IMAGE SENSOR CONTROLLED LIGHTING FIXTURE

• US 20170135179A1
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: BALAZS, Laszlo, BOTH, Tamas, NAUD, Jean-Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/12 using one transmitter and one receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlling lighting fixtures independently with image sensors. In an embodiment, a luminaire includes a controller, an image sensor and wide-angle lens component, and a light source. The controller receives detection signal data from the image sensor and wide-angle lens component when a user is within a detection area associated with a view angle of the wide angle lens, and then determines the position of the user. The controller then controls the illuminance of the light source based on the position of the user. In particular, illuminance is increased as the user approaches a center portion of the detection area, and decreased as the user moves away from the center portion.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture, comprising:

a controller;

an image sensor and wide-angle lens component operably connected to the controller; and

a light source operably connected to the controller;

wherein the controller receives detection signal data from the image sensor and wide-angle lens component when a user is within a detection area associated with the wide angle lens, determines the position of the user based on the detection signal data, and controls the light source based on the position of the user to thus increase light source illuminance as the user approaches a center portion of the detection area and to decrease light source illuminance as the user moves away from the center portion.

2. The light fixture of claim 1, further comprising a communications device operably connected to at least one of the controller and the image sensor and wide-angle lens component, the communications component transmitting the detection signal data to a central management computer for analysis.

3. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the detection area overlaps with a plurality of different detection areas associates with a plurality of separate and independent lighting fixtures.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the light source to increase illuminance from a minimum state of illuminance to a predetermined value when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of a user in a peripheral portion of the detection area.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the light source to gradually increase illuminance when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of a user approaching a center portion of the detection area.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 5, wherein the controller controls the light source to increase illuminance to a maximum value when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of a user at the center portion of the detection area.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein viewing angle of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component is in the range of from about 100°

to approximately 175°

.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein viewing angle of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component is in the range of from about 160°

to approximately 175°

.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein viewing angle of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component is about 140°

.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein a sampling rate of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component is about one Hertz.

11. A method for controlling illumination of an area comprising:

monitoring, by a plurality of independent luminaires, a predefined area for a presence of at least one user, wherein each luminaire comprises;

a controller;

an image sensor and wide-angle lens component operably connected to the controller; and

a light source operably connected to the controller;

detecting, by each of the plurality of independent luminaires, a user in the area; and

controlling, by each controller of the plurality of independent luminaires, the illuminance of its'"'"' light source based on detection signal data from its'"'"' image sensor and wide-angle lens component, wherein when the detection signal data indicates that the user is approaching a center portion of the luminaire the controller controls the light source to increase illuminance, and wherein when the detection signal data indicates that the user is moving away from the center portion the controller controls the light source to decrease illuminance.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting, by a communications device operably connected to at least one of a controller and an image sensor and wide-angle lens component of each of the plurality of independent luminaires, the detection signal data to a central management computer for analysis.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the illuminance of a light source further comprises increasing, by the controller of a luminaire, the illuminance to increase from a minimum state of illuminance to a predetermined value when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of a user in a peripheral portion of a detection area of the luminaire.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the illuminance of a light source further comprises gradually increasing, by the controller of a luminaire, the illuminance of the light source when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of a user approaching a center portion of a detection area of the luminaire.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the illuminance of a light source further comprises increasing, by the controller of a luminaire, the illuminance of the light source to a maximum value when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of a user at a center portion of a detection area of the luminaire.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component operates with a viewing angle in the range of from about 100°

to approximately 175°

.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component operates with a viewing angle in the range of from about 160°

to approximately 175°

.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component operates with a viewing angle of about 165°

.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component operates with a sampling rate of about one Hertz.