Hue adjusting lighting system

• US 7,213,939 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Brocklin, Andrew L., Anderson, Daryl E.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsidulko; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/792,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 362/231, 362/26, 362/27, 362/601, 362/368, 362/301, 362/2, 362/16, 362/140, 362/276, 362/283, 362/642, 359/238, 359/239, 359/298
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/00 Lighting devices or systems producing a varying lighting effect
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 19/005 Combining sunlight and electric light sources for indoor illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/04 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]

Abstract

This disclosure describes a lighting apparatus comprising a light hue modulating device that generates compensating light to adjust the light to a desired hue within a space regardless of the hue of the ambient light within the room.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a sensor that senses hue of an ambient light within a space; and

a light hue modulating device that projects a compensating light to adjust the ambient light to a desired hue within the space, wherein the light hue modulating device is a front-lit device.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control device that controls the hue of the compensating light projected by the light hue modulating device in response to the hue of the ambient light.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light source that generates bandwidths of light that are applied by the light hue modulating device to compensate for each level of ambient light that exists in the space.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the light source produces white light.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a condenser lens that condenses the light directed at the light hue modulating device.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light hue modulating device is an optical modulator that can modulate the hue of light.

7. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ambient light is produced at least partially by the sun.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ambient light is produced at least partially by a light source.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor/controller mechanism that senses the hue of the ambient light in the space, and thereupon controls the lighting apparatus to generate the desired compensating light.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light hue modulating device includes a first reflector, a second reflector, and a flexure that controls the spacing between the first reflector and the second reflector so that light of a desired wavelength constructively interferes.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light hue modulating device includes a Fabry-Perot interference device.

12. A lighting system, comprising:

means for controlling and sensing a compensating hue for a compensating light, the compensating hue compensating for a particular ambient light having an ambient hue; and

means for modulating the hue of the compensating light into the ambient light to yield a desired total light, wherein the means for modulating the hue includes a plurality of spaced reflectors in which the illumination constructive interferes at the compensating hue.

13. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the means for modulating the hue includes a front-lit hue modulating device.

14. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the means for modulating the hue includes a back-lit hue modulating device.

15. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the means for controlling and sensing a compensating hue includes a feedback loop to compensate for the effectiveness of the means for modulating the hue.

16. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a sensor that senses hue of an ambient light within a space; and

a light hue modulating device that projects a compensating light to adjust the ambient light to a desired hue within the space, wherein the light hue modulating device is a back-lit device.

17. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a control device that controls the hue of the compensating light projected by the light hue modulating device in response to the hue of the ambient light.

18. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a light source that generates bandwidths of light that are applied by the light hue modulating device to compensate for each level of ambient light that exists in the space.

19. The lighting apparatus of claim 18, wherein the light source produces white light.

20. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a condenser lens that condenses the light directed at the light hue modulating device.

21. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the light hue modulating device is an optical modulator that can modulate the hue of light.

22. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the ambient light is produced at least partially by the sun.

23. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the ambient light is produced at least partially by a light source.

24. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a sensor/controller mechanism that senses the hue of the ambient light in the space, and thereupon controls the lighting apparatus to generate the desired compensating light.

25. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the light hue modulating device includes a first reflector, a second reflector, and a flexure that controls the spacing between the first reflector and the second reflector so that light of a desired wavelength constructively interferes.

26. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the light hue modulating device includes a Fabry-Perot interference device.

27. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a sensor that senses hue of an ambient light within a space; and

a light hue modulating device that projects a compensating light to adjust the ambient light to a desired hue within the space, wherein

the light hue modulating device includes a first reflector, a second reflector, and a flexure that controls the spacing between the first reflector and the second reflector so that light of a desired wavelength constructively interferes.

28. A lighting apparatus, comprising;

a sensor that senses hue of an ambient light within a space; and

a light hue modulating device that projects a compensating light to adjust the ambient light to a desired hue within the space, wherein

the light hue modulating device includes a Fabry-Perot interference device.