Illumination control method and illumination device

• US 6,611,297 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Akashi, Yukio, Inohara, Makoto, Hashimoto, Kenjiro, Yano, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/673,324
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.566, H04/N.912, H04/N.557, H04/N.558, 348/602, 348/603, 348/655, 348/656, 348/657, 348/658, 348/587, 348/592, 348/649, 348/652, 348/645, 348/673, 348/687, 348/739, 348/722, 345/207, 345/102
• US Class Current: 348/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/58 in dependence upon ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]

Abstract

In an illumination control method of the present invention, illumination of an appreciation space is controlled in association with an image displayed on an image display device so that a realism of the image displayed on a screen of the image display device can be enhanced, where an appreciator appreciating the image is in the appreciation space. More specifically, one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space is controlled so that at least one parameter of a level, a light color, a luminous intensity distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with a corresponding parameter of a virtual image space imaginarily created from the image displayed on the image display device.

Claims

1. An illumination control method comprising the step of:

controlling illumination of an appreciation space in association with an image displayed on an image display device in such a manner as to enhance a realism of the image displayed on a screen of the image display device, wherein an appreciator appreciating the image is in the appreciation space.

2. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein in the illumination control step, at least one of a level, a light color, a luminous intensity distribution, and a direction of light output from one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space is controlled so that an illumination impression to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with an illumination impression of a virtual image space imaginarily created from the image displayed on the image display device.

3. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein in the illumination control step, one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space is controlled so that at least one parameter of a level, a light color, a luminous intensity distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with a corresponding parameter of a virtual image space imaginarily created from the image displayed on the image display device.

4. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein an illuminance of the appreciation space is controlled so as to substantially be coincident with an illuminance of an illumination impression of the virtual image space so that a level of the illumination to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with a level of illumination to the virtual image space.

5. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space are controlled so that 0<

L′

<

1.25·

L is satisfied where L (cd/m²) is the luminance of a pixel having the highest luminance of all pixels in the image displayed on the image display device, and L′

(cd/m²) is a luminance of a peripheral visual field of the image display device.

6. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space are controlled so that 0<

L′

<

1.25·

L is satisfied where L (cd/m²) is the luminance of a pixel having the highest luminance of all pixels in a background excluding a main target of the image displayed on the image display device, and L′

(cd/m²) is a luminance of a peripheral visual field of the image display device.

7. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein a chromaticity of illumination of the appreciation space is controlled so as to substantially be coincident with a chromaticity of illumination of the virtual image space so that a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is made substantially coincident with a light color of illumination of the virtual image space.

8. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is controlled so as to have substantially the same category as that of a color of a part of the image displayed on the image display device, and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.

9. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein chromaticities of the one or more light sources are controlled in association with the image so that:

a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially the same on a chromaticity diagram as a hue of an average chromaticity of all pixels of the image displayed on the image display device;

a color saturation of the chromaticity of the peripheral visual field of the image display device is less than or equal to, on a chromaticity diagram, a color saturation of an average chromaticity of all pixels of the image displayed on the image display device; and

therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.

10. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein chromaticities of the one or more light sources are controlled in association with the image so that:

a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially the same on a chromaticity diagram as a hue of an average chromaticity of pixels of a background excluding a main target of the image displayed on the image display device;

a color saturation of the chromaticity of the peripheral visual field of the image display device is less than or equal to, on a chromaticity diagram, a color saturation of an average chromaticity of the pixels of the background excluding the main target of the image displayed on the image display device; and

therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.

11. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein chromaticities of the one or more light sources are controlled in association with the image so that a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially opposite on a chromaticity diagram to a hue of an average chromaticity of all pixels of the image displayed on the image display device, and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation is space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.

12. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein chromaticities of the one or more light sources are controlled in association with the image so that a hue of a chromaticity of a peripheral visual field of the image display device is substantially opposite on a chromaticity diagram to a hue of an average chromaticity of pixels of a background excluding a main target of the image displayed on the image display device, and therefore a light color of illumination to the appreciation space is substantially coincident with a light color of illumination to the virtual image space.

13. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein outputs and light colors of the one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space are controlled in accordance with a luminance distribution state of the image displayed on the image display device so that a light color, a level distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a light color, a level distribution, and a direction of illumination to the virtual image space.

14. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein a light source of the virtual image space is detected, a distribution and a direction of light in the virtual image space are predicted based on a luminance, a light color, and a position of the detected light source, outputs and light colors of the one or more light sources provided in the appreciation space are controlled to realize a light color distribution and a luminance distribution obtained by extrapolating the predicted results into the appreciation space so that a direction and a distribution of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a direction and a distribution of illumination to the virtual image space.

15. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more light sources are provided at a rear or periphery of the image display device.

16. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein when the peripheral visual field of the image display device is divided into a plurality of visual field categories based on a visual function of a human, the categories including an effective visual field section, a guide visual field section, and an auxiliary visual field section, and at least one of the one or more light sources is assigned to each of the plurality of visual field categories.

17. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein a light source of the one or more light sources illuminating an effective visual field section is a multi-function light source.

18. An illumination control method according to claim 17, wherein a brightness of the multi-function light source illuminating the effective visual field section is greater than a brightness of a light source illuminating other visual fields.

19. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein a light source of the one or more light sources for illuminating a guide visual field section is provided at high density, and on-off operation of the light source is finely controlled.

20. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein the image displayed on the image display device is substantially evenly divided into 3 portions including an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion, information on each of the upper portion, the middle portion, and the lower portion is reflected in at least one of the effective visual field section, a guide visual field section, and an auxiliary visual field section so that a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the virtual image space.

21. An illumination control method according to claim 3, wherein:

a light color and a luminance level of a light source of the one or more light sources for illuminating a guide visual field section is individually adjusted;

the light source is attached to a periphery or vicinity of the image display device;

the light color and the luminance level of the light source is controlled to be coincident with a light color and a luminance level of a pixel in a peripheral edge portion of the image displayed on the image display device so that a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the appreciation space are made substantially coincident with a level, a light color, a distribution, and a direction of illumination to the virtual image space.

22. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein a condition of the illumination is changed substantially in synchronization with the image displayed on the image display device so that a delay in the change of the condition of the illumination is less than or equal to one second with respect to a change in the image.

23. An illumination control method according to claim 22, wherein image data is stored in a storage medium so that the illumination is synchronized with the displaying of the image on the image display device at an arbitrary timing and therefore the condition of the illumination is changed substantially in synchronization with the image.

24. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined relaxation-type illumination control method is applied to a dramatically changing image.

25. An illumination control method according to claim 24, wherein in the predetermined relaxation-type illumination control method, a variation frequency of the illumination is adjusted in such a manner so as not to fall in a frequency range causing a human to sense flicker.

26. An illumination control method according to claim 24, wherein in the predetermined relaxation-type illumination control method, the illumination is changed when a change in the image exceeds a predetermined threshold.

27. An illumination control method according to claim 24, wherein in the predetermined relaxation-type illumination control method, when the image is changed, the illumination is changed in accordance with an average value of a vicinity of the change over a predetermined period of time.

28. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined adaptation adjusting means for preventing an appearance of a reduction in color saturation on the screen caused by the eyes of a human adapting a single light color dominating a significant portion of the image displayed on the image display device.

29. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein the illumination is controlled using a predetermined control method when a luminance level of the image displayed on the image display image is low and a chromaticity thereof is a low color saturation.

30. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein the illumination is controlled in association with a feeling of the appreciator appreciating the image display device in addition to the image displayed on the image display device.

31. An illumination control method according to claim 30, wherein a feeling of the appreciator is monitored by measuring a brain potential or various types of biorhythms of the appreciator.

32. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein the illumination is changed in association with a telephone or an interphone when a call is received by the telephone or interphone.

33. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein one or more light sources provided at a peripheral visual field is controlled to represent an object color displayed on the screen.

34. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein a control mode of the illumination control is selected in accordance with a preference of the appreciator.

35. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein data is transmitted in a form of chromaticity information.

36. An illumination control method according to claim 1, wherein data is transmitted in a device-dependent form so as to increase a data transmission rate.

