding a predetermined value, and an ambient light value below a predetermined value.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising de-activating the second light engine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first area and the second area overlap.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first light distribution comprises an inner zone light distribution and the second light distribution comprises an outer zone light distribution.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises an instruction from a third party, and wherein the method further comprises receiving the trigger event through a wireless receiver.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

dimming down the first light engine in response to the presence of a subsequent trigger event; and

dimming up the second light engine in response to the presence of the subsequent trigger event.

8. A luminaire comprising:

a sensor;

a first light engine configured to create a first light distribution;

a second light engine configured to create a second light distribution different from the first light distribution; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the sensor, the first light engine and the second light engine, wherein the controller is configured to;

determine when a trigger event occurs based on data from the sensor; and

dim up the first light engine and dim down the second light engine in response to presence of the trigger event.

9. The luminaire according to claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises a thermometer, humidity sensor, light sensor, timer, occupancy sensor, proximity sensor, and particulate sensor.

10. The luminaire according to claim 8, wherein either or both the first light engine and the second light engine comprise a plurality of LEDs.

11. The luminaire according to claim 8, wherein the second light engine is configured to emit light at a higher angle than the first light engine.

12. The luminaire according to claim 8, wherein the first light engine is configured to illuminate a first area and the second light engine is configured to illuminate a second area different than the first area.

13. The luminaire according to claim 8, further comprising a third light engine communicatively coupled with the controller.

14. The luminaire according to claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to determine when a subsequent trigger event occurs based on data from the sensor and

dim down the first light engine and dim up the second light engine in response to the subsequent trigger event.

15. A method comprising:

illuminating a roadway with high angle light and low angle light from a single luminaire positioned above the road way;

receiving an indication of a first trigger event;

dimming down the high angle light; and

dimming up the low angle light.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the total light output before dimming down the high angle light and dimming up the low angle light is less than the total light output after dimming down the high angle light and dimming up the low angle light.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first trigger event is an indication of precipitation, fog, or dust in the proximity of the luminaire.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the indication of a first trigger event is received from a third party through a wireless communication network.

19. A method comprising:

illuminating a first area with a first light engine, wherein the first light engine is disposed within the luminaire and is configured to create a first light distribution; and

receiving an indication of a trigger event;

illuminating a second area with a second light engine in response to the indication, wherein the second light engine is disposed within the luminaire and the second light engine is configured to create a second light distribution.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the trigger event comprises sensing the presence of an object proximate the second area.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first area is a subset of a portion of the second area.