Lighting system for an aircraft cabin
First Claim
1. A lighting system for an aircraft cabin which simulates natural lighting transitions within a daily cycle, the system comprising:
- a first illuminating unit for distributing light about the cabin, said first illuminating trait comprising at least one first light source providing light of a first known characteristic;
a second illuminating unit for distributing light about the cabin, said second illuminating unit comprising at least one second light source providing light of a second known characteristic different than that provided by said first light source in said first illuminating unit, said first and second illuminating units being energizable and controllable independently of each other; and
a controller for controlling energization of said first and second illuminating units, said controller being operable to create different predetermined combinations of energizations of said first and second illuminating units so that in use a first desired light scenic can be created within the cabin by energizing said first and second light sources of said first and second illuminating units to a respective first level of energization, and a second desired lighting scene can be created within the cabin by energizing said first and second light sources of said first and second illuminating units to a respective second level of energization, whereby different lighting scenes are created within the cabin at different times, andsaid controller being arranged to effect a gradual transition between said first and second levels of energization of said first and second light sources in said first and second illuminating units when changing between said first desired lighting scene and said second desired lighting scene so that there is a corresponding gradual change between said first and second desired lighting scenes which simulates natural illumination in a sequence representing at least a portion of a full day to create a lighting atmosphere in the cabin which is comfortable and natural to a passenger.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The lighting system for an aircraft cabin includes multiple illuminating units for distribution about a cabin. Each illuminating unit includes at least one variable light source providing light of a known characteristic and that is energizeable independently of other illuminating units. A controller controls energization of the illuminating units by way of dimming and switching units associated respectively with the illuminating units. The controller is operable to create different predetermined combinations of energizations of the illuminating units so that a desired lighting scene is created within the cabin by the energized illuminating units. The controller is arranged to effect a gradual transition to the energizations of the illuminating units when changing from one predetermined combination to another. As a result, there is a corresponding gradual change between scenes created in the cabin.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A lighting system for an aircraft cabin which simulates natural lighting transitions within a daily cycle, the system comprising:
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a first illuminating unit for distributing light about the cabin, said first illuminating trait comprising at least one first light source providing light of a first known characteristic; a second illuminating unit for distributing light about the cabin, said second illuminating unit comprising at least one second light source providing light of a second known characteristic different than that provided by said first light source in said first illuminating unit, said first and second illuminating units being energizable and controllable independently of each other; and a controller for controlling energization of said first and second illuminating units, said controller being operable to create different predetermined combinations of energizations of said first and second illuminating units so that in use a first desired light scenic can be created within the cabin by energizing said first and second light sources of said first and second illuminating units to a respective first level of energization, and a second desired lighting scene can be created within the cabin by energizing said first and second light sources of said first and second illuminating units to a respective second level of energization, whereby different lighting scenes are created within the cabin at different times, and said controller being arranged to effect a gradual transition between said first and second levels of energization of said first and second light sources in said first and second illuminating units when changing between said first desired lighting scene and said second desired lighting scene so that there is a corresponding gradual change between said first and second desired lighting scenes which simulates natural illumination in a sequence representing at least a portion of a full day to create a lighting atmosphere in the cabin which is comfortable and natural to a passenger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of lighting an aircraft cabin which simulates natural lighting transitions within a daily cycle, the method comprising the steps of:
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installing in the cabin a first illuminating unit comprising at least one first light source providing light of a first known characteristic together with a second illuminating unit comprising at least one second light source providing light of a second known characteristic different than that provided by said first light source in said first illuminating unit, said first and second illuminating units being installed so as to be energizable and controllable independently of each other; and controlling energization of said first and second illuminating units to create different predetermined combinations of energizations of said first and second illuminating units so that a first desired lighting scene is created within the cabin when said first and second light sources of said first and second illuminating units are energized to a respective first level of energization and a second desired lighting scene is created within the cabin when said first and second light sources of said first and second illuminating units are energized to a respective second level of energization, whereby different lighting scenes are created within the cabin at different times, and wherein a gradual transition between said first and second levels of energization of said first and second light sources in said first and second illuminating units is effected when changing between said first desired lighting scene and said second desired lighting scene so that there, is a corresponding gradual change between said first and second desired lighting scenes which simulates natural illumination in a sequence representing at least a portion of a full day to create a lighting atmosphere in the cabin which is comfortable and natural to a passenger. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A lighting system for an aircraft cabin which simulates natural lighting transitions within a daily cycle, the system comprising:
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a first plurality of illuminating units for distribution about a cabin, each of said first plurality of illuminating units comprising a first light source providing light of a first known characteristic; a second plurality of illuminating units for distribution about the cabin, each of said second plurality of illuminating units comprising a second light source providing light of a second known characteristic different than said first known characteristic, wherein said first plurality of illuminating units are energizable independently of said second plurality of illuminating units; and a controller for controlling an energization of said first plurality of illuminating units, said controller being operable to create different predetermined combinations of energizations of said first plurality of illuminating units so that in use multiple different lighting scenes and subsets of scenes containing predetermined ones of said multiple different lighting scenes are selectable for use during a given type of flight, wherein said multiple different lighting scenes are created within the cabin by energization of said first plurality of illuminating units in accordance with one of said different predetermined combinations of energizations, said controller being arranged to effect a gradual transition of energizations of said first plurality of illuminating units when changing from one predetermined combination of energizations to another predetermined combination of energizations so that there is a corresponding gradual change between said multiple different lighting scenes which simulates natural illumination in a sequence representing at least a portion of a full day to create a lighting atmosphere in the cabin which is comfortable and natural to a passenger.
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34. A lighting system for an aircraft cabin which simulates natural lighting transitions within a daily cycle, the system comprising:
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a first plurality of illuminating units for distribution about a cabin, each of said first plurality of illuminating units comprising a first light source providing light of a first known characteristic; a second plurality of illuminating units for distribution about the cabin, each of said second plurality of illuminating units comprising a second light source providing light of a second known characteristic different than said first known characteristic, wherein said first plurality of illuminating units are energizable independently of said second plurality of illuminating units and at least one illuminating unit in said first and second plurality of illuminating units comprises means for capturing natural light from outside the cabin as one of said first and second light source; and a controller for controlling an energization of said first plurality of illuminating units, said controller being operable to create different predetermined combinations of energizations of said first plurality of illuminating units so that in use a desired lighting scene is created within the cabin by energization of said first plurality of illuminating units in accordance with one of said different predetermined combinations of energizations, and said controller being arranged to effect a gradual transition of energizations of said first plurality of illuminating units when changing from one predetermined combination of energizations to another predetermined combination of energizations so that there is a corresponding gradual change between scenes which simulates natural illumination in a sequence representing at least a portion of a full day to create a lighting atmosphere in the cabin which is comfortable and natural to a passenger.
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Specification