37. An illumination control method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling the illumination in accordance with speech information.

38. An illumination control method according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

storing an illumination control signal at a predetermined location; and

realizing predetermined illumination control by reproducing the stored illumination control signal when the appreciator is appreciating the screen.

39. An illumination device comprising means for controlling illumination of an appreciation space in association with an image displayed on an image display device in such a manner as to enhance a realism of the image displayed on a screen of the image display device, wherein an appreciator appreciating the image is in the appreciation space.

40. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising:

a reproduction section for reproducing a predetermined signal;

a data storage device;

an illumination control section;

an illumination output section; and

an image/sound output section, wherein the image/sound output section functions as the image display device.

41. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising:

a reception section for receiving a predetermined signal;

a reproduction section for reproducing the predetermined signal;

an image/sound output section;

an analysis section for analyzing the predetermined signal;

an illumination control section; and

an illumination output section, wherein the image/sound output section functions as the image display device.

42. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising:

a sensor section for measuring a predetermined information signal;

an analysis section for analyzing a predetermined signal;

an illumination control section; and

an illumination output section.

43. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising:

a data reception line;

a reproduction section for reproducing a predetermined signal;

a data storage device;

an illumination control section;

an illumination output section; and

an image/sound output section, wherein the image/sound output section functions as the image display device.

44. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising:

a reception section for receiving a predetermined signal;

a reproduction section for reproducing the predetermined signal;

an image/sound/illumination storage section;

an image/sound/illumination control section; and

an image/sound/illumination output section, wherein the image/sound/illumination output section functions as the image display device.

45. An illumination device according to claim 44, wherein the reception section, the reproduction section, the image/sound/illumination storage section, the image/sound/illumination control section and the image/sound/illumination output section are integrated.

46. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein part of a light for display of the image output from the image display device is used as illumination light.

47. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein a light source is provided in a goggle type image display section.

48. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein an illumination output section and a sound output section are integrated.

49. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising a light source, the light source including:

a light emitting section; and

at least one of a variable light color control section for variably controlling a light color of light emitted from the light emitting section, a variable luminous intensity distribution control section for variably controlling a light luminous distribution thereof, and a variable direction control section for variably controlling a direction thereof.

50. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising an illumination appliance,

the illumination appliance including:

a light source; and

at least one of a reception section, a data analysis section, a data mapping section, a sensor section, a reproduction section, a storage section, and a transmission section,

the light source including;

a light emitting section; and

at least one of a variable light color control section for variably controlling a light color of light emitted from the light emitting section, a variable luminous intensity distribution control section for variably controlling a light luminous distribution thereof, and a variable direction control section for variably controlling a direction thereof.

51. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising at least one light source accommodated in a side of a body of the image display device.

52. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising at least one light source accommodated in a frame of the image display device, the frame being positioned at a periphery of the screen of the image display device.

53. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising at least one light source accommodated in the image display device, the at least one light source being removable.

54. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein the illumination is controlled in association with a feeling of the appreciator appreciating the image display device in addition to the image displayed on the image display device.

55. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein a light emitting section is provided at a position wherein the light emitting section is shielded from the appreciator appreciating the image displayed on the image display device.

56. An illumination device according to claim 39, further comprising means for measuring a brain potential or various types of biorhythms of the appreciator.

57. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein the illumination is changed in association with a telephone or an interphone when a call is received by the telephone or interphone.

58. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein one or more light sources provided at a peripheral visual field is controlled to represent an object color displayed on the screen.

59. An illumination device according to claim 39, further comprising a switching function wherein a control mode of illumination control is selected in accordance with a preference of the appreciator.

60. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein data is transmitted in a form of chromaticity information.

61. An illumination device according to claim 39, wherein data is transmitted in a device-dependent form so as to increase a data transmission rate.

62. An illumination device according to claim 39, further comprising means for controlling the illumination in accordance with speech information.

63. An illumination device according to claim 39, comprising:

means for storing an illumination control signal at a predetermined location; and

means for realizing predetermined illumination control by reproducing the stored illumination control signal when the appreciator is appreciating the screen.