Illumination management system

• US 6,614,013 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Watt Stopper Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: The Watt Stopper Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Viala, Roar, Pitigoi-Aron, Radu, Forke, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B.
• Application Number:
  US10/045,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20020179817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 250/205, 250/214.AB, 250/214.1, 250/214.B, 250/206, 250/208.4, 315/150, 315/156, 315/158, 327/514
• US Class Current: 250/205
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/042 by measuring the incident light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/3922 and measurement of the incident light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

The present invention provides an illumination management system that includes a first LED that outputs a first signal when exposed to a first spectrum of light, the first signal indicating an intensity of light from the first spectrum; a second LED that outputs a second signal when exposed to a second spectrum of light, the second signal indicating an intensity of light from the second spectrum and wherein the second spectrum includes at least some wavelengths that are not in said first spectrum. In some embodiments, more LEDs could be included in the system for associating the presence of light energy from different parts of the light spectrum. Also included is light control circuitry, coupled to the LEDs, configured to generate a lighting control signal that can be output to one or more lights to adjust the lights to a desired light level, wherein the lighting control signal varies in response to said first and second signals.

Claims

1. An illumination management system, said system comprising:

a first LED that outputs a first signal when exposed to a first spectrum of light, said first signal indicating an intensity of light from said first spectrum;

a second LED that outputs a second signal when exposed to a second spectrum of light, said second signal indicating an intensity of light from said second spectrum and wherein said second spectrum includes at least some wavelengths that are not in said first spectrum; and

light control circuitry, coupled to said first and second LEDs, configured to generate a lighting control signal that can be output to one or more lights to adjust said lights to a desired light level, wherein said lighting control signal varies in response to said first and second signals.

2. The illumination management system of claim 1 further comprising a light analyzer configured to associate said first spectrum and said second spectrum with different sources of light.

3. The illumination management system of claim 1 wherein desired light levels can be defined for various times and particular conditions throughout the day.

4. The illumination management system of claim 1 wherein desired light levels can be defined for one or more controlled areas.

5. An illumination management system of claim 1 wherein said light control circuitry comprises:

an identification circuit coupled to the first and second LEDs for associating the actual light composition, said actual light composition being a combination of light values derived from said first and second signals;

a correction circuit coupled to said identification circuit for comparing said actual light composition to a desired light composition; and

a driver circuit coupled to said correction factor circuit and configured to generate a control signal to control an illumination level of one or more lights, control third signal being derived from a difference between said actual light composition and said desired light composition, said control signal being varied in response to said difference.

6. The illumination management system of claim 5 wherein each light value describes a light source and a light intensity of said light source.

7. The illumination management system of claim 5 wherein a light spectrum detected by at least one of the LEDs substantially mimics the photopic cure.

8. The illumination management system of claim 5 wherein said illumination management system adjusts the ambient light in response to changes in the ambient light.

9. The illumination management system of claim 5 wherein said illumination management system comprises at least one of a red LED, a green LED, a blue LED, and an IR LED.

10. The illumination management system of claim 5 wherein identification numbers representing desired light levels can be assigned to particular light sources and to desired amounts of energy to be detected from said light sources.

11. The illumination management system of claim 5 wherein said illumination management system accounts for reflective characteristics of a controlled area.

12. The illumination management system of claim 5 wherein said illumination management system employs a multiple-dimension interpolation algorithm to determine whether to increase or decrease the light provided by light fixtures, said illumination management system continuously adapting to achieve the desired light level in response to changes in the illumination conditions.

13. The illumination management system of claim 5 further comprising one or more control circuits for controlling light obstructing elements.

14. A spectrum analyzer comprising:

a first LED that outputs a first signal when exposed to a first spectrum of light, said first signal indicating an intensity of light from said first spectrum;

a second LED that outputs a second signal when exposed to a second spectrum of light, said second signal indicating an intensity of light from said second spectrum and wherein said second spectrum includes at least some wavelengths that are not in said first spectrum; and

light control circuitry, coupled to said first and second LEDs, configured to analyze said first spectrum and said second spectrum to determine an actual light composition, wherein the actual light composition includes light from one or more sources of light.

15. The spectrum analyzer of claim 14 wherein said plurality of LEDs comprise at least two of a red LED, a green LED, a blue LED, and an infrared LED.

16. A light meter comprising:

a first LED that outputs a first signal when exposed to a first spectrum of light, said first signal indicating an intensity of light from said first spectrum;

a second LED that outputs a second signal when exposed to a second spectrum of light, said second signal indicating an intensity of light from said second spectrum and wherein said second spectrum includes at least some wavelengths that are not in said first spectrum; and

light control circuitry, coupled to said first and second LEDs, configured to associate said first spectrum and said second spectrum with sources of light, wherein said light meter is further configured to determine an actual light composition, said actual light composition being a combination of light values derived from each of the first and second signals, each light value describing a light source and a light intensity of the light source.

17. The light meter of claim 16 wherein said plurality of LEDs comprise at least two of a red LED, a green LED, a blue LED, and an infrared LED.

18. The light meter of claim 16 wherein said light meter is a LUX meter.

19. A method for controlling the brightness level of a light, the method comprising:

exposing a first LED and a second LED to light;

outputting from each LED a signal in response to being exposed to light, the first LED detecting a first light spectrum and the second LED detecting a second light spectrum;

determining an actual light composition, wherein the actual light composition is a combination of light values derived from each of the signals, each light value describing a selected one of one or more light sources and light intensity of the selected one of the light sources; and

controlling the illumination level of one or more of the light sources in response to a desired light level.

20. A method for determining a composition of light in an area, the composition including light from one or more light sources, the method comprising:

exposing a first LED and a second LED to the light wherein the first and second LEDs output signals in response to being exposed to the light, and wherein the first LED detects a first light spectrum and the second LED detects a second light spectrum; and

determining an actual light composition, wherein the actual light composition is a combination of light values derived from each of the output signals, each light value describing a selected one of one or more light sources and light intensity of the selected one of the light sources.